Newspaper Page Text
c O N o It II S S l O N A Ij ♦
Office of the B*l imore American, Dec. 21.
m IMPORTANT KttOM WASHINGTON.
Great Rvcitement on the Slavery Questione,
Retiring of Southern Members.
Oar apeoi&l correspondent, in a no'te'nrcin
rling tie annexed notice of yesterday’s pro
ceedings in Congress says—We-are in the
midst of a tremendous excitemenfoti the Sieve
Question.”
Washington, Dec. 20th. j
House of Representatives.
The Speaker made the Idurth appointment
mi the Committee of Ways arid Means, this
morning. Mr. Pope of Kentucky was select
ed to till tire vacancy occasioned by the resig
nation of Mr. Everett.
Unfinished business was then made the or
der of the day in the House, and the unfinish-!
c*d business was well named the further consid
eration of the Petitions praying for the Aboli-j
tion of Slavery in the District of Columbia.— !
The merits of the whole Slave question were)
involved in the discussion, and the day has
been in the House, one of unusual excitement, i
Mr. Slade has had the floor the most of the!
day, and coming from Vermont, where A ho-1
lition grows up spontaneously with children to
manhood, you can imagine the character of
his Petitions and his Speech. To speak of it
•in a word, it is the very essence of ail that
Thompson, Garrison, May & Cos. have writ
ten and spoken on the topic of Slavery.
In the very outset of his remarks lie was in
terrupted by Mr. Wise, of Virginia, for inti
mating that the motion to lay Abolition me
morials U|x>n the table was the result of com
bination, fx.c. on the part of Southern mem
bers. Mi*. Dawson, of Georgia, also called
liim to order for the same reference, and Mr.
Slade satisfied them by disclaiming all person
al feeling and all persona! references in regard
to the charge.
Mr. Slade continued his remarks and the
Southern members became more and more ex
cited. The Speaker at length called him to
order for wandering from his subject.
Mr. Legarc, of South Carolina, got the floor
and asked permission to say a few words. He
was under the influence of great feeling, and
begged the member from Vermont not to pro
ceed. Mr. L. as one of the most eloquent rnen
in the House, was too excited at the present
moment to speak with any degree of coolness.
With great ardor and justice he vindicated the
South from the attack made by Mr. Slade, and
said that the homes and firesides of the South
—her dearest interests and her peace—her
domestic happiness—all that she had and was
—was identified with this question ; and he
therefore begged that the member from Ver
mont would desist.
Mr. Slade refused again and again to yield
the floor, except when called to order by the
members of the House. Mr. Dawson, of Ga.
twice asked permissioa to reply to some severe
remarks made by Mr. S. but Mr. S. refused
to yield the floor. Here Mr. Legare, much
excited, moved an adjournment, although it
was not then one o’clock. Mr. Legare’s mo
tion was not in order and of course was not
put by, the Speaker. Mr. Dawson, of Geo.
Called for the orders of the day,—the further
consideration of the President’s Message;—
the motion was not in order and Mr. Slade
was again suffered to proceed.
Fora half hour Mr. Slade went on without
interruption, animadverting in strong lan
guage not merely upon Slavery in the Dis
trict of Columbia, but in all States.
Mr. Dawson, Mr. Wise and Mr. Rhett
oalled him to order. But from the nature of
the subject, which I will explain by and bv,
Mr. Slade was not out of order, and wasagain
suffered to proceed. The House at length
became too hot—Mr. Slade’s remarks too per
sonal—nnd the southern members too much
excited to hear more.
Mr. Rhett and Mr. Wise at the same mo.-
ment both called him to order, and for the first
time the call was in order. Mr. Slade was
reading the opinions of several distinguished
men upon the merits of’slavery. By a rule of
the House it is not in order to read from any
document, hook or pamphlet without the con
sent of the House. The members objected,
and Mr- Slade was compelled to take his
seat.
This, however, was the least exciting part
of the scene. Mr. Wise, after saying that
Mr. Slade had entered into a lull examina
tion of the merits of the Slave question, called
upon the southern delegation to leave the hall.
*'Agreed /” “Agreed /” “Agreed!” was re
sponded by a dozen voices, and in company
with twenty or twenty-five members he left
the hall.
The House was here in great confusion. —
A half dozen members rose upon the floor,
calling nnd being called toorder. Mr. Rhett
said that the southern delegation would meet
in die District of Columbia Committee room,
it 3 o’clock.
Mr. Slade begged permission to go on in j
order.
Mr. McKay, of N. C. called him to order,
*nd the Speaker told him to take his seat.
His motion “ to be permitted to proceed in
order” was, however, pot to the House, and
the yeas and nays demanded. A motion was
now made to adjourn. Mr. Adams, ol
Mass, demanded the yeas and nays. The
House seconded the call, and the result was
106 in favor of an adjournment, and 65
against it.
Mr. Campbell, of S. C. at this moment ap
peared in the hall, having been selected by
the southern members in the committee room,
to request the attendance of all the members
representing tbe interests oi the south.
The House then adjourned.
p. s,—Slade’s petition for the Aboli
tion of slavery in the District was accompa
nied with instructions to report a bill tor the
Abolition of slavery in the District of Colum
bia. The report made his remarks in order,
and hence the reason why he was not called
to order with success.
In Senate. —The Senate passed the day in
the consideration of private matters ot no im
portance to your readers. Tlie session was!
n short one, and many oi’ the Senators were
in the House, listening to the exciting de-j
bate. . Yours. See.
December 21.
IMPORTANT FROM WASHINGTON.
Settiema it of the Slavery question in the
House <{f Representatives.
The letters of our special correspondent, it
•will bo seen, convey the gratifying intelli
gence that the exciting question of the Abo
lition of Slaverv, has been disposed of by the
House of Representatives, for the session, in
the adoption by toe House ot a Resolution of
fered by a southern member, on hehali oi
■the delegations from the slave-holding states.
Washington, Thursday, Dec. 21.
The southern members were in session last
wif’ht until past twelve o'clock, consulting to
gether in reference to the interest ot the i
slave-holding states. Some of flic delega
tions were in full attendance. From Geor-;
gia. South Carolina, and Virginia, nil were;
present. From Maryland, North Carolina,]
Tennessee, and Kentucky, a large majority j
of the members were present. Messrs. Gai-j
houn, Preston, Cuthbert, Crittenden, and sev- ]
first other Senators were in
addressed the meeting. A mu!tit”He ot ru- ]
mors are in circulation as to the dolmen-j
lions of the members. They* are not to be j
depended upon, an ! I will, therefore, only
send vou what has been made public.
After a <*onsnifation of some hours, it was
agreed that the principles of the Report in
troduced two sessions hack hv Mr Pinckney,
o! South Carolina, and the Resolutions pre
twnied hv Mr. Pinckney accompanying that
renop. should he now agreed upon by the’
soirtberninentWr* as their guide of action—
Mr ’ * V ‘ ; a. who presided at the
Ate'eiing, was authorised to bring forward a
resolution to that etlecf.
Mr, Pinckney’s resolutions, you remember, 1
were prepared two years since, and the part l
he then took upon that question lost him ids
<lection. The southern members now do Mr.
Pinckney justice, and acknowledge his course
to have been ttie correct one. An agreement
to present such a resolution as was presented
by Mr. Pinckney, was tire chief subject dis- I
cussed, and without troubling you with ru- J
mors, you will learn what is more important j
—;facts —in the rt port of this day’s proceed- j
ings in Congress. Yours, -&.C.
Washington, Tuesdav, Dec. *.
Howe of 1 ■; . tentative i.—Mr. Slade, of
Vermont, first .* I • > >p in the floor yester
day, was the fir.’ .-hii upon the floor fhij
j morning. The journal of proceedings had
i been read, when Mr. Slade, of Vermont, took
j the floor for U*e purpose of soliciting the
| House to amend the Journal, in order to
! present the question in a ddierent light before
\ the public than it was presented by the clerk’s j
| record. The Ho-o, not withstanding Mr.
’ Shade’s request, to amend the journal.
Mr. Patton, of W giiiin, then asked the I
! unanimous consent of the House to present a .
Resolution.
The Resolution was read for information, 1
and in sub-tanee proposed that ail Petitions
and Resolutions praying for the Abolition of;
Slavery in (lie District of Columbia, and all
Memorials or Resolutions in relation to Sin- j
very in the different States, should be laid
upon the table without reading, without refe- j
rence, without printing and without discus- 1
sion.
Mr. Adams objected to the reception of the
Resolution.
Mr. Patton moved a suspension of the j
Rules of the House, for the purpose of afford
ing him an opportunity to present the Ileso- !
lution.
Mr. Cushman, of N. 11. called for the yeas
and nays, and the House seconded the call—
-135 to 60.
The Rules being suspended, and the Re
solution before the House, Mr. Patton, of
Virginia, rose and said that lie had, with
advice and consent, brought forward the
Resolution as a peace-offering—a peace-offer
ing from the south to ttie north—in the hope
that it would calm and tranquilize the public
mind. It was his wish to restore haimony,
peace and good will, in the House. The
emotions that pervaded his own bosom during
the scenes of yesterday, were such as he
would not and could not give utterance to.
In conclusion, said Mr. Patton, C feel myself
called upon to do now what I have never
done before, and what I have rarely allowed
myself to do even when the measure was
introduced by others. I therefore move the
Previous Question.
Mr. Adams said he hoped the gentleman
would not make such a motion, preceded by
any remarks as he had done. Mr. Adams
apparently designed to continue his remarks,
and the House—twenty voices in the same
moment joining in the call—called him to
order. “ Order!” “ order!” “ order !”•—was
was uttered with a stentorirn cry, and Mr.
Adams was called upon to take his seat.
The previous question was then seconded
by the House—l 24 ir. favor of the second,
and the negatives not counted. “Shall the
main question be now put?” was the question
iu order, which was propounded by the
Speaker. Upon the question the yeas and
nays were called and seconded—l 29 to 62.
The main question was therefore ordered,
and was: “ Shall the resolution be passed?”
This, the most important vote of the day,
was about to be put by the Speaker, when
Mr. Adams, much excited, rose in his place
ami said—“l hold the Resolution to ne in
violation of the Constitution of the United
States.” He was about to proceed, and in
the heat of his first declaration, when more
than a hundred voices called him to order.
Cries of “ order,” “ order /” “ order ! rang
through the Hall, almost with the noise of an
earthquake. Cdifusion and excitement pre
vailed in all parts of the House, and another
storm louder and more alarming than that of
yesterday, seemed about to burst forth.
The Speaker, however, checked it in its
bud, by telling Mr. Adams peremptorily to
resume his seat for being out of order. Mr.
Adams, being out of order, obeyed the sum
mons, and the call of yeas and nays was
resumed.
Mr. Wise begged to be excused, and Mr.
Adams bad not recorded and meant not to
record his vote. Oihers had come to the
same conclusion, some from the south belie
ving that the whole subject was unconstitu
tional, and Mr. Adams, from the north, refu
sing to vole for the same reason. The end,
however, had here been reached, and the
Resolution was adopted by one hundred and
twenty-two in favor of the Resolution, and
seventy-four Bgainst it. In the House of
j Representatives I hope this is the end of this
exciting topic. In the Senate the whole
subject will be brought forward on Tuesday
next.
The House, after adopting the Resolution
of Mr. Patton, went into a Committee of the
whole on the State of the Union, tor the pur
pose of discussing the President’s Message.
Mr. Adams was called to the Chair. Mr.
Ewing, of Indiana, made some few remarks
in reply to Mr. Duncan, of Ohio. Mr. Dun
can replied, and Mr. Ewing rejoined.
Mr. Underwood followed in opposition to
the Message, and was followed bv Mr. Mal
lory, of Virginia, on the same side ot the
question—who made some severe reflections
upon the Secretary of the Navy. The Com
mittee then rose, and after some unimportant
motions, adjourned.
In Senate. —The Senate passed most of
the day in the consideration of a Bill for sup
pressing the issue of small notes in the District
of Columbia. Mr. Bepton, of Missouri,
made a long speech in favor of his peculiar
notions in regard to hard money and paper
money. The bill was under consideration
| until past four o’clock.
| The remainder of the day was passed in the
j discussion of Private Bills, and matters not in
j (erecting to the public Yours, &e.
w ASHINGTON. Df.C. 23. j
Our special correspondent transmitted to j
us the following notice ot yesterday’s pro-1
ceedings in Congress: \
House of Representatives.—The Journal of
Proceedings as for the two mornings past, so ,
again tiiis morning, was a stumbling block :
over which the House had to jump before
proceeding to business. Mr. Adams, ot Mass, ;
wished to have his reasons recorded for not ]
voting upon the resolution introduced yester
day morning by Mr- Patton, of Virginia.;
Mr. Adams, therefore, brought forward an j
amendment of the Journal giving his reasons:
for not voting. See.
Another discussion was threatened, and the ]
motion, on motion of Mr. Boon, ot Indiana, ■
; was laid on the table. ‘
The rules of the blouse were then suspend- (
! ed and the House went into the consideration j
I of private bills and bills of a public character, j
Wit. —One day when Dr. Channing was ]
: paying the toll on a turnpike road in America,!
i he perceived a notice of “ whiskey, rum, to- ;
i bacco,” &c. on a board, which bore a strong;
’ resemblance to a grave-stone. “ l am glad to
i see,” said the doctor to the girl who received i
the toll, “ that you have been burying those
things.” “ Ami if we had,” said the girl, “ 1
do’nt doubt you would have gone chief-mour
ner
Direct Trade betireen JVete Orleans and
j Canton. —An attempt ismnking by capitalists
j at New Orleans to open a direct trade Imm
thence to China. The ship Canton Packet is
now on her way f.-un Canton to N, Orleons,’
|SENTINEL & HERALD.
I COLUMBUS, JANUARY 4, ISI7.
P. H. F. Bjuttax is our authorized agent ;
j for the collection of such accounts of this ol
fice as may be placed in his hands, and also>
| to receive subscriptions, &.c.
Dec. 10, 1837.
George W. Compton is our authorised ;
Agent for such accounts as may be placed in
bis hands. He wilt also receive in Georgia ;
and Alabama subscriptions to the Smtinel
; and Herald.
COTTON.
The artie’e has come in pretty freely during
the past week, and prices have ranged from
7 to 8 3-4 cents; the latter price could only
be obtained for strictly prime. Our market
i may be considered brisk.
“AN ACT
To authorize the erection of a Lunatic Asy- j
lum in this State.”
The above is one of the acts of the last
Legislature, and although there is much of!
goodness, and mercy, and charity, and bene-!
. voleuce in it, yet it is more signally useful to
us in another point of view: vve use it for the ;
! purpose of exhibiting to the world the stupen- j
dous amount of labor accomplished by the|
! concentrated wisdom of the Stale of Georgia, j
jin her legislative Hails, during a session of
two months. What else has been done?—
! What more could have been accomplished?;
How noble, how patriotic the act ! Leave
has been most graciously granted to build a
house for the benefit of an unfortunate class!
of the human family ! W T ell, ’tis enough ;we j
ask no more. The Legislature has adjourned,
covered with glory, crowned with immor
tality ! How foolish and undignified to be
legislating about Banks —what if their vaults
are lull of specie , with which they refuse to
redeem their miserable ragged plasters, un
worthy to keep company with the much
abused “ shin plasters” of the day—whose
business is it? The country is full of money,
(what a burlesque upon the word,) the people j
are rich, (excuse us if you please,) and it is j
an object utterly unworthy of our attention to
legislate for the people against these shave
shops, living, breathing, and fattening, under
the false cognomen of Banks, having neither
the spirit nor honesty which should charac
terise such institutions! and away also, with
your chimerical notions, your crazy schemes
about Internal Improvement. What! pledge
the faith and credit of the State to raise funds
to build rail-roads and cut canals! Outra-
geous ! “ Mr. President, it is in open viola
tion ot the Constitution of Georgia ; it is a
dangerous doctrine; you will sever the glori
ous union ; you are about to sell the people;
stop, I beseech you ; pause anil reflect ere
you ruin the country. Why plunge our
State in debt and ruin, and beggar her like
Pennsylvania ? What do we want of Rail
Roads? Our common roads are good enough;
there is no danger of your being upset more
than once in every Jive miles, and you can
travel in the mail coach from Macon to Mil
ledge ville in ten hours, which is a distance of
thirty miles! It matters not about the cur
rency of ihe country, ami Internal Improve
ment is a humbug, ergo let’s build a Lunatic
Asylum, and adjourn sine die.”
To be serious, the course pursued by the
last Legislature was pretty much as we have
described in the above sketch. We were on
the spot, noted the matter well, and acknow
ledge with shamefacednes3, that the welfare
and prosperity of the State seems to have but
precious few friends in the Legislature.
Posterity, it is said, always renders up jus
tice to the past in proportion as it has been
merited; if so, we most cordially pity those
members of the Legislature who so strenu
ously opposed the great Internal Improve
ment Bill upon its appearance in the Senate.
The bill had passed the Representative branch
—to the praise of that body be it spoken—
but by a system of management unworthy of
so distinguished a body, it was not put ujion
its final passage in the Seriate until the last
night of the Session, and then at a very late
hour! Many of the members had “taken
French leave,” others were fretfully anxious
to “ close the concern,” a few, we were in
formed, who had been friends of the bill,
“jumped Jim Crow” at the eleventh hour ,
and the last and closing scene of the exhibi
tion with which our eyes were astonished,
was a grand display of “ still vaulting by tbe
whole company;” when the measure was
swept by the board, which, if passed, would’
have exalted Georgia to the highest point of
prosperity, and ranked her proudly amongst
her most flourishing sisters! Whether our
State shall live and flourish, or whether she
shall languish and die, undoubtedly depends
upon the progress of that great system of]
Internal Improvement already began. Shall j
it be fostered, sustained and encouraged, orj
shall it be abandoned? We trust that here-]
after this question will be carried up to the]
ballot box, throughout the State, and there let;
the voice of independent freemen speak new ,
life into the system of Internal Improvement.;
and bid it go on prospering and to prosper.
TIIE ABOLITION QUESTION.
Under the Congressional head in our paper
of to-dav, will be found the proceedings in
Congress upon the abolition question. The
resolution offered in the House of Represen
tatives by Mr. Patton of Virginia, and which
passed by a vote of 122 to 74, is in substance
the same as that offered by Mr. Pinckney, of:
South Carolina, two years ago. It secures!
temporary quiet, but it is faulty and inefficient,
] inasmuch as it concedes the right of petition
]on the subject of slavery. The resolution lias,
] hut served to hush the noisy clamor of Adams ;
: and Slade, and permit Congress to proceed
! with the business of the country. But in the
: Inisom of the nation the viper still coils, and j
] that he is alive and big with destruction, we]
i fear a groaning, bleeding constitution will bm
; too soon evince. It is urged that the right of j
j petition is sacred, being guaranteed in the
; Constitution ; granted, but can it be canstitu- j
timial to present unconstitutional petitions:
Can wrong be right? If the people of the
South have a single right under the Consti
tution of the United States, that right is to]
hold slaves —so given, guaranteed, and solem
nized by the sacred charter of our common
rights, as a body of freemen. Can it be just
|or lawful “then, for the North to pray Con
gress to take ‘riAvay front flic South that right
! which ihe Constitution gives and seals unto
iher ? Evidently not. The petitions, then,
j of the abolitionists, are not only contrary to
I the spiritof the constitution, but they are high-
I handed and insulting towards the whole
i =
j South. Suppose a man should present ape
■ titiou to Congress praying for the dissolution
lof the Union, would he be permitted to read
I it? and would the vote be taken to lav it on
j the table! We think not. What course would
jbe pursued? Why he would be kicked out
[of the Capitol to a moral certainty. And yet
i could not this man—having an instrument in
i his hand with which to sever the Union—
plead the right of petition, under the Consli
tion, with as much propriety as an abolitionist!
j The answer of the South is, yea.
BUNKLEY CASE.
No case has ever occurred in the history
of Georgia, which has produced so high and
universal an excitement as the case in ques-:
lion. Jesse L. Bunklcy was born in Jones
j county, where he lived and was well known ‘
| from his wild and reckless eccentricities, until
;he was a young man grown. After an ab
! sence on the part of Bunkley of fourteen years,
; a man appears in Jones county who repre
| sents himself to be the real simon pure, Jesse
; L. Bunkley, and claims consequently a large 1
■ estate to which the said Jesse L. was the
‘ lawful heir. After curiosity had become sa
; Late, and wonder had fallen asleep, justice
awoke, and seizing the impostor, placed him
J at her bar, where he was tried for swindling, !
‘etc. The trial was a very Jong and tedious
[one, and after the examination of some 120
i witnesses, the prisoner was proven to be, not
J Jesse L. Bunkley, but Elijah Barber, for-!
■ merly of Gwinnett county. Being thus con
victed of imposture, the Court sentenced him
to five years confinement in the penitentiary.
He has certainly succeeded to a very ample
and secure estate.
SKETCHES, AD LIBITUM.
BY HORATIO WALDO, ESQ.
Messrs. Editors: With your permission, I
will occupy a space in your columns weekly,
j with a view to descant in a general way, upon
j topics, persons and circumstances, as they
may arise, and be developed, in ihe due and
natural progress of time. It has been a cus
tom from the earliest ages of antiquity,to wield
the pen against the vices, and in lavor of the
virtues ofsociety—to exalt the human charac
ter in its morals, and the human intellect in
its noblest exhibitions—to sketch the manners
of everv-day life, with a view to place in a pro
per light, the correct delineations of character
—to satirise its follies—to porn tray its beau-
ties—to expose its deformities, and in fine to
analyze all its component parts ; and he who
has read history to any useful purpose, cannot
have failed to learn the beneficial results which
have followed such a custom. With this
brief, and perhaps unsatisfactory preface, I
will begin by observing, that upon a recent vu
sit to the Capitol of the Stale, I was naturally
led to the observance of much which I deem
well worthy of notice and record. The me
tropolis of Georgia, during the session of the
Legislature, which has just closed, was per
haps, more lively and interesting than usual.
The retiring of one Governor and the suc
cession of another to his place, induced to ihe
City of Milledgeville, at an early day, a large
concourse of native Georgians, as well as
strangers; and even up to the last week of
the session, the Hotels were throngs, and each
succeeding day, presented both tlifc Senate
Chamber and House of Representatives, full
to overflowing—floor, lobby and gallery.—
The Senate of Georgia is lalented—as an en
tire body it may be so considered.
To individualize, I should place them thus,
—that is, the leading members, or stars, if ihe
expression may he pardoned. McAllister,
Colquitt, McDonald,Powell, Patterson, Black,
Harris, T. Butler King, Haralson, and soon;
but these are the orators of the Senate, and,
as such, rendered conspicuous above their
fellow members. The debates in the Senate
are conducted with much gravity and deco
rum, and with the exception of the .Senate of
the United States, it is the best conducted de
liberative assembly that I remember to have
seen. The honorable gentleman who pre
sides over this body, wears an aii of dignity
in all his deportment which renders interest
ing and illustrious the high station which he
occupies. May I be indulged with an item
or two with regard to the honorable and
learned gentleman, who, by common consent,
stands first in tbe Legislature of Georgia.
M. Hall McAllister, Esq. the Senator from
Chatham county, is a man apparently about
thirty-five years of age, stout and athletic in
his person, wit!) a countenance that could not
be mistaken lor its expression of candor,
magnanimity and benevolence. His hair is a
light auburn, and worn in the style of a stu
dioso fresh from the Halls of old Cambridge; I
his face appears beardless, at least across the
Senate Hall, and consequently his appearance
is quite youthful and interesting; when he
rises to speak, he most usually stands with
; his bands in his pockets, a habit for which
1 the tailors are highly censurable. At the
] present session he wore a drab overcoat, with
] side pockets, which are entirely too c-onve
-1 nient for a “ potent and grave” Senator. As
a speaker, lie is fluent, persuasive, and forci
ble, and being a ripe scholar, his ideas are
clothed in language chaste, rich and copious.
As an orator, he is graceful, fiery, fascinating,
ami .in all things quite Shaksperean—he is a
powerful debater, and the able and gallant
leader of the Union party in the Legislature
I —he is an honor to the State, but the State
! wrongs herself in not placing him upon the
] floor of Congress; there he would shine, and
shine brightly.
The House of Representatives is such a ]
compound of men and mortals as would defy j
the pen of Walter Scott truly to describe;!
men are there of all shape.-*, sizes and figures; ]
of complexions and dispositions various as the ]
tints of the rainbow; there also are grades]
of intellect from the highest to the lowest; j
the sound reasoner, the shallow declaimer—
the learned debater, the ignorant talker—the !
c j
chaste and polished gentleman, the rough
and untutored, but honest woodsman—all are
there in one solid mass, and the ayes and
noes are frequently heard to ring iike the
: voice of an army; and particularly when a
Bank bill is on its passage, the united voices
of the opposition, as they cry no, is positively
terrific.
In the House there arc many talented met).
Those who arc noted as debaters. I would
rank thus: Crawlord anJ Jenkins, of Ricu
raond, Campbell of Muscogee, H. G. I-amar
of Bibb, Tombs of Wilkes, Stevens of Talia
ferro, Col. Kennan of Baldwin. Mr. Ste
vens, from Taliaferro, is the principal attrac
tion in the House. He is young, and his
appearance is really that of a boy of IS. 1
His health is delicate, and 1 should not judge
his weight to exceed that of the rider of Bas
combe. His voice is shrill, clear, and musi
cal, and strongly reminds one of the trumpet
tones of the inimitable orator of Roanoke.
His countenance is excessively pallid, which
1 strikes out more clearly the flash of his eye,
which is black and brilliant. He speaks but
seldom, owing to the enfeebled State of his
health.
The House is much more disorderly than
the Senate. At limes it becomes uproarious
and spasmodic. Mr. Day is a good Speaker,
and presides remarkably well.
The closing week of the Legislature is a
lime of general hustle and confusion, and
much censure is attributable to the members
for the hasty manner i:i which they run over
the business imposed upon them by the kind
ness of their constituents. To a stranger, it
must appear somewhat paradoxic il, that a
body of legislators, whose duty it is in a pecu
liar point of view, to provide fir the people’s J
wants, should with an air of carelessness and
utter disregard, push aside bills of sterling me- J
rif, and business of absolute importance! Vet
this was frequently witnessed during the last
week of the session! It is positively wrong;
it is trifling with the rights and interests ofthe ■
people, whose suffrages have elevated them to ;
their high seats ; and no other excuse can be
given, than tfiat they have squandered the
time which belongs to the earlier part of the
session! Would honorable gentlemen but con
!.. . .
‘siiler the high importance of their stations, as
legislators, and the deep and vital interest felt i
: by their constituents in the frugal disposition !
jof their time, methinks they would more
strictly “ husband their resources.”
* # # # #
The Legislative Ball, which I believe is an
annual festivity, was given at the Lafayette
Hall, and although not numerously attended
by “ the wise men of Gotham,” yet there was
assembled a crowd of pleasure-seekers and
fashionables; a goodly number of the most
brilliant and beautiful of Georgia’s fair daugh
ter’s, were seen winding adown the mazy
dance, followed by the wishful gaze of their
I numerous attendant beaux and gallants, and
“ the light of woman’s eye,” chased away the
darkness of the night, and the gloom of the
heart, whilst the inerry sound of the viol,
plucked from the wing of time a quill with
which to write “ begone dull care.” The
whole affair passed off'with great eclat.
The Legislature has adjourned, sine die*
and old Miiledgeville remains in statu quo.
\
✓'MEETING OF THE UNION PARTY IN ’
THE LEGISLATURE.
The members of the Union party in the
Legislature, convened in the Representative
Hall on the evening of the 1 23d of December,
with a view to consult as to the most suitable
meatus to be adopted in relation to the nomi
nation of a ticket for the next Congress.
The following were the proceedings :
On nharlpfi .1. McDonald, Esq.
was called to the Chair, and Joseph Sturgis,
Esq. appointed Secretary.
The following Preamble and Resolutions
were then presented by M. Hall McAllister,
Esq. and adopted by the meeting.
Whereas, it is desirable to obtain a full and
fair expression of public sentiment, as to those
who should represent the Union Democratic
party of this State in the next Congress of
the United States:
Be it, therefore, Resolved, That the Union
party of this Slate will hold a Convention at
Miiledgeville ori the first Monday in May
next, with a view to nominate their candidate*
tor Congress.
Resolved , That each county shall be ent'-
tled to as many votes in the Convention as
they have members in each branch of the
General Assembly, whether they send one or
more delegates.
Resolved , That the proceedings of this
meeting be signed by the Chairman and conn-;
tersigned by the Secretary, and be published
by the Union presses of this State.
C. J. McDonald, Ch’n.
Jos. Sturgis, Sec.’rv.
\ :
AN ACT
To amend the several acts of the Legisla
ture of tiiis State, incorporating the City
of Columbus, in the comity of Muscogee,
and to lay oft’ the said City into Wards,
a nil to point out. the mode of electing the
Mayor and Aldermen thereof.
Section 1. he it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives of the State of
Georgia, in General Assembly met, and it is
hereby enacted by the authority of the same,
| Tint from and immediately after the passage
of this Act, the said City of Columbus shall
be laid otTinto six Wards. The Frst Ward
shall embrace all that part of said City of Co
lumbus, including the North Commons lying
North of Franklin street, and shall be known |
and called Franklin Ward. The Second ■
Ward shall include all that part of said City
and Commons, lying South of Franklin street
and North of Randolph street, and shall be
known and called as Randolph Ward. The |
Third ward shall include ail that part of said ,
City and Commons lying South of Randolph
street and North of St. Ciair street, and shall j
be known and called as St. Clair Ward. Ihe j
Fourth Ward shall include all that part of
said City and Commons lying South of St.
Clair street and North of Thomas street, and
shall he known and called as Thomas WanL
The Filth Ward shall include all that part < 1
said City of Columbus, and the Commons
thereof, lying South of Thomas street and
North of Few streel, and shall he known and
called as Few Ward. The Sixth Ward
ssssshall include all that part of said City of Co-
lumbus lying South of Few street, and shall
be known and called as South Ward.
Sec 2. And he it further enacted by the
authority aforesaid, That from and immedi
ately after the passage of this Act, the Mayor j
and Members of the City Council if said City
of Columbus, or a majority of them, shall pro
ceed to designate the place in each Ward at
which the election for Mayor and Aldermen
j shall he held, on the first Saturday in January,
1333, and on the first Saturday in every
I January thereafter; and that after such
j places are so designated as aforesaid, the said
1 Mayor and Members of the City Council
shail give notice thereof in the public gazettes
of the said City of Columbus, and shall also
advertise the same at the place selected fir
holding such election in each of saul Wa'ds.
Provided that nothing in this Act contained
shall he so construed as to prevent the
Mayor and Aldermen, hereafter to be elected,
from changing the place of holding said elec-
whenever the same shall become con
veiuent or necessary, so that no place beyond
the limits of any such Ward be selected.
And provided also that whenever any such
change shall be made, notice thereof shall be
given in tiie manner before pointed out in
tms Act.
| Sec. J. And be it father enacted by the
authority aforesaid, That on the lirsl Satur
day in January, in the year 1833, and on the
lirst Saturday m January in every year there
after, there .-shall be elected in each Ward of
said City, two Aldermen by the Citizens ol
such Ward, entitled to vote for members of
the State Legislature, and that the persons
| receiving the nig.iest number of votes shall
I he declared duly elected, in the manner here
after pointed out.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted by the
• authority aibresaid, Tnat no person shall be
i eligible to the office ol Alderman of the said
City of Columbus, who shall not have resided
one year in the State and six months in the
said County of Muscogee, immediately pre
j ceding the election, and who shall not, at the
■ time of his election, be a Citizen residing in
I the Ward from which he shall be chosen;
and who shall not have paid all Corporation
Taxes which may have been legally required
of him. And such Aldermen hereafter to he
i elected shall, before they enter upon the du
; ties of their office, take and subscribe the oath
| now prescribed to members of the City Coun
cil tin* the said City of Columbus.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted by the
J authority aibresaid, That at the places and
| times of holding elections in the several
j Wards in the said City of Columbus, for Al-
I dermen thereof, there shall be a separate poll
I held for Mayor, and that ail persons residing
; within the corporate limits of said City shall
: vote at the respective Wards for Mayor ;
| and that the person receiving the highest
| number of all the votes given in at all of the
Wards, when the same shall be consolidated,
| shall be declared, by the Managers of said
elections, duly elected.
Sec. O'. And be it further enacted I>y the
authority aforesaid, That two freeholders in
each Ward shall act as Managers, in their
respective Wards, of slid election, neither o
whom shall themselves he a candidate for
1 .Mayor or Alderman ; and that after the
I Polls in their respective Wards shall he closed,
; which shall he done by four o’clock, P. M.,
the said Managers shall compare the votes
given in for Aldermen ; and the person re
ceiving the highest number of votes shall be
declared elected ; and that the said Managers
of the election at the respective Wards, shall
meet at the City Hall, in said City of Colum
bus, and consolidate the votes given in at. tiie
respective Wards for M ayor, and the person
receiving the greatest number of votes shall
he declared duly elected Mayor ; and shall,
before he enters upon the duties of the office,
take and subscribe the oaffi now prescribed
tor the Mayor of said City, and that the said I
Mayor and Aldermen shall remain in office j
until their successors shall be elected and |
qualified.
Sec. 7. And be it further ennefed by the!
authority aforesaid, That tlir*said Managers!
of the elections, at the several Wards in the!
said City of Columbus, shall have full power!
and authority to administer to persons, offer-j
ing to vote at any of said Wards, the follow- j
ingoath or affirmation : I, AB, do solemnly
swear or affirm, (a the case may be,) that i !
am a citizen of the county of Muscogee, that j
I have resided in the Stale of Georgia of;
twelve months, and in the county of Musco
gee for six months immediately preceding this
date; that 1 am now a resident in Ward,
n tiie said City of Columbus, and entitled to
vote in the same ; that I have not on this day
voted in any other Ward in said City for Al
dermen, anil that I have paid ail legal Corpo
ration Taxes which have been lawfully re
quired of me, so help me God—which'said
oath may he administered in the third person, j
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted by the!
authority aforesaid, That any person or per- j
sons who shall or may vote for Mayor and A!-!
dermen in any of said wards, without i
entitled to vote for the Sana?, or who shall vote
fi>r Aldermen in any ward ia which he is not
entitled to vote, or who shall vote for Mavoi
more than once, or for Mayor and Alderman,
or for Mayor or Alderman, in more than one,
shall he subject to all the pains and penalties
ofthe laws of this State against illegal voting;
and any person or persons having falsely, in
order to vote in any of the wards of said city,
for Mayor and Alderman, or for Mayor or Al
derman, shall be subject to all the pains and
penalties ofthe laws f this State against wil
ful and corrupt perjury, arid shall and maybe
prosecuted for said offences, or either of them,
before tfie Superior Court of the said county
of Muscogee, and the Marshall and Deputy
Mi rshail hereafter to be elected and appoint-!
ed, shall, in addition to the oath already pre
scribed, further swear, to prosecute all per
son or persons who shall to his or their
knowledge so illegally vote or so falsely and i
corruptly swear, lor the purpose of voting;!
and that neither the said Marshall or deputy,!
shall, in order to cany on such prosecution orj
prosecutions, give either bond or security for;
the prosecution of such offences, as now re-;
quired to be given by prosecutors by the laws;
ol this State.
Sec. 9. And he it further ennefed by the I
authority aforesaid That in case of death, re-;
signal ion, removal or otherwise, the office of!
Mayor of said cilv, shall become vacated, any!
two or more of the Aldermen of said city, shall j
order au election for Mayor to fill such va-1
cancv, which said election shall be advertised \
in the public Gazettes of said City ofColmri-i
bus, and also at each ofthe places of holding!
at each of the respective wards, at least ten j
days before the time appointed for holding said !
j elections, and that such election shall be held!
at each of the wards in the manner herein be-j
fore pointed out, and that the person tobej
elected shall hold his office until the next rug-1
ular election, and until his successor is sworn j
and qualified, and in case any vacancy should |
happen by death, resignation, removal or oth- I
ervvise, of any of the Aldermen or of any Al-!
dernian in any or either of (he said wards, the;
! Mayor of the said City, or onv t ■ ■> or more of j
I the Aldermen of said City, may order an el- c-1
| tion to .fill such vacancy in the ward or wards
j in which the same shall happen, by giving no
tice thereof at the place of holding elections in
j said wards, by advertising the same at least
! five days previous to holding said election and
I that the person so elected shut! hold his office
! until the next general election thereafter forj
j Mayor and Aldermen, and until his Successor is j
elected and qualified.
Sec. 10. And be it further enacted by the
authority aforesaid, That ail lavvsand parts of
militating against this act, be and the same
are hereby repealed.
JOSEPH DAY,
Speaker of House of Representatives.
RO3ER V iM.EOMOLS.
Presi lent of the Senate.
Assented to, 25th December, 1337.
GEORGE R. GILMER,
Governor.
Secretary of State's Office, Georgia, j
I certify that the foregoing is a tr e copy of
an original act under seal : n this office. Giv
under my hand this 27th D c.’r. 1837.
W. A- TENNILLE,
Secretary of State.
The following are among the most im
portant Acts passed by the Legislature of
Georgia at the session of 1837. —A Lad show
ing.
An act to authorize the Justices of the
Inferior Court, of ihe county of Early, to
lew an extra tax, for the compensation of
the Grand and Petit Jurors, of said county.
An act to compensate the Grand and Petit
Jurors in Talbot county.
An act to amend the 2d section, of the 3d !
: article of the constitution of this State.
Au act to make penal, the hireing of slavts
their time, without a written or verbal author
ity from owner, or persons having the right
control of such slaves.
Au act to alter and fix the time of holding
the Superior Courts of the eastern district of
this State.
An act to compensate the Grand and Petit
Jurors of Franklin and Habersham counties.
An act to appropriate money for the sup
port of Government for the political year 1833.
An act to provide (or taking the Census of
the State of Georgia, iu pursuance of the re
quirements of ilia £sih section of the Ist ar
ticle of the Constitution of the State of
Georgia.
An act further to regulate the mode of dis
counting notes, and distributing money m
the Central Bank ofthe State of Georgia.
An act to compensate the Grand and Petit
Jurors of Cobh county, and to authorize the
Inferior Court of said county to levy an extra
tax for that purpose.
An act to repeal the 4th section ofthe act
incorporating the Marine and Fire Insurance
Bank ofthe State of Georgia.
An act to compensate the Sheriffs of Ran-
dolph county for their services, in summoning
Grand and Petit Jurors in said county.
An act to ineoporate the stockholders of the
Montgomery Rail Road Company in the
town oi West Point, and to give the right o
locating and using a depot on their own land,
iri said town.
An act to authorize the Governor and Se
cretary of State, Surveyor General and Comp
troller General, to correct any errors that may
have taken place in issuing any Grant o*
Grants, in any of the Land Lotteries of this-
Slate, passed 22d December, 1887.
An act to amend an act. to incorporate the
Savannah Insurance and Trust Company, in
the city of Macon ; and also the Insurance
and Trust Company of the city of Columbus,
so far as respects the Oglethorpe Insurance
and Trust Company in the city of Macon.
An act to alter and amend an act, entitled
an act to authorize the construction of a road
communication, from the Tennessee river to
the point on the south-eastern hank of the
Chattahoochee river, most eligible for the run
ning of branch roads, thence to Athens, Mad--
ison, Miiledgeville, Forsyth and Columbus,
and to appropriate money therefor, passed ow
Ist December, 1537.
An act to he entitled an act, to compen
sate tiie Grand and Petit Jurors ofthe Supe
rior anil Interior Courts ofthe counties there
in named, and to provide for the payment df
die same.
An act to admit deeds of land to be re
corded after a lapse of twelve months.
An act to be entitled an act, to authorize
each county in this state, to retain the Gen
eral Tax, for the year 1837 and 1533, to bo
applied to county purposes by the Superior
i Courts.
Au act (o incorporate the town of Florence,
in the county of Stewart, and appoint com
missioners for the same.
An act to lay out and organ za anew
| county, out of the counties of Houston and
! Marion, and to attach the same to the Flint
! circuit, and to the second brigade ofthe Bih
j division of Georgia Militia.
| An act to authorize die Directors of the
j Central Bank, t<> borrow money to carry out
| their promised distribution.
An act to extend the time for fortunate
drawers in the Gold and Land Lotteries,
from the year 1818, and all subsequent lot
teries, to take out their giants.
An act to alter and change the time of hold
ing the Inferior courts of the counties of De
catur and Columbia, and also the Superior
and Inferior courts of Dooly county.
An act lor the pardon of Isaac W. While.
An act for the pardon of Samuel \Y.
i White.
i An act for ihe pardon of Benjamin South.
An act to amend an act to be entitled an
j act to incorporate the Baptist convention of
i the State of Georgia.
An act to authorise grants to issue in the
name ol informants and purchasers for parts
of Certain lots of kind in the County of Chero
kee which has been condemned as fraudu
lently drawn and which has been portioned
and sold under an order of the Superior court
of saidreounty.
An act to punish white persons for oam
bling with negroes. *
An act to make penal and to punish any
unlawful intrusion upon or interference with,
or molestation of Rail Roads in this Slate.
An act to authorise ti e erection of a Lu
natic A-wlum in this State.
A't act to amend an act, to incorporate a
banking company under the name of the
Commercial Bank at Macon.
An act to authorise Uriah G. Mitchell of
the county of Harris, and William Rahim
Shivers of Muscogee, and Charles N. Ma
giile, to plead and practice law and equity in
this State.
An act to authorise the guardians of mi
nors to receive, recover, and remove from the
State of Georgia, property belonging to their
wards or to which they may be entitled in
cases when both guardian and minor reside
without the State, and to prescribe the mode
of doing the same.
! COLUMBUS PRICES CURRENT.
ARTICI.E3. PRICES.
j BAGGlNG—Kentucky, - - yd CO 25 aCO 28
Inverness, ...... yd CO 22 aCO 2.
; American Tow, .... yd CO 00 aOO 00
BALE ROPE, lb 00 12 aCO 14
BACON—Ham-, .... Ib CO 16 aOO 18
Sides, lb 00 10 a 00 17
Shoulders, ...... lb CO 12 a 0016
BEEF—Mess, hbl 13 00.1 15 00
Prune. - - bbl 750aQ3 OO
| BUTTER—Goshen, - - - lb CO 25 aOO 31
Western j lb CO 25 aOO 37
;OA IN DLLS—Sperm, - - - lb 00 45 aOO CO
‘Tallow, ------- lb 0015 aOO ‘2O
CASTINGS, lb 600 a 700
I CHEESE—Noithern, - *• - lb CO 18 aCO 2.5
; COTTON, - lb CO 6 aOO H
i COFFEE—Havpima green, - H> CO 15 aOO Hi
Rio, lb 00 121a 00 14
I FlSH—Mackerel, No. I, - - lb CO 12 aCO 14
“ “ 2, - - il> 10 CO al2 50
“ “ 3, - - ib 900a 950
11 l int's, ------ box 200 aOO OO
FLOUlt—Northern, - - - Lbl 16 00 u!7 0Q
Western, ... bbl 12 00 al4
Country, - - - - - - bbl 10 CO al2 0C
GRAIN—Corn, bn 00 80 aCO 00
Wheat, ’ w 02 00 aOO OO
GUNPOWDER, - - - - keg 700 a 800
j HIDES, lb 00 7 aCO 8
IRON, lb 00 6 aCO 7
LARD, lb 00 16a CO 18
LIME, - - cask 350 a 400
MOLASSES—N. Orleans, - gal 00 50 aCO 62
NAILS, lb 00 Bi}a 00 9j
PORK —Moss, ----- lb CO ‘25 a CO 27
Prime. - - lb 00 17 aOO 23
PEPPER, lb 00 12;a 00 15
PEAS. bu 00 75 a 1 00
RAISINS, box 250 a 400
RICE, lb 00 6 aOO 00
SPIRITS —Brandy, Cognac, gai 175a 225
Peach, ------- gal 1 12;a 150
Apple, ------- gal 00 58 aOO 60
GIN —Holland, ----- gal 150 a 175
D irnsslic, ------ gal CO 62; aCO 65
RUM —Jamaica, ----- gal 177 a 225
Domestic, gal CO 60 aOO 62?
WHISKEY—Irish, - - - gal 00 00 a 400
Manonsahela, ----- gal CO 65 a 103
New Orleans, ----- gal CO 62 aCO 65
SUGAR—New Orleans. - lb OO 10 aCO 12
St. Croix, lb 00 12 a 00 14
Loaf, lb CO 20 a CO 25
SALT - -- -- -- - sack SCO a 600
SOAP, - -- -- -- - ib CO Baoo IQ
SHOT. - - - lb 225a 250
STEEL Cast, ----- lb 00 183a 00 25
Ger nan - - - - - * lb COCO aOO 15
Blistered, ------ lb 00 12 aOO 20
TALLOW - -- -- - lb 00 Baoo 9
TEA Green lb 100 a 150
B'ack’ lb CO 00 a CO 75
fOßACCO—first quality, - - Ib ?<? a *9
Second quality, ----- lb CO 16 aOO 2a
WINE,* ------- lb 0>) 30 aOO 35
j wINES —Madeira,L. P. - - pal 3CO a 350
Sieilv
Malaga, ------- cal 00 62; aOO 70
Claret, Marseilles, - - - box SCO a 600
Claret . Bordeaux, • - box 600a 790