Newspaper Page Text
From the Globe.
THE LATE DUEL.
We have been furnished witlrthe following
for publication:
Washington City, March 6, 1838.
Sir: I enclose you three paragraphs, cut
from newspapers, having relation to the in
quiry with which the committee of which you
arc chairman has been charged by the House
of Representatives. The first is taken from a
letter written from Philadelphia; the second
from a letter Written from this city; and the
third is taken from the editorial head of the N.
York Courier and Enquirer; and all of them
attributing the death of Mr. Cilley to my
counsels and contrivances. The positiveness
with which the writers of these paragraphs
detail the circumstances which enable them to
charge me with the death of Mr. Cilley, may
present them as proper witnesses to be exami
ned in relation to that event; and, if so, I have
to request that I may be allowed to be present
at their examination.
In the mean time, justice to the deud, who
can no longer speak for himself, and a due re
gard to the object of these coincident move
ments from three cities, induce me to say that,
so far as my name is concerned, there is not a
particle oftruth in the statements of these par
agraphs. So far from counselling with Mr.
Cilley, and preventing him from admitting the
true report of his conversations with Mr.
• Graves, it happens to be the fact that I never
saw Mr. Cilley, to know him, but once in his
life, and that at the commencement of the sess
ion, when he did me the honor to call upon me
in company with Mr. Pierce of the Senate;
and that no communication of any kind, writ
ten or verbal, direct or indirect, personal or
political, has ever taken place between us.
Instead of contriving and creating this duel, it
so happened that ray first knowledge of it was
received in my chair in the Senate, on Friday,
from Mr. Haight, the Sergeant-at-arms, who
mentioned it to me as a town talk; my next
knowledge of it was from Mr. Pierce, of the Se
nate, and at my place in the Senate; so that I
was in arrear of the town talk on the subject.
With respect to this wonderful rifle firing, of
which I am represented to have been the su
pcrintendant, and to have expressed such high
admiration, it happens to be the fact that I
have not seen a rifle fired in 20 years. With
respect to Mr. Graves, whose death I am
charged with so anxiously contriving, it so
happened that I do not know the person of that
gentleman; that not a word of any kind has
ever passed between us; that I do not know
that he has ever spent a thought upon me, and
I am certain that his existence was even
unthought of by me at the time that I am char
ged with planning his death. With respect to
Dr.JJuncan, with whom I am charged with
being in consultation nearly all the week, 1
have no recollection of having seen him until
after midday on Saturday, when he and others
stopped at Mr. Jone’s door, which is next door
to mine, on their way out, and when my coun
sels can be stated by others more appropriate
ly than myself.
Reserving further details for a more suitable
occasion, I have to request you to lay this let
ter with its enclosure, before the committee of
which you arc chairman, for such action upon
it as they may think proper to have.
Respectfully, sir,
Your obedient servant,
THOMAS H. BENTON.
To the Hon. Mr. Toucey, Chairman, Ape.
From the Philadelphia Gazette (Whig.)
MR. CILLEY.
Our readers must have observed yesterday,
in reading the official uccount of the late fatal
duel at Washington that the impressions of the
New York Commercial Advertiser, derived
from rumored information, as to the blame at
taching to the second of Mr. Cilley, in bring
ing about his death, were incorrect. Mr. Hen
ry A. Wise is the person on whom the chief
blame of that cold-blooded murder must repose.
Any one on meeting him, could say with truth,
if the query were put as to who was the prime
accessory in Cilley’s assassination—“Tiior
art the man!"
For Mr. Wise we have ever had little admi
ration, and less respect—not from any dispesi
lion to detract from his merits as a statesman
—heaven save the mark! or to decry the zeal
with which he is said to have supported the
public cause—but from an utter and instinctive
abhorrence of a passionate, congressional gla
diator, who from session to session, consumes
the time and money of the people, in malignant
debates of no moment to the public; in bloated
harrangues, of which both the motive and the
object arc equally unimportant; one who, in
stead of deliberating for the nation, with the
rest of its representatives, constitutes himself
their cheif orator, arbiter, overseer, and ruler;
whose intemperance of mind bids defiance to
tho idea of deliberation on any subject; a hot
spur in argument, with less weight than wind;
and in his constant occupancy' of the floor, a
cut-purse oftho empire. We have entertain,
ed these opinions; we have by turns been coax
ed, besought and threatened, to relinquish their
utterance; but having always held, we hold
them still. Wo do honestly look upon Henry
A* Wise as a banc to the Whig party —an 4
so thinking, so we say. That the man has tai
ents, we admit; that he has discretion, we de
ny. He is always searching the past for some
political mare’s nest —hoping to dravj there
from, not “the foal of an ass," but gorgons,
hydras, nnd dire chimeras. In reference to
his discoveries, and the evocation of by-gone
plots and horrors— to what hare they amounted!
They were mountains in labor, and mice were
the fiuits of their parturition.
FEN NSY Lv \N IA aNDTH E B A N KS.
It wj|! be seen, from the following summary
of the Baltimore American, that our prophecy
of a few day’s old, is already verified. We
said that Mr. Biddle’s majority in the Pennsyl
vania Senate would save his Governor the
trouble of a veto on the bill passed by the De
mocratic majority of the House, in conformity
with his excellency’s mock recommendations.
From the Baltimore American,
We learn from the Harrisburg papers that
the ‘-Bank Bill,” as it is termed, finally passed
the lower house of the Legislature on Friday
by a vote of 56 to 40. The bill makes the
stockholders of banks, etc., personally liable to
an amount equal to their stock; compels all the
banks in the State to receive each others notes
at par; provides for the resumption of specie
payments on the 16th of May; prohibits the
circulation of small notes under severe penal
ties of fine and imprisonment; enacts that no
notes shall be issued or circulated less than ten
dollars after 1841, and provides for the forfeit
ure of the charters of all savings institutions
and loan companies which may have illegally
issued paper currency, or taken usurious inter
est.
In the Pennsylvania Senate, on Saturday,
two votes were taken which are regarded as
test votes of the opinions of that body in refer--
ence to two of the principal features of the
bank bill just passed by the House.
The first resolution, requiring the banks in
Pennsylvania to resume specie payments in
May, or forfeit their charters, was rejected,
yeas 13, nays 17.
The second resolution, making the stock
holders liable for all the debts of the banks,
was also rejected, yeas 9, nays 21.— Globe.
American Houses and American Business,
in England. We take the following interest
ing and honorable paragraph from the Morn
ing Chronicle of January 27;
It is with much gratification we learn that
Messrs. Gowan and Marx have given notice
of their intention to pay off to-morrow, with
interest, all their outstanding obligations; while
we are also informed that this establishment
will possess a considerable fortune over and
above their liabilities, notwithstanding the
dreadful sacrifices which they have been com
pelled to make, and intend to resume business.
This highly respectable firm, it will be remem
bered, was one of those which were compelled
to yield to the severity of the times last spring.
It was well known at the period this house cea
sed to carry on active operations, that it was
extremely rich, and had assets far beyond its
liabilities, but the state ofthings was such that
money could not be raised upon any kind of
American securities, even ata reduction ofso
percent. The convulsion has now, however,
happily passed away, although its ruinous ef
fects are left behind. Capitalists have also
found out that the stigma cast upon American
securities was most unjust; and the distrust
which was then felt, whicn is always the casoi
in these matters, has only tended to increase
the confidence which the public now feel in
placing their money in these stocks. The a-,
mount of capital invested in the various secur
ities in the United States by the inhabitants of
this country is quite enormous, and is morcov
er daily increasing. Nothing, in fact, can be
a stronger proof of this than the resumption of
business on the part of Messrs. Gowan and'
Marx, who it is well known, were such large
holders and extensive dealers in American se
curities.
Tho firm of Messrs. Gowan and Marx is the
second establishment connected with the Amer-:
ican trade which has resumed payment; that
of Messrs. Coleman, Lambert, and Co. having
done so a short time since, and, from what we
hear, we trust there will soon be a third. The
remaining debts due, on account of the other
American firms in Lortdon, do not now exceed
two millions, so strenuous have the Americans
been in making remittances to withdraw their
bills. There arc only now four or five’estab
lishments of note in London connected with
this trade remaining to adjust their accounts;
but we have it in our power to say, that their
position is continually improving, and drawing
near to a final settlement.
Our contemporary of The Times, in his re-:
marks to day on the subject of the bill of eigh
ty odd thousand pounds remitted to the Bank
of England by the Bank of the United States,
has committed several errors which it is neces
sary to point out. Mr. Cowell, the agent of
the Bank of England in America, has had no
more to do with the bill in question than the
man in the moon. The whole of this money
was placed in the coffers of the United States
Bank long before the arrival of Mr. Cowell at
New York, and was purposely kept there un
til the rate of exchange had fallen sufficiently
to admit of its being remitted on favorable
terms, that the expense of probably many
thousand pounds, which would otherwise have
been incurred might be prevented. This has
been done, and the creditors of the American
firms placed consequently in a better position.
We know nothing of Mr. Cowell’s movements
i in America, or as to how far he has succeeded
jin collecting debts, but we do know that the
Bank of England is now in a position, as re
gards the American houses, which precludes
the possibility of a doubt as to any loss being
incurred by that establishment for the advan.
< ces which it made. Remittances are still ma-
I king by the Americans by almost every packet
on account of their debts in this country; and
we deny that the fall in the exchanges is evi
dence of their ceasing to do so, as asserted by
cur contemporary: for the slightest reflection
will show that the present state of the exchan
ges is the result solely of the Americans re
training to make remittances for new purchas-
I cs. They arc not entering into any operations
of the kind, as is clearly evidenced by the state
of our manufacturing districts: nor do they in
tend to do so, we are informed, until their hn
i bilitics in this country arc entirely removed,
acting as they have done throughout as honor
able and upright men. Shipments of goods
have, no doubt, been made, and are extensive
ly making to the United States from this coun
try; but this is done by the manufacturers and
merchants at their own risk; and the merch
andise must be sold before they can lead to the
purchase of bills, or in any way operate upon
the exchanges.
WeltE RN GEOR GIAN.
Rome, Marell 31, 1838,
The following named gentlemen will act as
Agents for the Western Georgian:
Howell Cobb, Esq., of Athens, Georgia.
E. M. Johnson, Esq., ®f Gainesville, do.
S. Ripley, Esq., of Jefferson, do.
A. Erwin, Esq., of Cumming, do.
John S. Bell, Esq-, of Spring Place, do.
R. M. Aycock, Esq., of La Fayette, do.
Turman Walthall, Esq., of Cedar Town,
Paulding County, do.
Leroy Pattillo, P. M. Monroe, do.
Charles Murphey, of Decatur, do.
Hon. Hopkins Holsey.
We publish in to-day’s p&per a letter from
the Hon. Hopkins Holsey, declining a re-nom
ination for Congress, at the Convention of the
Union party, to be held at Milledgeville in May
next. It is always a subject to be regretted,
that experienced men should retire from the
councils of the country; but at no time, and
under no circumstances, could we* need more
the services of this independent and faithful re
presentative of our principles, than when the
very existence of our f/ee institutions is threa
tened by the designing attacks of the Aboli
tionists and Bankites. It is indeed painful to
a large majority of Mr. Holsey’s friends; a
wound has been opened that cannot be easily
healed; but we feel confident that nothing but
the direst necessity could have induced this
course.
Every day but unfolds some new circums
stance, impressing the Union party with the
truth, that much depends upon the action of
the Convention in May next, for our success
and triumph. The present delegation in Con
gress, with two exceptions, decline a renomin
atien, and we have to put forward some per
sons at least to represent us, whose popularity
has not ripened and matured before the people
of Georgia. It is true, we have many talent
ed individuals in our ranks, that would do jus
tice to the country, and be an ornament to the
party as Representatives in the Congress of
the United States; but many of them never"
have served the people in a public capacity.
and are comparatively unknown to a large
body of the people. Under these circumstan
ces. to secure the success of our glorious prin
ciples, wc should call into our service those
men who are most generally known to our
people. Wc have some prominent men on the
bench, whose names would give strength to
our delegation, and the Convention should not
hesitate to call them into their service.—ln
deed, the great battle between the two parties,
is at our next Congressional election to be
fought, and he who would neglect to enter the
contest without any prepaiation, would not
deserve victory. Let us then as a party dis
play the discretion of individuals in the man
agement of their own private concerns, and
victory will crown our efforts. Wc have able,
efficient and popular men in every section of
the State; let us select such, and our strength ;
in numbers will tell as heretofore.
For the Western Georgian.
In my former communication written in tire
“Corner,” I briefly alluded to the present and
fast approaching state of political parties
throughout this vast and mighty Republic; that
the time had arrived, when from the very na
ture of things, the minor differences of opinion
in the South would be merged in the all absor
bing subjects which now agitate tho National
Legislature, which may be sumed up in the
questions of Federal and Republicanism, and
by these old party names politicians must
and will be tried. Then sir, to know who are
Republicans and who are not. we have only to
examine the measures they support, and by
their “frrrit the trees will be known.”
In Congress at this time there are three pro
fessed parties, but in reality but two. 'l'he
Administration party, composed of two, origin
ally tlie Union and States Rights party of the
Union, which forms one great and truly Re
publican party, and the professed Federalist
and self-styled Conservative, compos ng em
phatically the Federal party, ‘i bis amalgama
tion vdl ripen ’ > p rfoo’ cons s’cncy in ti t“ir
actions, and go together for placing the money
of the people in the State Banks for private use
in direct violation of the Constitution, to fatten
and pompcr the Aristocracy of the country. —
Who can be found advocating the deposit of
the national treasure in 25 irresponsible cor
porations, which at the nod of the great cen
tral regulator in Philadelphia, will at all times
bid defiance to the Government, and the peo
ple at will, by withholding (suspension) the
public funds? 1 answer no one but a Federal
ist and a corrupt Aristocrat.
In such an event wc should be governed (not
by ourselves) but by 25 corporations, which
have no motive to action but self-interest, cal
culated in dollars and cents. Then sir, I give
mv suffrage to a Union man, or a man once
denominated a Nullificr, who will go against
these projects, in preferance to any man under
the garb of Unionism, but who oppose the Ad
ministration in its Republican course.
WALKER.
Mr. Holsey.— The following letter, by this
morning’s mail has somewhat astonished us,
as it will our readers no dcubt, and wc re
gret that our worthy representative should
find himself anxious to retire from public life,
for it must be acknowledged by all parties,
that Mr- Holsey has acquitted himself in Con
gress with high credit, and ably and truly
represented the interest of his State.
Sentinel and Herald-
City of Washington, ?
House of Rep. March 12, 1838.
Messrs. Editors.— Being desirous of reti
ring from the public service, I have to request
that you will make known to the people ol
Georgia, through the medium of your Ga
zette, that I decline a re-nominatien for Con
gress.
Very respectfully,
HOPKINS HOLSEY.
Editors of the Sentinel and Herald.
Mr. Clay—and a Natinal Convention- — A
number of the whig members of the Legis
lature of Maryland, and other wings of the
State then present, held a meeting at Annap
olis, on the 19lh inst. They adopted strong
resolutions in favor of Mr. Clay, as the whig
candidate for the Presidency—approved ol a
National Convention—and requested the whig
members of Congress to appoint a suitable
time and place for holding the Convention.
Thus the signs thickcncs around us. Mr.
Clay is to be run as the whig candidate —at
the head of a National Bank—and the Whigs
arc concentrating in his favor. We ask
again and again, is this the time for the re
publicans to wrangle w ith each other—to dis
cuss any subject in bad temper—to fall into
any dissensions —and enable the whigs to
conquer us by our own divisions? Every
thing says no —every consideration for thcii
party, their principles, their country, forbids
the thought. — Richmond Enquirer.
ANOTHER STEAMBOAT ACCIDENT.
The Mobile Examiner slip of the 1 Ith inst.
firing's us the melancholly intelligence of ano
thcr steamboat explosion about 16 miles below
that city, by which nine persons, chiefly fire
men and deck hands were badly scalded, and
one of Ute deck passengers, a Mr. W. I. Still
well, who jumped overboard, was drowned.
The name of the boat was the Ouachito; she
was an old boat, totally unfit for any purpose
but destruction; and it is said the engineer on
board was incapable of performing his duly.
APPOINTMENTS BY THE PRESIDENT,
By <£’ with the advice Ay consent of the Senate.
John McDonnell, Collector of the Customs,
Detroit, Mich., from 23d March, 1838.
John G. Mawney, Surveyor and Inspector
of the Revenue, East Greenwich, R. I. from
29th January, 7 8 38.
Edv.artl Palfray, Surveyor for the District
of Salem and Bcwcrdy, and Inspector ol the
Revenue for the port of Salem, Mass, from
29th January, 1838.
Olmstead Hough, Register of the Land Of
fice at Detroit, Mich., from sth March, 1838-
Solomon Clark, Receiver of Public Moneys
at Pontotoc, Mi., from sth March, 1838.
THE PEOPLE SACRIFICED TO PRI
VATE SPECULATION.
How some of the Banks administer to the
general weal, is seen in the following example.
It should be remembered by the way, that
what is called the capital of banks now-a-days,
is the mere nominal sum set down in the char
ters. In Massachusetts it is required express
ly by law that half th is amount shall always
be paid in specie, and shall remain in the
banks as a basis for tho circulation; and the
oaths of the directors are taken, to secure the
execution of the law. 'l'he late legislative in
vestigation provesthut this whole business has
been a sham. Kegs, represented to contain
specie, are rolled into the bank. ()ne is actu
ally opened and counted; the rest arc presum
ed to contain equal sums. The directors then
make the requisite affidavit, the bank is christ
ened in Champagne, and the kegs arc then
carted back to the place whence they were
obtained for the ceremony. This done, the
Boston Advocate shows us the consummation.
The Advocate gives “the Hancock Bank as
an illustration. Tho whole capital of that
bank (8500,000) is found to be loaned to the
President and two Directors, with the addition
of 810,000 over that sum. The President has
•8210,000, one director 8160,000, and anoth
er the balance. When the great creditors of
the banks run hard up, and can not pay, then
the banks ‘pause,” as they politely call refus
ing to pay their debts.”— Globe.
A correspondent of the Baltimore American
says: “Among the measures now in embryo
before Congress is one which proposes the cs-
tabiishmcnl of a‘Home Squadron and Naval
School,’ the object of which is to give charac
ter, stability, and permanence to the naval de
partment of the United Stales. A more glori
ous institution, one more worthy the care and
patronage of the general government, cannot
be conceived. Goin, of New York, the philan
thropic originator of this plan, is now in this
city, doing all in his power to put this enter
prise in motion. The executive and navy de
partments with the naval committees, favor
the project, and when fairly before Congress, it
can hardly fail to receive a unanimous and
most triumphant approval. The mover of this
expedition is worthy of all honor.”
FLORIDA.
Extract of a letter received in this city Oom
an officer of the army, dated
Fori Mellon, E. F., Feb. 10th, 1838.
“Report says that Coacoochee (Wild cat) is
now oil an island in the most extensive lake
yet discovered in Florida, called Okecchoo
beo. It is so distant from the shore as not to
be visible. Here he has collected his women
and children. Two hundred head of cattle
were taken on the 28th January by the array.
'Pho Indians appear determined to fight to the
last; so the war is no nearer to its termination,
to all appearances, than w hen it first begun.”
Charleston, March 13.
From Florida. Capt. Skinner, of the
schr. Tripoli, arrived here yesterday, in three
days from Jacksonville, informs us, that the
mail rider between St. Augustine and Jackson
ville had been killed by the Indians, and that
the repoit of Gen. Jesup’s having taken 400
Indians”, was incorrect. — Courier.
The steamer Poinsett, Capt. Trathen, arri
ved here yesterday, from Indian Key, via St.
Augustine. Capt. T. informs that no news
had been received from the army. The Poin
sett leaves again for St. Augustine in a day or
two. — lb.
From the Charleston Mercury, 13th insf.
We learn from Capt. Kohler, of the schr.
Sally Miller, arrived at this port this morning
from St. Augustine, that previous to his sail
ing, a letter was received at that place stating
that 50 Indians bad gone in at Gen. Jesup’s
camp and gave up their rilles. We also learn
that an Indian captured some time since by a
party of Alabamians had made his escape from
the army.
Several contradictory reports having reach
cd us of late, oftho capture of a number ot In
dians by Gen. Jesup, we take pleasure in pre
senting to our readers the following extract of
a letter received in this city, from a source en
titled to credit, that they may learn the true
state of affairs in Florida:
Indian Riser Bar, March 2.
“At present there is a'quasi peace with the
Indians. Hostilities have ceased, but how
long this slate ofallairs may- continue, I can
not conie- lure. There are said to be sto GOO
Indians, (women, children and warriors) at or
ncarGen. Jesup’s camp at Jupiter Inlet with
whom he wa.s having a talk. ’l'he conference
may or may not terminate in 1 Ini r agreeing to
abide the decision of the president as to re
maining or removing west ot' the Mississippi.
The proposition of Gen. Jesup is, that ho will
recommend to the President that the Indian s
be permitted to remain in Florida, but if the
President refuses, then the Indians must <<>.
If the Indians agree to this proposition, then
there is a probability that the war may soon
be over.”— Georglan.
Correspondence erf the Aug. Const HuUonalis!.
FORT CLINCH, E. F., )
Feb. Wth, 1838. $
<Jentlemen:
I When I last wrote you I stated that wo
; were to leave in a few days for “Christial Riv
j er. ’ We have just returned from a reconnoi
tering party by the whole Brigade of 14 days,
in tho which we have paid our respects to tho
Warhoo Hammocks, P< Aval’s Cove, Anurlhal
aggee Hammock, and parts of the Hammocks
of Clear Water and Christial Rivers. Wo
were not met by any Indians, nor did wo find
any recent signs until wecame toClear Water,
where Col. Foster with the second Regiment
under his command, discovered three Indians,
one man and two women. 'l'he Col. immedi
ately gave chase and pushed a head of his com
mand—drew his pistol and called to the Indian
to surrender, when both, the Indian and the
. Col. fired; the ball of the Indian took effect,
entering in tho left breast and passing out in
front of the left arm—it is thought not to be
dangerous. This circumstance took place on
the Sth of the present inst. I'he Col. is much
better. There were many balls which took
effect upon the Indian, but whether the ball of
tho Col. took effect this deponent sayeth not,
as he was not present, and will not do the Col.
any injustice knowingly.
1 hese Indians were in our fight of the 26th
Dec. last, on the waters of the “Walker Sas
see. ’ They say that their party have not
since that time been able to collect their for
ces, —that there was engaged in that battle
106 warriors, and that from 18 to 20 were kil
led. I'hey do not know how many was woun
ded. Ihe survivors, together with Tiyer tai!
and two hundred ot his men, have e<»n<- ii is
believed by them, be vend the Suwannee Riv
er towards Dead Mau’s Bav—ar ]• ;«s» th- ft •
two women) have not seen but. the w> ut
above stated, of the partv to which t .«y tiieui
selves were attached, to wit: tne 106, part ot
Tiger Tails tribe. We shall go in pursuit pf
twenty in a day or two, no doubt, and shoi||d
vve find that they tell us the truth, *ve shall re
visit Deadman’s Bay, unless our time of ser
vice should be too nearly out to enable us to
perform the trip. Our horses are nearly ex
hausted; we have been constantly on the scout
since the arrival of our arms and other mut i
tions of war. Ihe fact is, the old Blue Fox,is
probably one of the most untiring, pushing.