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GOV. McDUFFJK S MESSAGE.
Executive Department, >
November 28, 1836. J
■Fellow Citizens of the Senate, and of
■the Novae of Representatives ;
(concluded.)
Your predecessors have been at all
times bo justly sensible of the importance
having uniform and equal laws admin
istered by enlightened and impartial judg
es, that the organization of the Judiciary
system has occupied a due share of their
-attention. It seems, however, that some
thing yet remains to be done to complete
that organization. The) constitution of
the Court of Appeals by (ho act of 1835,
has rendered what was before merely ex
pedient almost a matter of necessity ; —an
act providing (hat the Sessions of that
Court shall be held exclusively at Colum
bia, for the trial of Appeals from all parts
of the State.
I am also of the opinion that the great
improvement which lias been mode in the
intelligence of the people, since the aboli
tion of the County Courts, renders it high
ly expedient to re-establish that system
now, though it may then have been wise
to abolish it. In England and in all the
•older States of this Union, it is as Justly
popular ns it is extensively useful, having
the high merit of administering justice
“ without money and without price.”
Thcrcjs no District in the State in
■which an enlightened body of Magistrates
could not be obtained, amply qualified to
superintend the genera)'police of the Dis
trict, and exercise a civil and criminal ju
risdiction, limited to certain amounts and
to a Certain class of offences.
By transferring the powers now exer
cised by the Ordinaries to these Courts,
the fees of office would yield so liberal a
compensation,that persons oftho very best
qualifications could be obtained to act as
Clerks. Though the Justices would re
ceive no compensation, but the conscious
ness of “ rendering; tho Stale some ser
vice,” patriotic citizens of the highest
standing, would, 1 doubt not, very cheer
fully perform their several lours of duty,
in these posts of honor and usefulness.
And in tho course o( a levy years, the
Circuit Courts would bo relieved of so
large a portion of the business they now
have to perform, that the nmrhor of the
judges might he gradually diminished to a
considerable extent, thus promoting a just
and wise economy, wilhont impairing, in
the slightest degree, the efficiency of dm
general system, or the character of the
court of final jurisdiction.
1 ho recent organization of (ho Militia,
is in the progress of realizing all tho bene
fits which were anticipated from it. As
schools of instruction to the officers, (ho
Brigade Encampments have boon found to
be of inestimable value. lam thoroughly
satisfied, from my observation and experi
ence, that without these, the whole system
ol Militia musters and (hills, would ho
worse than unprofitable. They would bo
mere bungling pageants, calculated to
bring all Militia exercises into contempt
mid ridicule, and all Alililia Officers into
disrespect. When tho Coloqels of Regi
ments and Captains of Companies are
thoroughly competent to drill their respec
tive commands, there is hut little in pre
paring tho body of the Militia to defend
their rights. \S ith such officers, I believe
the most inexperienced troops —I mean
Militia, not enlisted troops—could be well
prepared to take tho field in six weeks.
Every thing depends upon the Officers,
and most, upon tho Captains of Compa
nies, on whom it devolves to loach those
elementary principles and movements by
which nil (he combinations of Military
tactics arc effected on tho field of-bn (tie.
But it is absolutely essential to tho utili
ty of a drill, that it he conducted or super
intended by n competent officer. Accord
ing to (he true theory and original design
ot the office of Adjutant and Inspector
General, that officer should ho the chief
drill officer of the Slate, lie should ho
•required to attend the muster of every
regiment in (he Stale once a year, and
conduct (he drill himself as the instructor.
Ho should also be required to attend
every Brigade encampment, and to drill
tho officers, in the same character ; and
ho vested with the necessary authority,
without reference to his nominal rank.
As a compensation for these laborious,
-expensive, and most useful services, Ids
salary should ho raised to at least twenty
five hundred dollars. Tins would enable
you to command (he services of a young
man of military pride, thoroughly master
ol his duties, and who word I devote his
whole time to their performance. Buch a
man would he worth more to the Slate,
than any officer in it, civil or military;
whereas an incompetent officer, without
the proper energy and military spirit, would
be a positive nuisance.
Tho improvement of our Militia has
been as much retarded, heretofore, by the
want ot a suitable and uniform system of
tactics and regulations, as by its want ol
organization. The officers of many of
the regiments cannot procure books of any
hind, and all the copies ot “lulaatry Tac
tics, provided by tho authority ofvour
predecessors, are exhausted. The Uni
ted States have recently adopted a now
system of Infantry Tactics—embracing
all the recent improvements of the French',
prepared by Major Gon’l Seott, to whom
the country is greatly indebted for the
moans of acquiring a scientific knowledge
of the military art. This new system is a
very decided improvement upon any thing
previously published, and .Major General
Macomb has prepared from it, a very ju
dicious abstract, to which ho has added
Aitillery and Cavahy Tactics and the
Army Regulations, embracing the whole
in the compass ot a small and cheap
volume. As we are under a constitutional
obligation to conform to the system of the
United States, and us the system thev
have now adopted, is likely to be perma
. neat, I have purchased five hundred co
pies of this work out of the appropriation
of (he last session, and I recommend that
A sum be appropriated sufficient to supply
all the officers of (he Slate with one copy.
The cos* will be very inconsiderable, in
comparison with the object, as this small
volume, costing only fifty-cents, is in itself
a very -tolerable military library.
Out of the sum appropriated for that
object, I have purchased a suitable site
and caused an Arsenal to be erected, in this
place, capable of containing 8000 stand of
arms. When tho Magazines atjd Bar
racks are completed, tho whole will bo as
creditable to the liberality and forecast of
the Legislature, as it will be conducive to
the public safety. j
I feel it to be my duly to bring to your
view some measures for improving the j
condition, elevating the character, and
extending the usefulness of the Chief Ex
ecutive Department of this Government,
r which I have been constrained, by very
obvious considerations, from suggesting at
an earlier period. There is no reform in
tho practical operation of our system of
. confederated Sovereign communities, and
in the state of public opinion connected
, with it, more important to tho security of
. our civil institutions, than that which shall
. restore the Io«l equilibrium of that system,
by raising up the State Governments from
, that low point of depression to which they
:■ have been carried by the adverse political
currents of the last twenty years, to their
primitive dignity and power. '1 he steady
progress of federal encroachment, while
undermining and carrying away the con
, stitutional harriers of our safety, has given
i a false direction to tho public opinion of
our people and this ambiton of our states
men. I’he latter must be thoroughly cor
, reeled, before the former can he success
, fully resisted. It will ho in vain that wc
. struggle to maintain the great conservative
, doctrines oftho South, while the Chief
, Magistrates of liighmiiuled Southern
j States—the representatives oftheir Sftver
, e ign dignity—shall descend from their
ohy elevation, prostrate the insignia of
| oftheir offices at tho very footstool oftho
Federal Executive, craving at his hands
( foe miserable honor of a mission to the
, Indian tribes, or n permanent Agency
) among ilium, and moving oil’ upon this
. degrading errand, without encountering
. (he scornful and indignant hisses of the
j people, w hoso sovereign honor they have
betrayed and tarnished.
With a view of counteracting those de
grading as well «s of incrcas
, ing the respectability and usefulness of his
l office in other respects, 1 recommend that
, the salary ol tho Governor he increased to
. five thousand dollars—that ho he required
. to reside, habitually, at the scat of Govern
mont, and that a suitable house he erected
( far his accommodation. This is almost
the only Slate in (lie Union, where a man
i "ion, corresponding with tho dignity of the
office, is not provided for tho residence of
! the Chief Magistrate, and where that ofli
, ccr is not required to reside permanently
, at tho sent of Government. In practice,
5 tho Chief Executive Department of (his
, State is now either the private residence
I ol the Governor, often on one extremity
, oftho State, ora sort of travelling head
, quarters. In this state of things, the pco
, pic are exposed to great inconvenience,
and the unfortunate often fail to receive tho
benefit which they would otherwise derive
. from his exercise of (ho prerogative of
4 mercy, by tho difficulty of ascertaining or
j ot reaching the place ol his residence for
' (ho timo being.
I n Iso suggest ns a measure of obvious
, expediency, (ho repeal or modification
ofthat provision oftho Constitution, which
renders the Chief Magistrate ineligible,
, for four years, after serving one term. As
he is almost entirely destitute of patron
age of any kind, there is no conceivable
reason why the people should impose this
jealous restriction upon themselves, by
, which it must frequently happen that they
will ho deprived of services wliich they
would he very anxious to retain, to the
serious detriment ofthe public service. As
tho Constitution now' stands, no system of
policy, depending upon the Chief Magis
trate, ami requiring a series of years for its
execution, can bu successfully accom
plished.
1 have received from the Governors of
several of our confederate Stales, resolu
tions on (he subject ofthe proceedings of
certain abolition societies organized hi the
non-slavo-hohling Slates, and I now lav
these resolutions before you, incompliance
with the request by which they wore ac
companied. Most of them, ns you will
perceive, are from tho Legislatures of
slave-holding States,and are characterised
by a patriotic spirit, an enlightened com
prehension »f our common rights, and a
linn determination to defend them, worthy
ol the high sources whence they emanate.
1 am constrained, however, to express
my sincere regret, that notwithstanding
tho solemn appeal made by South Caroli
na and oilier slave-holding States, to (he
States in which those abolition Societies
were formed, invoking (hem to interpose
their legislative power for the purpose of
, suppressing seditious machi nations against
our peace and safely, which wore openly
, carried on under the protection of their
r law s and sovereign jurisdiction—but throe
. ot these States have even condescended
, to notice tins appeal and not one of them
! has taken any step towards suppressing
the injurious practices of w hich we so
justly complained.
Considering tho fraternal spirit in which
1 our application was conceived, and the
respectful language in which it was ex
: pressed, I cannot hut regard the entire
neglect with which if has boon thus gen
erally treated, as a silent but insignificant
indication ol tho alarming state of public
opinion w hich already prevails, amongst
the great body o| tho people in the non
slave-holding States, and a solemn admo
nition to the slave-holding States to guard
theii institutions with sleepless vigilance,
and he at all times prepared to defend
thorn, by .ill the measures and all tho
means which (ho emergency may demand.
| ' llor wl ' at Ims occurred, it will not eom
! l ,ort " "I' 'he dignity of South Carolina, as
a Sovereign Slate, deeply aggrieved by
the practices to which I have referred, to
• hold any further correspondence on (lie
subject, w ith those Slates that have trea
ted our complaints with this total neglect
and silent indifference.
It is now timo that discussion should
coase. “Tho argument is exhausted.’'
and though wo may not be called upon to
“stand by our arms,” wc should ho pre
pared to adopt efficient and decisive mea
sures for our own security, as soon ns it
shall be ascertained that the combined
guarantees of international law and of our
constitutional compact ot Union, are in
sufficient to restrain the ferocious spirit of
fanatical interference, wliich is now wag
ing war against our institutions. It is no
longer (o ho endured that the federal com
pact, which should be a covenant of eter- i
ual peace among the States, and a shield |
to protect their respective institutions from i
i C Tj s l >ec ‘ es mutual intermeddling, '
should he used as tho constant pretext for I
this conspiracy against our lives, our pro- (
perty, and our character. \Ve must be i
permitted not only to enjoy our rights of f
property, hut to enjoy them in peace and I
security. It is a gross outrage for one f
community to attempt to overthrow tho r
institutions of another, even bp discussion, t
If committed by a foreign State, it is a s
just causo of war; if by a confederated
State, it is a just cause of separation. In
cither case it is a simple question of ex
pediency to determine when the evil has
assumed a character to warrant a resort
to the ultimate remedy.
Such is the rapid progress of the spirit
of abolition in the non-slavc-holding States,
that no human sagacity can tell how soon
that period may arrive. Wc filially de
ceive ourselves, if wc suppose its fury has
abated. On the contrary it appears from
tin: annual report of the American Anti-
Slavery Society which, assembled at New-
Vork in May last, that the Abolition So
cieties had swelled in number from 200
to 5-23, since tho report of the preceding
year. The Society triumphantly boasts
of its progress, declares its reliance on
those whom it denominates tho “ hone
and muscle of Society,’’ (ho “ hard-hand
’ od, clear-headed, free laborers and mecha
nics ofthe North,’’and that tho opposition
to the abolitionists is confined to “ the
head and tail of Society; purse proud ar
istocrats, and pennyless profligates.” It
then proceeds with the infuriated zeal, but
' without the piety of Peter the Hermit, to
rally its partisans for a crusade against
tho slave-holders, by exclaiming: “friends
and fellow laborers, the enemy stands
• openly before us. His foot is on the neck
of 2,500,000 of our follow men. He as
serts the right to maintain his position and
increase (ho number of his victims. He
begs no longer favors from the circum
stances of the case; he boldly avows sla
very to be (he boat condition ofthe laborer.
Such is the enemy wo find rampant amidst
our free institutions.”
In tliis strain of insolent assumption (he
American Anti-Slavery Society continues
through some fifty pages to denounce the
the slave-holders, for the obvious and
avowed purpose of.holding them up to the
abhorrence of (lie Northern people, con
fidently affirming that the “yeomanry of
tfie laudVill unite on this question, and
identify their interests with those of the
slave.” That (hey will “ throw away po
litical and sectarian predilections, and
stand forth on the broad ground of human
• rights,” And that “ from this class the
cause will always gain, and never lose,
till slave-holding shall lie synonimous with
aoitiiKuv in public opinion, as it is in fact.”
\ 1 have long believed that while a large
, portion ofthe men of intelligence and pro
perly in tho North, were opposed to every
species of interference with (lie institutions
of the slave-holding States, the great body
ofthe people, headed by that class ofdcs
peratc politicians, who hold that no char
ters are sacred, would finally rally under
r the banners of the abolitionists and carry
, every thing before them in the elections.
. When this crisis shall arrive, those who
now claim for Congress (he constitutional
[lower to emancipate the slaves in tho Dis
trict of Columbia, will as boldly claim tho
same power in regard to the States.
Their whole course demonstrates that this
is the consummation at which (hoy are aim
ing. It is neither calculated nor designed
to convert tho slave-holders, but to unite
the people oftho non-slavcholding States
in favor of the emancipation of our slaves.
And it is evident that this would not con
duce, in any respect, to the accomplish
ment of their object, unless, by u resort
to legislative power or /i/iysicat force.
Such being (ho apparent tendency and
design of these discussions and proceed
ings, it devolves upon you to decide what
measures shall ho adopted to arrest them.
In many oftho popular meetings at the
South, assembled to consider the subject of
the incendiary proceedings oftho Aboli
tionists, tho Slates in which those proceed
ings were carried on, were called upon to
suppress them liy penal enactments, and it
was declared that if this redress should bo
refused, it would bo expedient for the
slave-holding States to meet in Conven
tion to consider tho means of protecting
themselves. In alluding to these proceed
ings at tho South, the American Anti-
Slavery Society cxullingly declares that
no legislative body in the non-sluvchold
iug States, and but one popular mooting,
hud dared to propose penal enactments
against the abolitionists, and yet that (ho
slave-holding Slates shrunk from the ex
ecution oftheir threatened call of a Con
vention. Tliis tho Society sots forth as
one of its signs of encouragement, and
adds, “the threat is grown stale, and its
terror can never he restored.” The in
tention is finally declared of urging upon
Congress the immediate abolition of shive
ry in the District of Columbia, and the
hope is expressed that tho tables of that
body will “ groan with a tenfold weight of
petitions.”
It is quite apparent that as long as the
halls of Congress shall ho open to the dis
cussion of tliis question ;wo can have nei
ther peace nor security, and it is still more
apparent, that whenever the federal legis
lature shall usurp (lie power of emancipa
ting the slaves in the District ofColumbia,
the only security of the Southern States
will consist in promptly and peaceably
withdrawing from (lie Union. With a
view, therefore, of w arning (ho people of
the North oftho consequences of such an
usurpation, that they may be restrained
from longer agitating a subject so deep
ly involving our very existence as a peo
ple, 1 suggest to you tho expediency of
making a solemn legislative declaration,
that Congress has no right to abolish
slavery in the District ofColumbia, and
is under no constitutional obligation to re
ceive the petitions oftho people of any of
(ho Stales, praying for such abolition;
and that w henever Congress shall eman
cipate the slaves in the said District, or in
any of the Territories of the United Slates,
South Carolina, in common with the o
ther slave-holding States, w ill be absolved
from all constitutional or moral obligation
to remain any longer in the Union, and
may .•rightfully and peacefully, withdraw
from it.
M bile South Carolina is thus indignant
ly repelling all foreign attempts to violate
the sanctuary and endanger the existence
of her domestic institutions, it becomes
her, in a peculiar manner, to abstain from
every sort ot interference with the do
mestic controversies of all other States,
foreign or confederate. The doctrine of
non-interference, is one oftho most im
portant in the code of international law,
and there arc no communities on earth
who should hold it so sacred us the slave
holding states of tliis Union.—ls by their
example, in giving countenance "to the
unlawful enterprizes oftheir own citizens
against a neighboring and neutral power,
they should wcukua (he influence of that
principle among nations, they w ould com
mit an offence against their own institu
tions, by impairing the sanctity of their
surest guarantee against foreign intrusion.
Entertaining these opinions, I have
looked with very deep concern, not un
mingled with regret, upon the occurrences
which have taken place during the present
year, in various parts of the United States,
relative to the civil war which is still in
progress, between the Republic of Mexi-1
co, and one of her revolted Provinces. It
is true that no country can be responsible
for the sympathies of its citizens; but 1 am
nevertheless utterly at a loss to perceive
what title cither of the parties to this con
troversy can have, to the sympathies of
• the American people. If it he alleged that
■ the insurgents of Texas are emigrants
1 from the United States, it is obvious to
; reply that by their voluntary expatriation
i —under whatever circumstances, of ad
i venture, of speculation, of honor, or of
! infamy —they have forfeited all claim
- to our fraternal regard. If it be even
- true (hat they have left a land of frcc
i dom for a land of despotism, they have
! done it with their eyes open, and deserve
• their destiny. There is hut too much rea
t son to believe that many of them have
l gone as mere adventurers, speculating
> upon tile chances of establishing an inde-
I pendent government in Texas, and ofsciz
s ing that immense and lerlile domain by
s the title of tho sword. But be this ns it
< may, when they became citizens of Mexi
- co, they became subject to the constitu
-1 tion and laws of that country; and what
e ever changes the Mexican people may
- have since made in that constitution and
- those laws, they are matters with which
. foreign States can have no rigid to take
I cognizance. I trust, therefore, that the
State of South Carolina will give no couu
b (enance, direct or indirect, open or con
s coaled, to any acts which may compromit
e (he neutrality ofthe United States, or
;l bring into question their plighted faith,
e Justice—stern and unbending justice—iu
- our intercourse with other States, should
f be paramount to all the considerations of
J mere expediency, even it were possible
0 that these could bo separated. But they
- cannot. Justice is the highest expedieu
tl cy, and I am sure South Carolina is the
a hist State in the Union that would know
e ingly violate this sacred canon of political
morality.
1 If any consideration couM add to (ho
intrinsic weight of these high inducements
e to abstain from every species of interfor
'• cnee with the domestic affairs of a ncigh
y boring and friendly State, it would be the
s tremendous retribution to which wc are so
Y peculiarly exposed on our South-western
i- frontier, from measures of retaliation.
Should Mexico declare war against the
r United States, and aided by some great
y European power, hoist the standard of
'■ servile insurrection, in Louisiana and the
0 neighboring States; how deep would be
d our sell reproaches in reflecting that these
i- atrocious proceedings, received even a
3 colorable apology (rom our example, or
. from the unlawful conduct of our own
s citizens!
There is one question, connected with
1 this controversy, of a definite character,
! upon wliich it may he proper that you
i should express an opinion. You are
. doubtless aware, that the people of Texas,
by an jilmost unanimous vote, have ex
pressed their desire to bo admitted into
t our Confederacy, and application will pro
bably bo nindo to for that par-
I pose. In my opinion, Congress ought not
even to entertain such a proposition in (ho
present state of the controversy. If wc
admit Texas into our Union,while Mexico
is still waging war against that Province,
with a view to re-establish her supremacy
over it, we shall, by the very act itself make
ourselves a party to tho war. Nor can we
take this step, without incurring this heavy
responsibility, until Mexico herself shall
recognise the independence of her revolted
• Province.
We have no official information of the
precise state of our relations with Mexico.
■ Enough is known, however, to satisfy us
that the conjuncture is eminently critical.
Let us bo scrupulously careful that we do
• nothing to countenance, and all we can to
prevent the calamity of a war. We are
1 now engaged in a fearful and doubtful
i struggle to reform our federal system of
government, by throwing oft’the corrup
tions under which it is rapidly sinking,
i In this state of tidings a war with any
country would bo the greatest ofcalam
i itics ; ior wc could scarcely hope to conic
out of it with any thing but the mere wreck
of a free constitution, and the external
■ forms of a free government.
But may Heaven avert these inauspi
: cions omens, and direct all your measures
I to tho advancement of our true glory and
lasting happiness, as. a free and a favored
■ people.
GEORGE McDUFFIE.
—» ,,> >Oo64w«i
[ From the Charleston .Mercury, Ul/i insl.
INTERESTING FROM FLORIDA.
, We have been politely favored with
i the following extract of a' letter, dated
St. Augustine, (Florida,) Dec. 5, 1836.
i The Aritiy has reached Volusia, for
f the purpose of getting provisions and re
, eruiting. Some hard battles have been
[ fought in (lie Walloo Swamp and its vi
. cinity, and the loss of (lie enemy is es
timated at one hundred, and ofthe Whites,
twenty-five killed ami about fifty woun
ded. 'Flic Army will again leave Volu
sia in a few days, and it is supposed that
1 the next meeting with the enemy will be
in the neighborhood of Ockliwalia.
Gen. Call’s health has been very deli
cate during the Campaign, and stiil con
tinues the same; in consequence of which, j
lie. intends to retire ’ from the field very (
shortly. A friend of his who has just re- |
turnctl from the Army, informs me that |
lie intends to resign the Gubernatorial
Chair in consequence of his ill health.
In addition to the above, we are fur- \
nished with the following statement, by
a gentleman, who arrived yesterday, in
the Samuel S. Mills, after a passage of
9 days:
Left St. Augustine December 5. A
report had just reached St. Augustine
before we left,brought, wc believe, by an I
Express, (hat a Detachment of 200 friend-1
lv Creeks and 2 Companies of Regulars, j
who were sent to the Ocklawaha Swamp,
have had an engagement with a large
party of the Seminoles, in which it is
said that the latter have lost 90 men left
dead en the field. The loss on our side
is said to be from 40 to 50.
We have since seen a Jacksonville {
paper of the 7th, which says nothing of
this, so we doubt its correctness.
Col. Downing, Aid to Gen. Call, who !
arrived in town on Friday last, states ;
that the Tennessee Volunteers had be
haved themselves very gallantly in sever- .
al skirmishes that had taken place, pene- <
(rating in pursuit of the enemy into ham ]
mocks and swamps which were deemed
impassable. The number of the enemy
killed since Gen. Call has taken the field,
is variously computed to be from 200 to t
300. . I
I Uis also slated, that jumper is at the ,
head of the peace party in Ihe Nation, |
and had expressed a determination to |
fight no more. It is thought their pow
der is nearly exhausted. Gen. Call had
received the order by which he is super
seded by Gen. Jessup, and had accord
ingly returned to Volusia on his way to
Tallahassee; his health is said to be in
a very precarious slate.
We regret to state that the Tennes
seeans had signified to Gen. Call their
intention of leaving as soon as their terms
of service had expired, which is on the
1 Gth of this month, so that the Army will
he deprived of a large part of’its most
! efficient force. Wc fear that tliis has
1 been in a great measure caused by the
■ dismissal of Gen. Call to whom they had
become very much attached.
I In the first engagement in which the
Creeks took part, they lost five of their
■ number killed. A deputation is said to
' have waited on Col. Brown, their com
' mandcr, and to have stated to him that,
• that, namely, the killing part of the busi
• j ness, was not included in their bargain
■ j with the government. Wc suppose he
M must have convinced them that it was,
Gas we find them doing their duty in the
1 | following engagements that took place.
! A Detachment of Florida Volunteers,
1 consisting of two companies, under the
■ command of Cot. Sanches, had been or
dered down to Tomoka where Philip and
1 his band have had undisturbed possession
r since the last campaign. We doubt
• whether they will be able to effect any
1 thing, as the force sent is small.
j. Additional news.
• The Heroine, Capt. Vanduzer, arrived
! last evening, in 24 hours froirfSt. John’s,
' E. F. By a passenger in the above vessel
" wc have been politely favored with a slip
; from the Jacksonville Courier, dated Dec.
8, 12 o’clock, M. which affords us the
' following additional information:—
By Capt. Walker, of she F. Militia,
3 who has just arrived from Black-Creek,
i we are informed that General Jessup
reached Volusia, about four days ago.
Leaving at Tampa-Bay 1000 men, Gen.
! Jesup, with 400 men, and 10 days provi
-1 sions on pack-horses, inarched from that
1 Post with the intention of joining Gov.
Call. On his route he ran down and cap
! lured an Indian, who was induced, or ra
[ ther forced, by threats of being scalped
alive if lie would not discover the place
! of the Indians retreat, to lead Gen. Jes
! up to a lake at the head of (lie Oaklawa
-1 ha, where were found and captured forty
1 one negroes —supposed to be, and doubt
less are, those belonging to Col. Rees,
1 that were, in the beginning of the war,
taken from Spring-Garden Plantation.
'I hose negroes, except four retained as
guides, are now at Picolata, Gen. Jesup
has not yet received the despatches from
Lieut. Johnson, the express in pursuit of
him, and it is said, is in doubt about ta
king the command till those despatches
1 are received.
GEORGIA LEGISLATURE.
Correspondence of the Constitutionalist.
MILtEDSEVILLE, Dec. 13.
In tho House, this morning, tire bill to amend
1 the charter of the Augusta Trust Company, was
taken up. After much debate the bill was put on
its passage and lost, yeas <l6, nays 90. It will be
useless to move for a reconsideration.
A bill passed tho House, yesterday, to incorpo
rate the Planters and Mechanics Bank of Colum
bus—yeas 70, nays 63.
In the House, yesterday, the bill to establish
free manual labor schools in tho several counties
in this State, was taken up. A substitute for the
bill was offered, appropriating one third of tho sur
plus revenue ofthe IT. States, as a free school and
, public education fund, and appointing a committee
of five, two from the Senate and three fronf the H.
of Representatives, to he named by tho presiding
1 officers al tho present session, whoso duty it shall
i be to digest a plan of common schools and edu
. cation, &c. This substitute was received, and
amended, and passed, yeas 33, nays 9 Messrs,
i- Dranc, Easley, Epsey, Gordon ofChatham, Gray,
Hamilton, Pryor, Towns, and While ofßutts.
In tho Senate, a hill passed, to authorize tire
Brunswick and Florida Railroad Company, to
construct a branch from that road to any point
on tho Flint and Chattahoochee rivers—yeae 54
nays 19.
MiLtEnoEvxiLE, Dec. 14.
This morning, in tiro House, a motion to recon
sider the bill rejected tho day before, to amend the
charter of the Augusta Trust Company, was lost.
A bill was passed yosterday, to require ail acknow-
J lodgments or promises to pay debts barred by the
1 statue of limitations, to be reduced to writing as
-1 ter the Ist day of May next.
In the Senate, yesterday, a hill was passed, to
regulate tho auditing and payment of accounts
against this Stale. The provisions of this bill are,
that all accounts exhibited against this State, shall
be audited by the Comptroller General, and certi
fied by him to bo correct. Accounts so audited
to be presented to the Governor, and a warrant
drawn for the amount by him on tho Treasury, the
Governor, however, to have the right to withhold,
in particular cases, tho payment of accounts so au
dited by tho Comptroller General.
In the Senate, this morning, the hill to chatter
the Jefferson Bank, in Warrenton, was negatived,
yeas IS, nays 43,
Frederick Court of Inquiry.
Correspondence of the Baltimore Chronicle.
Frederick, December 10, 1836.
I was introduced, without the observance of
any formalities, to the presence of tho Court, now
sitting in inquest upon the conduct of General
Scott in his Florida campaign. Gens. Macomb,
Atkinson and Brady, with Captain Cooper as
Judge Advocate, comprise the tribunal. Col.
j Lindsay (considered the most accomplished man
lin.I in . ‘be army) of tho 2nd Artillery, Major Graham,
| kieut. Alexander and Captain Green arc here as
| witnesses. Gen. Clinch, Col. Brnkhead, and
i several others are hourly looked for. Tho inves
tigation is conducted in the house lately occupied
j by Caspar W. Wever, Esq.
| Aftcr ‘bo hearing of Capt. Thruston, the
Court, to give time for the arrival of Col. Bank
head, another important witness, adjourned to
Monday the 12th inst.
It is stated, on good authority, that a suspicious
looking vessel, supposed to lie a Spanish smug
glcr, has lately been seen going to sea on several
| occasions, from the mouth of Clear Water Ri
ver. At the same time fires were observed on i
that part ot (ho coast. It is unfortunate that a i
; revenue cutter was not in the vicinity to over- >
haul the miscreants, whose business, no doubt i
was to trade with the Indians, and furnish them
with ammunition. Clear Water River is about
half way between the Withlacoocheo and Tampa
Bay. It has six feet water on the bar at low
water, and is navigable twenty miles into the in- !
j tcrlor - —Tallahassee Floridian, 10th Inst.
I Frora n " Exhibition by the Treasurers of the
Upper and Lower Divisions of the State of South
Carolina, ii appears that the balance on hand on
the Ist Oct, last, was, for the upper Division >24,
327,01, and for the Lower Division >357,79 9,6 I
Appointment by the President Surgeon
Thomas Lawson, of the Array, to be the Surgeon
General of the United Stales Army, vice Joseph
Lowell deceased, * j
Correspondence of the S. U. Sentinel.
Washington City, Dec. 7th, 1836.
At the opening of Congress on Monday,
there was an unusually large number of mem
bers of both houses present. One hundred and
eighty members of tho House of Representa
tives answered to their names. lam sorry to (
say tiovveVer, that in the Senate the attendance
was greatly the best on the part of the admin- (
istration. Five Whig senators who ought to
have been at tiieir posts were, and are still ab.
sent; —and, when we consider that the election
of a Secretary oftho Senate, to supply the va
cancy occasioned by the resignation of Mr. ,
Lowrie, mignt have come on at the earliest day, |
it appears difficult to reconcile their absence (
with their obligations to their party and their
former most estimable colleague Dr. Naudain,
of Delaware, who is a candidate fur the office.
His opponent is Mr. Asbury Dickens, who has 1
for many years filled a prominent place in one |
ofthe public Departments. The friends of Dr. ,
Naudain had great hopes that he would succeed, ,
previous to finding out tho actual slate of par
ties in the Senate: But there are no less than |
nine of the Whig Senators of last session now ,
out of their places. Mr. Goldeborough is no
more—Messrs. Leigh, Mangum, and Clayton (
have resigned; and Messrs. Webster, Porter, |
Black, Calhoun, and Preston, have not yet ,
reached the city. Under these circumstances |
it is impossible to elect Naudain, unless they j
postpone making a choice till the absentees ,
have arrived; and even then, the result will
probably be tho appointment of Dickens—most
certainly if the election should turnon party
grounds.
The senators from the new State that has
been added to eur confederacy—Arkansas— •
Messrs. Fulton and Sevier, app'eared in the
chamber on Monday, were duly qualified and
took their seats. In the house a number of
new members were qualified and took their
seats. The usual messages were interchanged
between the two houses, informing eacli other
of their organization. A joint committee was
appointed to wait on the President and inform
him that Congress had assembled and were
ready to receive any communication he might
have to make. Nothing else was done the first
day requiring particular notice.
Yesterday brought us the anxiously looked
for annual message. It was read in both hous
es as usual, and tho almost Universal opinion
among unbiased men is, that it is one of the
least creditable state papers that has ever been
composed or signed by an American President.
It will be doubtless in the hands of most of your
readers before tliis can reaclt you. It cannot
fail to«etrike them as singularly deficient in
clearness and arrangement, and that tone ol
dgnity wliich every true American would
wish to see ths chief magistrate of his country
preserve, in all his official intercourse with Con
gress and the people. Nothing can be more
contemptible in taste or temper than tho whole
of tiiose parts of tho message which relate to the
Bank, the Currency and tho Distribution Act.
Tho spirit ot the abandoned kitchen counsel
lors is manifest in every lino in those divisions.
It would be an amusing task to collate with
the paragraphs ofthe message that bear on the
question of distribution, the recommendations
on the same subject, contained in President
Jackson's messages of 1829 and 1830, and al
so President Jefferson’s opinions on tho same
subject. A project I Understand is on fool to
print a number of copies of tho message with
the passages referred to appended. The peo
ple will then see what inconsistencies General
Jackson is led into by his advisers.
The first step of the House of Reprcsenta
ives after the reading ofthe message, was into
extravagance. They ordered 15000 copies
with the accompanying documents, a most for
midable pile I assure you, to be printed; and
5000 without the documents. An independent
member, who remembered the negligence of
ot the public printer at the last session, in
keeping back the messages until weeks and
months elapsed, had the forethought to amend
the order by inserting a provision that the
5000 copies should be furnished within two
days. The thing would have been bettor still,
if they had given an order to prohibit the insor
tion oftho prospectus for the extra Globe in the
envelopes of those to be sent off by the mem
bers under their franks—a fraud which was ex
tensively practised last session.
Very little was done in either branch ofthe
Legislature to-day. The House adjourned soon
after tho journal was read. The deaths of Mr.
Dickson ot Miss, and Gen, Coffee of Qa. having
been successively brought under their notice
by Mr. Clarborno of the .former State, and Mr.
Haynes ofthe latter ; the customary resolutions
in honor of the deceased were adopted.
In the Senate, after some unimportant pre
liminary business, a message was received
from tlie President communicating copies of
an interesting correspondence between him-an
Mrs. Madison, entered into in compliance with '
a resolution adopted at the last session.
The only other incident deserving notice, was '
a declaration by Mr. Benton of his intention to 1
'nlroduec at the earliest moment after the Se- 1
nate shall be full—his expunging resolutions, ‘
The preamble and resolutions will be in tho '
very words wliich wore killed and untouched 1
last year. The corrupt and loathsome corpse
is to be resuscitated ; and to vote for tho ex- j
puuge is to bo made the test of party faith, and i
Patent Democracy. Benton was quite as ab- 1
surdly pompous and declamatory as usual—and 1
Senate and galleries had another good laugli at <
his expense. He is to mount all his i
old hobbies—having given notice of bills lie I
means to introduce, contemplating the follow- I
ing objects, an increase of tho army, construe- |
tion ot (ortifications, establishment of armories, I
&o. &c. &c. We wjll have more humbug i
from him anon. M. c
CONGRESS.
Senate-, - Monday, December 12.
Mr. A. Dickens was elected Secretary of the
i Senate, in place of Mr. Lowrie, resigned. !
The Chairmen of the following Committees t
bad been elected when our paper went to press, f
viz:—Of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Buchanan.—Of
! Finance, Mr. Wright.—Of Commerce, Mr. King, s
jof Ala—Of Manufactures, Mr. Niles.—Of Agri- s
culture, Mr. Pago.—Of Military Affairs, Mr.
Benton.—On the Militia, Mr. Wall.—On Naval
; Affairs, Mr. Rives—On Public Lands, Mr. Wal- s
kcr—On Private Land Claims, Mr. Linn—On tl
Indian Affairs, Mr. White—On Claims, Mr. d
Hubbard—On Revolutionary Claims, Mr. Brown. u
—On the Judiciary, Mr. Grundy—On the Post JV
Office and Post Ronds Air. Robinson, ft
The rest of (he Members had not been elected ;
and the Senate was still engaged in the election d
of Chairmen. g
The celebrated horse Industry died lately at p
Winchester, la. Ho could not have been pur- a
1 chased lor less than >20,000. b
AUGUSTA:
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, IH36*
■
and star not.”
GOVERNOR OF S. CAROLINA.
On Saturday last, Col. Pierce M.
Columbia, was elected Governor of South Caro
lina, and Col. William Dubose, of Pineville,
Charleston District, Lieutenant Governor.
' . GEORGIA VOLUNTEERS.
The Tallahassee Floridian of the Ifeh instant,
says : —“A battalion, consisting of 300 mounted
men, from Cherokee county, Georgia, commanded
by Maj. Nelson, arrived in town yesterday, on
their way to join the army.”
GROG SHOPS AND NEGROES!
Wc learn frora a highly respectable citizen, that
ho saw some ten or a dozen negroes gambling in
the rear of one of the Grog-shops of this city, du
ring the race week, at a very late hour of the
night—if we recollect rightly, eleven or twelve !
Where is the city police I and why arc such into
lerable nuisances permitted I TII9 evil fconsc
quencesof them it is unnecessary td mention, and
some prompt and decisive measures ought td lie
taken by the City Council, to prevent then!; We
have no doubt they are of frequent occurrence )
and tho great increare of those Grog-shops, “so
beautiful without, and full of all unclcanness,”
is a misfortune to be deeply deplored bv every
real friend to humanity, and the good order, hap-' ,
pincss, and welfare of the community,
HISTORICAL HINT.
The following extract from a speech of Lin'd
Stormont, in (lie British House of Lords, os re
corded by Sir N. Wraxall, in his recently pub
lished posthumous memoirs, so well describes
tile character and ambition of a certain politician
of our own country, that no one who reads it
will hesitate a moment in making the appropri
ate application. The passage is copied exactly
as we found it.
“ I fear not an open bold ambition. But I
dread that dark and secret ambition, which,
working under ground, and undermining all
opposed to it, may cripple tho power which it
dare not avowedly combat in open day.”
Let the people of tliis country beware that no
one thus cripples their power, while he dare not
avowedly combat it in open day.
THE MILITIA.
Wc have read with surprise—or rather regret,
for such things are too common to excite sur
prise—tho following article, taken from the Con
stitutionalist. Tho writer is doubtless a friend
to the militia, but assuredly a most injudicious
one—one calculated to do it more mischief than
a dozen enemies—for tho reason, that, like hun
dreds of others who speak and write on tho sub
ject, lie has not investigated it, and of course
docs not understand it: and wc have remarked,
that those, generally, who arc loudest in their
complaints against the militia law, know least a
bout it, have least examined and studied it, and
are least prepared to point out its real defects, and
the proper remedies. A man who does this, or
interferes with any subject he has not thorough
ly investigated, places himself in a predicament
similar to that of him who undertakes to repair a
watch, without having first properly qualified
himself for tho task. Ho may (mean well, but
for want of the proper and necessary qualifica
tions for the task he undertakes, he actually does
mischief, where he desires to do good. Wo
mean no disrespect to the writer, whom of course
wc do not know ; and our only object in noticing
bis remarks is to caution him and others against
the indiscretion he has manifested, and stimulate
them to a proper investigation of the subject.
That our militia system is defective, we readily
admit, but by no means so much so as is gener
ally supposed-; and if those who decry it, would
only unite in efforts to remedy its defects, by a
prompt attention to duty, those defects would ne
ver bo felt. The fault is not so much in the law,
as in those who arc ever ready to evade it, and
escape from duty ; while if tho reverse were tho
fact, all the good effects of the best possible law
might be produced, even though there were no
law at all. Laws are not for those disposed to do
right, but those bent on doing wrong; while a
truly patriotic man and good citizen needs no law,
and feels none, being always “ a law unto him
self.” The Volunteers require no law, no com
pulsion ; but, actuated by a proper spirit of pa
triotism and self-respect, make their duty a plea
sure, and perform it as such, not as a painful and
unwilling task, which they will not perform un
less compelled to it. They properly feel tho
benefits they derive from their country, and
arc proud of an opportunity votunt arily to recip
rocate them, sensible that the country cannot
protect its citizens, unless those citizens protect
the country, its laws, and its institutions. Con
scious that free institutions can be preserved only
by a prompt and ready performance of all public
duties on tho part of the citizen, and that he who
refuses to bear the necessary dutics-and burthens
of freedom, is unworthy of its blessings, and fit
only to be a subject of those despotisms which de
ny those blessings, and tax tho people to employ
hirelings to bear those burthens, they do not re
quire any compulsion to do their duty, of cry
down the laws, or take advantage of their defecte.
Why cannot all those who complain of the de
fects of the law, and aim to bring it into ridicule
and contempt, instead of encouraging obedience
to it, and the best possible administration of it as
it is, do the same, and remedy, first, their own
defects I Does it never occur to them, that a bad
system well administered, is far better tbart a
good one badly administered ; that all laws in a
free country must rely on public opinion for sup
port; and that a perverted, selfish public opinion,
bent on evading duly and responsibility, may cry
down any law, as it docs the militia law, and ren
der oven tho very best, inoperative and useless 1
Be the defects of a law what they may, if Its
purposes be good, let us encourage a prompt and
cheerful compliance with its requisitions, so far
as they promote those purposes, and not defeat
them by crying down the law.— We have gone
farther, however, into general remarks on the
subject than we designed, and pause for the pre
sent to introduce the article referred te:
F rom the Constitutionalist,
-Messrs. Editors —l am somewhat surprised to
see a paper which has the range of circulation
that is enjoyed by the Constitutronsliet, remain
dormant, and impervious to the rails now making
upon the people of Georgia for a change in our
Militia Law—alias ! for a militia law ; for, in
fact, we have no militia law ! (I)
The Governor of our Slate has laid the degra
ded state of the system, before the people, and the
Senior Editor of ihe Chronicle (3) has furnished
the community with some very sensible and ap
propriate remarks upon the subject, and should be
aided by every Journal, not only in this place,
but throughout Georgia. Ido not deem it impor
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