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'wm ' . . -, V- atrijman. J. II. CHRISTY, EDITOR. SKETCHES OF THE SENATE. TIkj Washington correspondent of the New-York Journal of Commerce, thus sketches two of our distinguished public *nen: “Georgia, the Empire State of the South, long sent the accomplished Ber rien to the Senate. He was indeed a Senator—both in age and attainments. He must have been quite seventy when he retired; but from habitual use of bis powers, maintained a “green old age.” lie was often engaged in the room be low—at the bar of the Supreme Court; a well read lawyer, an elegant man, an eloquent speaker. He seemed to escape the decrepitude of age. His was not the bending form, the falling hair, the shattered voice. Perhaps, the youthful ness ol his accomplished partner promo ted tlie gallantry of his bearing an the geniality of his temperament. He is a true Southern gentleman, ever doing honor to his State. He is succeeded by Itober-, Toombs, who like other men si milarly transferred, make the better Se nator for having been an experienced representative. Toombs is of the true cavalier order; bold, decided, even im petuous at times, though not obtrusive of his eloquence any where. But woe to the assailant who singles him out. Scar cely up to the meridian of life, with a ruddy cheek, a round face and a robust form, he concentrates all his physical energies to give effect to his mental ef forts, and threatens soon to exhaust liimseif, were he not inexhaustible. He may be compared to McDuffie, the ce lebrated Georgian, though not equal to him in fury ; perhaps not in the essenti al vigor of intellect, and that Demos thenic ruggedness ofexpression for which he was so distinguished. That burning orator now sleeps quietly in his grave, voiceless, pulseless, passionless; how different this from “life’s litful fever,” aye, the fever of political life, restless, raging, wearing, yea. tearing its victim to pieces, with a reward for his suffer ings often little superior to that of the barbarian gladiator, “butchered to make n Roman holiday.” How the people look on and smile, or sigh, while genius, ulent, skill, power, thus exhaust them selves. In such men as Ilayne, McDuf fie, Wise, Toombs, Stephens, and others of like spirit, the South has ever had chivalrous and tireless defenders. They love this arena with all its dust and strife. A New Englander often wonders there should be so much acute logic and real political philosophy combined with so much impassioned declamation, for he lias little taste for the latt r—IIow full of energy, passion, high excitement, was llayne, in his memorable speech on h Foot’s resolution!” now he danced around the desks of the Senate Chamber! Yet what must it have been to awaken such a reply from Webster! It sum moned the mightiest resources of his great intellect. It roused all the giant within him. It killed all the meridian splendors of his oratory. Some writer has said it was an era in a man’s life to have heard that speech of Webster. I heard them both, and can bear witness to the consummate eloquence of the South Carolinian. The speech of his antagonist needs no eulogy. It is em balmed, stereotyped on the American • find, hut the effect on t lie audience can- ■ be described. Who can ■ paint the under or print the lightning !” MR. STEPHENS’ VINDICAT‘D OF GEGRGIA. We have received from the lion. A. II. Stephens a copy of his speech, deli vered in the House of Representatives riie 15th inst, in reply to Mr. Campbell of Ohio. As a reply, it is masterly and irresistible; and as a vindication of the State he so ably represents, it is com plete and triumphant. We regret that its length should prevent us from laying it before the reader at length. Mr. Stephens h id stated in a previous speech which we published in Decem ber, that the South asks but few favors of the Ocnvnvl Government a n d thg* v the North look# more to the fostering can* of the Government to protect its •various interests than the South does. This was denied by Mr. Campbell, who intimated that Louisiana.Florida, Texas New Mexico, and California were ac- quiredat the instigation and for the bene fit of the South, at a cost in the a"<»re- gate of many millions. Mr. S.ephens°re- joins that Ohio is more interested in the acquisition of Louisiana than Georgia, and that without it, the outlet by*the Mississippi, which the North-west now enjoys, wool I have been closed. The acquisition was national in its character, and was voted for by men from all sec tions. I he sum paid for the territory was 8 ,000,000, and the amount al ready realised fiom the public sales of in** land thus obtained, wa> $25,920,732, besides what is yet to lie realized from the hundreds of thousands of square miles yet to he sold. The Territory of i.oiiisiamt stretch *d from the Gulf of Mexico to the papilled of 49 deg. North latitude, and from ihe Mississippi to the Rocsy Mountains. By this acquisition, taking all the Indian territory into ac count, the South acquired only 231,960 square miles, while tlie North got by it 667.599 square miles! S I in regard to Florida. The treaty which secured that territory to us, con tained also a relinquishment by Spain of ail her claims to Oregon. The North, by this measure, got 303,052 square miles of territory, including the Terri tories of Oregon and Washington, while the South got only the State of Florida, 59.268 square miles. Again, in the ac quisition of Texas, considering the Mexican war as part of that proceeding, as Mr. Campbell does, the South only £(.*(’111*1*11 KfinurD tlt^ secured 237,o05 square miles, while the :d 632,157 square mi|e3, in- rnia. New Mexico, and ■ xj-, • : -- The amount paid by ihe General Government to the State of Georgia for the territory now constituting Alabama and Mississippi, and for extinguishing the Indian titles, was $11,000,000, and the sum realized by the Government from the sale of these lands was $32,205,612, or over $20,000,000 above the price paid for Louisiana. But take our acquisitions in the aggre gate: There are now according to the census report, belonging to the United Slates 2,936,166 square miles of terri tory—including States, old and new, as well as Territories. There have been acquired, outside of the old thirteen Stales,-2,596,102 square miles. Of all these 2,599,105 squure miles thus ac quired, there lies North of the line of 36 deg. 30 min., 1,848,701 square miles, and there lies South of it but 753,404 square miles. From this it would ap pear that the North got nearly two-thirds of all our territorial acquisitions. Mr. Stephens next proceeds to demon strate that Georgia, with less than half the population, with nearly a third less land in quantity, and less than a third in value, compared to Ohio, not only equal led, but exceeded, that State in her agricultural productions, according to the census returns of 1850. The returns 6how that Ohio had of improved lands 9,854,492 acres—Geor gia had only 6,378,479 aci^a; the cash value of the Georgia land, . improved and under culture, Was $95,753,445, while the cash value of the Ohio lands was returned at $358,753,603—Ohio had nearly one-third more land in a state of improvement than Georgia had, and returned it at more than three times the cash value of the Georgia lands. The whole population of Ohio was 1,- 980,329 ; the whole population of Geor gia, white and black, was 906,185, The population of Ohio therefore was more than double that of Georgia, Here we see her free labor more than double in number, working one-third more land, worth by valuation, more than three times that of Georgia. From these ele ments it might not be surprising to see her agricultural products greatly exceed ing those of Georgia, without resorting to the “ curse of slavery’ ’ to account for it. But how stand the facts ? The aggregate value of the products of Ohio for 1849, as given in detail in the census, is $38,137,695. The aggre gate value of the products of Georgia for the same year is §38,414,168. The values of the products of Ohio, were fur nished by Mr. Campbell himself, in a memorandum he prepared for Mr. Ste phens two years ago, and consequently their correctness cannot be doubted. The result is the same—that is, it is on the side of Georgia—whether we take the home values of the articles produc ed, or the market price at New-York. Upon the capital invested in the two States the free labor of Ohio produces at the rate of 39 ptr cent., taking Mr. Campbell’s figures; whereas the slave labor of Georgia produces at the rate of 64 per cent. The same is true of the number of church edifices in the two States. Geor gia lias over two churches to every 1,000 of her entire population, white and black, while Ohio has a fraction less than two to the same proportion of her popula tion. On the other hand, the census shows that there are fewer paupers in Georgia, in proportion to population, ihan in Ohio, as well as much less crime. By the census, in Georgia, during the year for which the returns were taken, there were but 80 criminal convictions in the whole State; while in Ohio there were S43 1 There were, in Georgia, in the penitentiary, 89 convicts; in* Ohio there were 406! and of these 406 then in prison for crime in Ohio, 44 of them were blacks 1 Forty-four out of a free black population of 25,279. Such is the result of a comparison be tween Ohio, the “ Giant of the West,” if not the most prosperous State at the North, and Georgia, the “ Empire State of tiie South.” \\ hatever else may.be said <>f slavery, it does not appear that free labor is more productive, or that the institutions of the South at all inter fere with the material, moral and Intel led ual development of her people. Many may feel surprised at the figures hoj^ aaauccd ; buFthcy must be true or very near it, as they are taken from the cen sus, and are equally fair for both States. Mr. Stephens deserves the thanks of the whole Southern people, for bringing these facts to light, and for his eloquent and powerful vindication, not only of Georgia, but of Hie South, her progress, ami her character. We are led to the same result, if we compare the railway enterorises of the two States. Mr. Campbeli puts down the number of miles of railroad in Ohio, at 2,367, whi’c Georgia has but S34 by the census—that is, in 1850. This seenn at first view, to be very much in favor of the former State, but let us look a little into the matter. We find, by turning to the Railroad Journal, and taking all the .Roads in ( Qhio ami Geor gia, tlie condition ol which is given in that publication, that 1,071. miles of the Ohio roads, which have a capital of $18,- 094,102, have also a funded debt of $ 12,- 225,400; while in Georgia 553 miles of her roads as given by the Journal, the capital of which is $9,099,975, have a funded debt of only $732,401. From this it appears that the roads of Ohio are two-thirds unpaid for; whereas, in Geor- gia, less than onp-twelfth of hers is un paid for. If the roads in each State, therefore, stand in a similar condition ; or if the 1,001 in one, and 553 in the ot her, may be taken as a sample of the whole in each State, then Georgia has more rq*4 completed and paid for than Ohio has. Two-thirds of 2.367, the number of miles of the Ohio roads, is 1,- which, taken from that sum, leaves only 789 miles in operation and paid for; "r.® °J? e twe,f ‘h ‘aken from 884 miles of the Georgia roads,' leaves 811 miles completed and paid for. And why should we not subject these improve ments to this test ? We judge of a man’s wealth,not only by what lie lias, but what he owes, I’be same principle is equally applicable to corporations and to States. A similar superiority, is shown, if we turn from the physical to the intellectual and moral statistics of the two common wealths. There are 26 Colleges in Ohio and 13 in Georgia. But Ohio has a white population of 1,999,050, while Georgia has but 521,572. Ohio, there fore. ought to have a number equal to the ratio of her population to that of Georgia rand upon this basis, the number of her Colleges should be 48, instead of 26, so that she is really 22 behind what she ought to have been. Georgia, at her 13 Colleges, by the Census, has 1,- 535 pupils; and Ohio, to have as many in proportion to her population, ought to have 5,852, but in fact, as returns show, ■he has only 3,621. Georgia, by the census, has one pupil at College for every 349 of her entire white popula tion, and Ohio has only one for every 536 of hers. In this particular, Georgia, by the census returns, is not only ahead of Ohio, but of every ofter State in the Union. And yet Ohio has received from the Goneral Government for edu cational purposes, 773,000 acres of pub lic lands, valued at over $1,000,000 ; while Georgia has not received onecent. SOUTHERN CENTRAL AGRICULTU RAL SOCIETY—FAIR OF 1865. The following list of. Prizes for Field Crops was adopted at the late meeting of the Executive Committee of the “ Southern Central Agricultural Socie ty” in Atlanta. We publish it thus early, that planters may hare time to prepare their land and plant properly.— The remainder of the list will appear hereafter: 5. For the Peas, sample of one bushel, 6. Best variety of Upland Cotton, two stalks as samples, 7. Best variety of Sea Island Cot ton, with two stolks as samples. 6 8. Best bushel of Rice, 5 9 - “ “ “ Oats, 5 10. " “ •« Rye, 5 “ “ Barley, 5 12. “ “ “ Irish Potatoes, 5 13. Best variety of grass seeds adapted to the South for Hay or Graz- *ng, 10 Exhibitors of crops, must give in wiring to the Secretary a full account of each crop offered—its adaptation for profitable cultivation, &c. Exhi bitors of Hay must give the mode of cultivating, curing, harvesting, &c. COTTON BALES. . t. For the best 20 bales of Upland Cot- ton, &o 0 8. “ “ 5 * « ,. .. jo *• I “ “ “ 5 »• “ “ “ 5 “ “ S.I.Cotton20 6. Best bale of (400 lbs.) Sea Is land or Black Seed Cotton raised on upland, 20 The Cotton must be on the Fair Ground duing Exhibition, to claim the premium. ATHENS, GA. THURSDAY MORNING, FEB. 8, 1855. $3rMr. William Dostkb, of Atlanta,, is our au thorized Agent in Cherokee Georgia. Jttr This paper is filed, and may at alt times be seen at the Reading Room of Prof .Holloway, 244 Strand, London The Hon. Robert Toombs, we regret to learn, lias been called home from Washington, by the serious illness of a member of his famly. field catrs. 1. For the largest crop of Cotton produced upon two acres of upland with the mode of cultivation, the amount and kind of manure used, the period of planting, the number of times plowed and hoed, the kind of Cotton—the land to be measured and the Cotton weighed in the presence of three disinterested and reliable wit nesses, with certificates from them ; pitcher. $50 2. For the largest crop of Cotton produced upon two acres of low land, (the same requisitions as upon two acres of upland, 50 3. For the largest crop of Pea Vine Hay, raised on two acres, one bale to be sent as a sample, with a certificate of quantity made; silver cup, * 10 4. For the largest crop of Native Grass Hay, raised on two acres, the same as above, ^ 10 5. For the largest crop of Foreign Grass Hay, raised on two acres, the same as above, 10 6. For the largest crop of Corn grown upon two acres of upland ; the period of planting,the mode of cultiva tion, kind of corn, times plowed and hoed, the amount and kind of man ure applied; the land and corn mea sured in the presence of three disin terested and reliable witnesses, with their certificates, a silver pitcher worth, 50 7. For the largest crop of Corn grown upon two acres of low land, (requisition as upland Corn.) 50 8. For the largest crop of Wheat (drilled or broadcast) grown upon two acres of land not under b'O pounds per bushel; the land and Wheat to be measured, and under the same requi sition in till things as above, 25 9. For the largest crop ol lowland Rice, on one acre, 25 10. For the largest crop of Oats, kiud, &c , raised per acre, 20 11. For the largest crop of Rye, kind,&c., raised per acre, 10 12. For the largest crop of Bar ley, kind, &c., raised per acre, 10 13. For the largest crop of Sweet Potatoes raised per acre, one eighth of an acre to be dug, and certificates of the yield by disinterested persons furnished, 20 14. For the largest crop of Irish Potatoes raised per acre, 20 15. For the largest crop of Tur nips raised per acre, 10 16. For the largest crop of Ground Peas, or Pindars, per acre, 10 17. F<?r the crop of Field Peas raised per acre. 10 18. Best box of Chewing Tobacco, Georgia raised, 5 19. Best bo.* of Cigars from Geor gia raised Tobacco, . 5 20. Best sample of Georgia raised Smoking Tobacco, 5 21. For the greatest quantity of Corn produced on au acre of land by irrigation, with the mode of cultiva tion, time of planting, irrigation, &.c., 25 Exhibitors of all the above crops must state in writing, in full, to the Secretary, all the requisitions as laid down for the Corn, Cotton, &c., as above; when the articles are entered on his books for exhibition; with the wit nesses’ certificates for the measurement of lands and pounds, and bushels per acre ; without which the Judges will be required to withhold their awards, and exhibitors not complying with these re quisitions will not be allowed to com-* pete for the Premiums of the Society. CROPS BY BOYS UNDER SIXTEEN YEARS OF AGE. 1. For the largest quantity of In dian Corn grown by any white boy un der 16 years of age, upon an acre of land, a patent lever silver Watch, $25 The rules in relation to field crops to be complied with. 2. For the largest quantity of Cot- . ton produced by any white boy under 16 years of age upon an acre of land, a patent lever silver Watch, $25 The rules of field crops to be com plied with. SAMPLES OF FIELD CROPS. 1. The best variety of Bread Corn, with two bushels as sample, $10 2. Best variety of Corn for stock two bushels as sample—tested by weight, 10 3. Best variety of Wheat, with a bushel of grain as sample, 5 4. For the best variety of Sweet Potato, sample of two bushels, 5 The College Chapel at Columbia, So. Ca., and the adjoining r east wing, were totally destroyed by fire on the morning of the 26th in-t. The loss is estimated at $20,000. A mechanic of Milwaukie, Wiscon sin, has invented a rifle which is supe rior, as he claims, to the famed Minnie r .^? e * experiments, to test its qua lities, have not yet been made, because the gun is imperfect in one or two little improvements. At the. distance of forty yards, it drove a ball into a piece of solid pine thirteen inches. It is claimed for it that it will carry a ball a mile and half with a true aim. Monujiint to Franklin.—The Boston Post says that a granite monu ment in memory of Benjamin Frank lin ha# latejy been erected at Mount Auburn, by Mr. Tnos. Dowse, of Cam bridge, at Ills private expense, The Supreme Court of Ohio on Satur day, decided that the liquor law passed by the last Legislature, was constitu tional. Tfce law is a stringent one, pro hibiting the retailing of liquor, with the exception of native wines, beer and cider the penalty for violating being fine and imprisonment. Four newspapers in New York city entered the list# for the post-office ad vertising for the next three years, viz : the Sun, Herald, Times, and Sunday despatch. Their average issue' was found to be as follows : Sun, 36,525 ; Herald, 36,157; Times, 24,573 ; Sun day Despatch, 28,442. Adoption^of Children.—A bill is before the New York Legislature to authorize such persons or societies as are or may be autb -rized to bind out by indenture any child to be an apprentice, clerk or servant, to bind such child as a child by adoption instead of apprentice or servant, and to change its name, and sueh child shall thereupon be entitled to the same rights and subject to the same duties in respect to its new parents, as if it were their natural fluid. Miss Julia Dean, the actress, was married on the 20th inst., in Galveston, to Dr. Hayne a son of Robert Y. Hagne, of So. Carolina. Wcfind the announce ment of this interesting fact in the N. O. Picayune of the 24th inst. The Massachusetts House of Repre sentatives has instructed its Committee on the Judiciary to consider the expedi ency of reporting a biii “ piakip" con vents and nunneries, and Roman Catho lic schools, as open and free to public visitation and inspection, as Protestant institutions. 0^7“We publish this week a synopsis from the Savannah Republican of the admirable speech of Mr, Stephens in reply to Campbell of Ohio, contrasting the relative progress of Georgia, and Ohio—their advancement in material wealth—-their agricultural products, manufactures, &c. We regret that, owing to its great length, wc are at pre sent unable to publish Mr. Stephens’ speech entire. We may do so, how ever, at some future day. Most admir ably did he acquit himself as the cham pion of the South on that occasion,and all true Southern men, whatever may be their party affinities, must feel that they are largely indebted to him for his bril liant effort. A correspondent of the Macon Me senger speaks of the speech thus : Washigton, Jan 15,1855. Messrs. .Editors:—Notwithstanding the inclemency of the day, the galleries, both the ladies’ and gentlemen’s, of the House of Representatives, were crowd ed to suffocation, this morning, in the hope of hearing Mr. Stephens of Geor gia, who, it was understood, had the floor, and would speak in roply to a pub lished spejech of Mr. L. D. Campbell, of Ohio. I have been present at all the debates of the present session, both in the Senate and House, and I assure you that the house which your able represen tative drew together this morning was the largest that has assembled during the present Congress—in fact it remind" ed the “old inhabitants” of the times when thronging and anxious crowds poured into the galleries Jand filled up alUhe vacant places, to hear Calhoun, Clay, or Webster. The audience that sat out Mr. Ste phens’ Speech were fully re-paid for all their trouble in getting a place to hear. Mr. S. made a most brilliant, eloquent and argumentative address, and literally tore Campbell into a frazzle. Mr. C. sat near Mr. S., and attempted to break the force of Mr. S’s reply by frequent interruption, but it was unavailing; and so complete was the triumph of Mr. S., that Mr. C. found it necessary to an nounce that he would continue the con troversy by replying when he could <ret the floor. Mr. S. showed very clearly that Mr. C. did not understand p litical economy, by exhibiting the entire falsity of a tabic of statistics which had been submitted to the public by Mr. C. in his printed speech. Conference, and for several jears he was one of the Missionary Secretaries. In 1846 he was elected bishop. Dr. Capers (continues the Courier) was pre-eminently distinguished for the urbanity of his manners, the elegance of his style,the.oratorical finish and force of liis pulpit.ministrations, and, also, for the prominent part he always took in the affairs of the church, of which he was ever a distinguished ornament, and .which will deeply feel his loss. Tiie Baltimore Sun says that over 80,000 tons of guano, mostly from Peru, arrived at that port last year, of which 40,000 tons remained in store on the 1st of January. Farmers are now purchas ing for Spring crops. Ogden Hoffman, it is believed, will be elected to the United Stales Senate from New York, in place of Mr. Seward. A letter from Kansas says, in the counties on the Missouri river adjoining Kansas, land is worth from ten to fifty dollars per acre. In Platte county, within 15 miles of Weston, it cannot be bought for less than $25, while much of it will bring $50 per acre. Opposition totiieRabpnGap Road. —The North Carolina Legislature have granted a charter to the Spartanburg and Union Rail Road Company for the continuation of the lines from Spar tanburg via Hendersonville and Ashe- v-lle, to Paint Rock, where it will con nect with the Kentucky Road, passing through the Cumberland Gap. - The statue of Benjamin Franklin is to be erected in Boston, costing $10,- 000. Green ough, the sculptor, is at the work, and it is expected that he will have it completed by 1856. It is to be of bronze and eight feet in heiglit. it represents Franklin in citizen’s dress, with a cane in his right hand and his cocked hat under liis left arm. The entire cost of the statuo and has reliefs will be $18,000. FOR THE LADIES. We publish, for the benefit of our fair countrywomen, an article entitled “Hints to Husbands,” which we hope may have a tendency to make all their husbands better. The newspapers are always filled with “Hints to Wives,” in which our fair friends are bored with out measure. As we are, to a limited extent, in favor of “women’s rights,” we wish to give their side of the ques tion a hearing; aud in this connection it may not be improper to remark that so far as our observation goes, husbands generally need more advice than wives ; or, in other words, wives usually fulfil their part of the compact inure faithful ly than husbands do. l^We publish this week the List of Premiums on Field Crops offer'd by the Southern Central Agricultural Society, for 1855. We do this in order that such of our readers as may wish to enter the lists may have ample warning. Will not some of our boys in the Sixth District endeavor to secure that patent lever watch ? It will be remembered that a youth of Habersham county received this premium last year. The boys of the Sixth must see to it that it shall not go out of the District this time. We believe no premiums have been offered on babies this year. However, we presume this matter will more ap propriately come under the head of “domestic manufactures.” THE PROVISION CROP. When, about twelve months ago, we advised our readers to “ look well to their provision crop” and let cbtton take care of itself, on the ground that the then threatened war in Europe would have a tendency to depress the price of the great staple and enhance the value of breudstuffs, we were laughed at by some of our agricultural friends as a visionary theorist. Since they have sold their cotton at five cents and paid seven for pork, a dollar's bushed for corn and twelve dollars a barrel Car flour, they doubtless begin to think we were not so far wrong, after all. In view of the present state of affairs at home and abroad, we most earnestly reiterate the same advice we volunteer ed to give our readers last year. We think it is always a safe rule to follow, whether threatened with war or not.— Our idea is this: to sow and plant such a provision crop as will insure a bounti ful supply for man and beast, even if the season be uupropitious, and then after securing this highly important end, to plant just as much cotton as can be well cultivated. We do not claim the credit of novelty for this plan—it is by no means new.— Our attention was called, to it shortly after we became a citizen of this State, by observing that those farmers who pursued this course were the most pros perous men amongst us. They live better—their negroes look better—their horses, mules, cattle, hogs and sheep are bigger, fatter and sleeker, than those belonging to planters of one idea—cot ton. Not only is this so, but their lands arc belter. The farmer who always has an abundance of corn and other grain, is, in this countay, always a prosperous man. Not so with the one who devotes all his energies to the production of cot ton. What advantage is it to him to raise a hundred bags of the “ great sta ple” if it takes ninety-nine of them to pay for the pork and corn he consumes? Is it not better to make a supply of neces saries, sell but thirty bags of cotton, and put the money out at interest than to produce one hundred bales of cotton and appropriate the whole amount in £he purchase of articles which the plan ter could produce himself as well as any body else ? Will not such of our readers as pursue the one-idea system pause and reflect before they utterly exhaust their lands by this suicidal policy? We ask them to look around them and see if the mosc prosperous farmers in their acquaintance arc not those who always have nig corn cribs well filled. We might mention (if it were proper to do so) numbers of these prosperous farmers in this good county of Clarkdj in Jackson, Walton, Oglethorpe, Franklin, Hall, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Madison, Green—indeed, in all the cotton-growing counties where we are acquainted—who began life with nothing but a good character and industrious habits, who, by following up this common-sense system, are now almost as rich as the patriarch Abra ham—men who have flocks and herds, horses and as-es, man servants and maid servant--, by scores—all fat, sleek and prosperous—while the adjoining planta tions, once occupied by men of one idea, now scarrified by unsightly gullies, and grown up in dwarf pines—have been -occupied alone by rabbits for years past —their former owners now “ sleeping the sleep that knows no waking” be neath the sods of the prairies of the Southwest—whither their suicidal poli cy forced them to emigrate, and where the fell malaria did its work upon them long ago. This is no fancy sketch, and we would warn those who still pursue this abominable policy to shun their ex ample. DECLINES TO R! It will be seen by the following letter, published in the Washington Union, by Judge Hillyer, the present Represen tative in Congress from this District, that that gentleman declines a re-nomi nation for Congress. This being the cose, and “ the Ginera'” having been provided for on the State Road, we presume that Mr. Conn will find no dif ficulty in getting the Democratic nomi nation-—albeit hundreds of the “ Re united” in this District have sworn they will never vote for him ! It remains to be seen, however, whether they will suffer themselves to bo whipped into the ranks. Washington, Jan. 26, 1855. To the people of (he 6M congressional district of Georgia: It is proper that I should make known to you at this early day that I decline a re-election to the next Congress. 1 desire to'retire from congressional life, and to resume the practice of mv profession. With the consciousness of having discharged my duty to the best of my ability, both to you as my immediate constituents and to the country general ly, I shall retire to my pleasent home not only without one regret, but with unmixed satisfaction; and if I should live a thou-and years the grateful recol lection of kindness and confidence uni formly extended to me in relation to tny political aspirations, as well as my pro fessional and social position, will be the last emotion that will pa*s from my Junius Hillyer. mind. fcSsjw: SS DEATH OF BISHOP CAPERS. We regret to learn that this eminent divine, for.several years past one of the Bishops of the M. E. Church South, departed this life at his residence in Anderson village, S. C. one day last week. ^ - We learn from the Charleston Courier that Bishop Capers was born in St. Tho mas Parish, on the 26th of Jan., 1790. He received the degree of M. A. from the South Carolina College, where he was educated, and was received into the annual conference of his native State, as a travelling minister, in 1898; v /Jn 1828 he was seat to England as . the representative of the American Metho dist Episcopal Church tq the British r - . •;: . Burning of the Etowah Bridge. —An Extra from the Cassville Stand ard office says—About twelve o’clock, on yesterday, the Railroad Bridge over the Etowah river, two miles below Carters- ville, was found to be on fire. The fire was first discovered on the south end, by (he bridge keeper, who could have ex tinguished it with a single bucket of wa- CONGRESSIONAL. We know that our readers do not wish our paper filled up with dry details of the daily routine of business before the two branches of Congress, and hence we omit them. Such matters, however, as are of general interest will be report ed and reproved from titfie to time. Advices received in Washington by the Pacific’s mails represent that Mr. Mason is gradually improving from his recent attack of paralysis, and it is be lieved that he will recover, entirely'. of which $17,2 .surance 1 ,' w covered by in ter. Finding the water in the tubs fro zen he ran to the river, a distance of several hundred yards, and on liis re turn found that the fire had made such progress as to render it impossible to stop it. An effort was made to stop the flames by blowing up a portion of the bridge, but it failed. This was the longest and most costly bridge on the road, its length being 1920 feet, and its original cost about 100,000 dollars. Won’t Accept.—The Washington Sentinel announces, by authority, that under no circumstances will Judge Doug las accept a Presidential nomination. A Convention of the Democratic edi tors of the United States is proposed to be held at Washington before the ad journment of Congress. Their experi ence in relation to the recent reverses of their party would be amusing. The Governors of the New York Alms House have resolved to send, at the expense of the city, all their able- bodied paupers into the country, where their work is needed. A New State PBoposED.-^S e nat<«v Johnson, of Arkansas, has introduced a bill in Congress for the ormation of a new slaveholding territory, with a view to its speedy admission as a State into the Union. It will be a large domain, The village of Grinesville, Ala. was visited by a most destructive fire on the 23d ult. The loss fe stated at $162,680, North and South of the Red river, beyond the limits of - Louisiana and A kansas.. .11,- -*«$*• FRENCH SPOLIATIONS. Several of our subscribers have late ly enquired of us concerning the history of the claims of American citizens for French spoliations. The following pa ragraph from the Charleston Mercury succinctly states the history of these claims: 1 lie merits of these claims have been “briefly' stated” nearly every year for the last quarter of a century ; but as the claims are ever rising up anew, it is necessary to evoke the explanation. In the year 1798—9, the United States were in' a state of quasi war with the then Republic of France. Privateers cruised and made captures; national ves sels met and fought on the high seas ; and on land there was the array of ar mies, in anticipation of a formidable war. Then came the revolution which placed Ifcnaparte at the head of the French Government. 1'he United States urged upon France indemnity for the confisca tions of the preceding years. It was' answered that they were made unde^ authority of a Goverment that had pass ed away, and like assignats and contin ental money, they had no more a value. In short, the Government refused to acknowledge or satisfy these claims; hut as the urgency of them by the United States was disagreeable, they had in serted in the treaty for the purchase of Louisiana, a provision, that the further prosecution of these claims by our Gov ernment should be discontinued. It is upon this provision that these claims wholly rest. It is maintained that the United States received a con sideration tor their relinquishment, and thereby took upon themselves the obli gation of satisfying the claims.” % V*5»