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Columbian l&usftum,
AjVD
SWANN AH GAZETTE.
PRINTF.II AND PUBLTS’HFD ON THF. BAY, BY
MICHAEL J KAPPEL, & CO.
Terms daily PArF.R..iSS payable in advance.
country paper, issued on Tuesday , Thursday,
and Saturday , (containing all the news and new
advertisements of the daily paper) g 5 per an
num—payable in advance.
SAVANNAH,
TUESDAY MORNING, Dec. 9, 1817.
The editor of the Boston Centinel appears
marvelously shocked at what he styles the
abominable ordinance of the city of Savannah,
prohibiting the blacks from being taught to read
and write. With a proper respect for the mag
nanimous feelings of the sagacious editor above
mentioned, we would observe, that even the
principles of ** immutable justice ” are affected
and changed by contingent circumstances; and
that the local situation, tire customs and habits,
the soil and climate, of towns and countries—
give birth to the principles of policy, and stamp
the whole tenor of their laws, with the seal of
wisdom or folly, justice or cruelty. Whether
the law that excludes the poor man from his po
litical rights in Massachusetts, or the black one,
from his civil, in Georgia, are wise or wicked,
must be judged of, on the spot, with all the cir
cumstances, both natural and accidental, full iu
view. Else all our reasoning on the subject, ends
but in ignorant or idle conjecture and impudent
speculation. The law that may be wise and just
in China, might be foolish or oppressive here.
But who shall arraign the jurisprudence of that,
or any other country, because their civil codes,
cannot be brought to our standard ? One who so
thought, would remind us of the fat fellow, who
abused the tailor, for not taking himself as a pat
tern to fit clothes to, for all his customers!
But we presume the wise editor thinks that
the blacks were bom with the natural right of
learning to read. So in good truth, was his
grandfather’s jackass ! But whether, so long as
he was condemned to the dragging of the plow,
the carrying of burdens, with a total exclusion
from all polite company—it would have promo
ted the poor animal’s own comfort, or have
conduced to the public good, is a question which
those who had the teacliing of him, had a perfect
right to consider upon. And we presume the
question was determined as common sense would
dictate ; for we have never heard of northern
- ■isrJfaSMfc noaduvfy much, though they undertake
to write, now and then.
The regulations which public security has
obliged the southern states to adopt, and which
it seems, the learned editor never heard of, ren
der'd necessary that the blacks should be unac
quainted with the use of letters. Humanity to
them, & security to ourselves, prompt this mea
sure. It obviates the necessity of much, other
wise, necessary rigor, 8c deprives them of no en
joyment, which common sense, in their present
state, could ever think of their obtaining. That
a slave laboriously employed on a plantation,
could be allowed the opportunity of cultivating
Ijie arts and sciences, of reading himselj into a
] philosopher , is an opinion extravagant and pre
posterous. And slight or superficial learning,
-would only render him more captious and dis
contented ; make his situation more unhappy
and miserable ; and break down the most effec
tual barrier against insurrection and rebellion ;
against the horror of those scenes, where an in
furiate and ruthless host, recking with the blood
cf their masters, are carrying rapine and mur
der, through unarmed and defenceless towns. —
furnished with a scrap of writing, which any one
Who knows how to write can furnish, the black
can pass on his master’s business, or his own di
version, through any part of our city, at any
hour of the night, unsuspected, and unmolested.
But give the blacks the means of furnishing their
own pass, and all the vigilance of our police is
of no avail; all property would be exposed to
their depredations, and eveyy traveller to their
attacks. Treason and conspiracy would stalk
above the reach of law ; and our slumbers would
soon be disturbed by the horrid shouts of matur
ed insurrection, the appalling groans ofthe vic
tims of revenge, and the shrieks of our wives and
our children.
The abstract principle of the right of one crea
ture to the sen ice of another, wc shall not at
present, er.ler upon. Suffice it to say, the cus
toms and manners of the world, from time im
memorial, decide in the affirmative 5 and nature,
in the organization of some bodies, of superior
powers to others ; in the gift of superior intelli
gence to one animal, in preference to another,
gives color to the decision ; and establishes be*
• ond the power of controversy, that nil beings
art not inlemlrd to he free ami equat. Weakness
must how to superior force, simplicity cower to
cunning. It ever lias been —it -will continue no.
• tf.f.M, wov, qi.
Weather.— We ht<l n flight of snow on
Saturday rimming, which lias hern followed
tiy the cohl of wintor, tin* thermometer yes
totiiay morning lt*ing ti low as 12 above 0,
From the Poston Palladium of Tuesday. ,
We have been favoured with a very par
ticular and lengthy Calcutta Price Current
of July 16, received at Merchants’ Hall.—
The following are all the extracts we have
room for:
, Sugar.—Benares, Ist sort, per maund,
firs. 4as,; 2d do. 10 8, in Bazar, —do Can
dy, Ist sort, 16 8; do. do. 2d, 15—Gunny
Bags, per 100,7r5. Bas—Rattans, do. 1-2 —
Ginger, dry, Ist sort.Rungpore, per maund,
8 : Ist do. Patna, 6—lndigo, none—Rice,
per maund, 1 5 a 3 B—Opium, per chest,
2250 a 2300 r Petre, Ist sort, Culmee
per maund, 78; 2d do. 7 —*Sago, Ist, 7;
*2 do. 3 B—Cotton, unscrewed, 17 B—do.
Cutchowra, do. new, 16 4—*Cassiaso—
per seer, 7 a 10 4—*Shellac, Ist, 19;
do* 2d, 16—Canvass, Europe, Ist per bolt,
24—Borax per maund, 23; do. unrefined or
Tincal, 16—Iron, Swedish, 4 8a 4 12; do.
English, 214a 32; bolt, 3 4—*Steel Swe
dish, 10—-Nails, Europe, s—Tar, Stock
holm, bbl. 10—Sheet Coppet, per maund 47
a 48—*Block Tin, 26 a 27—Tin Plates,
box, 20.
N. B.—All articles with a * prefixed, are
sold by Factory weight and current rupees,
without a previous agreement to the contra
ry*
Price of Bullion.— Spanish dollars, Sioca
Rupees 205 per 100.
REMARKS.
Piece Goods. Some considerable ad
vance has taken place in the prices of a few
descriptions in particularly request. We
accordingly see Jelalpore superfine Sannahs
have advanced 12-8, the 2d and 3d sorts
20; and those of 20 by 21 —5 rupees per
corge.
Cotton —lt will be observed, is quoted at
a considerable advance on the prices of our
last, viz—Jalloon and Bandah, 1 rupee,
and Cutchowra, 12 annas per maund high
er than our last quotations—attributable to
the supply on hand being nothing near equal
to the demand.
Opium. —There is but little demand for
this drug at the present moment. Patna is
quoted 50 rupees the chest less than our
last—and our quotations may be depended
on—being those at which it was offered to
us yesterday.
Statement of Specie and Bullion, imported
into Calcutta, by sea in June, 1817.
366782 Dollars at Sa. Rs.
205 per I'oo, 7,51,903 1 6
Silver, valued Sa. Rs. 1,67,350. 5 6
Gobi, 1,1 €,641 210
650 Pagodas, at 3-8 each, 2,275 0 0
85 Gold Mohurs, at 16 each, 1,360 0 0
Persian Rupees, 24,750 0 0
Pondicherry, 1,987 0 0
Sicca Rupees, 12,335 0 0
(900 Gold majors) Sa. Rs. 10,68,502 9 10
CALCUTTA, JULY 15.
Earthquakes. —Forty distinct shocks of
earthquakes which are stated to have been
felt at llerwul-Bagh between the 26th May
and the 12th ultimo, have caused great
alarm at that station. The first of these
shocks occurred at about 11 o’clock at
night, and is said to have lasted several
minutes. It made every one jump out of
bed and leave the bungalows from fear.
Several buildings were thrown down in the
province and also in Curwal. This visita
tion had not subsided at the latter date
above mentioned.
Iruligo. —We observe that the unfavora
ble accounts concerning indigo, sent us by
a correspondent from Jeftbre, under date
of the 3d inst. and inserted in our last, are
now confirmed by a letter of the sth from
the same place, quoted in the Calcutta
Gazette. It is a lamentable circumstance
that this industrious and enterprising class
of men should be threatened with seeing
their labors rendered unavailing by the un
towardness of the weather, when the re
viving trade and advantageous market of
Europe seemed to promise so fair a reward
of their exertions.
Calcutta papers to July last, have been
received at Salem. They still speak of the
savage depredation of the Pindaries from
the mountains ; who are represented as
bearing oil’ infant children on their pikes;
arid have reduced the town of Ganjam to
ashes.
On the 20th Jan. last, the Hindoo college
was opened at Calcutta. The scholars
limited to 100 ; and to have English Na
tive and Persian teachers. Among other
institutions recently established were an
auxiliary bible society, and a school-book
society.
Hale of the Florida s.—An official article
in a late Madrid gazette,estimates the pro
bable product of this sale, as among the
wavs and means to discharge the four hun
dred millions of debt Spain is burthened
with. In a few days, however, the myste
ry which envelopes thin subject will lie de
veloped. ftoulon (*nt.
• > NEW-YORK, NOVEMBER 28.
On the 2Gth instant, a suit of considerable
importance was tried in the justices’ court
at .our city-hall, between a creditor who
bad compromised his demand for ten shil
lings,in the pound, and the debtor.—The
claim on the part of the creditor was for the
other ten shillings in the pound, a? fraud
and deceit had been used by the debtor to
induce the compromise. After a patient
hearing of the cause, which was ably conduc
ted, the jury, composed chiefly of respecta
ble merchants, gave a verdict for the plain
tiffl
Yesterday morning, at half past three
o’clock, the elephant was landed from
on board the ship Trident, at old-slip. Pre
vious to her descending the stage which
had been erected for her passage to the
wharf, she exhibited a pleasing proof of
sagacity, by trying the strength of it with
one of her fore feet five times before she
ventured to descend.
ALBANY NOV. 24.
Greene Operand Terminer. —On Thurs
day last, at the circuit court and court of
Oyer and Terminer, held by his honor mr.
Justice Van Ness, in Catskill, Jonathan
Sickler, charged by Thomas B. Lent, an
accomplice, with the murder of Sally Ham
ilton, at Athens, on the 25th of August,
1813, received his trial and was acquitted.
Since the confession of Lent, last spring,
much interest has been manifested by the
public in relation to the approaching trial.
Many were induced to believe from the
statements ot Lent, and from the exactness
with which many circumstances related
by him corresponded with those that actual
ly occurred at the time of the supposed mur
der, that Sickler could not escape convic
tion. On the trial however, the examina
tion of Lent was so replete with contradic
tions, absurdities and impossibilities, and
and so feebly supported by corroborating
testimony, as to place the innocence of the
prisoner, as to the crime for which he had
been indicted, almost beyond a doubt.
Partaking in a good degree of the general
interest in regard to this trial, the editor at
tended the circuit for the purpose of furnish
ing the public a full report of it. The mass
of testimony which was adduced will pre
vent our giving it in full; but we shall pre
pare a history of the trial from our notes,
which we believe will be satisfactory. The
examination alone, lasted a few
minctes over five hours, and the trial con
tinued from 9 o’clock a m till 12 at night.
Counsel for the prosecution, Moses 1. Can
tine, district attorney, assisted by the attor
ney general. For the prisoner, messrs.
Williams and Sudam.
On Friday, Sickler was discharged from
prison, and Lent ordered to be committed,
for perjury.
BUFFALO, NOV. 18.
Extraordingary Gale. —On Wednesday
last we experienced a very severe gale of
wind ; it commenced about the middle of
the day, and continued with unabated fury,
until some timeafter night-fall. The water
in Buffalo creek rose 6 or 7 feet, and com
pletely inundated the flats to the foot of
the hill, so that the largest logs of wood
would pass over them in almost every part.
The oldest resident in this village does not
recollect to have seen the water so high ever
before. The bridge across little Buffalo
creek was entirely covered with water.-
Most of the fences, some lumber, wood, &c.
exposed, have been carried off. AVe fear
considerable loss has been sustained on the
lake. A small vessel, called the King-bird,
has been taken up near Black-rock, with
not a soul on board.
AVe have been informed that some dam
age was done the wharf at Dunkirk by the
gale.
CANANDAIGUA, (n. Y.) NOV. 18.
AVe continue to hear of damage done by
the late freshet. The Genesee river is be
lieved not to have risen so high since the
great flood about sixty years ago, some par
ticulars of which are related by the oldest
Indians residing on the Leceister flats,
where many lost their lives.
Great damage is done (o the hay, corn
and other crops opposite Genesee, &c. At
Avon, the ferry boat, in crossing the river,
was carried against the new bridge, the
loaded waggons, &c. capsized, and four of
the horses drowned. The Moscow paper
says—“ We hear of the loss of cattle in
many places. On Allen’s creek in Muldle
bury, in one instance, a whole flock of sheep
was carried off and parts nf several others
were destroyed. It would lie impossible to
enumerate the various individual losses that
have occurred, or to estimate the amount.
The calamity has been distressing and ex
tensive beyond precedent.
From the (Washing! or) National Register.
From JVew Orleans. —“A respectable*
friend in New Orleans, in a lettei* to the ed
itor under date of the 25th ult. says, our sen
ator in congress, mr. Claiborne, late gov
ernor of this state, is dangerously sick; he
has been ill at his farm for four weeks, and
yesterday he was brought to this city. His
life is dispared of.
In the event of the death of mr. Claiborne,
Louisiana will not be represented in the sen
ate of the United States the ensuing session,
except the vacancies be immediately sup
plied. Mr. Fromentin, is, we believe, now
in France from whence it is not probable
he will return in time to take his seat.
In another paragraph our friend adds, —
“from Dubourg’s price current, I extract a
few of the heavy articles brought into our
market from October, 1816, to September,
1817:
23,000 hogsheads of tobacco,
190,000 barrels of flour,
65,000 bales of cotton,
250,000 gallons of whiskey.
There has been no method adopted to
ascertain the quantity of sugar, molasses
and rice raised in this country.
The prospects of cotton are much as they
were last year, probably 10,000 bales more
than last crop ; sugar crops look extreme
ly well, but the season has been so wet that
probably not so much sugar will be made as
last year.
INTERESTING TO NAVIGATORS.
Observations on the magnetic fluid, by captain
Obrien Drury, of the royal navy.
From the transactions of the royal Irish Academy
The magnetic fluid and its phenomena >
are no less singular than obscure, and have
too long engaged the attention of philoso
)hers, for me to offer any hypothesis on the
subject. I mean only to speak of a matter
of fact, which I am led to believe may be
serviceable to navigation, should the varia
tion of the compass ever be made use of as
a method of ascertaining the longitude.
It is necessary to enter into a detail of ex
leriments to prove the existence of the
magnetic fluid, which circulates continually
arounp and thro’ a magnet, and it is fully
demonstrated by the arrangement of iron
iling thrown on glass placed over a magnet.
Experience shews us that a needle of a
compass, as well as other maguets, whether
artificial or real,perpetually loses something
of its magnetic power, which often produ
ces a difference exceeding a point; and I
am well convinced that the great errors in
ship-reckoning proceed more frequently
ft -tn ilm hiuurrettncßß vs the vvhijwso ilinri
‘rom any other cause.
Steel cannot be too highly tempered for
the needle of a sea compass; as the more
it is hardened, the more permanent is the
magnetism, and consequently the polarity
of the needle, I recommend to have the
needle cased with thin polished soft iron,
else to have it armed at the poles with a bit
of soft iron.
I have found, from many experiments,
that the cased needle preserved its magnet
ism in a much more perfect degree than the
needle not cased ; and I have sometimes
thought that the magnetic power of the cas
ed needle had increased, and the magnetic
power of the uncased and unarmed needle
always looses its polarity.
Some time ago, I placed a cased needle,
an unarmed needle, and one without either
case or armor, in a room for three months,
having at that time precisely the same di
rection, & nearly the same degree of force.
At the expiration of three months, I found
that the cased needle, and the unarmed
needle, had not in the least changed their
direction, but the other had changed two
degrees, and had lost very considerably of
its magnetic power; if there were any
changes in the other needles, it was too in
considerable to be perceived.
These observations appear to me to be
new, and may tend to great improvement
in our sea compass. They are submitted
to the consideration of philosophers.
Avery elegant Organ, manufactured at
Franklin musical warehouse,in Milk-street,
and purchased by the members of the Rev.
Mr. Thatcher’s society, was yesterday put
in operation in that Church, and found to
be admirable in its powers and melody. On
the occasion of opening this instrument,
the services in the afternoon, were appro
priate, both from the pulpit and from the
orchestra, and drew together a crowd of
people. The discourse was pronounced
by President Kirkland, testifying to the im
portance of Church music, and to the sub
lime aid which it derived from such instru
ments as the Organ. The several pieces of
music were performed with much taste and
skill, and gave infinite satisfaction ; hut the
varied tones of the organ, attracted the
most general attention, and, we believe, ob
tained the universal suffrage of being con
sidered the most powerful and melodious
instrument of the kind (the Clia|ie| except
ed) of anv in New England-— •Hatton pa.
PRICES CURRENT.
SAVANNAH, December 9.
ACTUAL SALES.
Bacon, zsTfr
Beef, No. 1. ,
t “ I: v : :
r'S,’::;;:; *■
Candles mould, Georgia, a
“ Northern, .... . * 2 n .
Cheese, best, - - - U* m
Chocolate, Boston, No. 1. ... r . 17 ** 9^
Cottee, best green, 26 or
“ 2d & 3 22 a24
Cotton, sea Island
“ Upland, - - - . . . . 52114
Duck, Russia, Ist q. - - - - 24 J
“ “ 2d q. - - ... 2|
“ 3d q. - --- . 19
“ Ravens, - 13
Rice, per 100 lb. - - - brisk
Fish, Mackerel,Boston No. 1, 17 a jg
“ “ 2, n
“ 3, - 7$ a 10
Salmon bbl. no. 1 . 18 a2O
Shad, mess - none
Flour, Rich. Philad. & Balt. - 10 all
“ Country, 8 a 9
p orn 90 aIOO
ats ’ *. a62
Hogs Lard - - - 21 a 23
Iron, Russia and Swedes *----34 a 4
Lead, bar,
Northern boards, per. M. - 18 a2O
Pitch Pine, “ “ ... 20
Ranging Timber “ in demand 7
Staves, w. o. (nominal) - . 20 aUS
“ n. o. “ (do.) .14a 16
Shingles, * wanted - 4 a 6
Salt, Liverpool, coarse, per bushel, - 50 a55
St. Übes, - - - - - - - 45 aSO
Cadiz, 43 a 45
Turks Island, 65 a 70
Molasses, scarce 56 a 58
Nails, Cut, assorted, 8a
Oil, Florence, fresh, 12 hot. no sale 5 a 6
** Linseed, “ 1}
“ Fish, . 50
Paper, Wrapping -90 b. W
Pork, Cargo, No. 1, - scarce 28
“ “ “ 2, - - - 20 a24
“ Irish, - - - - - 28 a3O
Porter, London, doz. - - - 3a 3£
Raisins, Muscatel, .... 4£-
“ Bloom, - - - ... 4
“ Casks Malaga, - - 6 a 7
Cigars, Havana, box, - - 10 al6
Shot, assorted, ...... -Ba9’
Soap, Turpentine, ...... I2j
Spices—Race Ginger ..... 12 aIL
Nutmegs, ..... 3
Pepper, 23 a 24
Pimento, ...... 18 a25
Rum, Jamaica, 4th proof, - - 140a 148
W. I. 2& 3 “ - . 1 a 1 125
N.E 66 a 70
Brandy, Cognac, 2 75 a 3Od
Gin, Holland, ------ - 145 a 150
Country, 80 a 87f’
Whiskey, - - - 70 a 7Si
Sugars, Havana white, - -
“ “ brown, - 12£ al3
“ Muscavado, Ist q. - 13 a 14$
“ N. Orleans, ... 13 a 13$
“ Loafi 25 a3O
~ “ Lump, - - - 25
1 obacco, Cavendish, Ist q. . . . . 45
„ Richmond, - - . _ . -20 a25
“ Leaf * Georgia, , 7a 5
VV me, Madeira, 4 a44
“ Malaga, [scarce.] 118
“ Teneriffe, , . 150 a 175
“ Sicily Madeira, fP r S als - ! 51a162j
“ Sherry, [dull.] 140 a 145
“ Colmenar, J 1
Exchange, at sight, on N. York, - [par)
“ “ Boston, - ,
“ Philadelphia, - ‘
“ 60 days, England, 2£ ad
Freights, Cotton to Liverpool - - - Id
“ “ France - - - 2$ a2}
“ “ New-York -$c a” sc .
“ Rice to Liverpool (per ton) 31. IC t
&ljip Pojrt of &auannajv
High Water this day 10 o'clock, a. nr.
ARRIVED,
Sloop Keziah, Briggs, Darien, 3 days, with 3
bales cotton.
Sloop Maria, Porquet, Darien.
(tj’The steam-boats South-Carolina and Geor
gia, intended to ply between this port and Au
gusta, will shortly be completed. They look
as if they were strong and well built.
CLEARED,
Sloop Experiment, Bradley, Darien.
Charleston, A”ov. 5.
Ar. ship Thomas, Ellery, Boston, 10 days.-*
Dec. 1, fell m with the brig Ell Senore Rosoi -
ous, prize to the El Patriota, com. Taylor, anl
commanded by James Holmes, prize masfet
bound to Amelia-Island, and took from her tin
officers and crew ofthe ship Europe, ofWisca*
set. J H. Savage, master. Fxtractfrom the brig
antine Ell Senore Hosorious ’ log book, command
ed by James Holmes, prize to the El Patriots,
com! Taylor, taken oflf cape Spartel, on the I6ti
October! On the 27tli Oct spoke brig Hazard,
Lattimore, from Boston bound to cape de Verdi,
out 32 days, all well, in lat. 31, 17, lon. 22,51-
On the 29th, spoke ship Factor, Fitzgerald, tron
Nantucket bound to the Pacific ocean, out 30 ds
all well, in lat. 31, 05, lon. 26, 20. w. Nov. 2*l
lat. 33, 44, lon. 61, 30, w. fell in with the slut
Europe, (of Wiscasset) Savage, master, witl
salt, from the Isle of May, for Boston, at 4r*
boarded her and found her to be in a sinknij
state—her officers and crew had left her in their
boats a few hours before we hove in sight; ’
our approaching her they pulled up to us, art
we received them on board; by great risk art
exertion we succeeded in saving a P ro ]
sions and water from the ship f )n
a. m. spoke the sclir. Mary, Gushing. < *> s ,rO 'J
Boston, bound to st. Jagoelc Cuba, all well, ■
lat. 33. 51, n. lon. 65. w. Er tract from the ffl
book ofthe ship Europe, of / •scasoet, John 11-- I
vage, muster, from the Isle ol May, (cape ™j|
Island) for Boston, with ft cargo of aalt j-yan'fj
on 28th Oct. and on the 21st Nov. at hall a J|
A. M. in lat. 33, 41. lon. 61, 23 w the l ‘"I
found to have sprung aleak, which im
rapid that at t past I * • , J
to the boat a, h abandoned her; at* |w , I
hH w a sail standing toward* the ship. I'”" 1 ■
a ards her, she proved to be the pme I
not e Hosorious. prize to com. V hound 1 J
A„d .... the Ist Dec. fell ill with the sl|>
of Boston, Ellery, master, who tdrimi u
hoard. I return thunks to tle pn n
James Holmes, for his very poflte atten ■
in) self and officer*, and to epL P*® 1 ? 1