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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