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wpilth—h*» left « n example of parity and pa
"ioiiam on which the wearied eye may real.
“And gate upon the great,
W here neither guilty glory glows,
Nor despicable state.”
For more than forty years his name ia con
spicuous in our history. Born at the close of
the revolutionary war,'he was in full maturity
to guide the councils of his country m our
second contest with England. Never unmind
ful of her claims upon him, he has devoted a
long life to her service, and has closed it, like
agallanl warrior, with his armor buckled on him.
Death made no conquest of this conqueror;
for now he lives in fame, though not in life.”
The only fame, sir, which he ever coveted—
an impulse to great and honorable deeds—a
fame which none can despise who have not re
nounced the virtues which deserve it. It is at
least some relief to our hearts, now heaving
wi<h sights at this dispensation of Heaven, that
he now belongs to bright, to enduring history ;
for his was one of “ the few immortal names
that were not b >rn to die." Os his early his
tory the gentleman who preceded me has
spoken; of his illustrious life I need not
speak ; it is known to millions now living, and
will be familiar to ihe world in aftertimes
But. str, 1 propose to say
i n his last days. Early m the ".nterof 1848- .)
his failing health gare uneasiness to Ins fiiends
A severe attack of bronchitis, complicated
with au affection of (he heart, disqualified him
for the performance of hia senatorial duties
with the punctuality whrnh always distinguish
ed him. h was thcn lhat 1 became intimately
acquainted with his mind, and, above all, with
bin heart- Watching by his bedside, and du
ring his recovery, I ceased io be astonished at
the power whi n hit master-mind and elevated
moral feelings had always exerted upon those
who were included within the circle of his
•ocial intercourse. It was a tribute paid spon
taneously to wisdom, genius, truth. Patriot
ism, honesty of purpose, and purity of mo
tive, rendered active by energies of such an
intellect as hardly ever falls to any man, gath
ered around him sincere admirersand devoted
friends That many have failed to appreciate
the value of the great truths which he uttered,
or to listen to (he warnings which he gave, is
nothing new in the history of great minds.
Bacon wrote for p steriiy. and men of pro
found sagacity always ihink in advance of their
generation His body wa« sinking under the
invasion of disease before i formed his ac
quaintance, and he was passing from among us
before I was honored with bis friendship. I
witnessed with astonishment the influence of
his mighty mind over his weak physical struc
ture Like a powerful steam engine on
a frail bark, every revolution of the wheel
tr»ed its capacity for endurance to the utmost.
But yet his mind moved on, and, as if insensi
ble of the decay ot bodily strength, put forth,
without stint. h:s unequalled powers of
thought and analysis, until Nature well nigh
sunk under the imposition. His intellect pre
served its vigor while his body was sinking io
decay. The menstruum retained all its pow
ers of solution, while the frail crucible which
contained it was crumbling to atoms. During
his late illness, which, with a short intermission,
has continued since the commencement of this
sesion of Congress, there was no abatement of
his intellectual labors. They were directed as
weil to the momentous questions now agitating
the public rnmd, as to the completion of a
work which embodies his thoughts on the
subject of goveri ment in general and our own
constitution in particular; thus distinguishing
his last days by the greatest effort of his mind,
and bequeathing it as his richest legacy to pos
terity.
Cheerful in a sick chamber, none of the
gloom which usually attends the progress of
dtsea-e annoyed him ; severe in ascertaining the
truth of conclusions because un will.ng to be
deceived himself, he scorned to deceive others ;
skilful in appreciating the past, and impartial
in his judgment of the present, he looked to
the future ax dependent on existing causes,
and fearlessly gave utterance to his opinions
of ns character; the philosopher
and tlflßMffiMWnfhe discarded expedients by
whiciwJen “construe the times to their ne
He loved the truth for the truth’s
sake, and believed that to temporize is but to
increase tbe evil which we seek tv remove
The approach of death brought no indication
of impatience —no cloud upon his intellect.
To a Iriend, who spoke of the time and man*
ner in which it was best to meet death, he re
marked, “ / have but little concern about either ;
I desire to die in the discharge of my duty ; 1
have an unshaken reliance upon the providence
of God: 1
I saw him four days after his last appearance
in the Senate chamber, gradually sinking un
der the power of his malady , without one mnr
murat his affliction, always anxious for the in
terest of Ins country, deeply absorbed in the
great question which agi’ates the public mind,
and earnestly desiring its honorable adjustment,
unchanged in the opinions which he had held
and uiterred foi many years, the ardent friend
of the Union and the Constitution, and seeking
the perpetuity or our institutions, by inculca
ting the practice of justice and the duties of
patriotism.
Aggr ivnted symptoms, on the day before his
death, $ ■ notice of his approaching end. 1
left him i. u at night, with but faint hopes of
amendment; and on being summoned early
the next morning, I found himsinking in (he cold
embrace of dea.a. Calm, collected, and con
scions of his situation, but without any symp
tom of alarm, his face beaming with intelligence,
without one indication of suffering or of pain.
I watched his countenance, and the lustre of
that bright eye remained unchanged, until the
silver cord was broken, and then it went out
in instantaneous eclipse. When I removed
my hand from dosing his eyes he seemed as
one who had fallen into a sweet and refreshing
dumber. Thus, sir closed the days of John
Caldwell Calhoun, the illustrious American
statesman. His life and services shall speak of
the greatness of by-gone days with undying
testimony. Another jewel has fallen from our
crown; au inucriiiable Provideneo ha* rouiu
ved I rum among u* one of (he {treat light* of
the age. But it in not extinguished. From a
height to wh.ch tne«haf»«of
us detraction never reach, to which envy can
,.t..i,r i p ,ij' ~l i ir l Tii l !!i% ,,,r l h l
over a more extended horizon, and blessing
mankind by i’e illumination. Tie friend of
eoHeittttHonal hheriy will go to his writings
for trulli and to hn hie fur • model We, too
should be in si rucied by his experience, while
hie presages for the future should infuse cau
tion info our counsels, and prudence into <»i>r
actions. Hi* 2 voice now no more heat'd in the
denote, will speak moot potentially from the
grave. Personal opposition has died with his
death. The aspirieg cannot fear him nor he
ambitious dread hl* elevation. Hi*i:fehit* be
come history, and his thoughts the property of
hi* country men.
dir, while we weep over his grave, let us be
consoled by the assurance that “honor deck*
the turf that wraps his clay/’ He wa> our
own and his fame is also ours. Let us imitate
hi* great example, in preferring truth and
du y tn the approba ton of men or the tri
umphs of party. Be willing to stand alone
for the right, nor surrender independence for
tiny inducement. He was brought up in the
•otieiy of the men of the Revolution, saw the
working of our constitution since its formation
was profoundly skilled in construing its mean
ing and sought by his wisdom and integrity io
give permanency to the Government wmeh it
created, if such high nrposes be ours (hen
our mio. like his will go down serenely, and
we shall have secured “a peace above all other
dignities—a calm and quiet conscience.’*
The question was then taken on the resulu
tions offered by Mr. Holmes, and they were
unanimously agreed to.
And thereupon the House adjourned.
In Senate** • .April 3
The Vice President addressed the Senate
upon the subject of rules and order, and their
proper enforcement.
He read the rules of the Senate defining the
powers and duties of the Vice President, and
examined their history and cited decisions of his
predecessor*.
He had come to the conclusion that the
power to call Io order had been vested by the
Sena'e in lha presiding officer.
This power being conferred, he held it to be
his duty io exercise it. and he gave notice that,
if any case should arise in the future, seeming
to call for the exercise of the duty, he should
feel bound, under all circumstances, to dis
charge that duty. If lie had mistaken his pow
ers, and consequent duties, he was happy « hi’
the Senate had the remedy in their own hand',
and that, by appeal, they could rectify all er
rors without injury to any one.
He alluded also to the rules prohibiting con
var-MUton between Senators during debate, in
(errnptions ofspeakera, reading newspapers in
the Senute.and requiring persons when rising
to address the Chair. These rules might be
considered atringent; if so, the Senate had
power to alter them But while they remain
ed, he should feel bound, however unpleasant
might be the duty, to enforce them.
Mr. Foote stated that if he had, on a late oc
casion transgressed the rules of die Senate, he
regretted it, and it must be attributed to no
disrespect to the body, but to human infirmi-
Mr King considered tha position* and views
of the Vice President as correct, and entitled
to the sanction of the body. He moved, there
fore that the paper read by the Vice Preside nt
be entered on the journal. Agreed to.
The Vice President laid before the Senate a
menage from the President of the United
States, transmitting documents relative to the
appointment of an agent to Hungary
The Vice President laid before the Senate
a letter from the Mexican minister relating tn
stipulations in the treaty of Guadalude Hidai
go, for the defence of the Mexican frontier
from Indian hostilities
The Senate resumed the consideration of
Mr. Bell** resolutions.
Mr. Baldwin concluded his remarks against
the fugiave slave bill
Mr. Underwood followed on the other side
The Senate then adjourned
House.
On motion by Mr. Sunton, of Tennessee
the II ouse took up for consideration, the mo- I
tion m -de by him on Fridav last, to reconsider
the vote by which the House referred to the
c*»m»wi tee of the whole on the State of the
Union the joint resolution asking the Secr>‘ia
ry »*f he Navy to purchase for the use of the
Navy. American water rotted hemp.
Mr. Stanton, of Tenn , who is in favor of im
mediate ar ion on the joint rvsoluiHm. advoca
ted be claims of Mr Billings, to contract to
furnish hemp of this character for five years,
and the passage of the subytHuie tor that pur
pose : after M-me disco anon, die matter was
laid ever until to morrow. (
i'be Speaker said dial »ince the meeting of <
tha House this morning he had received a com- ;
mu location from lha Secretary of War. which
be asked might be laid before the Hous<. |
lb wutid p«esent it to the House, at once, that
tbej might uke such action is regard to it as
became the matter
Wxchivstor. Aprd i 1850
81*: M y otficMl couuection wnb the Gov- I
*r» ment authorises me. in my judgeMtenl, io
e>k and have accorded lo me by he H'Ux over .
whjvh yuu pttwia, a permit and full inwsxi ,
gallon, is «u< a maaucr as it may think proper, j
el my condu- . and relaiiou u> we claim ol the
representatives<»l George Calpin ; which claim
has been adjudicated and paid at one of the
Departments of the Government, and is now
attracting public at ention.
I have the honor to be. &c.,
Gao. W. Crawford.
Hon. Hnwell Cobb, Speaker. &c.
Mr. Toombs, of Ga , moved that a Commit
tee of nine be appointed by the Chair, to in
vestigate the matter to which the communica
tion related ; and making the motion he asked
to be relieved from service on such committee.
His personal communication and intercourse
with the Secretary, and his opinion of the
transaction, having been made up. upon a full
and thorough knowledge of the facts, made this
request proper.
The question was pul to the House, and the
Speaker was authorized to appoint a commit
tee of nine.
On motion by Mr. Bayly, the rules were
suspended, and the House resolved itself into
Committee of the Whole, (Mr. Bovd in the
chair) and resumed the consideration of the
question of admitting California as a State into :
the Union.
Mr. Richardson, who was entitled to the
floor, yielded it to his colleague, (Mr. McCler- |
nand)
Mr McClernand then offered for the consid
eration of the committee a compromise plan
lor the settlement of the slavery question.
After he had read and explained the provi
sions of his bill, Mr. Baker and Mr. Howard
both expressed their determination to vote a
gainst it. The debate on the general question
was then resumed by Mr. Richardson, and con
tinued by Mr. Marshall, when the committee
rose and the House adjourned.
In Senate, April 4.
After the presentation of memorials, the
Senate resumed the consideration of Mr. Bell’s
resolutions.
Mr. Underwood completed his able and
moderate speech on the subject of fugitive
slaves. He showed that tne legislation of the
Northern Stales on this subject must necessari
ly destroy all confidence, on the part of the
South, in the justice of their Northern breth
ren
1 His hope was in the Judiciary, and not in
the Southern Convention.
Mr. Hale and Mr. Corwin made explana
lions.
Mr. Foote moved to postpone the subject
till o-morrow, in order to press his motion to a
vote for a select committee.
Mr. Webster rose and made some remarks
in favor oi action by the Senate, on the vast
question before it. We had been some months
in session, and there was business that will
require many months more.
He thought it proper for the Senate now to
act on the California bill per se, and then take
_ up and act upon the territorial bills It was
time to bring a tendency to some point—to
1 lake up measures of a practical character, aed,
after necessary debate to act upon them.—
1 Arter the Senators from Kentucky and Ten
nessee (Mr. Clay and .Mr. Bell) had replied,
as they had aright to do, to the remarks in op
■ position to their views, he trusted that the
’ Senate would act on the California and the terri-
* torial bills, and he would be ready to vote on
amendments if any were to be made.
’ He was for quieting all these questions.—
» He did not want to leave any of them open.
‘ His opinion was made up as to California, and
* on the territorial bills he was ready to act, in ac
‘ cordance with principles which he had already
r avowed He desired to preserve the credit
’ of this great republican government abroad
and at home. He was unwilling to have it
said abroad that the principle of free govern
ment was not satisfactorily exemplified by this
republic
He did not expect to see harmonious action
on any subject till the disturbing causes were
removed. He wished those disturbing qnes
tions, brought on us suddenly in the last two or
three years, settled on the principles of the
constitution, and with a fraternal spirit. We
wanted no new platform. We, sitting here,
are able to settle these questions to the satisfac
tion of the people of the whole country, from
ocean to ocean.
Mr. Foote must say that, feeling as the
whole country did, gratitude for the wise and
lit eral course of the Senator, it was painful to
differ from him on any point. But it was his
conscientious conviction, that it was necessary
to obtain propositions from a select commi tee.
He concurred in the Senators’ objects, but the
course of events have shown that we con'd
not follow his plan of taking up one subject
at a time.
Mr. Foote said it was more proper for a
statesman to look to the state of things else
where than here. The California bill con'd
not pass the o’her body as a measure per .<?.
The territorial bills preceded it in point of
time, and was the most difficult and important
subject. Every one knows that California
must come into the Union.
Mr. Shields expressed a wish to be heard <»n
the subject before the Senate.
The Senate then adjourned.
Hoose.
The Speaker announced the following gen
tlemen, under the power given him yesterday,
toconsti ute the committee to investigate the
connexion of the Secretary of War with th*
Galphin claim, viz: Messrs. Burt, of S Caro
lina ; Grinnell, of Mass.; Featherston, of
Gentry, of Tenn.; Disney, of Ohio; King, of
New Jersey; McLanahan, of Pa.; Conrad,
of La., and Jackson, of Georgia.
Mr. Strong, from the Committee on Elec
tions, made a report in the case of the delegate
from New Mexico, accompanied by a resolu
tion that is inexpedient to admit Hugh N
Smith, Esq., as a delegate from New Mexico
The principal ground of objection seems io
be that his admission would interfere with the
sovereignty of Texas, for the reason that he
claims by his election to represent a portion or
all of the territory in dispute between Texas
and New Mexico.
Also, from the same committee, reported a
resolution that it is inexnedient tn admit Al-
resolution, mat u is inexpeoient io auinit Al
mon W Babbui, Esq , to a seat in this body as
a delegate from the alleged State of Deseret.
Mr nibbnt ~
sent did aotconteuiulate his admission to a scat
in «he House, until Home form of government
shall have been given to thorn by Congress.
On motion of Mr. Strong, the reports were
referred to the Committee of the Whole on
the State of the Union, and made the special
order of the day for the 29ihinst.
The House then resumed the consideration
of the motion made by the gentleman from
Tennessee. (Mr. Stanton) to reconsider the
vote by which was referred to the Committee
of ihe Whole on the State of the Union the
joint resolution authorizing the Secretary of
he Navy to purchase for the use of the Navy,
American water rotted hemp.
Messrs. Bowlin, McLane, of Md , and Sack
ett, of New York, expressed themselves in op
position to establishing a monopoly inthisurti
cle by compelling a contract with Mr. Billings.
They were in favor of the Government enter
ing the open market to make purchases.
Mr. Staunton, of La., advocated the justice
of compe hng the Secretary to enter into con
tract with Mr. Billings, to furnish for five years
the necessary quantity of American water rot
ted hemp for the use of the Navy. He main
tained that it would be the interest of the Gov
ernment to do so
Mr. Harris, of 111 , then obtained the floor
on this question, but yielded it to
Mr. Richardson, on whose motion the House
resolved itself into Committee of the Whole on
the State of the Union, ( Mr. Boyd in the Chair)
and resumed the consideration of the Califor
nia question.
Mr. Green, of Missouri, occupied the floor
for au hour on the slavery question
Mr. Spalding followed. During the deliv
ery of Mr. S.’s speech he was interrupted for
a season, while a short debate sprung up be
tween Messrs. Stephens, of Pa., McLane, of
Md , and Brooks. When Mr. Spalding con
cluded,
Mr. Wallace, of S. C , obtained the floor,
but yielded to a motion that the committee rise
The committee rose accordingly, and the
House adjourned till to-morrow at 12 o'clock.
In Senate April 5.
Mr. Dickinson, from the Commit'ee on Fi
nance, reported the deficiency bill from the
House, with amendment*, and it was made the
order for Monday.
The census bill was made the order for Tues
dav
The consideration of Mr Bell’s resolution
was resumed, when Mr. Shield-* addressed the
donate. He was followed by Mr. Mason.
After Mr M. had concluded, a debate took
place between Messrs Underwood. Shield*.
Buller. Clay and Benton, when the Senate ad
journed till Monday
House.
This day. according to the rules.was private
bill day. The House immediately after the
reading of the journal resolved itself into Com
mittee of the Whole on the Private calendar,
some thirteen claims were passed upon by the
Committee, favorably *, which bills were sub
sequently passed by the House
The House then, at 3 o'clock, adjourned
over nil Monday next.
A Paris letter in the Boston Atlas Mjre—
The attention ofourwraw has lately been
turned tn the art of breeding fish : and, from
the experiments they have made, they enter
tain hope* that they can make it—what it was
under the Romans of old—interesting in a
scientific point of view, and important in in
creasing the food of the people. It is in the
production of eels and trouis that the exper
iments have been most strikingly successful.
With respect to the latter, for example, M.
Le’evre de Vaugouard declares that he has
discovered the means of artificially fecutidat
mg the spawn, and that he is able, from the
spawn of one single female, to produce an
immense qua«li’y of fish. M. Coste. of the
College de France, has experimented on eels.
He has had brought to Parts a quantity of the
animaiculs. which, at the end of March or
beginning of April every year, suddenly arise
in immense masses at the mouths of the
Oree, near Caen. This matter, is. it appears,
often dragged out of the river by the peasants
to cast ou the laud; but M Caste has ascer
tained that it is from it that eels are produced,
or ra'her that it is itself a mass of eels in ihe
earliest stage of existence; and that, if left
untouched, these eels would ascend the rivers
and canal*. Out of a portion of this mailer,
cared by the peasantry the mva/ee. M. Coste
has succeded in breeding a promising and
flourishing family of eels and he calculates
that at the end of a few years, each of them
will be worth in the market from C fr. to 8 fr.
The French are continuing to display very
great interest with respect to the exploration
of the interior of Africa; and, from the
efforts they as well as the English are making
or Drop<»suig. there is good r-ason to hope
that before mauy wears snail have elapsed, the
whole ot that vast burning continent will be
known to us as well at least, as the central
parts of South America The newspapers
have, within the lasi few days announced that
M Hecquart. an officer of the regiment of
> pah is. bad, when the last from me
French p<**-e-siuns «n u»e western coast of
Mi ica came away, neacned Akb-'*. on an ex-
l.o.'i t<* Sege v aua to Timbue
ioo. if successful, hi* intention was not tn
retrace his steps but to endeavor to arrive at
Algiers. The journey was to be made on foot.
and the enterprising young soldier had with •
him in ihe shape of luggage only a staff and a 1
wallet, a compass, a thermometer, and some i
rolls of parchment on which to inscribe his ;
observations. The authorities had taken all
possible precautions for his safety, and had
promised large rewards to a caravan of the
tribe of Bambaros, who were to act as his
guides, in the event of their reaching Sego
and Timbuctoo, and larger still if they should
succeed in arriving at Algiers. The French
authorities of the Grand Bassam had, more
over, taken the precaution of detaining the
chief of the Bambaros as an hostage. M.
Bouet Willaumez, commandent of the French
station at the Grand Bassom, himself a noted
African explorer, had superintended all the de
tails of the expedition, so far as they could be
planned beforehand.
cpTjT WTEIZT V
X XXJb Vi juJu Jxla X
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AUGUSTA, GA.:
WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL 10.
Dr. Gwin—California.
We have been favored by a gentleman of
this city, says the Natchez Courier, with the
perusal of a letter from Dr. Wm. M. Gwin, one
of the California Senators, in which he says :
u -Vo foreigners voted for delegates to the Con
vention that framed the Constitution of California.
No persons were permitted to vote but American citi
zens resident in the District where they proposed to
vote, and .Mexicans who were made citizens by the
Treaty.”
This is conclusive ; and is high democratic
evidence lhat the Whigs were right when they
assumed the position that American citizens
were the authors and framers of the Constitu
tion of California. In regard to the vote on
the adoption of the Constitution, Dr. Gwin
remarks : .
“On the adoption of theTJoSStitution none but free
white male citizens of the United States did vote, or
were permitted to do so,”
According to Dr. Gwin, then, pone but re
gularly authorized electors voted either for the
delegates that formed the Constitution, or upon
the adoption or rejection of the instrument
thus formed. This fact does away with the
force of the greatest objection to the imine*
i diate admission of California; for, in case
foreigners had nothing to do with the matter—
in case the California Constitution wm the
I handiwork of free white American citizens—
and all information goes to show that it was—
it is a fundamental principle lhat lies at the
i foundation of our free institutions, that their
Constitution should be accepted, and the coun
try admitted into the Union, if. upon examina
tion, all things are found to be republican.
Further along, in reference to the same sub
ject, Dr. Gwin says:
“If the citizens of California have erred in any
one respect, it is in their severity in tbeir intercourse
with foreigners, in many instances proposing to drive
D , j r i ----
them out of the country ; and I am sure a foreigner
would alm >st as soon have taken a coal of fire in his
Ungers, as a ticket with the intention of voting at
either election.”
Dr. Gwin was formerly a prominent Demo
cral of Mississippi, who removed to Califor
nia, was a member of the Convention that
formed her constitution, voted for the anti-sla
very clause and was subsequently elected
Senator to Congress, in which capacity he
now appears at Washington City. He is
therefore, a competent witness as to the char
acter of the population, who unitedin organiz
ing a State government in Cali r ornia, and it
is a remarkable fact that his testimony is direct
ly al variance with the declarations of those,
who have designated the voters as Indians,
Negroes, Zamboes, Chinese-inen, adventurers,
<fcc., and therefore, unfit for self government.
Revolutions in Thads. —Nothing has worked
such revolutions in the course of trade, as the build
ing of Railroads. But a very few years since, the
merchants of Upper East Tennessee, hauled nearly
all their goods in wagons, from Philadelphia and Bal
timore—now they bring them to this place on the
Railroad, and from here they are sent on steamboats
to various points on the river as high up as Kingsport;
from whence they are wagoned to their various des
tinations. We saw one stock of goods for Lee coun
ty, Va. Nearly all the goods for North Alabama,
and a large portion of Norm Mississippi, are now
brought to this place, from whence they are sent down
the River in steamboats. We also notice goods hr
various places in Midddle Tennesse, coming this
way.— Chattanooga Advertiser.
Great as are the changes mentioned in the
above paragraph, they are destined to be still
greater in a few years, when the Roads to
Nashville and Knoxville are completed, when
the whole Valley of the Tennessee river, ex
tending to the Virginia line, shall have cheap
and rapid communication with Southern
marts on the Atlantic. A new impetus will
then be given to trade and commerce, and a
HU MB.
lands of that whole region will teem with har
vests so rich and abundant as to surpass—far
surpass the most extravagant calculations of
the most sanguine. Indeed, such will be (be
change and the increase in the consumption of
goods and the products of the soil, that no
mind can contemplate or suggest its extent
without being regarded visionary.
Such has been ihe effects of a rapid and
cheap transportation in every portion of the
civilized world, where the lands were pro
ductive, and it cannot be otherwise through
out all that district of country which these
roads are about to connect us with. There is
no part of me Southern States more suscepti
ble of a high state of improvement ,or capable
ofsustaining a dense and prosperous popula
tion, than Western Georgia and East Tennes
see. Tney abound in productive lands, abun
dant minerals and extensive water power, all
elements which contribute largely to the pros
perity and success of a people who will avail
themselves of their advantages.
The excitement at Washington, among the mem
bers, is effervescing in fisticuff* and disgusting per
sonalities. There was. first, the-almost-duel be
tween Di vis and Bissell, arrested by Taylor and
Bli*s—then the street rencontre of Borland and
Fooie —now Foute and Benton blackguarding each
o’her in the Senate. These scenes are not calcula
led to give one a high opinion of the Legislators of
the nation. The parties ure, as a matter of course,
all Democrats. — Hunt grille Advocate.
It is fortunate for the country that the exhi
bition* ol Congressional blackguardism, of
such frequent occurrence recently, can attach
disgrace only tothepirties concerned, other
wise the American republic would acquire an
unenviable reputation abroad if Congress
would maintain its dignity and self respect
however, they should promptly expel the ac
tors tn these disgraceful scenes, and that would
teach them propriety. Otherwise, in a few
years, if these displays increase in the same
ratio as for the last few, the body will sink so
’hat the people will apply the correction
through the ballot box
Thk Editor of the Richmond Times, in a
letter from Washington, says:
“ 1 confess the course pursued by Southern Demo
cra«s(in Congress) leads me to suspect their loyalty
to the Southern cause They are doing all tlr y can
to produce division amongst Southern men, and their
policy seems to betray itself, of merging the common
cause in ihe attainment of party end*.**
That a large portion of them are thus en
gaged, wo have never entertained a doubt—
else, why have they continued to assail and
I traduce Gen. Tavlor and his administration,
with a view to its destruction If they had
wanted er desired the concert of Southern
t Whigs, they well knew this was not the way
t to obtain or ecure it: especially while the
Whigs relied with such high and unabatedcon
, fidence on the ability of Gen Taylor io adjust
- tne question, and his fidelity to the South and
Her institutions. No, they vid not, and do not
want a settlement, because it would deprive
’ them of aliment for agitation—the food on
* : which they sustain themselves before tbe coun
. i
j : South Carolina Railroad Debt —The
* Committee appointed by the Stockholders of
this Company have made a report upon the
r financial condition of the corporation which
» shows a funded debt of $3 703.477. The
Committee also state that 910.750, being
j 75 per cent, of the capital, has been paid in. and
they recommend the calling in of tbe remain
ing 25 per cent. to be appropriated to the pay
ment ofthe oebt. I his will reduce the debt
below $3 000.000. and as the Committee es
timate the net earnings of the Road at $400,-
i 000. beside the reserve fund, if their anticipa
tions are realized, the Stock will ere long pay
regular dividends of 5 to 6 per cent, annually
to the Stockholders. That the expectations of
the Committee will be more than realized, un
der a prudent, economical and energetic man
aze.nent, ot which we have bigh hopes, we
entertain no doubt; and we are pleased to ob
serve that the Stockholders, evince their confi
dence in the calculations of the Committee, by
promptly responding to the payment of their
additional Stock, which has been ordered by
the Board of Directors as suggested by the
Gxi». J. H. Hamwomd. «»f South Carolina,
has been appointed by the city authorities of
Charleston, io deliver a Eulogy on Mr. Cal
■OVß
Nashville Convention---Tl»e Election. ’
The Election in this city was rather a thin
1 affair. The nominees received 116 votes !
In Burke County, we are informed, there j
were 47 votes polled
In Columbia County, we learn that no oleo :
tion was held.
If the other counties in the District have
done as well, we imagine lhat the nominees
will feel some delicacy in making their appear
ance in Nashville. The farce is over, howev
er, and we shall soon have the result. We
hope the Governor will publish the number of
voters.
Nashville Convention.
The result of the election on Tuesday comes
in slowly, and proves most fully how correct
ly we estimated public opinion in Georgia.
That the advocates of this measure should
feel not a little chagrined under the influence
of such a rebuke, from the people, is not at
I all surprising.
The following extracts from several papers
will give the reader an idea of the response of
the people:
From the Washington Gaxette.
'Hie Election! On Tuesday. —ls there ever
was a farce enacted befoie high Heaven, it was the
effort of politicri traders to dupe the people of Geor
gia into an election of delegates to the Nashville con
vention on Tuesday laet. In old republican Wilkes
the abortion was complete. The whole scheme fell
stillborn, and the distorted bantling had notevena
friend to protect its nakedness, or accord it the last
sad office of friendship.
From the Savannah Georgian.
“ There were comparatively few voles polled on
Tuesday, for Delegates to the Nashville convention.
Four hundred and thirty-nine votes were given for
the candidates nominated in this city, Messrs. Troup,
Couperand Daniel. We should have been pleased
to have been able to have recorded a larger vote.”
From the Griffin Whig.
The Election.—Montes parturiunt el ridicu
lous mus nascitur. ,i
The mountain labored and brought forth a little
mouse.
The election for delegates to the Nashville conven
tion, pursuant to the action of our last legislature
and in compliance with the proclamation of Gover
nor Towns, came off on Tuesday last; and at the
Griffin precinct, where the usual poll 4 is from 450 to
500 votes, but 36 votes were polled ; and 7 of them
were for that very popular gentleman, “No Conven
tion,” who was not u candidate; had he been regu
larly in the field, and his friends had exerted them
selves a little in his behalf, we have No doubt that he
would have beat the nominees of the Forsyth meet
ing at least 3to 1. Thus but 29 votes out of a voting
population of suo could be prevailed upon to record
their voles in favor of the “great Southern conven
tion.” This we take to bi a pretty fair" index of
popular opinion respecting this scheme of politicians
to embarrass the administration of Gen. Taylor.”
From the Athens Banner.
(( The Southern Convention - Flash in the Pan.
—Tuesday last was the day designated by the legis
lature, and proclaimed by the Governor of Georgia
for the election of two delegates by the people of
each Congressional district to the Nashville conven
tion. At 12 o’clock we called at the Town Hail
(the place for holding elections) to ascertain what
progress was making in the election, and found a
magistrate and constable with one or two other per
sons quietly seated at the table—but no poll opened
and no voters! Upon enquiry, the magistrate in
formed us that it was impossible to organize a legal
tribunal for holding the election, as no free holder
would act—and furthermore, not more than half a
dozen persons had appeared with a desire of voting.
At 3 o’clock we called again to see if there had been
any alteration since twelve o’clock. The only
change which we noted was, that the before open
doors of the hall were closed, and the room entirely
deserted. Not a eon I present ether in or about the
hall. This state of things continue 1 throughout the
day, until nearly 5 o’clock (the hour for closing the
polls) when au organization was effected, and two
votes were cast lor delegates to the convention —the
vote standing Hillyer 2—Billups 2.
Various speculations, at a distance, may arise out
of the facts here stated We have only to give our
opinion upon the subject. It is this. The people of
Clark county, although ready to resist actual ag
gression upon their rights, or even to take measures
of precaution when they are in imminent peril, have
seen the signs of returning justice in the North, and
are not disposed to resort to any measure which may
dash the hope of fraternal peace. In short, seeing
not more than half of the States going into conven
tion, and a probability of a peaceable adjustment
during the present session of Congress—they con
sider that (he convention would be and
of course injudicious.
Watkinsville precinct just heard from—2s votes,
only, cast. So, 27 votes is probably the poll of Clark
county, with its 1000 voters.”
From the Marietta Advocate.
“ Election on 7\iesday.— Owing io the Court
House being occupied on Tuesday, the Polls for elec
tion of Delegates to the Southern convention were
not opened till a late hour. Many who wished to
vote did not know at what place the election was
held. The vote was consequently a small one.”
How very unfortunate that the voters of
Cobb did not know where to vote—and we
suppose that in a town so large as Marietta,
they could not find thq place. “The vote was
consequently small.” so small that the ** Advo
cate" was ashamed we presume to announce
the number, for it doesnot appear in the pa
per.
From the Cassville Standard.
a The Darkening of the "New Lights The
elec tian for Delegates to the Nashville convention
from Georgia, isover. We have no returns but
from our own town. Here, out of a popular vote of
about 400,
Mr. Fouche received 54
Dr. Milter, ...» 60
Mr. Scattering, * 27
So there were 60 votes for the convention. Mr.
ScaUering voted against the convention. In the
county, out of a popular vote of nearly 2400, only
about 300 votes have probably been cast; and yet,
we are told by people from abroad, jhat there lias
been more excitement in this county than in any
other part of the State. Yet 2000 of our citizens
staid at home and let the golden calf of the new
Biaiu ai uvuic aim ivi i uc “'hush i,au
lights have its specious tinsel rubbed offj
tiMughiy people f M’fa
From present indications we think it doubt
ful whether vitality can be infused* into the
Convention in Georgia, by the aid of the most
powerful galvanic batteries. What an array
of Patriots has been disclosed by the late elec
tion ! May we nut soon expect to bear tbe
eighty thousand freemen of Georgia, who
would not go to the polls on Tuesday, de
nounced by the exclusive friends of the South,
as “ unsound on the slavery question,” “Trai
tors to the rights of the South.” «fcc
From the Macon**
The Citadel Surrendered! The Macon “Tele
graph” ol Tuesday lam, in a paragraph, rallying tbe
people to the poll*, on that day, close* thus :
“The man that would surrender the outposts of
the citadel by refusing to vote to-day, cannot be
relied on, to give battle when the enemy are within
the walk.”
The result of the election for delegates to the Nash
ville convention, in Bibbcounty, shows that notone
twentieth part of the voters of the county oared any
t'ting about the 'citadel,' and are therefore unreliable
when the enemy arrives within the gates, according
to tbe foregoing! Only about 76 votes were
polled here on Tuesday, at said election ! Think of
that, Master Brooke! Methinks it is a sorry cause
that cannot muster more troops, and that too, on a
regular Sale day of the county ! Such a test of re
liability, in the hour of danger, is therefore inad
missible.
In Darien the vole was as follows ;
Gov. Troup, 40
J. H <>ouper, -43
Dr. Daniell, 4
Gen. P. Cone, 2
Gen. L. J. Knight, 2
No Convention, 1
In Columbus the opposition to the measure
was very significant. Here is the result:
Benning, 113
Crawford, 113
No Conveniion, 98
No Disunion, "8
Scattering, 5
The Marietta Helicon gives the following
report of the vote in Cobb, and sume of the
adjacent counties :
‘■Tuesday last was the day of Election fur Dele
gates to the Nashville convention . We give the re
turns from this District, as far as we have heard. —
Cobb county 126 votes—Casa about 100—Floyd 50.
The Cherokee vote was small Several voted “No
convention” tickets, and there was only about 20
majority for delegates. An active democrat says,
that had it not been Court week, tb*»re would not
have been twenty votes polled in Cobb.”
In DeKalb and Emanuel counties we are
informed no polls were opened.
Troup Couwty—The Nashville Corvem
tiom. —The following !* the result of the Elec
tion held in Troup County, on Tuesday, for
delegates to the Nashville Convention:
No Convention, 58
Delegates, 44
Troup is among the moat populous, wealthy.
and largest slaveholdtng counties in the State.
I What will the ultras aay to thia f Are the cili
i zens of Troup unsound on tbe Southern
r question?
1 Home Made Claret.—An exchange paper
• says:
1 “An excellent claret is now manufactured in
I Texas, from the Mustang grape As many as h*e
barrels hxve been made on oee plantation. The
I spontaneous pruduetioo of this grape in Texas ex
i ceeda all belief. Thousands of hogsheads of wine,
uo wi»e inferior to French claret, could oe manufac
1 lured every year from thia hardy native grape.”
If the writer of the above was familiar with
the practices of the wine merchants in this
country, he would have learned that “very
good ” claret was often made without grapes.
Tks Nashvillb Cowvbmtiom — important from
Washington.—A meeting of Southern Seo.tor.
was held on Saturday last, 6th inst., as we learn by
! a prime despatch, to eoasult on the propriety of tbe
' proposed Southern convention at Nashville in June
next. The meeting was characterized by ftreat una
nimity and harmony of feeling, and waa a full one,
only ftur of tbe Southern Senators beinz abaent, and
the result was a full recognition of the neceoMty and
propriety of tbe Southern convention, and an appro
val of its meeting at tbe time and place proposed.
We clip the above from the Columbia (So.
Ca.) Ttlegrapk of yesterday, the senior editor
of which is now, we believe, in Washington,
by whom the dispatch was probably communi
cated These Southern Senators will per
haps ere long discover their true position, and
be astonished to find that the Southern peo
ple will be governed by their own convictions
of propriety in reference to the convention.
Rhodi Island Elbctios.—The election,
for state officers, members of the Lagialatare.
. was held on Wednesday. Henry B
Anthony. (Whig.) editor of the Providence
Jounal. is re-elected Governor by a mojority
c jnstderably larger than that of last year The
Legislature wilt be strongly Whig, thus secur
ing tbe election of a Whig to the United
States Senate for the term, commencing on the
4th of March next, when the time of Hon. A.
C- Greene, (Whig) will expire.
The Ringgold (Geo.) Republican announces that
the Tunnel on the Georgia railroad will be finished
at least by the Ist us July next. Until it is finished
ao the cars can rnn through it, there will be delay
and uncertainty in the transportation of freight on
the rood. Our merchants complain bitterly of the
1 time it takes goods to come from Charleston; and,
having had some little experience in the matter our
selves, we can safely say that their complaints are
well founded. That the whole thing io reference to the
completion of the tunnel “has been badly and lamely
naanaged we are quite disposed to be’ieve; hence
the annoying delay to which the public are subjected
in the trirfisportatioii of produce and merchandize.”—
Huntsville Advocate.
We are becoming very familiar with these
complaint* from their frequent repetition, and
indeed wa are not at ail surprised at them, for
‘f the half that we hear is true, shippers of
merchandize and produce have much cause of
complaint.— Editor Chronicle Sf Sentinel.
For California.—The steamship Ohio left
New York on Thursday afternoon for Cha
gres. via Havana, carrying 152 passengers and
11,719 letters. Among the passengers were a
theatrical company, consisting of Mr. Charles
Thorn, tpife and two tons, Mr. Mestayer and
wife, Mr. Denniford and wife, with several
others of the theatrical profession, forming a
very powerful company. Mr. Thorn, it is
said, pays a rent of 12,000 per month for a the
atre in San Francisco.
The steamship Philadelphia, for Chagres.
d ; rect, sailed from New York on the same day,
She carried out 203 passengers, 322 letters and
an unlimited number of newspapers. Col.
Allen Campbell, the newly appointed Chief-
Engineer of the Caldera and Coniapo (Chili)
Railroad, was among the passengers in this
vessel—he is accompanied by a strong party
of Assistant Engineers.
The steamship Crescent City, for Chagres,
left New York Monday with 375 passengers.
The steamship Republic, formerly of Balti
more, for San Francisco, via Cape Horn, also
sailed from New York Monday, and the Norlh
ernerdestination yesterday.
Mercury thinks that the
will not make occasion for
‘t t 0 w ‘ tb draw or modify the
repi&l&sE|&)''wken felr and expressed of the
course.
was not aware that the
praise Qf of a journal, whose servility
to it into the support of a
mamfor Pcesidvßi. whom it had denounced as
unsafe ftfr and unsound on the
slaveris of little consequence to the
Chr Mmtfy el.
Death of Mrs. W. C. Dawson. —By re
ference to our Telegraphic dispatch, it will be
seen lhat the accomulished lady of the Hon.
Wm. C. Dawson, died in Washington on Sun
day. A private dispatch, received in this city
yesterday evening, sta’es that Senator D. had
left Washington yesterday morning with the
corpse, and is expected to reach this city to
morrow (Wednesday) evening, on his way to
Greensboro.
Honors to Mr. Calhoun.—The citizens of
Stone Mountain have held a meeting and
adopted a series of resolutions testifying their
respect for (he Hon. J. C. Calhoun and re
questing Jas M. Calhoun, Esq , of Decatur,
to deliver a eulogy on the Ist of May.
The Double Eagles.—The Philadelphia
North American describes the new twenty
gold pieces issued at the mint as being some
what larger than the half dollar, and is consid
erably thicker. The face bears the head of
Liberty, surrounded by the thirteen stars, with
the date “1850 ;” and, on the obverse, there is
a spread Eaglesupporting a shield, and an or
namental fillet showing the motto, “E Pluri
bus Unuin.” Above the Eagle are rajs in the
midst of which are the thirteen stars—the whole
encircled by the words, “ United States of
America. Twenty D.” It is a handsome im
posing looking com.
Gen. Taylor— the Convention.— The
Huntsville (Ala.) Adaocate says : “ The Loco
foco papers have been full of absurd reports
from Washington, to the effect, that Gen. Tay
lor had declared the Nashville Convention
should not meet —that he would arrest the
delegates—that he would use force to coerce
the South, &c., &c. Many Locofoco editors,
affecting to believe these falsehoods, have
worked themselves into a great rage and dis
play as much trepidation as if they believed
their own necks in danger. The Democratic
correspondent of the Baltimore Sun in no tic
itig and contradicting these “weak inventions’
of impotent malice and “bitter endism,” says :
lie stated to a gentleman of this city, who
had just arrived from the South, that while he
was here he should endeavor to preserve the
Union, but that if the time should come when
the Union cannot be maintained without jorce,
it would no longer be worth preserving. The
President, in mis remark—abd my authority
is the gentleman to whom it was made —has
shown (hat his nomination for the office was
nnn tit hi 7... 9it a f nntli
onu tit t<> be mode. F» that short "ppepii uulu .
tory in Congress
Counterfeit Bills.—We omitted to note
ihe fact, in copying the article from the Savan
nah Hepubtican in our paper of Sunday morn
ing, that a counterfeit hundred dollar bill on
the Bank of the State of Georgia had been of
fered at the Branch in this city.
Connecticut. —The Coalition between the
Democrats and Free-Soilers in the late elec
tion in this Stale, has been successful. They
have carried a majority in both branches of
the Legislature, upon whom will devolve the
election of a Governor (there being no election
of Governor by the people) and a United
Stales Senator.
Ren. Jas. Hamilton whs appointed by the
Governor of South Carolina to the Senate to
fill ihe vacancy of Mr. Calhoun. After ten
dering the appointment, and its acceptance
the Governor doubted whether he was not in
eligible. because of non residence, which fact
was communicated to Ren. H. who promptly
resigned the office.
The legislature of New York have passed a
General Railroad Act. Under this law, Rail
roads will be constructed where and when there
is business to sustain them, and we shall have
no more of collision and irritation incident io
all legislation granting special or exclusive pri
vileges.
Coroner’s Inquest.
The Coroner JoshuaS. Walker, yester
day morning held an inquest upon the body of
Mr. John F. Diehl, Baker of this City, for
merly a partner of A. P. Shultz, whose mys
terious disappearance, a year ago.and the sub
sequent recovery of his remains near Ham
burg, was at that time the cause of much ex
citement and specnlation among our citizens,
and still remains a mystery. Mr. Diehl dis
appeared on Saturday night last, about 12
o'clock, when he started, as was supposed, for
home, but was not again heard of till yesterday
morning, when he waa found dead in the Au
gusta Canal, uear the Factory. There be
ing no marks of violence on the person of
the deceased, the jury of inquest returned
as their verdict that the ** deceased came
to his death by drowning in the Augusta Ca
nal, on the 30th March, 1850 ” Mr. Diehl
was interred yesterday. “Life is full of mys
tenet!”
Hon. T. C. Hackett —We learn from the
Cassville Standard that this gentleman is at this
time very low with Consumption, at Savannah,
whither he arrived from Washington City, last
week.
From an official document it appears that
zinc ia to be used hereafter instead of c tpper
for the shearing of ships. Forty American ves
seis have been sheated with zinc since Ist of Jan
uary. The zinc, it is stated, will last six years,
and sometimes nine, while copper is asserted
to last only four, and yellow metal three years.
Zinc is 6J cents per lb. copper 22. and yellow
metal 17j. It appears that no less than 1400
French vessels are sheated with zine.
Southern Medical and Surgical Journal.
The April No. of this valuable periodical
comes to us freighted with its usual variety of
Orijinal Communicatimu, Reviews, and Ex
tracts. Monthly Periscope, and Medical Miscel
lany. Its leader is an article *' On the um of
Alcoholic Stimulants as articles of Diet and
Medieice”—from the pen of Docl F. M. Rob-
Eitsoft of Charleston, 3. C- This is a well
written article, evinciug a perfect familiarerly
with the subject, aad demonstrating conclu
sively the injurious effects of alcohol upon tbe
human system. Under the bead of Reviews
and Extracts, we find a very just criticism on
the length of the reports ofthe various Com
mittees of the American Medical Association;
by the Editor; at the same time giving a con
deused analysis of the report. We do most
cordially recommend this valuable periodical
to the favorable consideration of tbe profes
sion. It ia published ia this city bv James
McCaveertt. and Edited by I- P Garvin,
M. D, Professor of Materia Medtca and
Therapeutics in the Medical College of Geor
gia Price $3 per annum
Honors to Ma. Calhoun.—Tbe New York
and Pennsylvania Legislatureshave each, in a
series of resolutions, paid eloquent tribute to
tbe distinguished Senator. In New York, his
death was made tbe subject of a special mes
sage from Gov. Fish t 0 tn e Legislature
CITY ELECTION.
Thk following is the result of the Charter
■ Election, held in this city, yesterday:
Vote for Mayor.
Ist Ward, 2nd. 3rd. 4h. Total.
Miller, 109 81 120 107 417
Garvin, 107 112 61 52 332
' Deval, 7 12 14 65 98 I
Bridge, 45 49 110 221 425
No Bridge, 153 133 53 4 343
Members of Council.
Ist Ward, Foster, Noland, Slack,
2nd “ Hatch, Tutt, Maharrey,
3d “ May, Conley, Rowland,
4th “ Harper, Dearing, Robertson.*
♦Democrats in italic.
• _____
' CONNECTICUT ELECTION.—GLORIOUS DEMOCRATIC
Victory.—From all the returns that have come to
hand it appears highly probable tbit the Democracy
have a majority in both branches of the Legislature. 1
Thereby securing a United States senator in the place
of Mr. Baldwin and the “lection of Governor, and
State officers, if they have not been elected by the
people In this election Taylorism has been repudi
ated, Truman Smith condemned, and Col. Baker
sent back to Washington in disgrace.”
, This is the strain in which the Savannah
Georgian exults over the recent Freesoil and
Democratic viciory in Connecticut. Really
we think he shouts with a hearty good will,
( nor is it surprising when one reflects that these
Northern Democrats are the ‘ natural allies”
of the South. We congratulate the Georgian
upon its success in getting up a huzza over
this Freesoil viclory.
New Books*
The Life of John Calvin.—By F. H. Dyer, Bvo.
pp. 448. Harper & Brothers.
To the Protestant world this volume will be
, most acceptable, accompanied as it is with a
superb portrait of the great Reformer—who
next to Zwingli and Luther, stands pre-eini«
nentin the great work of Reformation, which
has handed his name down to posterity. In
a notice of this work a contemporary says:—
, “ Thia is an admirable life of the great Gene
vese theologian, written with the most elabo
rate care, and compiled from authentic sources,
and particularly from his correspondence, and
thus he is often left to speak for himself. The
biography is so faithful that there is not the
least attempt to conceal any defects in his
• character, but the motives of his actions and
the operations of his mind are laid open to the
reader, and his conduct commented on with the
most commendable impartiality. This is the
i best biography of Calvin that has ever been
• given to the public.”
For sale by T. Richards & Son.
i
Chai.mer’s Posthumous Works—Vol. IX, Bvo.
pp. 551. Harper & Brothers.
This volume completes the Posthumous
works of this eminent divine, and like those
which have preceded it. of which we have al
ready spoken, will contribute much to send his
, fame down to posterity as among the most
I distinguished and exemplary men of his day,
, whether he be regarded for his genius, elo
quence, patriotism or piety* This last volume
, contains prelections on Butler’s Analogy.
Paley’s Evidences and Hilfs Lectures. It
P may be had of T. Richards & Son.
Humes’ History of England Vol. I.- Bvo. pp.
r 483. Harper & Brothers.
The Messrs. Harpers deserve much credit
• for their effort to give to the world a neat,
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• The author of “Typee,” “ Omoe,” “ Mar
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The admirers of Carlyle will find in this
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pp. 436. A. Hart, Philadelphia.
This is a new and the third edition of a Uni
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Leaves prom the Noth-Book or * Louisiana
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Cicbro’s Orations. SelimidlzA Zumpt’s Classical
Series. Lea & Blanchard, Philadelphia.
This is a very neat school edition, of conve
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Joseph B. Cobb. A. Hart, Ph ladelphia.
This is a romance founded upon the events
of 1814—15, in which the author makes his
debut as a writer of fiction, not without some
diffidence. That it should be without defects
is not to be expected. Its faults however are
not such as may not be easily overcome, by
proper effort and study. The net work of the
story is well interwoven and the narrative
quite replete with incidents of stirring and
exciting interest. Tso's. Richards & Son.
Home Thrusfi.
The following extracts from u reply of the
Columbus Enquirer to the Times, of that city,
contains some home thrusts, the force and point
of which the latter will find it difficult to
parry.
It has nor been our custom to vaunt our superior
devotion to rhe institutions under which we live or
boast of what we might peradventure do in any great
crisis of the country. In the history cf the world we
remember men of very decided patriotism, who were
not remarkable for trumpeting their own virtues, or
impugning the motives of others who were fighting
by their sides in a common cause. Such men were
generally found, when the hour of peril approached,
steady of purpose, firm in their resolves, and sound
to the core in the cause of the right. Others there
have been of pretended fire and smoking tow who
would fain make the world believe that if they were
ignited even wi h a spark of phosphorus, they would
explode and blow themselves and the common ene
my into one promiscuous ruin. Os this latter class
it is unnecessary here to speak. They are historical
characters, and find no parallels, of course, in the
political chivalry of modern times! It is strange,
however, that they do not, when we reflect upon that
intense excitement which pervades the whole coun
try, and how important it is at such times for men of
ordinary pretensions to rise, if they ever can, by as
suming to ride the whirlwind and direct the storm.
A fit comes over us occasionally, that we too will
grow furious in the fearful conflict that agitates the
country, and spurning ail the efforts of able and rea-
sonable men to prevent such a calamity, join any clan
of madmen that will rush headlong to the destruction
of' the government. And yet, when the fit pasees
away, we can hardly believe that either prudence or
patriotism, the love of the whole country, or any es
pecial love for the South, justifies such a course.
When we think so, we will pursue it.
In all the struggles and mutationa of party this
press has taxen its own eonroe, unawed by the threats
and uninfluenced by the opinions of its contempora
ries. We have pinned our faith to the sleeve of no
man, great or small, and it is now too late for us to
look to the glimmering lights of our neigbt>or, to
«uide us on our way. These lights have heretofore
been regarded as uncertain beacons, bung out to lure
and destroy the people. How it happens that they
are just at this time to be followed, in order to reach
the haven of safety, is one of ihe strange things in
these strange times. But it may be that they burn
more brightly now than when, under the adminis
tration of Mr. Polk, all the indigni ies now offered
to the South were perpetrated, without one spark of
NxHhern feeling having been knocked out of some
men, who are now in a perfect blaze I The doctrine
then was to support the President, keep the office
holders in power, and let the down-trodden South
lake care ot itself. But Gen. Taylor is elected, the
party that has been in power for twenty years or
more is compelled to walk the plank, and straight
way discarded partisans become furious patriots, and
threaten to rend the Union asunder for things that
" “ e ’ er received the poor compliment of their
rebuke ’ And what makes their conduct more con
-Bp.euo.itly absurd, is the feet that every man who
will not join their partizan erosaJe against the peace
ol the tonniry and the safety of the Government is
denounced as a traitor, and hkened unto the misera
,b'e X Pr T“'" “ jU u,ore mS-eraMe faction in
the Nrrth. This is modesty ’
Our neighbors boast that they have done ano good
Mmg, for which the readers of this paper will thank
tnem. bo far as we are concerned, we are thankful
far the •naj/ut avers, and so we auppow, are our
readers. We feel the more thankful, as it is about
thing we ever knew our neighbor to
°* . hetber this has been by accident or mistake
we know not. But what ie the thing ? Why sim
p<y, they have knocked out of the Enquirer’s Bi nt a
spark of Southern feeling ! Well, this is a Get to
Ixmm o.—for considering the so/lness of the steel we
wonder much that the good thing was done at all ?
But the spark it seems did come, and our hore is
that tt will fall in no magazine whose fearful contents
may blow the G.vernment into atoms. Mild and
steady let that sparx be, kindling into no dangerous
Same, and emitung no lurid light to mislead our lei
bJ? a |„ W I P^ 0 ° a““ ei “ r S e wh “ h owneigb
bors m ibe plemtdue of their dictatorial anlborrtv
have ventured to make. W. have slept, say ttey.’
didThiT*' wt,ere ’ psrtieutar tiJe
did this happen ? Was lt when our neighbors sanc
tioosd the Wilmot Proviso when applied to the Ore
gen territory 7 Was it when, ratbS than Mr PJh
should not have tnree millions of dollars io buy a
peace with Mexico, this same Proviso was looked I
upon by Others as a very innocent affair 7 Or has it I
Me. more recently, when seeing . dtaposntoo to«- |
i lie all our difficulties, we have looked with hope to
the combined efforts of the great men of the country
in the Councils of the nation? Ah, here appears to
be the rub! We must not look there. Treir ef
forts are ridiculed —men whoso feelings and whose
patriotism can embrace the whole union, statesmen
who?e long experience and eminent abilities, acting
! under the constitution, and empowered from their
position to act authoritatively in the matter, are to be
shoved aside—and we are told that all the ills to
which the South has fallen heir can only be cured
by an ill-advised and unauthorized Convention., un
known to the Constitution, and unsanctioned by tbe
great body of the people! But we are asked, whence
we derive our ray of hope that Congress will settle
this difficulty peaceably ? It is of little consequence
where we get it. If it will minister anything to the
vanity or self complacency of our neighbors, we ore
willing to allow that the people of the North have
heard of their wrath, and looking on the dangers of
their fiery zeal have paused to contemplate the con
sequences! We are willing tn admit that Uicir fi- i
delity to the South—of recent dale though it may be
—has awakened a dread among our enemies that tbe
people of the South were in earnest! We are wil
ling to admit, and do admit, that there are some men
better patriots than others, some who sleep until the
enemy has entered the camp, and then attempt to
signalize their devotion to their flag ly such a gusto
of moral defiance as would put an ordinary adversa
ry to Bight! All of these things we are willing to
admit—but still we are compelled to look for the pre- .
servation of our rights to the Constitution of our
country, and to the honest efforts of the great states
men whose noble examples our neighbors have ap
parently so little disposition to imitate.
We know the wrongs of the South, and stand
ready to resent them in whatsoever way a conven
tion of the State of Georgia, if unfortunately such a
convention is ever called, shall point out. But are
we to be accused of submitting to these wrongs be
cause we have as yet been unable to discover any
redress in the plan which, originating in improper
motives, can only be borne by infusing into it con
servative materials? Are we wanting in fidelity to
the South because we expressed our fears of the
objects of the Nashville convention ? Are not these
fears in the hearts of a lartzo majority of the people,
and have not the candidates for seats in that body
been compelled to disavow all purposes of disunion,
and declare that their acts will have no binding
force, and that they will only meet to talk and con
sult ? Why this change in the tone of its advocates?
It is because the people have waxed up, and began
to enquire what may be the probable harm of this
assemblage? They asked themselves if this is the
only hope for the South—if a few men assembled in
Tennessee, without authority, are more likely to
settle our difficulties than the chosen representatives
and constitutional authorities of our government ?
To these questions, and their appropriate answers,
may be traced the indifference of the great body of
the people, not only in this State, but in every other
Southern State, to the project which it seems is to be
the touch-stone of every man’s patriotism.
We asked our neighbors some two weeks ago to
inform us what were the objects of the Nashville
convention, and what its advocates proposed to ac
complish. Have they ventured to reply or explain?
Have they condescended to inform the people what
that mongrel mass of “black Spirits and white, blue
spirits and grey,” intend to do or attempt to do when
assembled, if they ever do assemble, in a neighbor*
ing State ? Not they, and why not? Do they not
know that the people every where have fearful mis
givings as to its real and original purposes ? Have
they not witnessed the indifference every where
manifested towards this move of party hacks, and
have they not seen how almost impossible it is to stir
up the masses by the most impassioned appeals ?
The truth is, a feeling is gradually creeping over the
whole country that such a convention is at. the pre
sent time worse than useless, that its original pro
jectors were intent on a dissolution of the Union,
and that th s fell purpose has only been arrested by
a spirit which will save the South, and at the same
time shield the integrity of the whole confederacy.
This is what vexes and irritates our neighbors!
The plans of their ringleaders have been looked into
and condemned, the people have been able to see
nothing beautiful or useful in the powerless project
of this Southern convention, but that people, as
patriotic generally as are the most of partisan editors,
have yet a lingering love for the glorious stars and
stripes, and intend that the flag of their country
shall float over an united brotherhood, until their
voice shall be uttered to pull it down and (rail it in
the dust. That voice will not be uttered at Nashville
r —indeed it dare not be uttered there. It has not been
uttered in Georgia, and the vote of this day will
prove, that so far as she is concerned, it shall be ut
tered no where else.
We come now to the question which apparently
divides us. Is a man unfriendly to the South
because he feels that the Nashville convention can
do nothing for her protection? We have enquired
what are its objects, and can get no information.—
1 We have seen the arrogance of its original projectors
gradually softening down, until now we hear from
t every aspirant to a seat in that assembly, that his
only purpose there will be to prevent his more fiery
comrades from doing harm- No one pretends to
think that bis efforts will or can be productive of any
positive good. Many are retiring from the proffered
honor of representing their friends, because they
feel that the movement is not sanctioned by the mo
ral power of the great majority. The people do not
see the propriety as yet, of transferring their power
loan irresponsible convention. The Delegates to
■ that convention will feel this, and will, we trust, de
p cline the responsibility of attempting to commit the
South to any course that may ultimately disgrace her
t sons, and ruin the country. Or rather under such
[ circumstances will not these Delegate* decline their
forlorn mission, and wait until the fearful hour comes
! that will unite all hands and all hearts in a common
I resistance? Such a course might render furious
ceitain editorial fire-eaters, but still it might meet ,
the approbation of the people of the present day, and
1 command the respect of all future generations. If
i there is treason in these suggestions and these senti
ments, we are willing to inarch to the block, and
will fearlessly meet the traitor’s doom. We cannot
consent, however, that the editors of the TYmes shall
act either as judges or executioners in our frightful
immolation. Our appeal is to the justice and judg
ments of the people, to that everliving and walchhii
! spirit which sophistry has never yet deceived, and
which the hypocritical cant of a pretended patriot
' ism never can mislead. Before this tribunal, side
! by side with our accusers, we are willing to stand or
fall.
The Proposed Nashville Convention In
Forsyth County.
Cumming, Forsyth Co., Ga. ?
April 3, 1850. $
Mr. Editor:— The election for two Dele
gates to represent (!) the fifth Congressional
District in the proposed Southern Cmwiu
- ’WtArtclinr Nashville, Tenn., on the first
Monday in June next, came off at this place on
yesterday, and the result is a most complete
failure.
The county of Forsyth at the last Presiden
. tial election contained about fifteen hundred
voters, and at this, the town precinct, there are
generally polled at all general and county elec
tions, from five to six hundred votes. At the
election held here yesterday, there were, all told,
only sixty-four votes cast I There was no elec
lion held at any other precinct in the county, and
consequently, there are over fourteen hundred
voters in the county who absolutely refused to
have anything to do with the Convention
much less were they inclined to put themselves
to the trouble of electing Delegates to attend
it! Among the names of the sixty-four indi
viduals who voted here yesterday, I counted
fifty seven Democrats and seven Whigs t
There were at least a hundred men here yes
terday wlio would not go into the Court-House
where the election was being held There
was no enthusiasm—no excitement—and those
who did vote looked afterwards as if they had
done wrong and were sorry! “ Straws show
which way the wind blows,” is a trite but true
saying; and when applied to the proceedings
here yesterday, Me straws all bent from Nash
ville ’
1 have, ever since the Convention at Nash
ville was first spoken of, predicted that the
whole scheme would end in abortion ; and, so
far as the demonstration that was made in its
favor in this county on yesterday is concerned,
my predictionshave been more than confirmed’
The people of Forsyth county, minus a few
would-be-great-men. have, from the beginning
looked upon the project with supreme con
tempt. and this they have manifested by their
refusal to vote for Delegates, or to have any
thing to do with the infamous plot. A majority
of them have not yet forgotten the doctrines
contained in Gen. Cass’ letter to Nicholson,
among which was the doctrine that the people
of California, in the formation of their State
Constitution, preparatory to their admission
into the Union, had the right to settle the ones
tion, as to slavery within their limits, in their
own way— the right to allow or prohibit its in
troduction as they might see proper; and that
in voting tor Cass they virtually endorsed and
adopted these doctrines as their own The peo
ple of Forsyth county are not going to kick
up a fuss, because the people of California
have, as was their right to do, seen proper to
exclude slavery from their social organization;
and many of ns back woodsmen would like to
know how many men can be mustered in
Georgia who would oppose the admission of
California as a State into the Union, if, instead
of excluding, their recently adopted Constitu
tion had tolerated or allowed slavery ? We
are of opinion here that the rule should work
bo h ways—if it would be right for the Califor
-1 Dians to allow, certainly it would be no viola
-1 tion of the rule that they should disallow slavery
( within their limits. This is our opinion outhere
, in the unenlightened regions of Georgia, but
( as we don’t “take the papers, ” nor read much,
we ask for information, and hope our city
editors, who know everything about “ South
ern rights,” “ Constitution,” and all that, will
inform us what the correct doctrine is in re
ference to these questions.
Whenever the time for ac ion arrives, the
people of Forsyth will act, and not before.
Congress has as yet passed no law, committed
no act, violative of Southern rights, or of any
other right we have under the Constitution,
and until this is done, we are going to behave
ourselves. In our judgment, the originators
of this scheme for a Southern Convention have
•‘kicked ’ too soon; they had better waited
till they were “ spurred.”
The fast is, a greater humbug was never be
fore conceived by demagogues, or attempted
to be impp>ed upon any people ; and none but
time server* and worn-out, ambitious political
hacks noped or expected to be subserved by its
results. The people of Forsyth, and, as I firm
ly believe, of Georgia, are opposed to the
Nashville Convention—are for the Union first,
and “old Zack” second.
For the Chronicle 8f Sentinel.
“ Signs in Gwinnett. ’’
Lawrenceville, April 3d, 1850.
Mr. Editor:— The struggle for the election
of delegates to the Nashville Convention is
over. It would have been reasonably sup
posed, so large and populous a county as
Gwinnett, (numbering no less than fifteen
hundred voters,) would have mustered more
than a mere “corporal’s guard,” in an effort
fraught with such intense interest to the coun
try. The election was held, and upon count
ing out there were fourteen votes polled, all
told.
The merest tyro in politics cannot fail to
have in vivid recollection the doctrines and
position of a particular political party in this
county, who in the days of Nullification when
there was • Northern aggression upon South
| ern rights,” were willing to yield in tame
I submission for the sake of Union. But the
I Legislature of Georgia, composed of a majon
I iy of this same party are ready to sunder the
ties that bind the people of this great Repob
ho into one common brotherhood in the anti- i
cipatwn of evils that are yet to come. Verily
a change has come over the “spirit ol their
dreams. Strange consistency.
So far from this manifestation receiving a
hearty response, it will be repudiated by the
people. A vast majority of them are devoted
ly attached to the American Union, and will I
shun every appearance of evil that threatens
destruction to its perpetuity We conclude
by an extract from the presentments of the
Grand Jury at the March term of the Superi
or Court.
“We cannot forbear the expression of the
most profound regret at the present distracted
condition and diversion of sentiment, and feel
ing in the councils of our National Legislature.
The signs of the times are we fear ominous
for evil. We, although a small minority of the
freemen who compose this great Republic,
would not be unmindful of the innumerable
blessings we have received, as individuals, of
the greatness we have acquired as a Nation,
under the auspices of Heaven and the smiles
of a bountiful Providence, by the great con
federacy of Stales, and would express our re
luctance, yea utter abhorrence at the project
of a dissolution of the American Union, and
would exhort our fellow countrymen every
where in the language of one, whose patriot
ism has become proverbial throughout the
world, “don’t give up the Ship.”
Union.
The Galphin Claim—Gov. Crawford.
By reference to the proceedings of Con
gress it will be seen that Governor Crawford
has promptly, and very properly demanded of
the House of Representatives an investiga
tion into bis connexion with this claim, with a
view to silence the calumnies which the Union
and its “bitter end” colaborers, have put in
circulation. The committee announced by
the Speaker is composed of five democrats
and four whigs as follows: Messrs Burt, of
South Carolina ; Grinnell, of Mass.; Feather
ston, of Miss; Gentry, of Tenn ; Disney, of
Ohio; King, of New Jersey; McLanahan, of
Pa.; Conrad, of La.; and Jackson, of Georgia.
Where Gov. Crawford is known, his repu
tation and honor need no vindication against
the aspersions of the corrupt intriguers about
Washington, whose highest ambition seems to
be to assail every man connected with the ad
ministration.
The following article from the Baltimore
American, will n.ake the reader familiar with
the character of the claim, and Mr. Craw
ford’s connexion therewith as Agent of the
heirs of Galphin, which position he has oc
cupied for years:
The Galphin Claim.—There is much dis
cussion in the newspapers, just now, concern
ing the allowance by the Secretary of the
Treasury of interest upon a claim, the princi
pal of which was paid under the direction of
the late secretary, Mr. Walker. Tho claim is
known as (he Galphin claim. It is an old
claim, dating as far back as 1773, and it de
rives its guaranty from a treaty stipulation be
tweetn the Governor of Georgia on the one
hand and the Creek and Cherokee Indians on
the other.
It appears that Galphin, with others, traded
with the Indians and held a lien upon certain
lands as security for debts; that by the treaty
of 1773 these lands were ceded to the British
Crown ; that the British Government, conse
quently. became responsible to Galphin and
his associate traders ; that all of them except
Galphin received compensation, principal and
interest, from the British Government; that
the claim of Galphin was rejected because he
had taken part with the American Colonists in
the revolutionary war while his associate tra
ders adhered to Great Britain.
Galphin’s claim was presented to the Stale
of Georgia, and its justice was acknowledged ;
but it was maintained that inasmuch as the Go
vernment of the United States, after the war
of independence, succeeded to all the rights of
the British Crown over the public lands, the
application for payment of the claim should
be made to that Government. The application
was accordingly made to the General Govern
ment; but such is the delay attending all appli
cations of this kind, that no final action was
had upon it until the year 1848, when Congress
passed an act by which the Secretary of the
Treasury was “authorized and required to ex
amine and adjust the claim of the late George
Galphin, under the treaty made by the Govern
or of Georgia with the Creek and Cherokee
Indians in the year 1773, and pay the amount
which may be found duo to Milledge Galphin,
executor of said George Galphin.”
It further appears that thecase was examined
by Mr. Walker, Secretary of the Treasury,
who promptly decided in favor of the claim,
• and paid the principal in full, but reserved his
decision as to the payment of interest. The
usage of the Government, with regard to do
mestic claims, has generally been not to pay in
terest —under the construction that the Govern
ment is always ready to pay a just claim, and
that if it is not paid promptly, the cause of the
delay must rest with the claimant and his
proofs. This is the theory. Whether it is a
delusive theory or not the practice of the Go
vernment and the experience of claimants may
testify.
It will be observed that this Galphin claim
comes under the sanction of a treaty stipula
tion. This fact places it upon grounds differ
ent from those upon which private claims indi
vidually rest. No Government has been more
or more positive and imperative than
ours, in requiring from foreign nations the full
payment of principal and interest in all cages .
whera eeen-ettro tn American
ffir spoliations or damages. This is
what the public law justifies and sanctions. It
may often happen, and it does often happen,
that a gross sum is taken in liquidation of an
aggregate of claims, good and bad, advanced
by American citizens against a foreign govern
ment, and this sum is distributed among the
claimants pro rata. But in all snch cases the
allowance of interest is as much considered as
the allowance of the principal.
With regard to domestic claims, interest in
granted to the claimant, if the merits of the case
warrant it. “I am not aware,” says Mr. Attor
ney General Taney, now Chief Justice, of any
statue of the United Stales that forbids the Se
cretary of War, or the accounting officers, to
allow interest to a claimant if it shall appear
that interest is justly due to him.” But this
Galphin claim comes under the sanction of a
treaty stipulation, where the (public law is
imper aive ; and if the claim be good at all it is
good for both principal and interest. The At
torney General, whose opinion was taken in
the case, could make no other decision. The
Act of Congress, referring the adjustment of
! the claim to the Secretary of the Treasury, di
rected that officer to make his adjudication un
der the treaty of 1773. He had therefore no
discretion beyond an ascertainment of the mer
its of the case; and the same oonsiderations
which would make good the claim would call
for interest upon the original amount.
Some of those newspapers whose chief busi
ness it is to assail the Administration, not stop
ping at any degree of misrepresentation, have
made the subject of this claim a theme of ea
ger vituperation, They do not hesitate to im
pugn motives; they charge corruption and
profligate venality ; they make accusations
which, if true, would destroy the reputation of
any public man against whom such charges
could be proved. Mr. Crawford, Secretary of
War, formerly an agent in the prosecution of
this claim, as Mr. forsyth, Secretary ol State
under Mr. Van Buren, formerly was. has ta
ken the very proper step of demanding an in
vestigation by a committee of the House of
Represeniaiives into the whole business. He
had nothing to do with the decision of the case,
which was left by law to the Secretary of the
Treasury. It was no cabinet matter at all. The
newspaper which has been most profuse in its
imputations against honorable men in this busi
ness has found itself obliged to publish a refu
tation ol its own insinuated calumnies in the
shape of the subjoined communications from
official persons holding office under the late
Administration:
Washington, March 28, 1850.
Messrs, Editors: On returning to this city after
a few days absence, my attention has been called by
a friend to an article in the Union of the 22d insl.,
containing an extract from a letter of the correspond
ent of the New York Herald, together with an edi
torial comment thereon, calculated to mislead the pub
lic, and do injustice both lo the Secretary of the in
terior and another member of the cabinet.
However much you may oppose the political prin
a r.lzxa <• nzl rw-. lin .. tU .. • A : •
j ciplesand policy of the present Administratio», in
I which you have my cordial sympathy, yeti feel per
suaded that yon would not knowingly aid in doing
wrong or injustice to any of its members ; and being
personally acquainted with the facts in the case ai-
J luded lo by the Herald’s correspondent, J deem it
t alike due U> the parftes implicated, tu yourßel»e*»,
and to the cause of truth, to give a brief statement of
the matter.
, By an act of Congress, approved August 14, 1848,
5 the Secretary of the Treasury was “ authorized and
rtquired to examine and adjust the claim of the bite
George Galphin, under the treaty made by the Go-
• vernor of Georgia with the Creek and Cherokeee In
dians in the year 1773, and pay the amount which
may be found due to Milledge Galphin, executor of
I said Geo. Galphin,” dec. On presentation of the
- claim to him, Mr. Secretary Walker referred it, with
all the papers, to the First Auditor for examination
. and report. That officer being temporarily absent
from the city, the acting Auditor put the case in my
I hands to perform that duty. After a careful and la*
r borious examination, which occupied several days, f
prepared the accompanying report, setting forth the
* justice of the claim and the reasons which, in my
J judgment, justified the payment of interest as well as
’ principal. That report was adopted by the Acting
' Auditor and transmitted to the Erst Comptroller, and
1 by him, together with his own report, sent lothe Se
cretary for his decision.
On taking up the case, Mr. Walker promptly de
j cided in fovor of paying the principal, but reserved
t (he question of interest for further consideration; and
i ultimately, either from want of time to examine the
subject thoroughly, or because of the early expiration
s of his official term, he was unwilling to make an in
novation upon the general usage o f the depaitinent,
5 in regard to interest, and therefore determined to
» leave the question open for the decision of bis succes
sor. After the present Administration were induct
ed into office, and Mr. Crawford, one of the parties
interested in (his claim, had received (he appoint
ment of Secretary of War, he advised with me as to
the propriety of fun her prosecuting the claim, during
his own continuance in office, and intimated a dispo
-1 sition to dispose of bis interest in it. I gave it as my
s decided opinion that there could be no impropriety
nor even indelicacy in bis doing so under the existing
circumstances; that it was a case on which he could
8 not officially act, either directly or indirectly. It
i could not come before the Cabinet, being expressly
referred by the act itself to the Secretary of the
5 Treasury tor his decision. That opinion remains un
t changed ; I can see no good reason why the mere
accident of official connection with one department
of the government sboull preclude a party from (he
a.-eertion of his just rights before another and wholly
independent department.
From the above simple narrative of facts, you will
perceive that Mr. Ewing had no connection whatever
with the settlement of this claim; and, further, chat
it was adjusted on principles presented in the report
from the Fir*t Auditor's Office several mouths before
the present Administration came into powe’ ; that
those principles, chough not officially affirmed by Che
late Secretary of the Treasury, were nevertheless
O'M overruled by bino. and the question was thus re
ferred a.-* an open pending questux) to the decision
of the present Secretary. 'Whether those principles
are right or not, the peculiar circumstances of thia
case were such as lo rend.-r the allo v r.r. ... w
simple justice, which the G verntneui eotld not wnb- SO
hold without violating those great principles of right
which should ever regulate the conduct of Stale, M
well as individuals. Very respectfully yours,
E. T. Montaovs.
Late a cletk in tbe First Auditor’s Office.
Tcxasobv Dspabtmbkt, (
First Auditor’s Office, t-ept 6, 1848. (
Sir: Upon an exau inaiion of tbe papers in the
case of Geoogn Galpbin, deceased, referred to this
office foe a report, under the act of August 14th, 1848,
1 find that this claim originated in certain debts due
I to lhe said Galphin, and other traders, from ths Mel
Oreek and Uherokes Indians, the payment of which
was provided for by the treaty of 1773, I etween lhe
said Indian tribes an I tbe British crown. Ths lon
the 2d of May, 1775, an account of those debts was
examined and ndju.ted by a commission, composed
of the governor and council of lhe colony of Georgia,
am! the sum of nine thousand, seven hitudred and
° n oVo? ne RO'tntls, fifteen shillings and five pence, gegj
(•£9,791 15s. 5d.—*43,518 97) was found due to W
said Georee Galphin, in hi,own right, and aa aasig
nee of various other individual, to be paid out of lhe ■
proceeds of the sale of the lands ceded by the said In- W
duniß to the British crown by (he said treaty, pro- ■
vi< ed the same should be sufficient for that purpose ;
but, if insufficient, then, in a rateable proportion to
each of tbe claimants, as appears f rom a certificate W
rendered in bis iavor. and recorded in the journal of ■
the proceedings of said governor and council on that S
day. That after the said adjustment, aud before the
payment of any portion of the said claims, the war
of the revolution interfered and ultimately resulted i
n a transfer of all the rights aud intereMs acquired
by the British crown, under the aforesaid treaty o
1773, to the government of the United States. That
during the revolutionary struggle, tbe said George
Galphin warmly supported the cause of independence, ,
and by that act excluded himself from a participation
with other Indian traders, who took part with the
crown in that contest, in the payments made by it,
on account of the said treaty, after the close of the
war, amounting to the sum of <£49,556 17s. 6d., as
appears from the general appropriation act of Parlia
ment for 1790. [Pickering Statutes, vol. xxxvii..
page 36. J
That various committees of both branches of the
Legislature of Georgia have, at different times, re
ported in favor of this claim, setting forth its justice,
and recommending its payment by that Stale. That
these recommendaiions failed to receive lhe concur
rence of both houses at any one session, upon the
ground that ibis was a claim properly against the
Government of the United States, which, alter the
establishmen*. of our independence, bad succeeded to
all the rights, and, consequently, incurred all the
obligations of the British crown in regard to this
matter, and that therefore the payment should be
made by the United Sia’es, as a whole, and not by
the single State of Georgia. Il further appears by ■
the testimony filed in this case, that the lands ceded
by the Indians, und r the aforesaid treaty, very far
exceeded in value the amount of all the debts charg
ed upon them, and thaf'ikrqnsiderable portion of them
were in fact diverted from llteir application to the
purposes of the treaty, and applied to the
of revolutionary bounty-land claims.
Under this Blate of facts, thus briefly recited, but
which are more fully presented in the papers and
documents filed in lhe case, there can be no doubt
about the obligation on t e part of the United States, ■
to pay the whole amount ascertained to be due to the w
claimant, by the settlement made by the governor W
and council of the colony of Georgia, in May, 1775, |
the sole contingency by which that obligation could 1
have been properly affected, viz : a deficiency in the |
value of the ceded lands, not having occurred. The 1
only question of d.ffiealty in this care relates to the j
payment of interest. This is usually withheld
upon the principle that the Government is supposed ■
to be ever ready to pay all just demands against it. 1
The propriety of this principle, in its application to ]
unliquidated claims, will not here be ques'ioned.— I
But, when a claim has been once fully examined
and adjusted, and a specific an ount found due to a
party, it would seem that such claim should stand on
different grounds, and that the principles of even
handed justice would impose the same obligation
upon the Government as that which rests upon in
dividuals in similar cases. And, inasmuch as the
latter would be properly liable for the payment of
interest, the Government ought not to be released
from a corresponding liability to pay interest upon its
debts.
But, in addition to this, there is yet another con
sideration which, in the determination of this ques
tion, should have its due weight. In paying the
claims of such Indian traders as sustained the in
terest of the British government, in the war of the
revolution, that government allowed interest. Those
claims originally occupied no higher ground than that
now under consideration. If they were entitled to
interest, this should be equally so.
The patriotism of this claimant, the more praise
worthy, because he stood alone among his lormer
associates, surely should not be converted into the
means of injury to his private interests, as would be
the case, if after having his just and ascertained
rights withheld from him, for nearly three-fourths of
a century, the interest thereon would now be also
withheld.
, In reducing the amount to our own currency,
, parenthetically stated above, not being able to ascer
' tain certainly what was the established rate of ex
change at that day, 1 have adopted the one usual in
other cases, viz : 34.44 to the pound sterling.
I enclose herewith a statement of the account of
George Gal) riin, drawn up in accordance with the
views above presented.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your
obedient servant. Geo. H. Jones, acting Audt’r,
Hon. McC. Young, acting Secretary of Treasury.
The Galphin Claim.
The subjoined communication from (he Hon.
Wm. Cost Johnson, will place the reader in
possession of the history of this case, and the
usages of the Government in similar cases,
while it will expose the true character of the
clamor which, for political effect, has been at
tempted to be raised about the payment of the
interest. That there was as much equity and
justice in the payment of the interest as the
principal, no candid or fair minded man will
gainsay after a perusal of this communication.
Mr. Crawford had for years been the repre
sentative of the heirs of Galphin, and in Au
gust, 1848, had acquired rights under the ac
tion of Congress, (which body acknowledged
the justice of the debt apd nw
Which right we presume no intelligent man will
insist could be annuled by his acceptance of a
seat in Gen. Taylor’s Cabinet—by one of
... VMV... * AMBZAVZ* v vzzauiMd iJhhV MI
whom the question of the payment of the in -
tereat was to be determined:
The Galphin Claim.
To the Editors of the H'ashinoton Republic.—
Gkktlkhxn: Havii>» no intereat in tho claim
which is considered, n» knowledge of any of
the parties concerned, and never having even
conversed with any officer of Government on
the subject, but anxious nlone for the preser
vation of those principles of law and public
justice in which every citizen is interested, I
respectfully solicit the insertion of the enclos
ed communication in the Republic.
The Galphin Claim —The act of Congress
approved 14th August, 1848, requires ‘That
the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is
hereby authorized and required to examine
and adjust the claim of the late George Gal
phin, under the treaty made by the Governor
of Georgia with the Creek and Cherokee In
dians in the year 1773, and to pay the amount
which may lie found due lo Milledge Galphin,
out ol any money in the treasury not other
wise appropriated ’’
In conformity with this act, the Secretary of
the Treasury, with the advice of the law offi
cer of the Government, found the amount due
to Galphin. under the treaty, io be, in 1773,
£9.791 15s. 5d., which has been paid by the
Secretary, with interest thereon.
It is not denied that the amount stated was
due to Galphin. under the treaty, and, if this
be so, it follows, as a consequence, under the
provisions of the law of Congress, the; it
was the imperative duty of the Secretary to
pay the amount of the claim The claim of
Galphin was a claim for principal and interest.
If the principal was justly due in 1773, which
is not questioned, then, from the nature of the
claim, interest followed as a legitimate conse
quence.
The Secretary was bound to pay the claim
arising under the treaty of 1773.
Was the Secretary, in construing this law
of Congress, to be governed by usage of his
Department, under our municipal laws, or by
the public law 7 What is the domestic usage 7
And what, in such cases, is Ihe tule of tile
public law 1 The true answer to these
questions will furnish a key for a just interpre
tation.
The position can be maintained, that he
should have made the payment as he did, cither
under domestic usage, or under the principles
of the public law. To correct an error which
lias been proclaimed, it is necessary to slate
that this Government does pay interest in do
mestic cases, as will be shown ; and it cannot
be controverted that the universal rule of the
Public Law is to allow interest in all cases of
just claims.
It appears that, in 1773, the Indians made a
cession of about 4,000,000 acres of land lo the
i British government, in trust, to pay various
traders, under which commissioners were ap-
< pointed to liquidate the debts and dispose of
7 the lands, and pay the proceeds thereof to the
traders.
1 Belore this trust was executed by a disposi-
P tion of the lands, the war of the Revolution oc
curred. Georgia disposed of these lands
(trust property) by giving tham as bounty
lands to soldiers, &e. In 1780 Georgia admitted
her appropriation of the trust property, and in
vited a presentation of the claims of those in
jured, and offered her certificates, with interest
thereon for the amount, to such as had been
“friends of America.” The other traders join
ed ibe cause of Great Britain; and although
they and the British government lost the lands
by the contest, still the government of Great
Britain paid them both principal and interest.
Galphin joined the cause of the Revolution,
but applied to the British government for pay
ment, which rejected the claim, upon the
ground that he was false lo their interest. He
theu applied to the Legislature of Georgia,
which admitted their appropriation of the trust
property and the justice of the claim, and va
rious committees reported bills for the pay
ment of principal and interest. But as the
State of Georgia had ceded to the United
States the territory which now for-■ s the States
ol Mississippi and Alabama and as this proper
ty now comprising soma three counties in
Georgia—was used to secure thecause of In
dependence, that State thought that the Gov-
> ernment of the United Statesshoi.ld pay this re
cognised and admitted just debt; and accord
ingly Congress did, by the act of 1848, assume
' the whole liability, and required the Secretary
j of the Treasury to pay the same.
, The claim has always been urged for pay
’ ment of principal and interest; and if due ini
der the treaty, the law of 1848 required the
Secretary to pay the claim.'
Mr. Secretary Walker, near the close of bis
1 administrative duties, paid the principal under
this law, and reserved, very properly, (for
want of time.) the question of interest to be
carefully considered by his successor. Such
briefly, appears to be the history of this claim.
Should the question of interest be consider
ed under our domestic usage, or the Public
Law 7
The broad assertion that this Government does
not pay interest, is unfounded >a /act. As a
general rule, this may be true tn domestic
cases. Chief Justice Taney, when he was
Attorney General, in the case of Major Tbarp,
September 10, 1831, (Attorney General’s opin
ions. page 841,) says:
- That 1 am not aware of any statute of the
Untied States that forbids Ute Secretary of
War, or the accounting officer,, to allow interest
toaclatma U t,if ,t shall appear that interest «
jUMIy doe him.’