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FOE SALE,
1 ULltlfli: mVI'ITHIA
Beoaging to tl.t* *. tatc of John H. Milner, •[,,■. , h-cI,
lying on
KL.KIN’B CREEK,
Three and a half mile* vrest ot Zebufon, l ike county,
Da , and fourteen miles from Gi ittin
TUB TRACT CONTAINS
ONE THOUSAND ACHES,’
About 200of wak-.li U bottom laud, which if ;-r
ditched, would be worth SSO per a< r*-. A cou-idcrable
portion of the uncleared upland la worth ilia rich,
and i hut which ha* been in cultivation has proven to be
well adapt and to the growth of cotton, corn, Ac
‘1 he entire tra< tis level and •- i on Best
nnd South by Flkim’ Greek, and the Farm is inter-
Hpurm and with Cany bram hex, wll adapted to keeping
cattle in winter at very little expense.
On the whole, it is one of the beat Plantations in Mid
dle Georgia, and as the Kxei utors wUb to sell it during
the present year, purchasers are requested to call and
aeelt. IL W. tIILNKIt, f„ ,
•pfß w tni N. L. IIKCKt (Ml, )
PUBLIC SALE.
Town Lots ! Town Lots!
tiril.l, be sold at Cleveland, the county site of
}} White county, (la, on the FOURTH .MONDAY
IN JUNE next, the lot* in said town.
Term*—One eighth of the purchase money down—the
balance in two annual payment*, without interest. Na e
in continue from day to day
N. H. The public buildiegs will lie let at the tame
time and place. The plan of the buildings will be thAt
of Hlairsville, Union county, Oa
ANDREW DORSEY, J 1 <
CARY COX, J I C.
iuyl!B WM B SHELTON. J 1.0
PLANTATION FOR SALE
f|l 118 subscriber, wishing to curtail his Fauning in**
1 terest, offers for sale his valuable PLANTATION
in Macon county, Ala., lying on the direct road t< Kn
fan la, seven milers east of Union Spring, and about six
miles from the present terminus of the Mobile & Girard
Railroad.
The Plantation contains about 1114 acres, rOO open
and in a high state of cultivation, under good and sub
Htantial fence*
There is on the place a large and commodious Dwel
ling, with five room* ; new Gin House and Screw, all
uecessary buildings, and well wateraA*
Persons wishing to purchase one • /Nr most des.i able
places In this section, would do well to call and take a
look at the place. For further particulars, addre: the
subscriber at Chunnennggce, Ala
apHwitm WILLY M BIRD.
EXECUTORS’ SALE
rIMI K following property, comprising the whole e .
1 late of Maj Jool Crawford, deceased, late of Early
county, Ga, will be *old at public auction on Wednes
day, the 15th of DJBCEMHEII next, unless di ;p sed of
prev ou*ly, by private contract, to wit:
2100 acres of Oak aud Hickory LAND, on Spring
creek, iu the 4th district of Early county-1000 acres
cleared.
U 166 acres of Pine LAND, including Mill and Resi
dence, on Colomokee creek, in the sth district of Early
—about 1100 acres cleared.
frJO acre* In the 2d district of Gilmer county, consist
ing of Lots No. iNJB in the 11 Lh district aiul Till in the 25th
district of said section.
Also, HO NEGROES, aud the other personal estate of
Terms of sale. —One third on delivery, cue third in
one year, and one third in two years—the two latter
bearing interest from .late of delivery
JAMES BIICHANON, t „ ,
CHAN. P. CRAWFORD, >
M*y h 1856 •’ ■
STRAYED OR STOLEN,
\ltl{l4<llT Sorrel MARE, abi ut rt year* old, be
longing to C. J. Carpenter, of this city. She is of
medium *ir.e, ha* a white spot on the forehead, left bind
ft*)! white up t> the fetlock, and the back o( the neck i*
affected with poll-evil. A liberal reward w ill be paid to
any one who will return said Mare or give auy informa
ion which may lead to her recovery.
C. J. CARPENTER,
myfi-wtf Augusta, Ga.
SITUATION AS TEACHER WANTED.
AYOING tiFNTLK.YIAN, from Virginia, who
waa educated at one of the best Colleges in Uie
United States, w ishes a SITUATION as Principal of au
Academy, Assistant Teacher m some good School, or
Tutor in a private family
Would be competent to teach the Latin, Greek aud
Mathematics. The beat of reference given, as to char
acter and capacity. Please address
jandl d.Vwtf H. V. SMITHSON. AngusUG*.
RANAWAY
I.MUMI the subscriber, on the 25th inst, my Negro
I* Man Ah'S VIS, wh •is about titty four years old.—
Hi* complexion is lilack . height five feet ten inches ;
weigh* about one hundred ami fifty pounds -. with a
front tooth out. Had ou, whoa leaving, a dark colored
fcoinbaxine Coat, patelio* on the shoulder, and a high
crown liat and dark pantaloons. 1 will give, tor his de
livery to me, on my plantation in Warren county, near
Powellon, Ten Dollars, or if lodged in any safe jail
where t may get him. and will give Fifty Dollars i t
found in the possession of auy w hite man who is at
templiug to make off with him, with sufficient proof to
convict any such person,or persons, o the same.
BENJAMIN F ROGERS
Powolton, Geo . April 27. 1858. my 2 wdm
PLANTATION FOR SALE
/■ Ml K subscriber i* offering for *alo h- PLANTA
I TION in Clay county, Ga., containing about 7do
Meres —about 250 acre* cleared. good Dwelling. Gm
l louse and Screw, all new. and lying on the river about
f or 9 miles above Fort Gaines.
fehs wtf JAM EH GRIER
FOR SALfi,
A PLANTATION containing 1500 acres Land, well
limbered. 200 acre- cleared. ai:d produces the best
Boa Island Cotton and Provision*of all kinds. A good
two story Dwelling, containing seven rooms, with .<>ut
fire places, and 40 feet Piasaa . Kitchen, .Sumke House,
wo story Com>n House. Gin House, aud other buildings,
are ou the premise*, with a Well of good water . a fine
range for Hogs aud Cattle; Fish and Oysters convenient
lu large abundance. A more healthy, pleasant location
U not to be found in Southern Georgia. Further par
icular* can be obtained by application to the subscriber
at Savannah. V WOOLLEY
novls-wtf ___________
TO GRAIN GROWERS.
11TK shall be enabled this ea*on to supply Grain
ff Growers with
Five varieties of HORSE POWERS .
Five varieties of THRESHERS .
Seven sixes of FAN MILLS ;
Ten dozen GRAIN CR ADLES .
THE KENTUCKY HARVESTER, whn h,ou account
of its strength and simplicity of construe lion, is decided
ly the best REAPER for the Southern States .
BELTING, aad all necessary art - ies for getting grxiu
ready for market. CARMICHAEL A BEAN
tub 14 wdm Augusta, tieorpva
DROPSY CURED
riMIK aadersigned propose* to CURE DRtIPSY of
£ every deecr.ption. He can be seen peraonailv five
miles aouth of I'nion Point, or addressed by letter to
Union Point, Greene county. Ga. The Medic re can
b* sent anywhere by railroad, with directions t*r
giving it; or, 1 will attend personally, if request
ed. and paid for my trouble t will buy Negroes
afflicted with Dropsy, or cure them, a* the owner may
prefer Satisfactory reference* given, if desired.
v MILKS G BROOME.
Si*t* of Georg m. linen* con
This is to certify tha* niv father ha*l a Mgrro man ai
fiicted with Drop*> in lbW . he had been treated by se
\eral physicians without any cure, when he applied to
M G Broome for his remetly. which cured fcim He is
still living, aud in good health.
Jan. 21. lb5A HISRT CHAMPION
Union Point, t-reeue co . April 7, 1858.
ap9-wtsaals9
BANKS!BANKS! LANDS!LANDS!!
s hAKbK quantity of the best Planting and Faria
lag LANDS u > -.them Gv- rg a aud e.-ewherc. in
Tracts of 250 to 2.000 acres to suit purchaser* Also,
ten to fifteen league* of select ru Lands, wtth cleai
titles, is now offering at very low at the the Georgia
Land Pics, in Augusta.
Bills of the Augusta, Savannah, Athens, and the
Charleston aud Hamburg suspended iUnks. wit be ta
ke in payment at par value. Negroes will be taken si
o. aud the highest cash prices allowed.
Persons destrous of forming settlement*, or makiuc
safe investments, will find it to their interest tc cal! at
our Dice, Warren lUnge, Augusta, Ga
JAMES M DAVISON,
Land Agent and Real Estate Broker
ocll7-diw*wif
SOUTHERN FRUIT TREES.
FRUITLAXD NURSERY,
Antrunn. iia.
, t <|| K notwcnbw offer’ for **> am anrivUeJ tor., -a
1 ot Southern FRUIT and ORXAMKM'AL 1 K4.h>.
.owi-tm* Ui pan of Apple*. Feu-s, I'eaches. Plums,
Noctannw. Apricot*. Straw tarries. Kaspbenc*. drape-,
Fwa Rose*. Kvergrot-u*. (*manienla. Sprat'*. Ac. A.
Anew Descriptive Catalogue of Fraii and Ornamen
tal Tree* etc ,wth Hiilto* Prjyer Outlmi ak Mee
scrawl, will be sent lo all applicant by n ail free of
7~LiMfv Address O. REDMOND. Augusts, lia
“far Catalogues farn.ned. and order* reoe.ved. by
J il Service and Win Uames. Broad street. Aur.UU.
Dovtd-dfwAwtf
r ARM IN HABERSHAM COUNTY
FORSA.K.
~ ue FAKM belonging to the estate of tb. late R. bt
I D Carmichael, about hall a nule trorn the Court
bouse in Clarksville. cootaronj IMt acroa-bl a.res of
which, lying on the Soque River, are in a high state of
oultivaiiob and improvement. and capab.e ot producing
as much as anv laud Is upper llrorgu To any person
“stung “superior F arm, in a healthy and
Zeuwot country, surrounded by intelligent and retoed
M*ty, the above offers a rare opportunity For fur
‘bur particulars and tonus, apply to n.
CARMICHAEL A BRAN. Augusta, C.A.
LUMBER NOTICE.
HA A I Mi placed my Saw M.iland Lumber
m the bauds of Mr JAMES L COLEMAN. ■? or
ders handed bon, or addressed lo him. Boa 8R Augusta
P. 0.,0r to myself, at Mcßean F 0- will meet with
prompt attention lauej J R V*A I■K E K
IJIUKI.KS. ,
15 do sen gallon PlCk-LES. assorted
15 do. half gallon PlCßLESpussorted;
15 do quart do. do. do.
Joat received at
jeon O ANTIQNAC A HUBBARD a
v£jjrmutie & Scutinrl.
Fr.,m Oe Hem York Ttmn.
THE KlfillTOF SKtRCH.
Hi'tari of N'gatuai**, Between the British and
Anuru-an (internments on this .Svhjert.
The rewjut proeeeciujje of British cruisers upon
our coast, in erreetinK nnd eiamininjf vessels carry
‘trips American fla-f. for Ihe purp.s-e of delerinin
|jy liii-i’ paper- the-r nationality, has drawn
public attention afresh to the poßition hitherto &e
----nurried by the two ( >vermnect upon thia tubject.
It ie scarcely y to ay that the of
r*e H rch now in qaeeuon h entirely different from the
i-iirM of which led to the war of 1812 and lhat
the t wo Riuat not te ooofottoded in any diecuenion or
t-rf.i<seraton of the eubjocr. Tae farmer was the
rigid a-rferted and exercised by Great Hritian of board
ing Am rioan v -*-!•* ajusteri ng their crews and tak
ing away any Hri*eh-born subjects who might be
found amorjk them It whs mainly in resistance to this
t-ret/ i;ion.—which was founded upon the doctrine
that no subject of Great Britian c uld alienate him
*eif or free himself from the duties of that character,
—that toe War of 1812 waa waged and [although
? thing waa sa dos this right in the Treaty of
Peace, it has never -ince that time been practically
asserted or exercised towards any American vessel.)
The right of search now in controversy is mere
iy the right of visiting k ehip and examining her pa
p< r-, to determine her right to the flag she may car
ry at her masthead: —and it grew out of the abo
lition of the slave trade. The United States, it will
be remembered, was the first power of Christen
dom to provide for the extinction of tuis traffic
Subsequently, the movement received the impulse
of British philanthropy. The cry of abolition be
came the most popular with which the English poii
pician could enter upon a Parliamentary canvass.
As the cause of c netitational free Join darkened in
Europe, the entire energy of British policy was ap
parently directed to the extinguishment or the negro
traffic and h*sr diplomacy was confined to securing
treaties with friendly governments tributary to this
benevolent object. The earliest advance on the
subject made to the Government of the United
S Htee occurred during the second term of President.
Monroe. Mr. Rush was Minister at the Court of
St. James . Mr Canning, the accomplished scholar,
wit and orator, the English Foreign Secretary The
treaty framed by these able negotiators established
a prohibitory iriaratime police, extending not only
to the coast of Africa, but to that of America, North
aud South, and embracing a mutual right for the
cruisers of either nation to overhaul the merchant
men of the other, and to verify their flag, by visit
ing the vessels, examining their papers, log and car
go, and other wise exercioing what is understood to
be the right of search. The treaty was approved
by President Monroe, and his Secretary, Mr. Adams,
who submitted it to the Senate. That body very
j- perly objected to so muck of the baPf'ain as placed
tit* American water* under the supervision of the
conjoint Jl els . but, accepting the rest, it was traus
milted to London for the ratification of Ilia Majes
ty's Government. Mr. Canning, however, express
ed lively dissatisfaction with the American amend
ment ; complained—not comprehending our politi
cal system —of the Senate’s intervention, and threw
the paper aside. With other Powe a, however, the
negotiation was from time to time successfully prose
cuted Spain, France, Portugal, one after the otn
♦ r, acquiesced in the British anti-Slave trade propo
se ioua—the latter signing a treaty on the subject as
late as 1838.
With tiie adhesion of Portugal arose anew state
of thiugs -one pregnant with trouble for this Gov
ernment. So long as Great Britain alone prosecu
t i the watch, the trader had a choice of the French.
Spanish, Portuguese and American Hags, beueatb
winch to shelter his traffic. As these Powers suc-
CHFive’y repented and turned thief takers, the
choice of national ensign was narrowed, until, in
1838, the fiag of the United States alone served the
flagitious purpose. Strengthened by the adhesion
cf the great maritime Powers, and, at the moment,
greatly in sensed by the supposed sympathy of our
people with the Canadian insurrection, the British
Government allowed its cruiren to take unwar
ranted lilr ides with our African traders; and the
••.onsequence was a series of insu Is to our flag, which
i was not in Aim rican patience to tolerate. These
i t t*u!a occurred during 183‘J, 1810 and 1841. Mr.
Andrew Stevenson was at the time our representa
tive at Loudon. He at once addressed urgent ex
postulations ou the subject to Lord Palmerston, the
Foreign Secretary. Jle stated the instances of
r-everal legitimate vessels .f our merchant service,
which Lad been overhauled by the African cruisers;
their papers insolently demanded and examined,
Hi -ir log-books scrutinized to verify the course they
had traveled, their cargoes turned over, and even
niter this severe purgation, two at least of them had
detained for several days. The Douglass, the
i; the lago, the M ry, the Tig ea>, the ooamow,
. cified •• .-I i • iffei• r•. Mr. Ste
venson took the broad ground that the American
lla* should be coi.c u-i as t# the nationality of the
vessel; and Unit in the absence of treaty stipula
tion:*, it was a tlngrant violation of international law
to go o. hind that exponent, and d> maud a sight of
!>ipen* or cargo. To support hitn in this obvious
position, he had the judicial dictum of the‘ablest
English Admiralty lawyer that ever sat. on the
jL-uch—a man oho united in himself, by universal
consent, the most profound knowledge of law, iuall
itr departments, with the in<at thorough and uni
venal accompliahmt 08, the clearest understanding*
I and soundest judgment. Wo refer to Sir William
Sroif, Lord Btowell. In deciding the fate of a
French vessel, captured in 1817, as a slaver, that
eminent man declared .-
“ lean find no authority that gives the light, of
interruption to the navigation of the States upon the
high seas, except that which the right of war gives
to belligerents against neutrals. No nation can ex
.jv.i*e the right of visitation ami search upon com
inon and unappropriated parts of tin* ocean, except
upon belligerent claim.”
And more directly to the point,:
■ No nation has Hie right to force their way to
the liberation ot Africa, by trampling upon the in
dependence of other States, on the pretence of an
eminent good, by means that are unlawful; or to
press forward to a great principle by breaking
through other great principles lhat are in the way.’’
Nji was Mi Stevenson without cotemporary
support, no less influential if less valuable other-
In their ardor to press measures against the
American trade with the African coast, the Mel
bourne Ministry had, in 183‘), brought in a bill to
authorize the search and seizure ot vessels belong
ing to nations outside of the slave trade treaties.
1 he Duke of Wellington spoke strongly against the
Htep in the House ot Lords, believing, he said, that
“ it there was one point more to be avoided than
another, it is that relating to the visitation*Of ves
tvh belonging to the Union. I warn Government
not to proceed, but rather to issue an order in Coun
cil, or a declare ion of wai.” The bill fell to the
ground; but the audacious dialectic* of Secretary
Palmerston did not h ave tiie American Minister
w; h his ant wer Ho as erted the right of search In
its most extensive tense, as a matter equally of obli
gation and necessity ; as a right which Great Bri
tain could tinder no circumstances pretermit. In
his letter dated August 27, 18-11 :
“Her Majesty's Government,’ he said, “have de
, jib and that the flag ot the United Stateenhall exempt
no vessel from sear< h by her Majesty’s cruisers m
the African seas, unless such vessel shall be found
provided with papers entitling her to the protection
of the flag she wears, and proving her to be United
States property, and navigating the ocean accord
ing to law. But this fact cannot oe ascertained
unless an officer of the cruiser, whose duty it is to
ascertain this fact, shall hoard the vessels. T his
examination of papers of merchantmen suspected
of being engaged in the slave trade, even t hough
they may hoist the United States flag, is a proceed
ing which it is absolutely necessary that, British
cruisers employed in supprmeing the slave trade
should continue to practice.”
And to the same stringent purpose;
“Thecruisers employed by her Majesty for the
suppression of the slave-trade, must ascertain by j
inspection of papers the nationality of vessels met ‘
by them under circumstances which justify a su?pi- !
*T*>i that suoh vessels are engaged in the slave 1
trade.*’
At the same time the Government of the United
Stattis was invited to join iu a treaty which should
make the right mutual. A similar invitation Mr.
Van Boren had already promptly rejected; and as
promptly disallowed an agreement to that effect
which the office sos the American and English
squadrons oti the African station* had entered into
for their own convenience. Upon the displace
n i iit of the Whigs in 1841, and the accession of
Lord Aberdeen to the Foreign Office, that states
mau at once coiroboiated the position of Lord
Palmerston, by a communication to Mr. Stevenson,
rived October 13 liis language, referring to the
Quintuple i\ t aty, which tie found ready for sigua
ture in the files ot the office, was:
“The present happy concurrence of the States of
Christendom in this great object, not merely justi
fies, but renders indispensable the right now ci&im
and exercised —”
ro-wit, the right to run.’ and examine the papers
of American t e-ecis for while Scottish caution
dictated to the new Minister that it would never do
upon tl of tlie audacious Pal
merston. ins Scottish shrewdness indicated an in
dued path to the same re*ut. We disavow, he
sHlistantiallv said, ali right to search a vts-ei in
ttnn of peace ; l!ie law ot natn cs is unmistakable
that point. We have no right to set foot upou
on American v sst-1 as such; but we liave a right to
ueuv that she is such, or, rather, we are not to re
cognize her as such until we have examined her
impel* This examination we term a not; ifpush
ed ftirthei, .t becomes a seoret, from the exercise
of which we are restrained by every law and every
- deration Adopting tills pettifogging, which
left evervtbiug at the discretion of im*pousible
swaggerers > H 1 haige of her Majesty's ships-of-war,
1. .tv Aberdeen urgt I forward the Treaty. It was
signed by the plenipotentiaries of the live Great
Powers on the tlOih liecember, 1841. It provided
;or a joint surveillance ever the slave-trade. A
wie ."tie of the Allan tie. extending from Patago
nia to the Carolina*, was dt dared to be “suspicious
ground. ” upou the whole of which, embracing the
American a.* well as the African shores. a vigilant
pci ce was to be maintained. A mutual right of
*tft-cfc was e.-lablished. in short, its conditions
were so adroitly arranged as to insure to the Pow
er poeses.-iig the most powerful marine a substau
t ; d sovereign'.) and custody of the great Atlantic
big. wav, over which the entire eh topi egos the
world is obliged to pass. England, it is needless to
>av, was that leading Power As an operative in
strument. the treaty evidently depended upon the
iiv ral < ti’ tit might produce upou the American
Government, for wither Russia, Austria nor Prus
-i, was engaged iu tne slave-trade, or was required
” aid actively iu its suppression. TLe adhesion of
France w as, however, ot practical importance, and,
ni if. ‘i nnately, it was not in the power of X. Guizot,
who had signed he treat} , to procure its ratiflea
• ion ludeed, one of the “tins! acts o; the Chambers,
upon meeting! in December, 1841, was to pass a
resolution, aimost unanimously, condemning the
compact. The resolve, moved by M . Lefevre, was
as tollows i
We have also the confidence, that, in granting ,
it.* neurrei.ee to the suppression of a criminal ,
irafih , your Government wui know how to preserve
irom every attack the interest of our commerce, ,
and the independence of our flag. ‘ ,
On the heels of this unanimous vote, came a i
l lamph.-t. able and vigorous, andwrit'eu by the i
I, : -sen*. heeretary of vats. theu our envoy at Paris. ‘
It was entitled “An Examination of the Question
t*- w 111 ‘■ ’ between the American and Brit
j* i Gom riuiieut-ronreniing Uj* Right of Search,
by an Amen, an Paris. January o isitd “ The plans
tnd purp sc*the Butts.. Government were min
otaiy dissectedm .ha capital Stat paper, and its
purely philanthrope aims discredited. Almost at
the same moment the Message of President Tyler
with the emphatic assertion of the indisposition ot
this Government tosubmit to the new maritime law
reach- J Praia . The Treaty was at once abtn
,ti lled A letter of Gen. Ca**, of February 13 ifjqo
to M Guimot, was needed to seal its doom ‘ Asa
;ormai maiter it Lad to be submitted to the Legisla
tive Assembly. but botn in the Chamber ot Peers
end the Chamber of Deputies, it was found to be
Itopeleseiy unpopular.
On December 16,1841 Mr. Edward Everett re
placed Mr. Stevenson, at Loudon. He found are
ply of the latter to the letter of L >rd Ab t-rdeen, of
October Id M4.*nt answer. The answer came
presently nCer. Not only dm it di-claim ailrespon
ritMlity fortlie extreme optußms of Lord Palmerston,
hiH ev en e\ in oil a decided modification of tone
tri®3 that of his lordship's former letter. It confined
the right even of visit, to vessels of extremely sus
picious character, iu tne ;sustec:ed vicinage itself;
and intimated that since February, ld4l, the Afri
can fleet had been met meted not to interfere with
vessels bearing the American flag although kaoira
to be engag’ din the biave trade. Mr Everett was
also enabled to procure ample indemity for two or
Itb'-ee veesels which the British cruisers had over-
Laxied and detailed. Such waa the etate of the
qu ction, when Lord Ashburton arrived in Wash
ington, in April, 1842, empowered to adjust all out
-tending issues between the two Governments.—
The fruit of uia visit was the Treaty of August 9,
by which the Northeastern Boundary was adjusted,
t.L*: extradition of criminals arranged, and provision
made for terminating the slave-trade. No men
• ion, not a word, was inserted in regard to the “right
i search.’’ It was simply agreed that the United
States should maintain a squadron on the African
coast lor the suppression of the traffic, and should
.) -la in expostulating, if need were, with the Span
ish and Brazilian Governments for permitting the
m;porta*ion of slaves. To those who had felt warm
ly upon the subject of British pretensions, this
<-rr.it seemed unpardonable. It is a chronic
habit of Gen. Cass to feel warmly upon all subjects
where England is a party. Even after officially
announcing his intention to relinquish bis mission,
and return to the United States, he could not, upon
receiving a copy of the Treaty, refrain from record
ing. in the form of a dispatch, his mortification at
tteabseuco of a distinct abandonment of the right
of search : and protesting against a final adju d
ment, which left the most important topic in die
pute unadjusted. ‘‘Why, - ’ pats'ng over this vital
arid momeutous topic, asked the General, “have
you inserted an obligation to do that for the sup
pression of the Slave-trade which you have been
actually doing for years, and which your own laws
oblige you to do ? Why have you committed your
self to entangling engagement© with European pow
ers, t hereby entering into a diplomatic system from
which it has been the traditional policy of our Gov
ernment to stand aloof?” An angry correspou
o-ncc, angry and denunciatory at least on Mr.
Webster s part, was the progeny of this dispatch,
which only ended after several conflicts on the
fi >or of the Berate, wherein the dispassionate gene
i aily deeemd that the great New-Englauder fell
short of a fair and final self-justification.
Experience has shown that it would have been
v Ler to Lave made the obnoxious right, or claim to
right, a subject of definite convention at the time.
While the traffic between Africa and Brazil has de
c .i ed, aud indeed, alrnoet wholly ceased to exist, it
Lis acquired new vitality between Africa and
Cuba. The cost of labor in that island, has proved
a s*r< ng temptation to the ouddity of adventurers.
Cargoes of slaves have been landed with increasing
frequency. The Spanish government and its offi
cers in Cuba, are more than suspected ofencourag
ing the trade. Foreigners retort to American ports,
procure vessels to be built for the service, or buy
i p old ones ; carry them beyond the United States
before placing upon them the apparatus betraying
their business aud destination ; aud we presently
hear of tn American vessel having landed its load
of negroes in some of the cayos of the island. Com
panies are formed among the planters themselves to
obtain and equip these vessels. Ordinarily fast
sailers, they elude the vigilance and pursuit of the
coast-guard, and only discharge their livmg freight
when accomplices on shore are prepared to expe
dite and conceal the transaction. It is said thatone
such cargo has been discharged upon American soil
within the last twelve mouths. Under these cir
cumstances, the Government of England has held it
aJvisable not only to transfer the theatre of its in
spection to the neighborhood of the two Spanish
islands, thus approaching aud occupying ground
perpetually crossed by American merchantmen, but
there to employ excessive vigilance in its watch
The consequence is constant interference with our
mercantile marine. Vessels passing to or from the
Gulf of Mexico, and actually within sight of our
snore, have been brought to by a cannon-shot, visit
ed, their officers tudely treated, aud only sent on
their way after serious detention. These outrages
have recurred with augmented frequency since 1852.
It seems as if, relinquishing the practical enforce
ment of her claim to the right of search upon the
African coast, the British government, to reuder it
msuflerably offensive to our people, had resolved
i it in our own waters, and indiscriminate
ly. Case alter case has recently occurred, com-
I elling public attention to the subject, while atten
t on is also compelled to the fact, that while thus im
pertinently busy in suppressing the Cuban trade in
African slaves, Great Britain is largely interested
m ihe purchase and sale of Chinese and Hindosta
uee slaves, or Coolies, and iu abetting anew form
ot negro slave trade upon which the Government of
Fi ance has lately embarked. Viewing these suspi
ious indications of insincerity, a'ong with the known
anxiety of England to baffle any American move-
Tnent for the annexation ot Cuba, and the vexatious
behavior of her cruisers, the American public has
made up its mind to be vehemently dissatisfied with
th i existing state of things, aud to take some step
f r settling effectively this controverted right of
search. Oppor'unely, Hie old and able opponentof
the right happens to till ihe State Department ; and
again, opportunely, the British Minister, Lord Na
pier, lias found it expedient to remind this Govern
ment, and not without a dash of uffieiou3nees, of its
neglected out ies in regard to the Slave traffic. In*
his despat ch of April 10, ult., Gen. Cass replies to
these instances. He reviews the history of the
Search question from 1841 downwards ; admits
that from 1842 until quite Recently there had been a
virtual suspension ot the exercise of the right; but
dwells with much energy on the late outrages, and
trusts
“That such instructions will be issued by your
< Government to the British naval officers employed
upon this service as will prevent, all interference
with American merchant vessels, and thus prevent
the recurrence of those causes of complaint, which,
during almost twenty years, have been often the
subject, ot remonstrance on the part of this Gov
ernment.'’
The reply of Lord Napier to this dispatch is either
not written or not yet published. Possibly, in the
retirement of Lord Palmerston more moderate
councils will prevail, as they didin the
right be practically abandoned. Not,
without au elaborate discussion, from which Secre
tary Casa is obviously not inclined to shrink. It
will be no fault of the veteran, indeed, if his ad
ministration be not distinguished by a conclusive
adjustment of this troublesome question ; a question
which, in different shapes, has haunted and vexed
our diplomacy for half a century. It will be a spe
cific glory to lay a ghost which defied the exorcism
of a Clay and a Webster. It will be a triumphant
crown to the long controveiey of the General with
the latter, thus to reduce his arguments to practice.
In anticipation of this result, let us lay out for
the usa of the reader the weapons that will be called
into play in the course of this diplomatic tilt.
Ou the side of Great Britain, it will be alleged
that the African Slave-trade has increased, is in
creasing, and ought to be extinguished. It can on
ly be done by the vigilance of the Anti-Slave trade
cruisers, in noting narrowly the character of all
vessels approaching the slave coast of Africa, or
entering the keys of Cuba. The American flag is
abused for the protection of the traffic, and there
fore American vessels ae obnoxious to peculiarly
severe scrutiny. It, then, the right to visit, which
you persist in regarding as equivalent to the right
to search, be denied us, how are we to ascertain
whether the flag is abused or not ? Will not the
guilty at once resort to that shelter as an effectual
screen against, detection ? May not English cruis
ers be often deterred by this practice from over
hauling their own national vessels so disguised?
How, m fact, without this aid can the Slave-trade
treaties be executed ? Are you quite sure that the
policy of your Government is not prompted by a
secret desire to defeat these treaties, and permit a
re-opening of the Slave trade on your own shores ?
The American answer in, that if the Slave-trade
treaties cannot be exercised without this practice,
*o much the worse for the treatiee. While we joiu
in deploring the existence of that traffic, aud the
injury it inflicts upon the African race, we cannot
forget what is due to the other and more civilized
races of mankind, nor sacrifice the freedom of
American soil to secure freedom for that of Africa.
For, by universal consent of maritime authorities, the
deck over which floats the American flag is, upon
the high seas, American soil. The sanctity of this
*oil we cannot permit to -be violated upon any pre
tence whatever. True, it may subserve the ends of
human justice to allow the slave-trader to be pur
sued even into ths shadow of any particular flag,
it is equally true that it would in myriads of cases
subserve the same ends, if the fugitive criminal
upon land, escaping from one State, could be pur
sued and arrested by the officers of justice upon the
soil of another. But no power on earth concedes
right to another. So jealous is each in this regard,
that even between the States of this confederacy,
the warrant of one is not permitted to run upon the
soil of its neighbors. We claim the same immuni
ty for the territory which American flag marks as
ours upon the high sea a , as we claim for the soil of the
Union. Slave-tiade is pinmy; but we should never
permit British arms to pffsue and capture pirates
upon our shores, however much any specific case of
the sort might promote the interests of just ce, and
we cannot permit a corresponding act of invasion
to be pertra'ed at sea. We claim that our flag ex
empts us from search; and appeal to the entire code
of maritime law for authority. So careful have we
ourselves been in the observance of the principle
towards others, that when our war vessels has been
sent to cruise an ong the Antilles in pursuit of pi
rates, they have been emphatically instructed to
overhaul no vessel which did not wear our bunting.
Nor do we admit that nothing less than a visit and
inspection can enable your cruisers to distinguish
the nationality of a vessel, or discriminate its char
acter.
The practiced ei eof the mariner seldom fails to
judge the origin of a ship from its hull and rig ; and
its mt-ocence or guilt from its behavior in the pres
ence cf the examining cruiser. The instances where
this description of scrutiny is inadequate are rare ;
and we hold better that such rare c ses should oc
cur, than that the maritime rights of all the nations
of ihe world, possessing less potent navies than that
of Great Britain, should be trampled under foot. If,
iu short, eigeteen years ago, we stood ready to op
pose even with arms, the exercise of this unfair
principle, when it was applied to our insignificant
trade upon the coast of Africa, how much more
strenuously shall we oppose it, when brought to our
very doors, and exercised upon the main body of
out commerce. And, if we are to talk of suspicions,
have we not much greater reason to believe, in the
presence of British traffic in Coolies, and British in
dorsement of negro apprenticeship, that a desire to
defeat magiuery design of our people upou Cuba,
and not love of the African, is at the bottom ot this
officious and troublesome zeal ? Or are you pre
pared to carry cut the principle, by permitting
American eruisiers to line the coast of China, and
stop and search vessels bearing Union Jack for in
going opium. which the laws of China and your
treaties with her forbid; or for outgoing Coolies,
whose wrongs cry to heaven as loudly as those of
the African!
Why not, then, asks the Briton, by way of repli
cation, why not enter into a treaty rendering the
right mutual as other nations of Christendom have
been ready to do ?
Why not, inquires the American, in his rejoinder,
establish a reciprocal right to pursue and capture
fugitives, criminals or slaves, upon the soil of either
Government T If you see any objection to permit
ting us to seizelhe runaway Samboor Jack Shep
pard in Canada, in exchange for an equivalent
privilege on American soil, that objection applies
to the right you desire to exercise upon our ship
ping But above and beyond that we have no in
tention of departing from the established policy of
our Government, which forbid* the formation of
.such pact* with European powers. The Slave
trade clause in the Ashburton Treaty iras a depar
ture from that policy; and we are disposed to let it
remain exceptional. Equally anomalous was the
complicity of this Government, under Mr. Web
ster's auspices, with the triple intervention in Hay
tiau affair-. but as we are not likely to repeat that
error, admitting the right of European Mates to
join us in adjusting ei* Atlantic questions, eo we
shall carefully avoid any repetition ot the other.
And. after ali, would not the reciprocity established
by such a treaty be purely imaginary ? Does any
one believe that a single English merchantman
would be searched by an American cruiser, where
a hundred would be overhauled, delayed, and ill
treated by the British ?
Such are the arguments. The reader can bal
ance them at his leisure.
The Texes Free Nubo Law —The last Legis
lature of Texas passed an act allowing free
persons of color in lha: State, of their own free will
to select masters and become slaves, some of the
free blacks are availing themselves of its beneticent
provisions. A Bastrop correspondent of the New
Orleans Delta reports the case of “William, a free
man of African descent,’ who filed his petition,
aud was on the 7th inst, allowed to choose his mae
"■t'r Tire applicant was an intelligent man, who had
been North and seen the true condition of the free
negroes of that region , his age is about! hirty years,
and he has a good character for honesty and indue
:i 7- The presiding judge was careful to institute a
searching examination to ascertain whether any un
due infiuence had been used to induce the petitioner
to make Lis and finding that it was his
yoluutary ana deliberate act, bound him over for
life to a good master. Ifi the language of the Delta’s
cor respondent, William ‘prefeired a Southern gen
tie man for a master to a Northern abolitionist for a
companion. ”
AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING, JUNE 9, 1858.
Trican Emigrant*— Letter of Secretary Cobb.
Trcascry Department, May 22.1858.
Sir —lt appears from your letter of 20th April,
1858, that application has been made to you by
Messrs. E Lafttte Sl Cos., merchants of Charleston,
S C , “to clear the American ship Richard Cobden,
W. F. Black master, burthen 750 31 95 tons; for the
coast of Africa, for the purpose of taking on board
African emigrants, in accordance with the United
States passenger laws, and returning with the same
to a port in the United Stales.”
You ask the opinion of the department upon
the propriety of your granting or refusing the ap
plication.
The question is an important one, and I have de
layed an auswer to your letter until I could give
the subject a proper examination.
The form in which this application is presented
involves the question in some embarrassment. Ths
object of the applicants must be either to import
Africans, to be disposed of as slaves, or to be bound
to labor or service A-or else to bring them into the
country like other emigrants, to be entitled, ou their
arrival, to ail the rights and privileges of freemen.
In either of the two first named contingencies, the
object would be so clearly and manifestly against
the laws of the United States, as to leave no room
for doubt or hesitation. 1 deem it proper, how
ever, to call your attention to the provisions of
those laws, as they indicate very clearly the gener
al policy of the zovernmeut on the subject of Afri
can importation.
Prior to the Ist January, 1808, the timed fixed by
the Constitution when Congress would be author
ized to prohibit such importation—the Acts of 2d
March, 1794, (1,347,) and 10th May, 1800,(270,)
were passed. These laws indicate the strong op
position felt at that time to the African slave trade,
ihe subsequent Act of March 2d, 1807, (2,426.)
and 20th April, 1818, (3,150,) as well as the Acts
of 3d March, 1819, (3,532,) and 15th of May, 1820,
(3,600.) show not only the promptness with which
the power was exercised by Congress of prohibit
ing this trade to the United States, but they also
bear evidence of the stern purpose of enforcing
their provisions by severe penalties and large ex
penditures. The legislation of the slaveholding
States prior to 1808, exhibits the fact that the firet
steps taken for its suppression were inaugurated by
them.
There is no subject upon which the statute books
of our country afford more conclusive evidence
than the general opposition everywhere felt to the
continuance of the African slave trade.
By reference to the acts of 1794 aud 1800, against
the slave trade generally, it will be seen that their
operation was confined to slave co nomine. The
first section of the act of 1794 provides, “ That no
citizen or citizens of the United States, or foreign
er, or any other person coming into or residing with
in the same, shall, for himself or any other person
whatsoever, either as master, factor or owner,
build, tit, equip, load or otherwise prepare any ship
or vessel, within axy port or place of the said U.
States, nor shall cause any ship or vessel to sail
from any port or place within the same, for the pur
pose of carrying on any trade or traffic in slaves , to
any foreign country ; or for the purpose of procur
ing, from any foreign kingdom, place or country,
the inhabitants of such kingdom, place or country,
to be transported to any foreign country, port or
place whatever, to be so and or disposed of, as slaves:
and if any ship or vessel shall be so fitted out, as
aforesaid, for the said purposes, or shall be caused
to sail, eo as aforesaid, every such ship or vessel,
her tackle, furniture, apparel and other appurten
ances, shall be forfeited to the United States, and
shall be liable to be seized, prosecuted and con
demned in any of the Circuit Courts, or District
Court for the District where the said ship or vessel
may be found aud seized.”
The language of the Act of 1800 is the same in
this respect. Both contemplaiten general terms the
prevention of the trade m slaves. When, however,
in 1807, and subsequent thereto, Congress under
took to prevent the importation of slaves into the
United States, the language of the law was made
more stringent and comprehensive. The first sec
tion of the Act of 1807 provides, “That from and
after the first day of January, one thousand eight
hundred and eight, it shall not be lawful to import
or bring into the United State . or the Territories
thereof, from any foreign kingdom, place or couu
try, any negro, mulatto, or person of color, with in
tent to hold, sell or dispose o: Such negro, mulatto,
or person of color, as a slave, or to be field to service
or labory
This law seeks not only to prevent the introduc
tion into the United States of slaves from Africa,
but any negro, mulatto or person of color, whether
introduced as slaves, or to be held to service or labor.
Whether or not the wisdom of our fathers foresaw
at that early day that efforts would be made under
a pretended apprentice system, to renew the slave
trade under another name, I cannot undertake to
say, but the language of the law which they have
left to us in the statute book, leaves no doubt of the
fact that they intended to provide in the most une
quivocal manner against the increase of that claß3
of population by immigrat on from Africa. No one
could then have contemplated an object for which
African emigrants woula be brought to this couu
try, which is not clearly guarded against and for
bidden by the law to which I am now referring. It
is only necessary to add, that subsequent acts on the
subject contain the same language. This view of
the subject is strengthened by reference to the pro
visions of the act of the 28tlJ of February, 1803.
(2,205 ) The first section of that act is as follows :
“ That from and after the first day of April next, no
master or captain of any ship or vessel, or any other
person, shall import, bring, or cause to be imported
or brought, any negro, mulatto, or other person of
color, not being a native, citizen, or registered sea
man of the United States, or seamen natives of
countries beyond the Cape of Good Hope, into any
;>ort or place of the United States, which by law
las prohibited, or shall prohibit, the admission or im
portatiou of such negro, mulatto or other person of
color ; and if any captain or master aforesaid, or
any other peison, shall import, or cause to be im
ported or brought into any of the ports or places
aforesaid, any of the persons whose admission or
importation is prohibited as aforesaid, he shall for
feit and pay the sum of one thousand dollars for
each ana every negro, jnulatto, or other person of
color aforesaid, brought or imported, as aforesaid, to
be sued for and recovered by action of debt, in any
Court of the United States, one-half thereof to the
use of the United States, the other half to any per
son or persons prosecuting for the penalty i and in
auy action instituted for the recovery of the penalty
aforesaid, the person or persons sued may be held
to special bail t Provided always , that nothing in
this Act shall be construed to prohibit the admission
of Indians.”
It will be seen that Congress, by this Act, under
took to co-operate with those States, which, by
State legislation, had interposed to prevent the im
portation of negroes into this country. At that
time the constitutional prohibition to which I have
before referred, restrained Congress from the exer
cise of the absolute power of prohibiting such im
portation. The States, however, being under no
such restraint, had, in several instances, adopted
measures of their own; and the Act of 1803 shows
the promptness of the general government in exer
cising whatever power it possessed in furtherance
of the object.
The language of this act is important in another
view. It will be observed that its object is to pre
vent the importation into the United States of “any
negro, mulatto, or other person of color, not being
a native, a citizen, or registered seaman of the
United States, or seaman natives of countries be
yond the Cape of Good Hope.” It is not confined
L to slaves or negroes bound to labor, but contem
plates the exclusion, in the broadest terms, of all
such persons, without regard to the character in
which they may be brought. It excludes free per
sons, as well as slaves and persons bound to labor or
service. The only limitation in the act is, that it is
confined to auch persona as are prevented by the
laws of any of the States from being imported into
such States.
At that time there existed laws of some of the
States, not only prohibiting the introduction of ne
gro slaves, but also free negroes. Indeed, the poli
cy of the slaveholding States has always been op
posed to the increase of its free negro population;
and it is proper here to remark that at the present
time that policy is more earnestly sustained in those
States than at any previous period of their history.
After this reference to the laws on the subject, it is
hardly necessary to repeat, that if the application
of Messrs. Latitte <fc Cos. contemplates the intro
duction of negroes into the United States from Af
rica, either iu the character of slaves, or as appren
tices bound to service or labor, it is clearly in viola
tion of both the letter and spirit of the law, and can
not be granted.
The form of the application made by Messrs.
Latitte & Cos. would seem to contemplate the intro
duction into the United States of negroes from Afri
ca, entitled on their arrival to all the rights and
privileges of freemen. The proposition upon its
face is so absurd, that it is hardly worthy of serious
refutation. Messrs. Lafitte & Cos. ask us to believe
that their vessel, fitted out in the port of Charleston,
S. C., is going upon a voyage to Africa to bring to
some port in the United States a cargo of free ne
groes. The port to * hich the vessel expects to re
turn is not indicated. It cannot be the one trom
which it Bails—nor any other port in the State of
South Carolina—as the introduction of free negroes
into that State is wisely prohibited by stringent
laws, and heavy penalties. It cannot be the port
of any other elaveholdiDg State, as similar laws in
each of those States alike forbid it. The reason for
such laws is so manifest, that I do not feel called
upon either to produce the evidence of their exist
ence, or to justify the policy which led to their
adoption. It is sufficient to know that the public
mind of that section of the Union is not more cordially
agreed upon any one subject, than the propriety
and necessity of prohibiting, as far as possible, an
increase of the free negro population, and hence the
laws to which I refer, prohibiting their importation
from any place.
Can it be that Messrs. Lafitte & Cos. propose to
return with their cargo of free negroes to a port in
the non-slaveholding States ? lam not aware of a
single State where these new comers would receive
a tolerant, much iess a cordial welcome ; whilst by
stringent laws and constitutional provisions, some
of them have provided for their unconditional ex
clusion.
Looking beyond the legislation which has been
had on the subject by the general government, and
both the slaveholding and the non-slaveholding
States, I may be permitted to refer, in this connec
tion, to the various repeated and earnest offorta
which have been made in every section of the
Union, to provide for the removal from our midst of
this most unfortunate class. However variant the
motives which have induced these efforts with dif
ferent persons in different sections of the country,
they all exhibit an earnest desire to dimmish rather
than increase the free negro population. This pub 4
lie opinion, thus manifested in every form, is fami
liar to every one, and it would be doing great in
justice to the intelligence of Messrs L&ntte & Cos.,
to suppose th.°.t they alone were ignorant of it
Where, then da they propose to land tbeir carg* of
free negroes ? What is tee motive which induces
the enterprise ? It cannot be the profits of the voy
age. There are no African emigrants seeking a
passage to this country, and if there were, they have
no means of remunerating Meesrs. Lafitte Sl Cos.,
for bringing them. The motive cannot be mere
philanthropy, for it would confer no benefit upon
these negroes to bring them to our shores, where if
permitted to land at all, it would only be to occupy
our pest houses, hospitals and prisons. To believe,
under the circumstances, that there is a bona Jid*
purpose on the part of Messrs. Lafitte &l Cos., to
bring African emigrants to this country to enjoy the
rights and privileges ot freemen, would require an
amount of credulity that would justly subject the
person 60 believing to the charge of mental imbe
ciiity. The conviction is iiTeaistible, that the object
of the proposed enterprise is to bring these “Afri
can emigrants” into the country, with the view
either ot making s'aves of them, or ot holding them
to service of labor. If so, it is an attempt to evade
the laws of the country on the subject of African
importation, to which I have called yonr attention.
Ordinarily it would be an unsafe rule for a public
officer to act upon the suspicion of a purpose on the
part of another to violate the laws of the country,
but in this ease, it is put so clearly beyond the
reach of doubt, that I think that -you not only can,
but that you are in duty bound to act upon the pre
sumption, that it is the intention of Messrs. Lafitte
A (Jo ,to evade the laws of the United States, and
you enonld accordingly refuse their vessel the clear
ance asked for. I am very respectfully,
Howell Cobb,
Secretary of the Treasury.
Wat. F.Coloock, Esq.,
Collector of the Customs, Charleston, S. C.
The Crops is Texas. —The latest accounts from
Texas speak in glowing terms of the splendid con
dition of the crops in that section. All the replanted
ootton and corn is up, and never were the prospects
for good crops better. Fruit, which from its scarcity
has been for the last two or three years, a luxury to
the people will be in great plenty. The peach, the
plum, and such of the fruit trees as grow spontane
ously in Western Texas, are loaded with fruit, while
moskmelons, watermelons and the like are in un
usual mlun dance.
Report of the Tariff’ Bribery Investigating
Committee.
The Select Committee appointed to inquire into
the expenditure of money for the purpose of influ
encing the passage of the tariff p.ct of 1857, by the
Thirty Fourth Congress, reported to the House on
Thursday.
The Committee, acting upon the belief that the
action of the House in instituting that investigation
had been based mainly upon the published report of
a committee of the stockholders of the Middlesex
Manufacturing Company, referred to that paper for
information as to the proper starting point in mak
ing the investigations with which they were charged.
They there ascertained that Richard S. Fay, Jr.,
had acted as secretary of that committee, that the
investigation had been mainly conducted and the
report prepared by him.
After some further introductory remarks, the
Committee give the following summary of the facts
as they came within the range of their inquiry:
Ihe firm of Lawrence, Stone & Cos. was com
posed of Samuel Lawrence, W. VY. Stone, Jarvis
Slade, O. H. Perry and Henry Jenkins. Its princi
pal place of business was in Boston, with a branch
in New York, where a large share of its business
was transacted.
Messrs. Lawrence, Slade and Perry were the
Boston'partners, and Messrs. Stone and Jenkins
had charge of the New York house.
The Middlesex Manufacturing Company is a cor
poration created by the laws of Massachusetts, with
a capital of a million of dollars, engaged in manu
facturing woolen goods. The Bay State Mills is a
corporation of the same kind, created in the same
way, with the same amount of capital aud engaged
in the same kind of business.
Samuei Lawrence was the Treasurer of both ot
these corporations, and the firm ot Lawrence, Stone
& Cos., their selling agents.
All the goods manufactured by the companies
went into the hands of Lawrence, Stone &. Cos.
were sold by them, antfThe proceeds accounted for
aud paid to Samuei Lawrence,Treasurer.
The finances of the Boston house were managed
by Messrs Lawrence and Slade, Mr. Perry's busi
ness being at the mills, and not at the counting
house. Hence Mr. Perry seems not to have been
in any way connected with the matters which the
Committee have been endeavoring to investigate.
The New York house seems to have been mainly
under the control of Mr. Stone and Mr. Jenkins,
and does not seem to have had any direct connec
tion with the matters that have been brought to
the attention of the Committee.
It appears from the evidence that the manufac
turers of woolen goods having for several years
past despaired of obtaining auy legislative protec
tion by an increase of duties on woolens, have been
seeking to accomplish the same result by reducing
the rates on wool, dye stuffs aud other raw mate
rials that were used by the manufacturers. To this
ei and they have been diligently engaged in collecting
and publishing such statistics and arguments as
they considered proper to prepare the public mind
for that step. In this way a small amount of money
was expended prior to the commencement of the
last session of Congress.
The evidence satisfied the Committee that Mr.
Wolcott was sent here and authorized to pledge
any amount of money, and to use any tneaus, how
ever corrupt, to insure th? success of the enterprise.
He does not seem to have had any considerable
sum of money here with him. And from all the
evidence in the case, the Committee are inclined
to the opinion that he was only authorized to pro
mise the payment of money in the event of the suc
cess of the measure.
It is proved that $74,000 was paid to Mr. Wolcott
soon after the adjournment of the last session of
Congress, by Lawrence, Stone & Cos., evidently
for the purpose of fulfilling his alleged promises
and understandings made during the sessiou to
secure the passage of the tariff.
This was in addition to some SSOO advanced for
expenses during the session. The .proofs do not
show that he ever paid a dollar of this sum for the
purpose for which it was advanced, with the excep
tion of $4,000 to George Ashmun,of Massachusetts.
Whether he falsely represented to Lawrence,
Stone & Cos., that he had made promises which re
quired this sum to enable him to meet or whether
he had in fact made promises whica he afterwards
failed to comply with, may be matter of controver
sy, but there is no doubt that he cheated somebody,
and appropriated pretty nearly the whole of this
vast sum to his own use.
It was paid to him during the month of March,
1857.
The first payment was by a draft drawn by
the Boston house upon the N. York house,
dated March 11, 1857, for $25,000
The next was made on the 13th of March
and was paid by Mr. Stone in negotiable
paper and a check upon the Metropolitan
Bank, and amounted to 20,018
On the 14th of March he was paid by Mr.
Stone the further sum of 12,982
On the 10th or 12th of March he was paid by
Mr. Slade in Boston 16.000
Making iu the aggregate $74,000
The further sum of $5,000 was paid through Mr.
Ezra Lincoln to Thurlow Weed, of Albany, N. Y.,
and $8,117.06 was paid by the New York house to
various persons in comparatively small sums.
Ibis makes an aggregate of $87,117.06, which is
the whole amount found in the books of Lawrence,
Stone & Cos., charged to the expenses incurred in
the passage of the tariff of 1857.
Os the 58,117.06 disbursed by the ,New York
house, there was paid to D. M. Stone, editor
of the Journal $3,500
J. N. Reynolds 1,570
A. R. Corbin, Washington 1,070
$6,070
The balance of the SB,OOO was paid for travelling
expenses, newspapers, pamphlets, &.C., &.e.
In addition to this it appears from the testimony
of Mr. Slade, that Lawrence, Stone & Cos. received
from other persons engaged or interested in wool
len manufactures, some $12,000 or $13,000, which
was disbursed by them in addition to the $87,000
which appeared upon their books.
Mr. Slade’s testimony was taken ou the 3d of
May, at Philadelphia, when he could have no ac- I
cess to the books and papers of the firm, and he
could therefore give no account of the disburse
ments of this sum.
It is due to Mr. Slade to say, that lie testified
with entire frankness and candor, and that the
committee consider his statements entitled to full
credit.
As this w T as the first intimation the committee had
from any quarter that there was any expenditure be
yondthe $87,000, they have not since been able to
find any clue to the disbursements of this additional
sum. And the brief time allowed the committee
before they will be disorganized by the adjournment
of Congress, leave no opportunity for further en
quiry.
The evidence also shows that the manufacturers
sought to propitiate and conciliate leading men in
all the political parties of the country to favor their
scheme. Thus, $3,500 was paid to Mr. Stone, edi
tor of an influential tree-trade paper, which sup
ported both the out-going and iucoming administra
tions “for collecting and publishing statistics.” And
SSOOO is paid to Mr. Weed for collecting statistics
and using arguments with members in favor of the
measure. And $1,500 is paid to Mr. J. N. Reynolds,
President of the American Councils of New York
city, for getting up resolutions, etc , etc. It is prop
er for us to say, that at the time Mr. Weed w T aa not
the publisher of a newspaper, that he held no office,
and that his exertions and influence alone were
sought lor and obtained. But it is also true, that
perhaps no mau in the country exerted a larger or
more controlling influence over the Republican par
ty than Mr. Weed.
There is not a particle of evidence that any part
of the sum expended by Lawrence, Stone & Go., to
influence the passage of the tariff of 1857 ever weut
into the hands ot any member of Congress. Aud
if any reliance could be placed in the evidence of
Mr. Wolcott, it shows affirmatively that no portion
of it ever did. But the committee must be permit
ted to say that they have not one particle of confi
dence in the evidence which Mr. Wolcott saw prop
er to give be ore the Committee. He testifies that
he received no money to be used iu influencing the
passage of the tariff of 1857. All the ovidence in
the case flatly contradicts the statement. He says
he paid no money to auy person toj influence the
passage of the tariff. Geo. Ashmuu testifies that
Mr. Wolcott paid him $4,000 for that purpose, and
no other. His evidence is, beyond all controversy,
wilfully and corruptly false.
The facts dieclosed by the investigation do not
seem, in the opinion of the Committee, to call for
any action on the part of the House. The only per
son subject to the control of the House, who is
shown to have bien criminally connected with the
transaction, is Mr. Corbin, who, resigned his posi
tion as clerk of the Committee on Claims, about
the time this Committee was appointed. The Com
mittee therefore recommend the following resolu
tion :
Resolved, That the Committee be discharged
from the further consideration of the subject, and
that the report and accompanying evidence be
printed.
The Usury Law. —The news that Governor
Packer had yesterday 7, at the State capital, signed
the usury bill, otherwise called the bill “regulating
the rates of interest,” passed by our last Legisla
ture, is what we call good news, in these days of
financial stagnation. We have rarely known a
measure which has excited more interest in other
States, and in our own. It is the beginning of a
great reform, and will be productive of excellent
results. And now, when money is needed by all
classes, nothing is more certain to call it forth than
an inducement which will render it plentiful, and
accordingly cheap. When money becomes a com
modity, bought and sold like any other commodity,
subject only to the restrictions which has proved to
be essential, there can be no monopoly, or extor
tion, or successful shaving. It will seek its level ;
the capitalist will be satisfied, and the mechanic
and the merchant assisted and protected. Gov.
Packer has placed Philadelphia and the State under
many obligations by this sanction of a sound prin
ciple, and this recognition of a sincere public opin
ion.—Philadelphia Press.
The Biver, Levee, &e.—The river at this point
has for a week past been about on a stand, and the
crevasses on the side opposite to the city have long
since been looked upou as established institutions,
and, having done all the damage they could, are
allowed quietly to fulfill their destiny by filling up
the swamps in tbeir vicinity, thereby extending)?)
the breadth of cultivable land on the plantations in
their neighborhood. There is now no probability
of their being cloeed till the river tettles down into
its ordinary channel.
Last evening the Levee, for this season of the
year, presented an unusually animated appearance,
particularly the steamboat lauding of the First Dis
trict. Within a few days immense quantities of
tobacco have been received, while other articles of
up country produce have also been well represen
ted. At the landing below Canal street a portion
of the wharves is Btiil slightly overflowed, the space
covered being about the same as it was this time
last week. All the levess in the vicinity of the city
are now in a good condition, and are capable of
standing a rise of at least twelve inches without
danger.—,Y. O. Picayune of Sunday.
Stukm ik Pakola and Yslobcsha Counties.—
We understand that on Friday night last a most
destructive storm of wind and rain passed over por
tions of Yalobusha and Panola counties. Miss., doing
great damage. Negro houses we-e blown down by
the violence of the storm, and in one instance, a ne
gro man w as terionaly injured by the failing timbers
of a cabin, in which he was staying. Fences and
trees were overthrown, and the growing crops in
jured to a considerable extent. In addition to this,
all the streams were much swollen, the low lands
overflowed, and many fences and bridges washed
away. We do not knew what the extent of the da
mage is, but understand ihat is very great. Through
a part of Yalobusha county the storm assumed the
character of a tornado, which laid prostrate all the
trees of any size for a considerable distance. —Mem
phis Bulletin.
Home Manufacture. —We have been sent from
Mr. George S. Yerger'e plantation near this place a
skein of yarn spun on the machine recently patented
by Mr. Henry, who is there superintending its ope
ration. The Cotton, as we understand, is fed into
the machine unginued, just as it comes from the
stalks, and comes oat beautiful even yarn, that will
compare favorably with that of any of the cotton
factories of the North. We cannot describe the ma
chine, not having seen it, but we are told that this
is one of the greatest inventions of the age.
Mr. Yerger is making an experiment which it it
succeeds will be invaiuated to cotton growers
everywhere. It is calculable that at least bity per
cent, can be made upon the raw material. W hen
we see this machine we will spin a longer yarn about
it.— Yazoo, Mus. t American Banner , 21*1.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
The Norfolk Meetings.
Norfolk, May 30tb, 1858.—There was another
large and excited convention of the people of Nor
foik last night. Asland Hall was densely packed,
and it is a matter of great satisfaction to me to state
that while the most intense excitement prevailed,
and every breast was filled with indignation, yet
the utmost coolness was manifested in the delibe
rations of the assembly, and the moie exited portion
kept within the bounds of prudence by the cool and
clear-sighted judgment ot the parties who had the
controlling influence in the meeting.
As this was an adjourned meeting from the even
ing before, the same officers officiated. A'ter the
meeting was called to order, Mr. Saunders the chair
man of the committee of twenty-three, to wnom
was entrusted the carrying out the resolutions of
the evening before, came forward and reported
that, in obedience with the commands of the pre
vious mee mg, the committee had seen that the
obnoxious parties, Willett Mott and Wm. Dan
deuberg had been ssut out of the city; the former
Lad gone byway of the Roanoke to New 7 York
city; the latDr had taken the Baltimore boat and
had goue North, by way of Baltimore. He (Mr.S.)
farther stated that the committee had given these
two men notice, that if they were ever caught in
Norfolk, or its vicinity again, they would surely be
furnished with a gratuitous coat of tar and fea
thers.
During the day it had been whispered around
that one B. Kay ton had been implicated in this
matter, and after the above report, some meutiou
of this matter was made. Mr. Kay ton, who was in
the house, immediately walked to and stationed
himself upon the stand, amid shouts, jeers, hisses
aud applause. The President called the immense
body to order, and stated that Mr. Kay ton had a.
right to be heard. This was received with manifesta
lions of various teeliug ;sorae were willing to hear
Mr. K., and the more excited were unwilling. Good
order, however, prevailed. Reason was triumphant
in the struggle, and Mr. Kay ton was permitted to
speak.
Gentlemen, said he, you all know that 1 am un
accustomed to public speaking ; but as my name
has been mixed up in this matter, 1 respond to the
call msde by some of you, to clear myself of any
imputation that may b** cast upon me.
A voice iu the crowd. —Come to the point . come
to the point.
Kayton.—Well, gentlemen, iu the first place, 1
would like to know with what I am charged ?
An excited voice.—You know d—d well.
Kayton.—There is not a man iu this house who
is a better citizen than I am—there is not a man
present in this vast assemblage, who is more true to
the South than I am. I was born in the South —1
was raised in the South—l was—
A voice.—Where were you born ?
Kayton.— In the city of Baltimore; and, gentle
men, my relations are all Southerners ; aye, they
live in this city. My father’s remains repose in the
same “sileDt city” where your departed friends now
lie buried. My feeling and interests are identified
with the South and her institutions ; and if there is
a man here who says I am in any way connected
with these vile negro stealers, he ties ! (great ap
plause) aye, gentlemen, he lies !! and he dares not
face me and tell me so. (Tremendous applause.)
And let me tell you, gentlemen, I would be the first
man to put a rope around any man’s neck caught
stealing a negro.
A voice.—Tell us what you had to do with paying
the money for Dandenberg when he was warranted
for the price of the boat ?
Kayton.—Mr. Dandenberg came to me with the
money and requested me to pay it to Peter Moore,
say ing that he was not friend y with Moore, aud did
not wish to have anything to do with him.
[Mr. Saunders, chairman of the committee, here
interrupted Mr. K , to explain and corroborate h : y
(K.’s) last statement.]
Kayton.—l do not think there : 8 a child or a grown
person, in this community who can say I ever wrong
ed them. I am a true citizen of the South, and
would assist in bunging auy man who would come
among us to steal our riave property, as soon as any
man in this assembly. Yea, gentlemen, I would be
one of the first to place tha rope around an aboli
tionist’s neck. I invite the closest scrutiny of my
actions, and defy any man to eay 1 ever ac ed in
concert or sympathy with these abolition scoundrels.
Here Mr. K.’s feelings overcame him, and ho w 7 as
forced to stop. A voice iu the crowd said,. “ Don’t
cry, Kayton; you shan’t be hurt,” while others
said, “Go cn, go on. ’ Mr. K , however, left the
stand, and was followed by Mr. Saunders, who
was instructed by the committee to offer the follow
ing :
Your committee have reason to believe that a
free nea:ro, by the name of Edmond White, and a
slave, by the name of George Washington, are act
ing iu concert with t lie abolitionists of the North,
and should be driven hence. Your committee also
recommend that a special committee of ten be ap
pointed to ascertain what free negroes are now re
siding in this city contrary to law, and that the said
committee be instructed to request the proper au
thorities io enforce the law immediately. A resolu
tion embodying the above being offered, was passed
by acclamation.
On motion, a committee of one hundred—twenty
five from each ward—be appointed a Becret vigi
lance committee ; that the chair appoint, the com
mittee, and that no one but, members thereof know
who constitute this committee, whose duty it shall
be to keep a look out for these uudergro ml railroad
operations, and report through one of their mem
bers to the President ot this meeting, that we may
have some security for our slave property.
On motion, the meeting adjourned to meet again
the Ist of July, or sooner if necessary. And thus 1
terminated a series of the most excited meetings it
has ever been my fortune to attend.
The entire community have been greatly excited
—more so than ever belore. Tiie dime which had
been gradually kiudling in the public breast, had
now become too intense for longer suppression, and
had burst forth, and like the devouring conflagra
tiou, could not be suppressed until some victim had
been immolated at the altar of justice.
Willett Mott has been suspected for a longtime,
as well as Dandenberg, and about one year ago, an
effort was made by Peter Moore, constable, of this
city, to bring the parties to justice, as will be seen
by the following statement made by him through
the columns of the Norfolk American, and publish
ed some e'even months ago.
[The statement sent by our correspondent, shows
that Mott had acknowledged to Moore, some
knowledge of operations in running off slaves by
Dandenberg, in 1857; also, a conlessiou that he,
Mott, had furnished provisions to an “underground’’
vessel, and had a slave iu his kitchen ready to send
off on her.]
The above statement, together with the bill and
receipt, go far to prove t hat the action of the meet
ing, iu driving Mott and Dandenberg from the city,
is but an act of justice to the community, which
should have been done long since.
I take occasion in this connection, to remark that
it is the wish of the meeting, that all papers South
or friendly to the South, publish the action of that
body.
The examination of the Captain of the Francis
French, together with his crew, was to have taken
place yesterday morning, and a curious and excited
multitude filled the Court-room to hear it, but owing
to the fact that the owners of the vessel ha l been
telegraphed and were expected, the examination
was postponed until Monday or Tuesday
The boy Anthony was Drought into Court and
identified by Mr. James Scott as his slave, saying
he ‘had owned him since he was a boy of 10 or 12
years of age,’ he also say3 that lie had every confi
dence in the boy, and would not have believed it,
if he had been told, that the boy would runaway.—
He was remanded to jail.
The schooner Francis French has been particular
ly unfortunate She went ashore about five years
ago, on Cedar Island, Accomack County. The Com
missioner of wrecks got SSOO to get her off'. She
went ashore again last winter at Old Point beach,
and was gotten off’ at considerable cost. But she
has now gotten on a reef that will cost more to get
clear of than all ot hers combined ; indeed, so far as
her owners are concerned, she is a perfect wreck
and a total loss, against, which all the underwriters
in the country cannot indemnify her.
Negro Steal ing in Virginiu.
The business of negro stealing has been quite ac
tive in Virginia We have already reported a re”
cent case in Norfolk, and the Petersburg Express,
of Tuesday, contains the following report of anot her
attempt in that city :
We will endeavor to give the circumstances at
tending the affair as minutely and briefly as possi
ble. On Sunday morning, it was discovered by
Col. T. W. Epes, proprietor of Powel’s Hotel, that
two of his slaves, Sarah and Gilbert, had decamped;
at the same time it was found that John Bull, slave
ot Andrew Keyan, Esq., was also missing, and la
ter, that Joseph Mayo, slave of O. P. Hare, Esq.,
and William, belonging to Oliver Hamilton, Esq,
were likewise away from duty at their respective
homes, and not to be accounted for. The police
were early informed of the matter, and on the
morning of Sunday investigations were immediate
ly but cautiously proceeded with. John Bull had
been seen loitering about the city wharf cm Satur
day evening, about 8 o'clock, a short time after
which the Keziah weighed anchor and dropped
down below the planing mill. Her destination was
Newport, Del., with 1200 bushels of wheat from
Messrs. Thomas Branch & Sons, of this city. The
Keziah had a bad leputation, its former captain,
brother to the present, having been suspected of
tampering with slaves at this port two years since,
and ordered never to appear at our wharves again.
The suspicion thus excited was made the ground
work for operations.
On Sunday the motions of the craft were studious
ly watched, but everything appeared quite unindi
cative of guilt, and Bhc was permitted to pa down
the river without intertei fence.
Yesterday morning, however, oflicer Peterson
was despatched to Norfolk on the steamer Curtis
Peck, with instructions to be on the qui vive. At a
iate hour in the day, Andrew Kevan, Esq., owner
of the boy John Bull, made affidavit before the
Mayor that he believed his boy to have been car
ried off in the schooner Keziah, and succeeded
thereupon in obtaining a search warrant and the
services of Capt. Butts. Messrs. John Kevan, Hen
ry PanniU, and Col. Thos. W. Epes, also accompa
nied Capt Butts, of the Police.
At 12 o’clock the parties left for City Point, by
the Southaide Railroad, having previously charter
ed the W. W. Townes, which was then lying at that
place. A despatch had also been sent to Norfolk,
a steamer chartered and sent up the river to detain
the Bchooner in case it should be met before being
overtaken by the Townes. At City Point the c-om
pany was joined by Mr. J S. Calwell,of this city,
and Capt. Cook, of the Point.
The steamer being in readiness, the pursuit wa
commenced, and after little more than one hour’s
running, the suspected vessel appeared in sight,
and making away under full sail at her beat speed.
The steamer overhauled her in Minge’s R each,
about tw miles below the Point, when offi
cer Butts and the party immediately went aboard,
and after considerable difficulty succeeded tiret in
finding the woman stowed away in the midst of a
lot of bacon, under the cabin floor, and dressed in
male attire. Tbe four men were afterwards found
in the hold, secreted in the wheat, the captain aud
mate still persisting, upon each one being discov
ered, that there were no others on board, the ne
groes following the same rule with regard to their
companions, all being found one by one.
The captain and mate comprised the whole crew,
and vehemently denied upon being boarded, that
there were any slaves, or any persons but them
selves in tbe vessel. The schooner was forthwith
taken in tow, the captain and mate, J. Simpkmg,
secured, together with the refugees, and all placed
on board the steamer.
Arriving at City Point, a despatch reached tne
city conveying the gratifying intelligence of the
ceizure of the schooner, and stating that the steam
er schooner, crew and refugees would arrive at 6
P.’ M
As soon as this became known, which was not
until five in the afternoon, crowds began to flock
upon the wharves, and by six, the entire locality
was dense with an indignant and excited people.—
The Mayor, the Sheriff and several police officer-;
appeared on the ground to prevent auy act of vio
lence that might be attempted, notwithstanding
which, suggestions of tar and feathers, hanging;
ducking, lashing, burning, and every conceivable
method of retributive justice recogn.aed in the code
of the celebrated Judge Lynch, were rife amidst
the crowd. Law abiding citizens expostulated,
police officers frowned down a!i such h uts, andoth
era looked upon them as highly unworthy of men
ot sense and reasou. In this manner the ferocity cf
the crowd was somewhut cooled down for the ume.
At 7 o'clock the Townee, with the schooner in her
wake, appeared coming around the bend at Bates
Spring. The crowd was now greatly increased and
the excitement more heated than ever. As they
approached the wharf, the people crowded forward
to the utmost extremity, many boldly danng the
danger of tumbling into the river, to get a view of
the crest-fallen kidnappers
At length the ropes were thrown out, the vessels
were made fast, and the tw’o prisoners marched out
under a strong escort of police and law-loving citi
zens. But no spoLer had they touched the tarth,
than the excitement attained its highest pitch, shouts
of “hang him,” were commenced, the tbrongpress
ed in from all sides, au attempt was made to sieze
the prisoners, and at one time the mob had attained
such au ascendancy that the seizure of the mate
from the hands of officer Butts seemed unavoidable
Blows were struck at him, lunges made for his
throat,, aud all sorts of attempts to drag him into
the mob followed without cessation. A large num
ber ot peaceably inclined citizens, however, rallying
to the aid of the police, successfully aveited the
threatened violence, aud the men were iu a few’
momenta loged in jail. The negroes followed a few
moments after in an omnibus belonging to Pow'ell’s
Hotel.
The negroes all aver that they were enticed off’
by Bayiis, who was to make their passage secure
for the consideration of SSO each, which was paid in
advance. Joe Mayo, (owned by O. H. llare,) con
fessed that he was ou his way to New York, where
bis wife (a refugee ) awaited him, and he had sold
all his “plunder” for SSO, iu order to get there, lie
paid S4B to Bayiis.
John Bull, Mr. Andrew Kevan’s boy, was bound
for St. Catherine's Hotel, Toronto, Canada West,
where he had engaged a situation as waiter through
the influence of some of his old friends.
Gilbert, slave of Col. T. W. Epes, had iu his pO3 -
session SSOO, in gold, silver aud notes, which he
alleged he had saved during twen y seven years, as
the profits accruing from “pig raising.'’ The oth
ers had nothing remarkable to show or say for them
selves.
The schooner Keziah is owned by Wm. Daneu
burgh, Norfolk, the suspected slave stealer, who
was driven from that city on Friday night last.—
Bayiis, by connection with recent developments in
Norfolk, is already implicated in some most villain
oils endergrouud operations.
The Keziah is valued at SBOO. It is a small low
looking, two masted affair, capable of holding about
twelve hundred bushels. By the laws of the State,
the vessel is confiscated, and the captain and mate,
if found guilty, compelled to pay a fine of SSOO, and
be sent to the penitentiary, on each indictment, for
a term of not less than three or more than ten years
The Captain’s story, (the Mate appeared to know
very little about the matter) was, that he was ap
plied to by a man iu the city, who proposed to pay
him handsomely if he would take the negroes on to
New Jersey—that he did not know the man, and
would not know him should he see him again;
furthermore, he was totally unaware that they were
slaves, and, in a word, eutirely innocent of any evil
intent—that he started off ou Saturday afternoon,
and ran arouudjust below the city, got off the next
morning, but ran arouud again about five mile.-
further down the river, from whence he started
bright and early yesterday morning, and with his
vessel heading for the Capes, he steered rapidly
down the stream until he was unceremoniously
overhauled as specified.
Petersburg, June I. —The examination of Capt.
Bayliss aud the crew did not come off this morning,
in consequence of the great excitement in the pub
lie mind.
The cargo of the vessel was discharged this
morning but no more slaves were found ou board.
Our National Defences.—lf Lord Palmerston
had shaped his aggressive course towards this
country, with reference to the weakness of our
national defences, he could not have selected a
period more opportune for his purposes. A navy
having only 74 vessels in a.l, but thirty of which are
in commission, and these scatered over every sea,
and the great body our army sent off to Utah, we
are vulnerable at every point to a powerful naval
aud military power. At this moment, the British
have seventeen vessels of war in the Gulf, carrying
357 guns, and having all the improvements aud ap
pliances of modern war faie, whilst the utmost ex
ertions of our government have only sufficed to
send to the scene of action eight vessels, having 139
guns, aud three of these vessels, the Water Witch,
Arctic aud Dolphin, are unfit for service. Whilst
such is our unprepared condition fora naval con
fliet, the operations against Utah have stripped
every fortification of the Atlantic seaboard of troops.
It is said that not a single fort has been left with a
sufficient force to man its guns, and that, from Texas
to Maine, the total number of army forces now
guaidiug our seaboard ports is less than eight hun
dred men. There is not a single Atlantic city which
by a sudden dash of a vigorous enemy might not be
burned to the ground.
Among nations, as among individuals, the pow
erlul and aggressive often select the defenceless for
attack. Great Britianis no exception to this truth,
tor whilst there is no braver animal than the British
lion, it makes prey of the weak as remorse, lessly as
it gives battle to the strong. The present condition
of our coasts and navy might tempt the royal beast
to a savage spring, were he not held by tae strong
cords of interest. Cotton is a greater monarch than
Victoria, and besides, a temporary triumph would
not atone for the losses and mortifications that iu the
end would follow. It is, however, true wisdom in
“peace to prepare for war,” and to that end Congress
should increase the Navy, by the addition ot gun
boats. which would form a better defence of our har
bors than expensive fortifications, which can only de
fend a small section of an enormous coast, and re
quire an increase of the standing army, a danger
which Americans dread more than invasion. Gun
boats are cheap, can guard the mouths of harbors run
up and down the coast, defending it at every vulnera
ble point, and at the same time, harass and injure
the commerce of the enemy. Congress ought to or
der the construction of at least fifty gunboats, not
with especial reference to difficulties in the Gulf,
which will iu all probability be apollgozed for as
soon as the news reaches England, but to prevent
the recurrence of such humiliating scenes, and to
show to foi eign nations the existence of that c&paci
ty and readiness to chastise aggression, which are
the surest means of preventing it —Richmond Pis
patch.
How the Question is to Come Back.— I The ar
ticle trom the St. Louis Evening News, which we
copy to day, forcibly presents the dangerous and
deceptive character of the “settlement” of the Ken
Baß question effected by the English bill. There
are several expressions iu the article which we do
not like, but it is still a very clear statement of the
facts of the case, and a very reasonable prognosti
cation of the future phases of the question. That
the English scheme wi'l cearta ivly, at the next ses
sion of Congress, “come back to plague the in
ventors,” and that the results of the contest will
powerfully aid the Black Republican party in the
next Presidential struggle, we entertain no doubt.
But there is one conclusion of the News which we
do not think well founded. That is, that the Presi
dent and Democratic Senate will at the next ses
sion adhere to the condition that Kansas, if she re
jects the Lecompton constitution, must stay out of
the Union until she can muster a population of 93,-
000—some of the Democratic papers of the South
say 120,000 ! That was a condition intended to
benefit or pacify the South, and of course it will be
as obsequiously surrendered as was the position that
the Lecompton constitu ion should not again be re
ferred to the popular vote. When the question
comes back, the bona /ides due to the South will be
readily set aside as a consideration of no weight
whatever when balanced agaiiißt the bona sides
claimed by the Northern wing of the “National”
party as their price for standing midway between
the South and her declared enemies. We already
have indications of this purpose. Gen. Quitman, it
will be remembered, introduced a bill providing
that hereafter no State should be admitted with a
population less than the ratio for one Representa
tive iu Congress. A Democratic caucus was called
to consider this bill, and could not agree upon it—
agreed to disagree; and it sleeps on the clerk’s
desk Why, if the party intended to adhere to this
principle of the English bill, was Gen. Quitman’s
bill so cavalierly ignored as a party measure ? And
why has the Senate since pussed a bill to admit
Oregon, with a population not exceeding 45,000?
The intention is already half-disclosed, and next
winter the South will be further enlightened.—Co
lumbus Enquirer.
A Funny Way of Doing Business.— Under the
bogus constitution of Minnesota (lately upheld by
Congress) three Representatives to Congress were
elected by general ticket, viz.: Messrs. Cavanaugh,
Phelps and Becker. The authorities assumed that
the Territory had the requisite population to entitle
it to three members—perhaps counting the Indians,
as well as allowing them to vote. But Congress,
in the act of admission, gave the new State cnly
two Representatives The Representatives elect
were all on the ground claiming their seats, and all
were Democrats. Here was presented a seeming
difficulty—which was to be dropped? To send the
election back to the people would almost certainly
defeat the prime object had in view in the admission
of the new State, for Black Republicans would
d’ übtless have been elected instead of Democrats
But a Democratic Congress “cut the Gordian knot”
as readily and about as fairly as it did in the passage
of the English bill. The Committee on Elections
reported in favor of Phelps and Cavanaugh, sub
mitting a letter from Ex Gov. Medary and one Jos.
R Brown, saying that those two claimants received
the highest number of votes, and referring to Uree
ley's Almanac for proof of the fact! Mr. Wash
burne, of 111., met this statement by reading from
the New York Tribune (also edited by Greeley) a
table showing that Mr. Becker received the highest
number of votes. There was decidedly a conflict
of authority / and for a few moments the House
appears to have been nonplussed as to how to pro
ceed. But this difficulty was happily obviated by
the passage of a resolution directing that Messrs.
Phelps and Cavanaugh be sworn in, “provided
that this shall not be considered as precluding any
contest of their rights to the seats, which may be
hereafter instituted by persons having a right to
do so.” Is not the Democracy great on
and explanations ? And was ever a greater entan
glement recognized by Congress than the constitu
tion and proceedings of Minnesota?— Columbus
Enquirer.
British Aggression Meeting in New Or
leans.—Quite an enthusiastic meeting was held
last night at the Arcade, to take such action as
might be deemed necessary, in view of the recent
aggressions on thi rights of the American flag by
British armed vessels in the Guif. The meeting
was called to order by John Jay Lane, Esq., of the
Bee, who, alter a brief and pertinent address, nomi
nated Gen. Palfrey as President, and several othei
gentlemen afc Vice Presidents, none of whom, how
ever, appeared, with the exception of Col. Christy.
The meeting was then respectively addressed by
Gen. Palfrey ad Col. Christy, who spoke with
great force of the outrages which had been commit
ted, and the necessity of exacting a speedy retri
bution. Subsequently offered a preamble and reeo
lutioDd reiterating the doctrine that “tbe color*
which float at the masts of vessels are the creden
tials of the seamen who man them,’’ and asserting
that the recent repeated insults offered to the Ame
rican flag by British cruisers demand immediate
redrecß. The resolutions call on the Federal Gov
ernment to vindicate the honor of the national flag,
and in case of neglect, assert it to be the deterrnina
tion of the merchants of New Orleans to fit out an
armed vessel to cruise in the Gulf and repel force
by force. It is also recommendeded in the reso
lutions that the American ships arm for their own
defence.
After the passage of these resolutions the meet
ing adjou ned —Picayune of Sunday.
A Narrow Escape—Brave Conduct of a Dog.
—Yesterday evening about 7 o’clock, when every
body was leaving the Battery, in consequence of
the coming up of a squall, a little daughter of Mr.
Eugene Esdra, of this city, between a and 6 years
of age, accidentally fell overboard from that par l
of the Battery, between the Bathing house, and
tbe steps leading into the water to the west of it.
Mr. Francis Nipson, who was me only one near the
spot at the time, did not see the child fall, but saw
his dog (a fine large one, not a Newfoundland how
ever,) suddenly jump overboard, seize the child by
tbe shoulder, and swim with her to the steps, when;
he landed her safely
The child was nearly senseless when thus nobly
rescued by the brave beast, and was carried home
to its parents. — Char. Eve. Neics.
Large Field oe PineaFPLM.— ln Liberia afew
mileo north from Monrovia, toward* Cape Mount is
a tract of land about a mile from the .beach, of more
than ten miles in extent,entirely covered with pine
apple*. The fruit buds out in April and May and
ripens in August and September. It is of a deli
cious flavor. The apples are taken to Monrovia in
considerable quantities, where they are sold as low
as two for a cent. Pineapple* grow wild m the
wood* and thousand* of them are seen in half an
hour’* waifs. Mr. Bowen, a missionary in Liberia,
and in his book “Central Africa, 1857,’’ say* the
pineapple flourishes very well in the wood* of Li
beria and i superior to any we can procure in this
country.
Tbe people of Maryland have refused to call a
•onveulion to revise tbe constitution.
VOL. LXXII.—NEW SERIES VOL. XXII. NO. 23.
“ Old IroosfdesJ’
The U. S. frigate Constitution, better known as
“ Old Ironsides,” has been lately thoroughly re
paired and coppered, and will soon be ready for
ata A correspondent of the Boston Journal says
that the plaukiDg outside and in has been taken off,
aud between six and seven hundred new timbers
have been put on in place of the rotten ones re
moved, aud new* planking, ceiling, clamps and.
decks take the place of old. “ Old Ironsides” is
now as good as new when first launched in Boston
sixty years ago. She will befitted with a heavier
battery than she has hitherto carried, aud with all
the improvements of*the age, while the model, of
course, remains as she was originally constructed.
American sailors have great faith in the fort unes
of this vessel, and it is justified by her remarkable
aud brilliant career. She inaugurated that won
derful series of naval victories which snatched from
Britain the sceptre of the deep. The first time in
thirty years that Great Britain had lost a frigate in
anything like an equal conflict occurred on the 19th
of September, 1812, when the British frigate Guer
riere, thought to be a match for auy vessel of her
class, and numbered among the largest in the Eng
lish navy, met the American frigate Constitution,
Capt. Hull. So confident was the Guerriere of her
capacity to cope with anything’ that “walked the
waters under American ‘ buuting,’ ” that she had
for some time been in search of an Amerfban frig
ate, having given a formal challenge to all our ves
sels of the same class, and had at one of her mast
heads a flag, ou which her name was inscribed in
large characters, by way ot gasconade, and on
another, tue words—** Not the Little Belt,’ in allu
sion to the broadside which the United States ship
President had given that vessel, before the war. In
this insulting guise, she had locked defiantly into
several of our ports, aud exulted in the expectation
of being the first to take the conceit out of the
Yankees.
When the Constitution hove iu sight, the Guer
riere at once backed her main topsail, and waited
for her to come down. She did not have long to
w ait, and in one short half hour after Hull laid
alongside the braggart of the seas, every mast w’as
gone, the hull shattered to fragments, and the
“striped bunting” floating in stern triumph over
the surrendered Captain and hulk. The number ot
killed was more than twice that of the Constitution,
and her wounded nine times as great. It is worthy
of notice that Capt. Hull did not permit his men to
answer the enemy’s broadsides till he got him to
close quarters, and that his sailors were repeatedly
wounded aud killed at their gaus, before the Con
stitution opened her iron mouths. Indeed, the
lnanujuvring and occasional firing had occupied
t tree quarters of an hour, aud broadside upon
broadside was afterwards continuously poured out
upon the Constitution, before Hull permitted his
•nen to fire a single gun. When, however, his ves
:el was brought exactly to the station intended, he
gave the word, and it is said that from that moment
to the eud of the action, the flash aud roar of the Con
stitution’s guns was the most unintenupted and ap
paling blaze and thunder ever witnessed in a naval
combat. Such was the beginning of the career of
“Old Ironsides,” and of the late war upon the ocean.
The next piece of luck was the meeting iu Octo
ber, 1813, with the large British frigate Java, car
lying 49 guns, commanded by a distinguished offi
cer, Capt. Lambert, and having on board four hun
dred men, besides one hundred seamen and a num
ber of military and naval officers whom she was
carrying out to the East Indies for the service there.
The fight was a desperate one, the gallant Lambert
w 7 as mortally wounded, and the Java was soon a
complete wreck, with her flag lowered before the
“striped bunting.” On this second victory, the
Constitution was commanded by B&iubriage.—
She had nine men killed, and twenty-four, wound
ed ; the Java, sixty killed, aud one hundred and
twenty wounded.
Iu April, 1814, the Constitution, then command
ed by Capt. Stewart, fell in with the British frigate
La Pique, Capt. Maitland, but the La Pique fled
ou her approach, and eecaped, after a long chase.
Very like y the saucy • slicers now on our coast,
and the port editor of the Albion, who talks so
sneeringly about “bunting,’ have forgotten the
fact, but it is none the le©s a fact that Capt. Mait
laud, on his arrival in England, instead of being
cashiered for running away from the “bunting,
was complimented by the admiralty, for obeying
their instructions in not fighting an American fri
gate ! Times had changed since the Guerrier6 dis
played thed fiant challenge to allcomers atlier mast,
head, and “Old Ironsides” had done her part in
working the wholesome revolution.
On the 20th of February, 1815, the Constitution,
Capt. Stewart, fought her last battle, whipping two
British ships of war, at the same time; the frigate
Cyane, Captain Gordon Faulkner, of thirty four
guns, and 1 lie corvette Levant, Captain Daylers,
of 18 thirty-two pound carronades. The enemy
lost eighty in killed and wounded; the Constitution
four killed and eleven wounded. Both British ships
were tremendously pounded, and hauled down their
colors with commendable alacrity. The Constitu
tion was but slightly injured, and sailed proudly off
with her prizes, the “striped bunting'’ of the Ame
rican presenting its usual beautiful contrast to the
striped jackets of the enemy.
Success to the old ship! If she finds any more
braggarts about the coast, anxious to inflict hu
miliation upon the American flag, she can no doubt,
repeat the lessons ho scientifically given in the late
war.— Richmond Dispatch.
Important News from the River Platte.—
By way of England we have received advices from
Buenos Ayres to the 4th, and from Montevideo to
the 7th of April. The news is of unusual interest
and importance.
We learn that the commercial panic in Monte
video and Buenos Ayres is the severest that has
been felt in that region. Montevideo has suffered
a good deal less than Buenos Ayres, though|still the
extent and variety of the engagements of the great
establishment of Lafone, brother of the same who
failed in Liverpool a couple of months preceding,
had created wide spread difficulties, that are inade
quately represented in the nominal amount of the
liabilities, $300,000, making half a million sterling
with t hose of the Liverpool branch.
Mr. Samuel Latoueof Montevideo, like Mr. Alex
ander Lafone, of Liverpool, is to be sllowed two
years to wind up, under trustees himself managing,
and undertaking to payjn full, with six percent, in
terest in the interim, mvideuds to be declared as
fast as 10 per cent, on the amount of the debt shall
accrue.
As regards Buenos Ayres, not only has the great
North American house Zimmerman, Frazer So Cos.,
of forty years’ standing, who were to the left bank
what the Lafones were to the right bank of Rio
Plata, failed for a sum very vast, to those regions,
where millionaires do not abound, but also the fol
lowing, which include the first and wealthiest houses
in the Argentine Confederation :
Messrs. Bunge, Boonefield Si Cos., Van Jeuter Sc
Co.,Croker, llalldc. Cos., Hugentabler Sc Cos., A.
Blank Sc Cos., Storpp Sc Cos., Jacobs Sc Cos., Reiner
del Sar dr. Jeubert, Hainan Bros., Adol Van Pratt,
Greto dr. Cos., George Dowdall, and others of less
importance, besides some of the laige wholesale
grocers. The liabilities are very great, auu ft was
feared that the winding up would exhibit a moat,
disastrous result. It was thought, at the departure
of the packet for England, that several German
houses were on the point of succumbing.
Later from Mexico.— By the schooner W. W.
darkness, Capt. Peterson, which arrived yesterday
from Tabasco, we have full details of the attack
of the Zuloaga forces on the city of Tabasco, and
the forcing of it under tiie rule of his government.
The city was bombarded, it appears, from the 9th
of April to the 19th inst. The houses suffered very
much from the fire of both parties, and the Ameri
can Consul’s house especially, which was in a right
line between them. Mr. Johnson, however, afford
ed what protection he could to to asked it
of him ; and he had at last, some three hundred wo
men and children at. the Consulate. To provide for
their support., he had every day to go out, and we
are assured that, both parties had so much respect
for him that ou his appearing in the streets, they
suspended firing until he had passed the lines.
The Government captors, on taking possession of
it, were fortifying and strengthening the city by
every means in their pewer.
This makes, with Tampico, two ports now in the
possession of the Zuloaga government.
With respect to Tampico, private commuri'cations
with which we are favored announce, in addition to
the defeat of Garza, that Miramou’s force, in Han
Luis, has been increased to 4,001) men and twenty
four pieces of artillery, (probably including the
force uuder Gen. Mejia, which had advanced to
Tampico and routed Garza.) The result is that
through Tampico as a port ot entry merchants can
introduce goods to the city of Me.rico and adjaceut
populous territories. By Vera Cruz, the Rio Grande
or any other point they would have double duties to
pay—one to the Liberal forces and the other to the
Central Government; by this route they have only
one. This will give resources to the Zuloaga party,
at this time a matter of vital importance.— N. O.
Picayune , of Sunday.
The Law of Creditor and Debtor. —The
Legislature in its anxiety to do away, as far as pos
sible, with that relic of a barbarous age, imprison
ment for debt, have provided that, except for a sum
named, and in a case where the creditor is willing
to make affidavit that the debtor has, to the best of
his belief, io his possession a sum of money which
he does not design to appropriate to the payment, of
his debts, he cannot be arrested on a judgment. The
sum, exclusive of costs, upon which such a judg
ment and authority to arrest can be obtained, is
twenty dollars. A somewhat singular habeas cor
pus case, upon this subject, came before Chief Jus
tice Shaw yesterday.
A man named Nicholas Mason, of Chelsea, was
in debt to the amont of about seventeen dollars.—
Upon this a suit was commenced and judgment ob
tained. Soon after a second suit for the debt, with
the costs in the first case added, was prosecuted to
judgment, and as the debt with added costs was
over twenty dollars, and affidavit was a worm to by
the creditor that the debtor had money in his posses
sion with which he did not intend to nay his debts.
Upon this a warrant was issued, the debtor waa ar
rested by Constable E. W. Farr, and committed to
A writ of habeas corpus w*i granted, in which
the question raised for the decision of the Supreme
Court was, whether the original debt being leas
than twenty dollars, the coats of the first suit could
in a second suit be consolidated with the original
debt, for it was argued that in such a case, a debt,
however small originally, might be aued continual
ly until the accumulated costa would bring it up to
the amount desired. The Court, after hearing
argument, decided that the debtor waa legally in
custody, the coats in the original suit having be
come in the second suit a part and parcel of the
debt. Upon this decision the debtor succumbed,
gave bail, and wm discharged from imprisonment.
—Boston Travel her. _
Horribleßrutalitit.—Dr. Rutland of Stewart
bounty, (Tenn.,) wa* convicted of manslaughter at
le late session of the Criminal Court in Clarks
ville, aud was sentenced to the Penitentiary for two
year. 1 . The circumstances of the case as developed
on the trial are horrib ein the extreme. While hi*
wife was in the perils of chUd-birth he refused to
allow her any medical attention, aud would not
even suffer her friend* and neighbor* to nurse or
visit her. He went to the grog-shop and left her to
languish through her labor helpless and unassisted,
not even providing her with food. At the end of
several day* of such neglect Mrs. Rutland died. As
soon a* the fact* were genet ally known in Hover,
the indignation of the whole community was arous
ed against the inhuman wretch whose wanton
cruelty had occasioned her death, and he was im
mediately arrested and bound over under a charge
of murder, to appear at the next term of the Crimi
nal Court at Dover. He afterwards applied for and
obtained a change of venue to Clarksville, at which
place he was tried and convicted.— Nashville
Union. m
The Chinese in the United States.— ln the
course of the debate in the United States Senate on
the bill to admit Oregon a* a State, Mr. Gwin, re
ferring to the clause in the Oregon Constitution pro
hibiting Chinamen from voting, defended on the
ground that the Chinese are a pestiferous, degraded,
slavish race, and that many of them are the slaves
of masters in China. They take awav the gold,
while contributing nothing to the industry of the
country. In California their evidence is not re
ceived in the courts of law They are not citizens
of the United States, and Oregon has done rightly in
rejecting both Chinese and negroes.
Rachel Photographed on her Deathbed.—
While in the agony of death the relatives of Md lie.
Rachel caused to be taken her photograph by the
photographer of the King of Sardinia. What their
object was in thus disturbing the last moments of
the dying tragedienne it is not proper to judge. —
But the sensitive paper produced her dying agony
so faithfully, the clenched hands, the contracted
muscles and the frowning brow are so fearful to
look at, that the friends dare not put the work on
sale, as it appears on the original. But they have
softened it by a reproduction on stone, ana t
picture is now on sale at tbe print shops.
I The War Spirit.
There is no influential party in this country.in
deed scarcely more than a mere faction of fanatical
abolitionists, and absurd non-resistants, who will
attempt to advocate the British doctrine of right of
visit and search on the high seas. There is no par
ty in this question, that the flag protects the ship
and cargo, and that every vessel legitimately bear-
mg the national ensign is a part of the Republic,
and as much entitled to immunity from foreign ag
gresaion and to protection by the Republic’s forces
as a city or warehouse upon land, is our doctrine of
national acceptance, and if need be, national de
fence. As Senator Crittenden has both eloquently
and justly said, “He would not dispute with Eng
land about the abstract right of search, let her
found her claim on what prerogative or supposed
right she might, but the moment sue made an aggres
sion on our national rights apd honor, ho would tight
her on the fact and leave her the argument.’,
With this unanimous agreement a-i to what are
our rights and a just belief in our ability to pro
tect them, there ought to be, aud there uo doubt
will be at the proper moment, a clear and manly
enunciation to England of the position we occupy,
aud of our determination to permit no assault upou
it to pass without reparation. But this shou'd be
done without the foolish vauntings or senseless
braggadocia that will invite ridicule without at all
yideuoing the real strength aud ,unity of the na
t'onal determination. The proceedings of the Brit
ish fleet in the Gulf of Mexico, are certainly extra
ordinary aud unprecedented, aud excessively irrita
ting on account of their unexpected and abrupt
opening ; but until the British Government avows
its full responsibility for them, and signifies its reso
lution to continue the assertion of the riuoiple upou
which they have been based,no cause of war exists.
The excitemeut on the subject, therefore, though
perfectly natural is somewhat premature, and is al
ready producing absurd results. It will not help
our canse to send across the water such declarations
as that of Senator Toombs that “he was ready for
a war with England,” that he had been in that un
comfortably belligerent condition “at any time
fcliosc ten years, aud if we got up a war now he
wanted to be counted in neither will we con
vince Englishmen by congratulatory articles on the
advantages to be reaped by this country from a
war with Great Britain, nor yet perhaps frighten
them by the bombastic resolves of Dsmoeratio
General Cooimittees, even if composed of embryo
Secretaries of State, who come forward with recom
mendations to the Cabinet “that in case of any
overtures towards the amicable adjustment of our
present difficulty witJi Great Britain, to totally ex
punge the word ‘explanation* from the language of
diplomacy, aud substitute therefor ‘reparation’ if
not ‘reprisal,’ because more consonant with the
harmonious and healthful tone of American senti
ment.”
All this is contemptible balderdash, unworthy the
utterance of really earnest mer aud quite beneath
a subject of such mighty momeut as a war between
two nations occupying the van of civilization and
bound together by ties of blood aud interest that
have never been paralleled in the world’s history.
A war with Eugland ought to be accepted as a du
ty if the honor or dignity of the nation requires it,
and fought out with a tenacity of purpose that
would leave no legacy of unsettled questions ; but
in every other except as an inevitable al
ternative against the surrender of national rights
and character, such a war should be regarded with
aversion and horror by all patriotic, Christian and
enlightened men. To talk lightly of it and desire,
in slang phrase, to be “counted in,” to seek it be
cause, upou a cool calculation ami the balancing of
advantage against the inevitable evils, we might
make our opponent suffer more than ourselves, or
to endeavor to make party capital by arousing the
people to the war pitch, is not necessary in the
present condition of affairs and certainly not com
mendable.—Balt. American.
Inundation. —The Mississippi river at this poiut
is now about as high as it has been during the sea
son. and is still rising. It is still on the rise above,
and we have the most melancholy tidings of the
overflow below. We presume the continued rains
will swell the vast volume of the Mississippi to such
an extent that it will iuundate the whole country
below for many hundred miles. The aspect of
things at New Orleans about this time is fearful in
tho extreme. Much of the country on either Bide of
the river below slopes downward from the river
bank, and thus, when a breach occurs in the latter,
the prodigious flood pouring through the gap flows
even faster than the ordinary rapid run of the
stream, and descending into the great broi and valley,
spreads out over a vast surface. A crevasse or
breach is, therefore, a serious matter. The river
water is very muddy because it bears in solution a
great quantity of the soil washed off by the rains
and draiuen into the numerous tributaries. In its
descent through the long and tortuous course of the
Mississippi, this water deposits a portion of its sedi
ment upon the bed of the river, which is thus eleva ;
ted. However perfect the levee may be, therefore,
crevasses will occur of neoessily, or the water will
overflow the top of the bank.
The inundations of the Nile have always been a
blessing to the dwellers in its vicinity, as they ferti
lize the soil, and enable the cultivators to rear crops
which, otherwise, they could not. l’he overflows
of the Mississippi are, on the contrary, regarded as
a devastating evil. Many sugar and cotton planta
tions are ruined by them, houses are swept away,
cattle, hogs and other live stock are drowued, and
mops are destroyed. The most learful danger of
all, lies in the probable breeding of malarious
disease. Whenever the spring freshets bring such
terrible crevasses as at present, the people feel
lively apprehensions that upon their subsidence the
pestilential marsh left behind in the overflowed dis
tricts will induce an aggravation of the ususl sum
mer epidemical diseases. They have had such aw
ful experience of yellow fever in New Orleans, that
they are keenly alive; to the possibilities of its re
turn, or aggravation in any emergency that happens
to arise. It is true that opinions differ among me
dical authorities of that city as to whether the epi
demie is festered or produced by the influence of
the swampy regions, yet the popular mind regards
with suspicious dread the inundations, and even
couples them with probable yellow fever.—Mem
phis Avalanche.
Unprovoked and Cruel Murder of a Re
serve Indian. —The Dallas Herald is informed of
a murder committed on the person of a Camanche
chief, named Katumseh, of the upper Reserve, by
three white men from the Lampasas, named Willie.
It, appears that the Indian and his two squaws went
beyond the Reserve in search of someßtray horses,
t hough advised of the danger of so doing. On the
way they fell in with the Willies aud camped to
getlier that night. In the morning the Willies start
ed ahead, and when the Indians, who followed af
ter, arrived at a Mr. Anderson’s, on Fish Creek,
eight miles south of Belknap, the Willies returned,
and against the remonstrances of Mr. Anderson
murdered the Indian, took his three horses aud went
on. There was uo provocation, save the horses,
and a parly of men had been raised at. Belknap to
follow the murderers. A few such men aa theso
cold blooded viilians create more disturbance on a
frontier than all the bad Indians put together, and
ll is to be hoped that they will meet, and quiokly,
the punishment they so richly deserve.
The Rainy Weather.—The Journal of Com
merce says ;
The 27th instant was the fortieth rainy day in
April'and May—just the length of ancient Noah’s
experience in hydraulics—and though at the end of
this period we do not look out upon a similar scene
of desolation and ruin, yet like him we regard the
abatement of the waters with satisfaction. This
long and remarkable wet “term” is, however, not
without precedent, as we learn from the following
memorial in Watson's Annals of Philadelphia :
May, 178f>—vol. 2d, page 361.
“Remarkable for the absence of the sun for two
weeks and a constantly damp or rainy weather. It
continued for forty-two days, being all the time a
cold Northeast storm and uo sight of the sun.”
A Grave Affair —A rich manufacturer,named
Oppelt, died about fifteen years since at Reichen
berg, in Austria, anda vault was built by his widow
and children in the cemetery for the reception of
the body. The widow died about a month ago, and
was taken to the same tomb ; but when it was
opened for that purpose the coffin of her husband
was found open and empty, and the skeleton of the
deceased discovered in a corner of the vault in a
sitting posture. A commission was appointed by
the authorities to examine into the affair, when they
gave their opinion that M. Oppelt Was only in &
trance when buried, and that on coming to life he
had forced open the ceffin.
A Plucky Senator. —The Hon. William Chap
pell, a member of the Wisconsin Senate, received
$ 10,(KM) of the La Crosse and Milwaukie Railroad
bribe two years ago, and was active in corrupting
his legislative associates. The Senate, at its reoent
session, voted 21 to 5, that he was guilty, and 18 to
!* that he was unworthy of a seat in the body. He,
however, retained his seat. A mass meeting at
Watertown, where he resides, held without distinc
tion of party, unanimously requested him to resign.
He fefused. The Common Council of that oity. a
majority being his political friends, made a similar
request by a vote of 7to 5. But Mr. C. would not
comply.
The Treaty with Nicaragua. —President
Martinez, we learn by the recent arrival from Cen
tral America, bad refused to sign the treaty with the
United States, and had seDt it back to the Nicara
guan Congress with modifications. The point Mar
tinez objected to was the introduct ion of United
States troops when that government should deem it
necessary for the protection of the transit and her
citizens. Martinez wishes it changed so that the
United States cannot bring troops without the re
quest of the government of Nicaragua.
Removal of Ex-President Monroe’s Remains
—A resolution was offered in the New York City
Council Thursday, appointing a committee of five
to accompany the remains of Ex-President Monroe
to Virginia, and appropropriating $1,500 therefor ■,
first portion of resolution adopted , second portion,
as to appropriation, laid over. The exhumation of
the remains, preparatory to their removal to Vir
ginia, will probably be deferred till the 4th of July
—not only the anniversary of our national indepen
dence, but the anniversary of Mr. Monroe’s death
—Richmond Deep.
An Act of Vengeance.— William Marsh was
shot dead on Wednesday last at Brandenburg, Ken
tucky, by Stanley Young, in revenge for the mur
der of his father, Sinclair Young, in Harrison county,
Indiana, seven years previous. Young immediate
ly mounted a swift horse and escaped.
Washington Items. —The Ocean Steamer bill,
as it passed the House, allows the Post Office de
paitment the privilege of making the great con
tracts heretofore especially regulated by law. The
bill appropriates one million five hundred and
eighty-one thousand dollars, and provides for the
procuring of transportation in cases where failures
to perform contracts have occurred and may ocour.
There is said to be no foundation for the current
rumor that Mr. Taney thinks of resigning the Chiet
Justiceship. His health is about as usutu for years
past
Arrest of a Post Office Depredator —Gen.
Smith, Special Agent of the Post Office Depart
ment, arrived here Sunday night, having in charge
A. A. Hill, arrested in Arkansas by Mej. B. C. Har
ley. Hill was a clerk in the Post Office at Clarks
v.lle, in this State, and is charged with having
stolen from that office a letter containing nearly a
thousand dollars. He was committed to wait for
the arrival of witnesses.
This is the fourth arrest for depredations on the
mails in this State within a few weeks. — Nashville
Union.
Hail Stork.—On Thursday evening a heavy
cloud passed over this plaoe, and which we learn
extended over a great part of the oountry, accom
panied with wind, rain and some plaoea with bail.
In some places on Little River, we learn,
and wind has done serious damage to orchards and
growing exov*.— Maryville Tennessean.
Struck bv Lightning.-Ou Thursday during the
&a few'mil'ea*BoiuLceast’of this
mind and system being partially para
Jyzed — Maryville. Tennesseean.
Another -A gentleman ridingout in a buggy in
South Nashville yesterday evening was
SS&Sf lightning. — Nosh. Union of Tuesday Ist.
Progress oe the Revival.— Sinee the com
mencement of the revival at this place, eiguty per
“ “ have conneoted themselves with the Presby
terian oburch here. Some thirty or forty other*
have professed religion, but have not attached
themselves to any oburch— MaryviU Tennesseean.
The United States steam frigate Merrimao and
ftaranac and the sloops-of-war Decatur and Vandalt%
were at Panama on the 18th mat.