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“Washington,iß'h March, 1824&.
<*Dbak
“ The sentence of the Court Mar
tial upon Mr, K?nnon is a *fuH ac
quittal” upon every charge and spe
c iff cat ion —but the Court go uo fur
ther !
“He is o/dered to the Pacific in
the Peacock—and if report tells
true, this is a step by the “‘powers
that rule the roast” to stifle all far
ther enquiry about the famous Geor
gia libel !—for, it is understood
here, the Secretary will make no
part of the proceedings public but
the sentence, —and making Kennon’s
mailing nearly siniuliane ms with a
knowledge of his sentence, puts it
out of his power to get any thing
else for that purpose,
“No sieps are to he taken against
the Prosecutor , though the Court
have declared (bat the charges aud
specifications “ are not proved I”
**l make this known to you to sat
isfy the curiosity 1 know your read
ers have about the late Court Mar
tial, and suggest it as due to jus
tice and the honor of the Navy,
whether it will not be expedient for
IJeut. Kenoon to publish all that he
can, to wit, —his defence. —The pub
lic wiii from that, I am told, be a- i
hie to comprehend something of a
transaction of which they are to be 1
officially keft ignorant, but which )
they have only to know to stamp !
whh their severest reprehension. j
“The Officers here, under the ‘
rank of Captain, hope some inde- j
pendent Member of Congress will ;
call lor the proceed! gs of the Court i
Martial: Amen say I ”
We publish to day. another com
munication to the Agricultural oci
ety of South Carolina. Some two
year- ago, we endeavored to impre*s |
upon the minds of our readers the 1
important <*ubject to be attained, and
the benefits which might be derived
from the in tiru.ion of agricultural
societies The outh Carolina o ‘
iriety, has been in existence but two i
or three years, and all who have i
marked its progress or who have pe- 1
rused the communications emanating
from it, must be convinced of the im
portance of institutions of a similar
description. The p anters of Bald
win County, in this state, have for
med a society, for the improvement
of agriculture* but in no other part
of the to our knowledge, has
the example been fohowed Fiohi
what we have already published on
the subject of rice alone, it is evident
that our modes of cultiva ion are sus
ceptible of impiovement —and how
can these improvements be better at
tained than by as ciations for mutu <
al information, and mutual inquiry— i
by the judicious disposition of premi- j
urn , crca mg a spirit of competition !
and a general rivalsnip, in producing 1
the gieate t quantity of the fruits of
the earth—at the smallest expend
and benefiting the community at
large, by* he publication of the
Xii'-des of cu ture of our great sta
ples, upon which our wea th and
prosperity, so intimately depend ?
Patriotism and imere t equa ly dictate
the course proper to be parsed.
The present communication is val
uab e on account of the hint* it con
tains relative to the health of the
‘cu.tivator, as well as the business of
cultivation. — Sav. ‘feorgtan.
Ft •om the Southern Patriot,
TO THE AGRICULTURE SOCIETY OF
SOUTH CAROLINA.
Charleston, 20th November, ££23.
Gentlemen— lt would be pre’
sumption in me to offer any thing to
y< ur Sooiety on Agricultural sub
jects i but as weave all interested
in the health am! prosperity of tho
low country, and the members of
your Society more deeply than oth
ers, I submit to you the result of uiy
reflations on this, the chief object
of my attention.
That this part of the state is more
Sf* kiy now than formerly, I believe
you will agree ; that it may become
Worse is ascertained ; and on the
consequences of this progressive de
terioration, we must all look with
anxiety and apprehension.
As far as my observation goes,
this increase of si kness commenced
with the abandonment of Inland Rire
F<e!ds, and has advanced in propor
tion to the number abandoned, and
the quantify of high land cleared.
Py the former an immense increase
v.s occasioned in the quantity of
miasmata; hv the latter,the most ef
ficient means of purifying the aftnos
phere were removed, I confidently
hope that the evil may be arrested
fa its progress, aud in a great mea-
sure removed by means, within the
reach and control of a'l.
That other countries have been
ruined by the gradual deterioration
of climate, can be proved by history;
and the situation of I a!y iu particu
lar, may be known from the publi
cations of Sismoudi, Chateauvieux,
and others. Even where rice isoul
tivated ou the Banks of the Aruo ai.d
ihe Po, although sickly, the preva
lence of sickness is nothing compar
ed with that in the neglected Sea
Coast, and even the Campagnafi
Unma, which was once the garden
of Italy. We also know that where
countries had been notoriously sick
ly,they have been rescued from that
deplorable situation by proper drain
ing and cultivation. Particular
instances of this kind in our own
state, must he familiar to you all,
and the reverse from neglect oi im
prudence, is unhappily too true.
Many healthy situations have been
ruined by inconsiderate clearings—
by Mill Ponds and Reserves, and
again have been restored to health
by removing the sources of sick
ness.
Private interest and individual en
terprise alone may effect the im
provements contemplated Where
several are interested they must as
sociate, and where all will not do so
legislative aid must be obtained. A
planter may turn his attention to
hi* own abandoned ri*-e fields, or
be annoyed by those of other peo.
pie, Ue knows that the soil is
of the first quality of blue clay, su
perior to a great proportion of tide
land. He knows that excellent crops
have been made from, it in favorable
seasons. He t rails of the system of
draining and irrigation practised in
China and other parts of Asia. He
learns that a very cheap and simple
machine may be used to flow his
fields when 100 dry, and to relieve
him when there ss an excess of wa
ter. He purchases his neighbour’s
property for a trifle and removes
the He makes eertain
aud abundant crops, and his suoi-ess
in a few years induces others to fol
low his example,and the dry culture
of su h fields becomes general. Give
me leave to offer the suggestion of
a friend, a man of the first respecta
bility—that flax would probably suc
ceed as well in sueb grounds as in
the low country of FI Hand. If not
exceeding my provide I would more
partirnlwlj re.-imimcml OlHi limy
he allotted “s all the p irposes of gra
zing and soiling. By this plan, all
occasion for the unwholesome re
serves would he obviated and the
place for the reserve become the
richest part of the field. The culti
vation of Hug ir Cane as food for nat
tie of ail kinds, both in summer and
winter, may he well worthy your
consideration, ft would he a most
luxuriant crop in such lands, and
the juice when fermented at cl distil
led is said to he more profitable in
Georgia than the cultivation of Sea
I'htnd Cotton A few enterprizing
men may so*n improve a neighbor
hood, ahd enable iheir families to
reside so near their own planting in
terests as to superintend and inspect
them daily.
If from your own experience, you
are satisfied of the great advantages
result ng from your residence on your
plantations throughout the winter
what must be the additional advan‘a
ges of such superintendance in the
Summer and Autumn—the most in
terefting and impor ant part of the
who e year.
That it is more advantageous to
manure and improve an old field than
to c ear anew one is insisted on by
the most experienced farmer*, even
in countries where wood is much
more valuab e han with us and the
cost of manure much greater Inde
pendent of the facility with which an
immense ma • of manure may be co*
lected by alternate strata of marsh
gras*, stable manure fennel and oth
er weed , turf and marsh mud, &c.
the first cost of the land i- the most
conclusive consideration, for without
such collection the planter will require
at least twice the quantity of land for a
change of fields. By rendering an
old field productive, you not only re
cover so much land actually tost, but
save the necessity of ho ding a great
er quantity os land than is required
for cultivation, and preserve the trees
for the advantage of health. 1 it not
better to manure a field until it yields
30 ur 40 bushels or more of corn to
the acre, than to clear anew one,
which will not yield more than 15 or
20 ? V ill not the same labour, time
and expense effect th-- former as the
latter except where the wood may be
readily sent to market? Would not
the effectual draining of a great por
tion of the inland swamps and rice
fields enable them to afford the moit
abundant crops of corn, hay, &c. ?
Would not some such system of cul
ture, greatly improve the prospect of
hea th m this part of the state ?
To give some idea of the simplicity and ef
fect oi a machine *or draining- fields incommo
ded by back water,or from any other cause too
Wft, I send a rough model of one that may be
made by any carpenter, from materials, always
at hand, whicUwill enable each man employ
ed on it to raiA about 75 galions of water per
mmute f *
Besides hed'-aining of such cleared swamps,
there are bar*, and ponds in the neighborhood
of every plantation, the draining of which
would greatly promote the health of the vicin.
itv Anothr fruitful source of disease is the
neglec'ed stagnant water in the cliches and
canals of the rice fields after the waer has
been left off preparatory to harvest. —You re
fresh tbe wder in your fields as often as bub
bles ar.d siuro, which denote fermentation,
are observec to coll ct; but neglect that in
the di ches altogether as soon as the rice is
ripe.—Frora the continued warmth of the
weather for the space of two months alter this
period, it is obvious that a vast quantity of
stagnant wtver must be in these di'ches, and
a propr'riitnate quantity of noxious exhalation
be the coiyequence. The exhalations result
ing fromrice culture are tr.flng compared
with ho.* from neglect and oversight in lea
ving stagran*. water where there need not be
any.— ;h< spirited and commendable experi
ment m,ib bv our neighbors of Savannah, has
not succeeded quite as weH as they merited.
With deff-etice I think this is owing to wo
ci-cumstcrs: all he neighboring rice fie ds
are no. stbjected to dry culture, and they
which a e ;<> subj ced are not perfectly drai
ned The va er >tagnat ing in the drams from
May ‘o November, I be*ieve to be he cause
of sickness in ’he vicinity. If they will not
con* rue tXachwerv for throwing off this wa
ter, hey should at least make :t ebb and flow
in s he di ehes with every tide.
Give me ‘rave to offer an opinion as to the
precautions ha’ may be useful if not necessa
ry :o a fam-ly about to spend the summer in
’he count’v A residence in villages is not
advisable—the dUta ce from your plantation
is generally so great as to render your super
intendence difficult if not inefficient. and your
health is endangered bv every change of wea
ther that may overtake you on the wav. or that
may detain you at ‘he plantation The dissi
pation and rivalry that wdl always arise in
such settlements, very soon render ‘hem un
stated to health and economy. A suitable
place may generally be found within a mi e. of
two of your planting interest, where you may
inspect every thing and obtain your supplies
without difficulty or delay If two or hree
families would uni'e in such apian .it would of
course be more agreeable.
In making Ih r choice, a pine ridge free
from moss having a moderate slope, should
be preferred, bur no such piace shoHtd be fi
nally adopted until ii is ascertained to afford
good wholesome clear water. The associate*
should agree in writing, not to make a clear
ing or even cut fire wo®d within a given dis
tance of he settlement to provide for making
a large fire morning and evening in seme cen
tral situation For ‘he purpose of rarifying the
air, expelling the dampness and consuming
the surrounding atmosphere,- likewise .<• keep
a certain space round each house clear of
rs- - J ——-* 9<t brush- all of which retain
much moisture. The chilly, damp night air,
the heavy chilling dews in ’he morning, and
the extreme heat of the sun should be care
ful > avoided. All such extremes have a great
tendency to excite the diseases of summer and
autumn, especially where th® extremities of
the body arechilied by being wet with the
dew, and the Sun beaming with intense heat
on the h. ad. In such cases a warm bath would
have the besteffect in equalizing the circula
tion and heat of the body. N® one should e
ver fie down cr set in wet clothes
In other countries similarly situated great
attention is paid to diet, and I have no doubt
of its advantages—All excess in eating and
drinking is forbidden—the food should be a
bundarn, noirishing and simple,- the only re
strictions generally observed are as to eggs,
butter and a ilk as food.
It any pretetrive medicine is necessary, it
certamy shoild no be of a debilitating nature;
the mild tones,such as biitersand bark,**ould
be useful, aid by many a<e deemed necessary.
To obviate p far as possible the cons- quences
of occasional to ran, wet feet, and
other contingencies of this nature, the best
precatr ion is >he daily use of the cold bath to
an emp;y > omach at any time of the day,
but particularly in the morning. The most
convenient wav of apply ing it probably is, the
effusion of a pi'cher of cold water over the
neck and shoulders.
I forbear to urge he advantages te be de
rived from a residence near your plantations
throughout the year. Economy and superior
skid and care wifi probably enable the planter
o make a prnfi o’ 8 or 10 per cent. On his cap
ita whereas 4is now he u most ‘hat is gen
erally t abzed Hoping ha’these suggestions
may be corrected and improved by your prac
tical knowledge and experience,
I am with much respec ,
Yourob’t. humble servant,
JOSEPH JOHNSON.
°The deser'ed Rice fields are the Pon ine
Marshes of South Carolina.
f This may be seen at Chisolm k Taylor*
counting muse
CONCiRESS.
Debate in the Senate,
On the tevertf propositions to amend the Consti
tution of the United States
FitiDiY, March i9. 1824.
Mr, Snub, of Md, sai*i, he should
vote againit an indefinite postpone
ment. T(e slate of Maryland, said
he, has iiiitructed its Senators to
use their kest endeavors to obtain
sut-h an amendment to the constitu
tion as will ensure a uniform mode
of election, throughout the United
States, of president & Vice Presi
dent. The district mode is preferr
ed by that state, which meets my
concurrence, and 1 shall vote for any
of the resolutions that will be most
likely to sneceed, and will assure
that mode. Having entered,yester
day, into my reasons on the subject,
I will not again trespass on the time
o*’ ihe Senate, by repetition, in
deed, Mr. President, 1 had no inteu
tion of speaking on the subject
again, nor should 1, but for an ob
servation made by the honorable
gentleman from South Carolina,
(Mr. Hayne.) lie has said, “that
I was ihe first who introduced the
word ‘caucus* into the discussion.”
Why this observation? For what
purpose ? Was it any way necessary
or useful to his argument ?
explained Ilecer
tainly meant nothing unkind towards
the gentleman. Regret had been
expressed, that this word had beeu
used ; and he had merely observed,
that he believed it had first been used
by tbe gentleman from Maryland.
Mr. SMITH resumed. Mr. Pre
sident : £ feel perfectly confident
that the gentleman entertains no un
friendly feeling towards me, person
ally ; hut, as the remark hud been
made, 1 am unwilling that tbe dis
cussion of a subject so unprofitable,
that i feci mortified at its being in
troduced, and so little comporting
with ihe dignity of tho Senate,should
be attributed to me. 1 regret that
the honorable gentleman from New
York (Mr. King) should have deem
ed it proper to introduce it. It is
true, that he qualified it by anew
name, “central power.” However,
either my ears deceived me, op 1
heard him u*e the word Caucus, and
one member opposite took it down ;
but, whether he did or not,his mean
ing was perfectly understood; and,
if 1 used it, it was because I wished
to give it the koowu name—-I wished
to call a spade, a spade.
When first introduced. I consider
ed it as accidental, and tieaied it
lighdy, as 1 thought it merited.
But, sir, the second speech of the
introducer, and tbe elaborate view
taken by the honorable gentleman
from South Carolina, have given to
it form and substance. Effect seems
now to be contemplated, and we
must meet it a* we best ran.
1 am not surprised at tbe course
taken by the boo. gentleman from
S.>uih Carolina; lie was too young
to know the extreme diffr ulties the
republican party had to encounter,
and the dangers it has been exposed
to by attempts calculated to create
schisms, that might have, by divi
ding, exposed it to great danger;
which, iu my humble opinion, have
been mainly obviated and avoided by
*h l aiuus system. Nor am lat all
surprised at the opposition to it by
the honorable gentleman from New
York, (Mr. King j That gentle
man was a leading chief of the fed
eral parly, and he, no doubt, thinks,
what 1 know and believe, that, ow
ing lo the caucus system, his party
was prostrated, and the republican
party brought mto power ; by which
change, 1 firmly believe, and every
republican does believe, that the na
tion has been greatly benefited. I
adhere to that which has rendered
such essential serviee to my country,
and the party to which 1 belong.
r lhe bridge which has carried me
safe over, 1 call a good bridge. The
caucus system has heretofore been
approved. 1 attended several, was
President at one—-aud consistency of
conduct called imperiously on me to
attend that lately held, and which
has met with the disapprobation of
the two gentlemen. Ir appears also,
to have met with the displeasure of
several geoilemen, with whom I
have served iu caucus more than
once. Well, sip, they have their
reasons, such as are satisfactory to
themselves, with which I have no
thing to do. That of being con
scientiously against it, they cann-.t
offer. There are certainly some,
who thiuk the system wrong, on
principle. The gentleman from
South Carolina has said so; but
their numbers,among politicians,are
few. 1 have not met with many.
May w© not, without offence, be
lieve, that meo are much governed
by the consideration of whether the
caucus will or will not support their
favorite candidate? And must we
not believe, that those who bavo
heretofore attended eauousses, will
fiod it difficult to assign any other
reason for absenting themselves
from that which they now censure ?
Indeed, Mr. President, I must think,
that it had a powerful influence, al
though, perhaps, unknown to them
selves, 1 mean no reflection on any
one; but I form my opinion from
man, as he is oonstituted,
1 will now, Mr. President, take a
view of the Caucus system, as it
has operated; and, I trust, I shall
be abl# to shew that it ha® ©aahUd
the Republican party to mount into
power, aud has tended, mainly, to
waiulaiQ them iu it. Upon (his
theme, I act as a party man, and
have no hesitation in saving, that 1
wish to keep my party in power;
that 1 believe the Caucus system is
the most effectual means; and that,
when we cease to use it, we shall
thereby deprive ourselves of one
most powerful instrument. Divide
and Conquer, is as old as hisiors
keep tageiher, you cannot be sufi
dued.
Mr, President : On th* first con
tested election, between Mr. Adams
and Mr. Jefferson, Mr, Adams suc
ceeded by (I believe) admail major
ity, It was believed that bis suc
cess was owing to want of a conjoin
cd effort, a concentration of ioruc,
ou the part of the friends of Mr.
Jefferson. A Caucus was, in conse
quence, held in Philadelphia, th© ob
ject of which was, to make a en
joined effort, to concentrate all the
strength of the party, and to bird
each lo the other, that they would
use their best exertions to promote
the election of Mr. Jefferson. 1 did
not attend, but, I believe, every oth
er member of either House, f loud
ly to Mr. Jefferson, did attend. Who
were ihey ? Men certainly as capa
ble of expounding the constitution,
as any gentleman now in my bear
ing ; one of them, the writer,in part,
of the Federalist, (to whioh we daily
refer,) in fact, al) of them leaflet?
in the republican ranks,and to who J
we are iudebted for the change by
which the republican party came in
to power ; those great men are now
charged, by the gentleman from N.
York, (Mr King) with being pro
moters of a system which, in its
consequences, is to destroy the con
stitution, and to introduce all the
plagues us Egypt. Well, sir, lam
not surprized at this charge, for the
hooorabtc gentleman was one of
those wiio lost the power. Losers
vrill complain, and we ought not to
he urprized, that the gentleman
very willing to put down a system
by which his party has lost their
power; it is natural, it *s as nat
ural for me to wish to eonthuo
a system, by which I, (as one of tho
gainers) have succeeded. I have
said, that I did not attend the frsC
Caucus; but, sir, I assured tnose
who did, that I would act with them,
aud I did, as the people of Maryland
know. 1 used exertions, that I thi” k.
I should not, if the Caucus had not
been held, its decision induced roe,
and others,in Maryland, to unexam -
pled exertion ; much depended mi
its vote. At that time the state*
was decidedly in favor of Mr. Ad
ams. It was changed by ihe exer
tions made by <he republicans,which,
I speak with confidence, lunuld not
have been made, if do Caucus had
been held.
A Caucus was held at the second
election of Mr. Jefferson, at whi !i
almost every republican member diefl
attend : It was not then thought a
crimr. ; on the contrary, it was deem
ed meritorious. If I had not attend
ed it, I am sure my constituents, dfi
that time , would have bee<i d.splei
sed; no one then talked of a Caucus
being an assumption of power; T
mean no republican. I believe the
federalists did, but it was attributed
to the injury the system did to theta
as a part} ; we did not think them
in earnest; we considered their op
position as arising simply from op
position.
The oext Caucus selected Mr.
Madison, and I never heard that h
thought their art other than con
stitution il ; he had attended the first
Caucus in Philadelphia, and was a
principal leader in it. He accepted
tiie nomination. We all know that
he was opposed by Mr. Monroe. A.
schism was threatened (by that op
position) in the republican party is/
It was supported by the federal par
ly* and uever was the republican
party n greater danger. What pre
vented that great evil ? The Caucus
nomination, JV*o other course coultS
have succeeded . The people rallied
abound that nomination,and a schism
was (hereby prevented
President: Some (now pre
sent) know that a schism in the re
pubii. an party bad nearly takes
place, on the election of the present
Chief Magistrate The opposition
to him was strong in numbers and
oharacter, and there was every rea
son to believe that tho republican
party would be severed. How was
it avoided ? The republicans met as
brethren of the same family, agreed
on Mr. Monroe, and all supported
him. He and the Vice President
were informed, by letters, signed by
me and the secretary of the caucus,
ot their nomination, to whieh they
replied, by letters which have been
published, Neither shewed any re
