News & planters' gazette. (Washington, Wilkes County [sic], Ga.) 1840-1844, August 24, 1843, Image 2
SERPENT HUNTING. AN ADVENTURE IN SOUTH AMERICA. Business connected rather with pleasure than profit had ke|h me roaming for some months among the West India Islands, that land of magnificence and discomfort; and from all that l had heard there, and more particularly from what came under my own observation, I can truly atlirm that to Eu ropeans in general it is a land replete with novelty and- interest, and to Waiters, both of fiction und truth, a field in which they may reap an abundant harvest of reputation.— j I at length fouftd myself at Barbadoes, without any fixed resolution either to return or proceed farther on in my wanderings.— In such a wavering and unsettled state of mind, a little matter will sometimes turn the scalo. I had carried a letter to a gen tleman of the island, with whom l formed a most agreeable acquaintanceship ; and in consequence of the description he gave me pf the coast of South America I was imlu ced to form the resolution of visiting, at least a part of that country before I should think of bending my course homewards.— Being furnished by him with letters to one or two individuals who might be of service to me, I took a passage in a ship bound to Demerara, and after a voyage in no degree, remarkable for shortness or novelty, I land ed therein safety. I will not stop here to describe all I saw. Suffice it to say, that having viewed ail I considered worthy of being noticed, I set off across the country to deliver one of the letters I carried with with me to a gentleman from whose atten tion and knowledge I had. beer, assured I should obtain much information. After a journey of some days I reached the place : and considering that I had been previously an utter stranger, I was received with a degree of warmth and kindness I could scarcely have anticipated. The estate, or rather plantation, on which I had been so kindly invited to take up my residence for sometime, and where I had resolved to spend a few weeks in examining the local seenerv and curiosities, la v upon the banks of a river that conies down from the moun tains of Ghana Mr Heinvault (the pro prietor) although th’ superintendence of his r.vates occupied a great part of his time r.■•rived m devnie no inconsiderable por* • • r,v amusement- Accompanied >•’ .prvants, and Caisar, a • ■ • ivv negro who held the post nonage no’ only useful, but . to those who reside on colo . distant from any town, as many loaees of the table are furnished we made frequent excursions up mf.ry, and committed occasionally ! : .'V ,e among the quadrupeds and feath ered tribes with which that region abounds. At other times we manned a couple of ca noes, and descending the river, we employ ed ourselves in fishing excursions, or in ta king a shot at such birds as unfortunately came within range of our pieces. Those who are acquainted with the general ap pearance and topography of the northern coast of South America, know well that from the flatness of the country as it ap proaches the sea, many rivers of consider ‘ able magnitude divide themselves into nu merous streams or canals, before mingling their waters with those of the ocean. The deltas or islands formed by these streams are sometimes of great extent, consisting, like most of that coast, of marshy or savan nah land, partly hare and partly overrun :r. 1 eds and canes, or other aquatic in thethiek and almost impervious if these, reptiles of various kinds und a retrdat, from which they occa merge in search of their prey.— ’ steams are in many places frequented -■ -es of the most variegated and beau t':: plumage, and the waters afford sever , hinds offish, which from their delicacy . j flavour, amply repay the labor employ i and i. taking them. I-t * 4 keen informed by Mr. H > :>d Cie .vtl serpents of a ‘treat si/,. ‘•• ( fr ~ : nity seen by them res’ ?*. - “• j r'r ..i ..>• island,toanothe ,a* •• c.\e. and not without diffio . - ’r.'v-out'd in destroying a few • • bad . ecu for some time anxtm . . r one of these reptiles; not that. 1 a close connection with it—far from it j . .■■ littb 1 had seen of them had giy< n me i an aversion to them, and this feeling was! mm:!; hoighened by the numerous stories ! had h aid of their fearful powers of deglu- : tilion. 1 had no objections, however, to j view one at a distance, “dragging its slow : trembling length along.” Butin ail our excursions nothing of this kind was to be j seen, and I had begun to conceive some la- i tent suspicions that Mr. Heinvault and Cue- | had a little exaggerated the number and j size of the reptiles they had seen and de stroyed. But an adventure soon after this befel mo, which made me entirely change my opinion of their veracity at:d convinced me that their account rather fell short ■>( than exceeded the truth. Occasionally when pressing businees detained Mr. li ,v his plantation or called him to . distance, arid wfien-I found time hung liea\ ; unon.m , hands, Caesar was a! ways willin;: t > vri-| untcer his services as my guiui a. :- . tant in any rambles which I ms!, dertakr ; and a clever and activi • ■ indeed found him. He was a cap: .. and unequalled in the success with he contrived to hook his fish when r. of them would look at the bait belonging n< 1 another. One day, about two or three weeks after my arrival, Mr. Heinvault informed me that he was under the necessity of going to a plantation distant about ten miles, and as the way lay partly through tiie woods and trackless savannahs, he was obliged to take Caisar with him, he being the only one on the estate who had a thorough knowledge of the way, and who from his dexterity and address proved a useful and agreeable at tendant. fie added, that he should be back early in the afternoon, and that if I wished to take a stroll, or go ott the water, any of the rest of his people should be at my dis posal. After Mr. if. had rode away, 1 strolled about the plantation an hour or two ‘rjfUnsr at “very thing to amuse myself; hut getting wearied by doing nothing. 1 told one of the people to get the lines ready, for it was my intention*to go put a fishing for some time, the day being rather warm and sultry for enjoying a shooting oxgtJft sion. These being soon ready, 1 likewise sent for my gun, and declined, the olTor he made me, I pushed out intolho stream and dropped slowly down the river. 1 guided my canoe into one of the streams in which I had formerly been along with Csesar, und where onr sport had been very good. The | stream was not above eighteen or twenty feet in width. I “paddled my light ca noe” up t?nd down this, trying to get a shot at some of the beautiful birds which often frequent these lagoons. But the birds were scarce and shy. I set the lines, and pad died about for some time. 1 drew them up, but whether they had not been baited as well as Caesar used.to do it, or whether the fish were as shy as th” biids. I cannot tell ; but after a few trials J got tired of this sport likewise. Thinking I would be more successful elsewhere, i proceeded about a quarter of a mile farther down, and set lines. By this time the day hud become exceedingly sul try and oppressive. Seeing there was no prospect of a shot, I took off my stockings and shoes and bathed my feet in the water, and working my canoe to the other side, I laid my gun ready loaded for a shot upon the benches, and stretched myself along side of it, waiting till it was time to draw the lines which 1 had set. In this position I fell asleep, overcome, as I suppose, by the heat ofthe day, and the fatigue I had un dergone. 1 know not how long 1 may have slept; but 1 was roused from my slumber by a curious sensation, as if some animal were licking my foot. In that state of half stu por felt after immediately awaking -from sleep, I cast my eyes downward and never till my dying day shall I forget the thrill of horror that passed through my frame on perceiving the neck and head of a mon strous sarpentcovering mv foot with saliva, preparatory, as immediately flashed upon nay mind, to commencing the process of swallowing it. I had faced deatli in many shapes—on the ocean—on the battle-field ; but never till that momeut had I conceived he could approach me in a guise soterrible. For a moment and but a moment, I was fas cinated. But recollection of my state soon came to my aid, and I quickly withdrew my foot from the monster, which was all the while glaring upon me with its basilisk eyes, and at the same moment I instinc tively grasped my gun, which was lying loaded beside me. The reptile, apparent ly disturbed by my motion (I conceive it had previously, from my inertness, taken me for a dead carcase,) drew its head be low the level ofthe canoe. I had just suffi cient time to raise myself half up, pointing the muzzle of mv piece in the direction of the serpent, when its head and neck again appeared moving backwards and forwards, as if in search ofthe object it had lost. The muzzle of my gun within a yard or two of it; my finger was on the trigger; I fired, and it received the shot in the head. Rear ing up part ofits body with a horrible hiss, which made my blood run cold—and by its contortions displaying to my sight a great part of its enormous bulk, which had hitherto escaped my notice—it seemed rea dy to throw itself upon me in its monstrous coils. Dropping my gun, by a single stroke of the paddle I made the canoe shoot up the stream out of his reach. Just as I was es caping, 1 could observe that the shot had taken effect, for blood was beginning to drop from its head. But the wound appeared rather to have enraged than subdued him. Unfortuately all my shot was expended, otherwise I would most certainly at a res pectable distance, have given him a salu tation of the same kind as I had just be stowed. All that I have described passed n 1 much shorter time than I have*taken I >u recounting it. . I went up the stream with all the ve n.’ y 1 could impart to the canoe. I heard i • ‘ ads, among which the animal was ap • ■ t'• y taking refuge, crashing under its 1 never once thought of the lines ■ . bu, hurrying as fast as the ca -o through the water, I was not he landing place before 11 ‘ • ■ use. Hastily mooring • 1 ashore, and hurried !up to the housr where ! found Mr. Hein | vault, who had jus! arrived. You may be certain 1 lost no t me In communicating to ,;m tin ■■■'%■■■ : ji .us escape I had ma le, and tn<- wound I had inflicted on the I animal “In d.a ’ said he “it cannot* ( scai- : v.e must en v diately go in search ot it ; and im tantly summoning'Cesar, he told him logoi th guns ready, and to bring two of bis fellow., with him If ydu choose to assist us in finishing the adventure you have begun, and to have a second adven titia with your novel antagonist, wo shall - r.v you ‘-i.me ofthe be:-’ and most danger j uir ‘p >r. • 11 r country affords.” I protested j -hat nothing was farther from my intention i j than staying behind, arid ‘added, that had | i.d’ my shot ■be -n expend and, \vc should no’ i ‘..iv parted on so eusy.terms. ‘ln goner ! al, he • aid, ‘-it is very dam-V: ous to attack ■ a nrnccs in which ’ and try doing so. But h precaution in approaeh )ie< them, thi- 1 it is next to impossible that any accident can happen.”* Just as he fin ished-saying this, Cesar re-appeared, Idm self armed with a club, one of those who followed him carrying a weapon of the same kind, while the other was armed with a weapon similar to a bill.hook. This Mr. Heinvault told me was to clear a road a mong the reeds if the animal should have retreated among them ; the club being reck oned the best instrument for a close en counter. We were soon seated in the ca noes, gliding down the stream as fast as a couple ofpairs of brawny arms could urge us. In a short time we reached the spot where my adventure had happened. The small part of the bank not covered with reeds. bore from its sanguine hue, evident proof that tho wound the animal had re ceived could not have been slight. Exact ly opposite this the reeds were crushed and broken, and a sort of passage was formed among them so wide, that u man could with little difficulty enter. Mr. Heinvault com mrtnded a halt, to see that the anus were in proper order. All being right, we lis tened attentively, in order to hear if there was any noise which might direct enemy. No sound however, was heard.— One of the negroes entered first, clearing with his bill-hook whatever obstructed our way. He was followed by Mr. Heinvault and me with our guns ; while Cesar and his fellow-servant brought up the rear.-*- The reeds were in general nearly double our height and at the same time pretty close. However, we easily made our way through them, partly assisted by the track which the serpent had evidently made. We had penetrated, I sheuld suppose, a bout thirty yards, when the fellow who was in advance gave the alarm that we wore close upon the animal. Mr. Heinvault ordered him behind, and advancing along with me, we saw through the reeds part of the body of the monster coiled up and part stretched out ; but owing to their thickness its head was invisible. Disturbed, and ap parently irritated by our approach, it ap peared from its movements, about to turn and assail us. We had our guns ready, and just as we caught a glimpse of its head we fired, both of us almost at tho same mo ment. From the obstruction of the reeds, all our shot could not have taken effect; but what did take effect, seemed to be suffi cient ; for it fell, hissing, and rolling itself into a variety of contortions. Even yet it was dangerous to approach it. ButCsesar who seemed to possess a great deal of cool ness and audacity, motioning his master and tne not to fire again in the direction of the animal, forced a way through the reeds at one side, and, making a kind of circuit, came in before it; and a few repetitions of this gave us the victory. We could now examine the creature with safety. We fround that a good part of our shot had lod ged about its head and neck, and would probably have proved fatal to it, even if we had left it to its fate. I confess it was not without a shudder that I handled and ex amined it, when I thought how nearly I had escaped from furnishing it with a meal. We set ourselves to work, and not with out difficulty did we succed in dragging the huge carcase to the edge of the stream, and in embarking it in one ofthe canoes, to which I found it a pretty fair loading. It was not far from sunset wheathe expedition landed on the bank near Mr. Ilcinvault’s house. He soon got sufficient assistanoe in conveying the carcase up, and in deposi ting it in a place of safety. On measuring it, we found it to be nearly forty feet in length, and of proportional thickness. Mr. Heinvault informed me that it was the lar gest he had seen killed, althoitgh he had often seen others under circumstances which convinced him that they must have been of a far greater size. It was not until I was seated at late din tier, that I felt myself a little overcome with the unusual exertion I had undergone on so sultry and oppressive a day. But as the ’ evening wore on 1 completely recovered ; and never do I recollect spending a more agreeable one. The adventure, however,, and the consciousness of my escape, must have been deeply impressed upon my mind; for, during some months after, I often star- j ted from my sleep with the cold sweat upon my brow, imagining myself crushed and expiring in the embrace of a horrid reptile. LETTER FROM MR. CLAY. We find in the Nashville Banner of the 9th instant the following letter from Mr. Clay, addressed to the Editor ofthe Tennes see Agriculturalist. It is justly character ized as expressing, in a condensed form, the views of public policy in regard to the great interests ofthe country, to the main tenance and diffusion of which so many of the illustrious orator’s greatest speeches have been devoted. It breathes also the spirit of enlightened benevolence nnd com prehensive patriotism which distinguished his private and public character :— Chron. and Sentinel. Ashland, August, 1843. To the Publishers of the Tenn. State Ag riculturalist: Gentlemen: —l duly received your let ter requesting my present views as to tho station that the Mechanical portion of our population should occupy in tlie United States, and also as to the subject of.Home Industry and Manufactures. Although I have often had occasion publicly to express my opinions on these matters, I take pleas ure in communicating them to you. It has always appeared to me, Gentle men, that the task of administering our common government would not he very dif ficult, i( honestly, liberality and reasonable information were carried into the public councils. It was instituted to promote the genera! prosperity, by a faithful exercise of ; ‘ . powers granted by the Constitution.— I 1 parts ofthe Union, and all the great in terests ofthe country,should, therefore, re ceive the parental care'and attention ofthe Government. No ene section, and no one interest should desire or expect to engross its exclusive regard. I he main pillars of Society are Agricul ture, Commerce, including Navigation, and Manufactures, including the Mechanic Arts. Owing to the peculiar position of the United States, Agriculture requires but little protection, and that confined to but a few branches of it. It is otherwise with the other two interests.—They require some protection against the selfish legisla tion and rivalry of Foreign powers, which, to make it beneficial and effectual should possess two qualities, moderation and sta bility, intimately connected with each oth er. Without moderation, other interests would feel that they had been unjustly dealt by, dissatisfaction would ensue, and that stability in legislation, so desirable it) all business and pturgtiifs/'would not be served. Protection to Manufactures and Com merce is in fact, whatever it may be in form, encouragement to Agriculture. The cultivator ofthe soil is conscious of the great advantage of having alongside of him the Blayhsmith the Wheelwright, the Sad. dl*r and Harness maker, the Tailor, the Hatter, the Shoemaker, the Cabinetmaker, and Masons and Carpenters. His comforts and their’s are both increased by sucb proximity, and they are enabled to augment their respective productions. But of what avail would it be to multiply them, without Commeruejpb reign and domestic, whose of fice is to distribute the surplus produce of Agriculture and ofthe fabrics of the Me chanic and Manufacturer ? 1 atnso far a friend to free trade as to think that, within the limits of the Union, it should be entirely unfettered and per fectly equal between all interests and all parts ofour country. But to that free trade, which would throw wide open our ports to Foreign productions, without duties, theirs remaining closed to us our admission al lowed only upon the condition of high du ties and severe restriction ; which would compel a resort to direct taxation, instead of the Customhouse, to supply the wants of the Federal Treasury ; and which would leave our domestic industry unprotected, and exposed in an unequal contest with the rival productions of Foreign powers, 1 am utterly and irreconcilably opposed. 1 had hoped, and supposed, that all would have cheerfully rallied around a Tariff which, I seeking to supply the treasury with an ad equate revenue, for an honest and cconomi | cal administration of the Government, should at tlie same time incidentally, by I proper discrimination, extend reasonable protection to such bl anches of our domestic industry as needed it. That is all which !is now asked or insisted upon. But even j that moderate and equitable basis, for the ; final settlement of this great and vexed ! question, encounters strong and decided I opposition. The Mechanic Arts, from the commence ment of the operation ofour present Consti tution, have constantly enjoyed some degree of protection from Government, in the form of duties imposed on fabrics of foreign Me chanics ; and I think it ought to be contin ued. With respe’et to the station which that portion of our population engaged in Me chanical pursuits ought to occupy in the United States, I think that all citizens, na tiveand naturalized, without any regard to their respective vocation, should enjoy such consideration in Society, as is due to their virtue and intelligence, their industry so briety and general deportment. With cordial acknowledgement, Gentle men, for the sentiments of esteem and con fidence, which you have done me the honor to express towards me, I am your friend and obedient servant, H. CLAY. Messrs. Cameron & Fall. TO THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA. At a meeting of the Whig mdftibers of tho last General Assembly, a committee was appointed to address you ; as members of that committee, that duty has devolved upon us. In order rightly to understand and ap preciate a part of the legislation of the last General Assembly, it is useful and proper, that we briefly advert to a portion ofthe le gislation of tiie last ten years, commencing with the condition of our affairs when the present dominant party were entrusted with the State Government. From this review, it will appear, that the legislative history ofour State whilst under the control of that combination of citizens, who choose to call themselves the Democratic party, is strong ly marked with blunders and disasters, weakness and wickedness,, unsteadiness of purpose and vacillations in policy, waste ful extravagance and timid temporary ex pedients, a disregard ofthe public interests in official appointments, and contempt for the sanctity of private contracts and the public faith. Their most recent demon strations seem to confirm these leading characteristics ; there seems to be an in creased tendency in their policy to substi tute the will oiltrie legislative majority for the constitutional barriers which fence a bout private rights, and protect them from invasion ; to squander the public funds in accomplishment of partizan ends, and then to supply the deficiencies thus created in the public revenue, by the most odious and wrongful sequestrations ofthe accumulated labor of particular classes ofthe communi ty who are believed to be weak, and sought to be made odious, by a system rather de serving the name of legislative spoliation, than legitimate and just taxation. The dis regard of the public faith by these people has been evinced in pledging particular public funds by legislative enactment,tothe security and redemption of public contracts, and then diverting and appropriating these funds to other and dissimilar objects, or dissipating them in public loans. We have but little cause to complain that the world esteemed but lightly pledges which we were so little earefyl to redeem. Dnring the long and disastrous reign of that party, millions of public money have been expended in a public improvement, not yet completed, and therefore worthless; and which they are afraid either to complete or abandon. Other millions, the accumu lated savings of their predecessors during many years of prudence and economy, have been consumed and dissipated by them without advantage or benefit to the public. The ordinary means for raising money for public use were abandoned, and loans were resorted to as the means of paying the or dinary expenses of the government. These were the principles which they carried into the State Government; we purpose to trace their progress and expose their results. In 1833, these gentlemen, under the name ofthe “Union Democratic Republi can Party,” obtained a majority in the State by the popularity of General Jackson, and unpopularity of Nullification, our fi nances were in a most prosperous condi tiurs—ouY treasury was overflowing—we owed no debts, and owned between two and j three millions of money,, good bunk stocks, j and oilin’ sbfvont securities for motley— j oUr credit was good— -■our good faith was | spotles ? --oui’ currency was sound, ‘abun dant butjiot t'edilndani--our poor school and academic fundswere efficiently aiding in j tile education of the people—our peopled were prosperous, virtuous and happy. On- ! ly four years ot power by this party were | sufficient to reverse tho picture. At the! , end of that period we saw onr State without money, without credit, her good faitli dis- : honored, our good currency exchanged for a redundant, worthless, fraudulent one— our individual prosperity and happiness crushed beneath the overwhelming weight of our national calamities. Before the meeting ofthe Legislature in 1837, within four years after these gentle men obtained power, under the reckless policy which they adopted, tho accumula tions of-former years, together with above a million of dollars received from the Gen eral Government, were exhausted. And at that session they were driven either to borrow three hundred thousand dollars to pay the ordinary expenses of the govern ment, or tax the people. A tax might pro duce inquiry among the people how their money had been expended, and endanger their power, they therefore resorted to bor rowing. The loan was effected through” the Central Bank, on 12 months time, und it was expected to be paid from the collec tions of that Bank during the year 1838. But the legislature of 1838 making no pro vision for the support of government during the year 1839, used the funds collected by the Bank for that purpose, and left the debt under protest; our credit was annihilated almost as soon as our money had been squandered. Bv this act of State degrada tion, they were enabled to hobble through the year 1839, but at the end of that year their difficulties were formidable; their wants were great and urgent; they were unable to borrojv and afraid to tax. Out of their desperation at this period sprung that desperate and disastrous scheme ofthe Central Bank to continue its suspension of cash payments, and supply them with its bills to carry on the government The bet ter to cover the real nature offtlie transac tion, they also directed a loan of tlrese bills to the people, to an amount limited only by the discretion ofthe Directors of the Bank. This was done to induce the popular belief that the measure was intended to relieve the people and not themselves from diffi culties. In litis state of affairs, the political revo lu'ion of 1840. which was scarcely less for tunate for tin rn than the country, swept them from the publiccounsels, and the State Government was committed to the Whigs. The Whigs found the treasury without funds—no revenue law in existence to re plenish it—the poor school fund swallow ed up in the Central Bank and unavailable; nearly a million ofCentral Bank notes in circulation, with nothing to redeem them but tiie notes of its customers and tho small remaining portion of its capital stock—a public debt to be provided for of nearly a million and a half of dollars, arid about six hundred thousand dollars of that debt due,” and pruv-lng ihe treasury for immediate payment —sh? three hundred thousand dol lar loan of 1*27 still unpaid and under | protest —an general suspension of cash payments by the banks. To add to these difficulties, and further to embarrass* the government, his Excellency Gov. McDon ald recomm o 1 Legislature to bor row enough money to relieve the people from the consequences of a bad crop, and loan it out to them through the Central Bank,. How did the Whig party meet these diffi culties? They reduced the appropriations, confined them to their legitimate and ne cessary public objects ; levied a tax to meet their appropriations and pay the debts left by tlteir predecessors; restrained the Cen tral Bank from father issues of its bills; provided for the redemption of those alrea dy in the bands of the people ; ordered the sale of such of the ungranted lands as had been drawfi over eighteen years, after a limited time allowed to the drawers to grant them; provided for the sale of the Bank stock, and the collection of the debts due the State, and the application of their pro ceeds to the discharge of the public debts then due, and of the interest on those not due; passed an act compelling the resump tion of specie payments by the Banks, and providing for the forfeiture of the charters of such as might refuse ; considered and re jected Gov. McDonald’s electioneering pro ject for popular relief, as wrong in princi ple, and utterly impracticable in the then state of our affairs, even if right. Experi ence has confirmed the wisdom of all their measures. But immediately upon the adjournment of the Legislature of 1840, piteous, hypocritical lamentations for the sufferings of the people (which they had greatly contributed to produce, and so con ducted our finances as to render it impossi ble to alleviate, even upon their own prin ciples,) were forthwith heard from these gentlemen throughout the broad limits of the State. The Whigs were denounced by them for violating pledges which they ‘ hud never given, and for insensibility to the j general pecuniary distress. The tax law j was represented as imposing “odious, n in- ■ tolerable and unnecessary burthens upon the country. Semi-official statements were put forth to deceive the people as to the a mount of money which the tax bill would raise. The condition of the Central Bank was grossly falsified, and the people were taught to believe that hut for Whig opposi tion to that prostrate concern, a never fail ing stream of golil would have flowed from j it into their pockets. Humbuggery was re duced to an exact science and demonstrated by figures. Distinguished democratic poli ticians entered into arithmetical calcula- ! tions, proving to a cent how much each vo ter had lost by the cruel, perverse opposi- I tion of the Whigs to McDonald’s relief! measure. The act compelling cash pay ments by the banks which they had faitii lessy promised the people for years to car- ‘ rv out, was represented as a wanton, unne j cessary contraction of the currency and jv i j gratiuilous oppression of the people. C J i executive order suspended the act disposit\ j ofthe ungranted lands. And this iinwailj I rantable, monstrous usurpation, utterly aixfl ; war with popular liberty and free govern -I I m. pt, was sanctioned by those who ealUidw i iliyin- hi". Democrats. ‘ Their efforts sue-| ■ craved, the uraiul result ws accomplished. 1 ‘1 licv ■ afrapd tliot'lrciauis. Tlt'dr triuniph I jwas di id.-, v|, m erw helming, it was bo- ) set with difficulties. They had excited ox- i pectations in the public mind which were doomed to disappointment. They Wd giv en promises nnd pledges which could not be redeemed. Nothing but a bold series of impositions could extricate them. Em boldcncd by their recent triumphs by the same means, they did not despair ofsuccoss. , Some simple hearted gentlemen among them were in earnest in their cry for relief. They had been dupes themselves, they be lieved in the “great measure of deliverance and liberty.” Hence an early adjourn ment of the Legislature became a grading object with the managers of the party.— They speedily set about preparing “a tub for the whale.” They saved a few thou sand dollars by curtailing the salaries of the judges, and a few other public that they might have a pretext to talk and retrenchment; substituted (or the whl * prohibition of further issuqs by the bank, A delusive enactment of their own, intended! to deceive ; which provided that it should not “relieve the people” until it could pay its own debts in coin; a period, it is true, sufficiently remote for all practical purpo ses, and crowned their financial labours on this subject by the magnificent project of authorizing the bank to issue 300,000 dol lars of small bills, to be exchanged for large ones, and giving it the monopoly of the shinplaster trade ! In their address to the people recounting their Herculean la bors, they demanded the approbation of the country for repealing the whig law, and restoring the bank to “public usefulness ;” affected to believe that they had reanima ted their favorite paper machine when they knew that their quackery had produced and was intended to produce but galvanic distortions when life and vitality were ex tinct. Relief, the great test of democracy in the elections, they remembered to forget.— Twenty-five per cent was voted off of the “odious whig double tax.” To veto that,was their Governor’s part ofthe responsibility. He performed it w ith commendable fidelity, reserving his reason therefor, (which .stam ped with falsehood every statement with’ which it had been attacked before the peo ple,) for the next session. They did not disdain to pocket the proceeds ofthe “odi ous double tax law,” and adjourned. They carried the elections of 1842 by diminished majorities, and assembled to meet n w difficulties. The financial crisis - had arrived, the truth could ao longer be concealed—the necessity seemed to vindicate the Whig policy of 1840, ana to record their votes fora series of meas ures, the unjust condemnation of which had brought them into power. Many and dis creditable were the shifts and devices to which they resorted to avoid it, the most prominent and discreditable of which origi nated with the executive. His excellency represented the public necessities as ur gent, pressing, brooking no delay ; the “o dious double tax law” brought in coin too slowly (or t lie wants of his retrenching de mocratic administratration ; the banks were suspected of having the necessary supplies; their owners wore few and feeble, and their wrongs were unlikely to enlist public sym pathy—hence they were marked out as vic tims. He recommended that the specie paying-Banks be forced to convert Central Bank notes into exchange at a rate not high er than five per cent premium, or in default thereof to tax them two per cent upon their nominal capital, which amounted in some instances to as much as six per cent on their actual capital, when other property was taxed at (averaging) not one twentieth of that rate. Those ofour fellow-citizens who by legislative authority, if not invitation, had invested their money in a business which proved to be unprofitable, and in which some s of them had lost tho gr&ater portion ofthe investment, were required to pay that enor mous tax or submit to still greater exac tions. This measure was sustained by a large number of Democrats in the House of Representatives. Other financial expedi ents were suggested and introduced with the same objects, which if less atrocious were equally unsuccessful, and the majority fi nally affirmed the “odious Whig double tax” of 1840 by voting to increase it twenty five per cent. They sanctioned its princi ples and details. They virulently opposed it before the people in 1841 on the ground that it was oppressively arid unnecessarily high ; after trying it two years with the Government in their own hands, and boast ing of their economy and retrenchments, their then only objection to it Was, that it was too low ! We leave them to escape the dilemma that they were either ignorant ofthe wants of the Government or wicked ly and wilfully deceived the people to get into power. They retraced their steps of 1841, touching tho Central Batik and fell hack upon the Whig policy of 1840. Hav ing passed an act, placing the Bank in li quidation, free from objection except that it dues not go far enough ; they ratified the Whig policy of 1840 concerning the un granted public lands, even after they had extended the time for taking out grants un til December 1843, for which reason many*, of the Whigs, deeming the public faith im plicated, were constrained tooppose the act. What they did was chiefly in affirmance of the policy of the Whig party. That which. > they attempted and failed in was all their oivn. To this part of their career we pro pose now to refer. It was chiefly charac terized by efforts to replenish the exhaus ted coffers of the Central Bank, without ref erence to justice or right, and to arrest the ordinary administration of the laws. The depreciation ofCentral Bank notes, resulting as it did, From the most uniform and obvious laws of trade, was attributed to Whig brokers. It suited their purposes^