Newspaper Page Text
Ulcrciiant’e Convention.
This body assembled in Augusta, on Mon
day the 16th in st.,and was organized by calling
Kerr Boyco, of Charleston, to the Chair, and
appointing A. J. Miller, Secretary.
The Committee of 20, to whom was refer
red the consideration of tho objects of the
Convention, through theii Chairman, the Hon.
(Seo. McDuffie, made the following report:
Report of the Convention.
The Select Committee raised for the pur
pose of ascertaining and reporting what mea
sures will in their opinion, most effectually
contribute to the accomplishment of the great
object of this Convention, ask leave to submit
the following report:
The Committee are deeply impressed with
the importance of the duty assigned to them,
and hnve bestowed upon it all the attention their
limited time would permit. They regard the
present derangement of the currency and ex
changes of the country, however we may de
precate its causes'and deplore its immediate
effects, as furnishing an occasion, which if
wisely improved, will relieve the staple grow
ing States from a state of commercial depend,
ence, scarcely less reproachful to their indus.
try and enterprise than it is incompatible with
their substantial prosperity.
The Staple growing States, while they pro.
duec tWQ.mirrfa of ib» domestic exports of the
United States, import scarcely one.tenth of the
foreign merchandise which is received in ea.
change for it. Almost the whole of the for.
eign commerce which is founded upon the pro.
ductions of our industry, is carried on by the
citizens of other States, causing their cities to
flourish, while ours have been sinking into de.
cay. In the opinion of the Committee the
period has arrived, when our citizens are in.
yoked by tho united voice of interest and pa.
triotism, to put an end to this voluntary tribute,
amounting annually to something like ten mil.
lions dollars. It is believed that ths quota of
Georgia and South Carolina alone amounts to
not less than three millions of dollars. It may
net be disguised, however, that this extraordi.
nary and unequal state of our commercial re.
lations had its origin, more in the fiscal opera,
tions of the Federal Government, than in any
supposed deficiency in tho industry and enter,
priz© of our citizens. The high duties impo.
ssd by the tariff of 1816 upon the productions
of Southern Industry, and the still more enor
mous duties imposed by those of 1824 and
1828, combined with the unequal system of
depositing and disbursing the revenue so col
lected, almost exclusively in the Northern Ci
ties, operate as a bounty to the commerce of
those cities, which the most persevering indus
. try and enterprise on our part, could not have
overcome. Great and obvious as were the na
tural advantages of our Southern cities, they
were mors than eoui.torbalanced by those ope
rations of the government. And whilst we
stood amidst the ruins produced by misgovern
ment, many of oar citizens were utterly una
ble to account for the phenomena, and some of
our charitable neighbors supposed it to be ow
ing to the curse of Heaven upon our domestic
institutions.
Every practical man, however, will at once
perceive, that the deposit© of almost the whole
of the government funds, in the banks of the
Northeq*<ities was equivalent to a loan of n
like surfririthout interest, and that the immense
sums disbursed by the government at the same
points, operated even more decidedly to give
those cities an undue ascendancy. One of
the most obvious and salutary consequences
which we may confidently anticipate in the
reduction es the duties and the withdrawal of
the government deposites from the banks, will
be the restoration of the Southern cities to a
condition of comparative equality in the busi
ness of foreign commerce. In a fair and equal
competition it cannot be doubted that they
will be able to exchange our domestic produc
tions for the manufactures ot Europe, by a di.
rset trade, more advantageously, than the
Northern cities can do it, by a circuitous pro
cess, involving intermediate transfers and agen
cies, all increasing the risk and expense of the
operation.
There never was presented to the capitalists
of the South and South West such an opening
for profitable enterprise, and they are invited
by the most powerful considerations to im
prove it. Now that the fiscal operations of
the Federal Government have been so greatly
reduced, and the field of competition fairly
opened, if they should still look on with list
less apathy, while the mighty current of our
•wo peculiar commerce is flowing litterally by
them, to nourish distant cities and fertilize the
barren hills of distant communities, we must
then acquiesce in the judgement which the
world will pronounce, that we deserve our des
tiny. But the Committee indulge the confi
dent belief that such reproach will no longer
rest upon us. The public spirit of our people
h*s been roused into action, they have been
awakened to a sense of their condition, and
all are prepared to co-operate, in their respec.
tive spheres, in the great work of throwing off
the shackles of our present colonial condition
and establishing our commercial independence
upon a lasting foundation.
The staple growing States never can be
practically independent and enjoy tho full
measure of the bounties which Providence has
so abundantly provided forthem, untiltho com
tnerce which is founded upon their valuable
productions shall be carried ©n by their own
merchants, permanently resident amongst us,
whether they be native or adopted. The pur.
suits of commerce must be realized, the com.
mercial class must be elevated iu public opin.
ion to the rank in society which properly be.
longs to it. The avocations of the merchant,
requires as much character and talent, and is
, es as much dignity and usefulness, as any oth.
•r pursuit or profession, and the senseless pre.
judics which would assign to it an inferior
rank, has been blindly borrowed from those
anciaut republics and the modern despotisms,
whose policy was to regard war as the only
honorable pursuit. As agricultural produc.
tions, which find their market principally in
foreign countries, constitute the almost exclu
sive sources of our wealth, the mercantile
class is as indispensable to our prosperity as
the agricultural. Their interests are indis
pensably identified, and whatever affects the
prosperity of the one, must have a correspon.
ding influence on the other. How much, then,
does the general welfare of the staple growing
States, depend upon diverting into the pursuits
•f commerce, a larger portion of the capital,
the character and the talent which have been
hitherto directed too exclusively to agriculture
and the learned professions? It is the delibe
rate opinion of ths Committee that no cue
change cauld be made in our pursuits that
would so largely conti ibute to the public pro
party, and that those public spirited citizens
who shall take the lead in this new career of
useful enterprize, will deserve to be regarded
as public benefactors. The prevailing habit
©f investing almoat the whole proceeds of our
cotton crops in land and negroes has produced
a constant tendency to over production in this
great staple, and nothing but the extraordinary
increase of its consumption in the great mar.
ketof the world, has presented us from expo
riencing the ruinous consequences of our mis
taken policy. In this view of the subject, ev
ery dollar that shall be diverted from the pro
duction of cotton, to some other profitable pur
puit, will be so much clear gain to the planter
and to tho country. It is a well established
■ principle, in political economy, that an excess
; of supply beyond the efficient demand, dimin
[ ishes the price of an article, more than in pro
portion to the excess, and that deficiency of
supply increases the price in a corresponding
degree. For example, it is believed that if
’ the present cotton crop of the United States
, should bo only 1,200 bales, it would produce a
larger aggregate sum to tho planter than if it
should prove to be 1,5000 bales, the price be
ing-more enhanced than the quantity would
bs diminished. It was upon this principle
that the Dutch East India Company, actually
’ burnt one half of their spice that they might
obtain more far the remaining half than they
could have obtained for the «'he!e. Let us
pursue a still wiser policy. Instead ot burning
our surplus, let us direct the capital and ixdus
-1 try that produce it, to other profitable pursuits,
’ which will open new sources of wealth, and
r at the same time increase the value of those
already in existence. In connexion with this
‘ view of the subject, the policy of raising every
’ supply, which the soil will produce, cannot be
3 too strongly recommended. By whatever spe
‘ cicus reasons a contrary policy may be coun
' tenanced, experience proves them to be fala
‘ cious. It every planter would raise his own
' supplies of the various productions of the soil
1 and of the animals which feed upon these pro
ductions, it would tend greatly to limit the ex
‘ cessive production of our great eta pies, and in
’ crease at the same time the independence and
’ the income of the agricultural class.
’ The Committee will now proceed to exam
‘ ine, a little in detail, the advantages of the
’ Southern cities for the business of foreign im
' portation, compared with those of the Northern
’ cities. In the first place house rent ts much
’ higher in the latter than in the former, a very
important element in the calculation. In the
second place freight is habitually higher from
Europe to the Northern than to tho Southern
’ cities, for the plain reason that ships coming
P to the South for Cetton would have to come in
, ballast if they were not freighted with mer
chandize. All the other elements' that consti
tute the cost of importation are believed to be
as cheap in the Southern as the Northern ci
’ ties. 11 is then demonstrable that foreign mer
chandize can be actually imported and sold in
the former at cheaper rates than in the latter
places. When to this we add the expenses ot
transshipment at New York or Philadelphia,
' the loss of interest and insurance to the South
i ern cities, and the expenses of landing and
~ storing, then it will be apparent that the mer
chants of the South or South-West will find it
greatly to their advantage to make their pur
j chases of foreign merchandize in our cities in
preference to New York or Philadelphia.
The same course of reasoning will show
that our cotton can be exported directly from
our own seaports with similar advantages over
the more circuitous route of the Northern ci
ties. It seems therefore, perfectly clear to
the Committee, that our capitalists who shall
enter into the business of importing foreign
. merchandize cannot fail to realize ample pro
fits, and yet supply the merchants of the inte
rior on terms more advantageous than they can
obtain from the Northern importers. They
have every natural advantage in the competi
tion, and are invited by every motive, public
and private, to embark in the business and reap
the rich harvest that lies before them. It
cannot be doubted that the merchants of the
interior will give them a preference, since, to
the motives of interest, those ctf patriotism will
be superadded.
Among the measures which will most ef
fectually promote the great object which has
brought this Convention together, none are
more prominent, in the estimation of the com
mittee, than the completion of the great works
of internal improvement, by which the South,
ern Atlantic cities are to be connected with
the valley of the Mississippi. In aid of the
individual capital and enterprize engaged in
these works, it is believed that the patronage
of the States interested might be wisely and
beneficially bestowed. Their completion
would greatly promote the system of direct im
portations through our own sea ports ; and
these importations would equally promote the
completion of the works in question. They
are parts of one great system, and will mutu
ally sustain each other. If Georgia and
South Carolina, with that harmony and con
cert of action which the inseparable identity
of their interests so strongly recommends
would bring their undivided energies and re
sources to the completion of those lines of
communication connecting their Atlantic cities
with the navigable waters of the west, the day
would not be distant when our most ardent
hopes and sanguine anticipations would be
realized.
The Committee beg leave to suggest to the
Convention another measure, which, in their
opinion, would be eminently conducive to the
great object we have in view. One of the ob
stacles in the way of establishing u system of
direct importations, is the want of the requisite
capital applicable to that object. Tho country,
it is believed, contains a sufficiency of capital,
if motives could be presented to give it a pro
per direction.—To effect this, the Committee
can suggest no measure, w hich, in their opin.
ion, would be so effectual as a law limiting the
responsibility of copartners to the sums which
they shall put into the copartnership. A large
portion of the capital to which w; must look
for carrying on the business of direct importa.
tions, is iu the hands of planters, and men of
fortune who have retired from business, who
would be willing to put a portion of their sur.
plus capital into importing copartnerships, un.
derthe management es men of character and
capacity, but would never consent to make
their whole fortunes responsible for the success
of the undertaking. If they actually coutri.
bute a certain amount of capital, and the pub.
lie is apprized that their responsibility extends
no farther, it is obvious that the credit of the
concern will rest upon the substantial fouuda.
tion of the capital paid m. Nothing can be
more fair as it regards the public, and nothing
would so effectually direct the capital and en.
terprize of our citizens into channels where it
is so much wanted. The Committee think it
would be expedient to memorialize the Legis.
latures of the Southern and South Western
States on this subject, and recommend to the
Convention the appointment of Committees
for that purpose.
Another measure which would greatly fa.
ciiitatethe establishment of a system of direct
importations, would be the formation of a con.
nection and correspondence between some of
our banks and some of those in England, by
which each should have a standing credit with
tho other. This would enable tho banks here
to furnish the merchants who might wish to
purchase goods in England, with letters of
credit, upon receiving adequate security. The
bearer of such a letter having to pay interest
only from the time he actually drew the money
to pay for his purchases. This would prevent ;
the loss of interest which he would incur it i
compelled to provide himself with money be
fore he set out on his adventure. Cotton pur. <
chasers from England would derive the same
benefit by obtaining similar letters, from the 1
banks there, upon those of our banks, with j
which they should have an established credit. <
If in addition to these facilities, our banks I
wonld establish agencies in Europh, and ad- !
vance a limited amount upon cotton consigned ’
to them, it would greatly contribute to aceom- 1
plish our common object, by enabling onr citi- (
I zees to export their own cetton, as well as to
i import their own merch'iudiz?, without the in-
■ terventionof any Northern agency.
In concluding their report tho Committee
f cannot but express their strong conviction,
; that tho success of this great movement to
'' wards tho emancipation of the staple growing
i states from their commercial tramme.s, will
i depend more upon individual enterprise, su i.
; tainsd and supported by an enlightened public
■ opinion, than upon any measures of legislation,
however important these may be. The busi
ness of direct importations must bo comrnenc--
ed at once, for if the present occasion is per
mitted to pass away unimproved, one equally
propitious may never occur. The Commit
tee recommend the convention to adopt the
fonbwing resolutions, in furtherance of the
views expressed in the foregoing report:
1 Resolved, That in tho opinion of diia con
vention the present conjuncture in oui com
mercial affairs is eminently propitious for the
establishment of a system of direct, importa
tions, thro’ our Southern and South Western
cities, and that we are called upon by every
consideration of interest and of patriotism. to
throw off the degrading shackles of commer
cial dependence.
2nd Resolved, That with a view to induce
public spirited capitalists to embark in this
business, the people of tho staple growing
States be recommended to give, public mani
festations ot their determination to encourage
and sustain importations through their own
seaports.
3d Resolved, That two Committees be ap-
■ pointed by the President of this Convention
to memorialize respectively, tho Legislatures
of Georgia and South Carolina on the subject
of limited partnerships.
4th Resolved, That it is a sacred duty which
1 the citizens of the Southern and South West
-1 ern States owe to themselves, their posterity,
1 and their country, to give a decided preference
I (where the terms are equal) in procuring their
1 supplies, to our merchants who carry on a
■ direct trade with foreign nations.
sth Resolved, That a Committee be ap
-1 pointed to prepare an address to tho people
for the Southern and South Western States,
1 setting forth the advantages and practicability
of carrying on a direct trade with foreign na
' tions —exhibiting in detail the extent of their
resources.
’ The- following resolutions, in sddition to the
above, were also passed:
6th Resolved, That said Committee in pre
paring such address, embody and conform to
the views of tho Convention as expressed in
the preamble and resolutions adopted.
7th Resolved, That the Convention recom
mend to the citizens of the Southern and South
Western States to appoint delegates to meet in
Convention at Augusta, on the first Monday in
April, 1838, to continue the interests and ob
jects of this Convention before the people.
S’h Resolved, That as an introduction to a
direct importing system at the south it is indis
pensably necessary that the crop of the present
year should be directly exported by southern
merchants and planters, and that to effect this
object the southern banking institutions should
lend such aid as they safely and conveniently
can.
9th Resolved, That the thanks of the Con
vention be tendered to the committee fortheir
able and judicious report.
10th Resolved^ That the thanks of tho Con
vention be tendered to the President and Se
cretary, for the able manner in which they have
discharged their duties.
11th Resolved, That the thanks of the Con
vention be tendered to the Trustees for the use
of the Presbyterian Church.
12th Resolved, That the thanks of the Con
vention be tendered to the citizens of Augusta
for their hospitality.
13th Reolved, That the thanks of the Con
vention be tendered to the directors of the
Georgia Insurance and Trust Company for the
use of their room by the committee.
14th Resolved, That the proceedings of the
Convention and the address to the people ofthe
Southern and South Western States be printed
in pamphlet form and extensively circulated,
and that the delegates from Augusta be ap
poited a committee to superintend the publica
tion.
15th Resolved, That the thanks of the Con
vention be tendered to the Delegates from Au
gusta for their liberality in defraying the ex
pense of the publication of the proceedings of
tho Convention.
Committees appointed under 3d Resolution.
For South Carolinia— Alexander Black,
David Alexander, Charles J Shannon, James
Idger, SJY Barkley.
For Georgia— Augustus II Kenan, Adam
Johnston. Lancelot Johnston, Benjamin E
Stiles, Seaborn Jones.
Committee to prepare the Address.
George McDuffie, Thomas Butler King,
Henry H. Cumming, Absalem H. Chambell
James Gadsden.
... .l - —------■■
FR9M THS AUGUSTA CONSTITUTIONALIST.
Senate Chaxbeb, October 9,1837.
Dear Sir:— Justice to myself compels me
reluctantly to notice an article iu the Constitu
tionalist of the 3d inst. In that article you do
me great injustice. You assail me where lam
most sensitive—but at tho same time most in
vulnerable. If I have any pride as a politi
cian, it is the pride of consistency ; If I have
any claim to merit,it is in an adherenc <jto prin
ciples; If I have any benevolent virtue, it is
lasting gratitude to my friends ; and I wish no
other distinction than that of an honest devo.
tion to the interests of my constituents. My I
claims and pretensions being humble, I assert >
them with the more resolution, and hope you
will neither mistake my temper, or my object '
if I call on you to retract or prove soma es the
charges you bring against me.
I ask, then, what are “the great principles
which the democratic party profess,” which I
have abandoned, and what “changes of senti
ment” 1 have undergone which place me “in
opposition to that party,” or the “solemn declar
ations of the Legislature.” It imports that 1
should know this, for it is perfectly true that 1
“was twice elected by that party to the exal
ted station”! hold ; and with the destiny of
that party I have united my own—and shall
stand or fall with it. Reminding me of this
generous confidence was gratuitous and unne
cessary. It can neither increase my gratitude,
or add to my obligations, No one knows bet.
ter than you, sir, that if my honors were un
merited, they were also unsolicited ; and have
always been at the disposal of those, who so I
generously conferred them. i
But what “solemn declarations of the Legis- ;
lature” have I disregarded ? Do you refer to
my uniform opinion on the subject of the 1
United States Bank ? My opinions on that 1
subject have never been concealed or “chang- <
ed,” and were well known to the Legislature I
at the time they elected me. So were those ;
of my then gifted colleague, whoso opinions I
were in accordance with my own. What i
“change” then, have I undergone on this sub
ject, that merits your animadversion ! I have | I
done nothing, farther than to defend myself i<
from unmerited denunciations, and these too, | i
frequently from the mere popinjays of power, I s
who most miraculously changed their opinions. ■ i
I um not yet a convert to the modern doctrine I i
(of some democrats) of forcing blessings upon [
A ‘rt’ rt’’ to’s. ? h 4' rs '
i tbr- in op,e, ar d I have neither given, or threa-
• teneu any vote at all calculated to alarm them
on this subj, ct, or which throws me “in oppo.
sition” to those “so lema d'etikr.itmus.” In
, what ylsa have I “recently taken a stand” in
opposition to the great principles of the demo
; erotic party ? It is my opposition to the sdf
! wili- d f illies of the Exectrive, adopted and
persevered in against the almost unanimous
: I resistance of tho legislative authority of ah
. parties ? Th- act which I most comic meed
was opposed iu the body of which ! ::m h
member, by a unanimous vote with the ex
ception oi one. It hid no support in the cabi
net b-iore ii was t.dopted, and was afterwards,
• on trial, condemn-’d by thu people ; and again
coiiucmned with great ummimity by the whole
> legisLitiva authority. What “charge” is there
here ? I, with my other democratic friends,
■ resisted this measure from the beginnir-g; and
■ step oy step, foretold most'of the mischievous
i couseqaeuccs that would flow from it. By
• unri'-cessarially and unnaturally embarrassing
i the European money market and manufactu
re,-; it struck down the exports of our south-
' ern planters 39 to 49 per cent.; it did this as
• plain as the sun affords heat nrd light—iu
addition to all the other mischiefs it produced.
With this conviction resting upon my mind, it
is true that I did not join some others ia ap-
; pia’ifHag this Executive triumph over the le-
■ gisuitive authority ; or obsequiously estimate
• the glories of Executive violence by the mise
i ry and mischief it produced. I did not know
that “the great principles of the democratic
• party” required rae to do this ; or to consider
i one nan '’.cy.rr/y, and another man th* ■ govern-
> ment. Nur did I know ihat my constituents
’ required ms to lick the hand that plundered
them, —and applaud the very measures that I
i know to have taken from their mouths the
- bread which their honest industry has earned.
, 111 have mistaken the great principles ofthe
’ party in this particular, it is obvious th at 1
r am not a fit representative for it. I shall there
t fore return home in a few weeks and surren-
dor a trust, you say I cannot honorably hold.
- I have from our friends many written eviden
i cos, that they still consider democracy mea.i
, the v: ill of the people. But it is enough for me
’ to know, sir, that some efmy friendsare dissa-
■ tisfied; and I wish it understood, that I shall
’ not embarrass them by being a candidate for
re-election-. By the kindness of my friends, 1
5' came into office without trouble to myself; I
intend to go out, without trouble/o lAem. That.
■ they can select a successor who will serve
' them with more ability, I readily admit; that
i they can select one who will feel a more
honest d< votion to their interest, I, with coi;fi
deuce, deny. Iu conc'usion, I hope you will
withdraw your charges of inconsistency and
apostacy, or do me the justice to publish this
letter, with gratitude to yourself and ether
fiiends for past confidence, and regret that
you have withdrawn it.
I am, sir, your friend, and obedient servant,
JOHN P. KING.
From the Correspondent of the Chronicle & Sentinel.
! Washington, Oct. 14, 1337.
The Sub Treasury Bill nailed to the table of
the. House and clinched.
The House of Representatives have done a
noble act to day. They laid on the table by
a vole of Ayes 120, Nays 107, lhe Sub-Trea
sury Bill; and a motion to reconsider having
been made, they laid that motion on the table
by a vote of Ayes 119, to Nays 106—still a
majority of 13. So that the atrocious scheme
has not only beeu defeated, but the House has
twice given its deliberate verdict against it.
Glory enough for one day ! 1 cannot forb, ar
to mention again the efforts of Mr. King < f
Georgia, in the Senate, and ofCol. Dawson io
the House, to defeat this measure. Their
conduct has been such as cannot fail to increase
the high esteem and respect universally felt for
them.
When I closed my letter yesterday, the debate
was going on in the Committee ofthe Whole.
In the evening session we hud a speech from
Eli Moore, the oratorof the Loco FocosofNew
York, who wentfoto coelo for the bill. The ora
tion of this demagogue was as flat, stale and un
profitable as any thing could be, and as he did
on a former occasion, he gave way on a plea
of indisposition, and was borne from the Hall
by some of his friends. He gave a promise
that he would put in print the speech he had
intended to have delivered to the House !
Mr. Cushing of Mass, followed him ; and
replied at soma length to the observations of
Mr. Pickens, on the capitalists and laborers of
the North. Then up rose Cambreiing and
gave as an elaborate defence ofthe Bill; and
attempted to controvert the arguments of its
opponents. In tho course of his remarks he
made an attack upon his colleague, that distin
guished barrister, Ogden Hoffman, which
that gentleman thought offensively personal,
and to which he rejoined in a short speech
which has been pronounced by the best and j
oldest members ofthe House, as the most beau- j
tiful and powerful retort they' ever heard iu (
Congress. It was splendid in eloquence and
most severe and withering in its effects. Mr.
Adams paid the triumphant colleague of Cam
brcling, a handsome compliment. He said he
had intended tc answer Cam but lie could not
think of touching a dead adversary. “For
God’s sake take him off,” said Mr. Bouldin
of Va., one of Cam’s most earnest frie ids.
After this animated personal scene, Mr.
Wise took the floor, and addressed the Com
mittee until half past twelve o'clock, in op
position to the measure. When he finish
ed, the question was taken on Col. Dawson’s
proposition to make the State Banks special
depositories of the accruing revenues ofthe
government, and was negatived.
The Committee then rose and reported
the bill to the House, which immediately ad
journed.
'l'o day the first thing done was a motion
by Mr. Sherrod Williams, to lay the measure
on the table, which, after various preliminary
motions for calls of the House, &c. prevailed
by the majority I have mentioned above.
The bill to settle with the Deposits Banks
waa next taken up, and is now under discus,
sion.
The Smate to-day passed tile bill to extend :
the time on Merchant’s Bonds, as amended
by the House, and then want into Executive
session.
Nothing will be done with the resolution
for an inquiry respecting the Florida War.
M.
Washington, Oct. 13, 1837. t
I informed you in my Express loiter of Sa- <
turday, that the Sub Treasury Bill had been i
laid on the table by a majority of 13. The '
ayes being 120—tho nays 117. '
The importance of this vote as a partv vic- <
tory, may be inferred from the part that tho «
Globe has repeatedly declared that, the passage
ofthe Sub Treasury Bill was the great object I
for which the extraordinary session of Con- <
gress was called. The administration there- ’
tore have been defeated on their leading men- 1
sure ; and no' by one or two votes, but the de- s
cisive majority of 13, in an unusually full house, '
Such a defeat suffered in tho English House ’
of Commons wonld bo immediately followed t
by the resignation of Ministers. No English <
statesman would dare to carry on the govern- t
merit after such a vote against a leading eabi. '
net measure. I
The President’s official ergms of last night ;
- attempts to console him and hie traiabamJ, with
i tho idea that the bill has only been postponed
. for tho purpose ofmaking an appeal to the Peo.
i pie. This deceives nobody here. Two mem
i burs and no more voted for laying on the table,
. mho would not have voted against the bill but
- would probably have withdrawn from the
1 House. Mr. C ark of N. Y. and Mr. Kil
i gore—and the worst that would have happen
i ed, had a vote been taken, directly upon the
i passage of the measure, would have been its
i defeat by a majority of from seven to nine.
■ The iiiil basin truth, gone to the Tomb of the
- Capidets, and if there should be any resurrec
, tion at ail, it will be for the purpose of putting
i upon it a still more decisive mark of reproba-
> tion.
j Having disposed of this “great object of
, the special session” thus satisfactorily, the hill
1 to settle with the Doposite Banks was taken
i up in the Committee of tho Whole, an 1 the
debate was continued after the recess until 9
; o’clc-ck, when Mr. Canibreler.g becoming
■ .darmed fur the bills making appropriations to
• defray the expenditures of the Government,
Florida war, *.c., proposed to lay aside th?
> Deposirn Rank Bill until the latter were acted
• upon, 's he suggestion was adopted.
Mr. Wise excited a good deal of mirth in
referti'.’.cc to the item for lhe payment ot mem
bers of Congress, by declaring that the gold
■ hud ail run out, anti that the promise of the
■ Secretary to pay them in whatever was most
■ convenient had not been fulfilled. The truth
' is, ihis government was obliged to borrow spe-
• cieftom one of those very banks which have
■ been so much abused, and which the Execu
? tive’d organs in the Senate and the House have
I endeavor dio destroy, by bringing against
them a bill of pains and penalties if they should
i not resume specie payments! Specie has
. been borrowed from the bank ofthe Motropo
; iis, to pay the members withal ; but that bank
had noihing but silver. Silver was certainly
• not a convenient mode of receiving five or six
■ hundred dollars; and the consequence was,
. the must of the members took notes as the
- most convenient to them, since they could not
: obtain gold.
Mr. Cost Johnson took up this point, and
■ kept the House and galleries in a roar of laugh-
I ter. His speech was full of wit and humor.
• He lushed the Secretary most severely. lam
sorry the reporters did not take down his ex
traordinary miscellany—but they might as
wet! have attempted to pocket a thunder bolt.
Mr. Wise also drew the attention of the
House to the enormous appropriation for the
■ Smithsonian Agency, and had it reduced from
. $10,009 t<> $5,000. The appropriation bills
were lheri passed.
The Senate, which met at half past four,
; had nothing to do until ten o’clock, when these
bills were sent to that body. They were con
curred in.
Tho House then resumed the consideration
of the Deposite Bank bill, and passed it. The
Senate amended it in some points. The House
then took these amendments under considera
tion, but it was soon ascertained there was no
quorum; and after an unsuccessful attempt to
procure a call of the House, they resolved, at
hull past one o’clock, to adjourn until eight
o’clock on Monday.
Monday, Oct. 16, 4 o’clock, P. M.
The special session has been brought to a
close. Both Houses adjourned till the first
Monday iu December next- Nothing was ac
complished today but the passage of the bill
to adjust the accounts with the bite Deposite
Banks. The House of Representatives resu
med ths consideration of this measure at the
opening of the sitting; and after a speech from
Mr. Adams in opposition, Mr. Cambrcleng
moved lire previous question, and the Bill was
pushed through.
Committees were then appointed by each
House to wait on the President, and inform
him that having finished their legislative busi
ness, they were ready to adjourn, unless he
had some further communication to make.
The President replied, that he had nothing to
communicate, but to wish the members gene
rally a happy and safe return to their homes.
The committee having reported, the presiding
officers closed the session, by adjournment of
both houses ; and in half an hour both the le
gislative halls were nearly deserted.
The members generally have left the city.
I have a particular notice of Col. Dawson’s
excellent speech on the postponement of the
deposites, and some remarks on the highly
honorable course of him and Gon. Thompson
of S. C. which I must defer till to-morrow.
To the exertions of those two gentlemen in
the House, and among their friends, and among
the wavering and undetermined, are we in
debted, in gre.it measure, for the defeat of the
Sub Treasury bill. They have adhered to
their State Rights principles in resisting this
enormous measure of federal encroachment.
M.
1 LIST OF ACTS.
PASSED AT THE FIRST SESSION OFTHE TWENTY
FIFTH CONGRESS.
An act to postpone the fourth instalment of
deposite with the States.
An act authorizing a further postponement
of payment upon duty bonds.
An act for adjusting the remaining claims
upon the Jute deposite banks.
An act to regulate the fees of districFattor
neys in certain 'cases.
An act for the relief of D. P. Madison.
A bill to authorize tho issuing of Treasury
notes.
A bill making additional appropriations for
tho suppression of Indian hostilities for the
year of one thousand eight hundred and thirty
A bill m iking additional appropriations for
the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty
seven.
A bill to continue in force certain laws to the
close ofthe next session of Congress.
A bill to amend an act entitled “An act to
provide fur the payment of horses lost or des
troyed in the military service of tho United
States,” approved January 18, 1537.
Resolution directing the postage on letters
sent by the express mail to be paid iu advance.
THIRD QUARTERLY REPORT
Os the President, to the Directors es the Hi
wassee Rail Road Company.
I am again called upon to present to the
Directory the proceedings of the quarter just
terminated, and it is a source of much gratifi
cation to be justified in remarking that, the af
fairs of the Company have been conducted
with a promptness, an energy and success,
which, under existing circumstances, is well
calculated to - ispire confidence in the ultimate
success of our important public work.
The commencement of the present quarter
found our Engineers between BiAir’s ferry,
on the Tennessee river, and Knoxville, to
which place, a most excellent route tins been
located. Immediately after completing the '
survey to Knoxville, the Engineer in chief,
with his corps, returned to tho Hiwassee river, 1
with a vi«w to the survey of the Southern por- '
tion of the road, which has just been complet
ed. I can th wefbre, now say to the Directory. '
that the whole route of tho Hiwassee Rat!
Road has boon deli ntely located; and that so
fir from any disappointment having been ox
pericncc I, us to th > adapta’i m of th;; cou tr> '
* I
a ' for a Rail Road, it has really been found even
il j more favorable than was anticipated.
. i 'l he Report of our Engineer in Chief, Mr.
- J. C. Trautwine, which embraces the whole
, line of our improvement, is herewith submitted
t to the Directory. From his report several im
e portant facts, which heretofore rested in par;
- on more conjecture, are now known actually
- to exist. First, that the route is o ily 98 1-2
j miles in extent; second that in its whole length
s i it approximates very nearly to a direct line;
. I third, that it is entirely free from those short
? i curves so dangerous and so objectionable, to
• I be found on many other roads; fourth, that so
; perfect a correspondence of cuttings and fill-
- ings, or excavation and embankment, is per
haps no where else to be met with; fifth, that
f while much ot the road, when graded will pre-
I sent a dead level, the heaviest grade, will, in
: no instance exceed 33 ft. to the mile; that the
: average cost oi the road will not exceed eleven
) thousand five hundred dollars per mile, and
5 consequently, that the whole can be complet
> ed for, from eleven to twelve hundred thousand
, dollars.
? But it is not only a matter of congratulation
1 that the entire line of our improvement has
b'jen carefully surveyed and definitely located,
i and that a considerable portion of the road is
- under contract, but it is equally cheering to
1 know that the work has been commenced with
? a spirit and energy which ensures its faithful
t execution ; and nothing but the want of m Jans
i can now prevent its speedy completion.
It may be proper here to remark, that a point
j of union has been agreed on, by our Engineer
- in chief and the principal assistant of Col.
j Long, the Engineer in chief of the Western
t and Atlantic Rail Road, which is hoped and
1 believed, will meet the wishes of all concerned,
s It will be the duty of the Directory to de-
- termine whether the condition of the country
; is such, in relation to its monetary concerns.
; as will justify a change in the present svs
i with regard to calls on stockholders. lam
, well convinced that a much larger amount
J could be advantageously used, if stockholders
t could submit to heavier requisitions. And I
am equally certain that when it becomes gen
-1 erally known that the money is expended in
- the actual construction of the work, when the
. effects ot the expenditures which necessarily
i attend such improvements are both seen and
- felt in the community, stockholders will chcer
s fully submit to heavier calls than have hvreto
. fore been made.
j It is confidently hoped and believed that im
j portant. aid may be expected from the present
1 Legislature; that that honorable body, looking
s to the interests of East Tennessee, will not
fail to extend such assistance to this company
, which, with its present resources, will enable
; the Directory to prosecute their important pub-
■ lie work with all necessary energy. Yet it is
evident the work cannot, under any circum-
i stances, be carried on without calls being made
oa stockholders, and whether payments equally
i in time and amount to thos« which were ne-
■ cessary to prosecute the survey will be suffi
i Cient to keep contractors employed, the Board
i are competent to determine.
It is not to be presumed, in the commence
ment of such an improvement as the one we
are engaged in constructing, in a community
so little acquainted with its details, its bearings
anu its results, and when there are so many
conflicting opinions and interests, that none
will be found wanting to throw difficulties in
lhe way. or that every thing will flow on with
a smooth and unrufled surface. It may how.
ev< r be said, that we have met with fewer dis-
Acuities than could reasonably have bean an
ticipated, and those such, only’ as time, firm
ness and a patiant and faithful discharge of
duty on the part of the Directory, must over
come. ’Tis true, there are those who must
a id always will find fault; who, from a want
of proper information, or for political and party
purposes or from selfish or malevolent feelings
aro always ready io excite prejudices or cre
ate alarm.
This is to be expected; yet if such feelings
do exist, they can hevar have an impro
per influence in coltroling the opinions or ac
tions of this Board. And, while the delibera
tions of the Directory are as they have hitherto
been, conducted with an eye single to the in
terests of the company and welfare of the
country in which their improvement is located
they need not fear being sustained by an enligh
tened and libera! community. The identity of
interest which binds the Directory to the wel
fare ofthe company, and the prosperity of the
country, is of itself a sufficient guaranty, that
nothing will be wanting on their part to pro
mote the interest of both.
So far, however, fiom any thing having oc
curred calculated to lesson confidence in this
important improvement, it is evidently growing
and increasing in public favor. Every mile
which has been surveyed and located, has ten
ded to confirm public opinion, not only in the
entire practicability, but in its great superiority
m many important respects, as well as in ch ap.
ness of construction, over any other improve,
ment which has been projected in the interior
of our country. Nor is this all, it has been
gradually, tho’surely growing more and more
popular, until it new occupies a most desirable
and prominent position in public estimation.
It is not now viewed as a mere local improve
ment, for it is seen that it will be accessible to
every neighborhood in this portion ofthe State;
and, therefore, adapted to the agricultural and
commercial wants as all East Tennessee.
Nor is it now looked upon merely as a public
highway to Charleston, or Augusta, or Savan
nah, or to any single point but to the whole
South from Charleston to Mobile thut it will
bring all East Tennessee in juxtaposition with
all the South.
Ou this improvement is the public mind ra
pidly concentrating, as the certain means by
which long neglected East I'ennessee is to pe
regenerate ; as, a channel through which a
stream of prosperity is to flow in upon h«r.
which will develope her mineral wealth and
call into action and profitable requisition all her
natural resources. Nor is it alone in East
Tennessee this improvement is gaining in pub
lic estimation. The South is turning her at
tention to it. with deep aud increasing inter
,est , not only as a sure channel by which she
can reach the productions of the soil and man
ufactures of East Tennessee, but as the most
accessible route to the great valley of the
Ohio.
Before concluding this brief report, ren
dered so from other and important duties, I
must be permitted again to bear testimony to
the industry, zeal and abillily of our Engineer
in chief, Mr. John C. Trautwine, his prin
cipal assistant Mr. Charles Siunickson and his
assi’innts Messrs. Marlove Hayes, William
11. Hoffman and Janies Barnard. In such a
survey as they have been engaged, it was
hardly to be expected that unpleasant collisions
wonld not occur between persons through
whose lands the survey must necessarily run,
and these gentlemen.—Yet, altho some objec
tions were urged against particular locations
by some lew of the numerous landhokhrs
on the line, yet such has been the forbear
ing, urbane and gentlemanly deportment of
the whole corps, that the highest regard and
the kindest fet-hngs are entertained for them
from one end of the improvement to the
other.
All which is respecti'illv submitted.
S. D. J \( DBS.
Prest. Hiwassee Rail Road Co.
A'.itn.s, October 2, 1837.
! From the N. Y. Daily Express, Oct. 20.
:1 _
- NINE DAYS LATER FROM EUROPE,
’ Tho Liverpool packet ship Independance,
’ Cant. Nye, arrived at this port early this morn
' ing', bringing the Editors ofthe Daily Express,
1 London papers of Sept. 23d; aud Liverpool
’ of the 25th.
1 We find nothing new from England of im
’ portance, except the following important in
-1 telligenco in a letter from Constantinople, da
' ted 30th August. I n England the act is looked
’ upon as another insult at the hands of Russia,
f and the interest of British merchants and ship
' owners had been again compromised by the
1 proceedings of Russian cruisers in the Black
' Sea.
! “ I'he Captain of a British merchant vessel
lately arrived from Taganrog, and now gone
on to Trieste, made a deposition before the
x vice-consul here, of his having been stopped
in the Black Sea by a Russian cruiser and de
-1 tained several days before he was liberated.
The captain had left here before tho circum*
’ stance was publicly known, but ths following
8 are the facts I have been enabled to collect:
1 This vessel, tbe Caesar, belonging to Jersey,
( was chartered at Hamburg to load a cargo of
sugars and coffee fer Trepisoude and Redoubt
3 Kale, and after having delivered her cargoat
these ports, was proceeding to Taganrog to
1 seek a fresh charter, whan she was stopped on
r the high sea by a Russian frigate and after his
’ vessel had been searched and his papers exam
! ined, the captain was informed that ho must
J accompany the frigate to Ghelenjak, where
• the admiral was. Hero his papers were again
" examined, and, after a detention of five or six
’ days, he was allowed to pursue his voyage.
l ' As this is neither the first, second nor even tho
' third time British vesselshave been stepped in
1 the Black Sea, and so much has been already
1 said on former occasions. I venture no remark,
8 but leave the facts to epeak for themselves.
A full statement of lhe case will, of course, be
‘ forwarded to the government, and it will then
1 for England to decide whether she permits to
3 Russian cruisers the right of search of vessels
' trading iu time of peace to the ports of the
1 Black Sea.”
FRANCE.
Paris dates of the 24th September, have boon
received by the I ndepeudance. The Paris pa
t pers of Thursday have arrived by the ordinary
r express, but contain no facta oi importance,
j The disturbances at Angoulomo are at an end,
r but the entire of the Paris press, with of course
; the exception of the Quotidtenne, Gatette de
France, and their LegitimaMst coternporaries,
, condemned the growing indiscretion of tho
clergy, which had revived a spirit of hostility
, and of resistance to the church and its minis
. ters that every true friend of religion and peace
sincerely deplored.
The marriage of Princess Marie with Princ«
[ Alexander of IFurtembc-rg was fixed for tho
3th of October. The ceremony was to take
place privately, at the Chateau of Trianou, and
immediately afterwards the happy couple
would set out for Fontaiucblenu, and thence
; probably go to Germany. The formnl con
sent and dispensation of the Pope had reached
Paris.
The Toulonnais, of the 17th inst., status that
tho expeditionary corps now ©n its march
against Constantina, consists of 13,000 infnntrv
2,000 cavalry and 1,100 cannoneers with 60
pieces of artillery- About 2,000 man more
were to have been left in the camp, together
with 1,000 convalescent soldiers. The ad
vanced guard is mostly composed of auxiliary
Arabs, in b»y olTmnce.
The Tartare steamer sailed from Toulon,
with despatches for Tunis, on the 16lh inst.—
Il was rumoured that she brought orders to
Admiral Lalande to leave his vessels at Tunis
and Bona until after the return of the expedi
tion.
The only article copied into the Paris papers
from ths foreign journals that appears worth
mentioning, is ono from the Suabian Mercury,
which states, under date “ Fontiers of Servia,
sth of September instant,” that the plague had
broken through the barrier raised against it by
Prince Milosch, but that the precautions taken
by tho Austrian Government, left nothing to
fear for its further progress.
SPAIN.
Letters from Bayonne, dated the 17th inst.,
inform us ot the determination of the relics of
the unfortunate British Legion to return to Eng
land, and never again to serve in the cause of
■ the Queen of Spam. No fewer than 13 Brit
ish officers were killed m the affair of Andonia
on tho 14th inst. 40 Spanish officers also fell ;
not. however, by the fire of the Carlists, but
by lhe bayonets of their own soldiers, whose
flight they attempted to prevent. The com
panies ofthe British Legion, and the two com
panies of Spa; iai ds, who took refuge in the
chu-ch of A'idonia, capitulated on lhe night ©f
the 15th.
General O'Donnell, n ho had been forseversl
weeks in Madrid, returned to Bayonne on lhe
17ffi. bringing with him money to pav a portion
of the arrears due to the Legion. The latest
news from is adverse to the Constitu
tional party, —or at least so it is thought to be.
I he remains of the British Legion under Gen
eral O’Donnell, after their advance to Pampe
lunn, were attacked on the 14;h inst. bv a su
perior body of Carlists, who carried Andonia,
where O’Connell had fortified himself and drove
the Queen’s troops back to Hemani. Th©
telegraphic despatch, which announces the de
feat, states that twenty five English officei *
were killed in the action, though reasonah J®
hopes may be entertained that this estimate
considerably exceeds the amount of loss really
sustained. Tbe advance «f General O’Donnal
so far from h s lines into an open country, and
with so small a force, was previously censured
by those who knew the difficulties to be en
countered, and this reverse was, therefore, n«t
altogether unexpected.
Accounts from Madrid mention that the Go
vernment is taking every precaution to protect
that city against the threatened attack of the
Carlists. All lhe gates and squares are de
fended by artillery, and several of the street*
are barricadoed. Martial law has been pro
claimed. There had been some slight skir
mishing in the vicinity of the capital; on th©
19th a body of Carhsts had advanced almost
to the gates, when ths arrival of Eapartero,
with a superior force, obliged them to retire.
From tho New Orleans Bee, Oct. 19.
INSURRECTION.
By the Brian Boroihmo from Alexandria,
information by passengers and letters have been
received of an extensive insurrection, which
was to have taken placeon the night of the 7th
inst. at Bayou Rapidu' a few miles from Alex
andria, but for lhe discovery ofthe plot by one
of the parties, on the fifth, who made a confes
sion to his master. About 50 negroes were
immediately arrested on the 10th 11th and -i
12'h : 9 of the principal leaders were hung in
Alexandria, 3 of them were free ; there arc a
bout 4C in j.iil a waiting tltcir trial.
Two companies of United Slates troops
have been stationed throughout the disaffected •
district. Everything is now quiet and the ne
groes ccmple’fi. ly subdued.