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CHROM X£| AND SENTINEL. 1
A l|ti U S T A.
TUESDAY MOANING, DECEMBER 22.
. . * ——
Foil CONGRESS.
HINEjI HOLT, Jr.
MUSCOGEE.
Election on i|r*f Monday in January.
* Adam| Press lor »ale.
A power press of Mie above improved patent can
be obtained at this oiice at a reduced price. It is
in perfect order—lale enough to work a sheet 24
bj 36 inches, turns*olf eight hundred sheets per
hour and does Us wirk in superior style.
The Goverijor’s Relief project.
In this morning’s will be found the re
ports of the select Committees on the message of
his Excellency sul;esting his views as to the
measure of Relief *which should be adopted by
the Legislature,—til’ majority and minority re
ports of the Senate committee, and the majority
report of the Hoi|e committee. The report of
the minority of thi House committee, we have
omitted as it was qi|te the same as that submit
ted by the majorityjjjf the Senate’s committee.
Mr. William C. 'Richards arrived at the Man
sion House last earning, bringing with him the
first part of “ Geoteia Illustrated concerning
which the Northeli literary press has recently
said so much. We|pannot do it justice in a few
lines, and will, tln|efore, postpone a notice of it
until our next. !
We commend note to the attention
of our readers. f
| Thursday, Dec. 22.
Mr. Editor, —Wtfceg leave, through your paper,
to inform our frien * that we have entrusted the
agency of e d” to our mutual
and particular fric-|d, Mr. Horace G. Day, a
young gentleman v|iom we introduce to the citi
zens of Augusta every way worthy of their
esteem and confiden|e. He will immediately wai:
upon them to secijje subscriptions to ..he
which we also comi|end to their favor and patron
age. Respectfully, yours J(
I William C. Richards,
* T. Addison Richards.
The New York of the National
Inte ligencer, und«j date of the loth says:—A
passenger from Bangor reports in Boston that a
regiment of British iroops had encamped upon tha
disputed territory, :|id that Gov. Harvey, of New
Brunswick, had officially notified Gov. Fairfield of
the fact [?] whereupon Gov. F. was preparing des
patches to Washingjpn by an especial messenger.
This is all exaggeration.
Correspondence if the Chronicle Sf Sentinel.
Mff ledgeville, Dec. 19, li>4o.
A motion was ra|ie in the Senate this morning
to reconsider the v«e of yesterday, laying the bi 1
reported in pursuance of the Governor’s Relief
Message, on the foi the balance of the session.
It failed Yeas 411-Nays 44.
In the afternoon took up the appropriation
bill, and after som| discussion, voted themselves
$5 per diem. Thejnll was then laid on the table
till Monday. Thelsenate then took up the reso
lutions, reported I * r the Committee on the Stale
of the Republic, if: favor of One Presidential
Term. Mr. Gordon moved to lay them on the
table for the of the session, which motion
failed. After a loj> * speech from Mr. Echols, of
Walton, (in whicS was neither sense nor argu
ment,) and brief f.pecches from Messrs, Jones,
Miller, Kennon, and others, the vote was
taken on agreeing to the resolutions, when the
Senate was comparatively thin ; and the resolu
tions lost—yeas cj, nays 45. Some five or six
Harrison men vot?J against the resolutions ; no
doubt considering matter as settled by the peo
ple, and not lequiAng an amendment of the Con
stitution. I
The Senate met ft 9 o’clock, and passed a num
ber of bills —araoig them, one authorizing the
interposition of in cases of levies for taxes;
and another, providing that where any executor,
administrator, or guardian, applies for letters dG
missory, and (ifte:|giving the usual notice,) thcie
shall be a balance yn hand, which, if no person
comes forward tojclaim, the Court of Ordinary
may pass an ordel requiring him to retain the
same, subject to is Older, at an interest not ex
ceeding 4 per ceayper annum ; oi order the same
to be deposited in fich solvent bank as the Court
shall direct, subjeef to its order. Q,
i
H Milledceville, }
Saturdays o’clock, p. m., Dec. 19-5
This was the set apart some time ago for ad
journment; butalrhopeof that is now abandoned.
Several milters o* importance are yet to be ac:ed
upon, which wLl.Lrobably, consume two or three
days of next weelS The House has been engaged
nearly all this davj in a very animated and inter
esting debate ujicJ the subject of our relations
with Maine. Thi question came up, some days
ago, upon the report of the cornraitte on tne state
of the Republic, viuch recommended a correspon
dence to be coutl> ued between the Goveinoi of
this State and olhc# Southern States upon the sub
ject of similar w:«ngs, to which they are a’l ex
posed, in order ufmake common cause in some
general remedy tcloe adopted,—to which a substi
tute, byway of Al, had bfeen offered, declaiing
that until the people of Maine, thiough their Go
vernment, should iomply with their constitutional
obligations to the leople of Georgia in the delivery
up of fugitives fjsm justice, they should be held
and condsidered of suspicious character ; and
whenever to ne ;Xund coming in this State, to be
required to take oath to observe the laws of the
State in relation tl slave property during their stay
within its limits ;Lnd also to give bond and secu
rity to the sameleffect, or be imprisoned. The
whole subject carfe up to-day, and after considera
ble discussion upc*. the measure proposed, in waich
Messrs. Jenkins, I tiles, Murphy, and Chappel took
part against it, ail Messrs. Stewart of Mclnlosh,
Stephens, Williciis of Talbot, and Flournoy of
Washington, in f J» r or, Mr. Crawford, of Richmond,
moved its refeietle to a select committee, which
was agreed to. |he committee soon reported, as a
substitute, the qw.rantine regulation which passed
the House last sfcsion, when the debate was re
newed —Messrs. fVlillin, Hotchkiss, Bethea, and
Toombs, in addijhn to the others, advocating, and
Messrs. Hardemja and Chappel opposing. The
vote was not ts |ren until dark, and then resulted
in the passage c the bill by a very decided ma
jority. But few c the Harrison party voted against
it, while the gre it majority of the Van Buren men
opposed it. *
The Senate alio, I understand, was engaged in a
very intercstingiiebate on a resolution of Mr. Mil
ler, in relation t Jthe Presidential term, and recom-
I
mending tha ; his election be restricted to one term.
I This resolution was opposed by Messrs. Goidon
i and Echols of Walton, and advocated by Messrs.
Miller, Jones, and others. The post note bill has
pissed the Senate, and been read once in the
House.
The bill compelling Rail Road Companies to pay
for stock killed on their roads, has also passed the
Senate. It had previously passed the House. The
College bill has also passed the House with an
amendment, but has been re-considered, and is still
on the table undisposed of finally. An important
change was effected in our law yesterday, in rela
tion to the public advertising of the county officers
of the several counties of the State. Heretofore,
in almost every county, they have, by some spe
cial act, been compelled to advertise in some par
ticular place or paper. All restriction is now abo
lished, and the officers in every county can make
their publications in any paper wh ch has a general
circulation in their county, by first giving notice
what paper they intend to use for that purpose.
A great number of local bills have passed both
houses within the last two days, but none of im
portance, I believe, which I have not noticed. I
send you with this a copy of the late Executive
message, and the report of the select committee to
whom the subject was referred. As is usual in
such case, theic was a majority and minority re
port. I send you both. To comment upon the re
marks of the majority of the committee touching
the subject, would be useless. Their exposition
of the policy recommended is sufficient to give ii
a general condemnation.
Yours, &c. Hamilton.
Proceedings of Council.
Council Chamber,
Thursday, 7 o’clock; p. m., Dec. 17, 1540,3
Council met pursuant to adjournment.
Present, the Hon. D Hook, Mayor. Aldermen,
Harper, Bones, Jackson, Parish, Flemming,Miller,
Crump, Robinson, Richards, and Dunlap.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and
confirmed.
The following resolutions were offered:
Resolved, That the committee on the Hospital
be authorised to repair the fences around the City
Hospital on the best terms which may offer, and,
on motion, that the fence around the Magazine be
included in the same contract. It was agreed to.
Resolved, That twenty-five per cent, be added
to the next year’s Digest of Taxes.. Which was
passed.
The following Ordinance, to amend the sth
clause of the 35th section of the General Ordi
nance, was read a third time and passed.
An Ordinance, to amend the fifth clause of the
thirty-fifth section of the General Ordinance, re
lative to certain taxes.
Be it ordained by the City Council of Augusta
and it is hereby ordained by the authority of the
same, That stocks of taxable merchandise brought
to this City and exposed for sale, after the period
of maKing returns, shall be subject to the payment
of a tax of a quarter of one per cent, on the value
thereof, which value shall be the cost of the same,
and shall be ascertained by the oath of the owner
thereof or his agent, who shall be called on by the
City Marshal to make a return of the value of such
merchandise on oath ; and on failure of such agent
or owner, to make such return on oath, the City
Marshal shall proceed to fix the value according to
the best evidence to be obtained, and levy the tax
accordingly.
Sec. 2. And be it further ordained by the au
thority aforesaid, That all Ordinances, and parts
of Ordinances, militating against this Ordinance,
be, and the same are hereby repealed.
Done in Council, this 17th day of December. 1840.
The following Ordinance, to amend the 24th
section of the General Ordinance, was read tnree
times and passed.
An Ordinance, imposing a Tax on sales at Pub
lic Auction.
Be it ordained by the City Council of Augusta,
and it is hereby oraained by the authority of the
same, That there shall be a tax of two per cent,
imposed on the amount of sales hereafter made at
public auction, within the corporate limits of the
City of Augusta, except on real estate, negroes,
and shares of the capital stock of banking, or other
joint stock companies, the tax on which shall be
one half of one per cent. ; but no tax shall be le
vied on sales made by virtue of legal process, or by
executors, administrators, or guardians.
Done in Council, this 17th day of December, 1840.
The following ordinance was read three times,
and passed.
An Ordinance to create the office of Superintendent
of Streets, Drains, Water-works, &.c., and to fix
the salary of the same.
Be it ordained by the City Council of Augusta,
and it is hereby ordained by the authority of the
same: That on the first Saturday in every year,
the City Council will elect an officer, to be known
as the Superintendent of Streets, Drains. Water
works, and all other public works, when ordered,
under the direction of the Mayor and Council; to
hold his office for one year, and until his successor
shall be appointed, with a salary of eight hundred
dollars per annum, and that during the existence
of this Ordinance, the office of Street Officer be
abolished.
Done in Council, this 17th day of Dec., IS4O.
Council adjourned, to meet Saturday evening
next, at 7 o’clock. S. H. OLIVER, Clerk.
Council Chamber, ?
Saturday, 7 o’clock, r. m., Dec. 19, 1810.3
Council met pursuant to adjournment.
Present, Hon. D. Hook, Mayor. Aldermen, Pa
rish, Bishop, Flemming, Crump, Richards, Dunlap
Bones, and Harper.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and
confirmed.
The following Ordinance, amendatory of the sth
clause of the 36th section of the General Ordi
nance, was read three times and passed.
“ There shall be annually appointed eight good
and efficient men, who shall be known and denom
inated the City Watch. The said City Watch shall
be mustered at the Guard room at S’clock on every
evening, and shall be under the control and direc
tion of the City Marshal, whose duty it shall be to
detail for patrol duty four; he shall prescribe their
route and direct the time of service, when they
shall be relieved by the remaining four. Each indi
vidual of said City Watch shall be paid one. dollar
.per night for each and every night of service ren
dered, from and after the Ist Saturday in January
next.”
Done in Council, this 19th day of December, 1840.
Be it ordained by the City Council of Augusta,
and it is hereby ordained by the authority of the
same , That from and after the first of January
next, there shall be a tax of one eighth of one per
cent, on all taxable merchandise sold on commis
sion at private sale in the City of Augusta, which
may not have been returned for taxation at the
usual period; and that it shall be the duty of all
persons who may have sold an}’ such goods on com
mission, to embrace all such sales in his or her next
tax returns, and to pay the tax hereby imposed
thereon at the period of paying his or her tax there
after.
Sec. 2. And be it further ordained by the au~
thoi-ity aforesaid , That if any person or persons
shall neglect or refuse to make such return, he or
they shall be subject to the same penalty as per
rons making default in the return of the general
taxes as provided for in the 34th section of the
Geneial Ordinance.
Done in Council, this l9thdayof December, 1840.
The following Ordinance was read three times
and passed.
Aw Ordinance to levy a Tax on Equestrian Ex
hibitions, and for other purposes.
Be it ordained by the City Council of Augusta,
and it is hereby ordained by the authority of the
same, That from and after the passage of this Or
dinance, there shall be a tax levied on all eques
trian exhibitions for pay, at the Circus or else
where, in the City of Augusta, of ten dollars for
every time such exhibition shall be presented, if
between sunrise and sunset; and if such exhibi- i
tion take place after sunset, the tax on the same !
shall be twenty dollars for every time of perform- j
ance, to be collected daily by the City Marshal. j
Sec. 2. And be it further ordained by the author- j
ity afore said, That if the aforesaid tax shall not j
be paid to the City Marshal on demand, execution I
shall issue forthwith against the property of the !
person or persons liable for the same.
Sec 3, And be it further ordained by the author"
ity aforesaid, That all ordinances and parts o? ordi
nances militating against this ordinance, be, and the
same are hereby repealed.
Done in Council this 19th day of December, IS4C-
Tne following resolution was passed.
Resolved, That the Committee on the the River
Bank and Wharf be to have the upper
i wharf office putin good repair on the most reasun
: able terms in their power.
Council adjourned.
_S. H. OLIVER, Clerk.
For the Chronicle <$- Sentinel.
Harrison, Tyler, Berrien, Dawson, Holt,
AND BANK MEETING.
At a large and respectable meeting of the friends
of Harrison, Tyler and Reform, of the counties of
Campbell and Cobb, at Sand Town, Campbell
county, Ga., according to previous public notice,
on the 12th December.
The meeting was organized, by calling Captain
Martin Kolb to the Chair, and appointing James
H. Wilson Esq., Secretary.
The following Preamble and Resolutions were
offered bj- Doctor Glentworth, and unanimously
adopted:
Whereas, At a meeting of the Harrison and Ty
ler party, at Milledgeville,on the 23d of November
last, it was requested that our friends in the seve
ral counties throughout the State, would send del
egates to the Coe vention to be held in that city,
on the 17th of December next, for the purpose of
nominating a suitable candidate for Governor.
Resolved, That the Chairman appoint a commit- ■
tee of five, to select three suitable persons to re- i
present the county in said Convention.
The following gentlemen were appointed; Dr. i
Glentw'orlh, Judge Howell, Capt. Win. Butt, John
I Wilson, Esq., and Jeremiah Langston, Esq., who
; retired, and nominated tne following as delegates: !
Dr. Edward H. Glentworth, Richmond Baige,
Esq , and James H. Wilson, Esq.
Resolved, That we do most cordially con°ratu
| J n
I late the Whigs throughout the Union, on our most
I glorious triumph. That although Liberty was !
wounded in its holiest sanctuaiy— the Cons’itution
violated, by the exclusion of a sovereign State
from the councils of the nation—our legal agents
j assuming to be dictators—that wc thank God, we
are yet free—with Tip and Ty at the helm, our
| Republic is safe.
i Resolved, That our views in regard to the Sub-
Treasury, are unchanged ; the sovereign pcop’e
call loudly for a Bank, and they must be obeyed.
Resolvea, That the election of Gen. Harrison is
now settled, and hope it will be followed up by the
establishment of a National Bank, with a Uniform
currency throughout the Federal Union; and we
j call upon our Senators and Representative in Con
; gress, to urge the repeal of the odious Sub-Treas
: ury, and on its ruins establish a National Bank.
Resolved, That our thanks are due to our politi
cal friends in the State Senate, for their manly and
independent course, in resisting and defeating the
minority, in the election of U. S. Senator.
(The Chair explained to the meeting in a happy
I manner, the course our friends were obliged to
° I
pursue.)
Resolved, That the Hon. John McPherson, Ber
rien is our choice.
Resolved , That we cordially approve of the
nomination of Col. Hines Holt, to fill the vacancy
occasioned by the resignation of Walter T. Col
quitt, in the present Congress, and will give it our
hearty support in January next.
Resolved, That we will leave to our delegates,
as to what will come before them in Convention,
to their sound discretion, untrammelled by instruc
tion ; but our preierence is Dawson', of Green--
Georgia’s favorite son.
Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting
be signed by the Chairman and Secretary, and
published in all the Harrison papers of the State:
Chronicle & Sentinel, Augusta; Georgia Journal,
and Southern Recorder, Milledgeville ; Messenger,
Macon ; Enquirer, Columbus; Whig, Athens, &c.
Resolved, That we adjourn, to meet again at the
ballot-boxes, en the first Monday in January next,
I pledging a pull, a strong pull, and a pull all to
gether. MARTIN KOLB, Chairman.
James H. Wilson, Secretary.
Murder of Mr. Suydam.—The northern
city papers have been for several days past oc
cupied with speculations in regard to the sudden
and mysterious disappearance of Mr. Suydam,
President of the Farmers and Mechanics Bank at
New Brunswick, N. J. Soon after a consultation
with the directory of the bank a few days ago, at
which he expressed emphatic opposition to dis
counting certain paper that was presented, he loft
the bank as was supposed to go home, but was
never more seen alive. His disappearance was
attributed to a sudden alienation of mind.
It appears, however, that he was inhumanly
murdered. His body has been found in the cellar
of one Peter Robinson. Suspicion had been
entertained—the floor was removed—the place
observed—and the body found lour feet under
ground. The skull was broken by a violent blow
from a hammer, axe, or other instrument. Robin
son is a carpenter by trade, and had purchased
the lot and received the money for building the
house on credit from Mr. Suydam. Mr. Suydam
was undoubtedly induced to come to the bouse
of Robinson under the promise of paying off his
obligations, as the mortgage bond, notes &c. were I
all found in Hobinon’s possession. Robinson, i
bis wife, and brother, are secured.— Madisonian . <
Correspondence of the Charleston Courier.
Washington, Dec. 16.
The Senate was, to-day, again engaged in the
discussion of most important political questions
— tbe state of the finances — the means of mee
ting the public expenditures— prospect of a per
manent public (hbt, &?.
Mr. Webster takes the lead on these subjects.
On the motion to refer that part of the Presi
dent’s message which relates to tbe finances to
the Committee of Finance, Mr. Webster entered
into an elaoorate view of the finances of the coun
ty- He said the view taken by the President
was very plausible, but was calculated to produce
erroneous impressions. He did not wish to excite
any angry discussion, but he thought u the part
ot wisdom to look to things as they were, rle
called the attention of the Senate to that partot
the Message which inveighs against “a national
debt,” and he denied that there was, or had ever
been any party in this country, which was in fa
vor of a national debt per se. The present ad
ministration, however, had involved the country
in a heavy debt, while they declaimed against
debts. He took a view of the present debt. It
was certain, he said, that, for some years past, the
I expenditures had exceeded the revenue by about
seven millions, annually. The amount of the
present debt; which the Secretary of theTreasu
j ry had concealed and mystified, was enormous.
I He west into the details of debt on account of
I Indian treaties, Indian wars, Indian depredations.
| public works, treasury notes, &c., shewing that
j the aggregate was vastly greater than the Presi-
I dent chose to allow, and that it must soon be
j provided for, in some way or other. He next arg
; ued that no provision had been proposed by the
administration for meeting the public exigencies.
He himself was in favor of meeting the expendi
tures and debts by duties of wines, teas, silks, &c.
He expressed the hope that the administaation
would bring forward some plan of this sort, in or
der to prevent the necessity of a special session
of Congress. He made no proposition on the
subject.
Mr. Wright intimated an intention to reply to
the arguments and statements of Mr. Webster,
and the subject was postponed for the present on
his motion. Mr. Calhoun will, I am certain,
speak on this topic.
In the House, petitions were presented. Mr.
Adams endeavored, but without success, to call
up his resolutions asking information as to our
political relations with China.
Mr. Petrikin offered a resolution directing the
committee on the Judiciary to inquire into the
expediency of reducing and limiting the fees of
the District Attorney. It is quite time that this
matter should be looked to. It is not to be tole
rated that the District Attorney of New York
should receive forty thousand dollars a year for
services, which are of no great public impor
tance.
The Vice President of the U. S. (Col. John
son) appeared this morning, and took the Chair
of the Senate, looking unusually well; Mr.
Moulton of Louisiana also appeared.
Washington, Dec. 17.
Mr. Wright made a most beautiful speech to
day, in reply to Mr. Webster, on the subject of
the,condition of the finances. The whole Se
nate, both parties included, were with
its temper and its marked ability. The question
before the Senate was on the reference of the
financial portion of the President’s Message to
the committee on Finance.
Mr. Wright replied, first, to that part of Mr
Webster’s remarks which related to the Presi
dent’s admonition against a National Debt. He
said the President had not intimated that there
was any party in the country in favor cf a Na
tional Debt, per se. Neither did he, Mr. Wright,
assert it; but he would maintain that there was,
in this, and in every civilized nation, certain in
terests which are promoted by a National Debt,
and lead men, perhaps insensibly, to favor the
creation of a Nationel Debt. He said that he
had read able articles in the Whig papers, since
the election, recommending a National Debt as a
financial measure, and asserting that the late
fluctuations in the revenue, currency, and busi
ness of the country were the effect of-the ex
tinction of the late N ational Debt.
He then undertook to prove that the whole
debt, as stated by the Secretary of the Treasury,
which would be left by the present administra
tion was only 4,500,000, and that this could he
paid out of the revenues of 1841, if Congress
should not exceed the estimates of the depart
ments. He denied the existence of any thing
that could be called debt growing out ol the In- '
dian treaties, depredations, &c. The Senator
from Massachusetts had complained that the j
President had not recommended a revision of the 1
tariff, and proposed a therefore, in order
to meet the future exigencies of the Treasury, i
and increased expenditures- But how could it
be expected that the President should undertake
to provide for the expenditures of the next ad
ministration ? The revision of the tariff belong
ed to the party aooul to come into power. Thev
had probably found it already to be a very knotty j
subject for them. He sincerely hoped that they
would be able so to adjust it as to do justice to
all the various interests concerned.
As to the extra session of Congress, the new
party would, he hoped, call it as soon as they
pleased, if they thought it necessary, in order to
provide for the debts of the government; but he
should do his utmost at this session, to keep the |
appropiiations within the estimates of the de
partments.
After a few explanatory remarks from Mr.
Webster, the motion to referwas agreed to.
In the House, to-day, an order passed to pay
the whig claimants from New Jersey, (Messrs
Aycrigg,&c.) their mileage and compensation as
members of Congress at the last session.
A resolution by Mr. Cooper, of Ga., to repeal
the law authorizing salaries of Chaplains of Con
gress was negatived—yeas 21.
Many resolutions on various public and pri
vate subjects were offered and agreed to.
The Remains of Napoleon.—The Boston
Daily Advertiser of yesterday says:—“The ship
Calument, Captain Shreve, which arrived at this
port yesterday from Canton, left St. Helena Oct.
21. On the 18th the ceremony of exhumation,
of the remains of Napoleon took place with
great parade. The body, which on his death
was embalmed by French chemists, was found
in a state of complete preservation, the features
being preserved. It wiil be remerflbered that
Napoleon died May 5, 1821. The body was
conveyed on board the Belle Poule, which with
the Favorite, sailed for France on the 19th. These
ships sailed from France July 7, and arrived at
St. Helena Oct. Blh.
Fire, — At 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon, a
fire broke out in the 4th story of the large buil
ding No. 90 and 92 Maiden-lane, occupied ov
J.-& J, F. Trippe, druggists. By the exertions
of the firemen, the fire was confined to the buil
ding in which it commenced. Messrs. Trippe’s
damage will probably be 14,000 or §ls,ooo—the
greater part of which is covered by insurance.—
New York Courier A Enquirer of the 16 th.
Toast given at the Printer’s Festival at Con
cord : “The Boundary Question. —If the mat
ter is not justified to our liking, “Little Vic.”
will find shooting sticks about hex form”
\ elocitt op Lightning.—Until within a
few years, the velocity of the electric fluid has
been a matter of conjecture merely. Late and
ingenious experiments, however, have proved
conclusively tfiat electricity travels with a velo- i
city neariy four times -es great as that of light,
being at the rate of four hundred thousand miles
a second. —Louisville Journal.
Mr. Echo, s, of Walton, Chairman of the Se
lect Committee, to whom was referred the Gov
ernor’s communication in answer to a resolu
tion of Sen itc calling on him for his views and
recommendations, in relation to thecourse neces
sary for the Legislatuie to pursue, in order to as
s >rd such temporary relief l>p the people of this
Slate as the emergent v of the times demand, begs
leave to report the following bill:
A RILL,
To be entitled an actio authorise the sale o*
Scrio, or certificates of Stale debt, by his Excel
lency the Governor of this Stare ; and to place
the proceeds of tne sale thereof in the Central
Bank of Georgia, to he loaned out by the Direc
tors thereof, under certain restrictions; and to
provide a permanent fund for the redemption of i
the principal and interest accruing on said bonds.
Sec. I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of lit present a lives of the State ts Georgia in Ge
ne'-ul Assembly met, and it Is hereby enacted by
the authority of the same. That lor the pui pose
of enabling the State to afford such relief to the
people as the exigency of the times require, his
Excellency the Governor of this Slate be, and In
is hereby authorized immediately after the pas
sage of this act, to execute the bonds of this
Stale to an amount of not more than two mid
ions of dollars, in such sums as he may think ad
visable, to secure the sale thereof, redeemable at
the end of six years, bearing an interest of not
more than eight per cent, per annum, payable an
nually, at such place or places within this State
or the United States, as may be agreed upon. ,
And be it further enacted , That the proceeds
of the sale of said bonds shall be placed in the
Central Bank to be loaned out to the citizens oi
this State, by the Directors thereof, in sums of
not more than one thousand dollars to any one
individual, company, or corporation, at a rale of
interest equal to the amount of interest paid on
said bonds ; which loans shall not be made for a
longer period than three years, and to inch per
sons only as want the same to be used in the pay
ment of debts, and not for purposes of specula
tion, to be ascertained, as near as can be, by tiie
Directors of said Bank: Provided, the notes for
the same shall be secured by undouoted endor
sers, under the same regulations and restrictions
as are at present provided for by law.
And be it further enacted, That all debts cre
ated by loans made under the provisions of this
act shall be kept separate and distinct from ail
other debts due said Bank ; and the principal and
interest thereon shall be kept sacred, and shall
not be applied to any other purpose or used in
any other way than for the redemption of said
bonds and the payment of the interest accruing
thereon.
And bt it further enacted. That the faith and
credit of the State of Georgia, together with the
whole of the capital stock owned by the Central
Bank, and the assets thereof, of every description,
be ami the same is hereby sacredly pledged for the
punctual ledemption of the entire debts, princi
pal and interest, that may be incurred by the sale
of said scrip, at the limes and places agreed upon
at the sale thereof.
And be it funner enacted. That the scrip or
certificate* of State debt, shall be authenticated
by the signature of his Excellency the Governor
and the Secretary of State, and by such seal or
stamp as his Excellency may order and direct.
And be it farther enacted, That all notes dis
counted by the Central Bank under the provi
sions of this act, which shall fall due, and not
paid out or renewed within thirty days thereafter,
it shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to
place all such notes in suit for collection.
And be it farther enacted, by the authority of
the same, That for the purpose of procuring as
early a sale of said scrip as possible, his Excellen
cy the Governor be and he is hereby authorized
to procure the agency of such person or persons
as he may deem necessary for the purpose of car
rying out the objects of this act.
And be it further enacted, That all laws or
j parts of laws militating against ihe provisions of
j this act, be and the same are hereby repealed.
HOUSE OF HEPRESEXTATIVES.
The special Committee, to whom were refer
' ed the communication of bis Excellency, the
Governor, upon the subject of legislative relief
to the good people of t..is State, from the pecu
niary embarrassments consequent upon the “ un
precedented failure of their cotton crop, 5 ’ beg
leave to
report :
That your Committee have given the subject,
all that earnest and considerate attention whicn
its importance deman is, consistent with the brief
space of time allotted them for that puipose, and
the nature of their other public duties. Their
deliberations have resulted in the conviction, that
the measure suggested by his Excellency, ought
not to he adopted.
W hilt; we arc duly sensible of, and deeply re
i gret ;he pecuniary embarrassments of many of
i our fellow-citizens, we feel constrained by a sense
of public duty, to declare, that we deem it un
-1 wise anu impolitic, to use the credit, and pledge
i the properly and labor of the whole people, to
| raise money to supply the private wants of a
j portion only of the people. The use of pub.ic
credit, is one of the most important and delicate
I powers which a free people confide in their re
presentatives ; it should be jealously guarded,
sacredly protected, and cautiously used, even for i
the attainment of the noblest public ends; and
never, for the benefit of one class of the commu
nity, to the exclusion or injury of the rest,
whether the demand for it grows out of their cu
pidity, or zeal, or real or suoposed pecuniary
difficulties.
The improvident or unfortunate use of private
credit, (by what means stimulated, or fostered, or
thwarted, in the consummation of its proposed
objects, we will not stop to inquire, j is undoubt
edly, the immediate cause of the present pecu
niary embarrassments of our fellow-citizens. To
relieve those difficulties, by the use of public i
credit, would be to substitute a public calamity, i
(for such we deem a public debt.) tor private mis- t
foitune, and would end in the certain necessity i
of imposing grievous burthens, in the way of c
taxes, upon the many for the benefit of the few.
All experience admonishes us to expect such re- c
-suits from the proposed measures; to adopt : i
which, would be to violate some of the most sa- j
cred principles of the social compact. All free (
governments, deriving their just powers from, i
and being established for the benefit of, the gov- \
erned, must necessarily have power over the pro- ?
perty, and consequently, the credit of the gov- | (
erned, to the extent necessary for public use, and
no further. And whenever government as- ]
sumes the right to use the property or credit of : s
the people for any other purpose.it abuses a pow- i
er essential for the performance of its legitimate ' <
duties, in a manner destructive of the rights and ! (
interests of the governed, and ought to be stern- t
ly resisted by a free people. The proposed meas- t
urc violates these admitted truths, asserts the un- I
tenable principle, that governments should pro- t
tect a portion of the people, in violation of the ]
rights of the lemainder, from the calamitous con* t
sequences oi unpropitious seasons, their private j
misfortunes, and, perchance, of their indiscre- t
tions and follies; that the pecuniary wants of 1
the people, by whatever cause produced, should f
be supplied with funds borrowed upon public \
credit, and that, in the distribution of the funds c
so raised, a discrimination should be made, based g
upon the necessities of the applicant, the right t
to judge of whose necessities must be confided j
to public agents, who will thereby be entrusted i
with a dangerous, as well as odious power, and ii
which will be liable to great abuses. He must i|
i
have been an indifferent or -
similar financial o- crJiZ ™ 01
himself, that this scheme of brnrowL^
to lend again at the same rate of interest C ‘ Cney '
performed without losslo the State TE k
must be supplied by tuxailon ; and’to °**’
tent, at .east, U wi l operate so as to legiS
I ue> from one citizens pockets to t . g ~ ale too.
| other. H lS ' t 0 of au .
; But, if it were deemed expedient ami r
to auopt the proposed measure upon Drin pr
|5», at this time, utteily iirnr'eti it
b-anch of the General Assembly bale 1
session, put the seal of their condemnation
a mea uro so similar in its character a 9 ?o ; P °“
pose a constitutional barrier agtttns, ,
consideration, without a deg-« u , un “ ,lh «
to nc anticipated it denral.ic, alu-r I * l “ l
vote of disapproval. For thee and ,ahe, *
, sons, we ought not to adopt the measure «
I | e ‘ ! */ J ve could: we could not if we wool ’
bonds have been upon the stock markei- ( Us
bove iwo years, to the amount of two m iiii ° f
dot ars. i bey i.ave been canied
lantic in search ol a market; no udvanm
sale of them could be made there Us
|s abundant and cheap: they
bark lor the same purpose among our own
zens wno are liable lor their payment wlmr
can only be exchanged for labor at a rate great?
above cash prices ; and we feel great enru I y
; nln . e or ; i,,mn tha - Uie i»«iing of similar secufi
ies by the State, to an amount necessary f‘*
carrying out the proposed measure, and esLiaT
<y to subseiveuhe purpose intended, will not e T
bance the value of such securities, or fact
the operation of melting them into coin. ‘
1 vc want «t system and order in the mar*
ment of our finances; the indifference, 2’
manifested towards, if not in disregard of he
rights of our ere,liters ; the injudicious n<e .
an improvident extent, of the public credit n °
the shape of Central Bank notes, have
the public credit, that he would be a very L?
borrower for the State to trust, who could nit
now raise money to the extent that his
stances m life would warrant as cheap* JD n *
h.s private credit as we can upon the cfedTof
lie ‘- tale. \» e are not 1 uniliar w ith the minute
operation of a similar system adopted in a ne i<»h
bormg sister Slate, alluded to by his Excellent
but from the ocranged and depreciated condition
ol tne currency of that State, the financial cm
barrassmenls of nearly all classes of her
for several years past, and which still exist ,o
far greater extent than those of our own State
winch we are called on to relieve, we are well
convinced that the road to financial prosperity
must ho m a far different direction from any I
has yet taken.
G c deem it proper further to repott upon that
portion ot hisLxcellency’scommurjication, which
invites u-, in the event of our disapproval cube
system suggested by him, to devise “so meatier
more laultless, ’ for the attainment of tip end
proposed. That from the foregoing brief notice
of the financial condition of the State, it < ems
that she cannot supply popular wants with money
,/ecause she has none ; that she ought not, with
her credit, for the reason herein assigned; that
we know ot no other mode of legislative relief,
except the interposition of unconstitutional, un
wise, unjust and oppressive legislation between
debtor and creditor, which wr presume needs not
our codemnation.
We, therefore, beg leave to be discharged from
tin further consideration of this subject.
Robt. T 0 89,
William H. Stiles,
A. H. Ch APPEtt,
Geo. W. Crawford.
minority p eport.- sevate.
The select Commute to whom was referred the
message of his Excellency, the Governor, in rrla
turn the adoption of some “constitutional meas
ure of redef to the people, from the calamitous
consequences of an unprecedented failure of the
cotton crop, have had tne same under consider
ation. and beg leave to report as follows:
* ■ entirely concur in opinion with his
Excellency, the Governor, that “the suspension
oj ihe operation of the law would infringe a
wholesome provision of the Constitution, and
violate the morality of private contracts ” bin
they are of opinion tnat “///e sal- of State Bonds
and the deposit of the procetas in ihe Central
Dank, to l»c lent to the people, would not, u
n ie, ;t at ad operate to their relief. His Excel
lency, in iiis annual message,said "It is impossi
ble, and per naps inconsistent with the principles
of sound policy for the Government to undertake
to protect the citizen from ihe consequences oj
imprudence or miscalculation. A reliance ,/
thissort would beget a dependencedesiructivevj
individual enterprise.engender and cheeith hats
1 sh J etc/. les» speculation, ana foster a spirit ij
in el fjertr.ee to active and industrious pursuits,
hostile to ihe welfare of society
And bee ause our fellow citizens have
-cited, and been disappointed in relafc to thecct*
b n crop, (a tact well known to many ol us beiore
the session of the Legislature,) his' Excellency
nr ; w recommends that very course which he con
sidered /oj ,osei b/e and inconsistent wdh iht
principles oj sound policy; and a reliance upon
w..ich, m his opinion, tended to produce hostility
to the welfare of society. Concurring, with Ins
Excellency, in the views expressed in his first
message, as above slated, we cannot approve of
tne departure trom th' in recommended in his fast.
liis Excellency, in the first message, recommen
ded the JSuo I reasury System, because it wrested
"f'om ihe hands of the Executive alt thepatron
age they wielded ihrough tne deposit banks, their
s. ockholners cud debtors f' because it could
tew no favors, and purchase no influence." Gan
he recommend (he scheme now proposed l»y him,
on the same grounds? Does nut every one per- (
ceive that the very arguments headvancesinsup- .
port of ice favorite measured! the present adoM' I
istration ot (he general govern men’:,a re destrucii re
to the favorite measure of bis Excellency ? Be* I
sides, how can the Bonds of the State be’negotia
ted for the purpose of lending the proceeds,
the Bonds now authorised by Jaw" cannot he
gotiateu . the purpose of completing the West
ern and Atlantic Rail Road—a great work of inter
nal improvement, from which the State expects to
derive an income.
His Excellency draws a distinction between the
debtor who has speculated, and the debtor who had
not, which we can duly appreciate; but we ap
prehend that it will be impossible tor the Direct'
ors of the Central Bank to apply the «jislinction
in their distinctions, and that the speculal^ 9
would be more benefited by the sale ol the Bond?,
and distribution of the proceeds, than the other
class of debtors.
It appear s from the last report as the Centra
Bank, that the loss to the State by its operation*
since it was incorporated, up to the present time,
is probably $300,000; enough, in the opinion
of the Committee, to be paid for the experiment. 1
(which that Ihstitution certainly was.) and which
they fear, will not he the only cost of the expert'
ence of the system, by the State; especially* 11
his Excellency’s measure he carried out. And 11
the management which has characterized tb Jl
Institution for some years past, with few eicef
tions, be continued under the operation of t‘ lf
plan proposed by his Excellency, they feci
ed, that the faith and credit of the Slate can only
be fully sustained, if at all, by onerous taxation
for the purpose of meeting her engagements.
we have any regard far the morality of pw‘ lC
contracts , we should apply the resources and ener
gies ot the Stale, to the performance of what
has undertaken; and not by the adoption ot | ® I
plan proposed, place her in a situation, in whio v
it may be truly said, that she has used her severe- |
ign power to contract debt, and p.eads her sever* f
igaity in bar of the creditor’s demand. J