Georgia Historic Newspapers

    jfr CHRONICLE & SENTINEL.
3Y WILLIAM S. JONES.
BAIL'S TRI-WKEKLY WEEKLY
OFKirK BUILDIyo
TERMS — l>aily Paper, peran’m,in advancc»Slo
Tri- Weekly Paper, “ “ “ *' .. 5
Weekly, (a mammoth sheet) ?“ “ .. 2
CASH SYSTEM. —In nocase willanorderforthe
paper be attended to, unless accompanied with the
money, and in every instancewhen thetimefor which
the subscription may be paid, expires before the re
ceipt <»f funds to renew the same, the paper will be
Depreciated funds received at valuein
this city.
From the Pennsylvania Inquirer.
The Philosophy of Kindness.
A CASK lit POINT.
“ Which seeks again those cords to bind
Which human woe hath rent apart;
To heal again the wounded mind,
And bind again the broken heart.”
“ The greatest attribute of heaven is mercy,
And ’tis the crown ofjustice and the glory,
Where it may kill with right, to save with pity.”
We recently conversed with an esteemed
friend —a gentleman of this city—who, for the
last twenty years of his life, has been connect
ed with several of our leading charitable insti
tutions, and has also for a long period been an
inspectorof one of our principal penitentiaries.
In alluding to the causes of crime in the great
majority of cases, he expressed his conviction
that they might be traced to a weakness or ma
lady of the mind, amounting to mental imper-
I section, though not to positive insanity— to mis
fortune, poverty, ignorance, or to intemper
ance, evil associations and parental neglect.
The cases of cool, calm, thoughtful and de
termined crime, of a disposition to go wrong
without regard to the laws of God or man, are
few and far between. Occasionally such in
stances will be found, but they are extremely
rare. Almost all, even among the convicted,
possess some meritorious traits of character.
Many are generous, warm hearted, and would
rather suffer for years than betray a benefactor.
Harshness, vyhen met by harshness, produces
sullenness, obstinacy and bate; while kindness
is the key which, in a great majority of cases,
unlocks the hearts of even the most hardened.
The poor wretch who, after arrest, trial and
conviction, is consigned to the cells of the
penitentiary, is apt to suppose himselfloathed,
contemned and hated by all mankind. He
views himself as an outcast and an alien to so
ciety, and looks upon the officers of justice as
a species of beings who cannot feel for his con
dition, and who are utterly dead to his misfor
tunes, and who would not believe him, no mat
ter how truthful the narrative he might detail.
When, therefore, this error is dispelled—
when he discovers that even within the gloomy
walls of a prison are to be found kind and for
giving hearts—officers and inspectors who are
disposed to forget the past, and to manifest gen
erosity, humanity and mercy, the better feel
ings find “vent and way,” the stubborn nature
is subdued, the confidence of the convict is
won, and, while he deplores and regrets the
errors and vices that have hurried him into a
disgraceful position, hope revives, forgiveness
of God and man is sought, and a resolution is
taken to live more correctly for the future.
This, we say, is often the effect of kindness.
And this is the testimony of the gentleman,
whose opportunities of observation have been
so ample.
But what is the prospect for the felon, who,
having served out his first term, is sent forth
into the world to commence anew 7 Let us
suppose that his fall in the first case was through
the force of circumstances, by adversity, by in
temperance, pressing and fearful temptation,
rather than by any settled and determined prin
ciple of crime. Suppose also, that in leaving
the walls of the prison, his penitence is sincere,
his heart is changed, and his desire and deter
mination are to walk correctly and to act up
rightly. Will he be cheered on and sustained
by his fellow-men7 Will he be encouraged
and assisted in the work of reform 7 or, will the
world point to him as a convict, whisper words
of suspicion and distrust—avoid, shun, and ana
thematize him 7 Alas! the latter policy is too
often pursued. The victims of misfortune or
of guilt are too generally the objects of re
proach and of scorn, rather than of sympathy
and generous pity.
The Christian doctrine in this respect is for
gotten and neglected. The spirit of forgive
ness is outraged. Man turns away from his
fellow man, and mocks at his appeal for assist
ance. “ The fallen” are hunted and banned
—and their penitence, however sincere, is dis
trusted and ridiculed Thus their hearts be
come soured, their feelings embittered, their
necessities urging and pressing, and they again
fall into the ways of temptation, and the meshes
of crime. Alas! miserable beings, when de
tected and convicted ofa second offence. They
are then regarded as among the doomed and
the hardened, and they are branded as infamous
forver. And yet, even these second offenders
might in many cases he saved.
We know that it is difficult, in our present
state of society, and with the eye of suspicion
and the tongue of scandal, so watchful and vi
gilant, to assist a fallen sister or an erring broth
er, without a liability to censorious remarks.
The motive is seldom considered as pure or
disinterested. And yet it is the duty of some
one to step forward on these occasions—the
R solemn and sacred duty. What uobler incen
tive than the hope of saving a soul 7 What
higher inducement than the glorious reward of
winning an erring child of humanity from the
wrong to the right path ? How happy must
be the consolation of the philanthropist, who,
turning the eye ofmemory back upon the past,
sees a rescued and now respectable member of
society, who would have been lost but for his
timely assistance and friendly aid. The occa
sions too are so numerous.
The poor and the frail are tempted on every
side. Not a week, not a day goes by, that hun
dreds of human beings do not hesitate at the
two paths, tempted by poverty and necessity
to choose the wrong, and yet urged by the still,
small voice within, to adhere to the right. It
is at such moments that kindness, sympathy and
assistance are all powerful.
Only a few days since, an aged citizen of
Philadelphia was waited upon by a stranger,
who asked to have a few moments of conversa
tion witTi him in private. The opportunity was
aiforded with great cheerfulness. The West
ern merchant—for such, iu fact, he was —was
ushered into the parlor of the Philadelphian,
when something iike the following conversa
tion took place:
“ You seem to forgotten me, Mr. H. ?”
“ 1 have an indistinct recollection of having
seen you before, and the tone of your voice is
not unfamiliar ; but beyond this my memory
fails.”
** My name is Charles B and twenty
years ago I was an inmate of a Philadelphia
prison, of which you were a frequent, a be
nevolent, a kind-hearted visitor.”
“I remember, I remember,” said the other,
brightening, smiling and grasping the hand of
the stranger; “you look so well, have improv
ed bo greatly, that I hope, nay I feel satisfied
that all has gone right with you.”
A tear trembled In the eye of the other at so
cordial and kindly a recognition ; his voice fail
ed for a moment—but then rallying again, he
proceeded to tell his story. At the age of fif
teen he was a neglected orphan, and with fine
natural talents, a cheerful disposition, and a
good heart, he was thrown into the society of
the vile and dissolute, in one ofihe most wretch
ed sections of Philadelphia county. There, in
connection with several other lads, equally de
serted or misled, he committed, was arrested
for, tried and convicted of, petty theft.
While in prison he was visited again and
again by the Philadelphia philanthropist, who
succeeded, not only in eradicating the vicious
views he had imbibed, but in showing him the
folly of vice, and the certainly of its punish
ment, and inspiring him with a determination
• to act correctly, the moment he should be re
i leased. The visitor was satisfied with his sin
cerity, and gradually took a deep interest in
hiscase. At the expiration of his sentence, he
r provided him with means, and having stated all
the facts in a confidential manner to a friend in
the West, obtained him a situation in a flour
-3 ishing city of that section of the Union. The
1 youth was overwhelmed with gratitude. He
2 had found a friend for the first time in his brief
career. His course from that moment was on
l ward. He speedily won the confidence of his
, employer, on whose death, ten years thereafter,
he succeeded to a large share in his business.
. “lam now,” he said, “an equal partner in
i the reputable and prosperous house of &.
Co., of , and I have visited Philadelphia,
not only on businesss, but with the object of
seeking out and returning my heart-warm ac
knowledgments to my early, my ever cherish
ed, ray often remembered benefactor.”
The old merchant wept with joy at such a
reform, and acknowledged that this single inci
dent had repaid him for the hours and days and
weeks he had devoted, always prayerfully, to
the blessed cause of kindness and prison re
form.
£S)nmide auif Sentinel.
AUGUSTA, GA;
TUESDAY MORNING, OCT. 83, 1849
Free Schools.
We believe that we can do our readers and
the State of Georgia no better service than to
throw w r hat light we may on the subject of free,
Common Schools. If all the citizens of this
Commonwealth can not well enjoy the price
less advantages of these institutions, a large
majority of them surely may.
Free Schools should be so organized and
supported that no tax whatever shall fall on
property and citizens not directly benefilted by
the same. This arrangement is not only just
in itself, but it will avoid much opposition to
the system which would be likely either to de
stroy it outright, or greatly impair its usefulness.
Experience has demonstrated the superiority
of free shools over all others, in every State
and county where they have been fairly
maintained. This fact will have much
weight with persons who regard experience,
and the long testing of the two systems side
by side, as furnishing conclusive evidence
of merit. In thecitiesand villagesofNew York
Schools of this description have been in opera
tion several years, and with most satisfactory
results. The system is soon to be extended
to each of the eleven thousand school dis
tricts in the State. As the law and manner of
doing this will fill not much space in our col
umns, we copy the act below and commend
it to the attention ofthe friends of popular edu
cation:
NEW FREE SCHOOL LAW.—CHAP. 140.
An Act establishing Piee Schools throughout the
State ; passed March 26, 1849, “ Three-fifths be
ing present.”
'Phe People of the State of New York , repre
sented in Senate and Assembly , do enact as fol
lows : —Sec. 1, Common Schools in the several
school districts in this State shall be free to all persons
residing in the district, over five, and under twenty
one years of age. Persons not residents of a district
may be admitted into the schools kept therein, with
the approbation, in writing, of the trustees thereof, or
a majority of them.
Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the several boards
of supervisors at their annual meeting, to cause to be
levied and collected from their respective counties, in
the same manner as county taxes, a sum equal to the
amount of state school moneys apportioned to such
counties, and to apportion the same among the towns
and cities in the same manner as the moneys receiv
ed from the state are apportioned. They shall also
cause to be levied and collected from each of the
towns in their respective counties, in the same man
ner as other town taxes, a sura equal to the amount of
state school moneys apportioned to said towns re
spectively.
Sec. 3. The trustees of each school district wiihin
thirty, and not less than fifteen days preceding the
time for holding the annual district meeting in each
year, shall prepare an estimate of the amount of mo
ney necessary to be raised in the district for the en
suing year, for the payment of the debts and expen
ses to be incurred by said district for fuel, furniture,
school apparatus, repairs, and insurance of school
house, contingent expenses, and teachers’ wages, ex
clusive of the public money and the money required
by law to be raised by the counties and towns, and
the income of local funds, and shall cause printed or
written notices thereof to be posted for two weeks
previous to said meeting upon the school-house door,
and in three or more of the most public places of said
district. The trustees shall present such estimate to
such meeting, and the voters present who are of full
age, residing in such school district, and entitled to
hold land in this state, who own or lease real proper
ty in such district, subject to taxation for school pur
poses, or who shall have paid any district tax within
two years preceding, or who owns any personal pro
perty liable to be taxed for school purposes in such
district, exceeding fifty dollars in value, exclusive of
such as is exempt from executions and no others, shall
vote thereon for each item separately, and so much
of said estimate as shall be approved by a majority
of such voters present, shall be Levied and raised by
tax on said district, in the same manner as other dis
trict taxes are now by law levied and collected. Dis
trict collectors shall in all cases, before entering upon
the duties of their respective offices, give security to
the satisfaction of the trustees, for the faithful dis
charge of their duties; and all moneys collected by
them shall be paid to the trustees of their respective
districts.
Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the collector, upon
receiving his warrant, for two successive weeks, to
receive such taxes as may be voluntarily paid to him;
and in case the whole amount shall not be so paid in,
the collector shall forthwith proceed to collect the
same. He shall receive for his services, on all sums
paid as aforesaid, one per cent., and upon all sums
collected by him after the expiration of the time men
tioned, five per cent.; and in case a levy and sale
shall be necessarily made by such collector, he shall
be entitled to travelling fees at the rate of six cents
per mile, to be computed from the school-house in
such district.
Sec. 5. If the trustees shall neglect to prepare the
said estimate within the time herein limited, or shall
neglect to post the required notice, it shall be lawful
for the meeting to adjourn to such other time as will
be sufficient to prepare the said estimate and give the
said notice.
Sec. 6. When the said voters of any district at
their annual meeting shall refuse or neglect to raise
by tax a sum of money, which added to the public
money, and the money raised by county and towns
will support a school in said district for at least four
months in a year, keep the school-house in proper re
pair and furnish the necessary fuel,, then it shall be the
duty of said trustees to repair the school-house, pur
chase the necessary fuel, and employ a teacher for
four months, and the expense shall be levied and
collected in the manner provided in the third section
of this act.
Sec. 7. Free and gratuitous education shall be giv
en to each pupil, in each of the common, public, ward
and district schools in the respective cities of this
state, now incorporated or hereafter to be incorporated,
including the schools of the public school society in
the city of New York, according to any law now in
force in said cities. And by each city, where such
free and gratuitous education is not already establish
ed, laws and ordinances may and shall without delay
be passed providing for, and for securing and sus
taining the system in each of their common, public,
ward or district schools.
Sec. 8. All laws and parts of laws inconsistent
with the provisions of this act, other than those rela
ting to free schools in any cities in this state are here
by repealed.
Sec. 9. In case any trustee or other school district
officer shall use any money in his hands belonging to
such district, and shall not apply the same as directed
by law # he shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor,
and on conviction thereof shall be punished by fine,
not exceeding five hundred dollars, or be imprisoned
in a county jail not exceeding six months, or by both
buch fine and imprisonment.
Sec. 10. The electors shall determine by ballot at
i the annual election to be held in November next,
whether this act, shall or shall not become a Jaw.
Sec. 11. It shall be the duty of the state superin
i tendent of common schools to prepare and furnish to
the several town clerks in this state, forms of the
I poll lists, returns and other necessary proceedings to
carry into effect this act, and he shall also furnish, at
the expense of the state, to each school district in the
state five copies of this act with the forms prepared by
> him.
! Sec. 12. The ballots to be deposited in the ballot
7 box shall be in the following form. Those cast in fa
vor of the adoption of this act shall contain the follow
i ing words:
SCHOOL.
FOR THE NEW SCHOOL LAW.
Those cast against the adoption of this act, shall
contain the following words ;
SCHOOL.
AGAINST THE NEW SCHOOL LAW.
And the ballots shall be so folded ps to conceal all
the words except the word schc A, which latter word
shall not be concealed, but shall appear on the ballot
as folded.
Sec. 13. The inspectors of election in the several
election districts shall furnish aseparete ballot box into
which shall be placed all the ballots given for or against
the new school law. The inspectors shall canvass
the ballots and make return thereof in the same man
ner as votes given for the office of the governor and
lieutenant governor are by law canvassed and re
turned.
Sec. 14. In case a majority of all the votes in the
State shall be cast against the new school law, this
jict shall be null and void: and in case a majority of
all the votes in the State shall be cast for the new
school law, then this act shall become a law and shall
take effect immediately.
The following is the third Section of an act amend
ing the foregoing act:
Sec. 3. The trustees of any school district, or a
majority of them, may at any time after the adoption
of the act by the people, and prior to the first annual
meeting thereafter, if they deem it necessary, call a
special meeting for the purpose mentioned in the third
section of said act, and notice of the same shall be
given at the srme time and in the same manner as is
required by said section in relation to the estimates
therein mentioned.
We venture to predict that three-fourths
of the votes cast in the State at the approach
ing election will be in favor of Free Schools.
Georgia Railroads.
“ The large investments which the people of Geor
gia have made in extending their railroad communi
cations from the seaboard to the interior, have proved
a most judicious outlay. Already the traffic on the
road is yielding a handsome return, and the increased
value of property is everywhere apparent. The pro
perty of Savannah has been greatly advanced by
these communications, and the interior counties have
shared fully in the advantages of the improved mode
of intercourse. The railroads leading to Savannah
will soon reach the navigable waters that flow into
the Mississippi, and when this is accomplished a great
increase ot business must follow. The Georgia rail
roads are built in a most substantial manner, and laid
with heavy iron. If it requires some boldness to
project railroads through the populous valleys of New
England, swarming with inhabitants, rich in busi
ness and resources, and sure of a great local travel,
it is certainly a much greater undertaking to push
these vast arms of internal commerce into the interior
of a sparsely settled agricultural and where
they must depend upon the long travel and upon mer
chandize for their main support, until the roads them
selves build up a business around them,
“This the people of Georgia have done, and their
honorable enterprise has long ceased to be an experi
ment. Its success and its results have surpassed the
hopes that were formed of it, and will continue to
add, in an increasing ratio, to the wealth and power
of the State.”— Railroad Journal.
There are those among us who affect to be
lieve that it is better for the interests, and more
to the honor of Georgia, to send her citizens,
her laborers and her capital to New Mexico or
California, never to return, than to retain them
to construct and support railroads, flourishing
cities and villages, in this sparsely settled State.
Our opinion is that, it has neither citizens,
talent, enterprize, slaves nor other property,
to spare. Suppose we export the half of each
of these elements of wealth and of civilization
now in the State of Georgia ; and that they
settle permanently west of the Rio Grande.
What will this commonwealth gain by their
expatriation, except more deserted plantations
—moredilapidated school-houses and churches,
more broken bridges and other evidences of
decay ? With less than a million of inhabi
tants to nearly fifty millions of acres of tillable
land, the major part of which is a state of na
ture, we have neither men nor capital of any
kind to spare, if we intend to improve, not de
solate and finally abandon this beautiful por
tion of the American continent.
New York Democracy. —The Evening
Post copies and endorses a letter from Joshua
Leavitt, a celebrated member of the Free Soil
party, which contains some slight revelation of
the policy the Free Snilers intend to establish
through the coalition. Joshua writes upon
this point as follows ;
“ I have made inquiries until I am fully satis
fied that our friends in the Stale of New York
are sound and true, bold and wise; that they
have neither deserted us nor the Buffalo plat
form, nor the Free Soil party ; andltaat they will
stand wiih us, shoulder to shoulder, until vic
tory crowns our efforts in the freedom of our
country from its worst evil and greatest dan
ger. They have been called to act in an occa
sion calling for the exercise of the most con
summate political skill and courage ; and they
believe that they have been carried through the
difficulty as the skilful mariner, who makes
even cross currents and adverse gales speed his
ship to port. They know what they are about,
and are abundantly responsible for what they
do. Let us wait and judge by the result. If
they should be disappointed in the issue (which
I think hardly possible), they are pledged to
stand by the Free Soil cause, and they will do
so, be the cost what it may. But if they succeed
(as I think they will,) you can judge as well as
I, how much advantage it will be in 1852, to
have the Empire State already enlisted in our
ranks.”
These abolition and free-soil hopes are doom
ed to disappointment. The coalition will fail,
as the ides of November will soon verify.
From Hayti.—Schooner William Putnam, Capt.
Cook, from Aux Cayes Sept. 21st, at this port, with
logwood, re[ trts that the island remained quiet so far
under the imperial away. Capt. Cook states that
twelve years ago the condition of the<blacks was
enviable compared with their present state ; and that
during that period their deterioration has been de
plorable. When Capt. Cook arrived there was said
to be not more than 40 barrels of flour in the place ;
bread was also very scarce. The new crop of coffee
came in slowly, and was exceedingly hard to be got.
—Boston Post.
Such are the natural effects of premature
emancipation. England has inflicted almost
irreparable injury on both races in her West
India Colonies by her hot-haste to change
slaves into hirelings. In the latter condition,
they refuse to work, preferring to beg or steal
to labor for wages. There is, of course, no
law to compel negroes to work on any island
where they are free.
Florida Election. —ln this State (says the
Tallahassee Floridian of the 13th instant) there
were five Senatorial vacancies to fill. In
those districts, the Whigs had four, and the
Democrats one. The result of the election is
a gain for the latter of three. This gives the
Democrats a majority of one in the Senate.
Hon. Jared Sparks has resigned the pro
fessorship of History in Harvard University,
which he filled previously to his election as
President of that Institution,
» A Fire broke out last night about 12 o’clock,
in the Carpenter Shop of Mr. Goodrich,
j which it entirely destroyed.
i ——
) A Tragical Event.
Bennett Dozier an inmate of the Hospital
r to this city, said to be laoormg under delirium
tremens, stabbed and killed Mr. Thomas Hada
[ way and severely wounded the Keeper of the
Hospital, Mr. Charles T. Rich, yester
day) morning. Dozier has been arrested. Mr.
Rich, we are happy to learn is likely to recover.
I Mr. Hadaway was 23 yeais of age and leaves
a wife to mourn his sudden and tragical death.
This deplorable casualty results from the
barbarous practice of carrying knives and oth
t er weapons, which every good citizen in the
community should discountenance.
I
Mansion House.
Messrs. Hogrefe & Schneider open their
new and elegant establishment to-day, and in
vite their friends to give them a call at 11, A.
M. We invite attention to their card.
The drawing of the Georgia State Lottery,
■ Regular Class 24, will take place at the corner
of Broad and Washington-sts., This After
noon at 4 o’clock. See advertisement.
The Western Mail failed yesterday be
yond Atlanta, owing probably to the high water
caused by the recent heavy rains, which have
been very general throughout the country.
one of the two Northern mails
due came to hand last night. The New York
papers continue their telegraphic accounts by
the Niagara, but they do not differ from those
we have already given. We find but little
other news of interest.
Much interest attaches to the action of the
Convention now sitting in Kentucky to revise
the Constitution of that State especially in re
gard to its treatment of the Slavery question.
We find the following paragraph concerning
it in the Editorial correspondence of the Louis
ville Journal:
“ The committee on slavery have agreed to
report the provisions on that subject of the old
constitution, exceptas to emancipation. They
propose that masters shall not emancipate their
slaves upon the soil, but shall be bound to re
move their emancipated slaves. This will
nearly put an end to emancipation, for few
slaves will be willing to have freedom on these
terms, and few masters will compel their slaves
to take freedom on terms that would make the
boon an injury. The committee will not pro
pose the incorporation of the negro law in the
constitution. The same committee is charged
with the subject of the mode of amending the
constitution, but they are not yet prepared to
report on the subject.”
Correspondence of the Charleston Courier.
Washington, Oct. 17. —Among the stran
gers in the city to-day, were Vice President
Fillmore, Governor Johnson and Mr. Lewis,
of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Holmes and Mr.
Colcnck, of South Carolina. From present
appearances the city will doubtless be thronged
with visiters, and persons connected with the
Government. The old residents say ihat it
will not be what was formerly called a gay sea
son, for there will be but few persons here,
who will be inclined to venture upon balls,
suppers, and soirees. All eyes are now turn
ed upon the new Congress. Their tone in
regard to general politics and party questions,
cannot be fixed until they have met here and
consulted. The Senate will be jealous and
watchful, and will scrutinise appointments and
removals. The nominee will often be rejected,
not so much on account of his own demerits,
as of the merits attributed to his predecessor.
Arrangements have been made, as I under
stand, to contend for an independent organiza
tion of the House, in opposition to a party or
ganization, such aswauld be dictated by either
a Whig or Democratic caucus.
The reluctance of Mr. Clayton, to make
even a partial disclosure of his instructions to
our ministers to England and Central America,
in regard to the Musquito question, has sur
prised and puzzed both his friends and oppo
nents. He has, at length, however, given the
public to understand that he has authorized
those Ministers to declare the purpose of the
United States Government, to resist any new
acquisition, by any foreign power, of territory,
on this continent. Lord Palmerston appears
to be equally decided with Mr. Clayton, on this
question.
The New Partner of the Barings.—
Merrimac, the worthy and well informed Bos
ton correspondent of the Newburyport Herald
says;
The mercantile class here have been quite
gratified to learn, that Mr. Russell Sturgis of
this city, while in London on his way overland
to India, received very liberal overtures from
the banking house of the Barings, to become
a partner in that celebrated establishment, and
has accepted the offer. It is understood that
Mr. Sturgis will be the reception partner, the
position occupied by Mr. Joshua Bates for ma
ny years. Mr. Sturgis has resided in India in
former j/ears; he is one of the numerous fami
ly bearing the name, who hail from New Eng
land, and whose sagacity and enterprise have
been strikingly manifest during the last half
century, as they have been the pioneers to new
marts of commerce, and have been respected
at home and abroad for mercantile honor and
integrity.
Anderson, S. C.—The prospects of our vil
lage are brightening every day. Although
the sudden denouement of a portion of the
Direction of the Greenville & Columbia Rail
road Company in favor of an offset at Dr.
Brown’s, cast a damper over our spirits ; yet
it was only momentary, and annually produced
no faltering among our citizens in their plans
of improvement. We are certain of a Rail
road, and that soon, —the trade of the surround
ing country will do the balance for us.
Our buildings of recent construction, will
compare favorably, in.point ot elegance and
durability, with those of any other town in
the back country. The two Hotels on the
public square, are stately buildings, of suffi
cient dimensions to accommodate a large num
ber of boarders. Brick Range is universally
admired for the taste exhibited in the design
and execution. Two of our young townsmen,
(merchants) have it in contemplation to erect
dwelling houses in the course of the ensuing
winter and spring, on the street leading to
wards Andersonville, near the Presbyterian
church, with the style and dimensions of which
we are well pleased. Building materials of
every description are in demand. An indus
trious mechanic told us the other day that ho
had moulded and burnt a lot of 550,000 bricks
since last spring court, most of them already
bespoke. We do not know of a single vacant
house that can be obtained for the next year.
All are occupied or engaged.— Anderson Ga
zette.
The Steam Ship Ohio. —This steam ship
was seen on the Bar, by one of our pilots,
about 4 o’clock on Saturday morning The
weather at that time was very foggy, and she
proceeded on, as a Telegraphic dispatch from
savannah gives us the intelligence that she
landed and received her mails at that port, at 5
P. M. on Saturday. A steamer was sent out
from here with the mails on Friday and Satur
day last, but did not fall in with the Ohio.—she
therefore missed taking on the mails from this
place. We are informed that the Post-Master
will forward this morning by the land route to
New Orleans, the mails for California, from
which place they will betaken by the steam
•hip Falcon, for Chagres. The’Havana Mail
will remain here until the first of next month,
to be forwarded by the steam ship Isabel.-
1 Charleston Courier, 22d inst.
’ From the Baltimore American —By Telegraph.
’ Tlie Railroad Convention at St.
I.oiilg.
St. Louis, October 16.
Phe Convention assembled at twelve o’clock
1 yesterday, and was organized by the appoint*
i ruent of Judge Ellis, of Vincennes, as tempo
rary chairman.
A committee of one from each State was ap
-3 pointed to designate officers of the Conven
* tion, after which it adjourned until 9 o’clock
. this morning.
There is a very full attendance.
At 9 o’clock this morning the committee,
3 pursuant to adjournment, reported as perma
nent officers for the Convention the following
* named gentlemen:
A. Douglass, of Illinois, President.
L. Totten, of Penn.; S. Foster, of Ohio;
3 Samuel Emmerson, of Ind. ; H. J. Easton, of
Kentucky; J. Williams, of Iowa; C. Brane
ker, of Wisconsin; Henry S. Geyer. of Mis
souri; J. Riddle, of Michigan; B. K. Williams,
r of New York; Bryce Stewart, of Tennessee,
Vice Presidents.
W. G. Minor and A. B. Chambers, of Mis
souri, A. S. Stewart, of Illinois, and W. H.
Wallace, of lowa, Secretaries. *
The Hon. A. Douglass was conducted to the
, chair; he delivered a short but eloquent speech,
r There was much discussion on a motion
■ from the chair to appoint a committee on reso
lutions.
The motion was finally carried, and the chair
appointed three from each State.
The resolution having been introduced call
i ing on Congress to act promptly in relation to
the Pacific Railroad, Mr. Benton rose and read
a letter just received from Col. Fremont, eta
> ting that the convention should designate no
road across the Rocky Mountains. He believ
ed the pass between the head of the Arkansas
and the Del Norte the most practicable and
1 nearest to the Pacific. Gen. Smith had sent
out an exploring party with a view to report a
route before the termination of the next Con
gress. He dwelt long and eloquently on the
importance and nationality of the road. He
was repeatedly and loudly cheered.
There are four hundred and sixty-four dele
gates present from Missouri; 17 from Penn
sylvania; 3 from New York; 20 from Ohio;
13 from Tennessee ; 35 from Indiana; 3 from
Kentucky; 264 from Illinois; 47 from Iowa;
3 from Wisconsin, and 5 from Michigan.
After the recess, and on the re-asserabling of
the Convention, Mr. Lathrop was admitted as
a Vice President, being a delegate from Lou
isiana.
A resolution was passed, that a committee of
one be appointed from each State, to draft a
memorial to Congress, presenting the objects
designed by the Convention.
Judge Birch presented a resolution recom
mending the fourth parallel of latitude as the
best route for the proposed railroad.
He was replied to by Governor King, of Mis
souri, very warmly. The project being, he
said, opposed to that of Benton.
A political division of the Democratic dele
gates from Missouri here manifested itself.
Mr. Clarke, of Missouri, interfered to quell
dispute, and was followed in the most forcible
manner by Judge Williams.
On motion of Mr. Lathrop, of Louisiana, the
resolution was laid on the table, and harmony
was temporarily restored.
Letters from distinguished persons in various
parts of the Union were read and ordered to
be printed.
The report of ihe Topographical Engineers
on the various routes were referred to a com
mittee, and the Convention adjourned.
Second Despatch—October 17.—The Delega
tions from Virginia and New Jersey arrived
to-day. Lieut More, of Virginia, and Robert
Chambers, of New Jersey, were announced
as Vice Presidents from those States.
Various resolutions touching the routes,
were referred to the Committee on Resolu
tions.
A resolution was introduced, asking that
Congress should be memorialized, to favor the
immediate commencement of the road, at a
point west of the States, and continued to San
Francisco.
The resolution, caused quite an excitement,
and Senator Smith, of lowa, opposed the re
solution in a speech of an hour’s length, setting
forth its impracticability. He said if it was un
constitutional for Congress to have authorized
the construction of the whole road, Congress
should he memorialized to amend, so as to
meet the object in view.
Mr. Douglass is ausweriug, Mr. Smith, at
length.
During the debate, allusions having been
made to views expressed by the President of
the Convention at amass meeting, held last
night, caused him to resign his seat, and Mr.
Henry S. Geyer, Vice President, of Missouri,
was installed President of the Convention.
Joseph P. Elder, of Maryland, was appoint
ed a Vice President from that Slate.
Mr. Darsie, of Pennsylvania, was appointed
President of the Convention, vice Mr. Geyer,
withdrawn.
Franklin Steele was appointed Vice-Presi
dent, from Minnesota.
The committee on resolutions reported a se'
ries of resolutions for the consideration of the
convention, setting forth that the object and
spirit of the convention were truly national
subserving neither party, sectional, or local in
terest, and recommending that Congress make
immediate provision for constructing a great
trunk road to the Pacific, in California, with a
branch for Oregon, from such point on the
Mississippi frontier, as may be found eligible —
that all eastern lines now tending west may be
considered part of the same—that Congress es- 4
tabliah posts on the route for the protection of
and emigrants, and that grants of land
be made encouraging population—that Con
gress be memorialized to construct telegraph
lines on the route —that a committee of five be
appointed by the chair to prepare and publish
an address—that the people of the Union urge
incorporation, and the procuring action of
Congress.
Hon. J. W. Thompson, of Indiana, address
ed the Convention in an eloquent manner for
two hours on the resolutions, and offered the
following amendment: That the grand trunk
Railroad be constructed with branches to St.
Louis, Memphis and Chicago, and that a com
mittee of fifty be sent to the Memphis Conven
tion, requesting the co-operation of that body.
The resolution, re-amended, passed unani
mously.
Third despatch — Oct. 18.—The great Rail
Road Convention adjourned at noon to-day,
to re-assemble at Philadelphia in April next.
The Convention adopted resolutions recom
mending the Memphis Convention to do the
same.
Senator Benton is expected to deliver an Ad
dress to the citizens of St. Louis to-night.
The Weather. —.For some lime past, the
weather has been of a variable character, and
there were several days within the past fort
night, so cool that an early frost was looked
for, and indeed daily calculated on by most per
sons. It afterwards moderated, and on Satur
day became warm. In the afternoon, it rained
heavily for a short time, and during the course
of that night and yesterday forenoon there
were frequent and heavy showers, and no ap
pearance of clearing up last evening. The
Thermometer, at 7P. M., stood at 77. There
are hopes that after this rain, the weather may
become cold, and Jack Frost make his appear
ance. He would be welcomed with gratifica
tion, as the exterminator of the fever.
After writing the above, we have to state that
rain again commenced falling, and at 12 o’clock
last night, there was no prospect of a cessation.
— Charleston Courier, 22 d inst.
Gen. Duff Green, it is stated, has gone to
Nashville, to get the Legislature to grant him
Banking privileges, to enable him to raise the
means to continue his work on the East Ten
nessee and Georgia Railroad.
Items.
We arc informed that the Bank of the State
of Missouri to-day refused to redeem some five
thousand dollars of their notes in the legal
currency of the United States. The bank in
sisted upon the right to pay out foreign coin
in the redemption of their own bills, at the
same rates at which they receive them on de
posite, and refused to pay them out by weight.
The right of the bank to do this was question
ed, and the notary making the demand refused
to accept foreign coirs in payment except by
weight, as established by the laws ofCongress.
It is well known that much of the foreign coin
in circulation is received, and passes in ordina
r ry transactions for more than its legal value by
' weight, which in large cash operations becomes
an important item.— St. Louis New Era, 6th
inst.
»
f Death of Professor Catlin. —We regret to
announce the death of this distinguished mem
ber of the taculty of Hamilton College, where
, he had for many year been at the head of the
mathematical department. He died on Thurs
day night of dysentery, after an illness of a
bout seven days.— N. Y. Com. Adv.
United States Sloop of War Preble. —By a
letter from San Francisco, we learn tna. the
U. S. sloop of war Preble was spoken hy the
Ohio, about the 10th of July, in longitude 144
44 W., latitude 38 15 N. She had been out
60 days from China, and out of a complement
of 150 men, 44 were sick with a violent form
of dysentery ; 16 had died on the passage and
14 were not expected to live. Capt. Strib
bling of the Ohio, ordered the Preble to be
taken to the Sandwich Islands. — Philadelphia
American.
Good News to a St. Louis Mechanic. —A Mr.
John C. Carey, of our city, who has. for the
past four or five years labored incessantly at
the carpenter’s business, and who has never
been able to earn more than the necessaries of
life, called for and received a letter a few days
since, from Pennsylvania, containing the joy
ful intelligence that he was the only heir to an
estate valued at from SIOO,OOO to $200,000. —
St. Louis New Era.
Sugar Loaf Cotton. —Capt. Wiley Harri
son, of this District, has exhibited to us speci
mens of this new species of cotton, which may
be seen at the Post OlHce, and at the store of
M essrs Christie & Williams, of this place.
The yield of the cotton is certainly more than
that of the ordinary cotton of the country.
On one branch, containing two little prongs,
we counted a dozen bolls The staple is said,
■ also, to be superior.— Edgefield Advertiser.
Mr. Ewing left the seat of government yes
terday morning on a short visit to Ohio, and D.
C. Goddard, Esq., chief clerk, is appointed by
the President acting Secretary of the Interior.
Washington Republic.
The Attorney General, Mr. Johnson, who
has been confined to his house for more than
two weeks by severe illness, has so far recov
ered, we are happy to learn, as to be’able to
travel, and has, by the advice of his physician,
left town for his country seat near Baltimore,
where it is hoped he will soon recover his
health and strength.— Nat. Intel.
Appeal of Americans in behalf of Kos
suth. —Some eighteen or twenty Americans
in Paris have united in an earnest letter to Mr.
Carr, the American representative at Constan*
tinople, urging him to do what he can to sus
tain the Sultan in his refusal to surrender the
Hungarian refugees, and to offer them a shel
ter in our Mediterranean fleet.
A pamphlet recently published at Boston
furnishes some interesting statistics respecting
the distribution of capital in Boston and in
Massachusetts. It appears that there are two
hundred and twenty-four individuals in Boston
who are worth in the aggregate $71,855.000;
the average wealth of these individuals is $321,-
781, and it is generally supposed that this esti
mate is below, rather than above the truth.—
The assessors’ valuation of the property in
Massachusetts in 1840, was $299,880,338; it
would appear therefore by the above estimate
that —allowing three thousand other individ
uals in the State to be worth each $30,000,
which from statements given appears to be the
fact—three thousand two hundred and twentv
four individuals own more than half of all tlie
property in the State,
A Splendid Brussels Carpet was, last
Saturday, shipped at New York for Washing
ton. It is for the President. It contained 500
yards and cost $3 per yard, and is to go on the
reception room of the White House. The ma
terial, having been purchased, was sent to the
Apollo Rooms to be matched and joined. The
pattern was as fine as'the material was rich.
Advices from Port an Prince to the 20th ult.
received at Philadelphia, state that in order to
do away with some discontent which existed
among the merchants, the Government had
resolved upon the bold step of closing the
ports of Miragoane, St. Mary and Port Paix,
against all imports and exports in foreign ves
sels, at the expiration of thirty days after the
issue of the Imperial decree. The measure
gave great dissatisfaction, but was not likely to
be repealed.
Exercise. — Fresh Air — Health. —Down
ing's Horticulturist expatiates on the advantage
to our women of often seeking the air and using
abundant exercise, as the true means ofpreserv
ing health and imparting to beauty a more cap
tivating freshness. An excellent article hereon
finishes thus;
A word or two more, and upon what ought
to be the most important argument to all. Exer
cise, fresh air, health-are they not almost sy
nonymous? The exquisite bloom on the cheeks
of American girls fade in the matron much soon -
er here than in England-not only beca use of
the softness of the English climate as many sup
pose. It is because exercise, so necessary to the
maintenance of health, is so little a matter of
habit and education here, and so largely insisted
upon in England; and it is because exercise,
when taken here at all, is too often as a matter
of duty : and has no soul in it; while the English
woman who takes a lively interest in her rural
employments, inhales new life in every day’s
occupation, and plants perpetual roses in her
cheeus, by the mere act of planting themin her
garden.
A Wife in Trouble.—“ Pray tell me my
dear, what is the cause of those tears?”
“ Oh, such a disgrace i”
“ What—what is it, my dear? Don’t keen
me in suspense!”
“ Why I have opened one of your letters,
supposing it addressed to myself. Certainly
it looked more like Mrs. than’Mr.”
“Is that all? What harm can there be in a
wife’s opening her husband’s letters?”
“N o harm in the thing itself. But the con
tents! Such a disgrace !”
“What! has any one dared to write me a
letter unfit to be read by my wife ?”
“Oh, no. It is couched in the most chaste
and gentlemanly language. But the contents!
the contents!”
Here the wife buried her face in her hand
kerchief, and commenced sobbing aloud, while
the husband eagerly caught up the letter and
commenced reading the epistle that had
been the means of nearly breaking his wife’s
heart. It was a bill from the printer for nine
years’ subscription !
Turkish Method of Treating Horses.—
The late Commodore Porter, when envoy of
the United Statesat Constantinople, had a horse
cured offounder by a Turkish farrier in the fol
lowing manner; “The Turk said the horse
must be bled in the inside "f his diseased leg,
He put a nipper on his nose to keep him steady
-then took up the left leg. and crossing it over
the gave it to an attendant; he then struck
his lancet into the vein, a little above the fetlock
joint, and toofc from it about three and a half
pounds of blood. The vein bled freely. He
now said he had taken enough;he then went
to the very opposite side of the leg, and striking