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About Daily chronicle & sentinel. (Augusta, Ga.) 1837-1876 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 1850)
CHRONICLE & SEMINEL. * = '’ by WILLIAM S. JONES. OFFICE IN RAIL ROAD BANK BUILDiNO. DAILY, TRI-WEEKLY <fc WEEKLY. fKRMS—DaiIy Paper, to city subscribers, perj annum, in advance $6 Daily Paper, mailed to the country 7 Tri-Weekiy Paper, •* “ “ “ .. 4 Weekly <c mammoth sheet) “ “ ..2 GASH rySTEM.—In no case will an order for the paper be attended to, unless accompanied with the money, and in every instance when the time for which the subscription may be paid, empires before the rieeiot of funds to renew the the paper will be diocont.inued, received *-*- value in this city. Hcliglons. From the Soulherv Methodist Pulpit. THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. A SBB^ON. By Rev. Thoiaa* N. Ralaton, of the Kentucky Annual Conference. <1 lam not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,”— Romans 1-16. The trrand subject matter of pulpit discus sion ia “ the Gospel.” The excellency and superiority of that saystem are such as to challenge the warmest admiration of a!l im partial examiners. Contemplated in any rea sonable point of view, there is nothing con nected therewith, or in any wise appertaining thereto, an account of which the Apostle, or the Christian, in any age, need be ashamed. To examine all the reasons properly tenable, for not being “ ashamed of the gospel of Christ,” would require a series of discourses. We propose for the present to confine our selves to the character of Christ, the Author •f “ the Gospel.” I. He is a character rendered illustrious by the lons train of types and prophecies by which the remote ages ( f antiquity were pointed to the k “brightness of his rising.” As the full-orbed glories of the King of Day are preceded by faint fcireaJ s of glimmering light in the East, so the effulgent blaze of the great “Sun of Righteousness ” is presaged by rays of light reaching back to the must distant years. The first intimation of a coming Messiah is couched in the laconic sentence addressed to Adam soon after his fatal iltapse—“ the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent’s head.” At once, the idea was caught, that an illustrious character should one day be born, whose power should strike the kingdom of Batan to its centre, and spoil the empire of darkness. This precious promise may be considered the first gleam of light, shed on a benighted world, by the com ing Saviour, the first star whose twinkling lustre wag seen amid the impervious folds of the mantle of midnight, yea, the first raj of * hope to a woe-smitten and sinking race. Bui did that light arise only to glimmer for a moment, and then expire ? Was it ignis fatuus that “ Ibd to bewilder, and dazxled to blind f ” No ! a prespect was then opened to the languishing gaze of man, that was never to be darkened. The foundation of the temple of grace was then laid deep, and broad, and lasting as the universe ; aid ihe work was never to be abandoned until the “ topstone should be brought forth with shouting, crying grace, grace unto it.” As the first dawn of morning light is sooii succeeded by an increas ing brilliancy, until at length we are aurround ded by the full blaze of day, so the first prom ise of a Messiah was soon followed by anoth er. Type was added to type, and prophecy accumulated upon prophecy, till, in the fulness of time, the world was saluted with the great aotetype of all types, and the sublime object of prophetic story. The next index to the coming glories of Messiah which 1 shall no tice, is the promise God made to Abraham when he established the covenant of grace in his family,—“ In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed, and thy seed shall possess the gate es his enemies.” The pat riarch understood this promise, and Ihe Apos tle has informed us that it refers to Christ as “the seed,” the “ seed ofthe woman ” Here we see the germs of the Gospel church which is to fill the world with its glory. Here is the promise of a chavactor who was to establish a kingdom that should “ swallow up, and con sume all other kingdoms ” I next refer you to the affecting and instruc tive trial of Abraham’s faith. In this history we discover a lively type of Christ. It is allowed that Mount Moriah was perhaps the same that was afterwards called Calvary, or, at any rate, they were in the same neighborhood. The Apostle, in his comment on this subject, informs us that Abraham received Isaac as alive from the dead, “in a figure,” ciearly intimating that it was atypical transaction, and that Abraham understood it as such. The feelings of the good old patriarch (leaving the type oot ofthe question.) must have been 100 full for utterance ; what, then, must they have been, when we suppose him clearly to understand the force of the figure 71 see him raise the parental arm. to sever at a blow, the head from the body of Isaac. Hark ! I a voice from heaven cries, “ Abraham! it is enough; thy faith is tried ; I know that thou lovest me ; spare thy son Isaac ” They rush into each others arms, the father kisses the eon. but his faith rises in holy exercise, and stretch es her soaring pinions down the rush oi time and the roil of years—He contemplates the Messiah a* “ cut off,” “ but not for himself,” as lying three days in the tomb, and then burst ing the bands of death,and entering the bosom of glory amid the greetings and shouts of an gelic choirs. How great and illustrious must be that character whose day Abraham “ saw at a distance, and was glad ! ” Again, we cannot pass over the pleasing mention made by Jacob, of Messiah, in his valedictory to his sons, —“ The sceptre shall notdepart from Judah, nor a law-giver from between his feet, until Sbiluh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be ” There are two important ideas contained and sent into the world, by the Almighty himself. This is implied in the appellation “ dhiloh,” 2nd. He was to collect vast multitudes, and gain many converts; for it is said “to him shall the gathering of the people be ” I come now to notice the whole sacrificial system among the Jews. Considered in and of itself, it is laborious, tiresome, and almost unmean ing VI e there see a system of sacrificial worship interwoven with their national and po litical government, centering at Jerusalem, and extending to all parts ©f the holy land. .Every sacrifice and every ceremony, from the paschal lamb to the dove or pigeon, either directly or indirectly referred to Clrrkt The whole system nnd all it. parts, the emoking ahars, thn bleeding victims, the sprink ling priests, the brazen vessels, the gol dett candlesticks, the consecrated bread, the holy incense, the outer and inner courts, the separating vail, the mercy seat overlaid with gold, the cherubim that overshadowed it, the ark, the covenants, the tables of stone, the pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, all all when rigidly understood, cry out, “ behold the lamb es God that taketh away the sin of the world.” Here we hear a thousand voices uttering the sane language, we see a thousand fingers pointing to the same object. Christ the Messiah is the sura and substance of all; *? they look, in him they meet, and in him they are lost. “ As lengthening sha lows o’er the mead Proclaim th* close of day.” £vec so, as we travel down the stream ©f prophecy, it deepens and widens and becomes mure transparent, till it is swallowed up and lost in Ihe rich ocean of gospel grace. We come now to notice a few of the plain predic tions of the prophets concerning Christ. Some of these are so clear, and so circumstantial, that infidel, to evade their force, once I Wk audaciously asserted that they were forgeries, written after the events referred 10, sh ‘ >u “ have taken place. Indeed, many of them> more the aspect » f h,9t “^ n , l^, ia^'„de..lof It does appear to me that me iut Old Testament prophecy w.M be .dm i t.eUher. l »r r - I^^--r after the cruc.fix.on of ihßr publi.hed to the world, long before written p have first the testimony of me 9 Jews - people ee hoettle ,o Jesus a. Vol t«he himself, a people, who, if they bore falee witness at all would record their testimony on ihe opposite side. 2d. We have the Septua „i„t version ofthe Old Testament containing these prophesies, which it is well known to the learned world, is a Greek version transla ted at Alexandria about 280 years before Christ, therefore, they must be given by inspi ration of God— -Ist. The prophet Micah has to’d us the vil lage in which Messiah should be born. “And thou Bethlehem Ephrotah, though thou be lit tle among the thousands of Judah, yet out of ye shall come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel.” Micah v : 2. 2d. Daniel with his eye anointed with the unction of inspiration looked into futurity and saw the old dispensation close, and the new one commence ; he fixed tbe time of Messiah s crucifixion to a day “Seventy weeks are deter mined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for im quity, and to bring into everlasting righteous ness; and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to annoint the Most Holy. ’ Dan ix ; Daniel dated the commencement of his seventy prophetic weeks, or 490 years, from the com mand of Cyrus to rebuild the temple. Had the Saviour been crucified any year preceding or succeding the time fixed by Daniel, the prophecy could not have been fulfilled ; but in that very vear was he “cut off, ’ tut “not for himself.” ' How remarkable the fulfilment of prophecy ! and yet, strange to tell ! some per sons would still like to be infidels if they knew how. 3d. Isaiah, with a pencil dipped in deepest colors, depicts the life, the character and the death of Messiah, Here with what holy em phasis he announces his birth, as though it had actually taken place. “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace/’ &c. Isa ix : 6 How melting the strain in which he describes his life and death in the 53d chapter. “He hath no form or comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we would desire him,” ‘-he is despised and rejected of men,” &c. Lastly all these types and prophesies were not sufficient to introduce this illustrious per sonage to the notice of the world. It would seem that they were more than enough to di rect the gaze of every eye to the advent of the Messiah, and to cause expectation to wait on tiptoe lor his appearance. But it remained lor John the Baptist, the greatest of prophets, to lift up his voice in the wilderness, and cry, “prepare }e the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” He came to preach the funer al of the old dispensation, and to proclaim the birth of the new. He came as a connecting link between the law and the gospel. And of all the prophets who prophecied of Christ, of John atone can it be said, that be himself had been foretold by prophecy. From all that has been said, may we not with the greatest pro priety, exhibit Christ, ihe Author of the Gos pel, as a character rendered illustrious by type and prophecy ? And if any thing de rives worth or renown from the dignity and fame nfits author, may we not with the utmost confidence, when we hear the praises of the Messiah sounding from a thousand types, and emblazoned on the hollowed page of prophe cy, 1 repeat it, may we not with emphasis ex claim, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ ?” II In the second place tee notice the Charac ter of Christ considered as a public teacher When but twelve years eld, we see him ex hibiting the wisdom and gravity of a sage, while he sits in company with the doctors, and wise men of Jerusalem, and astonishes them with his questions. But we wish you more particularly to contemplate him instructing the multitudes on the mount We may safely say that be there delivered the greatest moral lec ture, and religiousdiscourse.ever hea-d by mor tal ears. From the earliest period of time, phi losophers had puzzled their minds to fix up on the chief good of man, or in other words to define the character of the most happy man Upon this topic disputes were endless; and it is pitiable to behold the zealous pains with which theories were built up by one, to be thrown down by another. One philosopher charmed with the glitter of gold ; makes happi ness consist in wealth. No socuer does he Is sue his proclamation, and cry to »he impatient multitude Ho ! here ! I have found the chief good, than he is followed by greedy thousands of covetous souls panting for the privilege of bowing down, and worshipping the golden calf. With one voice, they cry out, gold we want, and silver we must have for without riches we cannot be happy. Scarcely breathing they range the surface of the earth, traverse the trackless de sert, ascend the mountain, skim the ocean, through burning sands and freezing zones they rush, they dig in tne earth, and dive in the seas, resolved to be rich or die in the attempt. But another philosopher adopts a different theory and lakes a different course. He fancies hap piness to consist in worldly pleasures and sensual enjoyments. “Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for to morrow we die,” is his motto. “Live while you live, the epicure would say, Aud seize the pleasure of the present day.” Vast multitudes follow him in his wild chase. They rush headlong into dissipation, they dance the giddy round of folly, they pay midnight homage at the shrine of Bacchus, they revel around the intoxicating bowl, and vainly ima gine they are happy, “ Away the fancied pleasure flies, It flies, but O too late they find It leaves a real stiog behind.” But there is yet another worldly philosopher with his theory and his followers. He puts dovva alt the systems that have gone before, and boldly asserts the superior claims of his own. “Honor.” he cries, “is the road to hap piness.” He is loud in the praise of fame, | which he describes as a vast mountain, steep i and rugged in the ascent, but around whose summit rests a halo of g lory. The ardent and the ambitious listen to his address. They in hale his spirit, they imbibe his principles; and soon the stir commences. Ease is relinquish ed, difficulties are brooked, danger is confront ed, life itself is hazarded, and the inflated mor tal seems resolved to climb to the giddy sum mit of fame’s dread mountain, though it be with “confused noise of battle, and garments rolled in blood.” Such, my frien's, have ever been the theo ries of the wisest and best of worldly philoso phers, and such have a been the pursuits of men in every age. Alas/ How far bad they missed the mark of true happiness; and how empty a puff is human wisdom! Well may it be said “the world by wisdom knew not God.” They knew not the source of true happiness, it re mained for “him in whom are ail the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge,” in his sermon on the Mount, to describe the happy charac ter. He opened his mouth with blessings, and “on his bps was the law of kindness ' Not the rich, not she man of worldly pleasure, not the man of worldly fame, he pronounces happy; but his blessing distils upon the poor in spirit! the mourner, the meek, him that hungers and thirsts after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemaker, the persecuted and despised,—to such he says, “rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven.” Again, we may safely say that our Saviour was a teacher of the purest benevo lence, that ever appeared upon earth. “Love your friends, and bate your enemies/’ has ever been the theory and priCtice of the world. But the doctrine of forgiveness is plainly inculcated and beautifully illustrated by our Saviour, —“love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that bate you, and pray for them which deapitefully use you and persecute you ; that ye may be the children of your fa’her which is in Heaven , for he ma keth his san to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the a njust. Such language is not of this world, such prin ciples are heavenly in their origin If we w ould be instructed in any principle of moral ity —our duty to ourselves, to our neighbor, to our enemy, let us go to the sermon on the Mount There we find pnnc’plea, purer than the precepts of Plato, or of Seneca. If we wish to be instructed in the road to genuine happiness or in the principle of true religion, le* us go to the sermon on the Mount; and when we have read it carefully through, we will be constrained tossy, “surely never man spake like this man.” VVe will be “astonished at his doctrine,” and cry out here is “a teacher sent from Ged.” Without pursuing our re marks on the character of Christ as a teacher, further, we will close 'hie part of our subject with the description of the poet: “His words had such a melting flow, And spoke the truth so sweetly well, They dropt like heaven’s sereneal snow And all was brightness where they fell.” HI. JVe come, in the last place, to view the character of Christ as exhibiting unspeakable benevolence , considered both in reference to his intercourse with mankind in the days of his hu miliation, and his perjormance of the great work of redemption. Ist. Tnroughout his whole life, goodness marks his intercourse with man kind. He engages iu nothing to afflict or dis tress, —nothing to produce discord in social circle*, or insurrection in civil communities He appears among men in the character of “Prince of peace ” It was said concerning him by the prophet, “He shall not cry, nor lift up his voice in the streets, a bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench.” Evidently referring to his mild and peaceable character, and intimating that he was to ba no clamorous mover of sedi tion. On the contrary, it was the business of his life to go about doing good. W-reany blind, he gave them sight; were any deaf, he restored their hearing ; were any dumb, he gave them the power of speed); were any lame, he said “arise, lake up thy bed and walk,” and they were enabled to obey him; were any sick, hb said “wilt thou be made whole 1” and the disease was removed; were any possessed of devils, he restored the.n to their right mind; and to the “poor he preached the gospel.” So abundant were his acts of benevolence, and so marvellous the cures he effected, that multi tudes of the wretched sonsand daughters of af fliction followed him as he vvent through the country, cried after him as he passed, or thronged him as he entered the house of a friend. And so eager were they to receive benefit from the great Physician, that they pressed through the crowd “to touch the hem of his garment,”—were borne on litters by their friends, or were let down from the roofs of houses. Os all that ever came to him in dis tress, notone did he turn away empty; and though he was poor, he never received a re ward for any of his acts of mercy, but continu ed to go about as a houseless wanderer, crying out “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where his head.” Indeed, the course of our Saviour was so God like, and his mira cles so astonishing, that the multitude, for the time, seemed to be convincsd of the truth that “the earth was his and the fulness thereof.” Finally, my friends, we glance at the benevo lence exhibited by the Saviour in the great work of human rederap’ion; “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” These are the words of Christ to hia disciples, and we may chal lenge the world to furnish on the pages of his tory, a refutation of the truth they contain. Fora man to lay down his life for his friends is possible. St. Paul alludes to the same sub ject when he says, scarcely for a righteous man will one die. yet peradventure, for a good man some would even dare to die.” But what gives an infinite transcendency to ihe benevo lence of the Redeemer is, that he died for his enemies Leonidas and his three hundred Spartans, with a noble magnanimity of soul, stood at the straits of Thermopylae, bared their bosoms to the shafts of battle, and nobly fell; but it was in their country’s cause, it was in defence of their friends. The immortal Wash ington, and his brave compears, the veterans of ’76, dared to dely British power, and face the cannon’s mouth ; they nobly fought, and many of them nebly bled and died ; but they were defending their country, their firesides. Their wives and little ones demanded heir ex ertions—pointed them to the field of blood, and bound them to resolve on victory or death. But what is patriotism! What the brightest example *f human benevoieuce ! Let them not be named. They are only worthy of men, but the love of Christ is worthy of a God. He comes from heaven to earth with a mes sage of love to his enemies, he comes with “gifts for men yea, for the rebellions.” He comes, not with the sword of justice, not with vengeance, not with the lightnings of fury, and the thundering* of wrath, "to deal destruction on each he judged hia foe.” No. He comes with his head encircled wi.h the rainbow of mercy; becomes riding in a chariot of grace, with a countenance beaming forth the most indescribable benignity, and bearing in his hand the cup of blessing for his bitterest ene mies. One circumstance that heightens the love of Christ in redemption i». that the ungodly world whom he came to bless and to save, added to their other sins, the foul crime of deep ingrati tude. Ingratitude has ever been considered the most detestable of vices In Christ we are blessed with the most "unspeakable gift;” but in his reception amongst men, we behold the climax of ingratitude. How truly said St John, “he came unto his own, and his own re ceived him not.” His character was aspers d. and "all manner of evil spoken of him falsely.” If he cast out devils, he was accused of being in alliance with “the prince of devils.” His best acts were attributed to the worst motives, and bis virtues were converted into crimes. With deepest hatred, they cry out, “away with him ! away with him ! we will net have him to rule over us.” They pursue him frera city to city—they fol low him up wi h the tongue of slander, and with the vengeance of demons; clamoring for his blood, and gnashing their teeth with rage Did he turn upon them and revile them ? Did he call for fire to come down from heaven and censuuie them ? Did he embattle the heaven ly hosts for their destruction? No, he wept over their city, “He stretched out his hand all the day long to a disobedient and gainsaying people.” And iu his last hour, when he had been shamefully abused and cruelly nailed to the cross, and when his cry for water had been answered by the “ vinegar and gall,” from his quivering lip flows the language of mercy and compassion, “ Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” When we view the whole history of Christ, from the manger to the cross, we see such a deep display of be nevolence, as has been matter of astonishment to Angels, and should cause the “ earth to be glad.” But the goodness of Christ in rederap lion did not cease at his crucifixion, nor was it buried in his tomb It has been rolling down the stream of time for eighteen centuries. It has been carrying on the great work of salvation ; visiting distant and various parts of the earth ; driving back the empire of dark ness, and spreading the glorious light of the gospel far and wide. It has brought the ii dings of free grace to our country—to our neghborhoods—our homes and our hearts. The redeeming mercy of Christ is not only seen through ail the ages that are past, but ex tends to futurity, and opens to our hearts the undying prospect of immortality. 1 now repeat, in the close, that when we consider the cnaracter of Christ, as rendered illustrious by type and prophecy, we may ex claim, “1 am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.” When we view him as onr Divine Instructor and benevolent Redeemer, we may exclaim “I am not ashamed ofihe Gospel of Christ.” Viewed in all his diversified charac ter, in all his offices, in all his ways, we should admire bis excellency, adore his prefections, rail to his government, and receive him as “ our all in all.” Improvement. This subject presents en couragement to the Christian— He may be ne glected by his neighbor and despised by the world. But he may be cheered with the reflec tion that he follows a glorious leader; —"great- er is he that is in the Christian than he that is in che world.” If the world despise or neglect us, the author of our holy religion will honor us with his presence, and favor us with his pro tection And if we are not ashamed of Him or of his Gospel here, he will not be ashamed of us before his Father and the Holy Angels, yea, he will say to the weary pilgrims, as they return home to the kingdom of ineffable glory, “Come in, ray frienos, come in.” He will gird himself and serve us, and lead us to foun tains of living water. He will wipe away our reproach and crown us with “ glory, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life.” VVe should be incited to self examination. Are we ashamed of onr profession, or do we glory in the cross of Christ 1 Do we ever compromise with the world, and cater for the popularity that floats upon the breath of the multi'ude ? Do we ever by our own conduct, join with Peter, and say, we “know not the man?” Are we firm to our post, and bold in our profession ? Do we appreciate the digni ty and high privileges of our calling ? Let us remember that a "Christian is the highest style of man,” Let us remember that if we are the sons of God, “ it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” This subject presents an admo nition to the siighters of the Gospel. “Ashamed of the Gospel of Christ ” they may now be ; —in the pride of their hearts, they may look with contempt upon Christian ity, ana deem it beneath their notice — Vain deluded mortals ! How great their mistake! how blind to their best interests! To such, we would say become Christians and you honor your nature, and begin a career of enjoyment of which you have no adequate conception. The poet has beautifully described the hap piness and dignity of the Christian. “ A Deity believed, is joy begun, A Deity adored, is joy advanced, A Deity beloved, is joy matured.” But hear the language of our Saviour to such as slight him io this world. “He that is ashamed of me before this wicked generation, of him will I be ashamed before my Father and his Holy Angels.” They may be ashamed of Christ now, but in that day, they will be ashamed of themselves, and their sins, when they shall behold our “ God ia grandeur and our world on fire.” “ They snail call on the rocks and mountains to fail on them and hide them from the presence of God and from the Lamb but rocks and mountains will flee away, and there will be no place of safety for the guilty. “Then shall the righte ous shine forth as the brightest of the firma ment, but the wicked shall be covered with everlasting shame and contempt.” Important from Nicaragua. British In terpretation of the Bultoer and Clayton Treaty —Late news from Nicaragua indicates that the British authorities put a very different inter pretation upon the treaty of Washington, con cluded in June last, to that which the United States puts upon it. One of the objects of the treaty was to annihilate tiie absurd and unten able pretensions of Great Britain in Nicara gua, under a fabricated protectorate over the Mosquito K ng, besides enlisting the cordial co-operation of both governments iu the con struction of an inter-oceanic communication. The intelligence from Nicaragua of which we speak informs us that the port of San Juan —the terminus of the projected canal on the Atlantic side—is overawed by the presence of two British ves-els of war, that the military force—a pretended police—has been largely augmented ; that a per capita tax of $5 is ex acted of all passengers; and that omer and equally oppressive measures are enforced by the British agents who are stationed there The British government desire t* possess the At lantic entrance to the canal, hence these pro ceedings, looking like a purpose to evade her pan of the contract. We fi«d the following ex'ract of a letter, dated September 12th, from one of the mem bers of the Nicaragua government to a gentle man in New York, in the Tribune: ‘ You will perceive, from the enclosed letter from Mr. Coalfield, mat Great Britain ;uta an entirely different construction upon the Clayton and Bulwer Ireaty from ib it of the press and Hie public inline United States; anJ, so (ar from yielding anything to its provisions, the Brit'sb agents were never before so arrogant and exac ing. Our people are much ex cited in consequence, and we are placed in a most embarrassing situation. If the treaty means any thing, it seems to us that it is the duty of yoar go vernment to ask immediate explanation of Great Britain, Par if we are to be left to take care of our selves as we best can we wish to know it. We have been solicited to send a Minister to Wash ington, with a viewtoact ia concert wi'h the agents of the two governments (that of the U. S. and G B.) f and notwithstanding our poverty, we shall make an effort to do so. “ The National Representatives of the three States of San Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, will soon meet in Chinendaga. The requisite buildings are nearly ready. 1 need not tell you that the British agents in Guetamala and Costa Rica are exerting themselves to the utmost to prevent the Union. Chatfield and Plores seem furious at the prospect; but the thing is past their influence.” The letter referred to in the foregoing ex tract was addressed by Mr. Chatfield to the Minister of Foreign Relatione in Nicaragua, in which he has the audacity to assert that the Clayton and Bulwer treaty “ expressly recog nizes the Musquito Kingdom, as aside the rights which you pretend Nicaragna has on the coast.”— Balt. Sun. State Road. — A Charlestonian, writing to the Courier from Chattanooga, after speaking of the fine condition of the Soath Carolina and Georgia Railroads, proceeds to speak of our Stale Road in the following terms; We are not disposed to bestow or extend these encomiums on that section of Railroad, from A lanta to Chattanooga, and although by much the heaviest work has been done (origin ally) between Marietta and Kingston, exclusive ot the Tunnel on this route, yet the present condition of this road, generally, would admit much improvement in every particular, to bring it up to the standard of a reasonable “trav elling public expectation,” We observed, ’tis true, some evidences of recent attention to some parts of this road, but the contrast be tween this and King’s line is too manifest to escape even casual observation or suppress oblique reflection. This we were informed is a part of the Georgia State Road, and we think could not failfto be greatly improved, if •‘the eye of its master was more frequently as well as particularly directed towards it.” Per haps, however, we have been rendered more hypercritical by having so unexceptionable a standard, and in such close contiguity as is the Georgia R. R. and Hanking Company’s work, to contrast with it. A number of neat villages, nosy with stirring enterprise , attest the value of these iron lines throughout this State. Georgia, from these specimens, excels us in her practicar'go ahead” efforts. “ Look up,” thundered the captain of a ves sel, as his boy grew giddy while gazing from the top-mast. “Look up” ! The boy looked up and returned in safety. Young man, look up, and you will succeed. Never look down and despair. Leave dangers uncared for, and push on. If you falter, you lose. “Lookup.” JDo right, and trust in God. Chronicle anb Smtmtl. APGKJ3 Ta7s a * ~ SUNDAY MOli 5i I G, •••••. .... Y» 17» RICHMOND CO. UNION TICKET Election loth November. ROBT. F. POE THOS. SKINNER. C. J. JENKINS. A. J. MILLER. See FIRST AND FOURTH PAGES OF DAILY FOR SEVERAL MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES. Slwood Fisher, an Abolitionist. Gen Poofe in the course of debate last Monday with Judge Gholsoo, seeinghira read from tbe South ern Press to support his assertions, declared that five years ago Etwood Fisher, its principal editor, was a rank abolitionist and he could prove it! In ica ling over this week an article written by Fisher in 1849° we discover this most (.regnant passage, which moru than proves Gen. Foot’s assertion. Whilst, however, I do not concur with Jefferson or the early Quakers, as to the means by which sla very can be abolished, whilst I do not think it can be done by the act of the master, or by law. I am as much opposed To it, or the cause of it, as’sny of them, or as the most enthusiastic abolitionist OP THE PRESENT DAT.” This is the mac who caters for the entertainment of Southern slave holders through the Sqgthern Press, and endeavors to infuse into Soutliprirthind- a spirit of hostility and disloyalty to the. Federal Govern ment and the Constitution of '' —i-who preaches the gospel of disunion to aay dience. He, like all other abolitionists, is adisu'nion ist. e think it time for Southern men to see that this abolitionist does not wax fat and kick from the provender they give him. The above article from the Aberdeen, (Mis sissippi,) “ Independent , is commended to the perusal of that claaj of readers in the South, who are accustomed to regale themselves with the eliminations es Elwood Fishkf.’s brilliant intellect, thro ugh the Southern Press. He is certainly a very appropriate conductor of the head of the “fire eating” disunion press of the South—a fit co-laborer of Rhett & Co. Letter from the President. The letter from President Fillmore to Dr. Robert Collins, of Macon, a telegraphic ac count of which we published on Friday, we subjoin, and feel especial pleasure in commend ing its careful perusal to every reader. It will be seen that he neither shrinks from nor shuns any responsibility, but on the contrary boldly declares his purpose to execute the law fai h fully, whenever and wherever it shall be ob structed, if need be with all the forces at his command. No man can ask or expect more of the Chief Magistrate: - Robert Collins, Macon, Ga. Department of State, } Washington, November 9, 1850. $ Sir : —I am instructed by the President to inform you that your letter of the 2d inst., addressed to him, enclosing several slips fr#m newspapers, in re ference to ihe proceedings of a portion of the com munity in Boston, on the subject of the Fugitive Slave Law, was received by him ytsterday, and that he has given to tbe letter and its enclosures, a care ful perusal. You state, in substance, that you are tbe owner of Crafts, one of the Fugitive Slaves for which war rants of arrest were issued in Boston, and call the President’s attention to the enclosed slips taken most ly from Northern papers, by which he will perceive the manner in which your agents were received and treated for merely asking that the slaves be returned according to tbe Laws of the United States. That they have been arrested under various warrants, as kidnappers, and on oloer frivolous pretences, and umeasonable bail demanded ; and that your friends have become their sureties for more than $20,000. You also say, that the manner in which the offi cers have performed their duty will appear by the slips ; and tbmt the warrants now lie dead in the Marshal’s office. You then speak of the pernicious etfeci of such proceedings, and of their tendency to disturb the harmony of tbe Union, and of the great importance «ff having the law faithfully executed; and, finally, inquire “ whether it is not ia the pow er, and is not the intention of the Executive of the United States to cause that law to be faithfully and properly enforced'?” To this the President directs me to reply, (hat you cannot be more deeply impressed than he is, with the importance of having every law faithfully execu ted Every statute in this country, passed in accor dance with the provisions of the constitution, must be presumed to embody the will of a majority of the people of the Union ; and as such, is entitled to the respect and obedience of every true American citi zen : and tbe conslitu'ion which the President haa j sworn to support, has made it his especial cuty “to take, care that tbe laws be faithfully executed.”* He has no thought ol shrinking from his duly, in this or any other case ; but will, to the utmost of his ability firmly end faithfully perform it. But how is he to came the laws to be executed 1 First , by appointing proper officers to fiP the various offices and discharge their various functions with dili gence and fidelity ; and if any shall be found incom petent or unfaithful, by removing them, where he has the power of removal—and appointing more com petent and faithful offiers in their places. And se condly, in extreme casts, “whenever the laws of the United States shall be oppot-ed, or the execution thereof obstructed, in any State, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings,” or by the powers vested in the civil officers with tbe posse which tbe law autho rizes and requires them to call to their aid, it would be his duty to call forth the militia, and use the army and navy for the purpose of overcoming such forci ble combinations against the laws. But, in either case, prudence and jus ice require that there should be more satisfactory evidence of official delinquency, or forcible resistance, than mere rumor or newspa per statements ; and yet these are all which have been furnished iu this case. If any Marshal neglect to perform his duty, the law gives a right of actioa to be aggrieved party for the injury which be may sustain ; and if ha refuse to perform it, the statute has imposed upon him a se vere penalty. But if he refuse or wilfully neglect to perform it, when this shall be satisfactorily made to appear to the President, then, in addition to his lia bility to the aggrieved party, it would dobtless be the duty of the Executive to remove him from office, and appoint another in his place. But your letter con tains no proof of the kind, and therefore seems to re quire no action. It is equally clear that no case is pre sented justifying a call upon the militia or the use of the armv to execute the laws; aud the President has so much confidence in the patriotism and devotion to the laws which have always characterized a large major ity of the people cf Boston, that he cannot tor a mo ment believe that it will ever be necessary to call in any extraordinary aid to execute tbe laws, in that community. Individuals may become excited, and may in the heat of the moment, offer resistance to the laws, but he has no doubt that in such event, so much to be regretted, that the good sense of the community would soon rally to tke support of the civil authori ties, and that those who sustain the law would tri umph ; but he directs me to assure you, that if, un fortunately, he shall find himself mistaken in this, and the prinful necessity should arise, he is resolved to perform bis duty by employing all tbe means which the Constitution and Congress have placed at his disposal, to enforce the law. As to the complaint that your agents were unjustly prosecuted, and held to bail in unreasonable amounts, for pretended offences, the President directs me to say, that however he may regret any such injustice and incivility, he is not aware that he has the power to remedy the evil. It the complaints against your Agents be unfounded, the defendants will doubtless be acquitted, and if malicious , they have their re medy in an actioa for a malicious prosecution. But all these arc judicial questions over which the Executive can exercise no control, and the evil com plained of results from the acknowledged right of every individual to prosecute any one for an alleged offence or violation of right. The President feels the importance of avoiding, as far as practicable, all causes of irritation between the North and the South, and especially on the ex cising subject of Slavery. Were he permitted to advise, he would suggest to all, the importance of permitting the laws to lake their usual course ; and that every thing like intimidation and illegal or un just annoyance, should be scrupulously avoided. Every effort should be made to cultivate a fraternal feeling, . e should be a people of one int one sentiment, knowing no local division rating do sectional injustice. Our U Nlri ’ and tol «- tbe heart of every true American, can mil? i?* •• served by a strict observance of the r* * 08 *? and an impartial administration of the la?" il,tatio »" I am, Sir, respectfully, your obedient sIJ’ nt 'T ’ — Achn * Secr^ y For the Chronicle and Sentinel . The Convention | u Georgia, The chief grounds alleged to show then cessity of a Convention in Georgia are the f A i lowing ; ol ' 1* admission of California. * N^ e - ° ld Mexican 1 4W| 3. The settlement of the Texas boundary The reader will eb,eree that ~m , of ,h 8„ fZT "T”’ and —• r«>ore. He ,* further mark that the foregoing b . f ull C4U ‘. lo*ue of every .rd«, ntem The action proposed (for remedies are n 3 r proposed) may be classified as follows; 1. Disunion, peaceable— oraccorapanied with 2. Secession, temporary or conditioaaL lr< 3. Non-intercourse. 4. Taxation of Northern goods. 5. A demand of the repeal of Mexican laws 6. An expression of indignation. 7. The erection of a platform. 8. ** Something.’' Not one of the; proposed modes of action af feels California one tittle. We do not here say, let it be observed, that the admissioa of .California is—or is not—a grievance. Wc do not enter upen the discussion of that question. We only assert that not one of the preposed modes of action affects our interest in Califor nia one way or the oilier. The only way in which we can gain any thing, so far as California is concerned, is by ro conquering her from the General Cover*, ment. 'I his is a plan which we have not beard advocated. Now the admission of California ia the groand on which the Convention is called, Is it, or is it not true, that not a man of any con sideration in Georgia advocates any mode of affecting ©urrights in California? The territorial bills, passed on the very prin ciple demanded by aine-tenths of the Southern people, and against the principle demanded by a larger proportion of the Northern people, forms the neit subject matter of discontent. How is this matter to be put right f Why, of course, by No. sin the modes of action proposed, * e, by demanding a repeal of tbe Mex lean laws. We strongly incline to the opinion that the ad* vocates of this measure are hasty—precipitate. In the first place, the vast majority of Southern men hold repeal unnecessary. Nay, a majori ty even of the very men who demand repeal, do not believe those laws to exist, of which ihey demand a repeal. Farther, a large number of Southern men, particularly, for the present ar gument, a majority in Georgia hold it uncon stitutional for Congress to interfere in the mat tent all.* Farther, when the amendment of Mr. Toombs, equivalent to a repeal of the Mexican laws, was proposed in Congress, the Sou h could not be rallied to its support. A few of those whe voted for it, believed it neces sary. The majority, even of those who voted for it, only believed it harmless, being of the opinion that there was no necessity of a repeal. The remaining portion of Southern Represen tatives believed it positively pernicious. They considered i r . to involve an assertion of juris diction ever a question over which they were unwilling that Congress should exercise juris diction, and disbelieved her Constitutional power. Now we say that the advocates of a repeal of these alleged laws are precipitate. They should first change public opinion in the South, aud then call their Convention. To assume their position at present is equivalent to as at. tempt to change the hour of the day, by setting ferward the hands of the clock. The hands of the clock may be made to point at ** repeal” but the South will stay where she is in spite of the index. But we believe that many of these gentle men have seized upon this point merely as a pretext to keep the question open. With such men we have no argument. The settlement of the Texas boundary comes next in order. We are not disposed to object to this being considered by the Convention because it was not one of the contingencies provided for ia the act. If it be good ground, and can be help ed, let the Convention act upon it. As we are for the present arguing only as to the sufficiency of the proposed modes of ac tion, we shall not enter into the question whe ther we are wronged by this action of Con gress. If aay of the proposed modes affect the question, it is either the 6th, the 7th or the Bth. To call a Convention for the 6ih object seems rather beneath the dignity of a sovereign Slate. The 7th object proposed we scarcely think would alter the matter. The Bth, how ever, is so comprehensive, aad at the same time so incomprehensible, that we presume it is the true mode of redress. We shall see. The Fugitive Slave Bill being unobjection able at present, these staunch gentlemen, rath er than not bark at it at all, of course quarrel with the future. They will hardly venture to meet it by so serious a step as Disunion or Secession, or to imitate in advance the unconstitutional actioa of those who would repeal and resist it at the North, by themselves passing laws ol retail* tion at the South. Probably a “P^ at^ rw needs erection, for fear the South n P have sense or spirit to main'aiu her righto in the matter. Perhaps, moresver, “something may be done to prevent its repeal. For our own part, we believe the SeaUh without any more talk or platform building, stands ready to assert this right wheneve jeoparded. , The general dread of future encroachm is the next groand of calling a Convent • That there ia danger in the future we net pretend to disbelieve. That this Con tion, unwisely called, and expected by m out of the State to take grounds utterly w *nd untenable, wi!! do and can do nothing diminish that danger, we as firmly believe- We havo heard no meaning given -« * word “something” which meets the «*g eri r We believe the Convention eiagularly ' The platform built by the last Legwlat ß > many of its builders have incontinently sorted. Some of them assert they never o pied the platform upon which P ubl,c * leg raent —enlightened by their speeches an -had put them. A Convention haa called, ready for nothing but talk called at a time when there was apprehend ♦Some non-interventionists do Be®® themselves from absurdity by supposing the repeal of an ordinary lew »s certain is a peculiarity about “Mexican U aw * from alacrity of repcai-which prevents theirjrep being any act of legislation at all.
