CHRONICLE & SEMINEL.
* = '’ by WILLIAM S. JONES.
OFFICE IN RAIL ROAD BANK BUILDiNO.
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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.
