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.Northern Politics.
A movement, the initiatory impulse of which
seems to have come from the able and remark
able article in the January number of the Dem
ocratic Review, from which we made a long ex
tract the other day, has begun to show itself in
the Democratic party of New York and Penn
sylvania, and, if vigorously sustained, may lead j
to important results—may, indeed, save the conn- ‘
try from that catastrophe, to which the anti-sla- j
very agitation has been impelling it with tearful
rapidity. A meeting was called at ‘i ammany
Hall, for last Saturday, to give expression to pop
ular opinion in favor of the integrity of the lln- ;
ion. Wilmot-proviso men and Frec-soilers, of
whatever sort, arc invited to keep away, and it
is well understood that Mr. Van Blbkn and
his tail will be treated without respect or cere- :
mony.
A meeting for the same objects has been call
ed in Philadelphia, through the Pennsylvanian.
The effect of such demonstration will, of course,
depend upon the largeness and unanimity of the
assemblages. There is a spirit of ruffianism in
the abolition factions, of whatever name, that
will not fail to show itself, in all its force, and
may be strong to drown the voice of rea
son and patiiotism. This spiiit is plainly ap
pealed to, by the New York Express, as the
means of breaking up the Tammany meeting, j
and thus saving the Whigs from the danger of
struggling for power with a real Union party,
and from the shame of alone courting the sup
port of the fanatics, who now divide their favors
between parlies, and so, keep them both in pay.
It may succeed in New York ; it will be likely
to fail in Philadelphia. But, if it fail every,
where, the chance that this reasonable and pat
riotic movement will gain any considerable as
cendency in Northern politics, we fear, is very
small.
No large portion of the North seems yet sen
sihle of the danger in which they have involved
the Union. They are all taught that the South
ern people are only talking, not acting, and that
the Union is beyond the reach of agitation, if
they would consider how trifling in comparison
were the causes that produced the Revolution,
they might realize the peri!. If they would con
sider too. that the colonies were then a handful
of men against a great empire, and that the
South is nearly equal in numbers to the North,
and vastly stronger in position, they might un
derstand with what scorn the threats of subjuga
ting us by force, are received. If they would
consider, finally, that in touching us with a hos
tile hand, us who supply to the world the most
important material of modern commerce, they
would be touching the vital interests of England,
France and Germany, they would feel that we
have a strength in the nature of our industrial
wealth, far beyond its mere value in the market.
No people could shut us lip without coming in
collision with the whole weight of modern civil
ization.
The people of the North will see all this clear
enough when the catastrophe is upon them.
None are more shrewd than they in estimating
the character of pressing events that effect their
own interests. But they have little forecast,
and hence their great men are lawyers, deba
ters, orators —anything but statesmen. It is al
ways the present, with them. Hence their lo
cal politics, which are the nearer interests, gain
a complete ascendency over the politics of the
Union, or what would be such, if they took their
legitimate rank. Hence the intensity with which
Massachusetts has persisted in maintaining Cot
ton spinning, when almost limited to herself, to
be an interest to which the commerce and agri
culture of the whole country should be sacrificed.
Hence the conviction of Pennsylvania that all
people who burn anything but anthracite coal
ought to be treated as public enemies. Hence
the monstrous influence of the Anti-Masons, and
since then of the Abolitionists. They present
ed stirring points of local politics; positive in
terests, though petty, which must be courted.
Presently the whole face of Northern society is
convulsed by the rivalry of great parties for the
support of a poor faction. Are they growing
wiser ? We shall see. —Charleston Mercury.
The Right of Petition.
It is amazing to wliat excesses sensible men ami
sensible bodies will rush in pursuit of a phantom,
nnd how much excellent patriotism is wasted in sun
port of an abstraction under pretence of its involving
the dearest rights guarantied bv the Constitution.
Every one will remember the storm provoked by
Rlr. J. Q. Adams several years since, in order to vin
dicate the unspeakably inestimable right ot petition,
and the weeks and months of miserable debate that
were wasted upon the subject in the House of Repre
sentatives. Similar scenes appear to be in embryo for
debate in the Senate. The greater part of the day,
on the 11 tli, was consumed in that body in the dis
cussion of a petition for the peaceable dissolution of
the Union, and much of the same twattle, which
signalized the latter days of Mr. Adams’ career, was
uttered on that occasion. The vote of the Senate
was almost unanimous, on a question equivalent to
a refusal to receive the question. And what is re
markable is, that the same school of politicians in
the Senate, who would probably have voted with Mr.
Adams ten years ago, to receive petitions tor meddling
with slavery, now voted against the motion to re
ceive one for the dissolution of the Union. The
principle involved is precisely the same in the one
case as the other, but it was by no means so shock
ing to the sensibilities of nort iern politicians when
it arose upon the slavery movement, as it became
upon a proposition looking to civil war. The believ
ers in the old doctrine of Mr. Adams, having aban
doned their ground and rome to that mamtained bv
the South len years ago—the only one that lias good
6ense to support it—there is reason to hope that an
end may be put to the absurd discussion of the ques
tion whether a constitutional obligation rests upon
Congress to receive a petition asking ol them to do
what the Constitution plainly forbids. The argu
ment of Gen. Cass, enunciaiing the true doctrine,
is so terse, condensed and yet comprehensive, that
we feel constrained to presenf our readers the fol
lowing extract from his speech. —Mobile Register.
“Thanks to the wisdom of our forefathers, and to
the spirit of our institutions, the people ol this coun
try have a much more efficient remedy than the
right of petition for any abuse by the Government,
whether apprehended cr existing—the right of ac
tion ; the right to send you home, and me home, and
all of ns home, and put and better men in our
places, that their wishes inav be accomplished.
The Government is theirs, and the ballot-box is a
far better security for its faithful administration than
this humble right of petition. In England, whence
the measure is derived, it is the best means the peo
ple have for a redress of grievances ; and a poor one
it is, too, there, as the experience of every day dem
onstrates. With a here-liiary Executive, a heredi
tary House of Lords, and a H mse ol Commons orig
inally elected lor the lite o. the Sovereign, the right
to petition is about all ttiat is left to the people.
Why, sir, if we were utterly to refuse to receive pe
titions in this country, it would produce no other
effect than to muse public indignation and to hurl
us from our places. No legislature in this broad
land will ever place any improper limitUion upon the
exercise of this right. But, sir, there are limitations
which control it, necessarily arising out of the na
ture of things. You would nut receive a petition
couched in insolent or obscene or blasphemous lan
guage. Would you receive one asking Congress
to declare that there was no God, and to pass a law
prohibiting the people of the United States from as
sembling for the purposes of religious worship?
Would you refer such a petition—as the Senator
from New York (MrfSeward) proposes to refer this
—with grare iag&uctioMto report the proofs of the
existence of a God, and to add their feeble evidence j
to the testimony upon that subject which is fonnd
equally in the Book of nature and the Book of Rev
elation. and which is with us and around us from the
cradle to the grave? Then, sir, if there are limita
tions to the duty of receiving, if not to the right of
presenting petitions, what are they ? They should
l>e decent in their language, and the action they ask
for. should be within the sphere of our constitutional
power.” * * * * * *
“I am not speaking, sir, of a doubtful question—
of petitions for measures of doubtful validity, and
about which reasonable mm may differ, and do differ.
These should he respectfully received and consider
ed. But 1 speak of applications for the exercise of |
powers which we have clearly and undeniably no
right to assume—like this for the dissolution of the
Union, or for the annihilation of a Stale of this
Gofifederacy.”
THE SOUTHERN SENTINEL.
COLI .HHIS, GEORGIA, FEU. 28, 1850.
OC?” Being about to remove our office, we 1
offer for rent, the Room which \vu have here
tofore occupied. Apply at this Office.
Our Railroads.
We have the pleasure of announcing at length ,
the success of both the railroad enterprises so
long a matter of speculation in our community.
Maj. Howard informs us that the company have
made a contract with Mr. Gray, by which the
cars are to be put on twenty.nine miles of the
Muscogee Railroad by the first day of January,
1851, aud upon the entire road to Fort Valley,
by November thereafter. Verily the indomita
\ ble chief of this enterprise and the able and ac
j live Board associated with him, merit the most
cordial thanks of Western Georgia. In any
other hands than those to whom the stockholders
o( this toad had wisely entrusted it, it never
would have been built. It would have been
abandoned long since, as a fit remembrancer ot
the wilful blindness of this community to its own
interests. Thanks to Maj, Howard, it has out.
lived all sorts of opposition, and its blessings to
Columbus, will remind her citizens of his noble
public spirit, long after he has ceased to share
them. The other project, of much more recent
undertaking, and on a much larger scale—the
Girard and Mobile railroad has, in the short
j space of a few months, been entered upon and
| its completion ensured. We never have known
; a public work, which so completely enlisted the
i attention and co-operation of those, whose inter
| ests were to be affected by it. Maj. Robt.
j Hardaway, to whose especial supervision it has
j been committed, commenced a (ew weeks since,
a general cursory survey of the country through
which it was to pass, and was everywhere hailed
with the proffered aid of the planters, by whom
the road was to be run. The grading and su
! perstructure of the road was voluntarily under
taken, for stock, by every community on the
line, and in this way, he has received assuran
ces that the work will be immediately commenc
ed, and immediately done, on the whole line
from Girard to Mobile Bay—a distance of 230
miles. Maj. Hardaway is now in New Or.
leans, endeavoring to make arrangements for
the iron, and he writes that he anticipates no
difficulty in effecting a satisfactory negotiation
for that purpose. Thus the entire road from
this place to the Mobile Bay, will, in a few
days, he under contract, and it is not unreason,
able to predict that in two years from this time,
there will be a continuous steam connection be
tween Savannah and Mobile. We congratu
late the country, and Columbus especially, on
her brightening prospects.
Prof. Williams has been lecturing in Columbus
for several evenings on Psychology, or animal mag
netism. We have not had the pleasure of hearing
him, but we understand that his lectures and experi
ments, particularly on Tuesday evening, were high
ly interesting and convincing. A young man in our
office was so perfectly under his influence that lie
by turns perverted hie senses, and actually made him
completely drunk on cold water. These experi
ments were repeated successfully on several persons.
We have heard also of some most wonderful cures
that he has instantaneously wrought since he has
been here. We do not pretend to comment on these
facts ; we confess our utter inability to do so. They
almost drive us to a conviction of the truth of the
science they are intended to illustrate, and yet we
do not know how to believe.
Flare up in the Cabinet. —lt is rumored
that Mr. Clayton will resign the premiership ;
or rather that he has tendered his resignation,
which the President refuses to accept. The fol
iowing seems to be the state of the case. The
difficulties growing out of the Nicaragua affair,
were referred, for negotiation, to Mr. Lawrence,
the American Minister to England. Owing to
the illness of Mr. Lawrence, the negotiation did
not progress with sufficient rapidity to suit Mr.
Clayton, and he therefore undertook to open ne
gotiations with Mr. Bulwer, the English minis
ter at Washington. Mr. Bulwer replied that he
had not been charged with the matter, and could
not therefore consider Mr. Clayton’s proposition.
Mr. Clayton again urged a negotiation here, and
furnished Mr. Bulwer with the views of this gov
ernment and the project of a treaty. The Brit
ish Minister forwarded the project to England to
await the instructions of his government. In
the meantime, opposition to Mr. Clayton’s views
was manifested by the other members of the
Cabinet. A meeting was called, and the Cabi
net, so tiir from agreeing to what the Secretary
had done, actually disapproved of it. The meet
ing adjourned in confusion, to the next day ; an
other meeting was held with a similar result,
and the consequence is that Mr. Clayton de
clares his determination to withdraw.
Graham s Magazine. —The March number
of this magnificent monthly, is on our table. It
led off in the January number, at the head of
all its competitors, and the subsequent issues
have fully sustained its challenge for popular fa
vor. It is unquestionably the best three dollar
magazine published in America. S. D. Patter
son & Cos., Publishers, Philadelphia.
Gen. Bern, the distinguished Hungarian
patriot, died recently in Turkey,
®©ilCO iIB El § i ffiOTT ]EOi L.
Geo. Montgomery West.
We ask the pardon of our readers, for thus
again offending their moral olfactories with a
subject so disgusting as that embodied in the
name which stands at the head of this article.
We think all good men will agree with us, that
it is a reproach upon our community, that any
further notice should he required. Such, how
ever, is unfortunately the case. The Columbus
Enquirer, a respectable Journal of this city, and
under the conduct of gentlemen fully prepared to
appreciate the importance of a well regulated
public sentiment to every community, in its is- j
sue of Tuesday last, contained an article over S
the signature ol “G. M. West,” in which an at- \
tempi is made to vindicate himself from the char- j
ges made against him, and that article is actual
ly prefaced with a short editorial notice, half ap
ologetic, and half recommendatory of the sub- I
ject of it. We have no right to interfere with
the “righteous judgment” of that Editor, and do
not desire to assume such a prerogative, but we
must confess our surprise at the declaration that
they “Aare sought no information ” on an issue
which every right thinking man must acknowl
edge deeply affects the morality of this and eve
ry neighboring community. If Dr. West be
guilty of the charges ailedged, then he is an im
postor, and deserves the execration of every man
in this city. If he be innocent , then foul injus
tice has been done him, and it is the duly of the
Enquirer , and of all gentlemen, to denounce us
for a high-handed “ abuse of the power of the
press.'’ , Such denunciations, penned by the sub
ject of these charges, and brought to light by an
insignificant appendage of the community,
whose moral and intellectual standing, entitles
his opinions to no sort of weight or respectabil
ity, will not do—the accusation must come from
a source that will at least carry with it the idea
that somebody endorses it. The issue belongs
to the community, and he is false to its interests,
who remains indifferent to it. We repeat, the
issue belongs to the community ; it must be set
tled by (he community, but as a friend to its best
interests, we shall not cease to denounce as an
impostor, the man who we honestly believe, is.
by a system of falsehood and crime, endeavoring
j to undermine the very foundations of its peace
I and respectability.
But to the subject. This Dr. West reached
j our city nearly three weeks since, and immedi
ately on his arrival, sought and obtained intro
ductions to the Rev. Mr. Dawson of the Baptist
Church, the Rev. Dr. Pierce of the Methodist,
| and the Rev. Mr. King of the Presbyterian.
! To all of these gentlemen he introduced himself
as the Itev. Dr. West, recently from Europe.
His object, he stated, u'as to lecture on infidelity,
and as preparatory to the introduction of those
lectures, he obtained permission from these gen
j tlemen to occupy their several pulpits on the fol
j lowing Sabbath. He preached accordingly in
j the Presbyterian pulpit on Sabbath morning,
j in the Baptist in the afternoon, and in the Meth
| odist at night. Every body was pleased, and
: the highest expectations were excited as to his
| coming course of lectures. On Monday even
j ing they were commenced at the Methodist
i Church, and continued on Tuesday evening at
the same place. On Wednesday morning re
ports were circulated, seriously derogating from
his character. Upon an investigation of those
reports, we became satisfied of their truth, and
in the discharge ot an honestly recognized duty,
published him to the world, as a vile impostor
and a hypocrite. That declaration, we have had
no reason to regret, on the contrary we repeat it
now, and are prepared with an array of evidence
that will compel any honest mind to agree
with us. By an impostor , we understand one
who claims to be something that he is not ; by a
hypocrite , we understand one whose heart con
stantly gives the lie to his words and actions.
With this definition of the charges laid at his
door, we proceed with the proof:
First—He came into our midst, representing
himself as a minister of the gospel. To sub
stantiate this, we refer, in the first place, to the
Rev. gentlemen whose names we have men
tioned above ; in the second place to the private
handbills to be found in every public place of our
city; in the third place to the little pamphlets
which he carries for sale ; and finally to his offi
ciating as a minister in the pulpits of the various
churches.
Second—But if anyone doubts that he repre
sented himself in this light, certainly no one
questions that he introduced himself as a Chris
tian gentleman. As such he was invited to the
hospitable fireside of one of our most virtuous
and respectable citizens, and during his stay
there, morning and evening, officiated at the
family altar. We need not, however, multiply
proof on a point, which Dr. West will now feel
injured if any body doubts.
Thirdly—We now proceed to show that his
conduct is wholly irreconcilable with either of
those characters, and
I. We charge him with willful and deliberate
lying. He carried with him, when he first
came, a printed handbill, which he used in intro
ducing himself, and which had been printed and
used, he said, in Savannah, the purport of which
was, that “the Rev. Dr. West, recently from Eu
rope, would lecture during the week in Savan
nah at places designated in the bill. Upon
handing this to the Rev. Mr. Dawson, that gen
tleman casually inquired of Dr. West, “how long i
he had been in this country ?” The reply was, |
“seven months ; not more than seven months at j
the outside.” We have now in our possession, I
a little pamphlet called “Golden Axioms, by
Rev. G. M. West, D. D.” which that gentle
man carries about with him for sale. On the
19th page of that pamphlet, we see the name of
G. M. West affixed to an accepted challenge for
a public debate on infidelity, which took place in
February , 1849, in the city of New Yoik—
twelve months ago. This is the first item in our
Bill of Indictment.
Again, he now denies that he is a minister, or
ought to be held responsible for the character
of a minister. How is this to be reconciled with
the statements of our ministers resident in this
city ? Again, while at Apalachicola, ho stated j
that he was anxious to get immediate passage to ;
New Orleans, as his business was to find a lost j
son whom he supposed to be there. Here, he j
represents his business to be, first to check the
spirit of infidelity which is abroad in the land,
and secondly, to collect funds for the establish- j
ment of an institution at the North. Again, he
represents hirnscll as “the Agent, Advocate, and
Lecturer to the Root and Branch Society of
New York.” We have in our possession, a
telegraphic despatch from a most reliable gentle
man in New York, dated the *26th inst., in which
he states he can hear of no such man in the So
: ciety. So much for the first charge.
2. We charge him with habitual drunkenness.
He was drunk in Savannah. We are prepared
to prove this by a letter at our command, from a
reverend gentleman ol the first respectability in
that city, whose name we withhold at his own
request, he being indisposed to have his name
publicly heralded in connection with that of a
drunken, strolling vagabond. It may be proper,
| however, to remark, that this letter is from Dr.
West’s principal and only referee in Savannah.
He was drunk in Macon ; so much so as to be
the sport of the boys. This we can establish by
j two of the first gentlemen of that city, whose
’ names we will give to any one who desires fur
ther information. On this point also, we intro
duce the following from the Macon Messenger
! and Journal:
An Exposure. —We have received a slip from the
Columbus Sentinel exposing a man who styles himself
the Rev. Dr. West. It seems the Doctor has been cre
ating quite a sensation among the Clergy and Church-go
ing people of Columbus, and that he lias been filling their
pulpits with great eclat. He is, we presume, the same
person who, a few weeks since, electrified the good peo
ple of the “ancient city of Oglethorpe” with his splen
did display ol pulpit oratory, and was afterwards detected
in visiting certain haunts which are not the legitimate
resorts of a Reverend Divine. He left that city “in his
cups” and came to Macon, where he harangued the
“b hoys ’ about the streets, in opposition to Popery and
Father Mathew in particular. Hence he took his de
parture for Tallahassee, where he said that a portion of
his family resided. He is, evidently, cither partially de
j ranged or a most inveterate villain. We are inclined to
believe that he is the former, as his devices are entirely
j too shallow for a man of his acknowledged intellect and
; acquirements. He is undisguised in his debaucheries,
I dlid when under the influence of licpior, his conversation
!is a strange medley of fanaticism and profanity. Wc are
almost at a loss to know how any community could be
imposed upon by him—stiil it may be well enough to
i “pass him lound ’ in order that parties at a distance may
! be placed upon their guard.
He was drunk in Tallahassee, Fla. This
i “ ill be certified to by a gentleman whose re
| racity will not be questioned.
He sustained in that city the character of a
’ common, drunken, blackguard vagabond. So
; disgusting was he, that this gentleman would not
allow him to ride in the same conveyance with
him from Tallahassee to Chattahoochee. He
did not pretend to be a minister or a Christian in
that place. He was drunk on the steamboat in
going down the river from Chattahoochee to Ap
alachicola. The same witness will prove this.
On his arrival at the latter place, he was so
drunk as to sleep in the bar room of the Man
sion House. He was drunk during nearly the
whole time of his stay at the Bay. This we can
prove by twenty witnesses. We have a letter
from a most reliable gentleman of that city, es
tablishing this fact. He was also so drunk there
that Capt. Woodruff was compelled to order him
off his boat. So much for the second charge.
3. We charge him with profanity and obsccn •
ily. This charge is established by the extract
from the Macon Messenger, and by the witness
es of his drunkenness in Tallahassee, on the
boat and at the Bay.
In conclusion, wc must briefly notice the na- j
ture of the article in the Enquirer. It will be
perceived that it does not contain one word ex- !
culpatory of the charges, but he bases his claim
to an acquittal upon the fact that three popular
assemblages in this city, had unanimously voted
him innocent, and invited him to continue his
lectures. At the meeting on the evening of the
J 6th, not one-third of those present voted, and at
the meetingof the 21st, not exceeding one doz
en. The great majority did not vote at all, be
cause they did not recognize the right of Dr.
West, to an expression of their opinions. On
each occasion, there were three to one who be
lieved him guilty, and we feel no hesitation in j
saving that there is, perhaps, but one man ;
in Columbus to-day, who is not satisfied
that Dr. West is an impostor. Perhaps he
might get a letter of recommendation from that
devoted friend, hut whether the Dr. would de
sire it or not, is very questionable. As to his
connection with the Sons of Temperance, that!
is explained elsewhere.
We have now done with this matter. In all
that we have said or done, we have been actua
ted solely by ail honest desire to serve the com
munity of which we are a member, and the
: cause of morality everywhere. If the tempora
; ry countenance which Dr. West received here,
j shall injure others, wo shall regret it, but we
i hope that our admonitions may have been in
time to save other communities, the injury that
ours has sustained.
P. S.—Since writing the foregoing, we have
! seen a hand-bill, issued over Dr. West’s name,
|
in which he announces himself as “a Bisnor of
the Protestant. Episcopal Church .” Surely the
man is a fool, as well as a knave. “He was re
ceived at the Court of King William 4th”—and
boasts of his long line of illustrious ancestry.
We wonder if he isn’t a Royalist as well as ev
ery thing else. If we had seen this production
before, we would have been spared the trouble!
of collecting proof of his villainy. He has him
self established the charge over his own name,
for it turns out now that instead of being no min
ister, he is actually a Bishop.
Fire in Sparta, Ga. —A most disastrous fire
occurred in this village on the 20th inst., con
suming all the principal part of the town. The
loss is estimated at 830,000. The fire is sup-j
posed to have been the work of an incendiary.
LEGISLATIVE REVIEW.
The General Assembly of the State has ad
journed, and inasmuch as we did not undertake
to keep our readers definitely informed as to all
the details of its action, while it was in session,
(for we confess that in spite of letter writers and
reporters, we were not able, ourselves, to keep
up with the doings and sayings at headquarters,)
we shall endeavor, under this head, to review the
history of the session, and in this way inform
our readers, of the. more important measures.
We accordingly commence with a few remaiks
on what we regard the most important measure.
An Elective Judiciary.
This measure, at first esteemed of doubtful
propriety, has grown into universal popularity.
The Legislature of this State has referred it to
the people for decision by ballot at the next
gubernatorial election. Os their verdict in its
favor, there is no question. Alabama has al
ready adopted it, and the first elections under its
operation in that State, will take place in May
next. The Legislature of Tennessee has pass
ed a law to the same effect, but the concurrent
action of the next session is required before it can
go into operation. In view of the popularity of
the measure, it is to be regretted that our Leg
islature did not at once establish it, instead of
incurring the delay attending its reference to
the people. In this State, no other formalities
than those required in ordinary legislation will
be necessary, there being no constitutional pro
vision respecting the. mode of electing judges,
as has been thought by some. We regard this,
as but one of a series of measures which we
hope to see established. We desire to see the
Legislature stripped of every thing but the law.
making power. Especially do we wish every
election, except of its own officers, transferred to
other hands. When that is the case, it will be
come an abler and purer body ; it will have
much less to do, and consequently fewer pre
texts for spending the people’s money; the
firebrands of political excitement will be re
moved, and the petty warfare of party w'iil cease
in the Halls of our State Legislature. The peo
ple will send Representatives there, whose busi
ness it will be to make laws and do nothin” else :
men will lie chosen who are competent to the
discharge of that duty, and when it is done, they
will quietly adjourn and go home.
Change ol’ the Time ol’ Electing Members to Con
gress.
Next October would have been the regular
time for this election. A hill has been passed,
however, changing the time to October, 1851,
and in October every two years thereafter. The
reason for this change is, that under the present
arrangement so long a time elapses between the
election of members, and the commencement of
their term. Thus if a member were elected
next October, he would not take his seat until
fourteen months thereafter. To remedy this
objection, the change has been made. There
are sufficient reasons why the Representative
should not be chosen so long before he takes his
scat, and the object proposed in this Bill is
therefore a good one ; hut it strikes us as being
liable to one serious objection. Although a
member elected next October would not take his
seat until fourteen months thereafter, yet his
term of office would commence on the 4th of
March afterwards. By the operation of this Bill
therefore, there maybe a vacancy in our rep
resentation between the 4th of March and the
first Monday of October, and if an Extra Ses
sion should he necessary, a special election
would have to be ordered, or the Slate would be
unrepresented.
The Congressional District Bill.
I he District system is but a few years old in
this State, but it has lived long enough to disap
point the expectations of its friends. The idea
of a subdivision of the State into Districts, by
which each section might elect its own delegate,
more immediately representing its peculiar in*
terests, was a plausible, and therefore a popular
one. But plausible as it seemed, its operation
in this Slate at least, has demonstrated that it
j “'HI be attended with evils counterbalancing all
| the benefits accorded to it. These Districts
! are bounded by arbitrary limits, which arc sub
ject to, and in fact do undergo, change, with al
| most every change of the Legislature. When
| the Districts were first organized, the Whig par
ty, then in power, abused their numerical
strength, by perverting it to the unlawful work of
party legislation by so arranging the Districts, as
to secure, beyond controversy, as was then
thought, five of the Districts to themselves, leav
ing two certain for the Democrats, and one to
be fought over. These combinations of differ
ent counties were formed, not for the purpose of
aggregating into Districts, the distinct interests of
| different sections, but solely on account of their
i political complexion. This adjustment has con
tinued only until the other party has acquired
the power to distujb it. Accordingly, at this
session of the Legislature, the first in which the
Democratic party has had control of both branch
es since the establishment of the District system,
the whole arrangement has undergone revision,
and the Districts have been remodeled, for rea-
I sorts similar to those which operated with the
other party in the original organization. We do
not intend to justify such legislation when it is
made in our favor, any more than when it was
against us, but certainly, any objection to it
comes with an exceedingly bad grace from a
party who has robbed it of its disgust, by famil
iarizing us with it in its own history. This re-
cital of facts, furnishes an unanswerable argu
ment against the District system. It is not our
intention now to go farther into this question ;
we shall however take occasion hereafter to ex
amine and expose the defects of this system.
By the Bill just passed, the Districts are so
arranged as to give five certainly to the Demo
crats, two certain to the Whigs, and one to be
fought for.
Correspondence of the Southern Sentinel*
MILLEDGE VILLE, Feb. 23, 1850,
Dear C.:
The Legislature will adjourn to-night.
I do not always write very plain, and think it
must have been the case with mine of the 13th.
In that letter as published, I find this sentence .
“The impression prevails that, if the Whigs had
remained in their seats, the District Bill would
have been defeated, as several Democrats did
not wish to oppose it.” I think the word oppose
should be press, as I know there were a good
many Democrats who did not wish to press it,
believing, at I wrote you, that the Districts
would have to be revised before the next elec
tion, when we will probably have another mcnt
her ; and if we do not, there will by that time’
be great inequality between fHe Districts—
some will probably have 10 to SOjOOO I more
population than others.
There is barely a quorum here to adjourn,-
Yours, &c. TANARUS
[kor the southern sentinel.
Delegate to the Nashville Convention.
Mr. Editor: The time is rapidly approach
ing when it becomes necessary for the people
seriously to reflect upon the objects of the Nash,
ville convention, and to select suitable delegates
to represent this congressional district in that
body. We want patriotism, wisdom, firmness
and prudence to mark our eoucils and govern onr
deliberations, upon that important and trying oc
casion. I would suggest to the district the name
of Dr. Thomas Iloxcy, a gentleman possessing
in an eminent degree all the qualifications nec.
essarylbrthe truly responsible station. *
Tiik General Conference of tiie .Meth
odist Ei*iscoj*al Church, South. —We un
derstand from tin l Rev. Dr. Pierce, that in con.
sequence of the prevalence of cholera alongthe
waters of the Mississippi, it has been determin
ed to change the session of this body, which
was appointed to meet at St. Louis, in May next,
to some more eastern point; several points liaro
been suggested to the Bishops, and among oth
ers. Columbus is spoken of. We have no doubt
such an arrangement would be most agreeable
to the citizens of this place, and we are certain
no selection could be made which would prove
more delightful to thatJJody. There is not a
spot in America, more delightful than this, in
the month of May, and we are sure there is not
a spot on the Globe, where there is a more gen
erous and a more hospitable population. True,
we have not yet the facilities of access afforded
by other places, but Columbus is nearly the cen
tre of the Southern Conference, and is suffi
ciently accessib'c for this purpose. We know
we express the sentiments of our readers, in
asking Dr. Pierce to use his exertions towards
bringing it here.
Honors to the Brave. —The Legislature
at its recent session, passed a resolution, ten
dering the thanks of the people of Georgia,
to the following named officers, for their gallant
conduct and meritorious services in the late
Mexican war. We do not understand the omis
sion of the name of one of Georgia’s most dis
tinguished sons, a prominent actor in all the
stirring events of that war. We allude to Bre
vet-Major James Longstrect of the Bth Infantry,
I.S. A. Major Longstreet was at every battle
of any prominence fought during the war, except
that of Buena Vista ; was one of the heroes of
Monterey, and his gallant conduct at Churubus
co, where he was seriously wounded, won for
him the admiration of the army, and the praises
of his country. He is, with perhaps a few ex
ceptions, the only instance of a first Lieut, of t he
line, who has reached the promotion to a brevet
majority. Major Longstreet is a native Gcoi
gian, and certainly has merited a place in the
list of those to whom the thanks of the State
are so properly tendered :
Brevet Major Henry C. Wayne, Ist. Artillery,
and Assistant Quarter Master, 0. S. A.
Brevet Major George Taylor, 3d Artillery, U. S. A.
Surgeon John M. Cuyler, U. S. A.
Brevet Ist Lieut., B. F. McDonald. 3d Artillery.
U. S. A.
Lieut. Robert C. Forsyth, late of the Regiment of
Voltigeurs.
Ist Lieut. George T. Anderson and 2d Lieut. K.
S. Thomas, commanding the Newton county Horse.
Lieut. Wm. Gardner, 2d Reg’t U. S. Inlantrr.
Lieut. David R. Jones, 2d Reg’t U. S. Infantry.
Capt. W in. T. Wolford, of Georgia Battalion
Mounted Volunteers.
Passed Midshipmen Richard M. Cnyler and Ed-
F. 1 alnall of the U. S. Navy and natives of
the State of Georgia.
Srr.lKG Goods.— Our lady readers will take notice
that a large supply is being received at Brokaw &.
Clemons’ Store. We liavn’t much taste about such,
matters, but we know that these gentlemen have.
Tennessee has refused to join the other
Southern States in the Nashville convention-
This action i 3 much to be regretted, as it can be
productive of nothing but evil, not only to the
South, but to the Union. Her refusal will not
deter the other Southern States from a
which they have thought necessa y to adopt, and
can only encourage the North in the belief that
her aggressions may be continued with impu
nity.
*. ‘ ’
Col. Jefferson Davis lias been elected
U. S. Senator by the Legislature of Mississippi,
for six years from the fourth of March next.
The Georgia Legislature concluded its
unusually protracted session on Saturday last.
The Gaines Case. —Judges McKinley and
McCaleb finding upon consultation they could
not agree, Judge McKinley withdrew, leaving
Judge McCaleb to decide the case, which he did,
against Mrs. Gaines. Judge McK. adhered to
the decision of the Supreme Court in the Patter-
son case, which was in favor of Mrs. Gaines,
while Judge McC. thought the present case was
not covered by that decision. The case has been
taken up, and will be finally decided in the Su
preme Court.