The Southern sentinel. (Columbus, Ga.) 1850-18??, February 28, 1850, Image 2

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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.