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the people kept still going and coming, until Piron was weary of eternally raising his hand to his hat: he took it off entirely, and contented himself with bending his head to wards those who saluted him. An old wo man threw herself at his feet, with her bands joined in supplication. Piron, much surprised, and not knowing what she want ed, said to her—“ Rise, good woman, rise; you treat me like a writer of epics, or of tragedies. You mistake; I have not that honor; I have hitherto written nothing but songs and other trifles.” The woman re mained on her knees without heeding what he said; and Piron thought he perceived a •light movement of her lips, as though she Were speaking. He bent his head towards her and listened. He heard her mumble Borne words between hei teeth : it was an Aw which she was addressing to an image of the Vii gin placed immediately over the bench on which Piron was sitting. He then raised his eyes, and discovered that all the homage which he had supposed to be paid to himself had been addressed to the image over his head. “ Such are poets,” said Pi ron, as he walked away; “ they think every body is observing them, and fancy the whole world at their feet, when it is not even aware of their existence.” From the Lownde3 County Chronicle. DANCING. Mr. Editor : This innocent’ amusement, Which is so often enndemned by “gloomy tensors and theologians ” as a sinful practice, is one of very great antiquity. “ Dancing,” We are informed by a distinguished author, ” during which songs of praise were sung, formed a part of the festive solemnities of the Hebrews. After the passage of the Red Sea, the damsels of Israel, with Miriam at .their head, playing on the tablet, sang and danced in celebration of that miraculous event David himself danced at the induc tion of the Ark into the tabernacle. We learn from the 68th Psalm, that singers, minstrels, and damsels, playing on timbrels, (accompanied the sacred processions, atul these probably danced also. The yearly festival held not far from Shiloh, at which the damsels were seized by the Ben jamites, consisted of the same amusement —to wit, dancing. From these authorities, and from the still more explicit terms of Psalm cxlix. 3, and cl. 5, we may reasonably maintain that dancing was expressly commanded by the Lord ; and it become, therefore, the more difficult to understand, how certain gloomy censors and theologians can con demn as sinful, a practice which was distinct ly enjoined under the Old Testament, and is nowhere forbidden by the New. If it were thus prevalent in the public ceremonies of the Hebrews, we cannot doubt that the same recreation, varied by music and singing, con stituted one of the principal attractions in their private entertainments, and in the amusements of the domestic circle.” The same author adds, “ some commen tators are of opinion, that every Psalm had u distinct dance appropriated to it. In ut roque Psalmo, nomine chori, intelligi posse cum certo, instrumento homines ad sonum ipsius tripudiantes.” The celebrated Mr. Locke, who was a firm believer in the Christian religion, in his treatise on Education, discourses thus: “ Dancing, being that which gives graceful motets to all our limbs, and, above all things, manliness, and a becoming confidence to young children, I think, cannot be learned too early.” The Reverend Mr. Fordycc, in his “ Scr monsto young Persons,” says, “ If an exer cise so sociable and enlivening were to oc cupy some portion of that time which is lavished on cards, would the youth of either sex be losers by it ? I think not. It seems to me, there can be no impropriety in it, any more than in modulating the voice into the most agreeable tones in singing, to which none, I think, will object. V* but is dancing, in the most rigid sense, but the harmony of motion rendered more palpable 1 Awkward ness, rusticity, ungraceful gestures, can nev er surely be meritorious.” With all this weight of authority, Mr. Editor, in favor of the innocence ol the amusement of dancing, from the Bible and elsewhere, I must he permitted to smile, when I hear those who innocently practice it, denounced in unmeasured terms, as hav ing been guilty of some gross immorality ! But, to conclude, in the language of the eminent author from whom 1 have just quo ted, “ the gravest minds are known to have 6tooped to simplicity, and even to childish ness in their sports —as the lark, although it flies higher than any other bird, sinks to the lowly ground to repose itself and to build its nest. None but a pompous blockhead, or solemn prig, will pretend that he never relaxes, never indulges in pastime, never wastes his breath in idle waggery and mer riment. Such gravity is of the very essence of imposture, when it does not spring, as is frequently the case, from a morbid austeri ty or morose ignorance. “ Let us be wise now, for I see a fool coming,” said Plato, when he was once joking with his disciples, and saw a churl of this stamp approaching them. Occasional playfulness, indeed, seems to be natural to all strong minds. Agesilaus, as every body knows, amused himself and his children by riding on a stick. The great Scipio diverted himself by picking up shells on the sea-shore. Socrates used to dance and sing, by way of relaxation. The face tious Lucian and the grave Scaliger, have both confessed the pleasure they found in singing, dancing and music. Maecenas, with his friends Virgil and Horace, delighted in sports and games. Shakspeare played on the bass-viol, which he accompanied with his voice; and the witty Swift amused him self with hunting and chasing his friends, the two Sheridans, through all the .rooms of the deanery.” “We trifle all; and he who best deserves Is but a trifler. What art thou whose eye Follows my pen; or what am I that write ? Both tnflers.” Gratitude. —A Dutch novelist’s Dutch captain casts the following reflections upon gratitude : “ Gratitude is hell-metal for fools. 1 have never been better paid than in as surances of gratitude. Gratitude ; s the orange-peel that is thrown away when the juice is sucked.” Well done, Mein Herr Von Duuk. © & D a 0 M & IL. Written for the “ Southern Miscellany.” ZANONI. This is the title of anew novel, by the Hon. E. L. Bulwer, recently issued from the press of the Messrs. Harpers, Nevv-York. Already has the press in various parts of the country, been made the medium, through which opinions, as to the merits of the work, have been made known. I trust you will allow me, Mr. Editor, the use of your col umns, while 1 shall attempt a cursory ex amination of this work, and give my views of its character and contents. Mr. Bulwer, in some respects, stands de servedly high as a novelist; and while some are ready to condemn him for the publica tion of books, which they believe exercise an injurious influence upon the reader, all admit that, for elegance of style, richness of thought, and dramatic effect, his novels are unsurpassed by any of the age. The work now under consideration, dif fers from all which have before proceeded from his pen; and, if I rightly judge, is but the first of a series of the same cast. He has ventured upon anew field of fiction— a hitherto unexplored domain, where tho’t itself, dared scarcely enter. But a field, which, judging from the glimpse we are al lowed to get of it in these volumes, is laden with a harvest of rich fruits, and bright and beauteous flowers. But few, however, may dare to gather the fruit or pluck the flowers. Ere this be done tbe Real must bend to the Ideal —the substance be lost in the shadow. But enough of this ibr the present. The plot in this work is a secondary ob ject, and is only made subservient to the general design; which is to shew (accord ing to my judgment) that, however far a man may have gone in abstracting himself from the cares and anxieties of life—however much he may have striven to subdue the strength, and hush the voice of human pas sion—however high he may have ascended into the regions of thought—and, however great the ascendency the mind may have obtained over the body, that still the sympa thies of the soul may be stirred, and a chord be touched, whose music shall harmonize with all the spiritual melodies of man’s na ture. That Love is the mastei passion of the human heart—and that it can reach even those, who, like Zanoni, have travelled far beyond the usual bounds of mortals— throw around them its magic spell, and bind about their hearts the silken cord, which, like the anchor to the ship in the midst of dashing billows and a raging sea, shall cause the human soul, far reaching in its ideal ab stractions, to pause in its onward career, to “veer about,” and speed towards that point of the moral compass, where passion holds its natural rule, and controls by its legitimate authority. Another primary design is, to dig up the ancient, and almost forgotten doctrines of the Eastern magicians, astrologers, cabalists, or aleliymists—for they were known by va rious names—and upon these, to engraft a new Philosophy, which teaches to believe the startling idea, that all space—the Infinite which is around, above, and beneath us, is teeming witli life—filled with a distinct and separate race of material beings—imper ceptible, it is true, to the eyes of ordinary mortals, but yet existing—exercising often over the fates of men a controlling influence. These are the Genii of Eastern fable. And it teaches how a direct intercourse may be gained with these. How, that, by becoming of the brotherhood of the Rosy Cross, and pursuing the course which their Philosophy teaches, a man may abstract himself from all intercourse with the world, for a season—giving full exercise to all the mental faculties, and by the most severe and rigid discipline, bringing into abeyance all the powers of passion, and all the desires of physical nature—a man may overleap the stream which divides the beings who arc visible, and those which, to common eyes, are invisible—become the connecting link between these two worlds—the visible and invisible—the Real and the Ideal; and pos sessing a knowledge of all the mysteries of nature, is enabled to compound that most desirable of all medicines,, “the Elixir of Life”—which possesses the rare but glo rious power of diffusing new life throughout the wasted and worn system. Thus, giving to the individual, who is hold enough to pass the dangerous “ Threshold,” the power to prolong life, to sail upon its tranquil, or bois terous current —wafted by the winds which are born in the regions of the infinite, un harmed amid deceitful calms, or dangerous tempests—unwrecked on hidden rocks, or desert strands—until the stream of time it self shall have poured all its waters into the dark and fathomless Ocean of Eternity. Another object of the author, 1 think, is plainly evident in the allusions made to the “Iteign of Terror,” during the times of Danton, Marat, and Robespierre, the Butcher Dogs of France. The last scenes of the Book closes with some description of the characters of the men most prominent amidst the scenes of that most bloody and horrid farce. The opening scene is laid in Naples, and the time is the latter part of the last century. A musician, Gaetano I’isani, is the father ot the heroine, V'iola Pisani, who is soon in troduced to the reader, under the most love ly and fascinating character. Beautiful beyond description, combining “a harmony of opposite attributes.” She was instructed in the art of singing, and possessing the gift by nature in au eminent degree, she became the enchanlress of tho throng.— Poor and an actress. Asa matter of course in the sunny south of Italy, she became early an object of attraction and desire to the Neapolitan youth. Amongst her most ardent admirers, is a young English artist, Clarence Glyndon, who is introduced to the reader in the second Book, possessing every qualification, as to mind and person and property, calculated to ensnare the heart and win the affections of the young and beautiful songstress. Zannni, the strange mysterious Zanoni, the master spirit of the work, upon whose brow the tread of cen turies had left no foot print—he, who had been the disciplo of “Mejnour,” and had. mastered the science of nature, and held intercourse with the Bright and Beautiful of the world of tho Infinite—he whose j mind, laden with the Lore of forgotten ages, ‘ mu s'<&]&&& a st was yet young and strong and buoyant— and whose face illumined by the initul with in, seemed but the Mirror of the Soul—he, who by the power of his own will, had dar ed and’ conquered the “nameless Terror,” the “Mistress of tbe Threshold,” arid liad joined the Brotherhood of the Bright and Glorious “Adonai”—he, even he, in the deep chambers of his inner soul, felt the chord touched which vibrated to the music of human passion—lie, too, loved Viola. Allow me to introduce the scene to your readers in which Viola, the Bright, the Beautiful, conquered by her Love, the “Lofty, the mysterious” Zanoni. The Prince di , a Neapolitan noble man, having become enamored of the young actress, resolved to overstep llie bounds of all Law, and force her to his palace and his arms. Zanoni from the powers he possess ed, was able to frustrate the whole design, and repairs to the residence of Viola, at night, just after her return from tbe The atre, and just when Gionetta, Viola’s old nurse,’ had informed her that Zanoni was about to leave Naples: “And was Zanoni indeed about to quit Naples? Should she see him no more 1 Oh, fool, to think that there was grief itl any other thought! Tbe Past! that was gone! The Future! there was no Future toiler— Zanoni absent! But this was the night of the third day on which Zanoni had told her that, come what might, he would visit her again. It was, then, if slie might believe him, some appointed crisis in her fate; arul how should she tell him of Glyndon’s hate ful words? The pure and the proud mind can never confide its wrongs to another, on ly its triumphs and its happiness. But at that,late hour would Zanoni visit her? could she receive him? Midnight was at hand. Still, in undefined suspense, in intense anx iety, she lingered in the room. The quarter before midnight sounded dull and distant. All was still, and she was about to pass to her sleeping room, when she heard the hoofs ol a horse at full speed; tbe sound ceased; there was a knock at the door. Il\>r heart beat violently; but fear gave way to another sentiment when she heard a voice, too well known, calling on her name. She paused, and then, with the fearfulness of innocence, descended, and unbarred the door. “ Zanoni entered with a light and hasty 6tep. Ilis horseman's cloak fitted tightly to his noble form; and his broad hat threw a gloomy shade over his commanding fea tures. “ The girl followed him into the room she had just left, trembling and blushing deeply, and stood before him with the lamp she held shining upward on her cheek, and the long hair that fell like a shower of light over the half-clad shoulders and heaving bust. “ ‘ Viola,’ said Zanoni, in a voice that spoke deep emotion, ‘I am by thv side once more to save ibee. Not a moment is to be lost. Thou must fly with me, or remain the victim of tbe Prince di . I would have made the charge 1 now undertake another’s; thou knowest I would—thou knowest it! but he is not worthy of thee, the cold Eng lishman! I throw myself at thy feet; have trust in me, and fly.’ “He grasped her hand passionately as he dropped on his knee, and looked up into her face with his bright beseeching eyes. “‘Fly with thee!’ said A r iola, scarce be lieving her senses. “ ‘ With me. Name, fame, honor—all will be sacrificed if thou dost not.’ “‘Then—then,’ said the wild girl, falter ingly, and turning aside her face, ‘then I am not indifferent'to thee? Thou wouldst not give me to another!’ “Zanoni was silent; but bis breast heaved, his cheeks flushed, his eyes darted dark and impassioned fire. “‘Speak!’ exclaimed Viola, in jealous suspicion of his silence. ‘“lndifferent to me! No; but I dare not yet say that I love thee.’ “ ‘ Then what matters my fate ?’ said Vio la, turning pale, and shrinking fjdtp his side; ‘leave me; I fear no danger. My life, and therefore my honor, are in mine own hands.’ “ ‘Be not so mad,’ said Zanoni. ‘Hark! do you hear the neigh of my steed I it is an alarum that warns us of the approaching peril. Haste, or you are lost!’ “ ‘Why dost thou care forme V said the girl, bitterly. ‘Thou hast read my heart; thou knowest that thou art the lord of my destiny. But to he bound beneath the weight of a cold obligation; to be the beg gar on the eyes of ludifleience ; to throw’ myself on one who loves me not; that were indeed the vilest sin of my sex. Ah, Za noni, rather let me die!’ “ She had thrown back her clustering hair from her face as she spoke ; and as she now stood, with her arms drooping mournfully, and her hands clasped together with the proud bitterness of her wayward spirit, giving II fcv zest and charm to her singular beauty, it was impossible to conceive a sight more irresistible to the senses and the heart. “‘Tempt me not to mine own danger— perhaps destruction!’exclaimed Zanoni, in faltering accents. ‘Thou canst not dream of what thou wouldst demand—come !’ and, advancing, ho wound his arm round her waist. ‘ Come, Viola; believe et least in my friendship, my honor, my protection— ’ “‘And not thy love,’ said the Italian, turning ou him her reproachful eyes. Those eyes met his, and lie could not withdraw from the charm of their gaze. Pie felt her heart throbbing beneath his own; her breath came warm upon his cheek. lie trembled — He! the lofty, the mysterious Zanoni, who seemed to stand aloof from Iris race. With a deep and burning sigh, he murmur ed, * Viola, 1 love thee! Oh!’ he continued, passionately, and releasing his hoty, lie threw himself abruptly at her feet, ‘lno more command; as woman should be wooed, I woo thee. From the first glance of those eyes, from the first sound of thy voice, thou becamest too fatally dear to me. Thou speakest of fascination—it lives and it breathes in thee! I fled from Naples to fly from thy presence—it pursued me. Months, years passed, ami thy sweet face still shone upon my heart. I returned, because I pic tured thee alone and sorrowful in tbe world, and knew that dangers from which I might save thee were gathering near tliee and around. Beautiful Soul ! whose leaves I have read with reverence, it was for thy i sake, thine alone, that I would have given j thee to one who might make thee happier j on earth than I can. Viola! Viola! thou j knowest not—never canst thou know—how dear thou ait to me!’” Thus is the first object accomplished.— The power of Love over the most Lofty, the most Philosophical, the most intellec tual, is made apparent. Love, so far as hu man nature is concerned, is Omnipotent. But I have already occupied more of your paper than I intended at this time. I will, with your permission, continue my remarks upon, and extracts from, this work, until I have gone through, and give you my views of the whole. E ■ ■ ■. Madison, June 8, 1842. For the Southern Miscellany. TO THE PEOPLE OF MORGAN COUNTY.—NO. 1. The object of this communication is to call the attention of the citizens of Morgan, to the recent action of the Justices of the Inferior Court, in reference to the use of the court room. On Monday, the 7th itist., it being the day of the session of the Inferior Court, a majority of that body passed an order, forbidding the use of the court room, for any public meeting whatever, except for the purpose of holding the courts therein. To the consideration of this new, extraor dinary and arbitrary edict, I desire to call the attention of the people of the county. I premise, by stating, that I make no at tack, whatever, upon the gentlemen com posing the court. For them, as fellow citizens, I entertain a high esteem and res pect. Neither do I make any assault upon their motives, as officers. Ido not doubt but that they acted with an intent to sub serve the public interests. No, it is not upon the men, nor their motives—hut the court, as a public body, and the order as a public official act, that 1 propose to animad vert. This I have a right to do, and from an investigation of their public official acts, I presume the court feel no disposition whatever to shrink. In the passage of the above order, I af firm, then, that the court have acted without authority of Law. To establish this posi tion, I quote the only statute of the State, which I have been able to find, containing their authority in reference to the Court House. It may be found in Prin. Dig. of Laws of Georgia to 1837, 2d ed. p. 169, and is in these words : “From and after the pas sage of this act, the Justices of the Inferior Courts of every county within this State, in their respective counties, shall cause to be erected and kept in good repair, at the charge of the said county, one good and con venient court house of stone, brick, or tim ber.” I ask, what part of the statute au thorizes the court to pass an order forbid ding the people to hold any public meeting therein, except for court purposes? Let the act be analyzed. The court shall “cause to he erected one good and convenient court house.” The duly to erect a court house, is not a power to forbid its use. They shall cause it to be “kept in good repair.” Nor is the duty to repair, a power to forbid the use of the court house. Since the necessity of repairs can occur only from the public and legitimate use of it by the people They “shall cause to be erected and kept in good repair one good and convenient Court House.” Perhaps the court may seek to justify their strange and arbitrary assump tion of power, upon the ground, that their duty lequires them to erect and keep in re pair a “ court house" —and, inasmuch as a court 7iouse is a place in which the courts are held; therefore they may rightfully prevent its use for any other purpose whatever. But I affirm, and I presume all fair interpre ters of the statute will agree with me—that the conclusion of the court (supposing them to derive their power by the above process of reasoning) is not a legitimate, indeed it is an illegitimate and false one, from the premises. Will any man in his senses say, that because the law requires a court house to be ‘built, and one purpose, of its being built, is to furnish a convenient place for holding courts, that there is no other public use to which a court house may be legiti mately appropriated? That, because one primary and main use is intended in the erection of a court house; therefore, all other uses are necessarily excluded l Who does not perceive that these conclusions are no conclusions at all? That they are a vio lent and evident infringement of all fair rulos of interpretation? But to put this point beyond all dispute: If the legislature had intended that court houses should be used for no other than court purposes, how fiasily might they have enacted, that the Justices of the Inferior Courts shall cause to be erected and kept in repair, one conveni ent court house in each county, in which the courts thereof shall be held, and said court house shall be used for no other purpose whatever? How certainly would the legis lature have done this, had they intended to limit the use of the court houses to court purposes? Having failed to do this, the conclusion is irresistible, that no such limit ed meaning is intended to be put upon the word court house. But to put this question in a still clearer point of viow, if possible: the legislature by its enactments, has appro priated the court houses in the several coun ties, to other uses than court purposes. I will instance one--—at p. 190, same edition of Pran. Dig., the legislature have enacted that “ All elections for members to repre sent this State in the General Assembly thereof, and for representatives in Congress, shall be held at the court house, or place ap pointed for holding the Superior Courts in the respective counties.” The reader Will readily perceive, that, by law, there ore j other uses of court houses, than the single one of holding courts therein. It is no an swer to the difficulty in which the previous reasoning of this article, and the above en actment of the legislature as well as others, places the conduct of the court; that the order interdicts only the use of the court room: For, so far as the question of legal Slower is concerned, if the court may right ully and legally inhibit the use of one room of the building; they qjay all portions of it. The same power which shuts the doors to the inner temple of Justice against the peo ple, may bar the entrance to the vestibule itself. It is only dormant, resting securely in the grasp of the court, ready to be brought to bear upon the majesty of the whenever their Honors shall see fit to put forth its energy. The court has but to will it, and forthwith the doors are closed upon the aisles themselves. Quere? Does not the order violate this election law ? The court have interdicted only the court room, the place where the courts are held. Well, does not the law above stated, require the elections to be held at the place appointed for holding the Superior Courts-—and is not the court room that placet Have not the court then, by their order violated this law? In conclusion of this portion of the argu ment, I put it to the candid judgment of the court itself: and to the honest judgment of the people, if the proposition is not fairly made out, which, I affirmed, that in the passage of this order the court have acted without authority of law. I affirm, secondly, that if the court may legally exercise the power they claim, their recent order is a hard and cruel deprivation of the privileges which the people have pre viously enjoyed, and a reflection on the past Justices of the court. By turning to the law, authorizing the erection, See., of Court houses, it will be perceived, that there is no command to the court to appropriate the building to court purposes alone, and forbid its use, for all other purposes —that there is no imperative legal enactment, requiring them to close the doors of the building against all meetings of the people, except for court purposes—and that, if the power exist at all, it is only inferential and permissive, not commanding—only discretionary not obligatory: one, which, if they failed to ex ercise, would involve no violation of duty —would make no violation of their official oaths. But it is one which, when exercised, bears most heavily and injuriously upon the accustomed lights and privileges of the people. Heretofore, the people have, regu larly, whenever in their judgment asufficient cause to demand their consideration has pre sented itself, assembled in the court room of the court house to deliberate upon the same, without let or molestation. They never dreamed when they thus met, that they were trampling upon the rights of the pub lic; for they were that very public itself. Ever since the county has had a court house this privilege—this right, has been exercised by the people —and they have year after year, through all their past history as a com munity, met to consider the great political and constitutional questions which have come up before them, and, in these their primary assemblies, have freely and manful ly canvassed them; nor did they ever sup pose they were treading roughly upon the hidden rights or powers of the Houorable Justices of the Inferior Court. Why should they ? They have met thus through all the administrations of past Justices of the Inferior Court, for 30 years or more; and no word of complaint has ever, until this, been uttered by the Judges—and these Judges have been men taken from all classes of the people, of various ages, talents and acquirements—men of respectability, and of all political parties—but still no courtly edict had heretofore put the hail upon these public assemblages. Were all these past Justices, through all all past’ time, derelict in their duty? Were they asleep upon their y>osts and failing in the performance of their official obligations? Was this law, which has been in existence since 1796, a dead letter in their hands, and were they such stupid nincompoops that they could not perceive their duty, or such chicken hearted cravens, that they dare not do it? But now in this year of light and iegal acu men—this year of intellectual illumination and moral courage—this year 1542—10, these former and accustomed privileges of the people must be suddenly arrested!- What has been right fur 30 years past is wrong in 1842, under the very same law. What has been allowed and unforbidden under all past administrations of the court, is now disallowed and prohibited under the present court. Anew ray of light has broken upon the mind of the Honorable Justices.— The darkness which enveloped their prede cessors is dissipated—and now, the Genius of Law, personified in the Honorable Jus tices, perceives clearly, without a doubt— yea, without the shadow of a doubt, that their predecessors were a set of dull igno ramusses, in supposing that the people might assemble in the court house to con sider any grave question whatever—and the people themselves a set of poor, ignorant, presumptuous simpletons, to imagine they had any right or privilege to enter so sacred a place as a common court room for any such purpose: and thus illuminated above all their predecessors, they have said to the people—you shan’t enter for the future. I ask the people what they think of it ? Is there no trampling on your former rights and privileges ? No exercise of power which is oppressive and cruel ? But, thirdly, who are these Honorable Justices ? Whence derived they their ele vated and powerful position ? In this land of liberty and equal rights men do not hold their office by right of descent. We have no titled nobility who succeed to public station by virtue of their ancestry. Here, office is open to all, and every man has a right to compete for it. But then all offices are deriveable from the people, either direct ly or indirectly. The people make the offi cers ; and these Honorable Justices of the Inferior Court, are what they are, because the people have made them such. They are they people’s servants —official creatures of the people’s own fashioning. Now, I ask the people, if, when they constituted them servants, they expected or intended them to turn masters ? If, when they made them what they are officially, they expected they should make their place an engine of official oppression ? But, fourthly, to whom does the Court house belong ? The Court, or the people ? Whoso money built it ? The Court’s or the people’s ? Why need I ask such questions ? Every man knows that the money arising from the taxes of the people, and the sale of the public property, constitutes the fund with which the Court house was built. And has it come to this that the people, who fur nished the money to erect a Court house, pritharily for the purpose of holding Courts therein, and secondarily, for any public pur pose whatever, which they might wish to ac complish, by assembling therein, are to be told in their teeth, that they shall not assem ble in their own house, built with their own money ? And he told this, too, by officers of their own making ? Verily, we the people are in a pretty fix. This is beautiful doc trine in this land of rights and liberty. Let a case be supposed. The Constitution of the United States guarantees to the people the right peaceably to assemble and petition Congress for a redress of grievances. Sup pose that any course of Legislation on the part of Congress should operate injuriously lo our interests; and the people ot Morgan dpfermined to assemble together to consi der of the grievance. They meet at Madi son, the proper place of their assembling, and in mass march up to the door of the Court room, demanding admission. The door is locked, and there stand the Court, saying to the whole people thus met —you shan’t enter this room. In that position of the people and the Court, suppose the whole body of the populace doff their hats and make a mass bow to the Honorable Justices, and make through their organ, and address after the following fashion : “ May it please your Honors, We have this day assembled to take into consideration certain grievances under which we are laboring, to petition Congress for a redress of the same—in or der to accomplish this properly we demand admittance into the Court room, (where we have been wont to assemble heretofore un forbidden, and where there is no law for bidding us to assemble, and which room our own money has erected,) that we may peace ably and orderly proceed in our meeting, and do that which the Constitution of the Unit ed States authorizes us to do.” To which address of the whole people, their Honors, with all the dignity of official elevation, dressed in a “ little brief authority,” reply, “ You shan’t have it—go into the passages and hold your meeting there"—that place is good enough for you.” In such a condi tion of things as this I maintain with the people that they have a right to enter. The Court says nay. Now, this supposed case is precisely the relative condition of the people and the Court, under the order so far as the rights and privileges of the peo ple are concerned. “Whilst that order exists rhe people of Morgan cannot assemble in the Court room, in any public capacity, for any purpose whatever, except during the sessions of Court. The Whig party, nor the Democratic party have any privilege to hold political meetings therein-—nor have both parties united the privilege to enterthis “ sanctum sanctorum” of the Honorable Justices, to deliberate upon any great State or other question whatever. The door is barred, and the people are turned out of their own house. Oh 1 but there are tljp passages, they may meet there. Meet there? In the jmssages t Is n’t it adding insult <o injury to talk about the passages for a pub lic meeting ? The passages, which are but the thoroughfare —the foot path, to the place where their Honors may meet to transact their business ? This is the place where the people may meet, is it ? But they may yes, their Honors say, the people may meet in the jmssages. Well, I want to know, if they may meet there of right, or by the grace and favor of the Honorable Justices? If, of right, then I want to know bow it hap pens that the people may, of right, assemble in one portion of the Court house, and may not, of right, assemble in another, even that which is more appropriate ? 1 think it will take the legal acumen of the Honorable Justices to cut this knot. But, if of grace and favor, we, the people, do not thank yoa for your grace, nor your favor. For we cannot tell, (even if the passages were ap propriate to public meetings,) how soon this grace and favor which has turned ns out of the Court room, might kick us into the pub lic square, and slam the passage doors upon us. ONE OF THE PEOPLE. tp © l a tt a © ih l „ Communicated. STATE RIGHTS ASSOCIATION. Madison, June 7, 1842. A meeting of the State Rights Associa tion of Morgan County was held this day, agreeable to previous notice, at the Courtr House, in this place. On motion of Augustus Alden, Esq., an invitation was given to such persons of the Harrison and Whig Party (not members of this Association) as may wish to inite with us, to join us in our deliberations. On motion of Colonel N.G. Foster, a Com mittee was appointed by the President, to select suitable Delegates to represent Mor gan County in the approaching Convention, to be held in Milledgeville, on the second Monday in this month. Colonel N. G. Fos ter, Dr.E.E. Jones, Colonel Stewart Floyd, Alfred A. Overton, Esq. and T. D. Speer, were appointed that Committee, who, upon consultation, announced the following gen tlemen as Delegates: Augustus Alden, Thomas D. Speer, Thomas Noland, James H. McHenry, with full power to fill any vacancy which may occur on account of the inability of any of them to attend. The following resolution, offered by Col onel Foster, was unanimously adopted: Resolved, That our confidence in the pa triotism of the Honorable Henry Clay, of Kentucky, remains unshaken; that his com manding talents, his long and faithful public service in the councils of the Country, and his ardent devotion to the best interest of the People, eminently fit him for the Chief Ex ecutive Office of the Nation ; and that we earnestly recommend the Convention to nominate candidates for Congress—also, to Elnee the name of Henry Clay, of Kentucky, eforc the People ns their candidate for the office of President of the United States—and that our Delegates in said Convention are hereby instructed to support his nomination. On motion, Ordered, That the foregoing he published in the “ Southern Miscellany’* and “ Chronicle and Sentinel.” W. S. STOKES, President. John Robson, Secretary.