Newspaper Page Text
Correspontenre.
LETTER from COLI^BIS.
Columbus, May 29, 1850.
Doctor Andrews :—Our city at this time presents an un
usually dull appearance, and of all the different sects and grades
of our goodly citizens, the sheriffs and bailiffs in search of
talismen, are the only busy-bodies, and to those “independent
voters” who are neither attached to the military or fire depart
ments, the “absence” of the above mentioned personages, is
far preferhble to their ‘‘company.” The great Southern ques
tion keeps the people awake in defiance of the dull aspect for
business and hot summer days. Judging from all accounts,
this subject is agitated here to a greater extent than in any
other place, south of Mason & Dixon’s line, and on more than
one occasion have I seen some of the Nashville Convention
allers worked up to 212 Farenheit, and boiling over with love
and patriotism for the South, and indignation and contempt
for our Northern brothers. When such cases occur, howev
er some kind friend lias always been found to pour iced oil on
the foaming and hissing waters, and the subject
- ■ —Slowly lights his eyes,
and faintly says,
sic transit gloria Nashville Convention ! Convention stock
has met with a slight improvement since the total rout of the
boys in Aligator Church, a few weeks ago, but before many
days we predict its doom will be sealed, and then the dernier
resort is up Salt River or in search of the Brandon Bank of
Mississippi.
Aligator Church is the latter day cognomen for old Concert
Hall, called so in honor of its absent and much persecuted
pastor, Aligator M ost, who is perhaps delighting the denizens
of the Concert City with his eloquence and sparkling wit.
His “flock” have had no meeting since his departure, ow
ing no doubt, to the neglect of duty of their Botanic singster
and the lean and toploftical stewards.
The great Six Legged Hog has been exhibiting, for the past
few days, in the old Shylock Bank, and crowds of children
have invested their dimes for a sight. None of our city pa
pers have even given the show a single puff, and most surely
they can’t expect to receive “season tickets” to all the travel
ling menageries. The institution will no doubt be in your
city, soon, and if the ling master should see my letter, you
will not be slighted.
Our Superior Court is now in session, Judge Alexander
presiding, with anJmmense amount of business to be dispos
ed of. The criminal cases have been finished, and mirabile
dictu , Beau Martin will spend a few years in Milledgeville,
your sister city, where every thing will be provided for his
case and comfort, and the bills footed by the State. He can
now, in the words of an illustrious Statesman , be at peace
with the “world and the rest of mankind.” George Ev
ans will be hung, and his paramour, Martha Stevens, will ac
company Martin. When the day arrives for the execution of
the unfortunate man, ’twill be one of great excitement, and
hundreds will iloek from the country to witness the drama.
You can confer a favor and cheer the drooping spirits of
our goodly citizens, by forwarding on a show of some sort, ei
ther tragic, sentimental or eomie, and I would take this opportu
nity to state that a good “magic lantern,” with plates to suit the
Times , would do a good business with ns. Professor Wil
liams, the Psychologist, is in town, but I am unable to say
whether he intends giving lectures. ’Tis hoped by his many
friends that he will remain and take a class. The j uvenile
portion of the community are enjoying themselves, weekly,
to their hearts’ delight, by tripping “the light fantastic toe” at
friend Strupper's or Aligator Church. For curiosity’s sake,
we took a “peep” in at the last place, a few weeks since, and
we are truly sorry to say, the manner of conducting the same
met with our decided disapproval. Mons. Landeleve should
drop a gentle hint to some of the young gentlemen, and should
immediately’ send to Paris for a manners master. But, sir,
’tis growing late, and I must close for the present, being des
tined to be lulled to sleep with the rich and melodious music
so often made by the Green Eyed Tooter of the Brazen Bu
gle. Here’s your health. PEEKIN PRY.
LETTER from SAVAJDIAH.
Savannah, June otli, 1850.
Dr. Andrews—Dear Sir :—Since my Last, stirring scenes
lave taken place here in regard to the Cuban expedition and
Gen. Lopez. *******
[Our correspondent here enters into an interesting detail
of the facts attending the arrival of Gen. Lopez in Savannah,
and his arrest, by order of the Government, by way of cor
rection of many errors which have crept into the northern
public prints concerning the matter. But owing to the pres
ure on our columns, we are reluctantly compelled to omit this
portion of his Letter. — Ed. Georgia Citizen .]
The two men, Mercer and Frazer, who were arrested on
charge of setting fire to Winklers’ mill, have been committed
to jail to await their trial. This is a hard case, that these
men should be imprisoned until next court, when there is not
a j ury in the ?ounty to be had to convict them; perhaps
there are not tfvelve men in the city who think them guilty,
and yet they must lay there in jail until January. Public
opinion exonorates them entirely, but they are poor strangers,
and mayliap it is why they have but few friends.
On Sunday nigM a fire occurred in Mrs. Laura Young’s
boarding house, Broughton street, and consumed the up
per story and roof without doing further damage. On this
occasion our gallant Firemen displayed the greatest skill and
alacrity in subduing the flames. The Oglethorpe company
commenced working, I am informed, without orders from
the Chief fireman, and soon succeeded in having a good
stream of water on the fire. The Oglethorpe company are a
fine body of white firemen, consisting mostly of mechanics
and other equally respectable men.
On Monday night an attempt was made to set fire to the
premises of Mr. Morel, by r placing a quantity of combustibles
under the house, but happily it was discovered in time to ar
rest its progress. A negro man has been placed in custody
on charge of this offence. The incendiaries seem set upon
fireiug ail the wooden Jpuildings at this time, and occupants
are getting scared to insurance.
Speaking of buildings reminds me of the Custom House.
They are now getting up tho large columns for the front of
this House. Each one weighs about twelve tons, and it has
proved a heavy job to get them up the bluff and to move
them to tho building. But the Yankees have all that to do,
like other work, so of that, nothing further.
Yours &c., SEABOARD.
LETTER from AVGUSTA.
Augusta City, June 1, 1850.
Dear Doctor : —We again have that gracious promise of
Fro\ idenee fulfilled, that seed time and harvest, summer and
winter shall never fail.
Our city has relapsed into its usual summer dullness. Our
Merchants seem satisfied with the harvest reaped through the
busy season. Our W are-house and Commission Merchants
are doing something in the way of receiving produce from the
States of Alambaina and Tennessee. Many merchants of
those States have sent their produce of Cotton and Bacon to
Augusta, Savannah and Charleston and made their purchases
of supplies, who formerly did all their business in New Orleans,
The high standing of our Merchants for integrity, fidelity
and energy in their endeavors to please their customers, is too
well known to receive commendation at our hands. Such re
gard for their fifbnds will meet with its reward sooner or la
ter without any praise that we can bestow.
Our Lawyers also are among the best the State affords.—
The Messrs. A. J. &T. W. Miller are celebrated as among
the best or our collecting attornies; men who are honorable
and respectable if debts to the amount of a million of dollars
were placed at tlieir disjK>sal. The former our Senator, and
the latter the lion. Mayor of the City. Few men have the
confidence of the community in so groat a degree as they.—
We have other worthy citizens who are not less distinguish
ed in their various pursuits. They are alike distinguished for
talent and ability.
In my letter of the 27tli of May I noticed the ceremony of
laying the Corner Stone of the new Episcopal Church of Au
gusta, but did not favor you with its name; It is called the
Church of tho Atonement , and is to be free to all people who
desire to listen to the sound of the everlasting Gospel, in all
time to come. The lot whereon the church is to be built as well
as the church which is to be ready for dedication by the 27th
December next, was the munificent gift of Mr. R. PI. Gard
ner and his wile and her sister, Miss Jones. Providence had
bksaed them with abundance, and out of their rich stores they
have made this offering to the Lord. Such a noble perform
ance of duty in behalf of the Gospel of Christ shall not be
passed by without a just commendation, on our part. May
they live long to enjoy the high regard which the community
will ever hold them in remembrance.
As regards the rumor mentioned in my letter of the 20th
last month, I have to say that it is deplorable that such a report
should have been made. Coming from high and respectable
authority, was the reason why any notice was taken of the
matter. It was not out of malice on the part of the writer
who has as high regard for the church as any other man, him
self being born, as it were, within its pale, and who has listen
ed, for years, to its preaching. What was said was only
through the belief of the report, emanating from a source so
high and respectable and entitled to implicit credence. The
Committee, I am happy to state, after due inquiry in behalf
of all concerned, have eome to the conclusion and belief that
it was through malice or enmity on the part of individuals
who should have sought other modes of redress for their
grievances, if any they had. We are now happy to say that
such vile imputations are totally without foundation , and no
one can be more glad than I, that such has been the result, for
the sake of religion, of society aud everything estimable in
the Christian character.
And with the hope, Mr. Citizen, that you may succeed in
your laudable undertaking, in disseminating knowledge and
truth to the good citizens of Georgia, I remain,
Respectfully, yours, RICHMOND.
LETTER from MARIETTA.
Marietta, June 2, 1850.
Friend Andrews: —Y T our query reminds me that I have
been remiss in the duties of a correspondent of late. But,
aside from the difficulties of realising a sufficient amount of
“news” to make a correspondence from this quarter interest
ing, I have had many other matters to attend to incompatible
with the pastime of letter-writing.
Since my last, there has been little variation of the accus
tomed monotony of villagedom with us. True, we have an
occasional scrimmage, in which renowned knights of the Fist
and Scull—heroes of the Bloody Nose and Black Eye—en
counter with the ferocity of Greek meeting Greek ; with now
and then aßaehanalian revel of certain wigAt-errante, young
men of promise, whose pious parents, all unconscious of the
spiritual progress of their hopeful scions , are snoosing away
the allotted eight out of the twenty-four hours of daily travail.
And here I cannot forego the reflection, that it is a happy faith
which abides with those Christian parents, who literally per
mit their children to “ come unto Jesus,” if they choose to do
so, but feel themselves under no obligation to lead them to
him! I say it is a happy faith, else the consciousness that
one’s children were travelling the high road to the devil, might
drive the holy horror of professing parents from the sins
of the world generally, to those of their own progeny in par
ticular, and the question might suggest itself, whether it were
not a duty incumbent upon them to “train up their children
in the way they should go”—an imperative duty, the neglect
of which ought to, and would be visited in punishment upon
themselves. These are reflections for professors. I have
very little sympathy with that canting religion which vents it
self in whining over the sins of the stranger, and yet permits
iniquity to abide in the household of the faithful. It has be
come matter of general notoriety, that the youth of our most
austere professing Christian families, are more viciously cor
rupt than any other class. Such examples have their influ
ence, and they are prejudicial of a belief in the sanctity of
that faith, the fruits of which are evil.
But you inquire the state of the “chicken market,” during
the week of the B.aptist Convention. Well, I can only say,
that prices ranged high, and the supply was hardly adequate
to the demand. Not that there was any lack of the com
modity in the country, but the good matrons who preside over
the destiny of “barn-yard stocks,” have learned the city trick
of holding back for high prices. Even the chickens them
selves seem conscious of their enhanced importance on such
occasions, for there is a stretching of the neck, a careening
of the head, aud a blinking of the eye, when a customer ap
proaches, which says, as plain as chicken can say: “IIo!
ho! Mister, you needn’t come this way with your seven
fences —we ain’t them sort!”—and then follows a grand
chuckle front the whole brood, aud a general strutting, duck
ing of heads and turning up of eyes, and the man with
the sevenpence “ can’t shine !” For my part, lam in the
latter category, and during these periodical recurrences of
feast and famine, when chicky-biddies put on their extras, I
console myself with the substance of Dominie Sampson's
lay—
“ Good fat ham, good fat ham !”
I have noticed thhat during the two Conventions that have
been held in this place, the Methodist and Baptist, the im
moral tendencies of the people have been more glaringly
developed, than on almost any other occasion. Some divines
may attribute it to a reckless disregard for, and defiance of
their moral teachings ; but as I have witnessed instances of
very profane men yielding to the influence of truly pious
teachings, so 1 can but believe that there must be something
intrinsically defective in those persons who fail to exercise
such an influence—in short, that their outward walks are so
much of the world, that their thoughts are not believed to he
centered on heaven. Reverend gentlemen mistake, if they
think the respect which attaches to their calling, vests
equally in its worthy and unworthy representative. N< t so.
If our divines evinced more of the simplicity of the early
apostles, they would be less likely to excite envy in the minds
of those whom they seek to convert. People who are dull
in other respects, are not unfrequently quick to perceive and
prompt to resent an assumption of superiority, especially
from those who would inculcate a humility they do not ex
perience themselves. If people mock religion, it is because
there is more of earth than heaven indoctrinated with it ; if
they contemn its preachers, it is because they are over-zeal
ous of the pomp and splendor of sublunary things. Hence
the recklessness of sinners in presence of the church apostles.
There is a homily for you, with more of truth than poetry in
it, and your humble servant can only hope that it wWI not be
indiscriminately applied, for he is as heedful of the good
opinions of just men, as he is reckless of those of the un
just, and for true piety, he has an abiding reverence in his
heart.
We are looking forward to stirring times this summer. Our
streets and other things are being put to rights, and every ar
rangement that can conduce to the comfort and pleasure of
visitors, is being made- We have a hack running daily be
tween this place and Atlanta, intersecting with the Macon &
Western Railroad train, so that there need be no delay at At
lanta.
By the way, I can not close without reminding you that
I had a present, a few days since, of some noble strawber
ries, something less than chicken eggs in size—a luxury that
your correspondent, and I apprehend, your worthy self, does
not fall heir to, every day. Respectfully yours,
KENESAW.
VETTER from MOBILE.
Mobile, May 28, 1850.
Dear Doctor : —I read your remarks in regard to the
Rev. John Newland Maffitt, and approved of them. He
came to this city in January, and applied to preach in the
churches of the Methodist order. The First Church refused
to admit him, the Second was more sympathizing, it being
the church that has and had preachers of the “same stripe,”
viz : Neely and Melburne. The second Church attempted to
bolster up Maffitt by publishing a certificate to the effect that
“Maffitt was a minister in good standing in the Church
South,” &c. The members of the First church preached a
crusade against Maffitt, and made a poor fellow named
Wright their “Scape Goat,” by having him to publish an ar
ticle from George Wilkes, Editor of the New York National
Police Gazette, which, if false, was one of the basest of slan
ders—if true, should condemn Maffitt to the cells of a State
prison and to the execration of all men. The charge was
that the church in New York had expelled him for “Incest
with his own daughter.” The article was published in the
Herald & Tribune as an advertisement, without any endorse
ment or signature. The community blamed Wright for not
publishing it over his own name. Maffit had a sonwith him,
an ex-Texan Ranger, &o. He demanded the author and
published Wright as a scoundrel, and challenged him to mor
tal combat, which Wright declined. Maffitt, Sen. then
threatened Wright with suit for defamation, &c. Wright
wrote to Wilkes for proofs, which the latter sent Wright, at
the same time assuring him that Maffitt would uover prosecute.
fH $ % 1 sum®.
At the same time Wilkes obtained and published a copy of
the Church Records containing the charges, which were pre
ferred by three of the most respectable Clergymen in New-
York Editors of the “Christian Advocate,” incest being
the chief charge. The specifications are too disgusting to
publish in any paper. (See the National Police Gazette of
the 18th inst.) Thousands of copies were sold here in a few
days. Maffitt instead of offering any explanation, withdrew
from the Methodist church in disgust. lie stayed in Toul
murville, four miles from the city, and was in the city yester
day evening. A gentleman told him he would be Lynched
unless he could disprove the charges against him. Maffitt re
plied. that he would take his gun, pistol, knife, fcc. and shoot,
stab, and kill any body who molested him. The intimation
had its effect. He went home, and it is said, by some, com
mitted suicide last evening by taking arsenic, sending his soul
reeking with crime and corruption before an offended God.—
Others affirm that he died of an affection of the heart.
You know J. L. Childers, Esq. more generally known
here as Jim Childers, the talented and eloquent speaker,
once a temperance speaker, but when he took to polities, he
left temperance. Well, he happened a few days ago, to at
tend a temperance meeting at the Toulmerville church. He
was impudently called on by Bro. the Rev. Mr. Thomason,
for a temperance speech. He tried to get off, but the audience
would not allow him. He was marched, “nolus volus,” as
President Taylor says, to the pulpit, where sat Maffitt, one
of the getters up of the meeting. Childers said—“that he ap
proached that place, the altar of God with diffidence; that no
one whose hands were stained with blood, who was a sedu
cer, a liar, hypocrite or villain, and the greater one if under
the garb of religion, should ever be allowed to stand in that
hallowed place.” He went on at some length, in the same
strain, and you may depend upon that Maffitt and numbers
of the frail Brethren, (I will not say, and sisters,) winced and
twisted under the indirect lashing they received at Jim’s
hands. More anon. PETE.
Query ?— We have a Methodist Preacher in our town,
who once preached in Columbus, Ga. I should Ike to know
if he be the man that the Muscogee Democrat once alluded
to in the couplet—
“‘Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread.”
Ilis name would indicate that he is the same “wolf in sheep's
clothing.” P.
tTl)f Cililfn.
L. F. W. ANDREWS, Editor.
MACON, GA., JUNE 7, 1850.
£2f”"Observer’’ in type, but we are compelled to lay it
over till next week.
READING ROOM !
JC£T The public are respectfully invited to make
themselves at iiomf., in the Reading Room of this
Office, free of charge to till visitors, strangers or den
izens.
AGENCY.
Henry S. Eden, B. B. M’Craw, D. E. Haynes and
James W. Gaulding are duly authorized Travelling Agents
for the “Georgia Citizen” in Georgia, Florida and Alabama.
Postmasters are also authorized to act in the same
capacity, to the extent of their good pleasure.
No longer an Agent . —Joseph Barton, who has fora
short time acted as Agent for this paper, having become a
Bigamist, contrary to the statute of the Commonwealth and
“ bonos mores,” as the lawyers have it, is no longer author
ized to act for the “Citizen” in any capacity.
Grand Lodge, I. 0. 0. F.
This body convened in Savannah, on Wednesday last, in
annual convocation. On yesterday evening, we received the
following dispatch, per Telegraph, announcing the election of
Officers of the Grand Lodge, fur the ensuing year :
Grand Master—E. 11. Rogers, of Augusta.
Dep. G. M.—Augustus Merritt, Griffin.
Grand Warden—E. 11. W. Hunter, Louisville.
Grand Secretary—Geo. Patten. Macon.
Grand Treasurer— J. M. Bivins, Macon.
Grand Representative—Dr. M. Woodruff, Columbus.
From the above we judge that the proposition to remove
the seat of the Grand Lodge, from Savannah to Macon has
been carried.
Death of Senator Elmore.— Weare pained to have
to announoe the sudden death of the Hon. 11. F. Elmore,
the successor of Mr. Calhoun in the U. S. Senate from South
Carolina. Mr. E. died at Washington on the 30th ult. The
usual resolutions of Respeet for the distinguished dead were
passed in the Senate on Friday, when that body adjourned.
Nashville f onvention.—The n. y. Herald gives
the names of 90 Delegates elect to this body now in session,
at Nashville, unless adjourned, 36 of which are from one
State, Alabama! Only about half of the Southern States
are represented in the Convention and several of these but
partially. In the crowd are some gentlemen of high standing
and eminent abilities, but its a body, they will compare un
favorably with either house of Congress, in character and in
fluence. How then can much be expected from their labors
of love in behalf of the South ? “Blessed are they who ex
pect nothing, for they shall not be disappointed.”
Jnmping Jim Crow. —ln the last Legislature, if we
correctly remember, the “fire-eaters” were so hostile to the
Missouri Compromise Line (36 30) that they very decidedly
voted down the proposition to insist upon that line as the
nc plus ultra of southern demand. Now, these same gen
tlemen turn round and say that if the South had “met in sol
emn convention—presenting an undivided front—and de
manded a recognition of the Missouri Compromise Line, as a
sine qua non , it would at once have been incorporated into
whatever plan of adjustment Congress might have presented
to the country.” The attempt is also made to create the
impression that the Nashville Conventionists are the exclu
sive friends of the Missouri Compromise Line and have al
ways been so, “without variableness or the shadow of turn
ing.” Verily, these slippery fellows are hard to beat in the
game of political gymnastics! We know not where to find
them from one week to another, and the only reason we are able
to assign for not posting up all the chameleon changes of their
demands and opinions is the same once offered by an Edi
tor, down east, who was called to account for not noting the
last change of elder Elias Smith in theological views—“we
do not publish a daily paper but a weekly! ” When tho
doings of the Nashville Convention, however, are reported,
signed, sealed and delivered, we may hope to see their po
sition irrevocably established for the next lunation , at least
A Splendid Man. —Hitchcock & Leadbeater’s Dry
Goods establishment, in Broadway, N. Y. is a magnificent
concern, well worthy of a visit from our Southern fashionable
Tourists, who may be in search of rich and beautiful fabrics,
in their line. Every thing needful for the adornment of
the person or for househould wardrobe, can there be purchas
ed at the most reasonable rates, and with the absolute certain
ty, on the part of customers, of being, at all times, politely and
faithfully served by the gentlemanly proprietors and their as
sistants. See advertisement.
The Price ok Corn.— Seven hundred Bushels of Corn
were sold in this city the other day, in one lot, for 62J cents
per Bushel.
To an Anonymous Correspondent.
We have received your very friendly epistle, which you
have been so kind as to forward to our address, through the
Post Office, whereby you have not only chisseled us, unlaw
fully, out of two coppers, lawful currency of the U. States,
but you have also, as we verily believe, maligned our charac
ter and calumniated the fair fame of our friend, the “Georgia
Citizen,” whose “other self” we are.
Now, sir, a word with you. If it be true, that in nearly
every number of our publication, since we have commenced
our labors, in this city, yon have found something which you
have construed into a “disrespect for our holy religion,” why
did you not point out the offensive passages ? Why not cite
us to the number, column and sentence, containing the proof
of so grave a charge ? Not being conscious of the truth of
the allegations you have made, we are at a loss, where to
find the objectionable phraseology. True, there have been
some rather free remarks, on the part of several of our cor
respondents, touching the hypocrisy and wickedness of Chris
tian Professors, their evil speaking, bigotry and improper
practises, but rightly construed, we know of nothing that can
fairly be interpreted as hostile to the religion of any body.—
We have yet to learn, that the rebuke of the abuses which
have crept into the religious customs of some people, is to be
considered as disrespect of religion itself. We do not sup
pose that any unprejudiced mind could legitimately draw such
a conclusion from such premises. Nevertheless it may be so,
with some of the weaker class of mankind, who have not in
tellect enough to discriminate between the proper use of a
good thing and the abuse of it.
Come to think of it, it is possible one or two of our corres
pondents have been wanting in awful reverence for those
dignitaries set apart for sacred things. For example, in one of
“Kenesaw’s” letters, he indulged in some lamentations on ac
count of the scarcity of li chickenfixings' ’ in Marietta, duringa
religious convention there held. This, we are told, was con
strued, by a worthy brother, of“ statistical” notoriety, as dis
respect to the clergy, and by consequence, to their “Holy
Religion!” Again, “Seaboard” has alluded to some of the
abuses attendant upon ‘four days” meetings, protracted to an
indefinite period. This may be viewed by our anonymous
friend as disrespect to the “holy religion” of the denomina
tion referred to; but when we recollect that these excesses of
religious meetings are now discountenanced by the wise and
good of all religionists, we shall not hastily conclude that our
correspondent for writing, and we for publishing his strictures,
are justly cliargeable with hostility to piety or good morals.—
The reverse, we are sure, is the truth of the case.
Once more. It may be thought by some, that our late al
lusion to the recent sale of a house of prayer to be converted
into a den of prostitution , was a direct attack upon the “ho
ly religion” of the vender of the property, and a “fatal stab
bing” of Christianity itself. Doubtless there may have been a
“stabbing of Christianity,” but, if so, it was in the act of selling
to persons of doubtful reputation, for the sake of gain, not
in our reference to it.
Now, be it known to you, Mr. Anonymous, that if the ex
posure of “spiritual wickedness, in high places” is to be con
strued by you and others into a disrespect, on our part, for
morality and religion, all we have to say, by way of apology, is,
that it is a way we have , and that, we expect often toexhib
it similar murks of disrespect during our future editorial ca
reer. We expect to war against vice and immorality wheth
er found under the cloak of religion or without it. In this
warfare, moreover, we are no respecter of the persons of men,
whether clothed in the Bishop's mitre or in the beggar's garb,
but shall speak the “words of truth and soberness” on all oc
casions that may be presented for our consideration, “without
fear, favor or affection.” But against “pure and undefiled re
ligion” ora sound morality, our voice shall never be raised,
even in a whisper, or, by the more covert method of insinua
tion.
In conclusion, we have a last word to say unto our friend
without a name, as to the scurrilous part of his communica
tion. If you, sir, or your friends have become dissatisfied
with the contents of our sheet, and have come to the conclu
sion that it is “the vilest sheet in the land,” there is no com
pulsion on you or them to read it, any longer. Further, if
you are paying subscribers to the “Citizen,” you can have
your paper stopped, forthwith, and your money refunded, on
making application at this office. In fact, no man having such
an opinion of our sheet shall have it, with our consent, at any
price! We shall not, willingly, “cast our pearls before
swine,” after that fashion—lest they “turn again and rend
us.” Having thus defined our position, we let the subject
slide.
The feeliugr in South farolina.
With but one solitary exception, we believe—the Charles
ton Courier—the Press of South Carolina advocate, indeci
ded terms, the most ultra measures, by the Nashville Con
vention. The whole temper and tone of these Journals look
to a dissolution of this Confederacy and the formation of an
other! All compromises, the Missouri compromise'included,
are scouted as ineffectual and unprofitable, and they will have
none of them. The Fairfield, S. C. 1 lerald thus descants up
on the objects of the Convention :
“We have hoped, and we still desire, that the Convention
will assume a decided position, and declare to the North that
there is a line established, beyond which, if they dare tres
pass, a revolution shall be the consequence. Further than
this, we anxiously pray that the Convention may entertain
the proposition of the formation of a Southern Confedera
cy.
“The Union, as it now exists, has proved a curse and not a
blessing. It has been made the means of catering to North
ern tastes and inclinations, robbing from the Southern plan
ter his pittance, to pander to the ever-craving*propensities of
Northern leeches.
“In the language of the Wilmington Aurora, (which we
unhesitatingly endorse,) we would say to our delegates, who
will shortly leave for the Convention, if they intend to fur
nish us with barren addresses merely, they had better stay
at home.
“There is nothing so utterly loathsome and disgusting to
our mind as the cry of Union, Union, this glorious Union,
so often iterated and re-iterated by a certain class of parti
zans and presses in the South.
“We openly declare ourself a Disuninnist, and glory in
our position. We are for dissolving every tie which binds
the South to the loathsome, degenerate, unprincipled robbers
of the North; for instituting an oath of allegiance to every
Northern man who may come among us to reside, and, in
ease of refusal on his part, to confiscate his property, (if he
should have any,) distribute the same among our paupers,
and compel him to leave within a given time!”
The above is explicit enough even for the dull comprehen
sion of John A. Campbell, and ought to be. sufficient reason
for that gentleman to retract his assertion that they are dupes
who believe that any such purpose as disunion has been en
tertained by the Nashville Conventionists! —
The Laurensville Herald says :
“We every day become more and more firm in the belief
we have always entertained, and many times expressed, that
the only safe course for the South, is to turn a deaf ear to all
compromises, to insist upon her rights, and to have them ac
knowledged and respected fully and equivocally, or to secede.
It is the only way to ensure our safety, and if the Nashville
Convention, now onr sole hope, does not take strong, firm
and decided grounds, the people of the South will find in a
brief space, that those who have advocated the most prompt,
and apparently ultra measures, were, if any thing, even too
mild.”
According to this, even, the ultra measures of the Fairfield
Herald are milder than they ought to be! Heaven save the
mark!
Awful state of Morals . —Two aggravated cases of
clerical iniquity have just come to light at the North. One,
the case of Rev. Sylvester Holmes, Pastor of oDe of the or
thodox churches in New Bedford, Mass., who was the com
peer of such men as Prof. Stewart, Dr. Beecher and Dr.
Storrs. He has been proven guilty of an attempt on the
chastity of a Miss Eveline Carver, an orphan girl who was
organist to the church, and has been dismissed from the de
nomination.
The second case occurred near Cincinnati, Ohio, Miss
Fanny Graves, the daughter of the Rev. Mr. Graves, a Presby
terian minister of Reading, was seduced, a few months ago, by
the Rev. Mr. Mayhew, a recent Graduate of South Hanover
(Indiana) College, who laoarded in the house of her father.
To add to the villainy of the act, he knew, at the time of the
seduction, that the young lady was engaged to be married
to another person, a respectable young man, and a member
of the same church. On being sent for and confronted with
the father of the girl, the reverend young scamp professed
a willingness to marry the girl, if it would be deemed a fa
tor to the family, but he “didn’t care anything about her,”
at the same time whispering into the ear of the affianced
lover, “if you wish her, I will not stand in your way, but
willingly hand her over to you.” Was there ever such cool
atrocity!
After reading this precious item, we hope none of our rea
ders will find it in their hearts to think, that we mean, by our
comments, any “disrespect’’ to the “holy religion” of any
individual. AN e positively disclaim any such irreverence—
we do!
Editorial Certificates,
If subscribers to Journals, like church members, “ in stop
ping their paper.” were required to produce an editorial cer
tificate before they could subscribe for another, there would
be some curious developments—as for example: We certify
that A B. stopped his paper because the editor refused to
allow’ him six columns for a personal vindication, which con
cerned nobody but himself. We certify that C. D. refuses
the paper because the editor did not publish the obituary no
tice of a relative which was not sent to him, but which he
ought to have detected in some of his exchange papers. We
certify that E. F. wishes to transfer his patronage to another
paper, because, having taken this paper six years without
paying a cent, he felt himself insulted by having his bill
sent to him by way of reminder. We certify that G. 11.
in his own opinion is a poet of the first water ; but the editor
unfortunately differing from him in opinion, is regarded by
him as wholly unqualified for his office. We certify that i.
J. has stopped his paper, because the editor had the temerity
to express an opinion on a certain matter without having
previously ascertained the opinion of this particular sub
scriber.
To the above, we believe, we can add a few other items
equally sound and conclusive, as follows :
We certify that K. L. has taken our paper for five years,
but in consideration of his being a political leader in his “beat”
he did not feel that he could pay for the same, in addition to
his personal services for the party.
We certify that M. N. is a personal friend of the Editor,
whose sanctum is ever open to his friendly visitation as a
neighbor and patron. Owing however to the facilities there
afforded him for news, he wishes, to stop his subscription to
our paper, to enable him to take one of the cheap mammoth
weekly papers from the North.
We certify that O. P. is a very poor man, in his own opin
ion, and that the casli expenses of himself for sugars and ‘
punch are so heavy at present, being on an average, one dol
lar per diem, that he cannot afford longer to pay us §2 50 a
year, but wishes to get a journal at a cheaper rate.
IV e certify that Q. R. refuses to take our paper longer be
cause on reading it with a pair of jaundiced sjiectacles, he
thought he discovered that the tone of it was “disrespectful to
our holy religion .”
IV e certify that S. T. wishes to stop his subscription to this
Journal, because one day last week, he was taken by the but
ton and held firmly until he shelled out $2 to the importunate 1
editor of the “only Literary Journal in the entire South,” ,
and “unrivalled north and south,” the modest editor thereof
himself being judge!
We certify that U. V., W. X. and Y. Z. have all conic to the j
conclusion to quit patronizing this establishment, because
the Editor will not go for splitting the Union without first
ascertaining whether sneh splitting will “pay expenses” and
afford another equally as good. We therefore recommend
the whole grocery to our cotemporaries of the “Fuss and
heathers Advocate,” the “Crisis of the Times” and “Gun
powder Detonant,” as men on whom every reliance can be*
placed for fighting Mexicans in the cliapparul or shooting sub
missionistsat Nashville!
■
Reverend Rascality • —The Rev. Mr. Erwin, mi n- j
tioned iu the following extract from the London Correspon
dence of the N. Y. ‘Spirit of the Times,* is one of that nu
merous class of “wooden nutmeg” and “Jarsey” Parsons,
who, like the locusts of Egypt and the frogs of the Nile,
swarm throughout Christendom, in search of the Almighty
Dollar of their idolatry, and who even come up into the
churches and bed chambers of the inhabitants, seeking
whom they may devour ! We of the South, especially,,
should beware how these itinerant pedlars of a brimstone j
Christianity and “Calvinistic Literature’’ are permitted to
roam through the land as the accredited spoilsmen and formj
ers, for Boards of Education, from Princeton and Nassau st
where fanaticism is predominant, or we shall soon hear of an
other view of the “American Slave Trade,” in colors as
graphic and us true(!) as that of the Reverend Mr. Irwin,
which this paragraph describes ’
‘The last novelty from the United States, is a Panorama
illustrating the African and American Slave trade. It will
be news to John Bull as to Jonathau, when he discovers by
pictorial representations that the Americans are engaged iii ‘
the slave trade ! But John is more easily gulled than Jona
than ; moreover, Jonathan would probably re-paint this can
vass with rotten aggs if it were unrolled before him, The !
Rev. Mr Erwin, and Mr Bloom have selected the best mar- i
ket in the world for their exhibition of ‘the American Slave
Trade.’ They kindly promise to show ‘a true picture of
slavery from actual observation—capture of negroes—ship
ment—ocean passage—British chase—conflagration of a
slaver—entrance into the Southern States, en route to the
market— auctions—escapes into her Majesty’s domain, Can
ada—residence of Washington,’ Ac. Was there ever a more
barefaced imposition practised upon John Bull, or a blacker
libel on the American character !
Another Murder in Muscogee. —We regret to
learn, that on Sunday last, an altercation took place between
a young man of the name of J. T. Terry and Stephen Doles,
son ofCapt. Benjamin Doles of Muscogee county, which re- j
suited in the death of youug Doles. Terry stabbed him to the ‘
heart with a knife, producing death in a few minutes. A re
ward of $l5O has been offered by Capt. Doles for the appre
hension of the murderer, who has escaped, and the Govern
or will doubtless add to the sum by Executive Proclamation.
“Taken in and Done For.”
This is a homely phrase but one very apropos to the Edi
tor’s position, on last Sunday morning, in one of the congrega
tions of the saints, convened for public worship in this city !
Being in the spirit of prayer and praise, we walked over to the
church, hard by, where a seat was promptly and politely pro
vided for us by a friend and pew bolder present. A stranger
occupied the desk and officiated in holy tilings. His voice
was weak and his manner cold, but when he entered upon
his discourse, we gradually became interested in the subject,
which was a contrast between knowledge and foolishness ,
or the benefits of intellectual cultivation, over ignorance and
degradation. This part of the address was much to our taste.
It was a clever Literary Lecture and embraced much truth
that gamed our assent and approval.
But our satisfaction was short lived. The speaker came to
the application of his theme and opened up his mission to the
people. He was a colporteur of “Calvinistic Literature” from
the Presbyterian Board of Education in Philadelphia or New
York. His object was to establish Libraries in every congre
gation and district of the Suite, in which such books as Cal
vin’s Institutes, Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Doddridge’s
Rise and Progress, Law’s Call, Ac. Ac. Ac. would be gath
ered for the upbuilding if the saints in the most Holy faith
of John Calvin, which faith, by the way, it has become so
unfashionable now to preach, that we had supposed it well
nigh repudiated by every class of Christians.
Well, so far, so good. We had nothing to object to all this,
and we about this time even felt in our pockets to ascertain
if we had any small change with us, wherewith to pay tribute
to Caesar, or :n Rome to do as Rome did, when the expected
contribution box would come round. But, alas, for the con
summation of such benevolent intentions on our part, the/of
of our benevolence was soon thrown over into the fire, by the
intemperance of the speaker ! lie proceeded to urge upon
the congregation, his reasons for the movement contemplated.
One of these was—“tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the
streets of Askelon”—that the advocates of universal salva
tion with their corrupting and soul destroying doctrines, the
Socinian with his cold and Christless morality, the Catholic
with his beads and superstitious observances, were flooding
the country with their dangerous productions, and that it was
■ecessary for his Church to stay the tide of desolation which
was thus pouring over the land!
Had he stopped lrere, his slanderous discourse, we should
not have complained, but would have considered the buffeting
we had received as only the just recompense of reward ior
our folly in venturing within the portals of that tabernacle.
But be did not. He proceeded still further to stigmatize the
classes mentioned, by associating them with Infidels of every
name, and with that abominable class of men who use the
press for the publication of tho licentious literature of the
age ! With the speaker, all these were on the same level
of infamy and worthy of the scorn and contempt of all good
men ! We need not say that disgust was the only sensation
which took possession of our mind at this exposition of the
speaker’s mendacity and slander. And if we mistake not,
that feeling was participated in by the worthy pastor of ths
church himself, (who hung his head, as if in shame at the
grossness of the assault,) and by many of the members of
that enlightened congregation.
Os course, it is not our province to attempt, here, a refuta
tion of the position assumed by the speaker, so far as our own
religious faith is concerned. We do not hKefld to make the
“Citizen a vehicle of controversial theology.- now nor here
after, but shall not, therefore, sit idly by, and without rebuke,
hear ourselves and cause defamed by even itinerant tfaffirkef
who may choose to “make merchandise of the Gospel.”
We have the means of defence, in all such eases, and shall
not be slow to use the same, either in our own behalf or in
i behalf of others who may feel themselves agrievtd by such
unchristian warfare. It is, indeed, emblazoned on the pros
pectus of our Sheet, that the “Citizen will ever be found en
forcing the constitutional requirements of toleration towards
every shade of opinion which may be entertained for con
science’ sake,nml defending the rights of the humblest from*
abuse or infringement,” and we shall not prove recreant to
the pledge thus deliberately given.
To sum up, then, we pronounce the Reverend Mr. Mahan
of New Jersey, a calnmniator of his fellow men and a tradilc*
er of their principles. From his temporary position, in a re
spectable pulpit, he has brought a “railing accusation” against
j a class of men, who for purity of character and motive, for inteU
! ligenceand ardent devotion to true religion, will compare fa
| vorably with any other denominalion. lie denounced,as cor •
j r,, pt. those who have done more, in proportion to their num
ber, to check the spread of infidelity, than all others. Os the
denounced class are Thayer and Pickering mid Williamson,
each of whom have published as able works “In favor of l)i
----! vine Revelation and against Infidelity, as can be found in ths
i English Language! Vea more. Mr. Mahan sets himself tp
i as the Judge and Censor of sneli men as Bishop Newton, Sir
; Isaac Newton, l)r Samuel Clark, Jeremy Taylor, Dr. Saimi
; el Johnson, I)r. David Hartley, llobt. Hall and John Foster,
(the English Baptist) of England, and thousands of other
shining lights in the Church, of every nation, since the days
of Martin Luther, all of whom did not believe that the doc
! trine of endless woe was part or parcel of Christianity!
j But we forbear. We would not be as severe, as we might,
i upon this “sprigof divinity” from the theological hot-bed of
“Calvinistic Literature.” lie lias learned bis primer, and
must needs walk in the path marked out for him, or else, like
Othello, his “occupation’s gone,"and with it his daily bread!
For bis trespass against truth and good manners, let hint beg
pardon of the people, with whom he labors. For his viola
tion of Christian Charity, homin’, if he pleases, ask forgive
ness of his God. But, on account of his transgression against
our feelings and good name, we ask that lie shall be perinit
| tod to pass, unmolested and without fear, llis imbecility is bis
I I>est protection from our wrath, did we possess a particle of
malice. But so far from this being the case, we foil, now, just
‘as the man did when a Donkey once kicked him. I'hilosoph-
I ioallv rising front the dust where the animal's fi*et had placed
him—he resented not the insult received, but calmly imput
ing it to the ignorance of the beast, went on his way, rejoic
ing ! We will “go and do likewise.”
Summer Travel. —The Savannah Republican says :
We observe that nearly all the travel from this city to
wards the interior, is in the steamboats by the river, and
thence by the Georgia Road, which connects with the State
Road. Several persons have gone by this route already, and
we know of five families, some going to Habersham and
| some to the State Read, who are going by this route within
a week. The Central and Macon iSo Western Reads ar©
losing an immense deal of travel both wavs, which is legiti
mately theirs. The travelling public declines going 100 miles
on a Railroad in a day. and then stopping half a day and a
night, in Macon or Atlanta cither, and the travelling public
is apt to bo right.
W e are sorry to see such an announcement in a Savannah
paper, as it may load to a disjiositioii on the part of our citi
zens to retaliate upon our seaboard sister, by directing travel
, Ac from this place and west of it, to the north, via Atlanta
j and Augusta. It is manifestly the interest of Savannah to
pursue a different policy in this matter, if she deems the trade
and travel of Maeou of any importance. Let her pcopl©
act upon the principle of “live and let live,” if slio would
continue to prosper, as our State pride would prompt us to
desire, in her behalf.
CITY ITEMS.
C ommissioner of Reeds.— d. Reed, Eaq. of this
j city, has been appointed by his Excellency J no. A. Quitman,
of Mississippi, a Commissioner of Deeds, Ac. for that State,
in Georgia.
YCIF ( iHire.lt—The Episcopal Church of this city de
sign shortly, to erect a handsome edifice for the use of the
Society. r len thousand dollars have been subscribed towards
the object. The builmg will be Sil by 50 in dimensions and
JO feet in height, with tower, buttrcscss, &c. in the Gothic
style of architecture.
Macon as a Residence . —The central ptsjtion, fin©
Schools, Gospel privilege*, Ac., Ac. incident to this city are
attracting the attention of gentlemen of wealth and distiae
tion to it. as a place of permanent residence. His Exoellcn
ey, Gov. Towns, intends, we understand, to settle la-re, on
his retirement from his present position as Governor of the
State, having already purchased a fine building lot on the hill,
south of the Macon A M estern Depot, for the purpose of im
provement. We lu ar also, that the lion. Howell Cobb con
templates a settlement in Macon. We bid them welcome.
1 lIC Lanier House. —This splendid establishment, se
cond to none in the country, in the style of its equipment and
convenience of arrangement, wiis opened on M ednesday eve
ning last for the reception of company. It may indeed be
called the “Irving or the “Revere” house of the South, in the
gorgeous and luxurious character of its appointment*. Its
parlors are magnificently furnished, and no jiains or expense
hare been spared to make it a “first class House,” and “noth
ing else.” The travelling public, in search of elegant ease
and comfort, w*l do well to give Mr. Ijinicr a call. Wo
doubt if any will go away dissatisfied with the treatment which
they will receive at his hand*.
Fire ■ —Our citizens were alarmed about 2 o’cloek, yester
day morning, by the cry of Fire, which proved to be in a
wooden blacksmith shop, the property of the Lunsford Estate,
on 3d st. two squares distant from the Floyd House. The
shop was consumed, but the dwelling adjacent, the property
of Mr. Logan, was saved with trifling damage to one end of
the bulling. By the way, who is the Leather Medal Distrib
utor for these “digging ?” We think he will (ail in his duty,
if he does not promptly confer “all the honors” upon the Firs
Company, for their early arrival, on this occasion, at the scene
of conflagration. They were “in at the death,” certain, and
what more is wanting to give them a title to the distinction
suggested!
Horticultural Exhibition.—Thu show win com©
off on Monday and Tuesday, the 10th and 1 Ith days of July,
at the store of Charles Day A Cos. The Society should be a
little more liberal in Premiums and otherwise, if they expect
to make any great display. The paltry sums offered as prizes
present no inducement, whatever, to competition, if that be
the object of the association.
Narrow Escape.—On Friday morning last, during a
thunderstorm, Capt. Bone, one of our Victuallers, was knek
cd down by an electric flash, while in attendance at tht> mar.
ket and considerably stunned. His dog standing close by was
killed, at the same moment.
Masonic Hail • —The Masonic fraternity have commenc
ed the erection of a fine I lall on the site of the old Lodge Room.
The building will be three stories high, 33 feet front and %
feet deep. The lower story will be occupied as a store-—the
2d by St. Owens Encampment and the 3d by Maoon Lodge
No. 5.
Odd Fellows’ and Temperance Halls .—Each of
these orders will have handsome llalls prepared for them by
the proprietors of the new building going up at the corner of
Cotton Avenue and Mulberry street, opposite Washington
Hall. These Halls will be on the 3d story.
Concert Hall. —The 2d story of the same building will
be fitted up as a llall for Concerts and other public purposes,
and will be 68 feet by 43, in size.
Provision Establishment.-Mr. Graybillhas removed
near the Lanier House and is preparing to furnish families
with choice articles in the Provision, Fruit and Sweetening
departments.. Sec advertisement.
