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IJST OF ACTS
PASSED BT THE LEGISLATURE IN 1853— '4.
[Ooncludoil.J
To amend an act entitled an act to pre
scribe the mode of laying out private
ways, and for other purposes, approved
Jauaary 17th, 1852, and for other pur
poses therein named.
To amend an act to incorporate the
city of Griffin, assented to December 28th, |
1843, and to repeal an act to alter and
amend the several acts incorporating the
city of Griffin, assented to February 21st,
1850.
.. To incorporate the Georgia and Ala
bama Railroad company, and to grant cer
tain powers and privileges to the same,
and for other purposes.
’ ’ To charter the Charleston and Savan
nah Railroad, and to authorize suits
against the same, and certain other rail
road com pan ies therein specified.
To incorporate the Georgia Western
Railroad Company, and to confer on the
same certain powers and privileges therein
mentioned
- TfVnmend the charter of tho Mutual
Insurance Company, and to authorize,
said Company to transfer the Life Depart
ment thereof.
To appropriate money for the purpose
therein mentioned.
For the benefit of free persons of color
subject to taxation.
To amend an act to incorporate an Insu
rance Company to be called the Savannah
-Mutnal Insurance Company, passed Dec.
30th, 1547, and an act amendatory there
of, passed 23d Feb. 1559.
To amend the charter of the Millcdge
ville Railroad Company, and to confer
certain powers on the same.
To incorporate the Sub-Marine and
Terrestrial Telegraph Company.
.To incorporate the Cherokee Copper
* Company of Georgia.
For the relief of John Iluic of the coun
ty of Fayette.
To charter tho Savannah and Brancli
ville Railroad.
To amend the laws relative to electing
Judges of the Superior Courts of this
State.
To incorporate the Baptist Church at
Sylvana, Scriven county, and the Bluff
Spring Camp Ground in Pike county.
To incorporate the Georgia aud Flori
da Steam Packet Company.
In addition to and amendatory of the
several acts regulating attachments in this
State, aud to authorize remedies in certain
cases.
Amendatory to the lien laws of mechan
ics.
To make it penal to cut or haul wood j
or timber off of the lands in Bibb county
without consent of owner or tenant in pos
session.
To extend the time for purchasers of i
fractions and square lots of land sold un-1
der the provisions of an act assented to
December 80th, 1847, to pay for the
same, and other purposes.
To define the liabili ties of executors, ad
ministrators, gnardians, trustees tyid cer
tain public officers in certain cases.
To amend an act to authorize the incor
poration of joint stock companies for the
construction of MacAdaraized, graded or
plank roads, passed 23d February, 1850.
To change the place of holding Justices
Courts and election precinct in the 536th
District G. M. in Upson county.
To alter and Gx the times of holding
the Superior Courts of Worth county, as
designated by the law creating said coun
ty; also, to change the times of holding the
Superior and Inferior Courts of other
counties therein mentioned.
To revive and continue in force an act
approved on the 22ddayof January, 1852,
entitled an act to incorporate the West
Point Railroad and Plankroad Company,
and to punish persons for molesting the
Fame, except so far as said Plankr jad is
concerned, and to specify tho names of
persons substituted as iucorporators by
this aet.
To require the Receivers of Tax Re
turns in the several counties of this State
to ascertain the number of children in their
respective counties between the ages of 8
and 16 years, and for other purposes
therein named.
To bnild aud construct a Railroad from
tho city of Dalton, in Whitfield county, to
some fit and eligible point on tho Alabama
line, over the most practical route from
Dalton to Gadsden, on the Coosa river.
To admit to record certain instruments,
ami to authorize others to be administered
in Certain cases by persons herein named.
To authorize the Commissioners of the
Poor School Fund of Monroe county to
pay the accounts of teachers for the tui
tion of poor children for tho years 1852
and 1853, not rendered in within the time
precribed by law.
To amend an act to provide for the ed
ucation of the poor, approved January 22,
1852, in relation to the payment of teach
ers.
To amend an act to prescribe the raodo
of laying out private ways, and for other
purposes, approved January 17th, 1852,
so far as to authorize and require sheriffs
aud their deputies to superintend the open
. ing and laying out private ways.
To incorporate tho Columbus and Ham
iltdn Railroad Company, und to amend
the several acts in relation to the Western
and Atlantic Railroad, so far as suits
against the superintendent of said road
and the payment of certain claims.
To incorporate tho Fort Gaines Railroad
Company, with power to construct a rail
road from the town of Fort Gaines iu tho
county of Early, to some convenient point
on cither the Muscogee Railroad or South
Western Railroad, as to said company
may seem most convenient, and to punish
those who may wilfully or maliciously im
pair the same.
To alter aud amend an act passed the
17th December, 1847, to compel discov
s cries at common law.
To amend an act to incorporate the
Zobulon Branch Railroad, approved Jan
uary 12th, 1852, aud for other purposes
therein mentioned.
k- ’ To change and simplify th* practice and
pleadings in this State, to provide for the
service of writs of scire facias in certain
anda seß, and to regulate the admission of
testimony in certain cases.
To change the line between the coun
ties of Campbell and Fayette, so as to in
clude the residence of Nathan Camp, now
of the county of Fayette, in the county of
Campbell.
To change the line between the coun
ties of Butts and Spalding, so as to in
clude the residence of Reason Blissett in
the county of Spalding; also to change
the line between the counties of Henrv and
Butts.
To alter and amend the act passed on
tho 25th day of December, 1821, in rela
tion to the distribution of estates, so far
as relates to advancements.
To add an additional section to tho 13th
division of the Penal Code.
To amend an act to establish a Botnni
co Medical Board of Physicians in this
State.
To incorporate tho town of Barncsvillc,
in the county of Pike, and to point out the
mode of electing commissioners and other
I officers of said town, and to extend the
corporate limits of the city of Atlanta.
To appropriate money for the payment
of the debts of the Penitentiary, contract
ed prior to the first day of January, 1854,
aud for other purposes therein mentioned.
To amend the 10th section of the 10th
division of the Penal laws of this State.
To change the name of Mary Susan
Clark, of Pike county, to that of Mary
Spaan Neal; also to change the names of
certain persons herein named, and to legiti
matize them and make them capablo of
inheriting.
To extend the charter of the Mechanics
Bank in the city of Augusta, and to alter
and amend the act incorporating the
same: to extend the charter of the Bank
ofMilledgeville, and to amend the charter
of the Mechanics Saying Bauk, located iu
Savannah.
To authorize the Judge* of the Superi
or Courts as Chancellors to make certain
orders and decrees.
To provide for filling vacancies in the
offices of Clerks aud Sheriffs in tho sevoral
counties of this State, and for other pur
poses.
To alter, amend and explain section 4th
of an act for prevention of frauds and pur
juries.
To regulate the granting of new trials.
To settle aud fix tho hours of labor by
all white persons under twenty-one years
of age, in all cotton, woolen, and other
manufacturing establishments in this State,
and to make all contracts to labor in said
factories for a greater length of time than
herein prescribed, null and void, aud to
punish violations of thjs act.
To amend the Judiciary Act of 1739,
so far as to perfect services in actions of
ejectment for the recovery of land and
mesne profits, and to amend an act entitled
Complaint for the recovery of real estate
and for mesne profits.
To incorporate Chattahoochee Ridge
Railroad Company, and for other pur
poses.
IScport of Select Committee.
Mr. Clark from the select committee to
whom was referred the application of the
President of the Senate to have investiga
ted certain charges made against his offi
! cial conduct by a correspondent of the
Southern Recorder, over the signature of
“Asa,'’ have had the same under consider
ation, and beg leave to report,
1 ‘1 lmt they have examined the article
! complained of, and agree that so far as tho
literal charge is concerned, there was
nothing in it incompatible with the in
tegrity of President Stoll; but taking the
whole tenor of the article, coupled with
the expression that the President’s conduct
was difficult to understand, there was an
evident attempt to convey the impression
that he possibly acted corruptly in giving
his casting vote for the pardon of Bird. ”
We called upon Mr. Knowles, of the
firm of Orine, Knowles & Ormo, editors
and proprietors of the Southern Recorder,
for the names of their correspondent, and
for the names of witnesses he promised to
furnish to sustain his charge against the
1 resident of the Senate. Those gentle
men decliued to furnish the name of the ir
eorresespondeut without first obtaining
his permission. As we have not yet been
furnished with his name, we presume it is
still withheld. We were presented on
tho 4th iust. by said proprietors with the
names of Warren Aiken, John J.
Word and Abda Johnson of Cassville,
Juo. W. 11. Underwood of Rome, E-d!
Chisolm of Polk, and Charles Murphy of
DeKalb, as witnesses to prove tho “speci
fic charge” against the President of the
Senate, all of whom reside in a remote
part of the State.
We addressed letters to theso gentle
men, requesting them to answer tho com
mittee and give them any information they
might have respecting the controversy.—
Before answers could be received, three
of those gentlemen, Messrs. Aiken, Word
and Cowart appeared at the capitol oil
other business. The Chairman of the com
mittee, Mr. Clark of Baker, called on them
each in person. They each and all replied
that they had no knowledge of what th*
casting vote of the President would be on
Bird’s case before it was given, and had no
conversation with him to elicit such infor
mation.
Mossrs. Underwood, Word and Johnson
have each anwered by letter, and each de
ny any such knowledge as is imputed to
thorn. These letters and all the corres
pondence are subject to the order of the
Semite. One of them, the Hon. Claries
Murphy, from some cause, has not an
swered the committee, but we do not deem
Jt necessary under the circum'anccs and at
tho present advanced state of the session,
to postpone a report for the want of his
answer.
In this connection it will bo perceived
that we have waived all ceremony for tho
want of the prosecutor’s name, and have
proceeded, though in an informal way,
to obtain all the information possible,
while at the same time, the Recorder’s
correspondent had no risk to incur, or
responsibility- to assume, should the inves
tigation disclose either the falsity or truth
ot his accusation This conduct was unex
pected to the committee, as said corres
pondent had freely and voluntarily mad*
his accusations and had with boldness
proposed to prove what he said.
Had he presented his name and come
forward to make his words good, we would
have taken any steps he might have sug
gested to procure the personal attendance
of witnesses and their rigid examination.
It is unnecessary, nor important to express
our opinion us to the propriety of the
course pursued by the Recorder’s corres
pondent after the foregoing statement of
facts.
It will bo perceived that the editors
and proprietors of the Recorder did not
surrender the name of their correspond
ent after the use he had made of their col
umns, so that the issue might be charged
to where it now properly belongs, between
that. correspondent and the witnesses
mentioned.
We should not omit to mention that a
few days since, Mr. Knowles, of the Re
corder, placed in the hands of the Chair
man divers written interrogatories to be
propounded to said witnesses, but it was
alter the three witnesses alluded to left
the scat of Government, and entirely too
late to obtain specific answers from the
others, were it deemed necessary to do so at
the suggestion of .a correspondent who
refuses to disclose his name.
In conclusion, we recommend the Sen
ate to pass tho following resolution:
Resolved, That Hon. John I). Stell,
President of the Senate, is entirely free
from any charge, imputation or insinuation
of corruption in giving t lie casting vote for
the pardon of Bird, but on the contrary
such a vote was one compatible with strict
integrity in the discharge of the duties
and responsibilities of a presiding officer,
although his convictions as to the proprie
ty of the pardon might have been differ
ent
The same was thou taken up, read and
agreed to.
Mr. Stephens offered the following re
solution, which was taken up, read and
agreed to.
Resolved, That the Recorder and Feder
al Union be requested to publish tiic report
of the committee and the correspondence
between the former paper and between
the committee and the several gentlemen
to whom as witnesses tho committee were
refered.
CORRESPO.N DENCE
Millbdoeville, Jan. 31st, 1854.
Messrs. Orme, Knowles and Urmt:
Gentlemen: —The President of the Sen
ate having this day brought to tho notice
of the Senate, that charges had been made
against him in your paper by a correspond
cut, over the signature of Asa, involving
his reputation as a man and a Senator, a
committee, of which I am Chairman, has
been appointed to take such action as
might be deemed proper. The committee
have directed me to address you a note
asking you to furnish them the naino of your
correspondent “Asa,” and a list of the
witnesses (if in your power) to sustain
the charge, that he says “can be given if
necessary.”
We are aware that Editors do not give
the names of their correspondents unless
sought for to obtain legal or personal sat
isfaction, but as your correspondent in
this case has indirec'ly invited an investi
gation and j'roposes to furnish witnesse
to establish bis charge, wo presume you
will consider the surrender of his name
not violative of your usual rule.
Very respectfully yours,
RICHARD Hi CLARK Clim’n.
Committee— AUx. Popr, R. A. T. Ridley, St. J. 1
McUeliee, A- E. Cochran, R. 11. Curk.
MILLEDGtViLLE, Feb. 1, 1854.
Dear Sir —We have just received your
communication of the 31st ult., request
ing to bo furnished with the name of a
correspondent of tho Recorder “Asa;” and
a list of the witnesses which that writer
alleges can be produced to sustain his
charges.
Wo would siy in reply, that we do not
feel at liberty to give tho name of the au
thor of “Asa” without his permission.—
We herewith, however, with pleasure,
furnish such names as he has giveu us,
to sustain his general charges, and have
written to him for further instructions in
the premises. Ihe names of some of the
witnesses, are Messrs. R. J. Cowart,
Charles Murphy, E. D.-Chisholm, J. W.
Underwood, Warren Aikin, John Word,
and B. T. Terhune. The others alluded
to in tho communication we presume the
author will promptly disclose.
M e are, very respectfully,
Your obedient servants,
ORME, KNOWLES & ORME,
To Hon. Richard ii Clnrk. Chin’ll. S. S. C.
Milledgeville, Feb 2d, 1831.
Gtntlemm — ln reply to yours of yesler*
day, you furnish us the names of several
witnessas, all of whom live at a consider
able distance, to ‘prove the “ general,
charges ” of Asa’s communication, where
as we called foi witnesses to the specific
charge against the President of tho Sen
ate, to the investigation of which our du
ties are expressly limited, if for none
other for the reason that that is the only
tangible and issuable charge, and is made
expressly against the presiding officer of
the Senate. No names are mentioned
in connection with the other accusations,
and to notice them or not is in the sepa
rate discretion of the members of the
Legislature.
1 am instructed then hy the committee,
to inform j t ou that they will give you
until Monday next to furnish the name
of “Asa” and his evidence to support
the specific charge against the President
of the. Senate.
We are very respectfully yours,
RICHARD 11. CLARL, Chm’n.
To Mcjsrs. Orme, Knowles & Orme.
Milledgeville, Ga. Feb. 4, 1554.
Pear Sir —When we addressed you
tie communication declining to, give with
out his consent, the author of “Asa,” but
furnishing the names of certain witnesses,
we did not know which of said witnesses
were intended by “Asa” to prove the
“specific charge” against the President.
We have just received a communica
tion from our Correspondent, who re
quests up to give you the names of tho fol
lowing persons to substantiate tho “spe
cific charge” against Mr. Stell.
Messrs Warren Akin of Cassville, Ab
da Johnson and John J. Word of the
same place; R. J. Cowart of Cherokee,
J. W. 11. Underwood of Rome, E. D.
Chisholm of Polk, and Charles Murphy
of DeKalb. We write yon in baste,
that you may summon them by next
mail.
Very respectfully, your ob’t serv’ts,
ORME, KNOWLES &OR.VIE.
lion. R. H. CLARK, Chairman.
Cassville, Ga., Feb. 7, 1854.
Hon. R. 11. Clakk, Chm’n. Com.
Pear Sir —Your note addressed to
JohuJ. Word, War - en Aiken and myself,
has this moment been handed to ine by
Col. Word. In answer to the same I have
simply to say that not knowing whom you
mean to disignate as ihe “friends of Bird,”
I am unable to inform you as to what
they may or may not havo known.
I know nothing in relation to the con
duct of Mr. Btell. Very Respectfully,
ABDA JOHNSON.
Cassville, Feb. Bth, 1854.
Hon. R. H. Clark: —Peat Sir—
-5 ours of tho 4lh inst. has jusl been
and in reply I will say to you that 1
know nothing of the feelings ot Col. Stell
previous to his giving the casting vote in
the Bird case. I never had a word pf
conversation with Col. Stell on th* sub
ject, either before or sinco his giving the
casting vote, nor did I ever hear him
mention the matter, or speak of it to any
one else, before or since his casting vote,
and 1 can’t imagine why I should have
been referred to; and further I know of
n improper conduct on the part of Col*
S>ll touching the Bi*-d case, either be
fore or since his action upon that matter.
Yours Respectfully,
JOHN J. WORD.
Rome, Ga. Feb. 6, 18-34.
Mr. Rich 1 !). If. Clark,
Chairman of Com.
J\fy Dear Sir: —Yours of tho 4'h inst.
is before me and the contents, and waiv
ing all question in relation to the right
of any bodif of men to call in question
my knowledge or information upon anv
subject, I cheerfully answer your inquiries,
and promise to answer any and all others
that may be propounded by your com
mittee or any olhe”.
I do not know what the friends of Mr.
Bird knew in relation to the vote of the
Hon. John D. Stell when a tie was an
nounced in tho Senate. I never to my
recollection had any conversation with
Mr. Stell on that subject, or in relation
to Bird’s application for pari >n, either be
fore or since tho casting of that vote
Nor did 1 know how Mr. Stell would
vote, nor had I been told how he would
vote by anv other person. So far from
knowing when a tie was announced, I
believed that Mr. Stell would vote to re
ject the bill, and the first part of his
speech on the occasion of casting the vote
strengthened that belief so much that I
remarked to a gentlemen standing near
me in the gallery, that he would vote
against the bill.
About that tine Mr. Stell pronounced
the word “but,” and hope again sprung
up within in' 1 , and in a moment I was
astonished and pleased to hear him vote
for the bill.
In order that the Committee may un
derstand all my connection with the mat
ter, I will inform them, as I did several
Senators befor® the bill was passed, that
Mr. Bird and myself married sisters.—
Mr. Bird’s wife has been dead some seven
or eight years, his children were cousins
to mine, and I did not want him hanged.
Before, however, I moved in the matter
1 examined the testimony fully, and was
well satisfied that Bird was not gui'ty of
murder, but was the victim of prejudice.
1 conversed freely with some Senators
that I knew personally well, and argued
the points in tho testimony freely. Mr.
Stephens, Mr. Dawson, 51 r. Moore, Mr.
Strickland, Mr. Camden, Mr. Thomas,
and others, but I argued it fairly and free
ly and truthfully as far as I knew or be
lieved.
Col. Stell, so far As I know or believe,
acted honestly, fairly and uprightly.
If the Editors of the Southern Record
er, or their correspondent “Asa,” desire
any further information from me, if they
will propound their interrogatories, they
shall he cheerfully answered. I know,
of no act in connexion with Bird’s case
that might not be exposed to the scrutiny
of the civilized world.
With senlimen's of the highest esteem
for you personally, the committee and
and the Senate,
1 remain your most obedient
Amt buiivbte servant,
JOHN W. 11. UNDERWOOD.
WIHiRSOMft.
, GRIFFIN. MARCH 9, 1854
Appointment by the Governor
Maj. A. A. Gajulding, of Griffin, has
been appointed Aid de-camp to Gov. John
son, with the rank of Colonel.
i We have given up the whole space usu
ally allotted to editorial matter to our cor
respondents. Still we have not had room
for all. The proceedings of the meeting
of the friends of temperance, held in Grif
fin a feyv days ago, the communication on
the steam engine question, and others, are
necessarily postponed till next week.
The celebrated Dr. Gardner, of Mexi
can Mine memory, committed suicide at
Washington city lately, by taking strych
nine.
Our Communications.
We have taken up one half of the read
ing portion oT the inside of our paper this
week with ©Ommunications, to the exclusion
of many articles of interesting intelligence
from abroad, and yet wc doubt whether
we shall give half satisfaction, for we have
been obliged to lay over several others
for want of room. The temperance fever
is in the ascendent again in this place, aud
we must have patience until it reaches its.
perihelion, passes its cu!rumath,- point, and
declines te the iudCs of the west. At
press'll, temperance men and antis,
Fire in each eye, and paper in each hand,
They rave, recite nud madden round the land,
In uncontrollable fury, and it is a piece of
charity to give some of them vent, to
save them from bursting.
Suicide-
We regret to state that on Thursday
last, Mr. Joseph B. Breedlove, late of
Greenville, in this State, committed vio
lence on his own life. Mr. Breedlove, it
appears, was under pecuniary embarrass
ment, and left Greenville some months
ago; but knowing he had left some friends,
responsible for his personal appearance
at Meriwether Superior Court, which was
held last week, he returned to Greenville
the week previous. On Wednesday last,
it is said, he learned that his securities
were about to surrender his body to the
Sheriff, upon which he procured a vial of
morphine, and on Thursday morning de
liberately emptied it into a tumbler, mixed
it with a portion of water, and drank it,
from the effects of which ho died in about
half an hour; thus choosing death, rather
than leave his friends to suffer on the ono
hand, or to enter himself within the walls
of a prison on the other. Mr. B. we un
derstand, was without family.
We-also learn that a Mr. Cates, who
was imprisoned in Coweta jail for debt,
committed suicide last week, by cutting
his throat, lie had a wife and a. iiujiibey
*f children.
Fur uicLicoryiu Jclfcrsonian.
Maine Law-Legislative Action,
&c.
Mr. Editor: —Your readers last week
were regaled with a queer article under
the above heading 1 , written by a corres
pondent who desires to be nameless.
The article i.s queer, because under a
back-woods style it contains a compound
of simplicity, absurdity, and assumption of
argument, mixed together in confusion in
extricable. Your correspondent has sure
ly underrated the intelligence of your
readers, or he never would have attempt
ed to palm off upon them such a string of
“non sequilors ” for genuine arguments
The article would not merit a reply were
it not necessary sometimes to impart to
such “would be Solomons,” the salutary
lesson that the combined wisdom of the
world is not exclusively concentrated in
their uraniums alone.
To begin, lot us briefly notice his ar
gument against the “Maine Law.” It
is simply tins, “experience has proven that
such a law (that is a prohibitory law)
prompts its own violation.” We are there
fore left to infer that all prohibitory laws
are useless and inexpedient. Is this true? 1
t hen the world has until now been buried
in woful ignorance upon this subject All
legislators have, hitherto, in the simplicity
of their hearts, believed it necessary to re-1
strain the exuberant passions and propen
sities of the human family, by ‘prohibiting
certain, liberties beine; taken with the per
sons, property, and lives of their fellow-crea
tures; but your correspondent, in emula
tion of the illustrious Newton, who dis
covered to an admiring world the secret
tics that bind the universe together, has
exposed to our hitherto benighted visions
the secret workings of laws upon the hu
man mind, from which it appears that the
only effectual way to prevent the commis
sion of an offence is to—say nothing about
it. It would not do to prohibit it, for the
prohibition will of itself only suggest the
comm’ssion of the offence, because it will
“create in the breast of the commanded,
curiosity, enquiry, inquisitiveness, search,
trial,” &o. lint your correspondent, not
content with enlightening our minds upon
this beclouded subject, by showing the
fallacies of human legislation, seeks to make
the impression indelible by exposing like
wise (judging from the first example given)
the incredible blunder of the all wise Cre
ator in prohibiting our first patents from
eating the forbidden fruit.
Your correspondent does not discuss
the question whether legislation against
the liquor traffic is constitutional. This
is, perhaps, to be regretted, as we might
reasonably have expected, judging from
the luminous ideas presented upon the sub
ject of the “Maine Law,” a flood of light
to have been poured upon this knotty and
intricate point; but, iu this connection, he
has suggested one idea of some importance,
which, in substance is this; while the dis
putants on either side, are engaged in the
controversy, numbers are falling into in
temperance, and making many grocery
bills that might not otherwise have been
made. The inference, however, ho deduces
from that reflection, is by no means so
clear, viz; “That the advocates of such
an aci [meaning the Maine Law] have
done more to establish intemperance’ than
the intemperate could have done in
two centuries.” How can such an infer
ence be drawn from the premises? Here
are two parties, one for legislation, the
other opposed to it. Legislation is pre
vented by means of the opposition, a loose
reign is given to the march of intempe
rance and great injury is done to the com
munity thereby. Who are responsible for
the injury? Those who fail in their cher
ished object, or those who succeed in their
opposition? Let common sense answer
these interrogatories. As well may the
groans of down-trodden Hungary be at
tributed to tho efforts of her sons to u
chieve her freedom, as for the excesses of
intemperance to be imputed to those who
arc struggling to free the country from its
galling yoke. Give the measures propo
sed by the friends of legislation a fair test,
then if the result be unfavorable to the
cause of temperance, or if there be no sen
sible deminution of intemperance, the ad
vocates will be ar/iong the first to demand
their repeal. Blit this has not been the
result in Maine,, as the testimony of Bishop
Burgess fully establishes. We may, there
fore, safely calculate, as human nature is
the same everywhere, that this would be
the result here if fairly tested.
Your correspondent further informs us,
that to ca!J thase persons who favor total,
abstinence “temperance advocates” is a
misnomer, and that they only arc the si
mon pure advocates who go for taking a
little occasionally: but those simon pares,
according to your correspondent, arc such
genuine friends of temperance, that when
charged with being its enemies, the cbaiv* j
is repelled by an indignant. ~ in ]j
that denial L substantiated by “another
.re™ tnc bottle. If wo arc to un
derstand that the same charge is always
met in the same way, it is a somewhat lu
dicrous idea to call them friends of tempe
rance, and serves to show that the friends
of total abstinence arc more deserving of
the name, since the moderate use of in
toxicating drinks thus leads to iutcmpc
rance.
Your correspondent, it seems, although
he deals such heavy blows against legisla
tive action, is not himself opposed to legis
lation. lie turns out to be a compromise
man, and here is the law he proposes as a
peace-offering to all conflicting parties
and interests. Ii is to be the duty of peace
officers to arrest any man who may be
drinking and become noisy thereby, to
the disturbance of society, and for the
peace of society have him fined; so in like
case, if he be found drunk, this will make
| him peaceable and keep him sober.” This
) would be wise and discriminating legisla
tion indeed. The people arc to be allowed,
and [from the license impliedly given] I
may say, persuaded, to drink ad libitum,
that fiery liquid which once taken, prompts
to another and another draught, and
which deadens the moral faculties, stupi
fies the intellect, deranges the mind, and
eventually loads to want, degradation,
vice and crime, with all their concomi
tants. Yet when the potion begins to do
its legitimate work, so soon as they be
come a little obstreperous, they are to be
arrested and fined; so soon as they become
intoxicated they are to lie treated in like
manner; and, of course, when its more
maddening effects are exhibited, they aro
only to be treated with increased severity.
Thus these victims of delusion are to be
punished for its result, wlylo tlioso who
are aiding and abetting this delusion,
and who in the eyes of High Heaven are
accessories, if not principles in their mis
deeds, escape unpunished, and are allow
ed to fatten on the spoils won. from these
deluded man. But there is likewise iu
humanity in the mode of punishment pro
posed. It seems that the families of these
inebriates are not by the natural tenden
cy of their conduct, reduced to want and
sufficing with suffineat speed for this mo
dern law-giver. The fleecing process is to
be aided by the strong arm of tho law.
Thus, instead of confining these poor vic
tims until the light of reason returns, the
residue of Llieir property is to be consumed
in the payment of fines. The whole poli
cy of your correspondent is wrong. It is
worse than that of tho parent who gives
powder to his children to play with around
the fire, and punishes them in case an ex
plosion occurs; for tho victims of intempe
rance are weaker than children in that
which concerns tho gratification of their
unnatural thirst. It is likewise a truth,
that “the burnt child dreads the fire;”
therefore, one explosion would teach chil
dren more prudence: but not so with the
inebriate. One injury from intemperance
but passes the way for another and anoth
er, thus giving the only practical illustra
tion, outside of Christianity, of obedience
to tlie Christian precept “love your cuc
-1 inics.” By the existing law of the coun
try, should a child or servant commit a
misdemeanor through the command of a
father or master, the latter receives the
, punishment due to that offence; and why? 1
j Because the law presumes that iu such a |
1 case the influence wielded by the parent
;or master, interferes materially with the
> free agency, and hence, accountability of
| the child or servant. But how much less
influence does the retailer of ardent spirits
exert over the inebriate? It is true, that
influence is not of the same kind, and i.s
j not expressed in words and precepts. It
is exerted simply, by supplying him with
! that, which, in a measure, 1 e has not the
I moral power to refuse, aud which steals
j from him his discretion, perverts his at
tachments, and is suggestive of nothing but
evil. If, then, punishment must be in
flicted for intemperance, let the seducer as
well as the victim, let the accessory as well
as tho principal, suffer. Itmiriit have a
powerful agency in checking intemperance,
if the retailer were held accountable to
some extent for the sad effects of his li
quors; if tho many sufferers, under its in
fluence, were alliwod to claim redress
from him for one tithe of their injuries,,
losses and deprivations, few indeed would
be hardy enough to incur such liability.
But would it not be better for the inebri
ate, the retailer, and the country at large,
to prevent the free production and sale of
the article itself? If temptation was thus
partially removed, how many might be
snatched from a drunkard’s grave? How
much misery, want and crime, might be
prevented? How many consciences might
be saved from reproach and anguish? 111
conclusion, your correspondent propounds
the question “has the legislature declared
that because we are troubled with rogues,
robbers, &c. therefore, no man shall own
any property than can bo stolen, &c ” In
reply, I ask your correspondent, as well as
every man of intelligence, if it would not
be better, far better far the country to dis
pense with that species of property, the
use of which, being unnecessary in itself,
renders more pc. curious the pos-ession of
all other kinds of property, and likewise
detracts from the security of life and per
son? That this is t,lie tendency of spirit
uous liquors, I invoke all past experience,
the statistics of our jails and penitentia
ries, and the convictions of a candid and
enlightened public to witness.
VINDICATOR.
For th* Jeftrsonian
Dgab Sir, —1 have read over and over,
time and again, a communication in your
last with the caption “Maine Law—Le
gislative action,” and the piece signed
C. L J. in tho American Union. The
, writers, in my judgment, are sensible men.
• They think clearly and are temperate, yes,
rational and practical in their views. I wish
others who undertake to instruct and guide
the public mind, were as sober-minded as
they; then we would not have so many
hobbies and bobby riders, so many wind
mills and Don charging upon
them with like results. llow different, in
moderation, was the piece published in the
Ameritan Unim of the 23d nit. above
an asterisk, or “Lone Star,” no doubt
with the same laudable object in his- view,
lie gave a tremendous description of the
public and private morals of Griffin. I
heard some talk of getting up au indigna
tion meeting. That would have been an
other error, because intemperate in char
acter. Wo are enjoined to eschew the,
least appearance of evil Any meeting
mobocratic in tendency, docs more harm j
than good, always insubordinate aud dis- j
loyal to the civil law. Remember that ele
gant maxim, tho more you stir a stink th*
I worse it smells c ueh a step would hr.vc
been indiscreet for several reasons, Ist,
Because the Editor of that paper sent out
an antidote with the poison. 2d, We
must, in charity, give credit to the good
intentions of the writer, lie is, and has
been, a good, peaceable, quiet and sober
citizen, no doubt a very good man. What
he wrote was, 1 think, a result of the tem
perance nomination for Mayor and Alder
men. It awakened his zeal for the cause
into a blaze, lie saw things through glas
ses with double refractions, and wrote a3
his visions were, in very strong prismatic
colors, lie has many *xamplos for this
in the pulpit, where the devil is painted in
such frightful colors, as to scare the worst
sinner, for awhile, from his company. i
’Tis true, there are now and then spo
radic cases of that kind of hydrophobia
such as lie describes. And temperates,
even saints, grave judges, learned counsel,
skilful physicians, men of science, &c.,
have, in times past, been seen to be a iittle
iu tlie tidrei order and condition, espe
cially at great fires and important elections.
I refer you to tho shining example in tho
legislative and gubernatorial visit to Sa
vannah and Fort Pulaski, when both town
and fort wore blown up by heroic dischar
ges of champagne, an irresistible kind of
Grecian fire. So that the kettle has no
right to say to the pot “black a—ss.”
But the disease is far, very far from being
•pideiuic in Griffin It is a sober town,
at least by day-light, and a very go-to
meeting place. It can’t be beat for sa
cred music, Sunday schools and colleges,
and pretty boys and girls, lyceuras, ma
sons, oddfellows, knights of jerieho and I
don’t know what besides. The gentleman,
in his praiseworthy zeal, drew his bow too
strong at the head of the dragon, which
paused his arrows to go aside and fall be
yond the mark. He was too anxious to
effect his purpose vi el armis, and wounded
friends as well as foes. But still, 11b doubt,
he meant well. Therefore, I like him. It
would seem that there is no sin now, offen
sive to the public, iftpxal ssnse, but that of
intoxication. Tho homicide, aditltoiv
fornicator, whoremonger, liar, cheat, swin
dler, hypocrite, covetous, avaricious, &c.,
are all mighty respectablo and vartuous, if
they will only keep sober. There are no
Antis formed against them, with banners,
flags and regalia. Why? Because they
are secret, not seen in open day, lik* the
unfortunate and poor inebriate, whose sor
rows, losses, and nervous temperament
throw temptations in his path. They
don’t make hobbies to ride on. Tho pul
pit is the fit place to denounce sins of all
kinds and the court-house to punish them
If it be true, after all tho preaching and
lecturing in the placo, that red-faced fol
low Bacchus is flooding it with his liquid
fire, something must be wrong in the stra
tagems of the cold water army. They
don’t throw their ammunition skilfully or
their officers don’t manoeuvre well. Iu an
ancient Catholic town of Spain, the inhabi
tants had been drenched for days and
days with incessant rains. Their patience
was worn out. They called upon their
priests to get up a solemn procession, to
implore the Holy Virgin to stop tlie rain,
because they could not go to sec bull
fights and other tournaments. Well, all
hands started, young and old. It begau
to drizzlo, then soon to pour down torront*
of rain, worse than before. The people
I broke ranks and fled under shelter. The
priests shouted stop! stop! the Virgin mis
takes. She thinks we aro praying for
rain, and is pouring down the blessing su
perabundantly. We will try it on a dry
day. It was the priests that made the
mistake—net the Virgin.
Tho good people of Griffin, (aud there
are many good people in it, enough to save
it,) from their mercurial and impulsive
temperament, when they undertake a mea
sure, are apt to run ahead too much.—
They are impatient to wait the slow and
sure growth to sound and permanent ma
turity. They wish tho people of- tho pre
sent day to accomplish every thing for
those coining after, and leave nothing for
them to do, but sit down in full enjoyment.
As an instance, witness their zeal about
their colleges. There are four in incipien
cy, none finished most of them without
apparatus, yet all occnpied, inducing
crowds of people to move to Griffin, when
the pecuniary means of the place, and fer
tility of the land around it will hardly sup
port the present population, causing us to
live as it is said tho people of the Eastern
shore of Maryland live, like a basket of hard
shell crabs, by pinening one another, which
Is a literal fact hero. But every body,
now-a-days, if they can’t do any moro,
wishes, at least, to nib agaiust a college
wall, to catcli some collegiate phosphorus,
to shine outside if not inside, and make all
exclaim in wonder, see how bright he
shines, how she sparkles 1 I declare tho
emphatic truth, and experience bears me
out in it, that there is more good,* hard
and useful sense, that never was in college,
than ever went into or came out of it, •
jtidice el excmplo. To* prove this I give
you two anecdotes. A graduate wishing
to see the world, applied to a sea captain
to take him as his mate. ITe did so. Tho
first night at sea, he told the young man
to huvo the ship’s lights put out. lie
went on deck-—Hands ahoy! Aye!,
aye! sir. “Extinguish those nocturnal lurub
uaries.” Jack did not understands wanli
and turned into his bunk. The captain,
after a while, perceived the lights still
burning: Did I not tell you, sir, to have
the lights pat out? I did give orders.—
What did you *ay? I told thorn to “ex
tinguish them nocturnal luminaries.” Con
found you. Do you think that every fool has
been to college like yourself? Tell then*,
douce glim. Up lie went. Hands ahoy!
douce glim. Aye! aye! Out went all
the lights at once. Speak to the people ac
cording to their intelligence, not abovo
their laming When the Athenians found
ed their city, they wished to- elect a
tutelar Deity. Minerva, tho goddess of
science, and Nuptime, the god of the sea,,
were the candidates. The- latter told,
them, if they would give lain the honor,,
he would make it a great, rich, famous,,
commercial emporium of the world. Bjt.
they preferred science to wealth,.and chose
Minerva, and called the city by one
of her names, Athena Neptune, in a
rage, retired into his oiement, brandishing,
his trident aud rolling, the biliows-sky high,,
threatened to make theta all fools.. Alarm -
ed,. they prayed to Minerva to-defcnd thonn
| against tlie awful threat. She graciously
| replied, one Deity could not annul the dc
: oree of another, but if Neptune made them
1 all fools, she would make them all learn
-1 ed, “High Olympus, shook with laughter.”
j Let us all exercise charity toward one
another, for it covercth a multitude of sins,
! and many of ns need a prettv heavy blau
-1 ktt of it. ¥ D C.
For llitf Jeflersonian.
Sabbath Heading-Knights of Je
riclio-UcT. Win. Moseley, dec.
Maj. Clime, —In an article in your is
sue of the 23d February last, “F. I). C.”
submits his views, on certain topics, for
onr Sabbath Reading. All men should
receive, with deference, the opinions of tho
aged and the wise. But the comments
your correspondent has seen proper to
make on the order of the Knights of Jeri
cho, and tho unqualified coramendatiun ho
has bestowed, at their copense, on Irtsr friend
Rev. Wm. Moseley, will hardly be regard
ed by many of your patrons as profitable
reading for the week day, much less for
the Sabbath. There arc many of this
highly respectable and rapidly increasing
fraternity, who would not return evil for
evil, nor railing for railing. If our old
friend could so far overcome his ground
less prejudices as to become acquainted
with our glorious mysteries, lie would re
pudiate the sentiment that “Temperance
is a matter of public morals, not of secret
combinations”— and would be strengthen
ed in his good resolution, (which I pray
God lie may be able to keep]—“never to
use ardent spirits while the world stands.”
Yet neither Faith, Hope, uor Charity,
requires us to submit to the imputations
cast upon us, even though it has been done
in defence of his friend, Rev. Wm. Mose
ley. “F. D. C.” may bo surprised to
learn that there are many who are well
acquainted with his friend, who believe
not only that ho is apt to “err in judg
ment,” but who ore yet to be convinced
that he always acts aud speaks “from the
most pure and conscientious motives.” —
Wo temperance people know that wo have
received no countenance or encouragement
from him, in any movement which we
have ever made. On the contrary, in
stead of using his posiiioa and tajeots in
favor of this cause, lor the last, twenty
five years he has stood in various atti
tudes of opposition. We douht .whether
‘his motives were pure and conscientious,