Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by R.J. Taylor, Jr. Foundation.
About The Georgia Jeffersonian. (Griffin, Ga.) 18??-18?? | View Entire Issue (March 9, 1854)
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,
