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P°wer with which the const it niton has invested his of
fice, would effect • practical alteration of tit at instrument,
without resorting to the prescribed process of amend*
mem.
With the motives or considerations which may induce
Congress to pass any bill, the President can have nothing
lo iio He must presume them to he as pure as hia own,
and look only to the practical effect of their measures
when compared with the constitution or the public
good.
it has been urged by those win object to the ex
ercise of this undoubted constitutional power, that it as
sails the representative principle and the capacity of the
people to govern themselves; that there is greater safe
ty in a numerous representative body than in the single
Executive created by the constitution, and that the exec
utive veto it a•• on#-rn n power.” despotic in its char
acter. Tm expose the fallacy of this objection, it is only !
necessary to consider the frame and true character of our !
system. Ours is not a consolidated empire, but a con- 1
federated Union. The States, before the adoption of
the constitution, were coordinate, co-equal, and sepa
rate independent sovereignties, and by its adop ion. they
did not lose that character. They clothed the federal gov
cmmeai with certain powers, aud reserved all others,in
cluding their own sovereignty, to themselves. They
guarded their own rights as .States and the rights of the
people, by the very limitations which they incorporated
into the federal constitution, whereby the different de
partments of the general government were checks upon
each other. That the majority should govern, ia a gen
eral principle, controverted by none : but they must gov
s ern according to the constitution, and not according to
an undefined and unrestrained discretion, whereby they
may oppress the minority
The people of the United States are not blind to the
*k. k m ay be teinporsrily misled, and that their
Sea, legislative and executive, may be mtsta
iced in their action by improper motives
erefore interposed between themselves and
:h may be passed by their public agents,
various representations, such as assemblies, senates, and
governors,in their eeveral States; a House of Repre
sentative!, a Senate, and a President of the United
States. The people can by their own direct agency
make no law ; nor can the House of Representatives
immediately elected by them ; nor can the Senate ; nor
can both together, without of thePresi
dent, or a vote of two-li^yjjflflHftJinusea-
Happily jor <*ur
thsm the power of^ peril
•around with checks.to gu the effects of hasty
action, of error, of possible corrup
tion. Error, selfishness, and fnction have often sought
to rand asunder this web *f checks, and subject the gov
ernment to the contend of lunuiic and sinister influences ;
but these efforts l>eve only attiafied the people of the
checks which t*tey have imposed, aud of the necessity of
preserving them unimpaired.
The tru* theory of our system is not to govern by the
acts or decrees of anyone set of rept esentatives. The
constitution interposes’checks upon all branches of the
in order to give time for error to be correct
ed, and delusion to pass away : but if the people settle
down into a firm conviction different from (lint of their
representatives they give effect to their opinions by
changing their public servants. The checks which the
people imposed ou their public servants in the adoption
of the constitution, are the best evidence of their ca
pacity for self-government- Tficy know that the men
whom they elect to public stations are of like infirmities
aud passions with themselves, ami not to be trusted with
out being restricted by ci ordinate authorities and con
stitutional limitations. Who that has witnessed the leg
islation of Congress for the last thirty years will say that
he knows of no instance in which measures not demand
ed by the public good, have been carried? Who will
deny that in the State governments, by combinations of
individuals and sections, ill derogation of the general in
tarsal, banks have been chartered, systems of internal
improvement adopted, and debts entailed upon the pto
pb, repressing their growth, ami impairing their energies
for years to come ?
After so much experience, it can not be said that abso
lota unchecked power is safe in the hands of any one
set of representatives, or that the capacity of the people
for self government, which is admitted in its broadest ex
tant, is a conclusive argument to prove the prudence,
wisdom, and integrity of representatives.
The people, by the constitution, have commanded the
President, us much as they have commanded the legislu
tive branch of the government, to execute their will.
They have said to him in the constitution, which they re
quire he shall take solemn oath to support, that if Con
gress pass any biil which he cannot approve, “he shall
return it in the House in which it originated, with his
objections.” In withholding from it nis approval and {
signature, he is executing the will of ths people constitu
tionally expressed, os much ns the Congress that passed
it. No bill is presumed to be in accordance with the
{jopular will until it shall have passed through till the
tranches of the government required by the constitution
to make it a law. A bill w hk*h pusses the House of Rep
resentatives may be rejected by (he Senate; and so a
bill passed by the Semite may be rejected by the House,
injeach case the respective houses exercise the veto
power on the other.
Congress, and each House of Congress, hold under
the constitution a check upon the President, and he. by
the power of the qualified veto, a check upon Congress.
When the President recommends measures to Congress,
be avows, in the most solemn form, his opinions, gives !
bis voice in their favor, nnd pledges himself in advance
In approve them if ponied by Cnttgrrnn If he acts
without due consideration, or line been influenced by
improper or corrupt motives—or iffrotn any other cause
Congress, or either house of Congress, shall differ with
him in opinion, they exercise their veto upon his recom
mendations, and reject them; nnd there ia no appeal
from their decision, but to ibe people at the ballot-box.
These are proper checks upon the Executive, wisely in
terposed by the constitution. None will be found to ob
ject to them, or to wish them removed, It is equally im
portant that the constitutional checks of the Executive
upon the legislative branch should be preserved.
If it be said that the representatives in the popular
branch of Congress at e chosen directly by the people, it
is answered, the people elect the President. It both
houses represent the States and the people, so does the j
President. The President represents in the executive I
department the whole people of the United St.ites, as
eoch member of the legislative departments represents j
portions of them.
The doctrine of restriction upon legislative nnd exec- j
otive power, while a well-settled public opinion is ena- I
bled within a reasonable time to accomplish its ends, |
has made our country what it is, and has opened to us u I
career of glory and happiness to which all other nations
have been strangers.
in the exercise of the power of the veto, the President
is responsible not only to an enlightened public opinion,
but to the people of the whole Union, who elected him,
as the representatives in the legislative branches, who .
differ with him in opinion, are responsible to the people
of particular Slates, or districts, who compose their re
spective constituencies. To deny to the President the
exercise of this power, would be to repeal that provi
sion of the constitution which confers it upon him. To
charge that its exercise unduly controls the legislative
will, is to complain of the constitution itself.
If the presidential veto be objected to upon the ground
that it checks and thwarts the public will upon the same
principle the equality of representation of the States in
the Senate should be stricken out of the constitution.—
The vote of a scuatoi from Delaware lias equal weight
in deciding upon the most important measures with the
vole of a senator from New York; and yet the one rep
resents a State containing,according to the existing appor
tionment of representatives in the House of Represents- !
lives, but one thirty-fouiih part of the population of the j
other. By the constitutional composition of the Senate, j
a majority of that body from the smaller Slates represent j
less than one-fourtli of the people ot the Union. There
era thirty States; and under the existing apportionment
of reprecentaiives. there are two hundred ami thirty
members in the House of Representatives. Sixteen of
the smaller States are represented in that House by but
fifty members; ami yet the senators from these State*
constitute a majority of the Senate. So that the Presi
dent tnny recommend a measure to Congress, and it mny
receive the sanction and approval of more than three
fourths of the House of Representatives, and of all the
senators from the lurge States, containing more than
three-fourths of the whole of the United I
States; and yet the measure Touted by toe
votes of the senau>rs from tales. None, it
is presumed, can be found the organize- I
lion of the Senate on this account, or to Btrike that body j
practically out of existence, by requiring that its action !
shall be conformed to the will o! the more numerous :
branch.
Upon the same principle that the veto of the Presi
dent should be practically abolished, the power of the
Vice Pre*idc*tto give the casting vote upon ail equal di- I
vision of the Senate should be abolished l*o. The I
Vice PresiJrnt exercises the veto power ns effectually !
by rejecting a bill by his casting vote, as the President
doe* by refusing to approve and sign it- This power
has been exercised by the Vice President io a few in
etauces, the moat important of which wag the rejection of
the bill to recharter the bank of the United States in 1811.
It may happen that a bill may be pissed by a large ma
jority of the House of Representatives, anti may be sup
ported by the senators from the larger States, and the
Vice President may reject it by giving his vote with the
senators from the smaller Stales; and yet none it ispre- |
sumed, are prepared to deny to him the exercise of this
power under the constitution.
But ii is, in point of fact, untrue that an act passed by .
Congress is conclusive evidence that it is on emanation
ol the popular will. A majority of the whole number
elected to each house of Congress constitutes a quorum, *
end a majority of that quorum is competent to pass laws.
It might Happen that a quorum of the House of Repre- ‘
•entativea, consisting of a single member more than half ;
of the whole number elected to that House, might pass |
a bill by a majority of a single vote, and in that case a
traction more than one-fourth of the people of the United !
fhatea would be represented by muse who voted for it. j
It might happen that the same bill might be passed by a
majority of one. of a quorum of the Senate, composed of |
senators from the fifteen smaller Stales, and a single !
senator from a sixteenth State, and if the senators voting ‘
for it happened lobe from the eight of the muullett of
these Stales, it would be p,ssed by the votes ol senators
from States having but fourteen representatives in the’
House of Representatives, aud containing less than one
sixteenth of the whole population of the United Blairs.
This extreme esse is stated to illustrate the fact, il.ut
the mere passage of s bill by Congress is no conclusive
evidence that those who passed it represent the majority
of the people of the Untied Stales, or truly relieft’tlieir j
will. If such an extreme ense likely to happen,
cases that approximate it are of constant occurrence. —
It is believed that not ; single law has been passed since
the adoption of the constitution, iijniii w hich ill the metn
, bers elected to both h>t s*.a have been preset*; and voted
| Many of the most in p *riant acts which bitve passed
Congress have been can i*d by a close vote* in thin hou
! *es. Many instance* of this might be gi\. Indeed,
our experience prove-th .t many of the n.i*t important
act*l Congress are postponed to the lastda%•*. nnd often
the last hoortvof a ses*ii"i. when they are disposed of in
haste, and by houses Imt little exceeding me number
neresfnry to form a quorum.
Besides, in ithmi oiyflir States the member* of tbe
! House of Representatives are chosen by pluralities ami
I not by majorities of all the voters in their respective dis
j triels ; nnd it may happen that a majority of that House
may be returned by a less aggregate vote of the people
! than that received by the minority.
If the principle insisted on be sound, then the consti
tution should be so changed that no bill shall become a
law unless it is voted for by members representing iu
eatdi House * majority of the whole people of the United
States. We must remodel our whole system, strike
down ami abolish not only the salutary check* lodged in
the executive branch, but must strike out and abolish
those lodged in the Semtc also, and thus practically in
vest the whole power of the government in a majotity of
a single assembly—a majority uncontrolled and absolute,
nnd which mny become despotic. To conform to this
doctrine of the right of majorities to vote, independent of
; the checks and limitations of the constitution, we rn(j*t
revolutionize our whole system We must
constitutional compact by which the several States
to form a federal Union, and ru*h into
which must end in monarchy or despotism. No
vocatessuch a proposition; and yet the
tained. if carried out, must lead to this result. J
One great object of the constitution in confer
the President a qualified negative upon the legislaiioir-TH-
Congress, was to protect minorities from it just ice and
oppression by majorities. The equality of their repre
sentation in the Senate, and the veto power of the Presi
dent, are the constitutional guaranties which the smaller
Slates have that their rights will be respected. Without
these guaranties, all their interests would be at the mer
cy of majorities in Congress representing the lnrgcr
States. To the smaller and weaker Stales, therefore,
the preservation of_tliij power, and its exercise upon
proper occasions it, of vital importance
i They ratified the and entered inio the Un
l lon, securing to ihemA/ves an equal representation with
! the larger .States in the .Semite ; nnd they agreed to be
j bound by all laws passed by Congre*s t upon the expreaa
condition, and none other, that they should be approved
by the President, or passed, Ins objections to the contrary
notwithstanding, by h vote of two thirds of both houses.
Upon this condition they have a right to insist, as a part
of the compact to which they gave their assent.
A bill might be passed by Congress against the will of
the whole people of a particular State, and against the
votes of its senators nnd all its representatives. Howev
er prejudicial it might be to the interest of such State, it
would be bound by it if the President shall approve it,
or it should be paused by a vote of two-thirds of both
houses; but it lias a right to demand that the President
shall exercise his constitutional power, and arrest it. if
his judgment is against it. If lie surrender this power,
or fail to exercise it in a case where lie cannot approve,
it would make his formal approval a more mockery, and
would he itself a violation of the constitution, nnd the
dissenting State would become bound by a law which
bad not been passed uccording lo the sanctions of the
constitution.
The objection to the exercise of the VETO power is
founded upon nil idea respecting the popular will, which,
if carried out, would biiuibilaie State sovereignty, and
substitute for the present federal government a consoli
dation, directed by n supposed numerical majority. A
revolution of the government would be silently effected,
and the States would be subjected to laws to which they
had never given tli(ir constitutional consent.
The Supreme Court of the United States is invested
with the power to declare, and has declared, acts of Con
gress passed with the concurrence of the Senate, the
House of Representatives, und the approval of the Presi
dent, to be unconstitutional Xiid void ; and yet none, it is
presumed, can he found, who will be disposed to strip
thin highest judicial tribunal under the constitution of this
acknowledged power—a power necessary alike to iti in
dependence and the rights of individuals.
For the same re.non that the executive veto should,
according to the doctrine maintained, he rendered nuga
tory, and be practically expunged from the constitution,
this power of the court should also be rendered nugatory
and be expunged, because it restrains the legislative and j
executive will, and because the exercise of such a power i
by the court may be regarded as being in conflict with !
the capacity of the people to govern themselves. Indeed, j
there is more reason for striking this power of the court ;
from the constitution than there ia that of the qualified j
veto of the President; because the decision ol the court j
is final, und can never be reversed, even though both !
houses of Congress and the President should be unani
mous in opposition to it; whereas the veto of* the Presi
dent may be overruled by a vote of two thirds of both
houses of Congress, or by the people at the polls.
It ia obvious that to preserve the system eatablixlied by
the constitution, each of the co-ordinate branches’ of the
government—the executive, legislative, anil judicial—
must be left iu the exercise of its appropriate powers. If
the. executive or the judicial branch bt*. deprived of pow
ers confered ujton either as cheeks on the legislative,
the preponderance of the latter will become tliapropor
tion9.tr and absorbing, ir*l lha others i£npote! -fijr tfoa
accomplishment of llu* great objects for which they were
established. Organized us they are. by the constitution,
they work together harmoniously for the public good.—
If the executive and the judiciary shall be deprived of
the constitutional powers invested in them, nnd of their
due proportions, the equilibrium of the system must he
I destroyed, and consolidation, with the most pernicious
results, must ensue—a consolidation of unchecked, des
potic power exercised by majorities of the legislative
branch.
The executive, legislative, and judicial,each constitutes
a separate co-ordinate department of the government;
and each is independent of the others. In the perfor
mance of their respective duties tinder the constitution,
neither can, in its legitimate action, control the others.
They each act upon their several responsibilities in their
respective spheres; but if the doctrines now niantain
ed be correct, the executive must become practically
subordinate to the legislative, and the judiciary must
become subordinate to both the legislative and the ex
ecutive; and thus the w hole power of the government
would be merged in a single department. Whenever,
if ever, this shall occur, our glorious system of weU-reg
uln ted self-government will crumble into ruins—to be
succeeded, first by anarchy, and finally by monarchy or
despotism. lam far from believing that this doctrine is
the sentiment of the American jieonle ; and during the
short period which remains in v\ hich it w ill be my duty
to administer the executive department, it w ill be my
aim to maintain its independence, and discharge its du
ties, without infringing upon the powers or duties of
either of the other departments of the government.
The power of the executive veto was exercised by the
first and most illustrious of my predecessors, and by four
of his successors who preceded me in the administration
of the government, and, it is believed, in no instance
prejudicially to the public interests. It has never been,
and there is but little danger that it ever can be abused.
No President will ever desire, unnecessarily, to place
his opinion in opposition to that of Congress. He must
always exercise the power reluctantly, and only in cases
where his convictions make it a matter of stern duty,
which lie cannot escape. Indeed, there is more danger
that the President, front the repugnance he must always
feel to come in collision with Congress, may fail to ex
ercise it in cases where the preservation of the constitu
tion from infraction, or the public good, may demand it,
than that he will ever exercise it unnecessarily or wan
tonly.
During the period I have administered the executive j
department of tbe government, great and important j
questions of public policy, foreign and domestic, have 1
arisen, upon w hich it was my duty to act. It may in- |
deed lie truly said that my administration has fallen up- !
on eventful times. 1 have felt most sensibly the weight ;
of the high responsibilities devolved upon me. With no j
other object than the public good, the enduring fame, I
j and permanent prosperity of my country, 1 have, pursued I
1 the conviction* of iny own best judgment. The iinpar
; tial arbitrament of enlighted public opinion, present and
( future, will determine now far the public policy 1 have
maintained, and the measures I have, from time to time
recommended, may have tended to advance or retard
: the public prosperity at home, ami to elevate or depress j
j the estimate of our national character abroad. j
Invoking the blessings of the. Almighty upon your j
; delilxirations at your present important session, my nr- •
1 dent hope is. that in a spirit of harmony and concord, 1
you may Ik.* guided to wise results, and such sis may re* !
j do'ind to the happiness, the honor, nnd the glory of our
j beloved country. JAMES K. POLK.
Washington, December s, 1815.
Postmaster General. —The report tit
this functionary will show that lids import,
ant branch of public service is in most ex.
cellent older. \Y hilst the foreign mail ser.
vice to Bremen was added to tho Depart,
mrnt, and tho expenses of the whole estab
lishment increased for the last three years,
tho income of the Department has been made
to meet the expenditures, which have been
so economized that the Postmaster General
will no doubt he able to recommend a still
further diminution in the rate of Postage.
The Department receives and expends
pends annually about §8,000.000 one half
of which represents the income, and the
other half the expenditures. The Depart
ment does this largo amount of business thro’
the aid of 16,150 agents, who, ns Postmas
ters throughout the. United Slates, collect
and expend this revenue. Yet so excellent
are the means provided for collecting and
disbursing this revenue, that out of tire sum
ol $8,000,000, not one third of one per cent,
is suspended, ora mill in a dollar lost.
[BUM ©Mil GDI Qffl ©© M TTd
From the N. O. Delta, Dec. 8.
The Gold Mines of California.
VVc yesterday had the pleasure of meeting
Mr. Joseph ft. Culling, who comes directly
I from the gold -nines in California, and has in
i hi- possession a quantity of die “precious met.
; at,” just as he dug it from die bowels of the
j earth in its native state. Mr. Cutting left San
j Francisco on the 11th of October. He took
the rote home via Mexico, and arrived hero yes.
j terday iu the. brig Titi, Capt. Radovich, from
Vera Cruz, tie very prudently, wc think, dis
posed of a considerable portion of his ore in
j Muza I lull, fearing too much the cupidity of the
i Mexican robbers to trust it to his person. Ev
erything was cpiiet iu California when Mr. C.
| left; Nothing was thought of, or talked of, but
| the gold region ; and almost all other business
I I Ii tin the lucrative one of gold-digging, was sus
s pended. The consequence of this state of
ddntis is, that the prices of all the necessaries
** high. Flour for instance,
principally brought li“iu Oregon,
Ktl a band; bad In mdv, from
HV* and for ordinary board, front
912 to §l6 a week were paid. So far as ex
. (dotations have been made, it has been ascer-
I tained that gold exists on both sides of the Sier-
I ra Neveda from 41° nor lii to so far south as the
head waters of the San Joaquin river, a dis
tance of four hundred miles in length, and one
hundred miles in breadth. The gold region al
ready discovered, it is estimated, is sufficiently
extensive) toigive profitable employmenttE 100,-
U()0 persons for generations to come. The ore
is in a virgin stale, disseminated in small par
cles, and is found in three distinct deposits—
sand and gravel beds, on decomposed granite,
and intermixed with a kind of slate, ft is gen
erally loitnd from immediately beneath the sur
face to a distance of four feet, and its position,
and the pure state in which it is found, is be
lieved to of a general volcanic er
ruption. -T Thegold region lies within about one
hundred or one hundred and forty miles of San
Francisco; it is about the same distance from
Monterey ; and the great majority ol the popu
lation of those two places, have cleared out, and
I ate busy as avarice and ambition can make
them, engaged in the pleasant labor of gold
finding. From November till March, embrac
ing the interval of the rainy season, but little
progress can be made in “digging;” so that any
enterprising young man, who woidd start now,
would be all in good time for the commence,
me tit of next year’s operations. Mr. Cutting is
rather an old, aud not a very strong man. Me
worked at the gold-finding for forty-two days.
Being regardful of his health, he chose the
“dry diggings” to operate in. In this time he
got over fifteen hundred dollars worth ore. It ;
is found easier and in larger quantities in the
“wet diggings;” but working in the latter is
more unhealthy. 11 is implements were, a pick
axe, a spade, a butcher’s knife, and a tin pan.
One individual found a solid piece of ore weigh
ing thirteen pounds. Surely this is literally the
“golden age.” The climate of California Mr.
Cutting describes as remarkably salubrious and
healthy, except on the Sacramento river, where
fever and ague to some extent prevail.
The N. 0. Crescent also contains a long ar
ticle, giving more details from which we clip the
following;
As it is found now, the gold is nearly in a pure
state. The specimens shown to us yesterday
by Mr. Cutting weighed from several grains to
two or three ounces. In some instances a few
quartz pebbles were scattered through the met
al, and in others the gold was deposited in pieces
of quartz. Mr. Cutting was at the mines only
forty days, and in that time gathered §ISOO, be
ing an average of §37 50 per day. Many, how
ever, make much more than this, and instances
are mentioned in which one person has found
from §ISOO to §IBOO.
Mr. Cutting has been in California a year.—
He went there for the purpose of testing the soil
and climate, with a view of returning for his
family if ho found them favorable to agricultural
pursuits. In these respects he speaks of the
country in the highest terms, and is satisfied
that notwithstanding the abundance of gold the
more substantial source of wealth is to be found
in the fertility and productiveness of the soil.—
In spite of this, however the whole population
has been seized with the mania for digging ; the
mariner has abandoned his ship, the blacksmith
his- anvil, the farmer his plough, and all are to
he seen busy night and day extracting the shin
ing ore from the bosom of the earth, The
consequence of this state of things is, that the
labor of tho country has become more power
ful than the capital—thus reversing the usual
order; and tho editor of tho Californian de
dares that he had to toss up with his devil to
decide which should split the firewood. Tho
total American population of the territory is es
timated at about 3000. Ofthis the greater num.
her is employed in the mines, where, including
1 1 Wt .vis, die re arc about 6000 persons at work,
‘flic g.d^^k^found by the latter class soon
passes into tnWßaris of the whites, as the In
dians are willing to sell it for almost any kind of
trinket, a little gunpowder or a hatchet, anti
they frequently give it for its weight in heads.—
This, however, will not be the ease long, as the
Indians will soon commence to know the value
of the article by the estimate the whites set upon
it.
Manufacture of Cotton in the South,
west.— An unusual degree of interest is felt just
now at the South and Southwest, in the manufac
j tore of cotton. The St. Louis Courier says that
n company of stockholders, residing in Kentucky,
1 Indiana, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi,
! have.organized • for the purpose of
I inantWcturing cotton, at Canneltnn, about 120
niijßjßfcplow Louisville. The facilities offered
j fey thlflocation are said to bo all that can be
asked—land is cheap and abundant, coal exists
i in exhaustless quantities, and there are existing
causes that serve to make Cannelton one of the
! greatest manufacturing points in the Western
j country, in many other things besides cotton. —
The capital stock of the company is §500,000.
of which, it is understood, §200,000 will now be
put to use, and 20 000 spindles will be started.
Mobile Register, 2 th.
Melancholy Fact. —A New York Journal
says there are thirty thousand persons, men and
women, in that city, at this time who either
cannot get any work lo do or are compelled to
do it at prices bordering on starvation. They
attribute this difficulty in a great measure to
those who seek employment. They seek to do
that which they are not capacitated for. The
inexperienced youth desires at once to he a
clerk in a store where he is only qualified to be
a porter. I'his may bo true iu many respects,
but co i tuiniy nut iu all.
From the N. O. Crescent, Dec. 8.
Mexico. —By the brig Titi, and the sc.hr. lone
we yesterday received papers from the City of
Mexico to the 25th ult.
On the 21et the Spanish Minister was to
have presented his credentials. The reception
would Tid madg with all due etiquette.
The Indians continue their ravages, and we
scarcely open a paper without finding accounts
of their depredations. From long impunity
they have become so bold that they approach
the largest cities without fear. El Monitor
mentions that they had arrived at Santa Rosa, a
place within two leagues of Queretaro, the
late temporary capital of the Republic.
On the 20th ult.. and express was received
at the city of Mexico, with information that the
celebrated bandit chief Elenterio Quiro, with
about three hundred of his hand, had salied out
from the Sierra of Augustin, and on the 14th
attacked the hacienda of Chicbemequllas, the
lifcutf whose owner (I). Manuel Marin) was on
ly saved by the prayers of a priest who promis
ed that S4OO should he paid as a ransom. The
robbers them proceeded to the ranch ofPeco.
lete, which they destroyed. At the hacienda
of Buena Vista they assassinated an officer
bis soi;. At the ranch of Los Ricos they mur
dereiDhe second Alcade, and committed many
olhfflßutrnges. As soon as Bustamcnte heard
of ‘jEij proceedings he despatched a military
foriVn the scene of action. The robbers then
lied iiA (hi.- impenetrable fastness of the moun
fcpbbcrios are more frequent on the
publichighway, and will undoubtedly increase
soon, as the roads are filled with travellers on
their way to the great annual fair. The news
papers teem with accounts of these outrages,
which it seems the Government either cannot
or will not repress. On the 17th three famous!
robbers were arrested on the Puebla road.—
They made a desperate resistance.
On the 12th Gen. Uraya had a fight with the
Indians in the State of Guanajuato. Three of
the sa'ages were killed six wounded, and more
i than seventy made prisoners.
The Government has prohibited the soldiers
| of the escorts, under severe penalties, from re
ceiving any compensation from individuals.—
They have been in the habit of asking rewards
from travellers which the latter were compell
ed to givd or submit to be robbed by the ban
ditti.
Cottun Bagging, and Cotton Interests.
Wo have received from the Richmond Fac
tory a specimen of Cotton Bagging, which we
consider superior to any article of the kind we
have ever seen. Objections have heretofore
existed to the use of cotton materials for bag
ging, in consequence of the insecurity such
bagging affords to cotton for distant ti ansporta
tion. The article to which we refer obviates
all such objections, as it is made so firm and
strong, that the best hemp bagging will not pro
bably Im more durable. We should be glad to
exhibit it to any one who may wish to inspect it.
Various advantages would bo afforded to grow
ers of cotton by tbe use of cotton bagging. The
most important one is, it would consume more
than a million of dollars of the crop annually,
and if made in the States where the staple is,
would add vastly to their wealth and prosperity.
But we want time and room for discantiug up
on this subject in this morning paper. We
shall recur to it again. The Richmond Fac
tory Company propose to manufacture cotton
Into baggfhg ut tbur cents poT pound, the cot
ton being furnished by the planters, and deliv
ered at the Factory. They will receive the
most inferior quality of cotton, if free from sand
aud dirt. This is is a very liberal offer, and
we hope to see it followed by every Factory iu
the State and South.
Planters by furnishing their inferior cottons
to factories, could receive an excellent article
of bagging, atacost ofless than half that which
they are now paying for the western and for
eign article. These inferior grades answer as
well for bagging as better qualities, and by be
ing withdrawn from the foreign markets, would
add to the price of-the better qualities. These
inferior cottons always encumber the markets j
and detract from the value of those which are j
better. We shall recur to this subject in a few (
days, when we shall have more time and room
to do justice toil. As the Richmond Factory
is making the liberal offer to which we have
referred, we hope that those within reach will
avail themselves of it for their own and the gen
eral good.— Augusta Republic.
Western am> Atlantic Railroad.— The
able report of the Chief Engineer, exhibiting the
condition and future prospects of this noble en
terprise, will be fo.:nd in our columns to-day. It
will ho seen that the receipts of the Road arc
constantly increasing ; that the Engineer upon
that portion of it already completed, is substitu
ting embankments for bridges that never should
have been erected ; and that the day is not dis
tant when the entire route to the Tennessee riv
er will be finished. Not till then, indeed not un
til the contemplated railways in Tennessee
which arc to connect with it shall be in operation,
will this splendid monument of Georgia’s enter
prise fully realize the expectations of its projec
tors. When these tributaries shall be opened i
and pour forth the immense resources of the !
West, the amount of travel and produce, and
hack freights that will then pass over the State i
road, none now are able to estimate. We con
gratulate the people of Georgia upon the fiivora- j
bio condition of the work as exhibited by the re.
port, and more especially that the day is near at j
hand, when a portion at least, of the immense ;
amount expended on this enterprise will be re
turned to the coffers of the State.— Fed. Union.
From the report of the Superintendent of trans
portation we learn that the gross income of the
Road for tho year ending Sept. 30, is §115,585,-
30, and the current expenditures for tho same j
period amount to §52.022 91—which shows a
balance of §53,502 30, being an increase of
§15,755 46 over the reported profits of the pre
ceding year.— Ed. Georgian.
Rehuildino ok the Templb.— The Jews,
both here and in Europe, arc just now making
great efforts to raise subscriptions for the re
building of the Temple of Jerusalem—permis
sion to that eflect having recently been given
them by the Turkish Government. The sub.
ject has been in agitation in this city oflate.and
at the Hebrew Festival tho other evening, at
the Coliseum, it was prominently discussed.—
Among the guests there not mentioned in our
report of proceedings, was a Greek Rabbi, who
comes hero specially commissioned to rcccivo
money for the enterprise in question ; aud we
are told his errand, thus fur, has been pretty lib
erally rewarded. Tho Rubbi goes, next, South,
we me told, and, before going back to Europe,
will visit the Eastern Stales.—.V. }’. JJ rpres*.
[Correspondence of lire Georgia Telegraph.]
Washington, Dec. 5, 1848. <{
The President’s message in the House occu- ,
pied two hours and a quarter in the reading.— ;
Mr. Stephens and Mr. Haskell endeavored to
dispense with this, but a fellow whig, Mr. Y in- j
ton, reminded them that it never before was j
done, and that to acquiesce in the suggestion j
would be deemed disrespectful. Altogether, <
twenty.five thousand copies of the message and
the accompanying documents were ordered to j
be printed.
Mr. Greely, the editor of the New York .
Tribune is an oddity. In New York, he was i
| frequently seen with a shoe on one foot and a
| boot on the other, his pantaloons up nearly to ;
! his knees ; with an old slouch hat and a coarse
| white coat, he looked more like a long-coach
j man than an editor of one ot the best edited pa
! pers in the country. Yesterday, he made his
appearance in the Hall as a representative from
the city of New York. Before coming here, he i
rigged himself in more becoming attire. To- i
day he gave notice of his intention to introduce
| a bill to discourage speculations in the public
\ lands and to assist the actual settlers to procure
homesteads of their own. With all his eccen
tricities and vagaries,and political monstrosities,
jheis a benevolent man. He was formerly a
I journeyman printer.
A Model Govbknoh’r Message.—Gover
nor Williams comprises all he has to say to the
New Hampshire Legislature in u short newspa
per column, confining himself entirely Tn State ;
affairs. He chiefly reccommcnds an increase
of pay to the judiciary—county boards to prom
ote agriculture : the improvement of common
schools, &c.
A Long-expected Event. —The Baton
Jlougc Democratic Advocate, of Wednesday,
Contains the following highly interesting para
graph, which proves that lor once Madame Ru
mor had got hold of the right story, lien. Tay
lor must be a happy man. No sooner is he e
lected President of the United States, the crown
iug distinction of his life, than Bliss crowns the
marriage of his only daughter.—.Y .o.Delta, 0/A.
Married—On Tuesdny evening, sl!i Dec. 1848, liv file
Kev. John Burke, of Baton linage. Cut. William Wal
lace Smith Bliss of the U. S. Arinv, tn Miss Kliza
seth, daughter of Major General Zachary Tajkor, Pres
ident Fleet of the United States.
MUSCOGEE DEMOCRAT,
BY L. F. W. ANDREWS.
An little government an postilde; that little emanating
from and controlled by the People,and uniform
in its application to all.”
Columbus, Thursday, Deo. 14, ISIS.
Cotton Market. —The receipts this week hare
been heavy, and a brisk business doing. Prices this
morning range from 1} to 5; principal sales, 4{ to4j.
To Correspondents. —•'April Vacation” accept
ed ; will appear as soon as other miscellany, already
in type, is disposed of.
“ Ajotos” exhibits some poetic talent; a large part
of his production would adorn the pages of his lady's
album, but will hardly suit the pub! ic taste. We
should be pleased to hear from him on subjects less
trite than the one new furnished.
“ One who is Taxed,” received, but. too late for
this issue; will appear in our next.
Though this is a document of exceeding vAlumi
nousness, yet we are sure, that no intelligent reader
will regret the time bestowed, in its careful perusal.
Apart from the general interest of Executive mes
sages, wherein the state of the country is briefly pre
sented to the nation from its official head, und the
line of policy of the existing administration is distinct
ly marked out., this last annual message of President
Polk is worthy of special consideration and approval,
by every true-hearted man and patriot, on account of
the clear and profound exposition of the true princi
ples of constitutional and republican government
which is therein set forth, with an ability never sur
passed, and which we do not expect to see even ap
proximated, until after the next four years at least
have passed into oblivion. This is saying a good
deal, but despite of some prejudices which we have
entertained against Mr. Polk, we would be wanting
in justice and candor did we not give him the fullest
credit for the masterly State paper which he has just
laid before the assembled wisdom of the nation. The
Democracy, of course, will read it. and we trust also
that many Whigs, who have heretofore been led to
believe that no good thing can come out of our polit
ical Nazareth, may be induced, with prayerful hearts,
to peruse this document and profit by its sound and
conservative teachings.
Slavery Question.
It is given out, that the present session of Congress
will settle the question of Slavery, as applied to the
Territories, by a compromise between the Northern
and Southern democratic Senators—the project being
already suggested by Mr. Douglass, of admitting
California at once, as a Slah . into the Union ! We
that the present Congress will let that subject
alone. “ Hands off,” gentlemen, and let the next ad
ministration wriggle itself, as best it may, out of the
dilemma into which it has placed itself, prospectively,
by the tico-fiiccdness of ‘‘old Zach” on that question.
We would like to see Gen. Taylor settle that ques
tion, to the satisfaction of Northern and Southern
Whigs—we would ! On him and his partisans rests
that res;* nsibility, and we are quite willing they
should meet it and abide the consequences incident
thereto, whether prosperous or adverse.
Our friend A. G. Ware, of the Mountain Eagle,
passed through this place Bth inst. on his way to
Washington, having been selected by the Electors of
Georgia as tho bearer of the vote of this State.
[Si/r. Republican.
“To victors belong the spoils,” and the “ Eagle ” j
man has thus already got a “ sop in the pan ” —a full |
recompense, doubtless, for all his patriotic exertions ‘
in behalf of “old Zach.” The amount of his share ‘
of the spoils, may be set down at throe or four hun
dred dollars, which, considering the service ren
dered, may deemed first rate pay! Lucky 4 fellow
this Editor, to get the quid pm quo, so soon, before
the swarming of the whole hive takes place on the
4th of March next,at Washington !
Gen. Taylor's Route. —Gen. Taylor will take the j
route up the Mississippi River to Washington, call
ing by the way, at Nashville and on Mr. Crittenden. |
as lie passes through Kentucky. The latter named,
gentleman and Mr. Bell of Tenn., it is believed, out !
west, will be called to tho new Cabinet.
Thanksgiving. —Gov. Towns has set apart,
by Proclamation, the 25th inst, ns it day of;
Thanksgiving and prayer—by tho people of!
this commonwealth. i
Killing at Baton Rogue.— On Monday last,
Dr. EdvvardSkilhnan, 4 of Opelousas, entered the office
of Dr. J. G. Byrd at Baton Rogue, and fired at him.
A fight ensued, when Byrd killed Skillmaa, by
wounding him in the right breast below the fifth rib,
cutting through the cartilage and the lobe of the
lungs. He died in half an hour after receiving the
wound. Byrd received three wounds, one of them
severe. It said that he acted in self-defence.
[A r . O. Picayune.
The last sentence of this extract conveys a wrong
impression of the facts of this case. “Ife who Is
said to have acted in self-defence,” was the villain
who seduced the sister of the deceased, under prom
ise of marriage, and who, on being called on to make
the only atonement in his power—that of marrying
his victim—scornfully refused so to do. Hence the
recontre between him and the brother of the young
lady, and the death of the brother in the fruitless at
tempt to avenge her wrongs !
Dr. Byrd has therefore to answer for the double
crime of seduction and murder—whereby the do
ineatic peace of two families has been forever blight
ed—that of the elder Skilhimn, whose daughter has
been dishonored and his son killed, and that of the
deceased, who leaves a w ife and child to mourn their
loss of a husband and father!
These are the facts as stated to the Editor of this
paper, by a respectable gentleman wilbwas in Baton
Rogue at the time of the difficulty—and terves tt>
show how often the black-hearted seducer of female
innocence may not only triumph iu his villainy, but
be excused even for consequent murder on the score
of ‘ ‘self-defence ”!
Gen. Taylor's Position. —We really have but little
better opinion of Gen. Taylor’s consistency now,
than we had before his election. It will be recollect
ed that that the General once said that Mr. Fillmore
was an “eminent statesman of sound conservative
principles,” when he knew that Fillmore had repeat-
I edly voted for northern interference with the ques
’ Jion of slavery. Now if this was the conduct of a
statesman of sound principles, what rule of consis
| tency dictates the following as the principles that
are to govern Gen. Taylor's course on the sameques
! tion ?
Natchez, Nov. 15, 1848.
j llon. A. G. Brown.— Dear Sir: As all parties
j concede that Gen. Taylor is elected President, 1 has
-1 ten to inform you that he has thrown oil'all disguise,
| and conceals no opinion.
• S. 18. Boyd, whom you know to be radical on the
| slavery question, ami who says that Stephens’ post
j lion is absurd, called Bingaman and myself one-side
j yesterday, and told us that he,had that day spent some
hours with Gen. Taylor, and that he was all right or>
the points, and, without speaking of the territories,
| the old gentleman distinctly and earnestly declared
| that when the North attempted to interfere with the
j slave question, he was for drawing the su ord and
throwing auay the scabbard!
I He will go with the free .States on the tariff and
internal improvement questions, and with the slave
J States on the free soil question.
F. L. Claiborne.”
South-Western Railroad. —Thirty-five miles of
j this road are under contract—twelve miles of grading
i completed and the larger portion of the masonry bo
tween Macon and Flint river finished. “ The Board
(says the Messenger.) will no doubt, at. its next
meeting order the road to be put under contract from
Fort Valley to Flint River.”
Cholera in New York. —There were nineteen
cases of Chelcra on board a vessel which reached
New York, lately, from Havre. Seven died on the
passage and three, since, at the quarantine ground.
One case has been telegraphed as being in the city.
A* this disease generally begitw -.vith diarrhea, it will
be pendent for the people to be prepared, in season,
for the emergency that may soon be upon them. By
early attention to the premonitory symptoms, the dis
ease can easily be managed.
Telegraphed lor I tic Savannah Georgian.
Later from Europe!
At a lute hour last night we received a Tel.
I (/graphic despatch, from our Charleston cortes.
pondent, announcing the arrival of tlie steamer
Brittanuia at Boston, giving us some items of
foreign intelligence brought by her.
The price of middling fair Cotton in the Liv
erpool market is reported to be a little better
while fair remains without change.
Baring’s circular quotes Corn at 30 to 325.,
being a decline of 4to ss. Corn .Meal 16<.
6d. to 17s. ; large barrels 36 to 275., kegs 40
to 12s. Rice is quiet—previous quotations are
barely sustained. Turpentine dull at 32*. 6d.
Sales of Breadstuff# are limited, with a down
ward tendency.
The late of per centage and discount at the
I Bank of England remains about the same. The
operations iu the Amercan loan hat e assisted to
keep exchange at its par value.
The French papers regard the result of the
Presidential election as doubtful. It is said that
it rests between Gen. Cavaignac and Louis Na
il polcon.
In Ireland depression, misery, poverty and
starvation exists to an alarming extent among
the poor. The country continues tranquil.—
! There was no political or other news ofimpor.
i tance. It was thought that the lives ofthe State
prisoners would he spared
Denmark still insists on the dissolution of tho
government of Schleswig Holstein.
In Spain the Queen's troops have gained a
battle at Arragon, dispersing the insurgents into
Italy.
1 he Austrians maintain their position in Lom
bardy. Charles Albert has given up the idea
of renewing the war.
The Cholera still rages in Constantinople.
In England the number of deaths by this disease
amounts to five hundred and thirteen.
It is said that it Bonaparte is defeated a dread,
ful conflict is anticipated.
Money in London is said to be extremely a*
bundant, and the funds were advancing.
With regard to the prices of Cotton i* Liv.
erpool, our despatch is very imperfect. It
says—‘Cotton, Upland, Mobile, fair Orleans
4 1-B.’
In the New-York market on Thursday, fair
Upland Cotton was quoted at 6 3-9, and fair Mo.
bile and Orleans 6 7-8. Market very firm, with
an upward tendency.
The Cholera in New York does not spread
except among the passengers at the quaran.
tine.
Three more deaths oecurred'nn Thursda.y
making ten since the arrival of the ship with
tho nineteen cases. This city is still ex.
ompt from the disease, hut the. influenza prc.
vails.
The death of the Hon. Dixon 11. Lewis, has
boon announced in Congress, and nftor the a.
doption ofthe usual resolutions, both houses ad.
journed,
