Newspaper Page Text
the shaker village,
[Correspondence of the N. Y. Herald ]
Shaker Vu.lage, >
New Lebanon. June 1, 1853. )
Shake rism—Origin of the Society—Village of
Lebanon—Government—Mode ot Admitting
Members— Neatness of the Shakers— Visa from
the S'sters Sympathy with the Spiritual Rap
perites.
I wish I could bottle up and send down to you
a couple ot dozen oi this fresh, sweet, morning
mountain air, as I might Congress or Empire
spring water, that you might get an inhalation
of the atmospheie which God erea'ed in its puri
ty. and before it has been poisoned by a mix
ture with dead hogs, garbage, and New York
street.'mud and filth. Besides its natuial purity
this Shaker a ris sweetened with the scent ot
hawthorn blossoms from the garden hedges, and
of apple and peach blows from the orchards ;
and beside all the cleanliness anu neatness around
ad ‘s new virtues to it, and makes it relreshing
and enlivening. But. as 1 cannot do this I will
endeavor to give you some ideaol Ihe village and
its inhabitants, among whom I am now en
joying a few days sojourn. Trie fust organiza
tion ot Shakers in this country was at Water-
vliet in this State, a lew miles from Troy. Moth
er Ann Lee and a lew followers, driven by per
secution from England, came to Ameiicato seek
the enjoyments of the leligious rights denied
them there, arm in the year 177 C founded their
little settlement at Watervliet. Ann Lee, the
founder of the sect of Shakers, was born in
Manchester. England, in the year 1730 In
1704. some of the French prophets who sprung
Up and formed societies in Dauphiny and Viv
arais in France, and who were a strange peo
ple, professing to hold communion with angels
and spirits, went over to England, and soon at
tracted some two or three hundred peisons to
their doctrine. Among tnese were James and j
Jane Wardley. who lived near Manchester.
1 heir mode of worship was peculiar. They |
thought God would show them the way, and 1
Would sit tor hours without moving a limb,
when they would commence whirling and trerri- ,
bling. with violent agitation of the body, and
Would run and leap with joy. From these ex
ercises they were termed " Shakers,” and they
believed that a new dispensation was at hand
In 175 S M ither Arm became acquainted with ;
these people, and joined them. They held to a
‘confession, openly, ot every sin they hail ever j
committed, and to a full and final cross against ,
all evil.” [n 1770 Mother Ann professed to
receive a revelation after nine years of trouble
and anguish. This revelation revealed to her
God’s will to dispense, through her, his power
over sin, and she believe I that, Christ had taken
possession of her, and was soon acknowledged
as the spiritual mother oi the church. She came [
as before stated, to America, and organized here
the fi st community of Shakers.
They now number eighteen societies, in seven
different States of the Union, and have about
lour thousand members.
The village of New Lebanon, established in
1788, inhabited entirely by the Shakers, con
tains about forty houses and workshops. The
population is about five hundred, divided into
eight different “ families.” These families are
distinct from each other to a very great extent.,
ea h one having their boundaries of land, and
each pursuing such a course of labor as seems
best to them. Though all their property is held
as the common stock of the societv, each one of
these families exercise a control over iis own
temporal affairs, and keeps a separate account of
its receipts and exoeriditures. The families are
but a short distance apart, each one occupying
two or three large houses. The village being
about a mile in extent, here they pursue ;heir
labors and live their harmless, peaceful lives.
The Society of Shakers is essentially a re
ligious organ zation, and nothing but a stiict re
ligious tie could ever have thus bound them
together and made them prosper as they have
done. Thoir rel igious government is a very I
strict one. At the head of each society is what
is called a “ ministry,” consisting of two males
and two females. These are the spiritual head
of the society, and give the laws and regulations
which govern and temporal affairs
Each family ha«!t its head four elders—two
d
ho. in comieSfitTi with four
. ~.?—Sth«_afr.iii.s of th<Vfamily, being
responsible to the ministry. These elders and
deacons are generally selected from the more
members of the society, and pos
sess over their families an almost supreme pow- j
er ; their word is law, and none dispute it. They
do not, however, seem to be required to exer
cise any great degree of arbitary authority, as
the religious bond of union between this people
leads them to respect and obey their spiritual
heads. Th- ministry and elders are in the con
stant receipt, of revelations which govern their
ac'ions to a great extent. It would be impos
sible, without this strict power, that a communi
ty organized as this is should long remain intact,
and they have found that order and regularity
exist in their highest state where implicit obe
dience is rendered. The Socity of Shakers have
never used any ol their power and wealth lor
the purpose of making proselytes, and those
who j >in them are expected to do so voluntarily.
When persons desire to join them, they are in
vited to visit them for a while, when the prin
ciples of the society are explained to them, and
its practice exhibited. If he concludes to unite
with the society, he is required to be entirely
free from debt, and no person who h*s abandon
ed his wife or her husband unless they are sep
arated by law or bv mutual agreement, can be
come a member. Children not taken into the
society must also be provided for before a parent
can become united with the society. The ap
plicant being convinced of the truth of the laith,
makes an open confession o! his sins to the. el
ders. and is received upon a kind of probation.
He is • ot. upon bting t l us admitted, required to
give up his property ; but after becoming satis
fied that he will continue to remain with the
society, is expected to sign a covenant, wherein
he agrees to consecrate his time and labor to the
good of the society, and givi g up ail future
legal claim and his property to the society. An
inventory ol bis property is however taken, and
in case he be mines dissatisfied and wishes to
leave it is returned to him. It would be sup
posed that under an arrangement of this nature
legal difficulties would grow up ; but it is said
that during a period of more than seventy years
not one legal claim has been entered by any one
for the recovery of property brought into the
society, nil claims having been settled amicably «
between the parties- Minors are not received
— ~ as covenant members, but are taken under the 1
care of the society, and when they arrive at age 1
can, it they choose, sign the covenant. Chil
dren are taken by the society as apprentices, and
taught either a trade or set at work upon the
farm, and brought up in the principles of the
society. In the village of New Lebanon the
males and lemales are about equally divided,and
about one halt of either sex aie minors. The
property of the whole community is held in
common, and no individual member is allowed
to possess any greater claim to any portion of it
than another, it being all in the nandsot trustees
appointed by the ministry. I have thought
it proper thus to give you a short history of the
origin and government of this singular people,
that you might better comprehend some of their
distinguishing peculiarities
The " people of the world,” as they denomi
nate all outsiders, might well learn some valua
ble lessons Irom the Shakers. They are the
most perfect, patterns of neatness and order that
the world probably ever produced. Their vil
lage is I' cated upon the slope ol a range of hills
overlooking the beautiful valley oi Lebanon, in
which tall poplars and sugar maple trees are
spread over as fine a land scape as the eye could
wish to rest upon. Their houses are principally
of wood, painted yellow, and look as clean ami
n-at outside as though they ha l just been taken
out of boxes. The interior arrangements are
quite as neat. Pathsstrewed with tan or laid
with, dag stones lead to all the doors, and at
every entrance is hung a corn broom, with
which each brother and sister is expected to re
move the mud and dirt from their feet before
entering Every door has a mat laid in front of
ft. and the floors of the room generally laid of
pitch pine are polished and shining as marble
Around the walls ot all the r oms are pegs, on
: wh'ch the hats arid bonnets of the brethren and
sisters are bung, and neat spittoons, filled with
I sawdust, and almost too pretty to spit in, are
! placed upon the floors. Even'the neat flag bot
ilom chairs which they use, when not in service
j B , rH hml g "Pon the pegs around the walls Their
; sleeping rooms and beds are kept with the most
I scrupulous regard to neatness, their linen being
|as white as the driven snow. Their kitchens
and washhouses are as clean and nice as pallors
: and they seem fully to understand and practice
i upon the motto, “ a place for everything and
i everything in its place.” Their gardens and
j orchards are surrounded by neat fences, hedges,
\or stone walls. There is also much regularity
: and order as there is neatness. At halt past
four o’clock the bell rings for them to rise. They j
j then pursue their usual avocations till six, when j
a horn is sounded lor breakfast, to which each
j family sits down in one room at long tables, the j
: males and females being seated at separate j
! tables. They then go again to their labors till
| noon, when the horn is again sounded, when ;
! they come in to dinner: after which they Work ;
! till about six o’clock in the afternoon.
In addition to their public meeting on Sunday I
! they usually hold family meetings during the j
week. I attended one oft! ese last evening.
when the same routine of singing, speaking and
dancing, as that which I described on Sunday,
was followed out; but a little incident occurred
that 1 had not witnessed before. During the
cessation of dancing for a few minutes, one of
the sisters, a tall, good-looking female, about
i thirty years of age. as straight as a lath and as
j frigid-looking as a icicle, started from her place
:in the ranks, and, going into the centre of the
j room, suddenly commenced spinning round like
I a humming top. Her head soon began to jerk
I to and fro.au ecstatic gleam seemed to light "H
| her countenance, and as the air filled her nether j
| garments, and inflated them like a balloon, she |
| continued this wild, whirling motion, occasion- j
; ally winding in a mazy flight through the ranks i
! of the brethren and sisters. This contiuned
j lor about ten minutes, during which time she j
was whirling as rapidly as a spinning wheel. *
when entirely exhausted she leaned up against |
one of the sisters and soon was busily engaged!
again in the enlivening Shaker dance. Such j
performances as this, are very common amongst
these people, and the recipients of these “ gifts” J
are looked upon as being favored above others j
by spiritual existences, who during these strange !
scenes are supposed to take possession of their j
bodies. At another time one of the females
commenced speaking in a tongue which seemed j
a compound ro all known and unknown lan- !
guages, and having enlightened the audience 1
with what doubtless, if understood, would have j
been a very eloquent discourse she ceased. They I
have amongst them here a female who is regard- j
ed as possessing the gift of prophery, and she is j
consulted when any important matter is to be j
undertaken.
I received to day a visit of the sis- |
ters, one of them a very bright intelligent look- \
irig girl of about twenty-five, who has been i
brought up among these people, and who, like a I
vestal virgin as she probably is, has devoted her
life to what she considers a sacred cause. They I
seemed very well infirmed upon matters going j
on in the world, and were particularly interested
in the spiritual rappings and tippings. They
think that these things are tendings to Shaker
ism, and expect ere long to receive large acces
sions from the ranks of the Spiritualists. So it
is not at all unlikely that some future visiter here
will see the Hon. Judge Edmonds, and Mr Tal
nr.adge with th“ir coats off, and their hair brush
ed back, sweating, and puffing, and shaking, in
the wild excitement of the Shaker dance.
Yours, E. G. B.
Georgia and Alabama at the World’s Fair.
It has been announced that the Crystal Palace
in New York will be formally opened on the
15th July. From what we gather Irom the
papers, the exhibition is likely to be one that
will reflect credit on the country at large. We
are pleased to learn that Georgia agriculture, j
manufactures, and arts will be worthily repre-j
sented there.
A letter from a friend informs us, that the en- j
tpinrising and public spirited proprietors .of she \
" Winteif | ro n Montgomery, Afabarna. j
will also Sue m.r State is noi over- l
looked in the great exhibition. At these works, j
so justly celebrated for their superior engines]
and machinery, a model engine, called the j
I “ Southern Belle,” has been built, which is thus i
spoken of by the Montgomery Times of the 23d |
inst. The editor says—
‘ In the style, finish, proportions and material ]
of the Southern Belle,” proper, can be approach
ed hv anything moulded or formed hy the hand
of man. it is the beautiful engine bearing this
siihroquet, manufactured by the “Winter Iron
Works,” for the World’s Fair, and exhibited to
otrt citizens at the Factory ott Saturday last,
preparatory to its journey to New York. It j
will take a more practical pen than ours to de
scribe the clief-demvre of Southern mechanism,
but in general terms we hesitate not to say, that
not only does it surpass any piece of large ma
chinery that we have ever seen, but transcends
in beauty of design, perfection of finish and a tout
ensemble, any thing that we “ have ever dreamed
of in our philosophy.” We expected something
bordering upon the superb, when we learned that
the proprietors of the “ Winter Iron Works”
were aiming to contest the palm with our Yan
kee brethren in the Mechanic arts, but we con
fess we did not expect to see a Stationary Engine
of forty-horse power, with the finish of a patent ]
lever watch, with the brass resembling Gold. I
and Alabama Iron resembling English steel !
But such is the tact, and Yankees must look to j
their lauiels ! ! !
“Most of the material was gathered from the j
bowels of our mother earth, in Shelby and Ben J
ton counties, the design and execution through
out a r e entire, the work of Montgomery artists
and mechanics, even to the carving of the g!ori
ons American Eagle.which surmounts the whole, j
viewing with pride the efforts of Southern j
genius, and ready to battle for Southern mechani
cal triumph.”
“ If beauty of design, quality of material and
perfection of fin ish is to decide the question of
who is entitled to the first prize, the Yankees
can take‘out hat’if they beat the “Southern
Belle—That/s all.”
The above engine was shipped to this city
on its way to New York on Wednesday last.
The route via Savannah was selected as the
cheapest, and best, and the “ Southern Belle”
will go from our port to New York on one of
our steamers, probably the Florida, next Satur
day.— Savannah News. 29/.li inst
Alabama Manufacturks. — We had the
pleasure, a few days since, of examining, for a
brief moment, a splendid specimen of a Steam
Engine at the Iron Works of this city, and de
signed for the approaching National and World's
Fair, at New Y rk. It is termed the “South
ern Belle,” and is of about forty horse power
We have never seen any machine of the nature
approaching it in accuracy of design or excel
lence ol linish. It would be an ornament in
the drawing room or boudoir, such is the ele
gance and polish of its workmanship. All its
iron ami steel work is of native Alabama mate
rial. The Northern machinists must look well
to their laurels, if they expect to maintain them
against this unparalleled and beautiful offspring
of the South.
The Engine went on yeste day under tlm
charge of our cotemporary Beattie, of the Times,
"'bo is qualified to do it justice. —Montgomery
(Jlla ) Journal
Ihe word “ Tariff” is taken from a fortress
which, is situated on the Straits of Gibraltar, a
promonitory which, from its position, is adapted
tor commanding the entrance of the Mediterra
nean Sea, and watching the exit and entrance
•f all ships. It was the custom of the Moors to
watch from this poiut all merchant ships going
into or coming out of the Midland Sea, and is
suing from this stronghold, to levy a certain fixed
scale of duty on all merchandize passing in and
out, of the Straits, and this was called, from the
place where it was levied, “ tarifa,” or “ tariff,”
and in this way we have acquired the word.
[From the Chronicle <§• Sentinel.]
The Anti-Liquor Law Movement.
Mr. Editor: —Mv article upon the above
subject which you published last week, I notice
has elicited some little attention from the public.
That, on the one hand, in some places, the friends
of temperance reformation, by legislation, are so
| shaping their course as to obviate the constifu
j tional difficulty therein expressed—arid, on the
! other, your coirespondent, “A Member of the
Atlanta Convention,” joins issue with me in
what he considers an important fact connected
with the action of that Convention.
But before I proceed to reply to the communi
cation of “ A Member. &e,” which I propose to
do in as brief a snaee as possible, permit me to
savthat I hail with pleasure the course adopted
by th e people of the county of Newton, on the
j 7th inst.. as communicated to you by a corres
j pnndent of the same assumed name. For although
j I view with distrust any movement which
j looks to legislation as the great agent ot reforma*
j tion in the temperance cause, yet I profess to be
j a friend to such reformation, and wish that, if
there is a resort to legal enactments upon this
j subject, the advocates of such measure may be
| untrammeled by constitutional barriers; since
| past, experience and present observation teach
j us, that the unpopularity of such a law with a
i great number of our people, and consequently.
| its probable impolicy, will present obstacles
! enough to oppose its faithful execution without j
1 anv other impediments.
But [ will now proceed to notice the article of
| A Member ot the Atlanta Convention.” In it
| is displayed considerable tact in repelling an ar
! gument. and much ingenuity in collecting
i authorities. But on close examination it will
| be discovered that his positions are more specioits
i fhan sound; his arguments more plausible than
j true. First, we differ upon what he deems an
| important Tot. He says, “we propose that the
I Legislature pass a law prohibiting the retail of
ißrdent spirits, except upon the condition that a
j majority of all the legal voters of the county or
i district give their assent to it.” On the other
j hand, I suppose that the Atlanta Convention
proposed to petition the Legislature simply to
j abolish th* existing bcense laws, and permit by
a lawffhe people in their respective counties to
i decide by vote whether or not they were wil
j ling for ardent spirits to be retailed, and to fix a
' penalty in that law’ for the violation of a will of J
j the majority, if they were opposed to retailing, j
j Now the only difference is, in the former case j
I they cannot retail unless a majority grant them i
j permission—in the latter case they can retail.
| unless a majority prohibit them. Now it seems
to me that the distinction is rather too nice and
metaphysical for any practical purpose. But as
j " A Member. &c.” seems to attach some impor-
I tance to the distinction, and thinks that I have
i mistaken the main fact upon which my svllo-
I gism. as he terms it, rests, and thereby rather j
| yields a tacit assent to the correctness of my j
j conclusion, were the state of facts as I assume j
I them to be, let us see who is right in point of j
j tact. Below I give all of the Atlanta resolu- ;
i tions that will tend to elucidate this point, f hey I
] propose “to petition the next General Assemb'y
i of the State—First, to pass a law embracing all
: necessary regulations for authorizing the legal j
j voters of each county to decide by vote whether i
j retail traffic in spirituous liquors may be allowed
or shall be prohibited, within their respective
! counties.
Secondly.—To make effective the popular
i voice thus expressed, and to extirpate the retail
! traffic, however it may he disguised, by ordain
j ing that no traffic in spirituous liquors shall be
allowed, except with license, and that no licens
shall he issued until the licensing power is sat
isfied that a majority of the legal voters within
the Militia District where the traffic is allowed,
consent to such traffic.” Now, the first clause
of this resolution seems to me incompatible with
any other idea than that the people themselves
have to decide the question by vote against the
privilege before any one can he restrained from
retailing spirituous liquors On the other hand,
candor constrains me to admit, that the second
clause of the resolution seems to favor the other
idea, that the law of the legislature is to impose
the restraint, subject, however, to removal by
the people. Hence, when I first read the pro
ceedings of the Convention. I was at a loss to
know precisely, what they meant. But contem
poraneous and subsequent i construction led jme [
to the meaning deqlicible from Uhe ,^, s '
cla'—e of their first main reSOTtnton. And T will
j here assert that in all Ihe conversation I have
I hpard from those w’ho were delegates to that
| Convention, in all the speeches to which I have
| listened explaining the objects of that Ccnven
} tion. and in all the newspaper articles I have
| read advocating the proposed measures, my con- j
! strnction of the resolutions had been advocated, i
! ami for the first time within my knowledge, j
‘A Member of the Atlanta Convention” broaches |
this new idea.
But I will take him upon his own construction,
j and see if his position is tenable. He proposes
| for the Legislature to pass a law prohibiting the
J retail of ardent spirits, subject, however to the
exception, that If the people in any county, by a
major'ty properly expressed, wish it, the prohibi
tion may be removed. His idea, then, is that it
| is a law independent of any action of the people
l Well, let us see. If the people lie still, do n»t
J move in the matter, or, if you please, remain
passive, it is a living law upon the statute book,
with all the force and efficacy of any other law.
But if a majority of the people, in any county,
move and decide by vote, that they wish their
| natural rights to retail to be restored, then this
I independent, absolute law becomes very dejtcndent
i and altogether conditional. Does it not do more ?
Does it not become a dead letter upon the statute
I book, so far as that particular county is concern
!ed ? Most assuredly Then the force, the effi
| ciencv. the very soul of the law depend upon the
j hare fact whether the people will vote" license”
I on the one hand, or on the other, “ no license,”
jor not vote at all. In other words, this new
fangled idea of a law proposed by l ' a Member
&c” is to be a sickly bantling of the Legislature,
capable of living in seclusion from popular con
j tact, but liable to be killed by the first breath of
j popular enmity. Its life is in the hands ot the
people, independent of Legislature ; —its death
I can be procured at any moment. Does this
answer the definition ot a law ? Let us test it
bv authority. “ Law is a rule of action.” Judge
Btackstone says” it is a rule ; not a transient,
sudden order from a superior to or concerning a
particular person ; but someting permanent, uni
form. and universal &c.” Now what permanency,
uniformity, or universality can be ascribed to this
so called law, until the people confirm it, or in
other words, render i’ permanent, by their tacit
assent in refraining from voting it down, or by a
majority sustaining it by vote ? None in the
world. It is just precisely unstable, and as far
from being permanent as the whims of the popu
lace, until, by their breath, they put it beyond
their reach. The conclusion, then, seems to me
irresistible, that the great fundamental element j
which is required to constitute this a law. is in- j
corporated into it the next annual election, :
| at the polls, after it has received its first incipient, j
and unfinished touches from the hands of the ;
Legislature, (n other words it does not become a
law, technically so called, unon its passage in the
Legislature, but it does, upon its confirmation at
the ballot box. Now if it is a law of binding
force, before the annual election, “A Member
&c” must admit that at that election, a majority
of the people can. at least in effect, repeal it Now
I presu ne. he will not like that term. I will
then express it thus—a majority can decide that
it shall have no binding force upon them. But
this would be mere quibbling upon the part ol
my opponent, as it would amount to the same
thing in effect. I return, then, with confidence,
to the argument as stated in my former com
munication, in a very si ort compass, varied a
very little to suit the objections of “ A Member
&c.” “ Legislative power is the power to pass
laws. Law is a rule ot action, as contradistin
guished from an ordinance or regulation which is
unstable, and dependent for its existence upon
popular favor. Man has the natural right to re
tail liquor, no one denies. Any rule , therefore
which restrains that right isa law, and is neces
sarily created by legislative power. Therefore,
; if any regulation, restraining this natural right,
depends upon the will of a majority ofthe people
lor its permanence and efficiency, it becomes a
rule and consequently a law, when that will is
manifested either by tacit assent or public de
. rnonstrution and not ( before, and they exercise le
gislative power in thus manifesting their will.”
(pit I am referred by “ A Member, &c ” to
. thq law regulating the licensing Physicians in
, this State, as being analagous to the one under
discussion. He says that law has been before
, our Supreme Court, and its constitutionality
. was not called in question. He says, al-o, that
lam a lawyer. Well, I have no advantage
I over him in that respect. But I am somewhat
suprised that he did not discover wherein the
law which fe cites, and the one under review.
( differ in principle. The difference is this: In
, the law cited, the Legislature declared, in ef
fect, that no one should practice medicine, un
less licensed to do so by a Board of Physicians j
established by law, which Board can grant or re
fuse license as they deem the applicant mental
ly and morally qualified or not. The Board ol
Examiners is a corporate body, established by the
same legislative power w hich fixes the restraint,
ana imposes the penalty. In addition to that j
feature in the law, this Board are not at liberty j
to art from caprice, without any rule , and refuse
license to an applicant merely because a rna- i
jority might entertain some prejudice or person- \
al hostility against him, or. which is more in j
point, because a majority might he unfriendly
to the practice of medicine in general. They
are to be governed solely in their decision by
the rule prescribed by the Legislatuie. namely:
the qualification of the applicant. Were they
to act otherwise, and it could be asceitaiued,
they would forfeit their franchise. No one wiii
suppose for a moment, that iftwo applicants pre
sent their petitions for license, are examined
and found equally competent, the Board would
be at liberty to re use one and grant the other I
license. Why not. though, if the law is anala- j
gous to the proposed liquor law ? In the lattei i
law, as proposed to be enacted, two persons in !
adjoining counties, of equal qualifications in eve- j
rv respect, may ask for license, and one may oh- j
tain his request and the other be denied. The j
truth is, there is a wide difference in the two |
cases, and a manifest want of analogy in many !
respects. The one depends lor i’s force upon the j
will of a majority of the people unrestrained by j
law, the other is a living statute in force upon j
' the statute book, put into full and successful |
i operation by the Legislature, which Legislature |
j has appointed a corporate Body ol ExamineJs to j
! pass upon the qualifications ol applicants for li- j
j -ense. under rules established by the law ma- i
king powe-.
But j n reference to the decision by the Su- i
preme Court of New York, which I quoted in |
my former article, pprhaps “A Member of the j 1
Atlanta Convention” is not so consoled by thi* j '
time with the reflection that he has " E Bluri j
bus Union's battery playing against himself ” i
j 1 still quote it with confidence as containing the
J very principle for which I am contending. In
that case the law depended for its force upon the
will of a majority of the people. So in this.—
1 But I will give him a little more authority,
i which I happened to discover after I sent my
first, article off to the press. I quote from Hon
I Joseph Henry Lumpkin’s letter of the 26th May
|to the Temperance Banner. “A statute was
I passed by the Legislature of Delaware. 19th Feb
ruary, IS-17, providing that the citizens of the
several counties in the State should decide by
their votes whether or not the retailing ol in
toxicating liquors should be permitted in said
counties. And this, I understand, is the mode j
of redress contemplated in this State. This an'
was declared to be unconstitutional by the Su
preme Court of Delaware, on the ground that
the Legislature could not delegate ihe power ol
making laws to any power or body. This was
the case of Rice vs. Foster, reported in 4th Har
rington. 476.”
“To the act of 1846, passed in Pennsylvania,
giving the citizens of certain counties the power
to decide, by a vote, whether the sale ot spiritu
ous and vinous liquors should be continued with
in certain counties, and imposing a penalty for
the sale of such liquors where a majority of the
voters had been ag; inst suer sale, was declared
to be unconstitutiona 1 and void, for the reason 1
that legislative power could not be delegated,
but must he exercised by the body created by
the Constitution for that purpose. See Parkei
vs. Commonwealth. 6 Barr’s State Reports, 007.
In a late case in Vermont, these decisions were
igSSeweJ .ml overruled, and ajcontrary doctrine
esrablishea.” And I will simply add, that the
reason the decision was different in Vermont
from those in the other States alluded to, I pre
sume. (I have not seen the decision,) is owing
to the fact that the Constitution ot Vermont is
a little different in the clause which declarer
the proper repository foi the legislative power,
from the corresponding clause in all the othei
j State Constitutions which I have examined
| All the latter declare “The legislative powei
shall be vested, &c.” The former declares
“The supreme legislative power shall he vested
&c.” However this may be, my opponent mu»i
admit that the weight of authority is on my side
of the question. With these hastily penned
thoughts, I turn him over to other hands
bid him an affectionate farewell, and recom
mend him to ponder coolly and dispassionately
the suggestiors thrown out by Judge Lumpkin,
in the latter part of the letter from which I have
just quoted two paragraphs. In so doing, per
perhaps he may be both profited and instructed
E Pmjkibus Unim.
P. S. As the above was written very rapid I\,
an impoitant thought was omitted in co lie ■-
tion with the Physicians’ law. 1 hope that ihe
want of analogy between that law and the (im
posed liquor law has been shown, even to the
satisfaction of’* A Member oi the Atlanta Cm
! vention.” There is a law. however, with
w’hich. and the Physicians’law, there is a close
and striking analogy. And that is our presen*
law constituting the Inferior Courts the legal
agents to grant retail license. The Board e
Physicians in the one, and the Interior Courts b
the other, occuppy similar petitions in reference
to the two laws. And the difference between
our present and the contemplated law upon re
tailing, in a constitutional point of view, was
shown in our former article. E. P. U.
June 23, 1853.
Mr. Editor:— ln your paper of 22d inst, is the
following paragraph : ***E Pluribus Unurn’s re
ply to * A Member of the Convention’ has been
received, but is unavoidably deferred. Perhaps
he may desire to withhold it, and reply to
1 Washington’ at the same time.”
This is to inform you that he has no such de
sire. When an anonymous writer or one un
der a fictitons name, so far forg-ets the rules o'
propriety, or if so blinded by prejudice, as to
charge the want of sincerity upon ail who diffio
with him in opinion,and has the vanity to ridicule
an able letter written by as distinguished a pel
son as Judge Lumpkin—a man ol purer morali
ty, brighter intellect, or a more zealous advocate
i of temperance, than whom, lives not in Georgia
j —I cannot reply to his article in a spirit whic*
j would interest the reading public. But I wiil
j say to you. Mr Editor, since you consider his
1 argument unanswerable, that the same reason
ing which he adopts to pm e his second propo
sition would establish the general proposition,
that the Legislature have the constitutional
right, at its next session, to repeal eve ry law
upon our statute book, (when such repeal would
not impair the obligation of a contract.) ana.
pass an act. authorizing the people in each county
to adopt such laws upon every subject as the\
mav * link proper. If such ne the Constitution
ot Georgia, tnen sure enough is she the *’ Em
I pire State” not only of the “ South” but of the
. World. “ Washington” may be able to estate
listi such a proposition to his o vri satisfaction,
but he cannot find a presiding Judge, in my
, opinion, in Georgia, wko isdeejily enough veiseii
• in legal lore, to comprehend the force ol his argu
. merit. E Pluribus Unum
Crime in Boston.—The grand juiy of Suffolk
i county, Mass., have made a presentment, in
which they state, as the result of heirexainina
tion in'o the criminal calender of Boston, that
three fourths of the crime committed the r e is
caused by intemperance, and attributable, in a
, great degree, to the swarms ot illegal dram shops
. mlesting the purlieus or the city ; and they se
i verely rebuke the mayor and councils for not
l diminishing the evil.
| Fram the N. O Picayune. 25</r inst.
Later from California—Arrival of the Steamer
Pampero.
The fine steamship Pampero, Capt. Flanders.
Pom San Juan Uel Noite. arrived yesterday al- ‘
'ernoon. makiig another short trip from San j
Francisco, now so usual with this line.
She Uiings dates from that port to the Ist inst. |
and from San Juan to the 1 71 h inst.
The Pampero connected with the Pacife- !
steamship Brother Jonathan, which left San !
Francisco at 4 o’clock r. m, on the Ist ins'.. j
bringing 5 10 passengers.
Left in tort at San Juan del Norte, the L’Ar- I
dent, a French steamer-of-war.
The U S. sloop-of- war Albany sailed on the |
j4fh inst., from Sail Jnan for Navy Bay: remain j
ed in port at the former place only lour days.
Major Borland, the newly appointed Minister j
to Central America, is expec’pd to arrive shortly {
at San Juan, in the U S steam frigate Fulton j
H. L Stevenson, late U S Commercial Agent j
jat San Juan, (removed! is succeeded by Mr. J
j W. Fabens. of Salem, Mass , w ho arrived by the ,
i New York stpamer, and immediately entered '
| upon the discharge of his du’ie*.
| Jhe steamship Northern Light sailed for New j
j York on the 16th inst.. with 100 passengers and j
a large amount in gold
The British mail steamer Medway sailed on I
the morning of the 17’h, lor Navy Bay, with!
mails. &e. The rainy season, so called, has fully j
e et in San Juan river is in fine navigable order
and still rising ; passengers cossed the Isthmus j
in thirty-two hours. The health ot San Juan 1
Oel ISiort*-, Castilho. San Carlos, Virgin Bay and i
San Juan riel Slid is repoited very goorl.
!he news of’he hist, two weeks present no |
features of particular iuteres* or importance; !
j and beyond a general activity and prosperity in !
J the mining interests of the State, there is noth- I
ling of interest to recorl. In the cities ant \
I towns, trade is comparatively dull A com para-
I five inactivity prevails throughout every branch j
; of trade ; a state of things which it is not gene- |
! rally doubted will continue for some time to
• come. Immense stocks ot merchandise are now j
j stored throughout the State and the daily arriv- !
I ing additions, cannot fail to reduce prices to » !
| very low figure. Should present prices continue I
|to rule, there cannot he a doi.ht but that the
j merchants of our city, and the Eastern shippers J
will lie 'arep losers.
The agricultural condition ot the State is now
lin a more promising condition 'han at any pre
i vious time in the history of the Stare Immense
quantities of produce will he raised throughou'
the p.oduc f ive valleys of Sarr mento. San Joa
■quin. San Jose and Santa ruz With the ex
ception of the temporary dullness of business al
ready referred to, the affairs of the State are in a
highly prospeiotis condition.
The steamship R mnhlic left San Francisco on
•he 24’h lilt., with $521,533, and two hundred
passengers.
On the Ist inst.. three stcamshins. the Calilor
nia, the Cortes and the Brother Jonathan, lei
San Francisco. The California had on board
53.283,050 in treasure.
Three steamships arrived at that port on the !
31st ult. with a great number ot pas-engers. in
eluding many returning Californians and a large
number of persons who visit those shores for the
first time.
Among the passengers on the Northerner
were Senators Gwin and Weller—the forme'
accompanied hy his ladv and daughter—Hon E
C. Marshall and lady. Hon J W McCorkle
(who stopped at San Diego) Hon. AlpheusFe'ch
and Hon Thompson Campbell, of the newly ap
pointed Land Commission; Hon. S P Inge, th*
recently appointed Attorney for the San Fran
cisco Dis'rict; Major Hammond, Collector of the
Port;ex-Gov M'Dougal a ,- d furiily, Thoma-
O Larkin arid family Mr. Van Voorhies. Stir
vevor of the Port, and Mr. Damemn, Naval ,
Officer.
Major H. W. Wcssels. Lients N. H. McLean.
F Wright and J Nugent in Command of com
nanies C and Dos the 2d Region nt U. S. In j
lantrv passed through S ockton on the 18th ult. [
en route lor Fort Mii’er.
The Legislature adjourned on the 19’h ult. j
The revenue cutter Frolic is recalled from ser j
vice on the coast of California, where her [ires j
epee has hpen invaluable to the interests of com
merce Capt. O’tinger and Lieuts Carson and
Wilkinson are ordered home Lieut. Merry
nfon is transferred to the schooner Argos, jindm
Lieut Pease, on which vessel he is to remain
until th arrival of the new cut' us now on their
>vav hither.
On the evening of the 3>st ult., a fire broke |
out in San Francisco. It. begun on the south •
west corner of Kearney and California streets I
There was a brisk breeze h'owing at the time, j
and tnat w sh the very combustible nature o' |
’he tenements there gave the fire a great head- j
wav. It was got under by great exertions o' i
’he firemen The loss was about $30,000
An attempt has been made to circulate sp - |
rinns coins, which are a close imi’ation of th> |
820 pieces issued hy one of the city assay oJ
fiecs.
Great attention, both in the city and through
out the St-te. has lately been paid to the race'. :
•and some of the finest horses in the couotri
have been entered. A mare named Lola Mon
’eze seems to he the winning nag iri those parts.
A fatal affray occurred at Dagloa’s ranch on
the Cosijmues on the 20 s h ult.. between two
men named Hendrey and Snyder, in which th>
latter received such severe wounds as to cans* i
his death. The former was arrested, tried a’
Sacramento and convicted
Strawberries and blackberries have appeared
in great quantities in San Francisco market, and
'urge quantities of watermelons have arrived
rorn Lnhaina. Sandwich Islands
A new Crescent City has sprung up in Cali
fornia The Alta California .says:
A letter from this p'aee, just received, states
’hat it is going ahead rapidly. Ationt tour him [
dred people are already there, besides native*
and Indians. The writer says it is "agrea'
-ight tor a town; pack teams coming in contin
uallv. and a vast contiguous country to su: ply ”
Mr. Fairfield, a trader liom Crescent Citv. ha
shown us a specimen of gold from diggings a’ I
Smith’s river, ten miles distant from Crescen’ |
City, where some five hundred miners are a’ j
work, doing well. The dust is very coarse arid
clear ol impurities. The day Mr. F. left on* I
h mdred an.l silty mules arrived for cargoes foi j
Yreka and other points in the interior.
The Californian says that-the rivers are again |
rapidly on the rise, [t learns that the American ]
rose nearly one foot am! continued to rise i'he |
Sacramento is also very high. There is yet a j
great quantity of snow on the mountains, and i' I
is expected the waters will continue high unti l |
the middle of J one
The Marysville Express savs that there ar.- !
strong indicat ons of more rain, and the rivei j
still continues with banks nearly full; it is, in
deed, an unusual season
An Indian war is said to he brewing between
the different trihe* in Tuolumne.
New diggings have been found at Douglas* j
F'at in Calaveras, also near Downieville, which j
pav from SIO to sl2 per day.
Thp Walker's R iver gold discovery is pronoun !
eed a humbug.
The grain! jury in San Francisco use the foi- !
lowing language in reference to the Chinese po j
pula’iou :
We find in existence in this community aso j
ciety of Chinese which is called the *• Four j
Great Houses.” established tor the purpose ot |
lorcing trade to the different establishments, end 1
’o prevent passengers among their own country- I
men from purchasing tickets from anv but them
selves an I punishing with fines and bastinado
all who transgre s their laws ; a d several, on
this account, were most cruelly beaten. So
great is the dread entertained tor this society tha*
the sufferers are unwilling to complain or certi
fy belore the proper authorities.
The society has even, gone so far as to offer a j
reward of S6OO for the head of the clerk ol the :
Chinese translator for the court. They have I
regular meetings, which are presided over hy 1
’he heads of the "Four Great House-.” namely: j
Sam Wo. Ah Ti and the two Ah Chings. They 1
have posted up printed handbills, in their owi
language and signer! by themselves, forewarn
mg all from transgressing their laws and thwart
ing their punishments. The grand jury have
had much difficulty in this matter. Our police,
not understanding their language, and the great
i"e in which the sufferers stand of their self
elected masters, render the proper handling and
thorough investigation of this evil a peculiarly
I |» rpiexmg one. and suggests the propriety of ap-
I minting some officers well versed in the Chi
j "ese language, to watch their proceedings.
t he Journal says that a Chinese peddler hav
ng been ejected from a public house kept by a
! Chinese, whereupon he went to the bouse
i >t the mighty Sam Vup Company and entered
| complaint. The landlord was drawn up. tried
j d "d sentenced to pay a fine of S2O. and to be
' w hipped.and the peddler executed the latter part
| ot the sentence, with about thirty blows of a
I rattan.
I’he case was brought up before the Recorder,
i before whom the landlord entered a complaint
against Sam Vup. The defen ialit was dis
! charged by the Recorder, it being probable that
| he Sam Vup Company was really to blame in
' he matter, and the head of one ol the four great
| houses being present, he received warning that
i n case anything of the kind happened hereafter
j m his house, that he would he the first one to be
j tried as the offender. The whipping with the
: attan was said to have been administered, ac
■ cording to the Chinese law, but the castigated
j Chinaman said it didn't (eel good tor all that.
Ah I'hai, one ot the commissioners of the
l 'ee Up” Company—a Chinese benevolent as
-1 Miciation. has been standing an examination be
j hue the Recorder for some r'avs past, on a
I -harge ot embezzlement to the amount of $lO.-
1000 .
j A vote was taken in Trinity county whether
; ’he Chinese should be permitted to work the
j nines in that locality, which resulted in sixty
i five votes lor remaining and sixty three against.
The large reservoir of the Tuolumne Water
j Company burst on •hp morning of the 22d ult.,
1 and made quite a deluge in the country.
An up-river journal states that a miner depos
i ivd in bank SOO,OOO as the proceeds of one year’s
: labor.
M * McGinnis and his party have succeeded
in raising the steamer Fashion, which was sunk
! near Sacramento some time since by running in
contact with the Senator This is the sixth or
-oventh vessel Mr. McGinnis has raised in San
i Francisco and adjacent ports.
Tne Placerville Herald says there is scarcely
■ a day upon which new notices are not placard-
S —l about that town, calling for more men to
work the canals and flumes in course of con
struction in the neighborhood.
The citizens of Placerville had formed a
voluntary police for the purpose ot rinding the
city of numberless scoundrels who infest it.
A capacious rpservoir and aqueduct to supply
i 'he city with water is about to be built at that
idace
of Boston, Frederick Taylor of
lowa and Am. stus Siltee of New Orleans, were
j 'rowned while trying to cross the Middle Fork
j o*'the American river, near Kelsey’s Bar,on the
i 9th ult.
The immense chain, weighing over 11.000
; ooonds, thrown across Clear Creek, for the pur
; o«se of cm d ictirig the wa'ers of Eagb Creek
'nto the Acts and gulches of One Horsetown,
broke on Thursday last, destroying the labor of
several months.
The plank road between Marysville and Ne
vad is thirty six miles long, of which thirty
one miles have been surveyed, and less than one
fourth ol a mile will require grading.
The Marysville theatre has been given up
and is now occupied as a church, under the
charge of Rev. Mr Bristow.
A m«n named Murrv Hartford, of Michigan,
wa« shot near the mouth of Chiso Creek, Butte
■•minty, on the 11th ult., by Thomas Williams.
The lat eris in custody at Monroeville.
The Coast Range Indians are committing de
: predations on the Cottonwood, a stream in the
I vicinity of the Shasta region. A number of cat
j Me have been stolen by them.
Mis Sinclair is performing to good houses at
i s he San Francisco Hall. She intends making a
'oiir to the interior when her engagement is
concluded.
L >la Montez made her first appearance at the
American theatre on Thursday evening, May
17 as Lady Teazle , before one of the largest au
'iences ever drawn together in that city. The
first choice seat, on the occasion sold for 65 ; the
-econd for 425.
The receipts of Miss Ilaye’s farewell comjfli
mentarv benefits, on the nights of the 13th and
I U h. were 10 000.
Mr. and Mrs Chapman and daughter, Misses
; losephine and Rivprs. with Mr. Heywood, enra
! riencpd an engagement at the American thea
j 're on the 22d inst.
Sacramento Items,
The Sacramento river continues unusually high
| fi>r this season. In order to protect them against
‘he overflow, the grade of the Sacramento streets
s to he raised, and they are to be planked up,
! 'or which the city will be obliged to “plank
'own.” *
The debt of the city of Sacramento, up to
April 8 1853. amounts to $657,214.32.
The Union mentions a hunch of wheat taken
'Yom a (arm in the vicinity of Sacramento, the
-*alks ol which are six feet in length. The
>unch is a fair specimen ol a twenty acre field
of wheat, sown on the 20th of January. A
specimen from another farm measures six feet
eight; inches.
Mr. H B Livingston, of the Union, who was
o hadh injured by a fall fiorn his horse, is fast
re overing
The Sacramento and American rivers are still
n the rise. A large portion of the country above
mil below the city is again, and for the third
irpe this year, overflowed; if the water rises
ouch higher, the result to the crops cannot but
ie ' ery disastrous.
j Fhe facilities for travel between Sacramento
oid Shasta are so gieat. ♦hat the trip can be
made now in twenty-four hours. 250 miles.
California Markets.
[Condensed from the Al’a California .]
San Francisco, June I.—Owing to the presence
of a largo number of country merchants in town,
there has been a moilerato jobbing trade done.
I fur 'hases. however, for the interior are still lim-
J ired in extent, and we perceive hy the reports of
j up-country markets that the snail traders from the
j mines wh • resort to the points above forsiipplics,
j buy very sparingly, and only sufficient for daily
w*' ts It, is quite clear that stocks of mcrchan
i dize throughout, tbo State are lighter than of other
| years at this season, while the accumulations hero
ire f r heavier
j Tho transactions to-day from first hands have
j been quite limited so fiir as wo can learn.
Shipments of freight hy tho steamers for tho in
■ terior were large, and a large number of sailing
| vessels were filling up for Sacramento and Coast
j domestic ports.
Thk Flying Cwd —This fine clipper ship
| has pet formed a prodigy of speed, as will be seen
:by the follow : ng extract Irom her log, received
| from her captain. J. P dressy, who was spoken
it sea by a New London vessel on the 15th
I Mav, in lat. 1 S, lon. 34 03 W ;
j •• Wind light—fine weather; middle and lat
'or part faint and squally. Civil time, this date,
15’b of May, at. 8 p m., crossed the equator, in
' n. 34.20 seventeen days torn 'andy Hook, or
408 hours, averaging nine knots lor every hour
at .sea. Passage shorter than ever made. Whole
distance run, on straight lines from noon to
noon each day, is 3,672 miles. No time since
leaving have skv-sails been off the ship lor over
♦hree hours, and ‘hat only in one instance.”
i Lieut. Maury mentions several clipper ships
] that have approaches this performance, but none
I ‘hat have equalled it. The Sea Serpent, in
March, wccnmplished the distance in eighteen;
j the Flying Fi*h and the Samuel Russell, in No-
I vemher, each in nineteen days. The others
j named by Lieutenant Maury were “out of their
j 'eens” belore they crossed the line. S > the
; Flying Cloud hears the palm She belongs to
i Messrs Grmnell. Minturn & Co., and no doubt
j they feel proud, in a very modest and becoming
! way of course, of her “ overstepping the line” on
I the seventeenth day of the voyage. — N. Y. Com-
I mereial, 25 th
The wi*e of T F. Meagher, according to late
i advices, had arrived in London from Van Die
j men’s Land, and wa- wi'h her husband’s father
| the member for Waterford Mrs. Meagher will
| visit Ireland belore sailing for America to rejoin
her husband.