Newspaper Page Text
of bis firing upon Iier might be removed.
General Mnro was found at his post, with
800 men. followed by a rear-guard of 300,
who have since also arrived. In addition
to these, two transport crops of 600 men
are alternately employed in carrying pro
visions, ammunition, &c., from the inte
rior to the emharcaaero.
“Having now the four river-steamers
at command, the. Castillo Rapids and the
steamers John Ogden and Ruth were soon
taken by General Morn. He then moved
np to Fort San Carlos, which, with the
large steamer and detatehment of men
there, was also taken by stratagem. Then
the two lake-s1®«iners, San Carlos and
Virgin, not aware of these occurrences,
came across the lake with passengers trom
California, and were also taken by General
Mora, who generously sent the passengers
on to Greytown in the captured steamers.”
Such is* the Costa Rican account of this
cleverlv executed enterprise, which we
have no reason to regard as incorrect in its
details, as there is no doubt about the truth
of its results. It was just at the moment
that Captain Spencer had finished politely
landing the Californian passengers, to the
number of four hundred, above alluded to,
that we made our appearance in the Texas;
when, as he had nothing to detain him
except a laudable curiosity to inspect us,
he vanished as soon as that was satisfied.
As there are no means of communicating
across Lake Nicaragua, new that the steam
ers hitherto used for the transit are in the
hands of the enemy, Walker must have
remained for many days in total ignorance
of the occurrence, which cannot but seri
ously affect his position; while, in all pro
bability, the first authentic intelligence
which he received of its details were,
some weeks after, from the lips of one of
his most tried friends and followers, whom
I accompanied as far as Panama on his
wav to rejoin Walker from the Pacific side,
and who could not have arrived at head
quarters for a month after the capture of
the steamers by Spencer. It is easy to
imagine the state of uncertainty and sus
pense in which General M alker has been
kept by this unexpected, and to him un
accountable, cessation of reinforcements
and supplies from the Atlantic coast.—
Meantime the effects of the blow have
been somewhat over-estimated in Central
America: it is generally supposed that the
career of Gen. Walker is terminated, and
that in another month the invasion of Ni
caragua by filibusters will become matter
of history. Even if that beso, the episode
will always he interesting; but if, outlie
other hand, the Americans permanently
retain their footing in the country, every
record of the earlier events of their occu
pation of it, and every incident in the
career of their leader, will become valua
ble. Having bad some favorable oppor
tunities of becoming acquainted with these,
1 will briefly recount the history of Walk
er and his expedition up to this time.
The discovery of gold in California pro
duced a rush from all parts of the world
towards the western sh ires of the conti
nent of North America; the remote posi
tion of the country, however, anil the
slender traffic with which it had hereto
fore been favored, made the process of
emigration one of considerable difficulty.
Various routes were adopted by the hardy
gold-seekers; some plunged boldly into the
western prairies, and scaling the Rocky
Mountains, arrived half famished at their
destination; others hazarded the stormy
passage round the Horn, and often never
arrived at all; while a third section
found their way across some part of that
neck of land which connects the Northern
and Southern continents, and which is now-
known by the new-ly-invented appellation
of Central America. The facilities for
crossing this Isthmus were offered at two
points. At one place, between Chagres
and Panama, the distance between the At
lantic and Pacific is only forty-eight miles,
while three hundred miles farther north,
and consequently affording a shorter route,
the magnificent lake of Nicaragua, which
is connected with the Gulf of Mexico by a
navigable river, is separated from the
Pacific by a neck of land only twelve
miles across.
These rival routes have both been large
ly patronized by Californian passengers:
the only one by Panama, which was es
tablished some years before tlie other, they
now cross by railway; while in Nicaragua
they ascend in steamers to the western
shore of the lake, and perform the remain
ing twelve miles on mules. Four lines of
steamers connect Panama and San Juan
del Sur on the one side, and Aspinwall and
Greytown on the other, with California,
and the Eastern States. It was not until
1851 that a company was formed, under
the auspices of Mr. Vanderbilt, called ti e
Accessory Transit Company, for the pur
pose of conveying passengers through
Nicaragua; for this purpose a charter was
obtained from tlie Nicaragua Government
for a transit route, in which it was stipu
lated that a certain annual per-centage
should be paid by the Company to the Gov
ernment out of its net profit. In the fol
lowing year the toute was first opened,
and every month hundreds of travellers,
belonging to the most enterprising and
progressive race in the world, passed
through this magnificent and fertile coun
try, and wondered no less at the extent
ar.d variety of its resources, than at the
apathy and incapacity of ihe inhabitants,
calling themselves civilized, who could al
low them to remain undeveloped. A cor
responding degree of astonishment was
doubtless felt among the Nicaraguans
themselves, when they found their country
turned into a highway, which crowds of
impetuous Anglo-Saxons traversed like
those gigantic ants whose broad beaten
tracks are to be seen in their own forests.
The contact produced results which
were only natural under the circumstances.
It became evident to the Nicaraguans, who
had been fo” two years engaged in a bloody
civil war, that the infusion of a little
Anglo Saxon courage and energy on one
side or the other would terminate the
struggle in favor of the faction who could
secure it; while so tempting an appeal was
not likely to be made in vain, to men who
were only longing for an excuse to enter
the country as permanent occupants, which
they had coveted when transit passengers.
But in order to understand the circum
stances under which the Nicaraguans ap
plied to the Californians for assistance, it
will be necessary to glance summarily at
the history of the country fora few years
preceding this event.
In 1815, Nicaragua, then a Spanish
colony, attempted an insurrection to throw
off the dominion of the mother country.
This however, proved abortive, and it was
not until six years after that Guatemala,
Honduras, San Salvador, Nicaragua, and
Costa Rica, declared their independence
of Spain. In 1822 they were incorpor
ated with Mexico under the Emperor
Iturbide. Upon his overthrow, which
happened soon after, a federal republic,
similar to that oftbe United States, was
formed, composed of the five central Ameri
can States, with a national assembly at
uatemala. ( p on this occasion the re-
existed two years, the most
the abolif CatU /- e legislation being
by General V",nTS'Tf i<l 'T
Carera; indeed, during aa ro / ed h *
years, all these States w ere a r tWenty
series of devastating revolution? 7 .*??
times endeavouring to reunite, sometimes
at wai w ith one another, nearly alw ays at
war within themselves. In 1851, Hondn-
ra s San Salvador, and Nicaragua formed
a union; in 1852 it was dissolved, and
Senor Pineda was elected President of
of Nicaragua. In the following year he
died, and an election taking place to fill
the vacancy, Senors Cast illon and Chamorro
were the candidates. Chamorro by force
of arms obtained possession of the polls
throughout the State, and ^defeating
Castillon, banished him from Nicaragua.
Castillon. however, who, as the democratic
and therefore popular candidate, had a
large number of partisans in Nicaragua,
was not a man to be thus easily crushed,
and, while an exile in Honduras, organised
an expedition composed of refugees like
himselt, and w-ith them marched boldly
upon Leon, his native town. Here he
wa6 received with acclamation. Joined
by crowds of political adherents, who are
in these countries accustomed to enforce
their views by blows, by them he was
proclaimed Provisional Director of the
republic; routed Chamorro in a pitched
battle, and obliged him to take refuge in
Grenada, to which city he forthwith laid
siege. Although commencing under such
favourable auspices, success did not crown
the efforts of Castillon. For eight months
Grenada was besieged, and even after
Chamorro’s death the war was carried on
by his partisans with so much vigour, and
there seemed so little chance of peace
being restored to the countrj/, that Cas
tillon eagerly listened to the suggestion of
some American gold-speculators, that he
should apply for the assistance of some Cali
fornians, who had already made themselves
notorious by an unsuccessful expedition into
Sonora, from which they had just "returned.
Of this expedition, which had for its object
the conquest of the department of Sonora
in Northern Mexico, General Walker was
the leader, and although his daring at
tempt at establishing an independent re
public there had failed, he gained so high
a reputation for military skill and prowess,
that Castillon at once perceived the acquisi
tion which such a man, with a few brave
followers, would prove to his undisciplined
and almost demoralised army. He there
fore applied to Walker to know the terms
upon which he and his followers were pre
pared to join the Nicaragua army. The
price demanded by Walker was a grant
of land, fifty-two thousand acres in extent,
to be selected from any unoccupied lands
in the State. These terms were at once
complied with by Castillon, and Walker
lost no time in organising his expedition.
A glance at the personal history of the
remarkable man who conducted this daring
enterprise may not be uninteresting.—
General Walker’s father had been a banker
in Scotland, and emigrated to the United
States in 1S20. Walker himself was born
in 1824, but manifested a roving disposi
tion. At an early age he graduated suc
cessively in law, physic, and divinity;
travelled for a year in Europe; retured to
the States, and became the editor of a
newspaper in New Orleans; thence pro
ceeded to San Francisco in California in a
similar capacity, which he relinquished
to take command of the Sonora expedition.
On his return from this he entered into
the arrangements above stated with Cas
tillon. In stature, General Walker is but
little over five feet four. His features are
described as coarse and impassable; his
square chin and long jaw denote character,
but his lips are full, and his mouth is not
well formed; his eyes are universally
spoken of as the stiiking feature of his
face—of a singularly light grey, they are
so large and fixed that in a daguerreotype
the eyelid is scarcely visible. His manner
stroy Walker, of whom they naturally felt
jealous.
The country being now in a state of
profound peace, W alker turned bis atten
tion to the developement both of its mineral
and agricultural resources, and to the es
tablishment of his foreign relations upon
a satisfactory basis. President Rivas was
a timid man, of no mental calibre and very
little energv, and acted entirely under the
dictation of his general and chief. It would
be difficult to conceive a more interesting
occupation than that to which Walker now
devoted himself, in his endeavours to
regenerate a magnificent but neglected
country. He visited the gold regions of
Chontale and Segovia, and circulated re
ports of their wealth far and wide, numerous
decrees were passed guaranteeing life and
property, extending immunity to political
offenders, and holding out inducements to
immigration; a department of colonisation
was organised, and every effort made to
attract settlers to explore for themselves
the mineral and agricultural wealth ofa
country which only requires an enterpris
ing population to enable it to take, when
joined with the neighbouring States, an
independent postion as a Central American
Republic—with a constitution doubtless
constructed on very different principles
from that of the United States, but which,
wisely and energetically carried out, would
render her a formidable competitor to the
Northern Federation.
Secretly eutertainirg these views, which,
however, lie had not thought it prudent
openly to express, General Walker induced
President llivas to send a minister tothe
United States, in the hope that his recog
nition by that Government would prevent
the neighbouring Central American re
publics, who had already shown symp
toms of alarm at his progressive tendencies,
and the power he had acquired over Rivas,
from combining to eject him from Nicara
gua. The United States Government,
however, did not think that Walker’s
chances of success were at that time suffi
cient to warrent a recognition of the govern
ment lie bad been instrumental in estab
lishing, and therefore refused to receive
Colonel French, upon the ground that the
condition of political affairs in Nicaragua
was not acquiesced in by the citizens of
that country. In consequence of this
refusal by Mr. Marey, diplomatic relations
between the government of Nicaragua and
Mr. Wheeler resident minister of the
United States there, were suspended.
The news of the non-recognition of
Colonel French at once decided the hes
itating republics of Central America; and
Guatemala, Honduras, St. Salvador, arid
Costa Ilica assumed a hostile attitude.
The insults offered by the latter to a
peaceful emissary of General Walker
resulted in an open rupture. On the 20th
March, 1856, the Costa Rican army met
the force which General Walker had
detached under Colonel Schlessinger,
amountingto 207 men, composed of French,
Germans, and Americans, and utterly
routed them. Schlessinger himself being
the first to set the example of flight: for
this he was tried by a court-martial, and
sentenced to be shot; but he avoided his
fate by effecting his escape, and he. is now
supposed to be serving in the Costa Rican
army. The Costa Ricans following up
this success by a surprise upon Virgin
Bay, where they killed a number of shop
keepers, and innocent persons employed
by the Transit Company. They then
attacked and succeeded in occupying
is remarkably self-possessed, and some of j Rivas, with a force of about 2,500 men.
his most intimate friends, who have been I One of the most determined struggles which
with him throughout the most trying scenes
of his Nicaragua experiences, have assured
me under no circumstances have they ever
observed him to change countenance, even
to laugh, or to alter in the smallest degree
his slow and precise mode of diction. He
is at all times taciturn, and when he does
speak it is directly to the point. He mani
fests a contemptuous indifference to danger
without being reckless, and altogether
seems better qualified to inspire confidence
and respect among lawless men than to
shine in civilised society.
He is ascetic in his habits, and his career
hitherto has shown him to be utterly
careless of acquiring wealth. Highly
ambitious, it is only due to him to say that
his aspirations, however little in accordance
they may be with the moral code in vogue
at the present day, are beyond riches.
Like the Emperor Louis Napoleon, he lias
a fixed faith in the star of his destiny, and
like him he doubtless will be branded by
the civilised nations of F uro.pe as an
unprincipled adventurer or a heaven-bom
hero, according as he fails or succeeds in
his d aring enterprise.
In the month of June 1S55, Walker and
his fifty-six were enlisted by Castillon in
the democratic army of Nicaragua. IIis
first engagement took place at Rivas,
where, with a hundred natives and fifty six
Americans, he engaged the aristocratic
or servile troops, as they were called, under
General Boscha. The natives running
away, the fifty-six Americans were left to
fight it out, and were defeated, with a loss
of twenty-two killed. Their determined
resistance, however, produced as salutary
an effect upon the enemy as a victory, as
General Boscha owned a loss of 180 in
killed and wounded. This was followed
by the battle of Virgin Bay, in which the
democratic forces under Walker were
victorious, and the reputation of Americans
for prowess ^established. At this time the
death of Castillon by cholera left the
conduct of affairs almost altogether in the
hands of Walker, whom the democratic-
leader had just appointed to the command
of his army. A considerable number of
recruits arriving from California, he now-
determined to take Grenada, which was
captured by 110 Americans, with the loss
of only one man, after having stood a
siege of nineteen months against the
democratic army under the command of
sundry Nicaragua generals. This decided
the war in favour of the democrats; and
Castillon being now dead, Walker was
proposed by some of the democratic leaders
as piesideut. This honor, however, lie
declined. On the 23d^of October a treaty
of peace was#signed between General
Walker and General Ponciano Corral, the
commander-in-chief of the aristocratic
rmy, in which it was stipulated that a
certain Patricio Rivas should be named
p.-ovisional president of Nicaragua for
fourteen months; that he should appoint
his ministers of state; that there should
be a general oblivion of all that had
previously taken place for political faults
and opinions: that thb army of General
Corral should be reduced to 150 men, and
the army of Walker to the same number;
that the united armies should be placed
under the command of Genei al Walker,
who should be recognised as generalrin-
chief of the army of the republic, and named
such by a decree of the government. The
signing of this treaty took place at
Grenada with great eclat. The two armies
were drawn up in the Plaza; Generals
Walker and Corral embraced one another
in their presence; and the heads of the
new government were announced, ofwhom
four were Nicaraguans, and two, including
Walker, Americans. Thus, for the first
time after an incessant internecine war of
two years’ duration, was peace restored
to Nicaragua through the instrumentality
of the American filibuster. Sixteen days
after Walker embraced Corral in the Plaza
of Grenada, lie was unfortunately obliged
to have him shot there, in consequence of
an inteicepted correspondence which has
since been published, and which affords
undoubted evidence of the treachery of
Corral, who was in league with Guardiola
and tw o other Nicaragua generals to de-
has taken place during the war now- ensued.
General Walker, who happened to be
marching on Leon, at once turned back,
and with a force of only 500 men advanced
upon Rivas. The battle commenced early
on the morning of the lltli of April, and
raged throughout the rest of the day with
the greatest fury General Walker lost
the whole of his staff, and the Americans
performed prodigies of valour. Their loss
in killed and wounded amounted to about
130, that of the Costa Ricans was estimated
at over 500. Although remaining masters
ofthe field, the latter evacuated it eighteen
days afterwards, and returned precipitately
to Costa Rica; the reason assigned in the
public proclamation by General Canas
being the alarming outbreak of cholera.
Meantime General Walker determined
to make a second attempt, to convince the
authorities at Washington that the govern
ment of Nicaragua had the approval of its
citizens; and for this purpose he despatched
thither Padre Vijil, a native of the country,
who succeeded in inducing the Secretary
of iState to recognise him as Nicaragua
minister, although the political condition
of Nicaragua was precisely the same as
when, tw o months before, lie had refused
to recognise French.
It may be remembered that before
Walker’s arrival at Nicaragua, a Transit
Company had been formed by Mr. Vander
bilt with the then existing Nicaraguan
Government, upon terms which I have
above described. Not one farthing, how
ever, of the twenty per cent due tothe
Nicaragua Government out of the annual
net profits, which were well known to lie
large, had ever been paid by the Com
pany; and President Rivas at last, at the
instigation of General Walker, upon the
refusal ofthe Company to explain matters,
or liquidate the large debt due to the State,
abrogated the old grant, and regranted
the route to fresh American speculators,
who undertook, in consideration thereof,
the transport of recruits for Walker’s army
from all parts of the Union. Long and.
complicated proceedings between Mr. Van
derbilt, the Nicaragua Government, and
the new Transit Company, in which Messrs.
Morgan and Garrison soon became the
leading men, now took place—proceedings
w hich it would be tiresome here to detail,
and which have already cost the United
States Government endless trouble and
annoyance. Their most unfortunate result,
so far as General Walker is concerned, lias
been to make for him an enemy of a power
ful, wealthy, and not very scrupulous man
in Vanderbilt, who lias now allied himself
to the Costa Ilicans, and whose daring
and energetic agents have enabled those,
bastard Spanish troops to accomplish a
feat of strategy in the seizure of the river-
boats belonging to the present Transit
Company, of which they were otherwise
incapable.
When so many events happen concur
rently, it is always difficult to maintain
a chronological sequence; and in order
thoroughly to appreciate General Walker’s
position at this crisis, it is necessary to
recur again to the battle which badjust
been fought at Rivas. A short time before
this event took place, with a view of con
ciliating the democratic party, the seat of
government was moved from Grenada to
Leon, which always had been considered
their headquarters, and thither the Presi
dent Rivas went, leaving Walker in the
neighboui hood of the town of Rivas. It
was here that the weak president in an
evil hour listened to the w hisperings of
Salhazar and General Haeres, influential
leaders ofthe old party, who took this op
portunity of inflaming the mind of liivas
with jealousy against Walker, until at last
they induced him to enter into a traitorous
correspondence with the Costa Ilicau
Government, in which he assured the
enemies of his country ofliis co-operation
in any designs that they might entertain
against the Nicaragua army, commanded
by General Walker; and as an earnest of
his sincerity, lie wrote to Walker, urging
him to come with all speed to Leon, to
defend him from threatened attacks from
tiiat quarter, hoping thus to withdraw his
attention from the town of Rivas, go as to
enable the Costa Ricans to attack it with
greater chance of success. General
Walker, in compliance with this request,
had scarcely accomplished half the journey,
when he heard of the attack upon the town
of Rivas. He instantly returned, fought
the Costa Ricans, ns above described,
discovered the treachery, and proceeded
at once to Leon. Here he saw-Rivas, but
did not tax him with his unworthy conduct.
His close connection with that imbecile
old man, and a certain regard lie entertain
ed for him, prevented his bringing about
an open repture: he simply informed him,
that in consequence of w-hat had come to
his knowledge, he had determined, upon
the expiration of Rivas’ presidency, to
have himself nominated as a candidate.
He then returned to his headquarters
and almost immediately afterwards, Rivas,
panic-stricken, fled from Leon with those
leaders ofthe old party who were friend
ly to him, and ensconced himself in the
remote town of Ohinandagua, thus isolat
ing himself from the rest of his cabinet,
and practically breaking up the govern
ment. Under these circumstances, Don
Firmin Ferrer, one of the late cabinet,
and a native of Nicaragua, was appointed
president provisionally, until a general
election should take place. This was held
two weeks afterwards, and General W al
ker was elected president by the almost
unanimous vote of the people. This was
not tu be wondered at, as the g eat major
ity of the inhabitants are Indians, violent
ly opposed to the Spanish rule, and des
irous of that of the Anglo-Saxons. Walker
had scarcely been elected preisdeut, when
Salhazar was accidentally intercepted cros
sing the bay of Fonseca, on his way to car
ry out his intrigues in Guatemala. He
was the bearer of a correspondence deeply
implicating Rivas, and was consequently
promptly despatched to General A\ alker’s
headquarters, who, upon receiving his ad
mission to signatures to letters of a treason
able character, ordered him immediately
to be shot—a sentence which was carried
into execution without any unnecessary
delav. General Walker now sent Mr. Oak-
smith to Washington as his representative,
Padre Vijil not having been satisfied with
his residence there, but the Government
refused to recognise him. He has been
followed by Lon Firmin Ferrer who is
still waiting for recognition. Shortly after,
in October last, followed the battles of
M assay a and Grenada, the details of which
are too fresh in the public mind to render
any fuller description necessary. Though
Walker was victorious, lie perceived that
it was essential to his safety to destroy the
old capital Grenada, because it was too
unhealthy to garrison with his own troops;
and he no sooner evacuated it than it be
came a stronghold ofthe enemy, from which
the transit route, so important to his posi
tion both in a military and financial point
of view, could at any moment be threaten
ed. This magnificent old Spanish city,
which in its palmy days had contained a
population of about 30,000 inhabitants, was
consequently burnt to the ground. An
old church, however, sft uated about a mile
and a half from the lake’s side, was spared;
1 here General Henningsen took refuge,
with 400 men, some guns, and a large sup
ply of ammunition, when he was surroun
ded by about 2000 Central Americans.
The Costa Ricans were now allied with j
San Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras,
and the united force succeded in effecting
this operation about the 22(1 of last Novem
ber.
The gallant little band, hemmed in by an
overwhelming force on all sides, unable to
sceape by the lake, in the absence of means
of communication, took refuge in the
church, with the determination of protect
ing their guns and ammunition to the last.
The siege lasted for nineteen days. Twen
ty-nine men, who were holding the pier,
so as to keep open the communiction with
the lake, were betrayed by a Cuban, and
cut off to a man. General Walker arrived
in a small steamer, but was unable to offer
any assistance, as all the men he could
spare were engaged protecting the transit
loute. Meantime a fortnight glided by,
and the situation ofthe garrison was becom
ing desperate; not only had every horse
been eaten, but the most terrible methods
was resorted to sustain life. Day and
and night an incessant and galling lire
was kept up on both sides. Various at
tacks of the enemy were met with most
determined resistance. To add to the hor
rors ot the siege, cholera broke out, which
was increased by the impossibility of bury
ing the dead; and the putrid atmosphere,
and poisoned water, and scanty food, fright
fully diminished the numbers. On the 19th
day, ofthe 400 men, 150 only were left,
and General Henningsen at last reluctantly
determined to abandon his guns, and, with
the weak and exhusted remnant of his men,
cut his way through the enemy’s ranks, or
perish in the attempt. Upon that night,
however, General Walker had planned
his rescue, and Henningsen had the satisfac
tion of seeing a force landed in the rear of
the enemy. This force, which consisted
only of 175 men, forced their way over
three successive breastworks, and after a
most gallant and daring attack, formed a
junction with Henningsen, though with
the loss of nearly half their number. The
allies, disheartened, drew off in despair,
and occupied the following day in quarrel
ling among themselves, so that Hennin
sen was enabled to embark his guns without
having a shot fired at him. Many of the
sick and wounded from the siege of Gren
ada arrived at Greytown while I was there,
and described to me in vivid terms tliehor.
rors of that event. Such was the position of
matters at the period of my visit, and it
was then said that Walker had altogether
1000 men in good fighting order. . Since
then, various attacks have been made,
during the end of January and the begin-
ing of February upon General Canas, whose
headquarters are a few miles from those of
Walker, but without ail}' marked result.
So long as the river San Juan is in the
hands ofthe Costa Ricans, Walker will
be prevented from undertaking any expedi.
tion ou a large scle, while his army will
dwindle away for want of reinforcements.
It is possible, indeed, that by early intelli
gence we shall hear of the success of the
fillibusters, who have already attacked the
the Costa Ricans upon the river, and who
may succeed in forcing their way up; hut
the protracted struggle lias already had
the effect, of disheartening many of Wal
ker’s men, it is now becoming doubtful
whether, under any circumstances, he will
be able to maintain his position of Presi
dent in Nicaragua. His ultimate success
is clearly as much to be desired in a pol
itical point of view by this country, as it is
to he deprecated by the American Govern
ment.
Ever since the disclosures by General
Go'ocuria of Walker’s real intentions, in
which the latter frankly asserts that
“Nicaragua is a great deal too fine a coun
try for those d—d psalm-singing lankees,”
the American Government has taken a
very difierent view of liis proceedings; they
now perceive the danger that would arise
from the formation ot a federal union of
the central American republics and Mexico
by Anglo-Saxons. No sensible American
ever either hopes or desires to annex to the
United States these countries, containing a
population of 9,000,000, who have vainly
endeavoured to carry out republican in
stitutions, and who, if infused into the
United States, with tlie rights of citizens
to which they would be entitled by the
constitution of that country, would be a
source of weakness rather then of strength.
Added to this is the opposition which would
arise on the part ofthe North against the an
nexation of so large a tract of tropical coun
try, involving slave-labour. The question
fo rthe American Government to consider is
whether it is f referable for these States to
remain as they are, or to be incorporated
into a federal government by Anglo-
Saxons, under institutions by no means
republican in their character, but adapted
to the present peculiar political condition
of the inhabitants, neccsarily partaking
of the nature of a military dictator
ship. It is clear that such a got eminent,
springing as it were from a neighbouring
republic, but so opposed to it in its institu
tions. would he highly unpalatable to the
United States, but a source of satisfaction
to this country, as proving that those vaun
ted institutions are not suitable to every
clime and race; while, at the same time,
we should find a counterpoise to the Nor
thern Republic, and hear no moreof its ag
gressive designs.
The magnificent resources of these
countries, now neglected, would be devel
oped, markets would be erected, transit
routes innumerable established between the
two oceans, and Central American ques
tions, between this country and the United
States, set at rest forever; that they have
ever existed arises simply from the fact,
that Americans generlly are as ignorant of
questions affecting the future of Central
America as we are ourselves; or we both of
us would know that it is impossible, from
the nature of things, for either country to
extend its possesions into a region destined,
from its geographical position, to be formed
erelong into an independent State.
Democratic Heeling in Troup.
A meeting of a portion ot" tlie Democratic party
of Troup county, was held on Wednesday, 27th
ult. Maj. George Heard was called to the chair,
and Miles H. Hill, was requested to ast as secre
tary.
On motion of C. L. Barbour, Esq., a commit
tee of 7 was appointed to prepare business for the
action of the meeting. That committee consisted
of Messrs. C. L. Barbour, H. O. Stanley, Shirley
Sledge, Thomas Arnold, J. R. Thomas, Isaac Lane,
and Thomas E. Gorman.
After retiring, the committee, through their
chairman, C. L. Barbour, reported the following
resolutions:
Resolved, That this meeting feels itself called
upon, by the immense interests staked upon tlie
wisdom, integrity and firmness ot the incumbent
National Administration, and by existing urgent
necessity for uniting the conservative men of the
country in its support, to express our unqualified
approval of its acts so far and of the policy foresha
dowed by those acts, and by the inaugural address
of President Buchanan; and that we cordially in
vite the co-operation of men of all parties and sec
tions. not imbued with a spirit of factious opposi
tion, in upholding, by our expressed and active
sympathy and support, the efforts of the Adminis
tration to enforce respect to tlie Constitution itself,
and the Tights its makers saw fit to guarantee all
classes of <>ur citizens.
Resolved, That we have reason to congratulate
the country upon the happy results of Mr. Buch
anan's effort to draw around him a cabinet of ad
visers whose known ability, would give confidence
to the country, in his intention to administer the
government, wisely, impartially, and in a manner
calculated to every section the substantial benefit
it of right expects from the Federal Union—that
the harmony and good feeling manifested by that
cabinet gives the country every necessary guar
antee that these objects of its head will be fully
and satisfactorily accomplished, and beget the
confidence of all conservative men.
Resolved That this meeting recognises and des
ires to express its obligations to our justly dis
tinguished Representative of the Fourth Congres
sional District in Congress, Hon. Hiram Warner,
for his firm and effective resistance oftbe encroach
ment of fanaticism upon the constitutional rights
of our fellow-citizens in the Territories; for his
unshrinking and withering expose of the corrup
tion of Black Republican speculators upon the
public lands in Congress: and for his untiring at
tention to the interests of his constituency at the
Government. That all these combine, to endear
him to us as a faithful and successful public servant,
a pure prtnot, and an ho.iest man—adorning any
walk of life he may be called upon or choose to pur
sue.
Resolved, That we will be represented in the
approaching Gubernatorial Convention by nine
delegates—that reposing as it does, unlimited con
fidence in the wisdom, integrity and devotion to
the principles and organization of the national
Democratic party of the Convention abut to as
semble at Millcdgeville, to nominate a candidate
for Governor. this meeting pledges itself to a vigor
ous and cheerful support of the man it shall select
and does not feel itself called upon by any prece
dent unwise selection: by any suspected incompe-
tency of that body: nor by any doubt of its entire
faithfulness tothe interests ofthe party, to dictate,
or even suggest, whom it shall select, or whatsion-
sidcration shall influence its choice.—That, of the
delegates this meeting selects we, have only to
request, as we leave them untramtneled by any
dictations from us, so they w ill tree .themselves
from any shadow of personal bias, and resist any
attempt on the part of others, to introduce into the
Convention the disorganizing and obnoxious pre
cedents of personal or sectional considerations; and,
believing that they will do this, we leave them free
to act as their own discriminating judgments may
suggest, with every confidence in their intelligence,
patriotism and zeal for the success of our party
and principles—that that following gentlemen he
appointed delegates to said Convention, and that
they be empowered to fill any vacancy that may
occur in their body: Col. J. M. Flowers, C. L.
Barbour, James M. Russell, JohnW. McGehee,
Isaac H. Lane Thomas E. Gorman. Peter Heard,
William Darden and Stephen Willis.
Resolved. That we will be represented in the
Convention to be held at Newuan, on the 30th
June proximo, to nominate a candidate for Con
gress from the 4th Congressional District, hv the
following delegates; John R. Thomas, Thomas
Arnold, Robert Bacon. T J. Whitman, Shirley
Sledge, Willis Watley, James Estes, H, O. Stan
ley. Joel E. Davis, Paley Thompson, Miles H.
Hill, F. O. Rogers, Joel E. Newson and John
Broome.
On motion of Col Flowers, the report of tho
committee was received and adopted unanimous
ly.
On motion of Cyrus Jenkins, Esq., it was
Resolved, That the proceedings ot this meeting
be forwarded to the West Point Beacon, and Au
gusta Constitutionalist for publication, and that
the Federal Union, Atlanta Examiner and Colum
bus Times & Sentinel, he requested to copy them.
On motion of Col Flowers, the meeting adjourn
ed. GEORGE HEARD, Chairman.
MILES H HILL, See’y.
£ Jjc Can ntrpman.
‘Give me,indulgent gods! with mind serene,
And guiltless heart, to range the sylvan scene.”
VOL. I.
Tuesday, June 9, 1857. No. 9.
LF" Address all communications (post-paid) to
The Countryman, TURNWOLD, POTNAM Co.G.A.
A Vlisinkr.
The Now York Day Hook, commenting upon the
fact that at the late assizes in Tipperary, a young
Irishman, “of respectable appearance,” was sen
tenced to twelve months imprisonment for unlaw
fully having a pistol in a “proclaimed district.' 1
remarks: "Here is a white man, the brother,Ihe
equal of every other white man, imprisoned for
having arms, for a privilege which is even allowed
to negroes at the South.”
The Day Book is mistaken about the “privilege
allowed negroes,” at least so far as Georgia is con
cerned. In this State, negroes arc very properly
forbidden by law from using, or having, fire-arms,
except in certain cases mentioned in the statute,
and. in those cases, by permission of some white
person.
■SouIII Carolina to (Harrison, Beecher A Co.’
We see iu a Northern newspaper certain queries
propounded to the above gentry, under the above
head. One of them is—
“Do yon believe that God did not pronounce the
great judgment upon Ham and his descendents,
‘That a servant of servants shall thy seed be for
ever on earth T’ ”
There is great folly in this question. In the first
place, it is casting pearls before swine to tain to
Beecher and Garrison about God. The one has
substituted a code of murder and treason in lieu of
that gospel which says “Thou shalt not kill,” aud
which exhorts obedience to the “powers that be:”
while the other is an open blasphemer.
Iu the next place, the query admits that slavery
is a curse—“a great judgment”—to the negro,
which is not so. Then it degrades the character of
God by teaching that for the offence of one man,
the Deity has placed an irremediable curse upon
his descendents for all lime. This cannot be so.
Even admit that we know negroes to he the de
scendants of Ham—which we do not know—and
that Ham and his descendents are. to a degree, un
der the curse of the Almighty, this would no more
justify us in striving against the removing from
them “a great judgment,” than we would be justi
fiable in resisting the amelioration of the whole
human family because we are all under the curse
pronounced against Adam and his posterity. Re
ally we consider (tie Ham argument the weakest
that can be urged in favor of slavery. If it had
no more stable support than this, it would be swept
away like gossamer before the whirlwind.
Another silly query put by “South Carolina” to
“Garrison, Beecher & Co,” is, “Do you not know
that you are fast degeueratinginto fanaticism
and folly !”
To ask the abolition gentry, and especially those
to whom the above question is put, it they are not
now “degenerating into fanaticism and folly,”
when they have long ago sounded the lowest
depths of hotli fanaticism and folly, is betraying a
naivete beyond endurance.
Verily the institution of slavery frequently suf
fers from the untenable grounds upon which it is
defended, as well as from the weakness of some of
its advocates.
The Pauthrrn Cultivator,
Tho Southern Cultivator for June is ijp ( , n 0n „
hie, rich in varied contents of interest to the **"
deiier and the farmer. No one who tends a f r „ , ,r '
soil should fail to send one dollar to Wm. S.J.',
Augusta, Ga., and secure, for a year, the Ptr » es '
magazine of agricultural wealth, contained in iT’
best agricultural journal for the Southerner in .r°
Uuiou. 14,1
Sum Waking I p.
“Our Amerikin”—(American we should i
written)—"Onr American friends in Upson,” jT*
tlie Recorder of a late date, “are wide awake'to it*
trne condition of public affairs," Ac.
We are glad to find that Sam was not dead bn
merely slept, and is waking up agai n fora fight p'
though it strains us considerably to fight ar - R| .j;
so small an object as Sam, it strains ui still tJ.'‘
to fight against nothing.
Kmvi His Friend’s Views.
- Gen. Betliune, in Lampooning the Democrat -
party, says:— ‘ ‘ -ic
“It is idle to talk about the ‘great, principle, r
the party,’when every man who chooses to tal°
the trouble to know any thing abont it, must °
and does know, that those who control the p 0 ,.° W
of the party, pay no more respect to those prind
p'es than the devil does.”
We are not disposed to doubt that the Gene* l
knows as much about the views of hie friend
any one. Yet if the devil has no respect for tIT,
principles of the Democratic party, it is the best
evidence to onr mind that those principles
the correct ones.
Anirricnn Publishers’ Circular.
This is an indispensable to the man of letters.
It keeps one fully posted in reference to every hook
issued in this country, and with regard to every
important one issued in Europe Send $2 to C. R.
Rode, No. 3 Appletons’ Building, Broadway, New
York.
Harper’s Weekly.
This paper is eminently deserving of Southern
support, both from the intrinsic merits of its con
tents, and from the fact that it is one of the few
Northern journals which are conservative and law-
abiding, recognizing the provisions of the consti
tution in regard to slavery, and every thing else.
I’riee $2.51) per annum. Published by Harper A
Brothers, Franklin Square, New York.
Isn’t this a nice little poem ? We get it^from the
London Athenaum.
BRINDISI.
The ladies are gone, hoy,
But fill up the bowl:
With the brightest of wine, boy,
We’ll deluge the soul:
And since with their presence
No longer we’re blest,
We’ll drink from the glasses
Their red lips have pressed.
I’ve heard that whenever
* Small birds on the brink
Of a clear Eastern fountain
Stoop ovir aud drink,
That fount becomes sacred!
Then sacred he this,
Where the red lip of woman
Hath printed a kiss !
“Hard Times.*’
The Daldonega Siam/ of the lfith snvs-
“The cry of ‘hard times’ is to he h'eard in ,n
quarters of the up-country. In Gilmer, Fannin
Union, and onr own county, provision, arehecora’
ing exceedingly scarce, and we f.-nr that man- of
onr people will suffer greatly before the harvest;
season rolls around. Many are the families now
in our county, from v hat we car. learn, that ]ia- 9
been without meat for weeks, and but a small
Iowanee of bread. Many cattle and hogs are dv-
ing from hunger. A gentleman informs ns, wh 0
haf inst past through Fannin and Union counties,
that he scarcely passed a farm which did not give
evidence of some decayed carcass, many of which
he saw. Truly: the times are becoming distress-
ing.”
We were reading an account, the other day, as
we frequently do, of a large collection which was
taken up for “missionary purposes.” We trust
that in their zeal for the heathen, our people trill
not forget the sufferings, from hunger, of those at
their doors. We have known this to be the case
Let apart of “the collections” go towards feeding
onr own hungry ones. We do not say this as a
a fling at any denomination’s peculiar views, but
simply to direct attention to the sufferings of our
own fellow-citizens.
Democratic Heeling in Washington.
A respectable portion ofthe Democratic party
of Washington county having convened in San-
dersville this day, on motion of Col. John W.
Rudisill, John Kittrel Esq., was called to the Chair
and James P. Jordan requested to act as Secretary.
The object of tho meeting having been pertinent
ly explained by Col. Rudisill, the Chairman ap
pointed a Committee of five to report business for
the meeting, which Committee having retired for
a short time reported through their Chairman,
I. H. Saffold, Jr., the following resolutions which
were unanimously adopted:
Resolved. That we highly appreciate the success
of our principles in the recent Presidential election.
Resolved, That we have great confidence in
President Buchanan—that he will enforce these
principles in the Administration of this govern
ment, upon which it is based and upon which its
prosperity depends.
Resolved, That we consider all contention rela
tive to the locality of onr standard-bearer in the
approaching Gubernatorial election as unwise and
impolitic.
Resolved, That we will cordially support any nom
inee ofthe approaching Gubernatorial Convention,
who is in principle a Democrat and a supporter
of the Administration of James Buchanan.
Resolved, That we believe in the Constitution
of the United States strictly construed, and in a
union of the States strictly based upon the Con
stitution but no other.
Resolved, That the Federal Union is a blessing
or a curse, according as it maintains the equality
and constitutional rights of all its members or im
pairs them.
Resolved, That the Chair appoint a :ommittee of
five to report the names of five or more suitable
persons to represent this county in the approach
ing Gubernatorial Convention to assemble in Mil-
ledgeville on the 24tli inst., and also a like num
ber of alternates.
Resolved, That the same committee be request
ed to suggest the names of a suitable numberof per
sons to represent them in the Congressional Con
vention. In accordance with the foregoing resolu
tions the Committee appointed to the Guberna
torial Convention the following gentlemen: John
W. Rudisille, B. D. Evans, J. W. Mills, Green
Brantly and I H. Saffold, Jr., together with W.
W. Carr, Joseph Forbes, Robt. Massey, Francis
Cato, and Samuel J. Smith as alternates.
To the Congressional Convention Thos. O.
Wicker, Hull A. Joiner, Bryant O'tjuinn, R. R.
Strange and Wm. Taylor.
Resolved, That the Delegates have power to fill
such, vacancies as may occur, and, that this meet
ing stand adjourned until the first Tuesday in
August next.
Resolved, That the Federal Union and Augusta
Constitutionalist be requested to publish the pro
ceedings of thij^meeting.
JOHN KITTRELL, Chairman.
Jas. P. Jordan, Sec’y.
In the little town of Stoneham, ^sschusetts,
Mr. Amos Howard, a prominent and much-esteem
ed citizen, was recently detected in forgeries and
swindling to the amount of $30,000. The relig
ions society of which he had been an active and
useful member is among the victims of his perfidy.
Popular Errors.
In a late newspaper we sec an article headed
“Sunflower Culture as » Preventative of Fever and
Ague.” Is not this a little more than any of us
desire of sunflower ? Should it prove a preventive of
ague and fever, it will he as much as we could
ask. Preventive is the word—not preventative.
We frequently hear, even intelligent men, talk
ing about agriculturalists, when agriculturists would
he a much more proper topic of conversation. Not
long since we heard a man speak of computatiag
time, when he should have been speaking of com
puting it only.
In a newspaper before us is an article headed
“To preserve eggs for sitting-." and frequently
you hear people say of a lieu that she is sitting.
Besides this we have all heard of the judge who
corrected the attorney, saying to him, “Hens set.”
But this judicial»dietum to the contrary notwith
standing, hens do not set but sit. It is true our
wives set them when they put eggs under them,
but the liens themselves sit. And they should
learn from the newspapers how to “preserve eggs
for setting"—not for sitting: for the eggs might
sit forever, and never hatch.
We have heard people, making a violent (but
ineffectual.) assault with intent to speak properly,
say, “Sit a chair dowu here for this lady.” Now it
would be just as wrong to sit the chair down, as
for the lady to set in, or ou, it.
We have even heard people, who made extra
exertions to be correct in their conversation, speak
of the sun’s sitting—a thing he never does, but only
sets. Aud in this, by the way, he exercises a pre
rogative peculiarly his own. as nothing else in the
world, nor nobody in the world, but him, is enti
tled to set.
Editors, and printtrs, and writers, almost uni
versally .spell the word lose improperly, using two
o’s instead of one. This is very loose orthography.
When a man’s horse strays, he must write of
losing him, and not loosing him. For iu the former
instance the word he uses, per sc conveys the idea
he intends to convey : while the latter, per se con
veys the idea of unfastening or unloosing.
Hitch un to. or put on to, are Yankee expressions,
but even some Southern writers and speakers have
got to using them. To put an apple on the table is
sufficient, without putting the fruit on to the table.
In a recent letter concerning Kansas, that faith
ful source of errors of ali kinds, a seemingly in
telligent correspondent writes of a “party of free-
soil marauders building on the smouldering ruins”
of a pro-slavery man’s cabin, after having mur
dered the man. If the fire remains smouldered
long enough for the froesoilers to finish their house
and get in it, so that it may then burst out and
consume the murderers along with their buildiu,
the freesoilers will anly get a foretaste of their
“manifest destiny.” But w hat shall be done with
the correspondent who so brutally murders the
proprietors in the use of language ?
\Ve implore typographers not to make any mis
takes in printing this article. For on an absence
of typographical errors depends all the point of
these remarks.
Showing l‘p Their Parlies.
Brother Knowles of the Journal St Messenger is
rejoicing over Gen. Bethune’s showing up, or
blowing up, of the Democratic party, and promi
ses “if the American party ever becomes thus de
moralized,” “to show up its deliuquences.”
In the first place, we presume that the reason
the General does not attempt to show np Brother
Knowles’ party, is because he feels as did the man
w ho was in the habit of swearing severely, until
one day he refused to swear at all, at something
unusually provoking, because he could not do jus
tice to the subject.
In the second place, if Brother Knowles means
by the “American party,” the Amerikin or Know
Nothing party, why should he speak of its becom
ing demoralized ! How can a thing become demor
alized, wbeu it is, was, has been, and will forever,
from its very nature, he so?
In the third place, if Brother Knowles should
proceed to bring to light the doings of his party
by the dark lantern, his party might reciprocate
the favoi ; and then where would Brother Knowles
be ? If, according to the gospel and according to
Gen. Betliune, the righteous, alias the Democracy,
are not saved, where will, politically speaking, the
ungodly and the sinner, alias Brother Knowles
and his A merlin-loving, Irish-hating party, ap
pear ?
In the fourth place, Brother Knowles is, politi
cally speaking, so much like the human heart—
“deceitful above all things and desperately wick
ed’ —that we fear he will never be able to see the
demoralization of his party, much less to speak of
it. We arc awfully afraid he is one of the politi
cal non-elect. And even if he is not beyond the
hope of redemption, it would take the “biggest
sort of a rattle-snake” to bring him to repentance.
But let him take consolation, for according to
Watts—(is it T. H. Watts whom the K. N.’s now
swear by ?)—according to Watts—
“For while the lamp holds out to burn
The vilest sinner may return.”
Oh ! that Brother Knowles would but forsake the
errors of his way, and embrace the overtures of
Democracy. Nearly as great sinners as he, by
proper repeutance, have been saved by it. What
a trophy Brother Knowles would be to the saving
influences of Democracy!
Democratic Meeting in Hancock.
At a Meeting of the Democratic party of Han
cock, Richard M. Johnson was “boson Presidetu
and L. Willcoxen Secretary. The President lim
ing stated the object of the meeting, on motion of
A. J. Lane a Committee of five was appointed to
report business for the meeting: Whereupon the
following resolutions were unanimously adopted:
Resolved, As the judgment of this meeting of
a portion ofthe citizens of Hancock comity with
out regard to past, party associations, that tlie par
ty represented by the present administration of
the general government is the only party in the
union which has shown itself to he truly national,
national in its justice to all sections of the union,
and national in the power requisite to withstand
that array of fanaticism which makes ceaseless
war upon fifteen hundred millions of property, and
upon the tranquility, the happiness, and the
lives of millions of men women and children.
Resolved, that in our judgment the law of self-
preservation requires all men of ail parties at tho
South to rally to the support of the present nation
al administration as the only bulwark of our safetv
and the only hope of our rights, and at the same
time of preserving the union.
Resolved, That we will he represented in the ap
proaching Democratic Convention to he held at
Millcdgeville on the 24th of this mpath to nomi
nate a candidate for the office of Governor, to ho
supported by such citizens as may wish to mani
fest and signalize the respect and admiration
which they feel for those great principles of equali-
ty and justice to the South, which brought Presi
dent Buchan an into office, w hich were reaffirm
ed in his Inaugural Address, and w hich have
been happily illustrated by his Administration.
Resolved, That in said Convention we request
our representatives to yield whatever personal
preferences they may have, to considerations of
public duty and public policy, and that we pledge
our cordial and warm support to any man worthy
and well qualified who may he nominated by the
Convention.
Resolved. That while we recognize the merits of
other distinguished Democrats in this District
and would eherfully support whomsoever may bo
nominated, our preference for a Congressional
nominee is our fellow-countyman Hon. Linton
Stephens.
The following named gentlemen were chosen
Delegates to the Convention.
Gnbrrnntonul.—R. M. Johnston, J. Gonder,
H. Coleman, W. B. Fraley, T. W. Latimer. T. M.
Hunt, F. Brooking, I. Bass, J. R. Whaley, E.
Latimer. J. Nelms. Stephen Pearson, M. Miller,
J. B Latimer, J. H. Evans, P. W. Rachels.
Congressional.—A. J. Lane, \V. Hunt, T. Dick
son, J. Bledsow, J. Allen, E. Birdsong, C. Con
nell, W. Ik Hall, R. Robertson. W. AY. Simpson,
J. Dewitt, J. B. Johnson, J-H. Lewis, T. Beman,
S. Wiley, B. T. Harris, W. Latimer.
The Secretary on motion was requested to furn
ish the Constitutionalist and Federal Union with
a copy of the proceedings of this meeting.
R. M. JOHNSTON, Chairman.
L. Willcoxon, Sec’y.
Democratic fleeting in Houston.
At a meeting of the Democratic Party of Hous
ton county. Jno. 41 Giles, Esq., was called to the
Chair, and J. A. Holtcelaw requested to actj as
Secretary.
The object of the Meeting having been explain-
ed, on motion of Col. J. W. Belvin a Committee
of five was appointed to select suitable persons to
represent the county in the Gubernatorial Con
vention, to be held in Milledgeville on the‘24th
inst., also in the Convention to he held in the 3d
District to nominate a Candidate for Congress.
The Committee consisting ofJ W. Belvin, Jno.
D. Winn, Jas. A. Pringle, Jas. B. MeMurray, Esq ,
and Dr. P. B. D. H. Culler reported the following;
Resolved, That we will be represented in the
Democratic State Convention by Joseph Day,
Hon. Howell Cobb, W. P. Gilbert, Esq , Madison
Marshall, Esq., J. B. Campbell, Esq., and D. H.
Houser, Esq., and in the Congressional District
Convention by J. W. Belvin, Jno. A Thomas, C.
D. Anderson, Jas. A. Pringle. D. F. Gunn and F.
A. Hill, Esq.
Resolved,i That in the opinion of the Democratic
party of Houston the22d inst. would he the most
suitable time, and Forsythe a convenient place tor
holding the Convention to nominate a Candidate
for Congress in the 3d District, and they respect
fully suggest to the other counties of the District
to agree with us on these points.
On motion of Daniel Fudge, Esq.
/ esolved. That each delegation bo empowered
tc fill any vacancy that may occur.
On motion of John H. Powers, Esq., the pro
ceedings of this meeting were ordered to be pub -
lished in the Democratic papers ot Macon and
Milledgeville.
Resolved, That the Democratic Party of Houston
convene at the Court House < n the 1st Tuesday
in July, when business of exciting interest will he
transacted, to which time this meeting stands
adjourned.
JOHN M. GILES, Chairman.
Jesse A. Holtzclaw. Sec’y.
Democratic fleeting.
According to previous notice, a portion of the
Democratic party of Morgan county convened at
the Court House in Madison, for the purpose ofse-
lecting delegates to represent the county in the
Gubernatorial and seventh Congressional district
Conventions both of which are to he held in Mill
edgeville on the 24th inst.
On motion, Col. J. B. Walker was called to
the chair, and C. G. Harris requested to act as
Secretary.
The object of the meeting being explained, on
motion of Col T. P. Saffold, a committee of seven
was appointed to suggest suitable names as dele
gates to said Convention.
The committee consisted of the following g pn ‘
tlemen, T. J. Burney, Col. Wm. Stallings, Gen. 6-
R. Jessup, Dr. Jos. Campbell Wm. L. Jett, Bobt.
Crawley and A. M. Brown.
The committee reported to the meeting the names
of the following gentlemen, as suitable persons o
represent them it the said Conventions. Dawson
B. Lane, Col. T. P. Saffold, Isaac L. Walton, W®.
Woods and Gen. R. Jessup- . ,
The report of the committee was unanimous-.-
adopted.
The following resolution was offered and unani
mously adopted. . .
Resolved, That the Hon. Linton Stephens is,.-
the opini on of this meeting, the first choice ol
Democratic part}- of the seventh Congress!*®
district as a candidate for Congress. 1 hat our c.
gates to the Congressional Convention arereqo ^
ed to urge his nomination, and that he will a l
the obligations under which his political ,ne * j
in this county already rest, if he will again cons--
to occupy that position.
Moved by T. J. Burney, that the delegate,
empowered to fill their own vacancies. r
Moved by Wm. Woods, that the proceeding
the meeting be published in the Constitutions -
and Federal Union—after which the meeting
journed. J. B. Walker, Chairman-
C. G. IJarris, Secretary.
Madison, June 2. 1857.
Affairs of Honor.—A couple of duels took pise®
this morning, on the South Carolinia side o ^
river, opposite our city. The parties were . •
Phillips, senior editor of the Chambers (Ala >
bune aud J. H. MooreField, senior editor 0
Chambers Herald; and J. S. Prather Junior ^
ofthe Tribune and T. L. Appleby, junior edit”
the Herald. The weapons were pistols al * 0 f
distance sixteen paces. After an intei-cnaBL j
shots, in each instance, the matter was a
adjusted.—Dispatch