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SAVANNAH,
WEDNESDAY NOON, JULY 16, 1823. >
Eclipse of the Moon. On Tuesday evening
next the 22d inst. our astronomers say there
will be a total Eclipse of the Moon, and as it will
be a considerable time obscured as it passes
through the earth’s shadow, it cannot fail of be
ing well worthy ot observation. It will take
place between the hours of 8 and 11 o'clock.
We invite the attention of our readers to an
Extract (which will be found on our first page)
from Las Cases’Journal of the private life and
conversations of the Emperor Napoleon at St.
Helena.
This single piece, perhaps, discovers more of
the real character of Bonaparte, than volumes
Which had hitherto appeared ; joined to an in
timate knowledge of human nature is pourtray
ed a mind equally capacious for conquest and
. For government. Although we never believed
the half of which Bonaparte has been accused,
yet we confess We Were somewhat disappoint
pd (and agreeably so) in reading his benevolent
reflections on the condition of Toby. We fully
agree with him in regard td the happiness which
.the people of the Uhited States enjoy under
their form of government. He perhaps of all
men was best suited to the volatile disposition
•rif France—but we doubt very much, whether
be ever could have become a Washisgton in
America. The two- men, were very different,
both in disposition and politics. Bonaparte as
pired to universal conquest. Washington only
to the liberation of Jus country from the tyrants
yoke. The ambition of the former, was to bring
emperors, kings, and countries, suppliant at his
feet—-that of the latter, was to place his coun
trymen in a situation to govern themselves; to
be happy at home, and command respect a
broad. -
.. A communication on si novel subject, signed
“Astrim/* ha* been sent to us, which we
Should bave inserted, had it been written in
plain English. Put as it stands, it would need a
jury of lexicographers (o render it intelligible.
So outrageously bombastical is its language.
Its style reminds us of Fantastictfs speech to
his foot-boy:
“ Diminutive, and my defective slave,
‘Reach my corps coverture immediately;
’Tis my complacency that vest to have,
T* insconce my person from frigidity.”
The boy thought all Was Welsh which his mas
ter said, till he Cried in English— Rogue, fetch
my cloak.
In moments When some all-possessing trouble
lias a mastery over cAir.senses, the thingSof this
World are but of little account with us. We
are then regardless of expenses which afflict us
sorely, when We afterwards have to pay the bills
which the kind offiefousness of friends has in
curred for us—in order that we shall appear in
all the pride and pomp of showy grief. As in
telligence advances and superstition recedes,
we find that we can mourn ns well in blue as in
black. We hope to see less rs the sombre
weeds, and some reduction in the monstrous ex
cess of sepulchral habilliaments, in which many
Os our community have hitherto indulged—al
most even to the deprivation of their children of
bread. The following extract shews that the
vain pageantry of giving scarves, gloves, &c. at
funerals, is do.ie away at New-York : “ A prac
tice of this kind, may be introduced with as
much ease, as Oust of giving scarves has been so
generally laid aside. Parade at ordinary faner
arts is incompatible with the feelings and sense
of propriety which all serious and reflecting*
people entertain. The minds of most persons
are solemnized on such interesting occasions,
and are perhaps as well disposed to deep and
sober thought on the frailty of human life, the
certainty of death, and the infinite importance
of being prepared for it, as in almost any situa
tion in which men are ordinarily placed.”
On the toast of Norway, is a dreadful WhirU
pool , called the Marlstrom ,- ■vessels that approach
within three miles of its centre, inevitably get
tuck'd in. BSnCKENMETXB.
Sucking in, is not entirely confined to the
Marlstrom; there are many ether awfulgulphs,
for ‘
When I see a man spehding three quarters of
his time, hanging about a hotel, eating relishes,
accepting every treat that is offered, and dis
coursing over, and upon the excellence of ice
punch in hot weather, I think him ih a fair way
to be suck'd in.
When I see a man making an excuse every
time he takes a drink—that he is hot and wants
cool brandy and water; or, that he is cool, and
whisljey toddy i 8 necessary to warm him, &c. &c.
I am Sure be is in a fair way to get suck'd in.
When I see a clerk, firing at costly and fash
ionable lodgings, dressing fine, keeping a horse,
a mistress, &c. upon a salary of jgsoo * year, I
know that his master must tnffef, and that he
himself, is already tuck'd in.
When I see a man hunger and thirst after an
office that can cover him with but little honour,
But very apt to cover him with debt, losing time,
and treating every one of the Sovereign people,
in order to gain it, I think he is very near being
tuck'd in. .
When I sec a young man, of nice'sense of’
honour, and of high temper, seeking every op
portunity that offers for being a second in a du
el, talking eterhally of etiquette, affronts, et
ceteri, practising with pistols—take care I say,
sir, that yd do not get suck'd in.
When I see iUlandy fellow just come into the
possession of a friederate estate, doing .nothing
to improve it, and spending as freely as if it
were to last forever, I predict that he will soon
be suck'd in.
See then, young men, the poweirof auction —
avoid it, or it will be thy ruin.
MISERIES —COMMERCIAL.
An arrival direct, in short passage, brings ac
counts of a great rise of Cotton at Liverpool—
flattering yourself that your last shipment will
yield an enormous profit. Next mail destroys
the pleasing calculations, by producing your ac
count sales, and an elongation of your phiz,
when on looking over it, you perceive an alarm
ing loss —your parcel sold* just before the ad
vance. *
Waiting at the Post-Office an hour, in great
anxiety, for a bulky letter you sfce in your box,
directed by a hand exactly like that of the. man
from whom you are almost certain to have a
large remittance by the same mail—on opening,
you find it a circular from anew established
house, covering half a dozen address cards—
postage not paid.
Receiving an order for a heavy purchase of
cotton—felicitating yourself on the swell it wiil
cause in your commission account—laying a
wake all night for gladness—next day getting a
letter which you suppose brings the needful
funds—but lo! “ the market has declined, we
countermand our order of yesterday,” stares
you in the face.
Making extehsive purchases Upon the
strength of a rumour that the crops liave totally
failed; next news that comes, state they never
were more promising.
Being tormented and dunn'd incessantly for
quotations of the market, by a man who nevei
makes you a consignment —nor puys the postage
oj his letters.
BANKS.
We stated in our second number, that the
banks here, would probably resume Specie
payments in the fall. .It is asserted that the,
Planter’s Bank is able to do it at this time, but
will defer it until the State Bank is in a condi
tion to do it also, which we understand is mak
ing every preparation to meet their notea in
hard money.
If the intentions are carried into effect, we
may expect to see same change for the better,
in our city, and a return of much of the trade,
which the alarming difference of our money had
driven away, and our plaee meet with a re
demption such as Charleston has experienced.
Charleston, however, would appear to be un
der obligations to the United States’ Bank for
some aid, for early in this year the Parent
Bank took decisive measures to bring about a
wholesome state of currency in South-Carolina,
where much irregularity had crept into their
banking No sooner did the Parent
Bank order a proper and legitimate course to be
pursued, than we find the Exchange between
Charleston and the eastern cities brought to a
bout par. This is as it should be, and if the
same judicious measures are pursued as to
Georgia, the same desirable results may be ex
pected there.”
HEALTH OF THE CtTf<
For the information and comfort of our friends
at a distance, we state that the health of our ci
ty was never greater, at this season of the year
than it now is. There are only seven cases of
fever now in the city—most of them (n the
neighborhood of Spring-hill—one of them Worm
fever—tlie others, the common reraittentfevers.
This is truly a blessing, and it becomes us to
thank God for it. It becomes us also to prity for
a continuance of it.
The weather is warm and even. We have a
due portion of the electric fluid, and a fair sup
ply of Heaven’s liquid blessing, meted to us in
occasional refreshing showers.
4 AH which tends- to keep us sound in body,
make the cotton, rice, corn, and sugar-cane
grow promisingly, and gives us tokens of a good
ly harvest.
If we have many evils—there is a sufficient
balance in favor of the good, to demand; our
thanks.
Many of the cellar doors, attached to the
• Washington-Hali Buildings on the Bay, in this
city, are in a decayed and broken state. Public
safety requires that the evil be repaired imme
diately.
From the bustle which already pervades all
classes of politicians in this city, it can easily be
inferred that oiir fail elections, as well for mem
bers for the General Assembly as for Aldermen,
will be Warmly contested. We have this day
collected the names of such of the candidates'as
have already been proclaimed —and have appro
priated a part of our paper for the purpose of
perpetuating them all, (at least till the elections
take place.) We do this with the view that the
people may at all tidies see who of their fellow-
Citizens are candidates; And that they may be
enabled to make their own selections out of those
who are offered for their suffrages. We shall
revise the list of candidates each time we shall
issue a paper, either by adding thereto or sub
tracting therefrom, as occasion may require.
The ensuing elections may be-of vital impor
tance to'this city and county —and we shall re
joice, should they eventuate in the choice of
persons duly qualified to serve the people.
Some explanations have been given us
respecting the case of the individual alluded to
in our last under the signature of An Inshman
They merely explained some legal points ; they
were friily to show that the Law of this state
would justify the measure that was adopted
W’e have been informed by a respectable indi
vidual, that one of the defendants in the case, a
female, did appear, and claimed her riglrt to
traverse the case, which by law the Judge was
obliged to grant. With this exception, the case
is not changed. The principal defendant made
default for the -best of reasons, and bis bonds
were estreated. His associate, appeared, and
traversed the case, how this could be done
when the original bond was marked estreated,
we are not sufficiently learned in the law to
say Iu either case, we believe Judge Nicoll,
did not possess the power or right to discharge,
by law. It is eqaily certain, that the inno
cent man in Seeking justice, found only harsh
punishment. Poor Dennis will have no more to
do with law, or lawyers ; he found them like a
pair of shears, which being opened and preseed
down, seem to cut each other, when in reality,
they cut only what comes between them.—
This case, however, will to point out the
way to others who may be without money and
without friends, how to get relieved from unde
served punishment inflicted on pure inriocefice;
will show them in what way to get relief from
the severity of a law which inflicts a penalty
without a trial, and without a crime. It will
show them too, how a Judge may perfotm his
duty w ithout meriting ‘ immortal honor,’ and
how another Judge may do coolly, merely what
mere law coldly exiic s, Without meriting heavy
obloquy, ttnd without deserving the highest eu
logy for a moderate exercise of his functions,
i Since the above has been put in type, we have
received the following statement from the Soli
citor-General :
The State ,
▼s. , C Assault and Battery.
P. Me Gran and Wtje j
This case came up to my hands, at the last
Term of the Court of Oyer sci Terminer for the
city of Savannah, in the usual order, that is to
Ba y~There was the affidavit of the prosecutor,
tha, warrant of the magistrate, the return of the
constable, the bonds of the defendants, and the
ci mmitment of the prosecutor and only witness
Upon these papers a bill of indictnraent was fra
med, presented to the Grand Jury, and a True
Bill returned. When the case was called up for
trial, the defendants claimed the right of Tra
verse- ; it was granted. Afterwards, it appear
ed that one of the defendants was absent, his
bond was estreated : the defendant s iil claim
ing the right to traverse, and the state not feel
ing authorized to enter a ‘ nolle prosequi,’ * the
prosecutor was remanded. The prosecutor was
afterwards brought up before the Judge of the
Superior Court, by * habeus corpus,’ and dis
charged.
Note. We consider it our duty to observe 1
here, respecting his lwing brought up before
the Judge of the Superior Court by a writ of
habeas corpus, that he was discharged on the
ground of informality on the part of the com
mitting magistrate—and we have every reason
to believe, if the unfortunate man had been
mote learned in the law, his release could have
been effected sooner than it was it was a hard
a case—but such appears to be the uncertainty
and intricacy of the law.
Mr. Editor r
In your paper ofthe 9th inst. someone, under
the imposing signature of an “Irishman,” and
the equally imposing date ofthe “4th July, An
niversary of American Independence,” lias laid
to the charge of Judge Nicoll, a case of unpar
alled “oppression,” in the recent exercise of
his judicial functions; and in so doing, he an
nounces to the public their duty as freemen to
inquire into every violation ofthe liberty cf a
citizen.
If the inclination which led the Irishman to
examine into the matter, had also induced .him
to ask, as he proposed doing, someone “ learn
ed in the law” to reconcile to his mind that
which appeared to it so stupendous a “discre
pancy” in the refusal of Judge Nicoll to grant
w hat he had no power of granting, he would
probably have found the expediency at least of
putting such a course in practice before he had
ventured upon the hazardous experiment cf
putting his dpinion On the subject in print.
llis pathetic narrative in the case of poor Den
nis Crosson, discloses circumstances calculated
to arouse the sympathies of every frepman, inas
much as the poor man appears to have been
promptly relieved upon his application to the
proper and only tribunal empowered by the
laws sf our land to discharge him from his im
prisonment, upon cause for such discharge l>e
ing judicially shewn. The judge of our Supe
rior Court will therefore receive as little acces
sion to his dignity from the immortal honor
awarded to him in this very ordinary exercise
or his peculiar duty, as the judge of our Court
of Common Pleas will lose in the estimation of
his fellow-citizens for not considering himself
sufficiently a legislator to enlirge the scope of
his jurisdiction into an Irish sphere, which has
been said (I suppose tauntingly) to be no sphere
at all, at all.
Now sir,our friend Pat, (who will pardon me
if i have mistaken ins correct generic appella
tive,) appearing not to have lived quite long
enough m our republic to have divested him
self entirely of those peculiar national prejudi
c s imbibed by him in youth, will probably le ad
vised by application to Bonne one “ learned in
the law,” if he has both money aad friends,
whenever a simile occurrence shall transpire,
that our legislature has not been initiated into
the mysteries of framing Irish laws —nor our
judges yet learned in the peculiar tact of giving .
an Irish construction to them; and he may at
the s me time receive gratuitously, provided
his fee is a liberal one, the additional advice of
JVe mtor ttttra crepidam.
Mr. Editor .-
A portion of our fellow-citizens having set
the laudable example of retrenchment and eco
nomy at a late public festival, and shewn what
can be done by the proper application of skill
and industry, may it not be taken as a pattern
worthy of imitation in every department of life,
both public and private, and be the commence
ment of anew era in our fiscal arrangements
which will result in the improvement of our
moral halvts, as well as in the resuscitation of
our pecuniary concerns ?
If this b e tiie.happy consequence of the pro
ceedings at the late Nationat Jubilee, much
praise will bd du| to those citizens who have
thus nobly broken ih upon that pernicious prac
tice of wasteful extravagance, so long observed
in our city, to the destruction of our resources,
and so inconsiiient with the simplicity of the
plain republican.
Our present corporation have done much in
the way of retrenchment, an l are entitled to
the thanks of their constituents; still there are
abuses to be corrected, and duties to be per
formed, which it may not be improper to re
mind on,- adei men of occasionally—not from a
captious disposition to complain cf negligence,
butrather to refresh their memories, believing
that every member is willing to do his duty
When a grievance is pointed out.
In all ii.corported places, where the chief ma
gistrate receives a compensation for his servi
ces, it is usual for that officer to perambulate
the town, and where he discovers abuses, orvio
iatior.s of the ordinances, or any thing that is
calculated to produce inconvenience to the
public, to apply a corrective on the spot, in
stead of waiting for information against delin
quents—the regular meetings of the board of
aldermen, and the whole parade of summoning
witnesses, keeping them attending on council,
to their great inconvenience, and the delay ot
public justice. To iilustiate ray idea—We
have an ordinance that prescribes the exact
manner cf laying off’ our side-walks; —now
when a person is improving a lot, it would be
an easy matter for the mayor, or the street and
lane committee, to point out to the individual
what the law requires, which no doubt would
be immediately complied with—but in case of
neglcc*, the penalty could be at once inflicted,
which would always secure respect to our mu
nicipal regulations. In a late instance, a citi
zen \ras called before council on a complaint
for raising the side-walk ti o high j and without
affording him an opportunity of correcting the
error, or giving him the least previous notice,
fined him five dollars: while another, who had
violated an ordinance by keeping shavings on.
his premises, and that too after he was notified
of the infi action of the law, is only fined three
dollars—the former, by a little attention on the
part of the proper authorities, might have been
converted into a useful public improvement, en
titling the party to reward ra- her than to pun
ishment —while the latter, a dangerous nuisance,
is only marked by the lesser penalty Again,
the street and lane committee give permission
to mend a few breaches in our public walk on
the Day—the work is partly done, when a sage
alderman comes along and forbids any further
‘ progtere in this useful improvement.
At another time, a sweep chimney cotractor
loses a few dollars, and perhaps at the same
time the landlord loses his rent also, by a bad
tenant, the former applies for an ordinance giv
ing him a lien on the lot to secure his fees,
wl.i li is immediately complied with—the con
tractor collects his fees from either party as best
suits his interests. The existence of the ordi
nance has remained almost unknown for nearly
three yeats, and now, when it is found unequal
and oppressive, a respectful petition is laid be
fore council ftr its repeal, signed by a numer
ous body of the most respectable inhabitants,
which is referred to a committee, who, after a
fortnight’s consideration, beg further time to
reportshewing an indifference to the claims
of their constituents that appears inexplicable,
when compared with the facility that a thing
jnay be done W'hen proposed by an influential
individual
Sometimes we see arrears to the city of
twelve or sixteen quarters standing, and those
perhaps by some members ofthe corporation
whilst another unfortunate wight, who happens
to owe three or four quarters, has an execution
on his back in a twinkling, and he must pay,
which is all proper; but yet there is an inequal
ity in the measure that is at variance with our
democratic notions of equal rights.
These remarks will apply in some degree to
our Judiciary.—A blundering justice of the
peace commits a man to prison tlmt he has no
authority to send there—notwithstanding, the
county must pay his expences while confined-*-
the time of a Grand Jury is uselessly taken up
with his case—the proceedings in the higher
courts are unnecessarily interrupted and delay
ed by it—and individuals subjected to onerous
costs; all of which might be avoided by the ex
ercise of a proper discretion in the first instance.
In some late papers we Lave accounts of Law
Schools being instituted for the purpose of pre
paring gentlemen for the bar—Would not such
an establishment be useful here, not only for
our unfledged barristers, but even for the in-,
structiou of higher members of the fraternity ?
JiF,iend to Equal Eights and Public Improve.
nent, on economical principles.
Dr MrTcnsLt was to deliver an address on
the afternoon of the 30th uk. in the city of New-
York, on the laying of the foundation stone of a
new Stare, at the corner cf Maiden,lane and
Pearl-street ; at which the curious Were invited
to ass'st,
