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From the A-gusta Constitution iU t. . i
W.< eve -Jin 'ly i ogr-t ih.it party foeliug !
party niiriiOiivY, a i-.l p-.rty ambit bn, .should j
prompt cor .ihi l-\i h-i >to disturb the harmuin ;
a til niittn il q’<» > I-w.ll. w!-;i--'h trust still ex's i
Il ‘t’.ve.’i the x iri.ms class-s of the < ontmun’ly. ,
c-U.iged in tin* diflbr.mt branches of the in lus ■
trv of the ce.untry. By d sturbiii’ this harmo
ny a great deal of ini' chief may bn effected, j
w hich could bo repaired but after years of r -
ertiom on the part ol those who are really the
well-wishers of the prosperity of tbeii country.
It i« therefore wills regret we find the opposi
tion prints of the United States, endeavoring
to mislead the pub'ic mind, by asserting that
the present administration of the federal gov
( ornmeut, with till its supportots, tire opposed
to the mercantile cl iss of the community, ami
intend to follow .a policy by which ruin to the
' merchants'would be the inevitable result. There j
is not a shadow of truth in such an assertion.
The whole course of the administration, since
1829, proves that the interest of tho merchants
Jtidbeen constantly attended to, and that no
JRher branch of in lustry has been the object
5 of so much solicitude as that pursued by com-'
i mercial men. Many instances could be ad
duced to prove the correctness of our position; j
but they are so notorious, that there is no need
to cite them. Can it bo supposed that the
. present a Iministration, w ith the party in pow
er, could bo so devoid of sense, and of sound
k policy, as to aim at the destruction of the mcr
. cantile class of the community? They, as well
■ as every citizen who reflects a little, aro con
vinced that tho prosperity of tho country i
identified with the prosperity of tho mercantile
interest, and that any injury suffered by that
interest, is equally felt by all other bowebe* <»f
industry, so intimately ate they nil connected
by their respective operations. But the federal
government is not bound, by its measures, to
bo exclusive in the protection it has the power
to grant: all branches of industry are entitled
to equal rights, to equal protection, and to an
equal participation of the benefits which that
government can confer. The government then
would receive universal condemnation, if, by
its measures, a distinction was made between
tho various branches of the industry of the
country, and greater protection was given to
one class, to tho detriment and injury of any
one oftho othci classes. Has the government j
been guilty of a distinction between the vari
ous branches of tho industry of the country?
Certainly not.—Why then should that govern
ment bo accuse 1 of an intent to injure the mer
chants, when it is so notorious, that the admin
istration would have gone to war w ith France
and Mexico, forth? protection of those inte
rested in the trade of those two -countries and
in a remuneration for spoliations committed on
American property? But the government is
bound by its measure, to follow justice, and to
art impartially. The other interests of the
country cannot, and should not, be neglected,
aad the whole attention of the government di
rected to the protection and prosperity of one
class of tho community. The merchants have
received a large share of tho attention jif the
government, because the commercial interest is
an important branch of tho industry of the
country; but they cannot expect that exclusion
in their favor should be the policy of the ad
ministration; for if the mercantile class of the
community have most essentially contributed to
the prosperity of the country, the agricultural,
with the mechanical interest, should be consid
ered as the original source from which all other
branches of industry derive their support and
strength. Injure this source, and the whole
country suffers, merchants and al). The fact
is, that the various branches of the iitdustiy of
the country are connnected by such ties, th”!
nn-ue can bo broken without endangering the
whole fabric; and none canbe exclusivelv'pro
tected by the government, without producing
aerio is injury to the country.
Any attempt to disturb the harmony existing
between the various branches of tbc industry
of tho country, should be instantly put down,
and the authors ot such a mischievous intent
condemned to scorn. At the same time it must :
be the duty of every citizen, whatever may be '
his pursuit, to require from the government!
nothing but equal protection and advantages I
and no favors which might prove injurious to ’
other citizens so lowingother pursuits; he should
rcquiio nothing but justice, and insist on equal
rights, equal privileges, and an equal partici
pation of the benefits to be derived from the
legislation of the country. Bv pursuing such a
cou.-se no prejudice will be created against any I
class of the community, and no complaint of
partial legislation will arise : all d tsses of the i
community and all pursuits, being equally pro- i
tected by the government, will strive conjointly
to promote the prosperity of the countrx, and to
insure the happiness 8f every member o r the
community.
F'om the Augusta Constitutionalist.
It is to be regretted that in party contests
for power, we should be so blinded, or as is fre
quently the case, so lost to generous and honor
ab.e fie.ings, as toassume positions, and declare
sentiments, which, under other circumstances
our better judgment and natural sense of rio-ht’
and wrong would lead us to condemn and to
d;s ejard. Ihe desireto keeper to acquire pow
er, prompt! us to use means which we know to
be disgraceful, but which are employed if sue
cess can thereby be obtained, because by’success
we may believe that the good of the country
wdl bo promoted. This is all delusion. Any
good to the country can never be produced by
unfair and disgraceful means; and no parly can
successfully maintain its ascendency, if it has
been obtained by the violation of truth, by as
suming false positions, and hv slandering the
adverse party. On the other hand, a party
will be more permanent in power, if that pow
er has been obtained by fair and honorable
means.
The struggle for power, which the people
will have to determine on the 2d of October
next, has led the party opposed to the union par
ty toassume the position, that Governor Schley
is censurable for his conduct in regard to the
compensation and indemnification due to the
volunteers in the late Creek war, aad for the
journeys lie undertook to that part of the State
where the line of the Western Rail Road is to
bo established.
In the settlement of accounts growing out of
the Creek war, the Govrnor has been censured
and condemned without mercy. Why? I the
has put the law of the last legislature at defiance,
H should be so stated. If he has misconstrued
it, so it should be shown. Nothing of the kind
has been done. The Governor has been ac
cused of being too rigorous in the settlement of
accounts, and to have refused the payment of
items m those accounts which should have been
allowed. Before he was censured, it should
have been shown that the law authorized the
governor to allow those items, or that he had
misconstrued the law. But why has he been
censured ? And why is the censure repeated in
the nullification prints of the State? He is cen
sured ami abused for acts which, instead, ought
to have drawn upon him praise and genera) com
mendation. The Governor is, by the consti
tion and the laws, the guardian of the public
funds oftbe State. Not a dollar can be drawn
from the treasury but by warrants signed by
accon lifttf to legal appropriations
1 he Governor then, as the guardian of the pub-
Itc money, is bound to be most chreful and exact
*n tho disbursement of it, and to see that all
demands against the Hutu- ar a. just and legal,
ai. pro;x-r!x authentic;! el. li the Govenmi act
otherv. ,he violate.-; his oath, at.d the impor
tant trust repo-id in him by tin- people. In
t. di-- ' .rr;e ot lis di.t >, lie his acted with
■ ire. and attention to the pnbkc inteiest; he
.eserv es. theiefore, tho cot u ience of Ids constit
uents. Win, then, is he censured? If the
(iaxeiimr, in tend of strictly n'tendiiig to the
setdemi-nt of the accounts presented for piy -
meat, had. st .th tho view of acquiring popu
larity, pai 1 every- account without ax t i i ati.m
is some of his ptedece sors have done, wliat
would hive t een the clamor tig dost him! From
one oil ot' th > St ile to the other, the cry would
have been heat .I,tk.it th--Governor was emploj
in-_’ the public money to insure his re-election ;
th.it he wa-« robbing the treasury t;> make pros
elytes; and that tie Central Bink would be
drained of the last dollar to ob’ain votes!! Be
cause Governor Schley o! ex s the law, is strict
in the ditcltargc of his o.’.ii ial dit'ies, and guards
the public treasure as □ - acred trust confided to
him by t'ie peopie.l.eis censured am! condemned!
And why is he cetismed and condemned al
so, lor visiting that section of the State where,
the western Rail Roa 1 is located ? It was his
duty to visit that section of the State, and to
see that the proper sin vev was made, under
taken and completed according to law. In visit
ing that section of the State, heonlv discharged j
a responsibility which the legislature had tmpos- j
ed non him. If he had remained at Milledge- .
villc, comfortably seated in the executive oflice, ■
sheltered from a summer sun, whht would have
been tho erv ? That he dreaded fatigue, ex- 1
posnre to rain and sun, and sickness; that he had ;
not the energy to discharge al some personal :
risk the duties of his oflice ; and that an officer'
who could or would not incur any inconvenience ;
for the public good, was unfit to hold the im
portant office of Governor.
So that Governor Schley is censured and
condemned for doing what duty required him
to perform, and for which, instead, he should be
praised.
t’rthii ttu Angus a C' jnstitutionolist.
LiNGDON CURVES—BAOF THE
UNITED STATES.
As soon as wo can find room for it, we will
publish the remarks of Mr. Cheves in reply to
certain strictures of Dr. Cooper, respecting the
operations of the Bank of the I'nited States,
' while under the administration of the former
! gentleman. In the mean time we sub|oin the
I remarksof the Southern Patriot upon the sub
ject, and we transcribe the conclusion of Mr.
- Cheves’ remarks, showing his opinion of a Na
| tional Bank. He thus concludes : “As to the
I late Bank of the United States, I have hut very
general notions of its transactions since I resign-
■ ed. 1 have been principally struck with the-!
extent of them on some occasions. 1 had no
I interest in it. If on any occasion I s pposed
fits course to be wrong, I felt that it would ap
;pear illiberal and be in delicate in me to become
a critic of the Conduct of my successor. If in
the struggles of tho Bank to be re-charterod,
my opinion was against it, (as in fact it was,) I
nevertheless was silent. The relations in
which I hid stood to it forbade me to manifest
opposition to it, in any way or in any degree.
It is now no mere,and lain free todeclare that
I am opposed to a National Bank in any shape.
I always believed it to he unconstitutional, and
my experience aid observation have satisfied
| mo, that it is inexpedient, unnecessary, and
darg rotis.”
I fc
[From the Charleston Patriot.]
Judge Cheves and the I’uitcd States Bank.
. —Judge Cheves has published in the Mercury
a communication replying to some statements
lot Dr. Cooper, in a late article from his pen in
j the Southern Literary Journal, in which he is
; charged with “ a too rigid c< n ruction of dis
| counts and paper issues,” of the Bank of the
‘ Un't -d States, while the Stockholders compl.iin
ied o> rgC?! l mg no dividen Is,” during his ad-
I ministri’ion. Tbc t'ofu'ati >n by Judge Cheves
,of these charges, is conc’d They were
'no doubt ma le by Dr. Cooper, with no
tion to commit injustice, and were sincerely f
•believed by him ; but we are glad that Judge
Cheves has, as well on his own account as that 1
ot thf-» public, mad.? the communication he has. i
It is high evidence of the unfitness of a Nation- j
al B iiu< as an instrument ol the government. ■
as well as of its uneonsritutionalitv. With the!
perfect accuracy ot Judge Cheves’ statements,!
with regaid to the discounts, iisues and divi- i
dends of the bank during his administration, we '
are ourselves satisfied, independently of his j
averments, from our examination of the dor u- '
meats connected with its operations, which we '
were compelled recently to consult to a consid- i
erable extent, in aid of our researches. Ourj
surprise has been that he was able in January, i
1823, so soon after bringing the affairs of the
bank put of theghaos in which he found them, j
to divide for the stockholders two and a half per
cent. We were no less struck with the troth of 1
that other portion of his remarks, in referring to 1
the administration of his successor, “ that" hr j
has made larger profits for thestockholdcrs than i
I should have dpne under equal circumstances. I
T have always been of opinion that a. Bank of\
the I . S. neither ought, nor ought to he i er- \
\mitte.d, to condurt its business with a view
\ the largest possible, profit,nn<\ therefore I should .
> probably have done a more limited business.”
i The words we have marked in italics contain
I pregnant truth. The same conclusion was for
i ccd on us by our own inquiries, and which we
'have already expressed. Mr. Biddle is en-td
| mirable President of a public bank, (such ns
was the late Bank of the United States) for fhi
, stockholders, but a very dangerous om for the !
public. Ins object was to make the
j possible profits."— the due regulation oAhe j
currency, as we have attempted to show, enter- i
|ed only subordinatelv into his consideration I
j\\ e are satisfied that Judge Cheves was remo !
, ved by clamor, to enable his successor to divide '
[more profitably for the stockholders than if he
I had continued at the bead of the Institution Ids
Iscnseofpublicdutywoidd haveenabledhimtodo
Tight. In ihi- good old blue law times
lin Conneclicnt, the gills were in the habit
1 of tying their hair so tight on the back of
' their beads, that it entirely prevented them
trout shutting their eyes or injuths, even if
! they ever felt so inclined to do. The con
sequence was, tlfat their lovers were com
pelled to untie the string before they could
kiss them.
Tighter.— Wc were informed last sum
mer, in Philadelphia, that some of the la
dies in that city were in the habit of hook
ing tbiir frocks s > tight behind, that they
were obliged to loos n them before they
could sneeze, or run the ri.,k of breaking
off lots of books and eyes.
I ightest.— A Boston paper mentions an
instance of a dandy there, who strapped
his pantaloons down so tight over bis boot
that woen lie raised bis foor to step, he
could’iit get it down again, but w <- obliged
to stand on one leg like a goose, until the
strap was taken off.
American Character.— “We are born in
a hurry,” says an American writer, “we
are educated at speed. We make a for
tune with the wave of a wand, and lose it
in like manner, to re-make ami re-lose it
in the twinkling of an eye. Oir body is
locomotive, travelling at ten leagues an
Hour; our spirit a I igh pressure engine;
our life resembles a shooting star, and
death surprises us like an electric shock.
■'ii.trA Aturi UM.l‘keD oTAIkIS
itt(;tiTs :
''d/jCwiv
" i’tie friends of the Union are our friends,and its
enemies, our enemies."
Cj’izii I '-I '• .< !.■:•! ■<>' -. '
’i’S’S’KWAY f-A?P':”. J*.
L'mox Camiiuate ton Govukxok.
UNION AND ANTI-GH.MF.R TICKET,
FOR THE COUNTY OF DEKALB.
roll sf-.ISATK.
JONATHAN B. WILSON, E,q.
FOR REI*RESF. NTATIVES.
J\Ml S LEMON, Esq.
JOHN L. EVANS, Esq.
AlEßllrt I il COLLIER. Esq.
Those who arc opposed to the United
States Baid:—to Shin Plasters—to haniel
"W ebster, the Ultra Federalist and Abolitionist
—to the Compromise Tariff and to the disolti
tion of the Union will vole for the Union candi
date S C Hhßy.
Those who are in favor of an Jndlan's
swearing away the lines and property of a.
whiteman, will vote for the NulUfiers can
didate, GILMEH ! '
CHAPTER II17"
“ It is due to OUR INDIAN PEO
PLE, that that provision ol the law cfeioh
teen hundred and twenty nine, should be
REPEALED,nh\ h prevents INDIANS,
and the (lescetidunis, ol Indiatis,frotn being
competent WITNESSES in the courts of
the Stat'-, in cases where a WHITE MAN
is a party. The present law exposes them,
to C RE AT OPPRESSION, whilst its re
peal would probably injure no one.” See
Journal of the Senate, for 1830, page 14,
and Journal of the House ol Representatives
of the same year, page 15.
CHAPTER IV.
From overuor (Ulmer's Message, A~or. 1831.
“ Upon no subject has there been more
misrepresentation, than in relation to the
goverunient of the CHEROKEES, and
the civilization of the people of that tribe.
Upon examination, it will be found, that
the aboriginal people are as IGNOR ANT,
THOUGHTLESS and IMPRUDENT
as formerly, i‘ ith< tit any of the spirit and
character which distinguished them when
war was their employment, and their sup
port derived from the forest.”
And these are the people Mr. Gilmer
would make witnesses, to swear away the
lives and property of white men.
TO THE PUBLIC.
Tn answer to the Addre s of Capt. James
A. Meriwether, to the people of Putnam coun
ty, which appeared in the Southern Recorder
of the 29th tilt., a very brief review of the facts
connected with the part which Governor Sehlev
acted in organizing and marching a volunteer
force to Florida, in the early part of 183-5, and
du l course which ho has since pursued in pro
vi’aj,,,. l,10S( ' " l,! ‘ 1:3,1 ’-'>rfm<-d loss and in-
clined expenses).; ,'.'it* set vice, cannot f'*. 1 ' to
convince the public miml, that in the first in
stanco he has displayed the spirit and energy
becoming his station, and in the second, that he
has manifested the most liberal and generous
policy, in providing indemnity for such losses
and advances as they have incurred.
The issue which Capt. Meriwether has sought
, to make with the Governor, upon the first view,
j would seem to involve a question of veracitv,
: and was doubtless so intended by him ; and if
' so, the Governor is ready to meet it and abide
the award of his fellow-citizens; but upon a
. calm ’investigation of the subject, it amounts at
| last to nothing more than a misapprehension on
■ the part ol Gapt, Meriwether, as to the extent
ofthe anti ority at any lime given him bv the
Governor, in relation to the purchase of clo’hing
| and supplies, tor the men under Ids command,
I From the fact that Governor Schley did
! authorize him to purchase clothing of a particu
i lar description, while at Milledgeville, he may
while al Macon, have given him similar authori
ty, although he has no recollection of the fact,
'•lnch the Captain may also have construed in
> to a more unlimited discretion than was intend-
I ed by the Governor ; and tiiose who know Gov
ernor Schley as a public servant, his uniform
vigilance and economy in the disbursement of
j the funds of the State, arc well apprised that he
i Would authorize no extravagant expenditur • of
| the people’s money, and that if either has been
| mistaken as to the extent ofthe power granted,
it must be Capt. Meriwether ; and this condu-
I sion is strongly fortified by the very definite in
structions given him in Milledgeville, as to the
I price and quality ofthe purchases made there,
j as established by the following certificate of It.
| A. Greene, Esq.
j “ I was acting as Secretary to the Governor,
. and was present when C iptain Meriwether call-
I ed on the Governorand informed him that there
I were several indigent members of his compan-,
| who were destitute of suitable clothing for the
season and the service, and requested "to know
d they coni I be furnished with cheap overcoats,
, at the public expense. The Governoi informed’
him that such an expenditure was unauthorized
by the Jaw, but instructed him to procure the
number s ated to he necessary, and he would
pay for them from the contingent fund of the
•State; at the same lime stating, that if the Le
gislature refused their sanction, he would pay
i for them from his own private funds. The num
i her of men stated to be thus needy, was, I
think, e’mlit or ten.
I heard the Governor say to the Command
ing Officers ofthe Companies, then at Milledge
ville, on several occasions, that they might con
sider themselves authorized to procure all ne
cessary articles of provision and camp equipage,
lor the use of their respective companies, and
draw upon him for the pay for them. When
one of the bills of purchases made bv anthoiitv
of these officers, was presented for payment at
the Executive office, the Governor refused the
payment of some items embraced in them wliii h
be believed were not recognized bv the law, or
any way necessary , either as camp'provi-.ions or
equipage ; but all such items in these bills as
could, by the most liberal construction, be
esteemed necessaiy as either, the Governor
uniformly of fined to pay for.
ST A N BAR I) (5 F (J ft I()
I do not remember ever to have heard the
Governor give any authority to purchase cloth
ing, (except as before stated,) er any article b‘.
mime, but gave authority generally, to procure
w hat might be necessary. And w lien a Com
missary was appointed, tciiiporarlli/, to procure
ncicssary supplies nl M.icon, the Governor was
< mebJlest et tors should he committed in this
matter, to enumerate the articles and the quan
tity' to be procured, which orders, however,
were utterly disregarded hv the purchasing
~ir* ss r - R.' A. GREENFL
beplember 1, 1837.”
But admitting, for the sake of argument, that
the Governor did give authority to Capt. Meri
wether to purchase clothing in Macon, is it pre
sumable that he would have so soon departed
from the 1 uleestablished in Milledgeville? The
-supposition is. too unreasonable to be seriously
~r--'r --' '; ! ">d when it is considered that the arti
cles which the Governor allowed to be pur
chased, were such only as the Government was
bound ,o recognize and pay for, atid which as a
military officer, Capt. Meriwether should have
known, was as far as lie could lawfully go, it
follows, that he has acted under a miscon
ception of his authority, or a very imperfect
knowledge of the law r ‘gulating the army.
1 he purchase then, of such articles as wore
not recognized by law, at prices wi ich the
Government never did and never will jusiift,
could not come within the legal meaning of
“necessary clothing for the soldiers.”
Extravagance forms no part of the disposition
or habits of Governor Schley, ami those who
know him best, will be tho last to believe, that
in any thing iie may h tve said, at any time or
place, he intended to authorize extravagant ex
i penditures, or to grant indulgences to one por-
I lion of the volunteers, which could not be ex
i tended to all. If, therefore, Capt. Meriwether
! has placed an erroneous construction upon it, he
I should at least be willing to lay a portion of the
consequences at his own door.
We have nut Capt. Meriwether’s account be
fote us, but as Capt. Foster’s name lias been
introduced, we deem it proper to mention a feu
it< ms, contained in accounts sanctioned by him,
I and which hive been rejected—such as
j Butter Cracker®.
I- ly Markit Beef, at per barrel.
Beel Tongtes, at 7-5 cents a piece.
Imperial Hyson Tea.
Pine Apple Cheese.
i Castors, aid cups and saucers.
i Bologna Sausages, at 50 cents per lb.
1 I runk, «t SIO,OO, &c. &c.
i But to shev more fully, the unreasonableness
' of such acco-.mts, and that such articles could
not have beet embraced in the purchases au-
I thorized by tSe Governor, and that they were
I not so considered by Major Cooper, their com
| manding officer, is distinctly proved by the fol
' lowing extrac. of his letterto the Governor.
[ Fztract.]
St. Mary’s, Feb. 16th, 1836.
■ Governor:
I Dear Sir I received a letter from Macon,
I pist as I was having the wharf at Darien, enclo
i sing an account of articles purporting to have
been bought fir my private use, stating also
that 1 had certified it to be correct. That they
‘ were purchased by my knowledge, consent or
procurement, is not true exc pt to a verv limi
! ted extent. I did request him or some one con
nected with his department to provide me two,
or three tin cups, plates, knives and forks, and
' hall'a dozen towels, and some small articles of
• stationary, &c. allowed me hv t!iu Gowmnctit
I Regulations. Bathe had no directions or re
! quest, to purchase the leading and important ar
ticlesspecified iatheaccottnt—such as 3 cheeses,
i half Imr.tW&f- indemi ;! a .
’ a man wets prep trag Jor a service of eating in
stead of fghting. I told him at Macon, that
i I should rely on the commissaries department
■ for my supplies and take soldier's fare,
MARK A. C OOPER,
Major of Georgia Volunteers.
Executive Department, Ga. |
Milledgeville, 3lst August, 1837. J
I certify that the above is a correct extract
fiom Major Mark A. Cooper’s letter to Gover
nor Schley under date of 16:h Feb. 1836, on
! file in this offiet.
B. 11. ROBINSON, Secr'y Er. Dep.
While no oil" more seriously regrets than
the Governor does, the difficulties and tnvolve
j ments of several of the officers, growing out of
a misconception of the extent of his instruc
tions, upon the score of purchases ; yet a sense
I of public duty, and the obligations of public
i law, have prompted him to the course he has
j pursued, and which he feels confident, will bo
sanctioned by the great body of his constituents.
—He at same time assures his fellow citi
j zens, that lie had no motive to reject those ac-
I counts, but felt himself compelled to do so, as
| an act of obedience tothe laws of his country
I entertaining at the same time, for them as offi
; cers and soldiers, the highest respect.
But a reference to the 4th section of the act
of the last session “To provide for the pay
ment of thd volunteers,” &c.will satisfy the com
munity that the Governor was bound to pursue
the course he has taken.
It provides “ That the commanding officers
of Companies shall state upon their muster
rolls, what property of said company may have
been lost in battle, or in the immediate pursuit
Oi the Indians, or while employed in actual
service, together with a statement of the value
and name of the owner, and shall transmit
likewise to the Governor, such testimony as
the claimant may furnish to him of the loss and
value thereof; it shall be the duty of the Gover
nor to pay for the same : Provided that the
provisions of this act, shall not extend beyond
the loss of horses, and equipages, waggons, and
wearing apparel of the soldiers."
Under this section of the act, a question
atose, as to what should be considered the wem
itg apparel of a soldier, and the Governor de
cided that the law intended to embrace only
such apparel as is allowed thereby to a soldier,
but he did not even resolve to act upon his own
opinion, and referred the question to the Judges
of the Superior Courts, who sustained him in
the view ho had taken of the subject. He has
therefore rejected all ac< ountsforclotliing which
exceed the limit laid down by the law, which
accounts the Comptroller General has given
notice, he will lay before the next Legislature
I he determination of the Comptroller General
to adopt this course, will meet the public appro
liation. He has done so from a deference to tjje
Governor’s opinion in the first place, and se
condly, from a conviction that if he had resol
ved to pay a single account of that character,
it would have involved him in difficultiss un-,
pica .am and inextricable; and from a conscious
ness that by refering them to the Legislature,
no .serious injury could result eblierto the State
or the claimants.
The slb section of the same act declares—
“'That his Exeelloncv the. Governor, be; and
he is her by required Io pay all accounts for
subsistence, forage, amunition, clothing, tents,
ramp equipage, cooking utensils, and medicine,
and hospital stores, transportation, and all’ ex
penses necessarily incited in fitting up the pub
lic arms, which may have been contracted bv
the commanding officer of any company, bat
tallion, regiment; brigade ot division, or bv the
quarter master of cither of them thereof for
the u <: of the same, cither io the Creek, or
Seminole campaign, yrinthe Cherokee comi
ties of this State; cither before ur after they had
been mustered into the service of .In United
States: Provided, such pay rnent has net been
made by the United States, Provided his Ex
cellency shall he satisfied that the same shall
have been purchased in good faith. And Pro
vided also, that the officer purchasing or issuing !
said provisions, in the < v<-nt of his not hoving
received compensation therefor, shall be paid
at and after the same rates which similar officers
aro paid for Zr/ce services, in the army of the
United States.'!
Under the provisions of. this section, it is
proper to enquire, by what standard have ac
counts been settled? We answer, that for servi
i ecs rendered, the amount of pay fixed and al
lowed, has in all cases been conformable to the
army regulations of the United States, as will
appear by' all the accounts heretofore settled
by the State of Georgia; and for all articles
purchased for the use of the soldier.-;, at a fair
and reasonable price; and upon this principle
have settlements boen uniformly made by the
proper authorities-; and could a discrimina
tion be made in favor of the item of clothing,
without manifest injustice to all others?
A just regard for economy in the public ex
penditures, forms one of the highest duties of a
Chief Magistrate in a country like ours, where a
strict accountability, and the “curb of inces
sant responsibility,” are lite lifeguards of the
' republic; and we entertain no doubt, that when
the subject is fully understood by the people,
they will never condemn the Governor for an
act which lie has done under a conscientious con
viction of public duty.
In the construction of the Word "clothing"
in this section, the Governor was obliged to re
fer to the one which precedes it, in which it is
defined to be the wearing apparel of the “sol
dier," and could not bo so tortured, as to mean
extravagant articles, such as over coats at
twenty or thirty dollars, or any other than the
proper habilaments of a soldier.
If the legislature had so intended, it would
have been so expressed in the act, and had it
been so expressed, the Governor would have
paid it without hesitation.
The Governor has no power to draw money
from the Treasury, without the authority of
law, clearly expressed; and there being nothing
in the act referred to, requiring him to pay such
charges I e believes he should exceed his powers;
. were he to pay them; because he lias no motive
to involve- any citizen in difficulties or to with
hold from him any thing to which the laws enti
tle him.
I here has already been paid to claimants
| under this act, upon accounts rendered, about
, one hundred and forty thousand dollars, and
I nothing is tefused. which !«» believes to be
within its moaning and intent.
The charge made by (>p f , Meiiwether, of
in ttnention o. t! m part of the Governor, to in-
Ijure his reputation, is by no means admitted—
on the contrary the con roversy was induced bv
Capt. Meriwether himself, by the statement
in his own County, that the Governor had ac
ted in bad faith towards him ; and which state
ment led to tin enquiry made ofthe Governor,
by a citizen of Putnam County in regard to the
facts cf the case ; and shortly afterwards the
Governor received a letter from Capt. Meri
wether, to winch, the following is the
Governor s reply ; and to a candid examina
tion of which, we invite our fellow citizens.
Milledgeville, 24th June, 1837.
Dear Sir : Your letter ofthe 21st instant
arrived yesterday, in which yon say Mr. Leroy
Sitigletoh has stated in your County that I said
to him, “ that when you stated that 1 had given
you auihority to purchase in Macon, any arti
cles of clothing, &c. for the members of your
Company while on their march to Florida in
1836, yon stated that which was false, and
that he, (Mr. Singleton,) was authorised ’so to
say to the people of Putnam County” and
you request me to inform you whether 1 made
the whole, or any part of the remarks to Mr.
Singleton, &c. &c.
Much has been said on the subject of purcha
ses made by yourself and others of clothing and
other articles in Macon ; and attempts have
been made to excite a prejudice against me. in
consequence of my refusal to pay the large ac
counts presented forthem. Ou one occasion, in
the Executive office, a gentleman, and it may
have been Mr. Singleton, but I do not recol
lect who jt was, stated that you said I had au
thorised you to purchase the clothing in Macon.
To this 1 replied, in substance, (for' I cannot
remember the precise words I used) that 1 had
not authorised you to make such purchases be
cause 1 knew the United States would not pay
for such articles, they being of a quality and
price unsuited to the occasion, &c and that I was
the mote certain I had not done so, because,
when your Company was here you came to the
Executive office, on a very cold morning and
requested leave to purchase s me coarse coats
Im some six or eight poor men under your com
mand. who were unable, themselves, to do so
and that I consented to the proposition, saying,
at the same time, “if the Government will not
allow the account I will pay it myself,” but this
was the only authority I had given you on the
subject. And I now declare that I have no re
collection of having empowered you to purchase
clothing of any sort in Macon, but moye partic
ularly ofthe quality and price of those for which
accounts have been presented to me, and it was
in reference to those accounts, and such arti
cles, that wo were speaking, when 1 denied
having given you authority to purchase (hem.
What 1 said on that occasion was in defence
of my own character against the charge of hav
ing authorised the purchase of articles which I
afterwards refused to pay for.
I authorised the purchase nt Macon, of pro
visions, camp equipage, <fcc. &.c. but when ac
counts were presented for smoked tongues, pine
apple cheese, loaf sugar, imperial tea, cups and
aucers, knives and forks, castors, travelling
trunksand various other articles, 1 refused pay
ment, because, although they were provisions
and equipage, yet they were, like the wearing
tpparel, not such as were allowed by law or
usage. And as those who furnish troops are
presumed to know the law, such extravagance
will not be talerated.
Even, therefore, if I had given you the au-
ihorilyt- purchase clothes foryour men, item’l l
have extended only to such articles as the law
would justify, and not such as were procured in
Macon.
I am, respectfully
Your ob’t Servant,
WILLIAM SCHLEY.
James A. Mitr.mwETHER, Esq. Eatonton Ga.i
In conclusion, we ask, can it be believed )
that Governor Schley is opposed to the pay
ment of all proper and reasonable demands of
the Volunteers, when it is known, that fclie
measure for their relief, was recommended by
him to the Legislature?
On turning to the Journals of the last Ses
sion, w<; find his communication upon that sub
ject, from which rte make the following quota
tion:
“ Executive Department, Ga. )
Milledgeville, Nov. 10,1836. I
During the Creek War, there were detach-I
merits of Militia called out, in the Southern and
South-western counties, and in the Cherokee
Circuit, for temporary and local protection.
Their expenses have not been paid, nor have
they received tiny remuneration for their ser
vices, because they had not been mustered into
the service oftbe United States.—Andsoinc of
those who have received pay and subsistence
only, from the time of formally entering the
service, though they had been in the field some
days or weeks before.
Many accounts for subsistence and service
have been presented to me for payment. But
I have neither the authority ortho funds to do
so. They are a proper charge on the United
Slates, and I shall immediately apply to the
Secretary of War, and request that tin officer
may be detailed for the purpose of settling
them.
As, however, a considerable time may elapse
before payment can he obtained from the Uni
ted States, and many of those having these
claims, are in need of the money due to them,
I respectfully .recommend to the General As
sembly, to make an appropriation of such sum,
not less fifty thousand dollars, as may
be deemed proper, to be vippWvA tn such man
tier as they may direct, to the payment of these
fust demands, relying on the justice of the Gen
j eral Government, to return to Georgia, the
; amount that may thus be expended.
WILLIAM SCHLEY.
In accordance with the Governor’s recom
mendation, an act was passed, and under its
provisions, about one hundred and forty thous
and dollars have been paid, and every account
; recognized which was believed to be embraced
; by the act aforesaid.
If there are some which are not provided,
j lor, and which have necessarily been rejected,
[it is not the fault of Governor Schley. They
can still be presented to the Legislature, and
such provision made as may seem reasonable
and just.
With these remarks, the question is submit
ted to an impartial public, with a firm reliance
on the justice of their decision.
THE WHIG AT HIS TRICKS.
As we anticipated, the Governor’s late visit
to the tip-country, has called down upon his
head the bitter invectives of the Southern Whig,
| whose alarm at the certain defeat of his own
i candidate, has thrown the editor into most vio
lent convulsions.
The very shadow of Governor Schley, is as
terrific to his affrighted vision, as was the ghost
of Banquo, to the purturbed and guilty Mac
beth.
But the apparition, like that of Banquet, is
visible to no one but himself. The common
, .use people of the country are not annoyed
with “spirits from the vasty deep;” but be
hold Governor Schley as he is—still living,
moving, and hiving his being,—and estimate
him by the just standard of his public acts.
Such are the people who will shortly decide
■ whether ho is worthy of their continued confi
dence, and whether he is to be held guilty of an
i unpardonable sin for placing it in the power of
j his fellow citizens, to form a personal acquain
tance with him.
What magic is there abo.it. a candidate for the
■ office of Governor, which should place him
[ above his fellow citizens, or exclude him from
> mingling with the free men of a free St tie ? Is
j he a better man than those to whom he looks !
■ lor support ? Not in our humble opinion; for
I we consider one honest man as good as another,
; whether in public or private life ; and the indi
. vidual who, from the fact of becoming a candi-
■ date for Governor, considers it a degradation
to associate with bis fellow citizens, is no re
publican—he is an aristocrat.
Even in South Carolina, Governors Hamil
ton, Ilayne, and McDuffie, have been foremost
at dinners and barbacues, and have made more
speeches in the last six years, than every other
Governor in the United States. But they |
were Nullifiers, and the thing was all right with I
that party ; but if the Governor of Georgia '
! but stirs from his seat, provided lie be a Union I
i man, the batteries of nullification are at once i
I opened upon him.
The Whig seems to infer, that because we '
j have not written a labored defence of the Go- ■
vernor’s first visit to Cherokee, we have ad- !
mined its impropriety; but he is grossly mis-|
taken, for we not only maintain his right, but I
the right of every candidate, for every office
within the gift of the people, to travel when
and where ho pleases, for the purpose of
placing it in their power, from personal know
i ledge, to vote understandingly.
Does the Whig ask for high examples in !
! support of this opinion ? If he does, 'wo re
ar him to the course heretofore pursued bv se
veral Whig candidates for the office of Presi
dent. Mr. Clay has been a candidate, and
perambulated a number of the States, eating,
drinking, and speaking, wheresoever he went;
and no longer ago than last fall, upon the very
eve of the election, General Hart ison was ex
hibited through Pennsylvania and New York,
repeating, upon many occasions, theharrangues
which had been prepared for him. They were
both Whigs, and their allies, the Nullifiers
were delighted, although electioneering was
their sole object; and had Mr. Gilmer paid a
visit to some distant part of the State, been in
vited to a public dinner, and made a speech, the
Nullifiers would have been thrown into rap
tures, and the Whig among the first to sing
praises to bis eloquence, and announce the
powerful impression which he bad made upon
his auditory. But if Governor Schley goes
tibroad, the opposition press is down upon him
at once—the cry of electioneering is set up, a
•pt was treason for a candidate to be seen bi
the people.
Why s > much alarm? Are they afraid the
people will Im pleased with Governor Schleyt
or is he a magician, that he can enchant them!
We can ascribe it to nothing but a spirit of aris
tocracy, which would place a public officer a
boyc the very people to whom lie owes his ele
vation—to the same principle which holds a
man “ lessened by the act of asking" for an
appointment.
Such logic might answer for the monarchies
of the old world, but it will never be sanction
ed by the stern democracy of Georgia; and if
it is an article in t!;e Gilmer creed, that a can
didate is disgraced by associating with his fel
low citizens, they will read him another lesson,
wl.vn they meet him “at Phillippi and that
such is the contemptuous opinion which he en
tertains of the people, is fully established by
die rcinmks of the Whig, speaking in the
name of Mr. Gilmer, when he asserts in rela
tion to Gov. Schley’s first visit to the up-coun
try, that no man had so “ humiliated himself, or
disgraced the Slate, since the days of JOHN
CLARK,”
Our plain common sense democrats have ne
ver entertained those ideas of grandeur and of
ficii! consequence, with which the would
invest the person of a Governor; and we may
well tremble for the safety of our republican
institutions, when the incumbent of that station
shall deem it a degradation to join with his
constituents hi their public festivities, or to
shake an honest poor man by the hand.
And why all tho clamor against the Gover
nor? Only for accepting an invitation to par
take ol a repast, given by the citizens of Hill
County to Major Nelson and his command, af
teran absence of more 11ran six months in tho
army of the United States, in the inhospitable
region of Florida. He was right in accepting
the invitation, and in participating with them
in the enjoyments of the day, shocking as it
may appear to the Whig.
S ppose Mr. Gilmer had been invited to the
same dinner. What would have been his rc*
ply ? According to the creed of the Whig, it
would have been as follows :
Gentlemen -I have received your invitation
to pat take of a public dinner, which I beg
leave to decline, because 1 think a candidate
for Governor should have as little personal in
tercourse with the people as possible, and be
cause I have always considered an individual
“lessened by the act of for an appoint
ment.
Moreover, I consider any Candidate who Will
so act, “humiliated," and the State “disgrac
ed ' in bis person, and no one except JOHN
CLARK has violated this rule, until the days
of Governor Schley.
Yours, &.c.
If the Whig has spoken the sentiments ofliii
candidate, Air. Gilmer could not have acted
otherwise, under an invitation to the dinner
; which has caused such a shaking among the dry
[ bones of Nullification.
It is high times indeed, if the free citizens of
Georgia, are to be slandered and traduced for
the exercise of a most undoubted right ; if thev
■ are abused for the manifestation of respect to
[ their gallant citizen soldiers on their return
from a long and arduous service! It betrays a
most heartless and vindictive snirit.
1 lie Whig tells tis, the Governor made a
j speech. And was there any thing remarkable
in tl at? Did Mr. Gilmer never make a din
i n:;r speech? 1! our memory serves us, a din
ner was once gotten up in this place for the ex
press purpose of doing him honor, at which he
made a memorable speech, which was pub
; lished and cracked up by his party as a great
effort/
But the Wiiig may answer, that it was alto
gether a different affair; tbat-it was set enfbot
an attended by a different order of men, such
Judges, Generals, Colonels, Senators and
I Representatives, and not by the farmers and
mechanics of the country; and that with thosq
who associated with him on that occasion
i there was no danger of contamination. Can
any other c nclusion be drawn from the whole
tenor of his remarks?
Passing from the dinner and the speech, the
Whig proceeds ;
“ \v hue on this subject, we would enquire of
some of those who profess to be the confidants
ol his Exce lency, what object is to be effected
by stationing a corps of armed soldiery in. the
peaceable county of Hull? Are the citizens of
that county becoming refractory? Has the
State no other means of expending her money
than the paying an armed soldiery, which, is
stationed in a county where no object is to be
attained? or has the Governor some friends
I whom he deems it prudent to keep stationed at
i the expense of the Government, feasting and
rioting on the people’s money, without their
lendering any service ? We have before heard
it remarked, that they were insummer quarters
• lor t leir health, alter having endured the fa
( tigucs of a laborious campaign in Florida.
| Ehat! the citizens of the mountainous and
healthy_ region of the Cherokee country, sta
i tinned in Hall county to recover their health !
| The idea is absurd and preposterous. If they
■ were so much in need of recreation and rest to.
recruit their worn down energies, why not dis
band them at once, and let them return to the
bosom of their families and friends in the Che
rokee country ?”
M hat comment shall we offer upon this grass
and insulting libel upon the character of Major
j Nelson and those timber his command, as well
as upon the citizens of Hall county? The
troops are charged with being the instruments
of Governor Schley, to overawe the people of
Hall county in the coming election, and the
people of Hall are considered by the Whig as
so worthless and degraded as to submit to mili
tary dictation. Can public opinion tolerate
such an outrage upon the character of thepeo
ple, as this ? or will they not frown with deep
indignation upon the author of so foul a slan
der ?
But the Whig would have it believed that the
troops are subject to the orders of Governor
Schley, and are to be used by him to control the
election, and that too, at the expense of the
State, when he knows that they were raised un- v
der a special act of Congress, were mustered
into the United Slates service, and paid by
them; that the Governor has no control over
them, nor arc their expenses paid by the State ;
and if he does not know why they were sta
stationed in ll.ill county, we can tell him.
After an arduous campaign in Florida, in
which many had s iffered in their constitutions
from disease and the effects of the climate
Major Nelson was ordered by Jew**