Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

above kilns, nnd returning withoutlime,caused by tba break ing in of the arch of the li t■ ki in. b’or eighty porches ol stone for repropping tho river piers of the Chattahoochee i Viaduct; this work n is donn to protect the foundations from i being undermined, and the stone for the same was hauled a ■ distance of two miles. For ramming the eat th at the abut- : menu of same Viaduct, to obtain a stable nnd permanent > fbUudntiOM lor the stop drains, nnd to prevent the filtration ; of water MUI aSeetin.r the masonry, b’or rough dressing 820 square feet of masonry in the abutments and piers el i same viaduct, in order to obtain an oven and horizontal bear- ; in* surface for the sills of ttin trestles mid braces. For pointing with mortar, the masonry of the same, ntid | also the Arms Viaduct, b’or ramming the earth at rhe abut . rnents of the latter Viaduct.nnd for hauling sand tn the ssme. 1 For ramming the earth al the abutments of the Proctor Creek Viaduct. For repairs of common road at different I points between the “th and 17th sections of the First Divi- ! sion, nnd for repairing accepted sections, including the re newal of the lines and the w idening and deepening of the cross and centre drains on the embankments, and through such of the excavations as from the wet and springy charac ter required them. The amounts expended for the forego ing items of “ masonry nnd other extras,” are stated io de tail in the quarterly abstract herewith submitted, to which I would tespectfully refer for any additional information which may be desired on the subject. The above remarks are believed to comprise every item j requiring particular explanation in the present quarterly ah- j stiact, and are respectfully submitted by , u . Yr. ob’t serv’t, (Signed) T s rycKTON, Res- Eng. E. Marietta, 12tl> Jan., 1840. Col. S. H. Long, Chief Erg'r : Sir,—The period having arrived when it becomes my duty to lay before you a statement oflho condition and pro gress made in tho construction of the 3d and 4th residencies of the 4V. & A. Rail Road far the 4th quarter of the past year, I have the honor to lay before you the folletving re nort : Since tlrelhm-wfLaty-Ust quarterly report, llic grading, masonry, and bridging, have made but little progress tons il completion: the chief cause to which this partial stagnation of the work is to be attributed, is the great pecuniary embar rassments tinder which the contractors have labored for seve ral months past. There is ar this time engaged in the excavations of section 12, a force of twelve men and three horses; on section 13 thirteen men nnd five horses; on section 11. thiity men and twelve horses; and on seslion 15, twenty six men nnd ten horses Ths work of the three first mentioned sections, is so far advanced ns to require no increase of force, but in the deep cut on the 15th section, from which about 39.000 cu bic yards of rock are to be removed, at least fifty men cnrdd bo employed, nnd should this force be maintained upon it. and remove at the rate of two and a half cubic yards pci day, it will require 312 walking days to prepare this pari of the road for the reception of the rails. Section* 8, 9,10, nud 11, having been accepted nearly a year ago, have re nuired consiriff.able repfl: 1 *- consisting in the renewal ofberm banks, centre ditches, and stoppage of Wii'hing, particularly the embankments of the 11 th section of the 2d Di vision.male up of fine sand, and i- very liable to wa<h and gully; the nmount returned to 11. It-war I &. Co, for ti e repairs of these sections for the last quarter, is S2BO 11. The remain ing sections of the residency have been but slightly affected by the Lite rains nnd frosts, and will require but little work upon them before spring. The masonry of the Alntoona bridge was completed in December, with the exception of the easterly cross drain, which will be built by the contrac | tors as soon as rhe embankment between the w ing w alls shall | have been completed. A final estimate for this work was : prcsetite *on the 9;h instant. A charge for extra work is I made in the December return for procuring and dressing the I coping stone of the parapet walls of tho bri Ige. The point ing of the masonry remains to be done, which from the pos- I eibility of injury to it frvm frosts, the contractors have been directed to leave unfinished until spring. Tho superstruc ture is well advanced ; the last span was raised in Novem ber, and the contractors are now engaged inlaying the floor ing. • The contractors for the masonry of tho Etowah Viaduct are progressing .with their w ork sufficiently rapid to prevent any detention to the erection of the superstructure, two spans of which havn been framed within the quarter. The construction of the fourth residency, lately placed un der my charge, has progressed still more tardly dining the quarter, than that of the third ; the force employed on it at this time does not exceed thirty five men. Sections 17 and 19 were completed and accepted during the quarter. A charge for extra work is presented in the quarterly abstract, for work done by Messrs. Htiong <Sc Co., in October last, on the 17th section, amounting to $147 82. This sum was ex pended in the construct! <n of a ditch, whereby the cost of a culvert was saved ; also in raising berm banks to protect an excavation from an overflow of water from a creek, where tlj* grade line is near the surface. On the 19th, rhe amom'rfof §■B2 GO, was due for side ditching, and cost incurred jet mak ing a trench drain through the embankment. , Nothing has been done towards Two Run Bridge for some moths past. This bridge is Afar vdvanced that nothing can be done at it until holts and puts for rhe floor timbers are obtained. I would respectfully suggest, that tho contractors for the Pettit’s (/reek bridge bo required to complete that work. From an examination made tn the j early part of this month many leaks wetefout'diu the floor j ing, and 1 h ive been informed by Mr. Norton, one es the | contractors for the work, that the treenails have net been in serted in the lateral bracing. By the 20th of this month I section 6 and 10, will bo prepared for inspection. Respectfully submitted. ™ | F. Maihetta, January 13, 1840. r Col. S. 11. Long: Sir,—The fifth residency having been added to that por- ! tion of the line already under my charge, I have the honor to j submit the following report of operations, upon tho fifth and sixth, during the fourth quarter of 1839, do presenting to your notice the details of the fifth, my statements will be derived principally from the previous monthly reports of Messrs. Brown and Gardner. In pre senting at the present time the final estitnato upon the 21st section, J. Donaldson &. Co. contractors. All the sections of this residency, with the exception of the sixth, have been ! returned as accepted; anil upon that section it is nutlet-i stood that the contractor, .Mr. John Dawson, intends to post pone operations until the opening of tho spring. “ The 22<l ! section, Messrs. J. Donalson & Co, contractors,was cornplot- I «d on the 31st of October. In th'- return of this month, there > is an extra allowance to tl<*w< of il l 41); ten dollars of I which was for clearing out the bed of tho OothcalogeoCrock, | nt the lipper crossing, and tho balance was expended in ditching.” On tho 27(11 section, Messrs. Glonn, Anderson, ' & Co., Contractors, 260 yards of excavation in a ditch, were i added to the excavation of the section, in the return which i made an error of the saint amount in the excess. This has been explained in tho final estimate, by the following note: ”200 yards of excavation returned hete, and allowed on ac- : count of a ditch, and, ofcour e, are not to bo included in tho ' grading-” An extra allowance has been made to tho same I .contractors, on both tho first and s ctiotis of tho fourth divi sion, for clearing the public road, making a side ditch to save j n culvert." An allowance of $6 93 was made to J. Dawson i A. Co. of the fourth section fourth division, for making and setting a wooden spout to conduct the water from a centre 1 ditch, aed for mucking under a shallow embankment. The ! allowance of sl6 56, w as for ditcl ing, draining, &(•., on the ' 20th section of the third division. Mr. John Rhome has heen employed during the quarter, in superintending the repairs of finished sections, subjected to considerable damage by the heavy rains. 9he amount of repairs upon each section, as i far as it could be apportioned, is as follows : On the 3<l division, Nos. 23, 24, and 25, $ 89 50 [ “ 4th “ “ 2 5,7 and 8, 265 00 1 “ 3d, “ Nos. 20, 22, and 27, and on the 4th, j Nos. J, 4, nnd 9, 167 01)' Amounting to, $521 50 including ths clearing of the public road. Upon the 6th residency, the wotk has not progressed with I (that dispatch, which under circumstances of less pecuniary | embarrassments, its condition al tho commencement of the : last quarter scorned to warrant. Including those presented 1 at the present time, final estimates have been leturned upon sections 10, 11, 19,21,22,24, anti 26, and by the first of, March those of 14,15, 18, 20. and 25. may be expected. Sec tions 11 and 19 were returned as finished, although the cm bankmetits at the Oostanauly bridge, on section 11, and that tit Swamp creek, on 19, were not complete. This part ofllu work cannot be done until the bridge abutments shall have I been carried up, when it. will be executed and accounted for' as extra work. A final estimate upon the biidgo masonry of section 18, Messrs. Tracy A. Dillan, contractors, has also boon returned nt the present time. The bridge masonry at tho Oostanauly river has not advanced during the last two months, owing to a want of funds to prosecute the work ; tho remaining portions of masonry on this residency has made but little progress for the same sufficient reason.— Messrs. Hitchcock & Norton having completed their prepa rations, are now about to commence the framing of the Oos tanauly bridge, and have already 69,000 foet of timber upon the ground. In the return of masonry and other extras for the in*nth of December, the item for bnilding and setting the centreing for the arch culverts on sections 14, 15, and 17, is credited to John Hamilton, the work having been perform ed by carpenters at that time in his employ. Under the same head, anti for the same purpose, w ill be found a bill of extra work credited to Messrs. GibbonsA Craig, amounts to $32,75 at the time was incurred, and owing to the extensive drought, it was impossible to obtain from the mills the requisite ma terial for the construction of the centreing, recourse was, therefore, had to two boats, then lying some distance up the Connausauga river, which wore purchased and broken up for the above purpose. This, with the expense attending getting them to the required point, will fully explain the be fore mentioned. The masonry of the bridge abutments, on section 25, for merly let to Mr. W illi.im Thompson, not having been carri ed up in a manner deemed workmanlike -anil substantial, have been re-let to Messrs. Mortimer and Spencer, whose work so far has given entire satisfaction, I w ould again call your particular attention to the state of section 16. This n ork, relinquished by Messrs. Cochran j A Baldwin, has been industriously worked bv Mr. John Di -1 vers, who has already excavated and embanked some 15,000 1 yards : one third of which may be considered as hard pan. While it is well known that Mr. Divers has no legal claim to any remuneration, there are some circumstances which seem to entitle bis case to a favorable consideration. In the full belief that the section woulrl have been shortly exposed 'lna public letting, he has employed a very considerable capi • tai in its prosecution, which will be an entire loss, unless •onio payment is made upon tho work at the present time, sufficient to extricate him from his present liabilities. From the failure of the State to redeem their scrip, and to make the usual monthly payments, Mr. Divers, in common with many others, for whom to stop would have been certain ru in. while to posh forward disclosed the only prospect of re lief, have heen compelled to sacrifice their dues from the State, ata loss offrom 15 t 029 percent, besides suffering in other ways, great inconveniences and embarrassments, which will in some cases terminate in complete bankruptcy. Respectfully submitted, • (Signed.) ' \V. SCOLEAY WIfTTWELL, Rend’t. Fng’r. _state rights and united states rights. B'l.’ -) A 0 O.!;' I'.’t\f CO?rXf, THE TRUE ISSUE. Shnll our»l,e.a GOCEiiNMEST OF THE HANKS or a GOI F'.RSMEST OF THE PEOFLEF Shall ice have a CONSTITUTIONAL TREASURY, or an UN CONSTITUTIONAL NATIONAL RANK? Shall ice hare 0 CONSTITUTION AT. CURRENCY of aoun silver orono of IR REDEEM A RLE PAPER? eSjuM iceliPfunder the despotism of a MONIED ARISTOLFRACY, or under the safeguards of a FREE CONSTITIgfiQN ? [Washingtqjj/Ghronicle. TUESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 25, 1840. DEMOCRATIC TICKET. FOR PRESIDENT, TVSARTtN VAN SBUS2KN. FOR VICE X S O £2 Nf FORSYTH. z . XOMISATION FOR CONGRESS. THOMAS GLASCOCK, of Riel irnond. A. IVERSON, of M uscogrc. ROBERT VV. POOLER, of Chatham. JUNIUS HILLYER, of Clarke. D. C. CAMPBELL, of Bibb. JOSIAH S. PATTERSON, of Early. HOPKINS HOLSEY, of Clarke. ' JOHN W. LUMPKIN, ofFloyd. F. H. CONE, of Greene. Nomination for Electors of President uni Vice President of the United Stales. Valentine Walker, of Richmond. M. 13. Wofford, of Habersham. Wm. B. Bulloch, of Chatham. John Robinson, of Jasper. John Bates, of Murray'. Tiios. F. Anderson, of Franklin. Milner Echols, of Walton. Samuel Groves, of Madison. Samuel Beall, of Wilkerson. William A. Tennille, Baldwin. Thomas Wooton, of Wilkes. POST OFFICES IN GEORGIA. A Post Office has been established at Mimsville, Forsyth county, and Martin Mims, appointed Post Master. William A. Pharp, has been appointed Post Mas ter at Warrior, Bibb comity. (fZ J Whenever ottr papers fail coming to hand, at their post offices, on the proper day, we shall be glad that postmasters wottl I apprise us of it. And like wise furnish ns any infotmation, if they possess it, whereby our papers may arrive at their places of des tination, earlier than they now do. L’' Ihe Georgia Argus of last Wednesday, con tains the following paragraph : IMPROVEMENT IN THE MAIL. We have ol late received ottr Milledgeville papers occasionally, by the way of Florida. Perhaps they latte that route for the purpose of gathering tip and bringing ns the latest news of the war. The last weeks papers have not yet come to hand ; we suppose they are out upon a scout of that kind. This way of having (ravelling newspapers, is ait improvement. Onr papers are regularly mailed in Milledgeville for their places of destination, and the fault must rest somewhere else than in the Milledgeville Post Office. Is the Standard, among those that are not received in time? We dislike to attach the fault if such exists, to any post master, but if the complaint is again made, we shall not spare time or trouble to investigate the matter and possibly designate the delinquent officer. (tZ’VVm. Hogan, Esq. has become associated with Mr. Janies Cleland, in the condttc'iott of lite Savan nah Republican. (IZ“ The Western Georgian of 14th inst., has the following: Memphis Rranch Rail Road and Steam Rout Com pany, of Georgia. A meeting of the Stockholders of the Memphis! Branch Rail Road and Steani Boat Centpany, was held in this place on Friday last. The follow ing gen tlemen were elected for the present year : President. DANIEL R. MITCELL, of Floyd. Directors. JAMES LIDDELL, of Floyd. THOMAS MILLS, “ G.W. TUGGLE, J. H. LUMPKIN, JOBE ROGERS, “ Cass. The whole of the stock was taken by a Company of some twenty gentlemen, who, ifwc may judge from the spirit manifested, there can be no doubt of their determination to commence operations at an early day, and persevere until this important work is com pleted. In fact, the Company, we learn, tire deter mined to proceed with the work early in April next. WESTERN BANK OF GEORGIA.—The Georgia Argus, of the 19th instant, says : “ This bank, more generally known as the Rome Bank, has, we understand, heen reorganized, and will shortly recommence business, under the management of our fellow citizen Rhodon A. Green, Esq. His character for integrity as a man, and for capacity as a bank officer, will create for that institution, astrong hold on public, confidence. Persons in this section of the country, holding the bills, should not sacrifice them, as they are now redeemed at the bank with cur rent funds, and there vt ill, we are informed, be an agency established in Columbus, sometime in April.” 03*’ The Sandersville Advocate has hoisted the Harrison and Tyler flag; and the Editor says he will pull it down if the State Rights party prefer the nom. ination of other candidates. “ Straus, sometimes, show which way the wind blows.” FLORIDA TERRITORY. In the Senate of the United States on the 12th in stant, Mr. Walker presented a memorial from inhab itants of the Territory of Florida, praying for the ad mission of that Territory into the Union as a sover eign State. Re moved that the subject be referred to a select committee. The committee consists of Messrs. Walker, of Mis sissippi, Norvell, of Michigan, Davis of Massachu setts, Brown, of North Carolina, and Sevier of Ar kansas. 03“’ There are some post offices so carelessly con ducted, that newspapers are regarded as a kind of common property ; and used with as much freedom, ■lty every straggling visitant, or penurious character, as if they possessed ful’i right to enjoy that which is purchased by the frugality and industry of his neigh bor, or more worthy fellow creature. Postmasters should not permit such conduct—it is not only a vio lation of duties of office, but a breach of the character of a gentleman. He has no right to allow another to enjoy the use and benefits of property which is en trusted to his care, and which he is legally and mo rally bound to deliver to its legitimate owner, or his agent, and to none other. And, neither, should any man be encouraged in such “ spongeing" conduct. If he is too penurious to pay for his newspaper read ing, and mean enough to steal or beg for the enjoy ment of a paper, which cost time and money to exe cute, he is unworthy of being favored. Gloomy indeed are the accounts which reach us of the tightness in the money market of the princi pal cities of the Union. Commercial operations are very much restricted, and old houses, that have stood many severe pecuniary shocks, are passing away. And where can be found a mercantile establish ment which has traded upon real capital,and eschewed the credit system, that is affected by this great revul sion ? They stand like islands in the ocean, un moved, though an angry sea is rolling at their beach. The evils of a bloated and expanded credit system are fast developing themselves. They have been kept in abeyance for a while, but the resistless tide is now rising, and will sweep away every temporary barrier, that tact or ingenuity may invent to perpetuate this abominable fraud upon the industry and enterprise of an intelligent people. The crisis must come, and those who are not prepared to meet its requirements, will be compelled to discontinue a business which has only been sustained by fictitious means. What is the condition of those commercial men who are so much pressed for money, at this time ? They have to meet engagements entered into upon which they based their credit and character for security. They had no real or intrinsic capital—and if they failed in business, either from indolence, extravagance or misfortune, who suffered ? Certainly not them, farther than their credit. This system is the only means whereby the idle and dissolute hope to obtain the necessaries of life, with out physical labor, or turning to agricultural pursuits. When our large cities and towns turn out some thou sands of indolent inhabitants, and make them earn by the sweat of their brow, the articles which they con sume, or raise from our uncultivated lands, means of subsistence, then will the old tune of hard times be changed to the merry gallapade of prosperity. Such times will come. Industry must be resotted to. Bank of the State of Alabama, at Tusca loosa, has suspended specie payment. Its notes in circulation, amount to 330,833 dollars ; its specie to 7,655 dollars ; and bills of other banks to §5,704.1 “ Alas poor Yorick !” So much for cotton specula tions, bad management, and encouraging the reck less spirit of speculation. Cannot some of the whigs point to some act of the administration which caused this failure ? Os course they can—and ten whig edi tors will likely adduce ten different measures of the administration which produced this event —and the | direction of the Bank will be excused. 03“ The paper published at Sandersville, always affords us much amusement during its perusal. On the employment of blood hounds, to hunt the Scrni noles, in Florida, the editor says:—“This foul shame has been consummated by the order of the contempt ible Air. Van Buren. * * * * Thirty-three blood hounds have been imported at the expense of the people to hunt down the Seminoles.” The bad taste displayed in the above sentences, we will not offer to comment upon. But the assertion that the blood hounds were ordered by Air. Van Bu ren, or through his influence, or with his knowledge and approval, is not correct. The editor of the San dersville paper should be better apprised of the state ments which he makes in his paper, lest some of his good readers might not attach any great degree of credit even to the truth, which he may occasionally publish. It the Editor will point to the official documents which establish the truth of his statements, we will very cheerfully and promptly make to him the amende honorable. But if he does not, we trust his proper sense of respect for accuracy in statements even though it should be doing justice to Air. Van Buren, will prompt him to give his readers a correct view of the subject. The latest and most authentic information, touch ing this matter, is thus stated by the correspondent of the Charleston Courier, under date of Washington, February 16 : “ Some explanations, respecting the contradictory statements of Colonel Benton, in the Senate, and Air. Wise, in the House, respecting the employment of blood hounds, by the government, have been recently made. Air. Wise avers that the Secretary of War has officially aSmitted to him that the employment of the hounds was authorized by the government. The fact appears to be this :—that the Secretary, some two years ago, was urged by General Taylor, to autho rize him to employ these animals, muzzled, in follow ing and scentingout the Indians. The General re presented that it would be a ready and proper means of ascertaining their hiding places. The Secretary gave his assent to the project, at that time, but it was not put into execution. Subsequently, General Call, it seems, without the authority or the knowledge of the Secretary of liar, ordered the importation of the hounds note in Florida." “Air. Van Buren, although in public life from his boyhood, has never, to our knowledge, been the au thor of any other measure than ‘proscription for opin ions’ sake.’ ” What an intellectual prodigy thou art! Have you finished Dillworth? “Author!” .“There is nothing new under the stm,” and yet he says Alartin Van Bu ren should be the author of something great, or he is unworthy es being President. By jingo, what a Sol omon has just appeared—wonder if he weares trou sers? Air. Harrison must be a veritable Tag— Such an author, Oh, crackee ! “Gen. Harrison has been the author, both in Con gress and out of it, of some of the noblest and most beneficent measures ever adopted in this country.” Come to a showing! Do you mean, stranger, the effort for the sale of poor white men ? Do you mean the supporter of the administration, that concocted and sustained the alien and sedition laws ? What can the creature mean ? Where are your documents? Who is Gen. Harrison ? What party will support him? To what office can he be elected ?— Trenton Emp'm. The son of Benjamin Harrison. The Whigs.— The Presidency.— Louisville Journal. It is a smart child that knows his daddy—ergo, Harrison is smart, but Prentiss is smarter. The whigs will support Harrison, but can they pile high enough to raise him up to view the white house in Washington? “ The Presidency.” Likely, but it will be when he gets the wotes! Words are not yet equivalent to the language which is peculiar to the democratic ballot box. LATE FROAI TEXAS. 03“ We have received the Houston Telegraph of sth inst., from which we make the following abstract of the news it contains : The bill to authorize the erection of Light Houses at Galveston, and other ports, has passed both houses of the Texian Congress. Serious charges have been preferred against Judge James W. Robinson, by citizens of Gonzales county, tending to the impeachment of this officer. A resolution has been introduced providing for the adjournment of Congress, on the 22d tilt., to meet again on the first Alonday in June next. Gen. Sam Houston, was highly incensed at receiv ing, as a present, from bis friend Col. Burleston, the Alilitary cap of the late Cherokee chief, Bowie’s. An extensive cave has been discovered near the city of Austin. 'rhe editor of the Telegraph thus compliments Gen. Sam Houston, upon the report that the old man will again consent to be a candidate for the Presidency of Texas. “We cannot, believe, that he will be so re gardless of his reputation and personal quiet, as to consent again to engage in a political race where ev ery step will but plunge him deeper and deeper in the mire of public odium and disgrace.” The people of Texas are indignant at the insult of fered to their embassador, Gen. Henderson, at New- York, while on his way from France to Texas. The Telegraph says: “'I his arrest being plainly in contravention of am bassadorial rights, and a direct insult to the nation; we trust our Government will adopt prompt and effi cient measures to secure the punishment of these indi viduals, and such redress for the national wrong as may be compatible with the dignity and honor of the Republic.” Gen. H. was arrested in New York, for debt, as a security. lie refused to give bond, and the Court discharged him from custody. It is likely that the proceeding was a ruse to compell him to ''fork up,"' in order to save his reputation—but the of Wall street, caught, in Gen. 11. a Tartar, h j s stated, that the insulting manner of the arrest, was. the principal cause of complaint on the pprt of Gen. Jl.—he did not deny the justice of the demand. John Rice Jones, has accepted th? office of Post Master General. Texas had not effected the loan ofmoney, for which James Hamilton visited Europe. However, they now expect “that there is at least a fair prospect of obtaining it.” The late Congress passed, what is there known by the name of the “Loan Act.” Bonds are to be issued, to the amount of 5,000,000 of dol lars, bearing an interest of ten per cent.—and 30®p -000 dollars to be annually appropriated as a Staking Fund for tiie redemption of those bonds, as they be come due. The 15th section of the loan act, is as follows: 15. That all loans negotiated by the authority of the Republic of Texas independently of the reserva tion of the sinking fund, the proceeds of the public land generally, its revenues and public faith are so lemnly pledged for their redemption. The first annual meeting of the Texas Bible Soci ety was held in the city of Austin, on Sabbath eve ning, December 22d, 1839. The Telegraph contains the treaties entered into between the Government of Texas and France. From the Houston prices current, we copy the fol lowing. We presume the prices are regulated for Texas money: Butter, per pound, §1 50 to 2 00. Cheese, 55 to G2J cents. Corn, 350t0 $4 00. Cotton, 25 to 30 cents. Flour, per barrel, §35 to 40 00. Lumber, boards, §IOO 00 to 110 00 per thousand feet. Alo lasses two dollars per gallon—and every other arti cle in proportion. Who would not go to Texas ? Q3“The legislature of Alabama, at its recent ses sion, passed fu’o hundred and seventy six laws ! How they did go it. The Alississippi Senate have refused, by a decisive majority, to repeal the gallon law. 03” From the correspondence of the Augusta Con stitutionalist. WASHINGTON, Feb. 13. There is a resolution on the table, from Mr. Coop er, of Georgia, enquiring into the propriety of hav ing the prayers of the House executed gratis. It is certainly a subject worth entering into, inasmuch as the office of Chaplain has long been one in which electioneering and intrigue, instead of true religion, was most successful. One of the best ways of disgust ing a man with the ministers of religion, is to let him view the hordes of parsons hanging round the Capitol and member’s boarding houses at the beginning of every session. Such is the progress of priestcraft, however, that not more than a dozen members of the House can be found fearless enough to cry aloud against it. Among the foremost are Alessrs. Lewis, of Ala., Garland, of La., and Cooper, of Georgia. "We have had the Abolition humbug in all its glo ry, brought before the Senate this morning by the whig federal conservative Tallmadge, of New York, who talked a great deal about the constitutional rights of northern ladies and boys to refuse us the privilege of holding our property ! He finally got so emerged in the subject, that the vials of his wrath were poured out loosely upon the administration and its followers. He was assisted by that great expounder of the Con stitution and Bank Attorney, Daniel Webster, Esq. They both received a severe rebuke from Air. Brown, of North Carolina, and Air. Calhoun lashed them with a rod of iron about their great bug-bear of stitutionality.” 03 s The Washington correspondent of the Char leston Courier, under dale of February 13, says : “ I understand that the Committee on Elections, of the House, have determined to postpone the further consideration of the Jersey case till the middle of April next, and to allow the Pennington members that interval to procure testimony as to the legality of the votes polled against them. The ground that the commissioned members were entitled to the return from the facts laid before the Governor, has been abandoned. The object now is to go behind the re sult of the ballot box, and to endeavor to prove frauds and irregularities, which may set aside the election al together. So it is certain that Jersey must go unre presented this session.” OFFICE OF THE NEWS, ) St. Augustine, Sunday, February 16. j MAIL CARRIERS MURDERED The nor- thern mail carrier left yesterday, at 2 o’clock, with the mail for Jacksonville. The mail which was due the same evening at 6 o’clock, by the Pablo road, not arriving, created some fears for its safety. A wagon, having been seen by a gentleman on the road, dis tant seven miles from town, without horses, and-hs* l contents strewed about the road, led him to fear all, was not light, and he left the public road and came into town by a private way. At 10 at night the City Council despatched Sergeant Cercopoly, and nine men, in quest of the wagon, and to make all necessary observation. A small party of active and determin ed young men followed, in order to assist and ascer tain the condition of things. This morning, at 7 o’clock, the dead body of the Jacksonville mail carrier was brought in—-one ball hassed through the right breast. The enemy strip-, ped him of his coat and vest, carried off the mail bag, his horse, and cut and defaced the carriage. At 4 o’clock this afternoon, the body of Air. Joseph Gar-, cia was brought in—be had received two balls. He was found in the Palmetto Scrub, entirely stripped, and but a small portion of the Great Northern mail due last evening, scattered about. The horses were " carried off Both of these murders occurred within the distance of a few miles, the one 7 and the other 14, and much time could not have elapsed between the m. A party ol dragoons went out this morning in pur su it, and are now on the trail, which is in a south west di reetion. . 1 he corporation are entitled to greatcre dit, for their prompt investigation of the ruino’, as w ell as Sergt. Cercopoly, for his immediate acivity i’.l pursuit, on receiving orders. ST. AUGUSTINE, Feb. 14.— From thi South. 1 he steamer Wm. Gaston, Capt. Poinsett,arrived