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About Weekly constitutionalist. (Augusta, Ga.) 185?-1877 | View Entire Issue (April 23, 1856)
'sATUROAY, APRILI9 Emanuel and Scriven Courts. We learn, from a letter received yesterday, that Judge Holt has determined not to hold the spring term 3 of the Superior Courts of Emanuel and Bcriven. They will be adjourned until the Courts in course. This has been rendered necessary in consequence of the enfeebled health of Judge Holt, and his in ability to obtain the services of any other Judge. New Financial Proposition. The Constitution of the United States provides that “no State shall make any thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts." This salutary proposition has been sanctified by time, and been approved by the experience of the practical men of our country, from the day of its adoption. But it seems to be too old Fogyish for some of the fast men of this fast sge. New schemes of making money plenty, and of reliev ing that prevalent want of humanity, the means of commanding the necessaries and luxuries ot life, by processes unknown to the good old days of onr fathers, are springing up in the minds of en terprising reformers. The Chronicle <£ Sentinel has recently called to the aid of its editorial columns, a gentleman who wields a ready and accomplished pea, in matters of foreign politics, and European theories of gov ernment and social order. A foreigner by birth, it is not surprising that he should borrow from abroad some ideas which are not exactly conso nant with republican notions. The idea of making money more abundant, by the use of paper issues, is shadowed forth in the following paragraph, con cluding an article in the Chronicle & Sentinel, cf Thursday, entitled the power of money: “The dawn of better times will come when money is the useful servant instead of the master and ty rant of man. This can never be the case while wer are dependent on gold and silver as the sole representatives of value. Money should repre - sent a given portion of the general wealth of a State, and as the wealth increases so should the money in exact proportion. In those days, paper money instead of being promissory notes must be like gold and silver, bona fide money, and un der the direct supervision of the State. Then trade would increase ten fold; manufactories would Sourish in our midst, and taxation would be taken from the superabundance instead of the necessities of man. The true powers of mo ney hare yet been hidden from the sight of law Jiakers.” Whether making paper, bona fid* money, in stead of mere promissory notes, is a task to be en trusted to the several States of the Union, or the Congress of the United States, is not here direct ■ ly disclosed. The experiment of the United States | stands up in contrast with the operations of 1 sub-treasury system, and is rather a warning ; the people against the repetition of that scheme p|bf manufacturing bona fide money out of paper. * Then again the pet bank system demonstrated in 1835 and 1536, some of the evils of the States un dertaking to practice on the theory that gold and silver was an inadequate basis for the supply of money to the people. We should like to see the ideas of the new edi tor of the Chronicle d' Sentinel, as conveyed in the paragraph quoted, elaborated to some extent. Any feasible and constitutional plan of making money ten times more plentiful, would be im mensely popular, and will be hailed by a perfect ■. avalanche of enthusiasm. How strange it is to see this idea of making pa- I per bona fide money, in the editorial columns of | a paper that has kept up so pertinacious a war 1 upon the “wild cat” Banks! Death of B. R. Gardner, Esq,, of Mil ledgeville. The Savannah Morning Xem, of April 16tq, gays: u We regret to learn that B. R. Gardner, Esq., a well known and highly respected citizen of MilledgeviUe, was killed in Sparta, yesterday " morning, by a man by the name of O. J. Powell. Hr. Gardner, who was formerly a resident of Sparta, was in that town for the purpose of tran sacting some business in the Inferior Court. A misunderstanding in reference to some pecuniary matter had previously existed between him and Powell, which is supposed to have been the cause of the killing. Mr. G. was shot in the street. Our informant, who left Sparta directly after the mel • gneholy affair, is unable to give us any of the par ticulars, except that he heard four discharges of a pistol, which, as the deceased was an inoffensive man, who never went armed, he supposes to have been fired by Powell. He does not know wheth er Powell had been arrested. u Mr. Gardner was a wealthy and highly esteem ed citizen, and was extensively known in the mid dle section of the State. He leaves a wife and in teresting family of children. His death is deeply deplored by the community of Sparta.” Differences in the Paris Conference. The intelligence furnished by recent arrivals ftom Europe in a measure confirm the previous conjectures in relation to the differences which prevented an earlier adjustment of the treaty at the Paris Conference. The position of a power which has observed a neutral -5 the Ute war w.tu the Allies a.id U u..d fact that Kusfu sustains the v: w» which Pr us ■k has advanced, and iu which their mutual inter- were involved, materially marred the harmo ny of the Conference. When matters of great im portance to the powers of Western Europe arc to be considered, or the relations of those Govern ments affected, Prussia demands that her voice ghall be heard in theJCouncil that regulates the is sue. A representative from Berlin was according ingly admitted into the Paris Conference, much to the regret of some of the other contending repre sentatives. The following are the generally current and ac credited points which have been determined upon at Paris: First—Russia consents to the neutralization of the Black Sea. Second—Sebastopol is not again to become a war depot. Third—Nicolaeff to be reduced to a commercial port. Fourth—Russia abandons the protectorate of the principalities. Fifth—Russia renounces certain territories in Bes sarabia, which leaves the navigation of the Danube free. Sixth—A commission to be appointed to trace new frontiers in this district. Seventh— Russian soldiers passing the Pruth to be regarded as cuius belli by the contracting powers. The Paris Seicile and other journals regard the above as quite authentic. jy The Selma Reporter, of the 16th instant, thinks there are about 4000 bales cotton that will yet reach that market. ST The Savannah New of the 18th inst. says: “ The City Council of Americus has passed an ordinance taxing Bank Agencies, Venders of Lot tery Tickets, and Retail Dealers in liquor SIOO each. Billiard Tables are taxed SSO, and Hotels and Ten Pin Alleys S3O each per annum. The Rome Advertiser states that the Rome railroad “pays a larger dividend upon the capital invested than any other road whatever in the State.” Post Office has been established at Chapel Hill, Campbell county, Ga., and M. Smith appointed Postmaster. Sir Hugh Parker, commander of the naval for ces in the East Indies, died at Davenport on the 21st ult. Sir Henry Pottinosr died at Malta on the 18th of March. This officer had rendered great ser vice in hU administration of public affairs in In dia, China and Africa. Blackwood’s Magazine on Greeley and Bennett. No two men in the Union have done more harm to the character of American journalism than • the two whose biographies have recently appeared and which have been reviewed in most excoria -1 ting terms in the Msrch number of Blackwood. One has pandere<| to the worst passions of fanati cism and sectionalism in polities, and has fostered all the wildest and most vicious theories of social life. The other has stimulated and ministered to the worst tastes of the million for scandal and detraction. From the latter no character was sacred, no privacy safe. The delight seemed to be to pal! down the elevated, and cast shadows on the pure. To drag down the virtuous to the level of the vicious" was a congeaial task, and a spirit of calumnious gossip the pliant wea pon. Honesty, morality, religion, were the favor ite game of the scoffer of all virtue. Thus was created a new era in American journalism, for the vitiated appetite grew with what it fed on and craved for more. Thus the New York Her ald, laying its foundations in the mire, rose like a foul exhalation and prospered on corruption. The good feared it, but its columns exhibited an abili ty which redeemed it from the contempt of the intellectual, and forced it upon their attention. Having got a foothold by tact, talent and energy, it could not be ignored as a power in society, though it was a power for evil. The Tribune has become distinguished in rather a different line, though its influence has been not less pestiferous. It has clothed vice, and folly, and absurd social heresies, in the garb of philoso phic theories, which have captivated the shallow and deluded the ignorant. It has stirred up bad passions and fomented discord on political qnes tions, and thus done great injury to society. But ’ philosopher Greeley has seemed to us rather as a . crazy zealot, and a dreaming theorist than as a ■ wilfully depraved bad men. It has seemed to us 1 the misfortune of his mental composition rather ; than the depravity of his heart that has made his ; paper such a pest to good government, loyalty to ■ constitutional principles, and social propriety. We give from Blackwood copious extracts, 1 which may convey a more'accurate idea of the ■ man. The whole article is written with ability. It does injustice to American journalism and American character, to judge them by these two developments of the free press system. But that Magazine has no sympathies with American insti tutions, or the successful workings of the Republi can system. We never look to its pages for any thing justly appreciative of aught that is favorable I to either. | It does not surprise us that it seizes on the bi- 1 : ographies of Greelgy and Bennett as a conveni- 1 ent opportunity to make a disparaging fling at the American press and people. , From Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, for March. t Horace Greeley. 1 We are treated to a preliminary sketch of the ( history of Londonderry (not omitting the siege) f and tlie Scoto-Irish colonv who thence emigrated 1 to New England. To the hasty reader all this may c seem highly unnecessary, but to those who ure de- 1 sirous deeply to penetrate into a “ nature” so tin- ‘ common as that of Horace Greelv, it is supremely 1 important, as we are told that “ from his maternal s ancestors he derived much that distinguishes him 1 1 from men in general.” Another chapter is devo- 1 ted to the paternal ancestors, regarding one of 1 whom it is interesting to learn that lie was a “cross c . old dog,” “as cunning as Lucifer,” and that he ( j died the age of sixty-five, with “ all his teeth 'sound!” At length, at page 33, we come to the j great fact of Horace’s birth. As has been the j case with manv great men, it was attended with some remarkable circumstances. To these our biographer does full justice. His account of the interesting scene is too fine to be omitted: — “ The mode of his entrance upon the stage of the world was, to say the least of it, unusual. The • effort was almost* too much for him, and, to use the language of one who was present, *he came into the world as black as a chimney.’ There was no sign of life. He uttered no cry*; he made no f motion; he did not breathe. But the little dis colored stranger had articles to write, and was not permitted to escape his destiny. In this alarming crisis of his existence, a kind-hearted and expe . rienced aunt came to his rescue, and by arts, which to kind-hearted and experienced aunts are well known, but of which tne present chronicler re mains in ignorance, the boy was brought to life. He soon began to breathe; then he began to blush; and by the time he had attained the age of twenty minutes, lav on his mother’s arm, a red and smil ing infaut.” If the reader does not grant that to be one of thq most graceful climaxes in biographic litera ture, we shall not write another word. Presuming on a general unanimity on this point, we proceed. The red and smiling infant in due time of course turned out a prodigy ; “he took to learning with the promptitude and instinctive irrepressible love with which a duck is said to take to the water,” and was able to read “ before he had learned to talk.” In spelling he soon became pre-eminent; and great marvels are recorded of his orthograph ic prowess. Unfortunately he was less distin guished by those virtues which we usually desid erate in boys. Though never afraid of ghosts, or overawed by superiority of rank or knowledge, he was eminently deficient in physical courage.— “ When attacked, he would neither fight nor ran away, but ‘ stand still and take it;’ ” the report of a gun “would almost throw him into convulsions.” Fishing and bee-hunting were the only sports he cared for, “ but his love of fishing did not origin ate in what the Germans call the ‘sport impulse.’ Other boys fished for sport; Horace fished for fish.” Bee-hunting, again, “ was profitable sport, and Horace liked it amazingly. His share of honey generally found its way to the store.” llis passion for books generally attributed to indolence, and it was often predicted that Horace would never “get on.” Superficial idea! Even in very early life, says Mr. Parton complacently, he gave proof “that , the Yankee element was strong within him. In 1 1 the first place, he was always doing something; and in the second, he had always something to sell: 1 Notwithstanding Horace’s remarkable cleverness we are told that lie was sometimes taken for an idiot—a stranger Having once inquired, on his en tering a “store” in a brown study, “what darn fool is that V 1 Even his own father declared that the boy would “ never know more than enough to come in when it rains.” These pleasing anec dotes are given on the authority of a bibulous old wretch, whom the indefatigable Mr. Parton en countered and cross-questioned on the highway. He was quite drunk at the time, but “ as tne tri bute of a sot to the champion of the Maine Law, the old man’s harangue was highly interesting.” Mr. Parton sets it down to the praise of his hero, that though brought up in the bosom of New Eng land orthodox, “ from the age of twelve he began to doubt,” and “from the age of fourteen he was known, wherever he lived, as the champion of Universalism.” Here the biographer indulges in what he considers appropriate reflections, and points out to his reaaer3 the valuable effects of i youthful infidelity .|“The boy,” he coolly observes, “ seems to have shed his orthodoxy easily.”* Ho race Greely was in a fairway of training for his editorship. ****** His manners were entirely free from aristocratic taint, or any weak tendency to politeness. “He stooa on no ceremony at the table; he fell to with out waiting to be asked or helped, devouring eve rything right and left, stopped as suddenly as he had begun, and vanished instantly.” Again, “when any topic of interest was started at tne table he joined m it with the utmost confidence, and main tained his opinion agsinst any body.” He never ’ went to tea-parties, never joined in an excursion, and “seldom went to church.” A most interest ing voung man, on the whole, was Horace Greeley. * * *• * * * In November of that year, Mr. Greeley was elect , ed to a seat in Congress, by a machinery, the cor ruption of which is testified by no less a person than himself. He was very active as a member, t and soon made himself prominently obnoxious by exposing various legislative jobs. Some of the c lively scenes that occurred are described at im mense length. Mr. Parton draws no flattering con clusion from the reception of his hero in the House • of Representatives. Let our American friends i console themselves with the assurance that his tes timony is not decisive. 1 *The North American Review thanks Mr. Parton .. warmly for his brave—his noble book. Was the orthodox Grannie dozing when she read it? “An honest man in the House of Representa tives of the United States seemed to be a foreign element, a fly in its cup, an ingredient that would not mix, a novelty that disturbed its peace. It struggled hard to find a pretext for the expulsion of the offensive person; but not finding one, the next best thing was to endeavor to show the coun try that Horace Greeley was, after all. no better than members of Congress generally.” In 184 y, the Tribune, with its habitual predilec tion for the fanatical and revolutionary, or, as Mr. Parton loftily phrases the thing, “ true to its in stinct of giving hospitality to every new or revived idea,” devoted large space to the promulgation of Proudhon’s delightful ideas on the subject of prop erty. Among other things, also, says our cnron icler, it began a rejoinder to the Evening Post in the following spirited manner—the onlv specimen we choose to quote of Mr. Greeley’s vituperative abilities: “ You lie, villain! wilfully, wickedly basely lie V* , This observation, placidly remarks the historian, u called forth much remark at the time.” The per son to whom it was addressed was William Cullen Bryant. With the same in&tinctive hospitality to wards every form of delusion, the Tribune opened its accommodation columns to the Spirit-Rappers, who, notwithstanding a few hundred cases of in sanity, and other small evils, have, in Mr. Parton’i opinion, done much good. About the same time it took up the Woman’s Right humbug, acknowl edging that the ladies are perhaps unwise in mak ing the demand, but maintaining t’\at no sincere republican can give any adequate reason for refus ing them “ au equal participation with men in po litical rights.” A whole chapter is devotee to Mr. Greeley’s platform exhibitions, which it seems are very frequent and edifying—Horace having, as Mr. Parton tells us, a benevolent appreciation of the delight it gives “to see the man whose writings have charmed and moved and formed us.” Not only does he lecture as often as possible, but “At public meetings and public dinners Mr. Greeley is a frequent speaker. His name usually comes at the end of the report, introduced witli, ‘ Horace Greeley being loudly called for, made a few remarks to the following* purport.’ The call is never declined; nor does \ie ever speak without saying something; and when he has said it, he re sumes his scat.” T The remarkable man! In 1851, Horace went to sec the World’s Fair in Hyde Park. No foolish curiosity or sentimentali ty* instigated the philosophic editor; his main ob ject, as announced (the American editor keeps his readers regularly informed on all his movements) in the Tribune, being to inspect “ the improvements recently made, or note being made, in ike modes of dressing Aar and hemp, and preparing them to lie spun ana woven by steam or water power.” The departure and passage arc carefully describ ed ; Mr. Parton having apparently paid a steward to note, wateh in hand, all the phenomena of Ho race’s sea-sickness. Nothing that he saw in this effete country seems to have in the least impressed his great mind. The royal procession would have faded before “ a parade of the New York Firemen or Odd Fellows.” The Queen he patronisinglv no ticed, and was even “glad to see,” tliough*“he could not but feel that her vocation was behind the intelligence of the age, and likely to go out of fashion at no distant day;” but not, poor thing! “through her fault.” The posts of honor nearest her person should hare been confided, he thought, to “ the descendants of Watt and Arkwright ;” the foreign ambassadors should hare been “ the sons of Fitch, Fulton, Whitney, Daguerre, and Morse,” Ac. Hampton Court he thought “ larger than the Astor House, but less lofty, and containing fewer rooms.” Westminster Abbey was “ a mere bar baric profusion of lofty ceilings, stained windows, carving, graining, and all manner of contrivances for absorbing labor and money;” less adapted for public worship “ than a fifty thousand dollar church in New York.” He gives credit to the English for many good qualities, but thinks them “ almost vn-i'lsal people,”—lie, the romantic Gree ley! “ 110 liked the amiable women of England, so excellent at the fireside, so tame in the drawing 1 room ; but he doubts whether they could so mueh i as comprehend the ideas which underlie the wo man’s rights movement.” <The amiable women of England may well console themselves under a doubt so complimentary to their common sense.) * * * * *• * * But does the reader wish to see the man himself —to know his height and weight, not metaphori cally, but actually, in British feet and inches; and in pounds avoirdupois V So pleasant and laudable a desire the amiable Partou is far from disappoint ing ; for does not the great man say that “ there’s no use in any man’s writing a biography unless he can tell what no one else can tell.” Here, then, reader, you have it, what no one assuredly could, would, or should dream of telling you but the in imitable, the inapproachable Parton : “ Horace Greeley stands five feet ten and a half inches, in his stockings. lie weighs one hundred and forty-five pounds. Since his return from Eu rope in 1851, he has increased in weight, and prom ises to attain, in due time, something of the digni ty which belongs to amplitude of person. He stoops considerably, not from age, but from a con stitutional pliancy* of the back-bone, aided by his early habit of incessant reading. In walking, he swings or sways from side to side. Seen from be hind, he looks* as he walks with head depressed, bended back, and gait, like an old man; an illusion which is heightened if a stray lock of white hair escapes from under his hat. But the expression of his face is singularly and engaging ly youthful. His complexion is extremely fair, and a smile plays ever upon his countenance. His head, measured round the organs of Individuality and Philoprogenitiveness, is twenty-three and a half inches iu circumference, which is considera bly larger than the average. His forehead is round and full, and rises into a high and ample dome. The hair is white, inclining to red at the ends, and thinly scattered over the head. Seated in compa ny, with his hat oft*, he looks not unlike the ‘ Phi losopher’ he is often called; no one could take him for a common man.” Now, then, reader, if you do not give us credi for introducing you to the acme of modern biogra f>hy, we pronounce you the most ungrateful and east discriminating of human beings. “If Horace Greeley were a flower,” says J. r., “botanists would call hiim .ogle, and examine him with in terest.” “He is what the Germans sometimes style * a nature.’ ” And if J. P. also were a flow er, botanist* would inevitably prouounce him “a tulip.” He is what, in Scotland, we sometimes call “a natural”—otherwise known as “ahalfling;” or, in vernacular English, a born fool. James Gordon Bennett* I'hat there maybe no mistake on the matter, the in summing up the transcendant mer nra of Mr. Beunett near the close of the valume, assures us that the course pursued was perfectly deliberate: “On the sth of May, 1885, he commenced his work of regeneration, bv publishing the first num ber of the New Yorlc Herald, which, till it was es tablished, was conducted with such peculiarities as secured it attention— peculiarities tohich seemed to have sprung from a mind resolved to carry out certain broad personal characteristics, which in them selves furnish the bitterest satire upon the true na ture of political and social life known to the liter ature of auy age or country. The course adopted was not based on impulse. There is nf* excuse for it on that ground. It teas the fruit of the most careful reflection, as is proved by Die fact that the original prospectus has not been departed from in any point whatever during a period of twenty years. The original design was to establish a journal which should be independent of all parties, and the influ ence qf which should be grounded upon its devotion to the popular will—a plan which has found numer ous imitators, and which is the only one suited to satisfy the demands of the public.” Mr. Bennett, who of course “ endorses” these sentiments, is thus, it is evident as much at ease in his “ conscience” with regard to his past con duct as ever, and would, if the thinj* were to be done over again, do it con amore again. The pop ular will— not Truth or Righteousness; the most sweet voices qf the rabble, not the still small voice of the man within the breast—that, then, is the creed of this “regenerator” of journalism— Apage Satana. The best type of Scottish character is eminently distinguished by force and earnestness; but as a Scotchman, wlien he is good, is intensely so—a Scotchman, when he sells himself to Clootv, is perhaps of all human beings the most devoted ser vant ojf that personage. Scotland, which has pro duced such eminent examples of genius and no bleness in this century as Thomas Chalmers and Johu Wilson, had the misfortune to give birth also to James Gordon Bennett. Let her not grieve, for the same England that gave birth to John Milton, was the mother likewise of Titus Oates. ; er- Col. J. G. Kix«, one of the oldest settlers in Texas, and formerly ox Columbia, b. C., died | recently in Texas. IST Indian depredations continue to be perpe trated in Texas. 1 ygy* The anniversafy of tbe battle of San Ja : cinto is to be celebrated'at Galveston. Thisbattle, . fought on the 21st of April, 1836, established the i independence of Teias. 1 Thoughts for Southern Know Nothings and Whigs. ! The late elections in the Northern States, and ; the issues involved in them, challenge the serious • consideration of every Sonthern patriot. The con test was, in every instance, between the Democratic party on the one side, and the fusion composed of ; Black Republicans, Know Nothings and destruc | lives of every shade and tin, on the other. The f former were the avowed advocates of the Nebraska ' Kansas acts, and the enforcement of the fugitive , slave law. The latter were the denouncers of those , acts, the advocates of the restoration of the Mis : souri restriction and the repeal of the fugitive slave law. The former were the advocates of the prin ciples of non-intervention and of sell-government , by the people, of the right of the settlers in the ter ritories to regulate for themselves their own do -1 mestic institutions, and to enjoy the equal rights [ guaranteed to all by the Federal Constitution. The i latter were the advocates of Congressional inter - ference with slavery in the territories, and the in ! troduction of unjust discriminations against the [ South. The former were the sympathisers with . the law-abiding citizens who moved into Kansas i with the Bible m one hand and the Constitution in - the other, in the peaceble advocacy of the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, under the ; flag of their country and the aegis of ita laws. The . other were the sympathizers of the spirit of forci > ble propagandists and abolitionism, tinned with ’ Sharpe’s rifles. It is not surprising, therefore, that the conservatives of the North, by thousands, . who ltad but a few months ago been beguiled by the specious sophistries of Know Nothingism, by ’ its artful appeals to religious prejudice, and to Na- I live American jealousies of foreign labor and for t eign influence, should have rallied to the Dcmo ■ cratic standard, and united their efforts with their late opponents, to crush the spirit of faction and , rescue the popular mind from its trance of delu ■ sion and insane passion. That they did not wholly suoceed in some ol .the States is attributable to 1 the wide-spread and deep-rooted excitement | which had seized and imbued the misguided mas i ses. That they have progressed so far in the reactionary movement as to have cut down ma jorities of thousands and tens of thousands, to a few paltry hundreds, in some of the most thoroughly infected States, is an encouraging sign. It is the cheering manifestation of the operation of “ the second sober thought of the people." It in spires confidence in the innate good sense of the Anglo-American mind, and of its recuperation from the temporary debauch of folly and passion. It is suggestive of renewed hope in man, and of his ca pacity to govern himself by sound judgment and just principles, when time is allowed for reason to resume its empire. Truth is not always swift iu 1 its march. Its progress is often slow and toilsome, ' when it has to fight its way against the passions of the ignorant and the croft of the wicked. But with 1 the advantages of a free press and free speech, its ultimate triumph is sure. In despite of all appeals to sectional prejudices, in despite of fusions, embracing every element which Free Soilism, Black Republicanism and Knew Nothingism could muster in opposition, the Democratic party has moved onward steadily, and gains gronnd with every conflict. Complete or comparative triumphs have crowned it in ail the recent elections in the following States: New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, imi.u.ta, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and M .souri. Titough the fusionists carried the elections in some of them, it was by greatly diminished majorities, while in others they were ignoininiouslv ovei thrown. In the face, then, of the late elections, following the wild follies of last year, it would be weak—it would be unpatriotic—it would bo almost a crime against humanity, to despair of the Republic, or to fear tot* thq triumph of truth. Revolutions never turn backward in mid career. The revolution has hegun which is destined to overwhelm the late ju bilant forces of free soil fanaticism. It will go on with steady march until its triumph is complete in the election of a President nominated on the prin ciples of the Nebraska-Kansas acts. Now, it behooves Southern men to survey the Seld, to scrutinize the principles, aims and objects of the opposing forces, and take sides accordinglv. Can they defeat free soilism by the aid of ooy • other party than the Democratic party ? Can thev aid in this defeat by voting for any other candidate than the nominee of the Cincinnati Convention ’ We ask this question calmly and seriously of the admirers of Mr. Fillmore and the advocates of his election. Admitting, for argument’s sake, that he is as sound and trustworthy as the South could de sire in a President, by whom is he presented to the country as a candidate, and by whom supported ? By the Convention of a party whose last official ac tion, through their National Grand Council, was to denounce the repeal of the Missouri restriction. By a party thoroughly abolitionized in many States of the Union, and clamorous for the restoration of that restriction and the exclusion of Southern in stitutions from all National Territories, including Kansas—a party that is fusing with abolitionism, and with these united forces fighting the Federal Administration, because of its alleged Southern proclivities. A\ ould the triumph of such a party be a triumph for the South ? There can be bnt two contesting parties in the approaching contest for the Presidency. There are but two sets of principles contending for the mas tery : The Constitutional principles of non-inter vention and equal rights in the territories, and the Constitutional guarantees to slavery on the one hand; and on the other, restoration of the Missouri Compromise and the Wilmot Proviso, and the vir tual abrogation of the fugitive slave law. If Mr. Fillmore U with the former side, his I proper place is with the National Democracy. If on the other, it is with Black Republicanism. In . the collision of these two mighty forces, now strug gling for ascendency in our country, the creed and ■ policy and peculiar aims of Know Nothingism ; will be crushed out of sight. AViien vital practical ' issues are at stake, fanciful theories and prejudices ' of nativity and religion will be lost to view, or be ■ postponed to a calmer day. When the Macedonians were marching down . Hpon Greece, it was no time for the Athenian Sen i ate to discuss the rivalries of factions, or the dis - pntes of the schools. > As a fit conclusion to these reflections, we invite > the Southern people to the calm and sensible re > marks that follow, from a press which puts forth - nothing in a partizan spirit, and which is as inde ■ pendent of party obligations as it is patriotic in its t aims: i from the Savannah Journal. Late Northern Elections—The Prcsi . dency. i The elections which have occurred in three of x the Northern States within the space of as many 3 weeks, suggests thoughts well worth the conaider . ation of the southern people. The States in which . these elections have occurred are New Hampshire _ Connecticut and Rhode Island. Each was car -1 ried last year by the opponents of the Nebraska o bill—carried by overwhelming majorities. The r coalesced forces, composed of Abolitionists, Free soil Whigs, Freesoil Democrats and KnowNotb ings—united by virtue of a common hostility to slavery—were victorious almost without a strug- R gle, over the Democratic party—though the latter , m each Slate drew to its support a number of con servative Whigs. The result of the recent con tests though, not all the friends of tbe Union and of tne South could have wished, is yet highly cn - couraging. It gives assurance that tivo, if not three of the States mentioned, will be found at the presidential election of next fail on the side of .. the Constitution and the Union. , But, further—We should fail in our duty, as an ’ independent political journalist, were we not to e direct the attention of our readers to some other points in connection with the contests to which we have referred. The battle in behalf of the Kansas- Nebraska bill has been fonght, gallantly fonght— and we may almost add, victoriously fought, in two at least, of those States. Who foiight it ? It was fought by the Democratic party—everywhere encouraged and strengthened by a small band of patriotic Whigs of the school of Henry Clav and . Daniel Webster. Two of the Democratic nomi nees far the Leg:stature of Rhode Island, were formerly Whig United States Senators, who are doubtless still proud of their connection with that party.but now see no safety for some of their most cherished principles, bnt in the success of the Democracy. Convinced that it was, in the New England States, the party of the Union, its name constituted no sufficient reason why they should not rally under its flag. The battio was therefore fought under the J)emo rratic name, and we hear of no other name among the combatants for the Constitution than that of Democracy. Moreover it was fonght on their side with distinct reference to the Cincinnati nomina tions and the Presidential election. Mr. Fiiimoro seems to be scarcely mentioned in the canvass. Why not ? Because the gallant conservative Whigs distrusted his conservatism, or would not rejoice at his success, were in possible * The inevitable inference is that they sec no prospect of his being successful. They feel that the issue must be between the Democratic candidate pledged to maintain the Nebraska bill and the Fugitive Slave law, and the nominee of the Black Republicans, pledged to nul lify both. They have therefore determined to sup port the former. And should the Cincinnati Convention, as we can hardly doubt it will, present a name command ing their confidence, is it not reasonable that the great body of Southern Whigs will judge in the same manner ? However devoted to Mr. Fillmore, it is not likely that they will throw away their votes upon hini—when the consequence might be a Black Republican triumph. Indeed it would be to us no marvel should Mr. Fillmore himself be among the snnportcrs of the Democratic ticket. It has been repeatedly charg ed by the Black Republicans, that his name has only' been brought forward to create dissensions in the North, and thus make easy a Democratic tri umph. And no man will say that, at the present time, Fillmore, Everett, Choate, Evans, and all the Northern Conservative Whigs, do not hold a posi tion much nearer Buchanan and Cass, than to Seward and Chase. We need hardly add that our purpose now is not to make war upon Mr. Fillmore and his southern friends. To the latter we concede quite as much patriotism as we claim for ourself. And it is be cause we can do this that we believe—when they are convinced there is no chance for the election of their favorite, but that every vote given to him in the South is a vote taken from the only ticket that can triumph over Abolition disunionism—they will be found casting their suffrages with us for the nominee of the Cincinnati Convention. Population aud Wealth of the United States. A table of the present population and wealth of the United States has been prepared by the Rail road Record, which, though imperfect, is a matter of interest and of importance as an approximation to the truth. The table is made up from census returns of the several States, or where they were not to be had, from the enumeration of taxables and the assessed value of property in the States. In the following table the valuation of Massachu setts, New- York, and Ohio, are very near the truth, while those of Pennsylvania and Tennessee, the compiler says, are not more than half the ac tual value. Nevertheless, these assessments may serve to show the relative advance in wealth. In fact, we have no doubt that the true value of prop erty in the United States exceeds ten thousand millions of dollars, or one-fourth greater than that in the table. Inc’se luc’se States. Population, per ct. Wealth, per ct. Maine 653,325 2 $130,000,000 6 e Hampshire. 354,750 10 105,000,0*0 2 -cmioiit 325,000 3 7 3,076,63* 8 Massachusetts.. 1,133,123 14 600,000,000 4 Connecticut 400,000 8 203,732,831 SO Rhode Island. .. 155,000 5 84,400,000 5 New York 3,470,032 12 1,402,848,504 30 New Jersev 530,000 11 170,000,000 11 Pennsylvania... 2,542,260 10 548,731,304 10 Delaware 25,000 5 25,000,000 5 Maryland 645,000 11 243,537,021 10 Virginia 1,580,000 8 465,542,189 20 N. Carolina 920,000 6 SS&OOMWO 2 8. Carolina 702,000 5 293,000,000 8 Georgia 1,120,000 22 400,000,000 20 Ohio 2.275J000 25 868,829,282 72 Indiana 1,183,000 50 220,418,148 40 Illinois .1,800,250 53 375,000,000 140 Michigan 515,008 20 1 50,000,000 150 Wisconsin 552,109 81 75,000,000 75 lowa 345,285 8 0 72,827,264 210 Kentucky 1,680,000 10 4 05,830,163 33 Tennessee 1,102,000 10 210,011,900 6 Alabama 838,266 8 25*1,000,000 10 Mississippi 720,'000 17 450,000,000 11 Louisiana 600,000 16 290,996,176 30 Florida 110,725 28 49,461,461 100 Missouri 850,000 24 175,000,(1)0 30 Arkansas 247,112 19 55,377,000 Taxas 370,000 75 110,060,000 100 California 400,000 300 06,000,000 200 Minnesota 40,000 500 3,800,000 1000 Kansas 30,000 1,000,000 Nebraska 5,000 500,000 New Mexico 63,000 2 0,000,000 20 Utah 30,000 15 2,000,000 100 Oregon 26,000 100 6,000,000 20 Washington.... Dist. Columbia. 55,000 10 18,000,000 8 Aggregate 27,868,864 13J£ $8,030,567,684 14 The entire growth of the last five years is percent., or 3.7 each year. Tbe annual growth of tile previous ten years was 3.6. The States from Maine to Pennsylvania, inclusive, have increased 11 per cent, in population; the States from Dela ware to Florida, per cent.; from Ohio to Min nesota, 29 per cent.; and from Kentucky to Texas, 17 per cent. The North-western States have, therefore, increased one half more than that of the aggregate of the whole country, and this is the section distinguished for its enterprise and num ber of railroads, having more than one-third the whole number of miles of railroad in America. The increase of wealth is relatively much greater than the increase of population, which is the best evidence of the industry of the people and the power of production in the country. The assessed wealth of the country, divided among alt the popu lation equally, each individual, man, woman, and child, in the Uwited States, would have about three hundred dollars. American Council ol Georgia. The Council met in Macon on Wednesday last, and adopted the following resolutions: Resolved, 1. That the State Council, now in ses sion, abolish all obligations of secresy which have heretofore characterized it as a secret political Or dcr, und that it do now resolve itself into an open Convention of the American Party of Georgia. 2. That this Convention recommend to the party, that in lieu of the Secret Councils which have here tofore been organized in the respective counties, an Assocfation be established and kept up in each county, whose object shall be to promote the inter ests of the American Party. Resolved, That the State Council having dis solved, this Convention deem it inexpedient to take any action at this time in relation to the nomi nations made by the National Convention in Feb uary last, but we leave it to the American party of this State to hold a Convention at such time as may * be deemed expedient by the Central Executive Committee, to take such action in reference to said nominations as may be deemed advisable. The Council passed resolutions complimentarv to officers of the late and present Councils, and adjourned sine die. It is stated by the Macon Messenger that the dele gates were in favor of supporting Fillmore and ■ Donelsok. There appears to be some dissatisfaction . among the reporters of prices and buyers of land ■ warrants in Washington and Baltimore. J. M. I Clarke & Co., of Washington, says “that if a full ’ meeting of all the dealers in land warrants in this , city was held, a resolution would pass unanimous f ly that the quotations of land warrants by any single house in this or any other city has no more * to do with regulating the market price of war- P rants than the twisting of a pig’s tail has to do ; with tbe changes of the moon." Washington Correspondence. Washington, April 12th, 1856. Senator Toombs gave a magnificent entertain nvmt, chiefly designed as a compliment to bi« Georgia colleagues, on Thursday evening last. The entire Georgia delegation, with the exception n f Gov. Cobb and Mr. Foster, who were unavoid ably absent, was present, and the evening passed off in genuine southern style, the ladies lending the enchantment and influence of their presence to the gaities of the occasion. These social re-unions of the entire delegations from particular States, at which the presence of the ladies, as well as the proprieties of the occa sion, banish every political topic, have the hap piest'effects and exert a moral influence on Metro politan life which is not without its proper value. The generous spirit of liberality, which charac terises the leading Democratic papers of the coun try, each in most cases, having its own special fa vorite for the Cincinnati nomination, is a theme of universal commendation in our political circles* The Union of this city first - set the example, the Richmond Enquirer immediately followed, and, I see by yesterday’s Pennsylvanian that that abVe organ of Mr. Bcchaxan has announced its pur pose to observe the same wholesome rule. This is proper—any other course would be frowned upon by the great masses of the Democracy through out the nation. The bickering and wanton acer bity which, during the last Presidential election, marked the course of certain papers respectively supporting Cass and Buchanan, nave not yet been forgotten. They have left a wound that is not vet cicatrised. The mail and telegraphic despatches of this eve pmg bring us a perfect rush of anti-Know Notb in% victories. The municipal elections every where, and the State elections, generally result either positively or anti-negatitelv in favor of tbe Democracy. We have only to hold fast to the faith that»is m us, and await the natural result of events to wit ness the complete ascendancy of Democratic prin ciples everywhere in our land, from Maine to Cali fornia. Mr. Dallas’ despatches received at the State Department yesterday contain no allusion to our Central American or Recruitment difficulties. If our Government must take the initiative, it will do so ere four weeks elapse. Sigma. P* S.—The State Department is, to-day, I learn, in receipt of important despatches. It would seem, although the information is vet very obscure, that the British and French squadrons have actual ly landed forces at Punta Arenas. Should it prove to be so, there is but one course for our Govern ment to pursue, (and that it will probably recom mend), to repeal our neutrality laws. Then for fil libusterism—-qui vice —for the right, and down with oppressors. Sigma. Rights of Owners of Burial Vault*. The New Y ork Evening Post, of the 12th inst., says: “In May, 1853. Beekman street was widen ed from Pearl street to Park row, and the sum of $28,000 was awarded to the brick Presbyterian church for land taken from them for the purpose. In -prosecuting the work, a number of vaults erected upon this land for burial purposes were displaced, and in order to ascertain the amount of interest, if any, which their owners had in the sum awarded by the commissioners, reference was or dered by the Supreme Court to Samuel B. Rugulbb, Esq. The Referee awarded a certain proportion of the sum to the vault-owners, and in an elaborate re view of the right of property in graves and human remains interred therein, came to the following conclusions: 1. “ That neither a corpse, nor its burial, is le gally subject, in any way, to ecclesiastical cogni zance, nor to sacerdotal power of any kind. 2. “ The tbe right to bury a corpse and to pre serve its remains, is a legal right, which the courts of law will recognize and protect. 3. “ That such right, in the absence of any tes tamentary disposition, belongs exclusively to the next of kin. 4. “That the right to protect the remains in eludes the right, to preserve them by separate bu rial, to select the place of sepulture, and to change it at pleasure. 5. “ That if the place of burial be taken for pub lic use, the next of kin may claim to be indemni fied for the expense of removing and suitably re- the remains.” The Great Fire at Galena, Illinois. The Galena Advertiser, of the 2d inst., gives a full account of the fearful conflagration in that city on the previous day. The Advertiser says: At 3 o’clock yesterday morning, our city was visited by the most disastrous conflagration that has ever yet occurred here. The fire was tte*t discovered in a stable on Com merce street, near Washington, owned by M. O. Walker, of Chicago. In a tew minutes it was all in a blaze. The portion of the block in which it, was situated, north of the DeSoto House, was of the most combustible materials, and iu a very short space of time it was a single sheet of flame, defying all hope of victory by human effort. All the buildings ::i that block North of J. A. Packard A Co.’s store, bounded by Main, Washington and Commerce streets, like one mighty caudle, lit up the whole heavens with a most terrific glare. Tbe tire crossed Washington street in a northward di rection, and burnt all the wooden buildings South of L. S. Felt’s old brick store, now occupied by J. Coatsworth & Son. It crossed Main street westward, and burnt all that fine brick block of heavy stores and offices North of Dr. Weirich’s new building, and South of Bergman A Co.’s warerooms, with the exception of the building on the North corner of Main and Washington streets. It then crossed Bench street and burnt the resi dence of I). A. Barrows, the next dwelling south ward, and lastly, in that direction, thy Catholic Church, where it was finally subdued. Such was the fury of the tempest rs fl.v. that large emuers were carried a mile or more from the scene of the immediate conflagration, so as to en danger buildings at that distance. The Advertiser then proceeds to give an account of the losses occasioned by the fire. It appears that thirty-two buildings, including St. Michael’s Catholic Church, and the office of the Galena Daily and Weekly Courier, were destroyed, and many others injured. The estimated loss, as we have already mentioned, is $300,000. The Adver tiser says that the fire was no doubt the work of an incendiary. From the Tampa Penisular—EHra. Latest Indian News. The following gratifying intelligence was re ceived at this place, about seven o’clock, Monday evening: On the afternoon of the 6tli inst., the Indians who attacked Dr. Braden’s residence un i planta tion, on the Manatee, (seven in number,) on the evening of the 31st March, were overtaken by a party ofFlorida volunteers. They were encamped on the South bank of the Big* Charley Apopka Creek, and appeared to be confident of safety. The party, it would appear from the report received by Captain Hooker, which is short and imperfect, crossed the Creek, and covered bv a dense ham mock, which extended along the'bank, they ap proached so near the enemv as to overhear their conversation, and killed tw*o Indians on the spot. The remainder retreated to the Creek ; two were shot while in the. act of jumpiug into it, and fell corpses, their bodies sinkir.g immediately. The remaining three escaped, wounded badly. They were pursued some distance by the blood which plainly marked their retreat, but were finally lost in a hammock. The surprise was complete, as tbe • enemy did not take time to fire a gun. The Creek is said to have been entirely clear, so : that there was no chance for hiding.' That the two Indians who fell in it were killed, there is not a shadow of doubt. The negroes (eight) and the three mules were re-captured. One Indian pony and several rifles [ were taken. The two Indians who were shot down at the first . fire, were scalped. One scalp was sent to Manatee I with the party who conveyed tbe stolen property to its owners, and the other w'as sent to Capt Hooker, at this place. The latter has heen exhibit ed to all persons having the curiositv to examine i it. [ In our regular issue, on Saturday next, we ex pect to be enabled to give full details of the bat i ,le - . , There was a fellow in York State that asked a young lady out to ride; the young -lady agreed • he drove around to the house at the 'appointed time; a young lady made her appearance dressed s m the prevailing fashion ; having got herself and . hoops into the cutter, the young man saw there , was no chance for him, whereupon he mounted the horse’s back and drove o 3in triumph. Gal lant voang man!
