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THE tOiVSTITUTIOMIST.
PUBLISHED BY
JAMES QABDNEB.
JAMBS T. NlSßET—Editor.
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AUGUSTA, GA.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1858.
A Majority of Free States.
William H. Seward, very much to the surprise
and chagrin of his Black Republican allies in the
Senate, advocates an increase of the military es
tablishment of the United States—an administra
tion] measure, recommended by the President in
his annual message, and urged by the Secretary of
War in his report. Senator Hale, of New Hamp
shire, in his speech against the army bill reported
by the Military Committee to carry out this recom
mendation of the President, referred to this fact,
and expressed his surprise and regret at the course
which Mr. Seward had thought proper to pursue,
whereupon the great leader of the Black Republi
can party explained his position, and among other
things, said:
“ l am very sorry that the faith of the honora
ble Senator from New Hampshire is less than my
own. He apprehends continual disaster. He
wants this battle continued and fought by skir
mishes and to deprive the enemy of every kind of
supplies. Sir , I regard this battle as already fought;
it is over. All the mistake is, that the honorable
Senator and others do not know it. We are fight
ing for a'majority of free States. There are already
sixteen to fifteen, and whatever the administra
tion • mav do, whatever any body may do, before
one year from this time, we shall be nineteen to
fifteen.”
This oracular utterance of the Senator from
New York, has startled the South, although it is
simply the statement of a fact which she has con
templated for years; and has given the occasion
to many of our southern contemporaries to indulge
in gloomy forebodings of the most disastrous con
sequences to the Union, which they imagine must in
evitably follow, when the North has secured the rep
resentative preponderance, which Mr. Seward, in
advance, so confidently clai ms. He is right in all the
facts which he states. The Black Republican party
are ‘‘fighting for a majority of free States”—as illus
trated in their factious opposition to the admission
of Kansas—and in a year they will doubtless have
the number which he claims, as, within that time,
Nebraska, Kansas, Oregon, and Minnesota, will
probably be added to the list. This is a proba
ble, seemingly an inevitable result, and yet we
will not anticipate disastei s which may be averted,
and conclude that when it has been accomplished,
the hour has arrived when the South will be com
pelled either to submit to or resist with force, the
oppressions of a northern majority.
In other words, we will not despair of the Demo- 1
cratic party —of its fidelity to the Constitution—of i
its disposition to recognise, or of its ability to pro
tect the rights of the South. It is the only one of
the great nationalities of the Republic which is
l e ft—the only one which has survived the embit
tered strife of its discordant sections. Thus far it
has been maintained upon broad national princi
ples, and has been enabled to withstand the
tide of anti-slavery fanaticism which has swept
away all other national organizations, and sun
dered, one by one, the ties which bound together
the North and the South. As long as it can be
maintained, the faith of compacts and the guaran
tees of the Constitution may be maintained, and
the South, although in a minority, may be protect
ed from the oppression and the tyranny of a north
ern majority in our Federal legislature.
The maintenance of an exact balance of political
power between the two sections of the Union, de- |
sirable as such a balance may be, is impracticable; ,
always has been, and always will be. They must 1
live together, if at all, as equals, not by the re- j
straints of a balance of power, but by the mam- t
tenance of the principles of their compact of union, j
The Democratic party is the only instrumentality, £
the only political organization, through which and i
bv which these principles can be vindicated and |
carried out. Let us stand by it and by the admin- 1
istration which it has placed in power, and await ,
the issue of the struggle it is now making to pre
serve its nationality, before we despair of the Re-
public. _ ]
Bishop Bascomb’s Death.
The sad occurrence of the death of this dis- i
tinguished Divine, which took place some eight \
years ago—if our memory serves us right—is going ]
the rounds in the newspapers as having occurred 1
last Sunday, from a fever caught in Missouri, while <
on his first tour of duty in his office of Bishop.
The brief eulogy written, no doubt, at the time of
his death, is attached to the article, and it is pub
lished conspicuously as an item of news. Bishop
Bascomb’s place in the M. E. Church, South, bus
been filled by the election of Bishops Pierce and
Kavanaugh at the last session of the General Con
ference in this city—some four years ago. We
imagine this item of news got into the papers by
accident at this late period.
Columbus ((da.) Times & Sentinel.
We imagine that we are responsible for the item
of news which has furnished the Times <£ Sentinel
with an item. F. W. Thomas, Esq., being in our
city a few days ago, we published from a book of
sketches written by him several years ago, a notice
t>f the death of Bishop Bascomb. Some of our
contemporaries compressed the notice into an item,
and announced the death of the distinguished
divine as a recent event.
Valuable Cargoes of Cotton.
The Savannah Georgian , of Sunday morning,
21st inst., says: “The ship Vanguard, Captain
Norton, was cleared on yesterday by Messrs.
Soullard & Crowder, with four thousand and
sixty-four bales Upland and three hundred and
thirty-eight bags Sea Island cotton—making two
million thirty-two thousand three hundred and
forty-four pounds—valued at two hundred and
twenty-two thousand four hundred and eighty-four
dollars and thirty-two cents.”
The ship Jane Baker, for Liverpool, cleared at
Savannah on the same day with two thousand four
hundred and fifteen bales upland and three hun
dred and twenty-eight bales Sea Island Cotton.
In the Mobile Register , of the 18th inst., it is
announced that the ship Barbara cleared for Liver
pool with two thousand six hundred and forty
eight bales of cotton, weighing one million three
hundred and eighty-four thousand six hundred
and sixty-four pounds, and valued at one hundred
and thirty-two thousand two dollars and seventeen
cents.
The Bainbndge Argus.
We publish this morning, the prospectus of this
excellenUfamily journal, to which we would call
the attention of our readers. Mr. Russell, the
proprietor, it will be observed, is assisted in the
editorial department, by Miss Annie R. Blount, of
this city. _
Illinois. —The Peoria Denjocratic Union says
that two-thirds of the Democracy of that section
will sustain the policy of the Administration.
A company of Frenchmen are forming in New
York to dig for Captain Kidd’s treasure, at some
place which they refuse to specify.
Celebration of the 22d of February.
The anniversary of the birth of George Wash
ington was celebrated with great spirit by our cit
izen soldiery and civilians generally. Indeed, it
has been many years since we have had in Augus
ta so brilliant a display on our national holidays.
Additional attraction was given to the celebration
yesterday, by the presentation of a banner by Miss
Blount to the Montgomery Guards, a new and
spirited corps, lately organised, under the com
mand of Capt. Henry Daly. At 10 o’clock, the
volunteer batallion, under the command of Lieut
Col. Campbell, with glittering uniforms and full
pranks (the honored company in the van), formed
in front of the United States Hotel, the balcony of
which had been tastefully decorated with native
evergreen and the “ stars and stripes.” Upon this
rostrum, surrounded by a brilliant staff of bright
eyed damsels, and supported by the worthy Mar
shal of the day, Gen. Geo. W. Evans, and the gal
lant young soldier, Major William H. Wiieeler,
at the appointed hour the fair donor made her ap
pearance, and in a glowing address, delivered to
the Company, ably represented by Lieut. Clai
borne Snead, a beautiful banner, bearing upon one
side the bust of Gen. Richard Montgomery, and on
the other the coat of arms of the State of Georgia.
Miss Blount, without a trace of unmaidenly
boldness, was wonderfully calm and self-possessed,
in the trying position, which she occupied—deliv
ering her address with clearness, ease and grace.
With graphic touches, she sketched the career of
the gallant Montgomery, in his too brief service
in the cause of his adopted land, his dauntless
heroism in battle; his patient endurance of priva
tion and suffering; and his glorious end before
the walls of Quebec; and in animated strains urged
the citizen soldiery before her to shnw themselves
worthy of the proud name they had selected as
their title, by keeping unsullied in peace and in
war, the stainless colors, which, she then gave into
their keeping; closing her address—upon which no
higher eulogy could be pronounced than that It
was worthy of ‘‘Jenny Woodbine”—by a spirited
apostrophe to the flag of our country.
In behalf of the Montgomery Guards, Lieut.
Snead returned thanks for the honor that bad been
conferred upon them, and in their name, promised
that the banner then presented, “whether idly
waving in the gentle breeze of peace, or flapping in
the rude blasts of war,” should ever be borne aloft
—a talisman of success, bright and unsullied as
they received it from the fair hands of beauty.
Happily alluding to the mixed nationality of the
company, he said that the countrymen of Mont
gomery, would ever be found when their services
were needed by the country of their adoption,
shoulder to shoulder, with those whose first love
had been the land of the “stars and stripes.”
All the companies of the Augusta Independent
Volunteer Battalion were out in their strength—
the Dragoons with their well disciplined troop
under the command of Capt. Wm. E. Hearing—
the Washington Artillery, with their field pieces,
under Capt. Kirkpatrick— the well drilled Rifle
and Infantry companies, the Clinch Rifles, Capt.
C. A. Platt —the Oglethorpe Infantry, Captain J.
Jackson- -the Irish Volunteers, Lieut. Larus, com
manding, and last, but not least, the new compa
ny, the Montgomery Guards, under the command
of Capt. H. Daly.
If Augusta has ever been charged with inatten
tion to a due observance of the national days of
the country, the demonstrations on yesterday
should “blot the record out.”
We copy from the Dispatch of yesterday after
noon the following account:
The companies formed in procession near the
City Hotel, and proceeded up Broad street to the
United States Hotel, where from the balcony, a
beautilul banner was presented to the Montgomery
Guards, by Miss Annie R. Blount, in the following
eloquent and appropriate address, in a style more
chaste, impressive and beautiful than we have ever
witnessed on a similar occasion.
ADDRESS OP MISS BLOUNT.
Gentlemen of the Montgomery Guards:
As I appear before you for the purpose of pre- !
seating you this banner, which bears a portrait of 1
that noble, chivalrous soldier, whose name you *
have so appropriately chosen, many and varied are (
the emotions which cluster around my heart. j
I feel that this, the birthday of the great Father ‘
of our liberties, is a fitting time to present you I
with this gift ; for it is a day when tyery heart, 1
even the most callous, should be filleu with pure
and sacred memories. Washington!—there is t
magic in that name; it carries us hack to the ear
lier struggles of our country ; we glance down the
shadowy lane of the past, and 4>ee in fancy that
body of gallant, true-hearted men, rallying around (
the stars and stripes with a heaven-given desire (
for liberty. We see their privations, their trials, a
and their eventual triumph; and while we rejoice .
in that unconquerable spirit, which led them on
to victory, amid harrowing scenes, of which wa c
can form but a slight conception, are thankful that a
while they bore the cross we of the present day ,
wear the crown.
Heaven has smiled upon our sunny America — 1
the birth-place of the great, the gifted. For years
our banner has floated in peaceful security. The ‘
heart of the Swiss beats with pleasure as he hears
the wild strains o! his native valley—tears bedew
the eyes of the German, as be lists the song of his
father-land; and oh! what a stream of pride and
patriotism flows to the heart of each American as
he gazes on the stars whose glory has never yet \
been dimmed, and hears the heroic strains of our |
own national hymn.
“ The Star-Spaneled Banner—oh ! long may it wave
O'er the land of the free a: d the home or the brave P*
and how cordially does every heart endorse the
sentiment.
Flag of the free! long may ye wave
O’er patriot’s home aud patriot’s grave ;
In days less fair ye floated high,
And led the brave of old to die.
Now, while we gaze on aught so dear,
Their gallant spirits hover near;
In trumpet-tones they seem to tell,
“ ’Tis a rich treasure—guard it well.”
Long as the Bard to earth belongs,
Thou’lt form the tbeuie of noblest songs;
And wheresoe’er our lot is cast.
We’ll cliaunt thy praises to the last.
Around the hearth where quiet reigns,
We*li strike the bold, the inspiring strains;
And on the field, with clarion tongue,
ThouTt form the spirit of our song.
Flag of the free! we’ll ever stand
Around thy stars, with sword In hand ;
For thee we’ll live, while hearts beat high:
Or failing there, for thee we'll die!
Should war appear with visage grim.
And our bright sun of Hope grow dim ;
With rallying heart we’ll point to thee,
Thou emblem of our liberty !
Flag of the free! —our nation’s pride,
For whom our fathers fought and died—
-44 Thou banner, beautiful and grand,
Float thou forever o’er our land!”
Chivalrous sons of Augusta! you live in a time
when Nature smiles on her favored land; the wild
alarum of war is hushed ; the thirteen stars have
emerged from the mist-like darkness which once
obscured their glory, and now shine forth with re
doubled brilliancy. Peace has folded her beau
teous wings, and broods with smiling face over
our quiet households. But a change may come.
The gallant spirits which slumber m security,
. may be called into action. Circumstances devel
ope the hero—great trials call forth great deeds.
And here I feel—aud proud is the feeling—that
there stand before me spirits as gallant, as dar
} ing, and capable of as noble actions as the mighty
. dead, who left their impress on the record of 76.
Destiny may call you to the tented field —if so,
woman's heart will go with you there; and wo
-2 man’s prayers ascend for you to the Great White
1 Throne! Should you come back with the laurel
1 wreath entwined o’er brows well-fitted to wear it,
j woman’s smile shall greet you; or should you
•‘Sleep with your hand on the dinted blade
And the stars and stripes around you,”
the patriot's grave will be bedewed with woman's
tears.
5 Gentlemen !ye in whose hearts patriotic enthu
l siasm beats high; my soul glows with pride and
, pleasure as I transmit to you this gitt. No fear
' mingles with my emotions, for lam consigning it
: to worthy keeping. With this motto, “the conti
’ nental armies despise every act of oppression and
violence , being come for the express purpose of giving
liberty and security ,” inscribed on your hearts,
> “there is no such word as fail.” May the spirit ot
the gallant, the lamented Montgomery hover near
’ you, and incite you to noble deeds. I feel, 1 know,
that the pure, disinterested motives which actuated
the impulses of his noble heart, exist in your own
bosoms, and will color the sky of your future; and
that the banner which I consign to your hands
will never fall into dishonor.
Gentlemen, m v task is done. Accept, then, this
slight testimonial of our deep esteem; and what
ever fate is yours, our .best wishes shall go with
you.
Lieutenant Claiborne Sneed responded in an
eloquent and appropriate manner, as follows:
In behalf of the Montgomery Guards, I thank
you, and your fair associates for this beautiful
banner, as well as for the kind and complimentary
words with which you hare been pleased to ac
company it. May time prove that we are worthy
of the one and merit the other, for it shall always
by our earnest aim to show ourselves deserving of
both.
If we had become devoid of all spirit and dead
to all feelings of military ambition, the sight of
that flag ana the incidents of this day would create
them anew, cause them to glow with an increased
ardor, and the inspiration thus felt would impel
us onward to a laudable emulation to prove our
selves worthy of this honor.
O, what pleasing reflections, what holy memor
ies of the past, does it call forth! When we
look upon that banner, and see inscribed thereon
the likeness of that great and good man, whose
name we bear, our minds are instantly carried back
to those days when “the brave began to fear the
power of man, and the pious to doubt the favor of
God and the memories of that eventful period
crowding thick and fast around, remind us of the
heroic conduct, the disin'e est d sacrifices, and the
noble deeds of daring of General Richard Mont-
f ornery. He is seen leaving his own cherished
ome, the green velvet like verdured Isle of Erin,
crossing the broad waters of the Atlantic and en
tering heart and soul into the great conflict of
American Independence. Wherever most needed
his youthful arm is wielding his glittering blade,
until finally before the walls of Quebec, it fell
pulseless by his side ; that pure and patriotic spirit
with which it had been animated having taken its
flight to the realms of the other world. He died
’tis true, but his fame lived after him. It was not
ephemeral, existing only for a day and dieing on
the morrow ; but still and will ever live, for it has
lqfc its impress so indelibly stamped on the sands
of time, that the tramp of succeeding ages can
never obliterate.
Now look on the other side of that banner—there
is inscribed the coat of arms of our noble State —
she, who has the highestclaims upon ourallegiance,
as citizens; and to whom we are bound by the strong
est ties of affection ; being the dear birth place,
the first love of some, ana the no less dear adopt
ed home of other members of this company. This
alone will inspire us to bear aloft that flag with
pride, and never, never , shall it suffer dishonor in
our hands, whether seen idly moving to and fro,
fanned by the gentle winds‘of peace, or flapping
itself in the angry storm of war. As the star of
Bethlehem was to the wise men of the East, so
shall this be to us the object of our constant soli
citude and the talisman of our success. Under its
auspices, our conduct in time of peace shall be
such as is in accordance with that of true citizen sol
diery ; but, if, on the other hand, the flame of war
should again roll over our fair and happy land,
threatening either to darken her bright escutch
eon, or to destroy our homes and our liberties—let
it come from whence it may, either from enemies
without or traitors withiu—and you will find none
more ready, none more prepared, and none more
willing to do their duty than the Montgomery
Guards.
And now, in conclusion, allow me to say that,
with grateful hearts we receive this precious gift,
esteemed the more because preflared by the hands
of woman, and presented with her good wishes
and smiles. Woman! ever mindful woman! in
every enterprise of life, with her aid, success is
certain ; without i<. defeat inevitable. With her
smiles all things are bright; with her frowms,
all are dark—for we are told that—
“The world was sad, the garden was a wild!
The man, the Hermit, sighed—till woman smiled! t
The kindness, then, we have received, will act i
as an incentive to exertion on our part, cheer us t
onward in our duty, and come weal, come woe, it
will be “the ultima Thule” of our hopes and am- c
bition to preserve as pure and spotless those folds
as the hearts of our fair donors. i
Ensign Gallaher, I now transfer this valued of- t
sering of beauty to you as Us custodian, and feel g
confident that, in your hands, it will be free from t
disgrace and dishonor. Take it, sir, and let it \
ever be a memorial of the proud position vou oc- J
cupy this day, and of your duty as its bearer. i
Ensign Gall ah er, on receiving the banner, re- <
plied as follows—
Lieut. Snead: .
The valued offering which you do me the honor j
to place in my charge, imposes on me a grave re- ’
sponsibility ; yes, a responsibility which must be ,
somewhat in keeping with the illustrious name in- J
scribed on its folds. For to protect and defend it,
ia well worthy of a soldier’s life, and a solemn
duty to the Republic, for which he fought and
died; and although I feel myself inadequate to the
position which the company has doue me the
honor to occupy, yet I shall use my beet efforts to *
protect and defend the solemn trust committed to
my charge. i
The presentation of the banner attracted the at- j
tendance of several thousand of our citizens, and t
much interest and pleasure were manifested. i
The procession then marched down Broad to J
Centre street, through Centre to Greene, and up {
Greene to Campbell, through Campbell to Ellis a
and down Ellis to Concert Hall, where a dense and j
brilliant audience assembled to hear the addresses j
of Messrs. Whitehead and Hull. Time will not j
allow us to refer at length to the efforts of these <
gentlemen; and a passing notice would do injus- j
tice to the eminent success achieved by both.
The festivities of the day closed by the |
“ Clinch Rifle Hop ” at the Planters’ Hotel.
Portraits of Washington.
We are gratified to state that the portraits of
Washington, referred to by us cn the 14th of Jan
uary last, reached this city yesterday. They arc
beautiful works of art, “a portrait in colors of the
greatest of heroes—an exact transcript of Stuart's
famous picture.”
The portraits are of good size, and finished spe
cimens of chromatic painting, and are sold at one
dollar.
Some are offered at fifty cents.
The present is a favorable opportunity for every
family to obtain a portrait of the Father of our
country.
Orders directed to Mrs. W. J. Eve, Augusta,
will meet with prompt attention ; and we will take
great pleasure in handing over to that lady any
orders which may be left at or directed to this
office.
Counting Room Removed.
The Counting Room of the Cmstitutionalist Of
fice has been removed to the store on Broad street
formerly occupied by Wm. Haines, where Mr.
George E. W. Nelson cau be found during busi
ness hours, ready to attend to ail business con
nected with advertisements and subscriptions for
this paper.
To Delinquent Subscribers.
In pursuance of our aunuat custom, we are pro
ceeding in alphabetical order, to strike from our
list of subscribers the names of all on our books
who are indebted for more than one year’s subscrip
-1 tion. Those who fail to receive the paper in fu
ture, will understand at once the reason, and the
remedy. A remittance to the office will replace
them on the list.
We will give notice to all whose subscriptions
■ have expired, as also to those about to expire, so
that they may renew their subscriptions at the
proper time.
5 ’ZW* We have placed In the hands of Thaddeus
1 Oakman, Esq., for collection, a large amount in ac
> counts and notes due Ibis office, and hope his calls
will be promptly responded to.
j The British House of Lords.—gy the muster.
roll of the “ Lords spiritual and temporal ” of the
j present British Parliament, it appears that the
. whole number who compose the upper House, or
t House of Lords, is four hundred and fifty-one. Os
- the entire catalogue, exclusive of prioces of royal
- blood, there are only one hundred and eighteen
' peers whose titles are older than the reign of
[ George 111.
Trenton, Feb. 18 - <i. u joint meeting of the
[. legislature,the following officers were elected: It.
i M. Smith, State Treasures; K. P. Stoll, State Pri
[ son-keeper; Henry Hilliard and Isaac Woolston,
\ Directors of the Joint Stock Companies. All the
officers are Democrats.
| Reports from the Senate Committee oil
Territories.
We publish this morning, an abstract of the
three reports from this Committee, which were
presented in the Senate on Thursday last, upon
the Lecompton Constitution, and the application of
Kansas for admission into the Union under it.
These reports, published m extenso, would occupy
more than twenty columns in our paper. We do
not care to devote so much space to the discussion
of a subject with which our readers are not only
familiar but fatigued, and instead of giving
these reports entire, we publish this abstract
prepared by the Washington Union, which pre
sents the substance of each. The majority report is
signed by Messrs. Green of Missouri, Jones of
lowa, Sebastian of Arkansas, and. Fitzpatrick of
Alabama. One of the minority reports is signed
by Mr. Collamer of Vermont, and Mr. Wade of
Ohio; the other by Mr. Douglas, the chairman of
the committee, who stands between the Demo
crats and the Black Republicans of the committee,
separated from one party by his record, and from
the other by the policy which he finds it necessary
to pursue upon the Kansas question.
Copies of the two minority reports were for
warded to the New York Tribune, before they were
presented in the Senate, and were published in
that paper—that of Messrs. Collamer and Wade
on Friday, and that of J udge Douglas on Satur
day morning. This fact, whilst significant of the
relations which Mr. Douglas has necessarily estab
lished with the Black Republican party, by his op
position to the administration, is at the same time
illustrative of the policy which the press of that
party, upon all important questions, pursues. It
is to withhold the light from their readers, and
give them instead, ex-parte statements and ex
parte arguments upon which to form their opin
ions and determine their action. When the I)red
Scott decision was pronounced by the Supreme
Court of the United States, making southern
opinion upon the subject of slavery, the law of
the land, and settling principles which, if they
were acquiesced in and acted upon, would termi
nate the slavery agitation, the leading organs of
the Black Republican party published the dissent
ing opinions of Justices McLean and Curtis, but
did not publish the decision of the Court. Pursu
ing the same policy, they now withhold the report
of the Senate Committee on Territories upon the
admission of Kansas, and publish the dissenting
reports of the minority of that Committee, thus
forestalling public opinion at the North, and ask
ing its verdict when only one side has been
heard. #
Oration of the Hon. R. HI. T. Hunter.
We have received the March number of the
Southern Literary Messenger , publiched at Rich
mond, Va., which though issued m advance of the
inauguration of Crawford’s Equestrian Statue of
Washington, which took place in that city, on
Monday the 22d inst., contains the Opening Ode
by John R. Thompson, editor of the Messenger , and
the Oration by Hon. R. M. T. Hunter, which were
prepared for that occasion. The magnificent effort
of the great statesman and scholar, must be read
to be properly appreciated; but unable to publish
it entire, we cannot resist the temptation to ex
tract the following passages with which it con
cludes:
But Virginia here raises monuments to more
than one ot her children, and as she bends over
that group of her departed sons, she may well
shed the mingled tears of pride and grief. Amongst
these she will place Lewis, her bold pioneer, who
wrestled with the red man from the waters of the
Hoiston to those of the Great Kanawha, and finally
made good the title of his State to the possession
of the western wilderness on the bloody field of
Point Pleasant, from which he drove the Indian
beyond the Ohio. There will be found Nelson, the
patriotic Governor of Virginia, whose generous
sacrifices and great public services called forth the
thanks of Washington, at the siege of York. Geo.
MaSon, too, is to be placed there in ihe fondness of a
mother’s pride, he whom history will proclaim one
of the apostles ofeivil liberty, theauthorofthe bill of
rights of Virginia, the orator and the sage, whose
vision was so neat ly prophetic and whose wisdom
and patriotism made him a great leader in his day.
John Marshall is to constitute another figure in 1
that great group, he whose qualities of head and
heart were bestowed by Nature, as if she were try- j
ing her most cunning hand lo constitute a perfect <
judicial character. Unequal m learning to Coke, i
or Hale, or ilardwicke, or Mansfield, because lie
had fewer opportunities to acquire it, he united the
character of Hale to the genius of Mansfield, and 1
found in his own resources those means of mastery l
for which they were so largely dependent on the 1
assistance of others. Patrick Henry already stands •
there, a commanding figure in the group, the '
“ Homer of orators,” whose mighty voice comes
ringing down with the ages to startle the most .
listless of human ears with those watch-words of .
civil revolution and progress, “Give me liberty, or ]
give me death!” And yonder contemplative* fig- |
ure, who needs to be told that it is Thomas Jeffer- ■
son, the most intrepid thinker and the greatest po
litical genius of his day ; a man who was capable
of commiting himself, like Columbus, to the
winds ami the waves in pursuit of his own great
idea, and of persevering until he discovered new
pi ovinces of thought, and found firm ground for
the human mind beyond the uncertain seas which
others had feared to pass before.
Still the representation of the revolutionary fam
ily of Virginia is far from complete. The statue
of George Rogers Clarke, like that of Brutus, is
missing. The Lees and the Randolphs, Madison
and Monroe, “sapientum que <ya priorum,” might
well constitute another group of kindred greatness
to these. May a long succession of such chapters
of monumental history continue to tell the tale of
Virginia’s greatness and glory.
But I must not close this address without one
word of affectionate adjuration to thee, Virginia,
and bidding you all hail, oh, most glorious moth
er! Take us, thy children, with thee to the tombs
, of your mighty sons, that we may learn from your
, meditations something of the secret of your own
great heart. Does it occur to you as you bend in
sorrowing pride over these monuments of your
i dead, that perhaps the wiser part was taken by the
daughter of Scipio and the mother of the Gr-icchi,
who refused to bear more children lest she should
be shamed by the comparison of the younger with
the elder born ? Is it the sacred question of your
bosom, “ Qindfuceant stemmata's when you con-
trast your present with your past? I pray you,
. by alf the love we bear you, to harbor no such re
. proachful suggestions in your bosom. The wealth
of your achievements may he in the past, but nev
’ er Was a mother richer in the affections of her chil
dren. Every drop of your waters and the very dust
of your soil are as dear to them as if they bore the
charm of life itself. Your great name and its as
sociations constitute the fascination and the spell
. which call up the deepest emotions of filial love
and pride in the hearts of your children. They
may not add to the lustre of*your name, but they
* will preserve and defend it against reproach and
- disgrace. They no longer bring curule dignities
. to your house, nor do lictors and fasces mark their
approach to your door, but they bear you what, af
ter all, is the richest treasure and best defense
3 of a State, the loyalty and devotion of a united
family, which knows no higher reward than a
s mother’s love, and no prouder object of ambi
tion than a mother’s glory. Permit me, then,
to say, if the-love which inspires it can excuse the
e presumption of the advice, that if you wish to re
new, in some future generation, the glories of your
mighty line, you must be true to yourself, to the
s traditions of your past, to the long established
. principles of your public policy, ana the peculiar
genius of your people. For how long did Ameri
can civilization follow the line of their camp fires
as your pioneers passed through the wilderness!
Why may not there spring up again within your
■. household the lights which may lead to a higher
e culture and to a happier, a more refined and a
m*>re powerful combination of the social and indi
vidual elements whose proper organization consti
r Cutes'the strength of human government? I be
s lieve. in my soul, that such would be the results
j of the faithful and further application of ihe
principles of your own great school. Equally firm
is my conviction, that tne lights which should di
s rect that application are to be found in the lessons
which have been taught by your own sons, whose
teachings have in them more of prophetic wisdom
e than all the leaves of the Sibyl. Such are the
. achievements which place Virginia amongst the
- States and nations of the earth, where Washing
, ton, her own illustrious son, stands amongst men,
i the world’s great paragon, the cynosure of his
race.
From the BaUimot'e Sun , Feb. 20.
The Reports in the Senate on the Admis
sion of Kansas.
The report submitted in the U. S. Senate on
Thursday, by Mr. Green, from the majority of the
committee on territories, on the Lecompton Con
stitution, (and which was accompanied by a bill
for the admission of Kansas,) is a very elaborate
document, and goes into a full history of the
movements in Kansas, from the inception of the
territorial government down to the present time.
The Union gives the following abstract of it:
After summing up the evidence, mostly derived
from official sources, the committee say that it ap
pears to them, from the official evidence adduced,
“that the opposition in Kansas to the Lecompton
Convention consisted of persons engaged in insur
rection, rebellion and revolution. Some few are
known to be citizens of the United States. Whether
others are citizens or aliens, whether in allegiance
or not, they are all known to be enemies of the
government, and openly engaged in attempts
against law and order in the Territory, and against
the piece and quietude of society. Many of them
have been shown by Gov. Walker to be hired mer
cenaries sent out by the Abolition societies of the
East; and all working in concert to accomplish in
Kansas what the Supreme Court and public senti
ment have decided Congress has no power to do;
that is, to prohibit slavery in the Territory of Kan
sas ; and, more than that, to prevent the people of
the Territory from exercising the privilege of de
ciding that question for themselves in their own
way; to do which they have gotten up military
organizations of a rebellious character, have com
mitted the most revolting outrages against persons
and property, threatening to deluge the land in
blood, alienating one section of the Union from the
other, and endangering the existence of free gov
ernment.
Such are the characters, such are the objects and
dangerous results of the opponents of the Lecomp
ton Constitution. But without regard to these in
surrectionary movements, the regular legal con
vention of Kansas, in pursuance of law, assembled
and adopted the Constitution now before the com
mittee, which is thoroughly republican in form.
Out of deference to those who might be opposed
to African slavery, and to avoid all pretext of com
plaint on the part of opponents, .the convention
submitted the question of slavery or no slavery to
a direct vote of the bona foie inhabitants of the
Territory. That election was ordered for the 21st
of December, 1857, when it was accordingly held
and resulted as follows:
Constitution with slavery 6,220 votes.
Constitution without slavery, 569 “
Making an aggregate of 6,795 “
An opportunity has consequently been afforded
to the people of Kansas to decide this question of
slavery for themselves, and that decision is now
before us with all the sanction of law. No real or
valid exception can be taken to any other part of
the Constitution. On this subject President Bu
chanan has well said in his message: “In fact the
general provisions of our recent State Constitu
tions, after an experience of eighty years, are so
similar and so excellent that it would be difficult
to go far wrong at the present day in framing a
new Constitution.” The Constitution conforms
precisely to what Governor Walker said would
meet his most cordial approval, and that he should
devote his whole time in addresses every day to
the people of every county in the Territory to in
sure its adoption.
The committee further say that they do not ap
prove the ordinance accompanying the Constitu
tion, and report against its acceptance; but they
do not regard it us any part of the Constitution,
nor will its approval or disapproval by Congress
affect the validity of that Constitution, if the State
be admitted into the Union as recommended. In
conclusion, they express the opinion that when a
Constitution of a newly formea State, created out
of our owu Territory, is presented to Congress for
admission into the (Jniou, it is no part of the duty
or privilege of Congress either to approve or dis
approve the Constitution itself, and its various
provisions, or any of them, but simply to see
whether it be the legal Constitution of the new
State, whether it be republican in form, whether
the boundaries proposed be admissable, aud wheth
er the number of inhabitants is sufficient to justify
independent State organization. Believing that the
paper presented is the legal Constitution of Kan
sas, that it is republican in its form, that the boun
daries proposed by it are admissable, and, conce
ding the sufficiency of its population, the commit
tee recommend the admission of Kansas into the
Union upon the Constitution presented, and report
a bill accordingly.
The bill is as follows:
Whereas, The people of the Territory of Kansas
by their representatives in convention* assembled
at Lecompton, in said Territory, on Monday, the
fourth day of September, one thousand eight hun
dred and fifty-seaen, having the right of admission
intothe Union as one of the United Slates of Ameri
ca, consistent with the Federal Constitution, in
virtue of the treaty Os session by France of the
province of Louisiana, made and concluded on the
30th day of April, IBu3,andin accordance with the
act of Congress approved on the 30th May, A. D.
JSS4, entitled “ An act to organise the Territory of
Kansas and Nebraska,” did form for themselves a
Constitution and State Government, republican in
form ; and the said convention has, in their name
and behalL asked the Congress of the United
States to admit the Territory into the Union as a
State, on an equal footing with the other States:
Be it enaettd by the Senate and House of Repre
sentatives of the United States of America in Con
gress assembled, That the State of Kansas shall be,
and is hereby declared to be, one of the Uuited
States of America, and admitted into the Union
on an equal footing with the original States, in all
respects whatever; and the said State shall consist
of all the territory included within the following
boundaries, to wit: Beginning at a point on the
western boundary of the State of Missouri, where
the thirty-seventh parallel of latitude crosses the
same; thence West on said parallel to the eastern
boundary of New’ Mexico; thence North on said
boundary to latitude thirty eight; thence following
said boundary westward to the eastern boundary
of the Territory of Utah, on the summit of the
Rocky Mountains; thence northward on said sum
mit to the fortieth parallel of latitude; thence East
on said parallel to the western boundary of the
State of Missouri; thence South with the western
boundary of said State to the place of beginning.
Provided, That nothing herein contained respect
ing the boundary of said State shall be construed
to impair the right of person or property now’ per
taining to the Indians in said Territory so long as
such rights shall remain unektinguished by treaty
between the United States and such Indians or tojin
clude any territory which, by treaty with such In
dian tribes, is uot without the consent of said tribes
to be included within the territorial limits or juris
diction of any State or Territory, but all such ter
ritory shall be excepted out of the boundaries, and
constitute no part of the State of Kansas until said
tribes shall signify their assent to be included
within said State, or to affect the authority of the
government of the United States to make any reg
ulations respecting such Indians, their lands, prop
erty or other rights, by treaty, law or otherwise,
which it would have been competent to make if
this act had been passed.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted. That the s*ate
of Kansas is admitted into the Union upon the ex
press condition that said State shall never inter
fere with the primary disposal of the public
lands, or with any regulations which Congress
may find necessary for securing the title in said
lands to the bona fide purchasers and grantees
thereof, or impose or levy any tax, assessment, or
imposition of any description whatever, upon them
or other property of the United States, w ithin the
i limits of said State; and nothing in this act shall
■ be construed as an assent by Congress to all or to
. any of the propositions or claims contained in the
■ ordinance of the said Constitution of the people
[ of Kansas, nor to deprive the said State of Kansas
, of the same grants which were contained in the
■ act of Congress, entitled “An act to authorise the
, people of the Territory of Minnesota to form a
s Constitution and State Government preparatory to
■ admission into the Union on an equal footing with
• the original States,” approved Februay 26,1857.
s Sec. 3. And be it further enacted , That until the
l next general census shall be taken, and an ao
• poiqtment of representation made, the State of
• Kansas shall be entitled to one representative in
> the House of Representatives of the United States.
! Mr. Douglas presented a written report, giving,
• at considerable length, the reasons which induced
• him to dissent from the conclusions of the majority
i of the committee. He states that he has seen no
• satisfactory evidence that the Lecompton Consti
■ tution is the act and deed of the people of Kansas,
■ or that it embodies their will. He takes the ground
i that the Lecompton convention was not clothed
i with competent authority to establish a Constitu
i tion without the consent of Congress, which had
been expressly withheld in this case; and hence
i the con vention only had such power as the Territo
rial legislature could rightfully confer, and no more.
That was, the power to form a Constitution and
send it to Congress in the form of a memorial for
admission, which could be accepted or rejected
according as it embodied or did not embody the
popular will.
He argues that all the proceedings of the Con
vention should have been held in strict obedience
to the authority of the Territorial government
while in tact they were declared to be in force and
to take effect in defiance of the authority of the
Territorial government, as well as without the
consent of Congress. He believes that the ©nlv
lawful election which has been held on the adop
tion of the Constitution was that held on the 4th of
January, 1658, which was held in obedience to a
aw passed by the Territorial legislature, thet leeis
lature having been established by Congress with
fulh legislative power over all rightful subjects
within the Territory. The people of Kansas hav
ing repudiated the Lecompton Constitution at that
election, he cannot consent to the passage of a bill
imposing that Constitution upon them against their
Mr. Collamer submitted a minority report, em
bodying the views of himself and Mr. Wade
which expressed the opinion that to admit Kansas
into the Union under the Lecompton Constitution
would be “but to give to fraud and en
couragement to iniquity, and to turn over that
people not to an election legally and fairly con
ducted, but such State officers and legislators as
said Calhoun shall hereafter proclaim, and on such
contingency as he shall determine; and his long,
mysterious, and inexcusable indecision and re
serve but encourages expectations in both parties,
one of which is certainly doomed to disappoint
ment.”
The several reports were ordered to be printed,
and Mr. Green gave notice that on someearlv day,
after the Senators shoula have an opportunity to
read the reports, he should qall up the subject for
cpnsideration.
From the Baltimore Sun, teb. 20.
Thirty-fifth Congress—-First Session.
Washington, Feb. 10.—Senate.— The Senate
took up the private calendar, and without trans
acting any business of public interest, adjourned
till Tuesday.
House —Mr. Hoard rose to aprivileged question,
and sent up a letter from Mr. Burns, a member of
the House, addressed to him, to the following ef
fect: “Tmi took occasion on Friday to read from
the New York Tribune a false and foul slander
against me, the tenor of which you know. The
charges set forth, if true, would disqualify me
from holding a seat in the House. You repeated
the slander without provocation. I pronounce the
paragraph a falsehood of the foulest kind. If you
suppose me guilty of the crime, I ask you to ex
amine into its truth or falsehood. If innocent, you
should set me right.”
Mr. Hoard desired to respond, but objections
were made. He insisted that he had a right to be
heard. Mr. Burns’ letter was threatening, and
calculated to intimidate.
Mr. Powell called Mr. Hoard to order, saying the
gentleman could explain by letter.
Mr. Giddings wanted to know whether the friends
of Mr. Burns would insist ?
Several members made objections.
Mr. Hoard made another ineffectual effort to
make an explanation.
It was then resolved that when the House ad
journ it be till Tuesday.
The private calendar was then taken up.
Nothing of importance was done, and after a
short time the House adjourned.
From the Daklonega Signal.
Meeting in Lumpkin.
Dahlonega, Feb. 10th, 1853.
A very large number of the citizens of Lumpkin
county being in attendance on the session of the
Superior Court, a public meeting was called irre
spective of party opinions or party association.
The people having met in the Court House, Col.
Julian M. Hatton was called to the chair, and Wm.
R. Crisson and Harris Cantrell, Esqrs., were re
quested to act as Secretaries.
The object of the meeting was briefly explained
by the chairman, to take into consideration the
present coudition of the country, as connected with
the bank suspensions, bank bill, and Gov. Brown's
bank veto.
Upon motion of Wm. Martin, Esq., a committee
of live were appointed by the chair to submit
matter for the consideration of the meeting. The
chair appointed William Martin, Esq., A. B. Bar
ker, Esq., Wm. G. Lawrence, Esq., Daniel Nisler,
Esq., and Hon. Isaac Head.
As the committee retired, Hon. Jas. J. Findley,
our late representative in the legislature, was loud
ly called for, and addressed the meeting in his
usual forcible style, in which the deceptive and
oppressive course of the banks were clearly laid
before the audience. He was followed by Colonel
Patton, in a few brief but appropriate remarks,
when the committee, through their chairman, Mr.
Martin, reported the following preamble and reso
lutions :
Whereas, The friends of the banks and monopo
lies have ventured to denunciation and vitupera
tion through all their organa, and that portion of
the press subject to their control, for the puqiose
of traducing the Governor of our State and im
pairing the confidence which has been justly re
posed m him by the people, and to introduce their
slander and detraction as a substitute for the opin
ions of the people, we as free citizens of the State,
deem it due, both to the Goveruor and ourselves,
to express the opinion which the people entertain
of wfflß is usually called Governor Brown’s bank
veto.
'Therefore , resolved, That we heartily approve,
fully sustain, and thoroughly endorse said veto.
Resolved, further, That we are not unmindful of
the fact that those who lead the opposition to said
veto, are the very persons and associations whose
positions and sympathies are least connected with
the interest and welfare of the people.
Resolved, That if the banks are able to pay their
debts and will not do so, they are not entitled to the
confidence of the people, or to exclusive privilege;
and if they are unable to pay, such inability is not
of itself an element of confidence.
Resolved, That we hereby tender our thanks, not
only to those of our own members of the late leg
islature, but to all who stood by and aided the
great interest of the country, during the late con
test between monied monopolies and the rights of
the people.
Resolved, That we are thoroughly convinced
that many members of the late legislature were
deceived into a support of the bank bill by the
promises of the banks to resume specie payments
whenever the northern banks resumed ; and hav
ing failed to redeem those pledges, as well as hav
ing violated those promises to the bill-holders, we
have the utmost confidence that all who were thus
deceived will now unite with the friends of the
people, and will aid in defending their interest and
their Governor from the assaults of those who are
under the influence of the monied power.
Resolved, That a system of legislation which
discriminates in favor of monied institutions
against the interest ot theqieople, is unequal, un
just, and iniquitous, and calls for the public con
demnation ot the people.
Resolved, That we request these proceedings be
published in the following newspapers, to-wit: the
Mountain Signal, Constitutionalist, Intelligencer, cb
Examiner, and Cassville Standard.
After a short address by the Chairman of the
committee, in support of the resolutions, they were
adopted without a dissenting voice.
On motion the meeting adjourned.
J. M. Pattox, Chm’n.
Harris Cantrell, ) c , *
W. R. Cbisson, j- Secretaries.
From the Savannah Fetes.
A Tornado in Liberty County.
Mr. Editor: I have been requested to give to the
public through your paper, and ail the other pa
pers of the city, a short account of a tornado
which passed through the western part of this
county on the 19th instant, about four o’clock,
P. M.
The direction of the storm was pretty much from
South-west to North-east, almost ruining the for
est m its track. Though the forest and swamps,
through which it passed, seems to be almost torn
up, the trees lying in wild confusion in almost
every direction, yet it seems to have spent its
strength upon the farm and premises of Captain
Smith, ana his son James W. Smith, who were
near neighbors. Twenty-one houses were blown
down, and four unroofed. In one house were five
negroes, in another three, and the wonder of all
is, that no one was killed. There were thirty per
sons, white and black, on the lot at the time, and
to the praise of a merciful Providence, not one of
the whole number was even hurt.
Mr. Smith had just built a new gin house, which
was thrown down, and his cotton, almost the whole
crop, was scattered all over the field and woods
Foader and cotton was seen the'next day five miles
distant. I passed Mr. Smith’s place a few minutes
after the tornado bad passed on, and I am sure I
never saw such a complete wreck of houses* and
fencing, and paling, and wagons, in all my life.
I cannot tell what the loss will be to the Messrs.
Smith, but i suppose some twelve or fifteen hun
dred dollars. A Citizen.
Taylor’s Creek, Feb. 21.
Rutland, Vt., Feb. 19.—A passenger car con
nected with a freight train for Burlington, was
thrown from the track near Clarendon, seriously
injuring Mrs. Sheldon, of Fairhaven, Vt.; William
Jenkinson, of Heraldville, Vt.; J. C. Hurd, of Jef
ferson county, New York; and Franklin Maynard
of Cambridge, Mass.