Newspaper Page Text
Letter from lion. William C.
Perkins.
Ct'THBERT. Ga., Sept. 10th, 1856.
Gentlemen Yours of the Ist inst. i
before me, an earlier answer to which
ha* been prevented by my engagements.
In vonr communication you ask me to
state my position and views in relation to
the approaching Presidential election.—
Notwithstanding it is my purpose, not to
participate in any manner whatever in the
pending cantass, other wise thttn to cast
my vote in November next, common
courtesy r quite* that your enquires
should receive a candid answer. In re
ply, I slmll content trvsell with statirtg
nerely the course which it is my purpose
o puisue. anil tny reasons in brief for do.
tig so, without entering into any length
ened aigument to sustain the cot redness
o! that couiae. The pies, nt is certainly a
tearlul ctisis. one in which I conceive i.-
involved the perpetuity of the Union ot
these Sides. For the first time in the
iiistory ot t,|iis Government, we find in the
non-slave hpliltng States a (tarty (ot tried
exclusively lif-on aectional grounds wit!)
the avowe'd pin pose of warring upon the
institution of slavery, having inscribed
upon its banner as one nt the leading ob
jects of its organizr’ion the abrogation
of so much of the Nebraska Kansas act as
repealed the odious and unconstitutional
Missouri restriction. The sucres* of this
party as thus organized, (and ts at it may
succeed is by no means out of the ques
tion) will be a triumph ot fanaticism over
conservatism, free*oilim over slavery
extension, the North over the South and
must inevitably result in the destruction
of this confederacy. In this view of the
case, what is the unity ot the South and
Southern hren, particulailv that portion
of them who de.-ire the continuance of
this Government upon constitutional and
correct principles ? The obvious answer
is, to pursue that course most likely to
ensure the defeat ol lire nominees ol llint
party. (tey being pledged to cariv out
the principles of its organization. Ami
this should be done without re gat tl to’ for
mer party tiiflierence and division, (or the
is-Ue now presented is paramount to them
all, involving as it does our very exis
fence as a confederated Republic.
In the present condition ot.things, thi
can only be accomplished by the election
of either Mr. Fillmore, (lie candidate ol
the American party, or Mr Buchanan
the candidate ot the Democratic party
Which of those candidates, therefore has
tha best piospects of success? “ tilt
which have w the best chance to defeat
tlie Black Republican candidate and to
arrest that party in its treasonable design*
upon tile constitution and Union ? These
■ecru to me to he important enquires and
their proper answer should influence the
conclusion of every Southern mind. In
my opinion, as between Mi. Fillmoie
and Mr. Buchanan, the odds are greatly
in favor of Mr. llurhanan's election As
between the two. he i< much the most
available. In (act, I can see no pfnrfpect
whatever for the election of Mr. F.lltnore
and the only hope that w can have ot
defeating Mr. Fremont and the triumph
of the patty of whose principles lie is the
exponent, is, by and through, the elecliou
of Mr. Buchanan. Asa Union man
therefore’ in a view, of the magnitude of
the issue presented other considerations
out of the question, 1 should vote lor Mr.
Buchanan. And I teel that I can do so
tinder the*., circumstanes without com.
promising in the leas* the principles by
which I have heretofore been controlled
in my former party associations.
There is another view of this subject,
however, that would control me in lavor
of Mr. Buchanan in preference to Mr.
Fillmore in the present contest, adtniting
that the chance of the latter was equal to
lhat of the former lor an election. The
12th resolution of the platform adopted
by the Convention of the American party
held in June, 1855, was expressive ol all
that the South could ask in reference to
the great question now at issue, and did
nut express more than whal it was her
duty to ask. With that resolution, the
platform was sUch upon which all South,
ern Americans could stand without com
promising the interest of their section
It gave it at least the appearance of nation
ality. But the Convention of the same
party subsequently held, and which plac
ed Mr. Fillmore in nomination, indicated
its hostility to the South ami Southern
institutions by sttiking from the platform
that resolution, thereby declating that as
a party they were unwilling to acquiesce
in the present legislation ol Congress up.
on Ihc subject of slavery in the Territories.
Mr. Fillmore has accepted this platform
thus denuded of its main Southern con
servative feature, and without which the
suppart Os Southern paliiots could not be
expected.. Again, in the various speech
es which he has made since, and imme.
diately upon hi* return from Eutope, he
has uniformily declared his hostility to the
act repealing the Missouri restriction and
attributed all of the evils and dissensions
with which the country is now afflicted
lo that act. Such being his convictions
a* an honest man and a patriot, (which 1
believe him lobe) be would be bound, if
olectea, to use hit influence infavtr ol the
abie ration of that repealing act. “hat,
therefore, would the South gain by his
elevation to thp Presidency so far as that
great issue is concerned? I approved of
Mr. Fillmore s administration, believing
it to have been “honest, patriotic and con
servative, ’’ and 1 have now the confi
dence in him to bplieve that lift would a
gain adininistet the Government accor
ding lo his views of the constitution nnd
laws of the land, but il his views difF-rs
lroin ours upon questions of such vital in
terest to us as those now presented, no
matter how much we may have approved
<d his loimer course, when other issues
were involved, he should not now receive
our support.
‘I he Convention which placed Mr.
Buchanan in nomination, in their plat
lorm, has taken the only sale and consti
tutional grounds in relerence to the ex
tension ot slavery in the Territories, and
in doing so has placed the Democratic
party of the Union in direct antagonism
o the Black Republicans ot the North. —
l'heir nominee Inis fully endorsed tin*
principles laid down in that platform and
pledged himself, it elected, to abide by
and cairv them out in his administration
of the Government, and trom his high
character enlarged experience and ac
knowledged statesmanship, I believe that
ne has the honesty and capacity to re
deem that pledge. These, gentlemen,
,ne some of my reasons, hastily given and
crudely expiessed, tor voting for James
Buchanan in November next.
(Respectfully you™ . & I *-.
WILLIAM G. PERKINS
To S. P Allison, S W. Brooks, limb'd
Davii, Early Vainer aud Arthur Hood
E*qrs.
THE REPORTER.
CUTHBERT, GA , SEFX£kitoiift <ts
-XT.: ’ - - - ■ • - -XX— •
JOHN WHIT. THOMAS, Editor.
Tin* Size of our Sheet.
Wc tire compelled to issue to-day’s pa
per upon a sheet, which w.Il be seen, is
mueli smaller than out usual limits We
have made three several attempts to get
paper, and have failed- Tite negligence
of the Stage Agents at Americas has
caused all this. We would say to the
people of Americas, if you cannot get
inch to attend to their business, let us
know it, so that we shall not be thus sub
jeet to damages, loss and disappointment.
Frost
There was a sharp Fiost here on the
night ol of the 23rd., it was quite heavy
on the low lands. The weather is yet
very cool.
‘l’he migration of Byrds is look-'d upon
as a true indication ol approaching cold
weather; we have doubled this for a
long time, hut from now oat We shall te
naid it as true, for we hail au ocular de-
C
rnonstralion ol it in this office.
It will be sewn by reference to
the new Advertisement, that Messrs.
Williams Si Jones, are now receiving
th* ir large but, select and desirable stock
of Fall and Winter Goods. We have had
the pleasure of being shown through
and their goods have been selected w ith
an eye both quality, ahd cheap
ness —A.II who are purchasing new goods
will do well to step in—Store under the
“Brooks House.” •
F. Winter Ma najjer of the
Southern Lottery, at Macon, Ga,, has
placed his Scheme, which is to be drawn
on the 15th of October, in tr-lav’s issue.
This Lottery is upon the Havanna Plan,
and the great number of prizes which
have been drawn throughout the State,
speak for themselves, that this Scheme
is no swindle or humbug —Col. H.'Btake
of this place, is a regular authorized
agent. Fresh tickets for each drawing,
can always be had.
A large Oak tree, which’ stands
about thirty yards from our Office door,
was struck by lightning on the 12th hist.,
killing one horse instantly, and knocking
down another, which died soon after. —
The best description we can give of the
blow is, that it lightened like thunder,
and thundered like* lightning.
Suicide.
A mulatto woman, belonging to Miss
Lizzie McWilliams, of this place, killed
heyself on the morning of the 20lh, by ta
king Strychnine. She died immediately
It is thought, by some, that she took it
through mistake, supposing it to be Mor
phine.
We have the pleasure of enrolling
“ Parva , ’ anew contributor, this issue.
She writes well. Hope we can set aside
a corner for her regularly.
Railroad Survey.
Powers, wi ll his corps of Engineers,
passed through this place on the 15th
inst., surveying out the route which has.
i been ordered by the ‘'onth Western Coin
j parry; from Sumter City to Cuthbert, on
|to Eufaula and Fort Gaines. They were
[ joined by others about a mile and a half
| from this place, where they formed them
i selves into two companies, nnd commenc
-1 cd a survey from that pdint, both to Eu
fatila and Fort Gaines,
On the piesentline which has been run,
the Road will come into Cuthbert on the
South side, just below the regular row of
lots on Blakely street, ; thence going out
just below the Methodist burial ground.
Calculating the distance by the sections
on the present line, the people will have
to build fifteen miles and a half of the
Road ta bring it from the Twenty Mile
! Station to Cuthbert. To build this dis
tance, it will take two hundred and thir
ty thousand dollars It is ‘now plainly
to be seen that almost this whole amount
must he raised by the citizens of Randolph.
This amount has not yet been subscribed.
Tlic-exertions in ‘Ferrell county are far
from being encoiraging. Then, to those
public-spirited and energetic men who
took the field so arduous!} 7 , nnd whose
efforts were successful in procuring sub
scriptions for stock, we would say, look
i well 10 your lists, t.ml see if you are satis-
I fud with the amount of stock now taken?
jlf you are not, then it is time that yon
I should place them upon such a footing
that when the report is made in October,
of this route, you, too, can go up and
say, “ We are now willing and ready to
build our portion of the Road.’’
B®-The last No. of the Lumpkin
Plamdealer comes to us with the name of
C. C. Brown, Esq , as Associate Editor
J Mr Brown is well known to the citizens
‘Of Randolph, and we are glad to say,
favorably so. We hope his exertions will
I be crowned with success
‘‘For the Reporter ”
Mr. Editor : — ‘ Drowning men catch
at straws” is an adage so old that the
“memory of man runneth not to the con
trary.” The truth of this old saving, is
demonstrated by the many tricks, and
misrepresentations our Know Nothing
friends are forced to resort to in order to
sustain their sinking cause They boast
ol Mr. Fillmore’s patriotic services to
the South, and with a flourish of trump
ets almost sufficient to drive a nervous
democrat into the woods, call upon the
people to give ear and listen to what
some great democrat has said proving
Mr. Fillmore’s profound devotion to the
South and the Union This they give as
democratic testimony and make a great,
parade over it in their papers with t-he
evident intention to mislead the people
“Hear what his etjemies say of him,” is
the caption to a long string of garble ex
tracts from Democratic speeches, and
Democratic papers, now going*the rounds
of their papers. Gan Cass, Gen. Downs,
Gen. Dodge, Gen. Morris, a war
like array of names,) and a host of other
Union democrats are introduced, and an
effort is made to prove ’>lr. Fillmore’s
fitness for the presidency by what these
men said five or six years ago But
what was it that called forth such an en
dorsement from those gentlemen ? And
did that endorsement extend to Mr. Fill
more’s entire, administration, or to some
particular act ? I will try to answer
both qneseions. Mr. Fillmore had sign
ed the fugitive slave bill, and it had be
come a part of the law of the land.—
Some time in February, 1851, a debate
sprang up in the Senate oa this law, and
the constitutional power possessed by the
President as the National Executive, to
enforce it. Gen. Cass, Gen. Dodge and
others participated in the debate, and
pledged themselves to sustain the Presi
dent in enforcing the law This was an
endorsement of a particular act, and not
of his w hole admiui>tration Any nat
ional man would havje done the same
thing, and would have pledged himself in
the same manner, not only io Mr Fill
more, but to any other man acting a-
President. Now, sir; because Mr. Fill
more signed the fugitive slave law, ami
mabe a feeble effort to execute it, and
few prominent Democrats praised him so
it, is it a good reason why Democrat
should vote for him now ? But our Know
Nothing friends forget that at the ton.
those Democrats spoke in such high teio.
ol Mr. Fillmore, thai our country bad
just passed through an alarming c i-i
----which slun k almost o its found.i ion li
the union ot these Slates the ai.gr
wave- of section and- rile riot sutisid. and
and the > oiiii ti t. ia-li ri hose w -
into furv had pass- and.. t ’ leaving ‘is.
and serene sky. l i _• o. in Stu i
State lav cann and in tion e s upon tht
unruffled bosom ol the sea ol peace and
quietude, and a faithful execution of the
law, when again the spirit of discord mov
ed upon the waters, would enable her to
ride in safety and triumph the angty ele
’ ments. But what did Mr. Fillmore do
to bring about this happy state of thing ?
He sa! in the chair of State, while Whigs
and Democrats North and South, passed
the Compromise measures, and sent them
to him lor his approval. Some of them
he signed with alacrity and heartily ap-*
proved them. Such as the admission ol
California, with a Ciflistitiition made bv
Squatter Sovereigns , the dismemberment
ot Texas, the abolition of tho Slave trade
in the District of Columbia, &c. fire ,
Territorial and Fugitive slave bills he
signed reluctantly, and never* dreamed
that the Territorial hills of Utah nnd JV> w I
.Mexico were in the least to interfere with i
the Missouri hue.’’ One o'her tning
he did, winch recommend'* him to the
South, uno particular!v to the people ol
Texas as a suitable person for them to
vote for. He “pat the army in motion”
for the purpose of invading a Sovereign
State and dispoi/ing her of her Territory
for Free soil puiposes. But his friends
say that, we ought to vote for him be.
cause lie signed those measures, when it
was in tiie power to have defeated them
by interposing the Executive veto. True
it was in his power to defeat these meas
ures, but he dared not do it. VVhv ? Be
cansp his hands were lied. He was
hedged about bv his friends, and his oath
to stiopor* the Constitution. Clay, Web
ster Crittenden, Jonp-, Bell, St-phe s
Toomb and a host of U tion D-mocros
had built a wall around him, over winch
he dared not leap Alter all this had
been done and the country restored lo
peaie and quiet, and a I w Democrats
had made speeches in Congress endors
ing pertain acts of hi-, he passed quie'lv
thiough the remainder nt Ins t* tin, and
nnislesslv glided from the Chair ol State
without leaving his administration stamp
ed with one solitary act of great States*
manship excppt the commission given to
the Cuban authorities to murder in cold
blood filt\-two American citizens. Agon
our friends most remember that sm'ce
ttat time many changes h v taken place
in the party to which Mr Fi I more-then
belonged, the last change sectionahz and
it, and dtove from him many ol Ins old
Inends who were willing lo stand by
him in ’sl. Mr. FiHmore up to th t
time had never seen the interior of h
Know Nothing council. Brit since then
Ire has been Initiated into the mysteries
of Babylon and bound himself by th r rt
horrid oaths to proscribe his fellow citizens
for iheir Religion and Birth
No 12'h Section acknowledging that
the Souiti lias equal rights in this Union,
had then been stricken from a Pl>iladel
phi i Platform. He had not then declat
ed that with to- mother's milk lie imbibed
aha'.red for Slavery.
B and, Mr Editor the boldest attempt to
deceive llie people I have yet seen, is I .
be fond in the following extract clipped
from a Know Nothing paper :
“Hear Senator ('lay. of Ala.
“I think there is no just ground of re
proach whatever, towards the Executive
of the nation. I am happy to see the
Senator IroiT. Michigan, though standing
in different political relations to the Pres
ident. do him the justice which he h. s
done this day by the declaration of opin
ion which he ha made. Sir, lam per
fret Iy satisfied, from all I know of tie
President and his Cabinet that there is a
most perfect aid immovable determination
to car y into execution the laws of the
lund and to employ all the means in their
power to accomnlish it ” Hon. Clement
C Clav. Senator from Alabami. Feb.
21. 1556.
Now sir so far is this from being the
troth that there is not a wont of truth in
it. Hon. C. C- Clav. wa< not a mem
ber of the U S. Senate in 1851 Mr.
Clav was on the Democratic Electoral
ticket in 1852. In 1853 he was defeat
ed in his District for Congiess. bv the
Hon. \V. R’ VV Cobb, and in November
following, he w as elected bv a Derri >crai
tc Legislature to the U. S Senate.
Well, who represented Alabama in ‘lie
U S. Senase io 1851 ? Hon W i'liam
R King, (since deceased ) arid Hon.
JERRY’ CLEM MENS the present
Kn >w Nothing candidate for Elector for
the State at large in Alabama. Well,
who gavp utterance to the sentiments at
tiibnted to C C. Clav? Why Sir;,
Henrv Clav ot Kentucky. Now sir is
not tins a nice attempt to deceive the j
p ... le vvt, evei accu-ed Henrv Clav
i jaD’ era’? Uis at no- 1 en noh
t can . t . nit Sage io rise trom his iriave
and indignantly rebuke th aho a (emit
ii n turn, !oi the ba-e purpose ot -s
taming th- Mnkin<> cause of Know Noth’
oigi (ft, ti read.- , tie ior de. eived
ti\ he.no fni-iepresentation ot Know
N ‘it or new spa > eis. Go read for voor
pit Ir Mr. FI bn ore and Mr Buch
i n h\ tin record ol iheir public acts
-i 1 ‘.e ieii.nl fill V . 111 set I and lea’ II
the truth ; “for it ve know the truth tlie
.. n -I ake ve tree.’
Ih e v D nocratii fiiends will keep
a lock out for these tricks of the eiien v
* t
and not be driven into the snare set so
them by highly wrought eu/ogiums of Mr
Fillmoie. purporting to come trom Dein
I ocrau in high places.
Frank.
j • ■■■ ‘ - -
National Whig Convention.
Baltimore. Sept. 18—The Conven
tion at Baltimore have unanimously
I adopted resolutions declaring that they
j will nut establish anew platform, deplor
j ing the present distracted state of the
1 country, and attributing it to neglect of
Administration, and the failure to assert
! proper geographical distinctions—expres
sing (ears lor the permanance of the Un
ion and the Ameriran name and nation
ality. from the success of either of tile
seciidual parties They further declare
‘hat the Only hope of safety is in the elec
tron <>f a President, pledged neither to
North or Smith, and congratula’e tile
iiiemis ol ihe Union <>u hi'ing such u
nominee in MdUrd Fillmore, whom they
eulogize highly.
I'tie resolutions also approve and en
dorse the name ol I) .nets > t and close by
piovidmg a Cen’ral Committee to prom >te
orgamz i*ion and efforts.
The Convention adjourned finally at
4 p m, slier which an immense ratifica
tion meeting wa< h"ld in Mount! cent
Square, on a sede of gr*at enthusiasm
a.id with elaboiaie preparations.
Important from Mexico —.Yw Or
leans Sept. 16. Advices by wav ot Hi_
vana bung intelligence of a sere u* diffi-
Culiy that bas arisen between the Mexi
can {} ivemmeiyi -and the B ilish Mim-ter.
File latter ha- de nanded hi- pas.n ir's
['he 8111B 1 1 1 i ‘ll -tenner Tartar i- collecting
naval fmc.es at Havana to proceed to
Mexico to back up British de natids.
Kansas News. Chicago S j pt. 15.
R itnnson (bogus G iverno ) lias arrived
here, having hi e i idmitteii lo bail to’ J>,
0(H). Idle pi her olli er.s were ad nilted to
bail tti $5 5(Ht each.
G ‘V G-a*y ha< released the piisoner*
held at L -aven worth.
Nine thousand bii'fiete ot .pain we e
de'hOved by fire in Chicago, on tlie 11 ti
ins’- at a f.ss of $I()()()(ML It was but
. oa> ti ill v insured.
*— ’ ■■urn—
I Commercial.
Daily St/s .Office;. (
('aiu 11 !> 11 . Seoi. 2j. i =r>r>
COTTO V —Ti ere iv.is a nVdcrn*p demand
for this a Mid* on Si till da v. ami siles f<* up
157 t>!♦*?*. W* c nhlHlM f|tiofalioMs ;tt lIJ t*i
lij ,’tir D<,,d Miiitlliiijj to Middling Fan K •
; chi|its of tl dny 242 blips. I{ec#i"t* of ill*
| week 2,500 hales. of Die \v ;eU 2|!)9 i**le<.
Nkyv York, St*pt. 20.
A hotter feeling exixt*. md cotton ha** •d‘Yn*-
<lan |■. on Mi* A-ia’** new* Middl ng
i |**;i i.** l*J| Uni* lid* 11 J
Jllarricit,
In II miilinn, G., no the iiiurmn* of to*
21 t instant, by Rev. Win. D. Atkin* hi. Mr.
TIIBOPORE (1 RVRt) and Miss NANCY
O. WHITR. of Hamilton.
Dieit,
In Uandofph county, at th™ re*irf.uce of \n
(frpw ffniirork, on th* MMi in*>t . G F.wv. in
fant s'*n of John W. and Su.an Fv Cut, of
Webster county, aged one yrffr, eght mnuUi*
and sixteen da.v
To i bereaved father and weeping mother. vn
would miy. nioyrn no more: for ffio hit I which
bn* hern pin ok a I from *arth is w blooming m
IleaVTi Fo t|i bi t* r ungui*h of thy heart we
cun hear the.* way
Oil” kiss—ve r,b ! another.
Dear B ilhl cr* tl- u depart;
On® |nk hr thy lon** nrofhor,
To treastir * in lur heart.
We would again say. weep not,
FnH>ii**f will be tile mining.
The ah • soon be o’er
When yon can pro®* vonr Lt?nr
To your hi east for ver mare.
Fall Si, Winter
CfLO."?HItT3- 1
A FINE LOT ju-'t rec.-ived. and f>r site at
-rIL reasonable pi ices, by H. BII\KE.
Sept. i3.if.
~V\I.U\BLR
PLINTATIO\ A\D MILL
3’or Sale.
THE undersigned i- now off ring on roa-
>nable terms, his VALUXBLE PLAN
TATION, on Pnoliittsr Oreek. for sate. Tim
setilement -ontains 1300 ACRES,amI is
well adapted to the grmvtn of belli Corn and
Cotton. On llie place there is a good Crist and
Si* Mill, witli all inevliaiisiihle quantity ~f
fine limber, and an abundant demand for Lum
ber. There are also 240 4(’KE*> of open
Lmd The place is supplied wi lian nban ‘ance
“f water as well fur machinery ua Plantatiun
purposes, and i> wit in Purr miles nf tn • Snutlr-
Western Railroad from Americiis to ('utlibert.
Persons wishing to liny stieh property, wits
<to well to enme an t see me, as I will a|l a liet
ter birgain than aitvhodv.
DRURY’ M. LESSUEUR.
Sept 53 ts
“BROWN’S HOTEL. -
Opposite the Passenger Oepot,
MACON. GA.
i . Meals ready on the arrival of eveiy
13 1y E E BROWN.
