The Georgia mirror. (Florence, Ga.) 1838-1839, November 17, 1838, Image 1

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by GARDNER & BARROW^ the oeorgia mirror; [ s published every Saturday, in b lorence j tew art county, Ga. at THREE DODLARSa year, if paid in advance, or FOUR DOLLARS, •f not paid until the end of the year. \dvertisements will be conspicuously inserted at One Dollar per square, (15 lines) the first, and 511 cents for each subsequent insertion. Nothing j t , r !' will be considered less than a < inare. A deduction will be made for yearly ad vertisements. •Ml advertisements handed in for publication without t limitation, will be published till forbid, ; ,nd charged accordingly. Sales of Land and Negroes by Executors, Ad ministrators and Guardians, are required by law t„ he advertised in a public Gazette, sixty days previous to the day of sale. The sale of Personal property must be adver ,:seß in like manner forty days. Notice to Debtors and Creditors of an estate must be published forty days. Notice that application will be made to the C our t of Ordinary for leave to sell Land and Ne groes, must be published weekly for four months. f'7*’ All Letters on business must be post taio to insure attention. ITeITs a g e . Executive Department, Geo. £ Milledgeville, November 6th, 1333. £ Fellow-Citizens of the Senate, and IJ >use of Representatives. I congratulate you upon the successful remo v'd of the Cherokees from the State; that you \w!l no longer be harassed in your legislative pro ceedings by the perplexing lelations which have hitherto existed between them, the United States .-uni Georgia; that on* - citizens are at last in the quiet possession of all their land ; and the .state me undisputed sovereign within her own territory. Immediately ujion coming into office, a cor respondence was entered into with intelligent per sons in different parts of the Cherokee country, for the purpose of ascertaining the temper and designs of the Indians, and the extent of the dan ger to be apprehended from them; and with the .Secretary of War, and Col. Lindsay, (then com manding in the Cherokee country) as to the force which should he provided to give security to our citizens. Enquiry was made into the conduct of the agents who had been appointed to protect the lights of the Indians. Jf having been found that This trust, important both for the character and I -ace of the country, had not been discharged at il. by sonm. and nssued by others, and that con • h-raUe irritation had already been excited by trespasses upon the property of the Indians, and by the unauthorized interference of the officets of t.;e United States, in assuming the right to ad just them: measures were taken to control this improper conduct of the officers, and respecta ble agents were appointed to take care that wrongs done to the Indians should be properly redres sed. It was considered highly important not onl} to secure the people against actual danger, but create among them such confidence in their safety as to prevent the panics from idle rumors, to which those who are exposed at all to attacks from In dians. are peculiarly subject. The militia of-the Cherokee country having been disorganized by the withdrawal of a consid erable part of its force to Florida, orders were given and repeateplv enforced upon the officers, to perfect their commands. A regimeht, composed ol one company of mounted infantry in each of the Cherokee coun ties, was formed and armed, in pursurance of the act passed at your last session. Upon the urgent request of this department, ten volunteer companies of mounted men, of the militia of the State, were taken into the service ot the United States, and stationed near the large In dian settlements in fortified positions, as assem bling places for the people in cases ot alarm, and to control the conduct of the Indians. When the requisition was made by the authori ty of the President of the United States, tor twenty Companies of the militia ol the State, to be em ployed in enforcing the execution of the C liero kee treaty, orders were immediately sett by ex ptessesto the commanding officers ot the twenty regiments nearest to the Cherokee country, to raise one company from each; have them organ ized, and marched without delay to New-Echota, the plare appointed for their rendezvous. 1 poo Gen. Scott’s arrival at that place, on the evening °t the twenty-third of May, he found an army ot Georgia militia, armed anil ready to execute his command. On the 22d of Mav, the day before the expira tion of the time when the Cherokees were to have completed their removal from the State, according 1° the treaty, the President laid before Congress the terms of anew contract with the Chiefs ot the tribe, by which he assured them, that they should be allowed tw»» vears to remaiu in the State, if that length ot time should be found necessaiy tor their comfort and convenience, that they should emigrate themselves if they desired it, that the Government would protect their persons and pro perty from all illegal acts of encroachment and violence, and that instructions should be sent to the commanding General, to act in comtormity w ith these assurranccs. I ortunatcly for the country, our people, and the Indians, the dread ful scenes of strife and massacre, which this con tact of the President was calculated to produce, "■ere prevented by the promptness and energy ot Gen. Scott and the Georgia troops; all difficulty in removing the Indians having been overcome. Gen. Scott left the State before he received the instructions issued in pursuance of the proposals cf the President to the Cherokee Chiefs. FLORENCE, GA. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1838. No troops wf*re employed but the militia of the State, in removing the Indians. The Stite is greatly indebted to them, Gen, Scott ;.nd Gen. Floyed, both for efficiency of their services and the universal kindness with which the Indians were treated. The accompanying documents will show the course pursued by the Executive Department upon this subject. About the last of May, a body of Indians from Florida, took refuge in the Okefinokee Swamp. Directions were immediately given to the com manding officers of the militia of Camden and Ware counties, to call out the whole or such por tions of their commands as they might consider necessary for the defence of the inhabitants. The President was informed at the same time of this iuvasion of the State by Indians, and re quested to order to that part of the country a com petent force to repel them. The scarcity and high price of provisions, the scarseness of the population in the neighborhood of the Okefinokee and the want of an appropriation of money by the State for that purpose, rendered it very difficult to keep the militia in the field. Under those cir cumstances, frequent applications were made to the President and Secretary of War, to direct supplies to be furnished, so as to enable the mili tia to act efficiently in affording protection to the people until the United States troops should sup ply their place. The Department was answered that the United States had no quarter-master or Commissary, who could be spared to perform this service. As soon as information was received that Gen. Taylor had sent troops to the neighborhood of the Okefinokee orders were issued to discharge the unlit, a . This was done with less hesitation, from t he confidence which was had in the vigilance and ability of General Taylor, and the information which had been previously received from the most respectable sources that the Indians were few in numbers and had made no attacks upon the inhabitants. Immediately after Gen. Taylor had stationed his troops around the Okefinokee, and before the discharge of the militia eight or nine persons, mostly women and children, were hoiri blv massacrad by the Indians in the immediate vicinity of the station of a company of United States Dragoons, and not very distant from a con siderable militia force under t e command of Col. Hilliard. The alarm produced by this unfortunate event caused the general abandonment of their homes and pioperty by the people of that part of the country, and brought upon them great dis tress and suffering. Additional troops were taken into the service, and orders given for raising a regiment which has been since organized and mustered into the t nited States service, and is now operating under the command of Geri. Floyd. It is to be expected from the gallantry of this officer and lus regiment, that the savage enemy will soon be destroyed or driven from the state. Application has been made to the W ar Depart ment to pay the militia of Ware aud Camden counties who were called out by the State to iepei the invasion of the Indians. I have been answer ed that there are no funds subject to tne payment of such claims. It will be proper, therefore, tor the Legislature to make immediate provision tor the payment of the militia and for the supplies furnished them so that the accounts may be laid before Congress for reimbursement. The sum of one hundred and forty-six thousand three hundred and forty-four dollars, eighty-five cents has been paid by the State in the execution of the law of 1836 to provide for the payment of the volunteers in this State for services losses, and expenditures during the Creek and Seminole campaigns, and the law upon the same sub ject passed in 1837. This sum has been charged against the United States with a credit ot four thousand eight hundred and eighty tnree dollars, 3 cents. The unexpended balance ot thirty-live thousand dollars placed in the hands of Governor Schley by the Secretary of War, to be expended by him for the public service in the Seminole and Creek campaigns, and which is now on deposit in the Central Bank, making the actual amount charged against the United States, one hundred and fortv-one thousand five bundled and thuty one dollars, eighty one cents. As soon as the accounts were audited and paid off and copies made out, they were forwarded to the Wat Department, with the request that they should be passed upon as soon as possible. A communication was addressed immediately thereafter to each Senator and Representative :n Congress from the State, informing them ot what had thus been done, requesting that they would ascertain what portion of these accounts would be paid bv the War Department, and apply to Congress for the passage of a special law directing the payment of the remainder. The session ot Congress was ton near its close when the accounts were transmitted to Washington City, to admit of any settlement before its termination, and no information has been received from the W ar De partment upon the subject, since that time. The progress of the Western and Atlantic Rail Road has been satisfactory. The grading and masonrv of one hundred miles have been contrac ted for upon favorable terms; fifty of which will be executed by the month ot July next, and the remainder bv the end of the year. The entire route for the road to the i river has been surveved. Several new routes of parts of the road which had been located, have also been surveved, in order to satisfy the demands ot different sections of the country , and to ensure the best location. The length of the road from its southern ter mination to the Tennessee river, will be one hun dred and thirty-four miles; and its cost, accor ding to the estimate of the chief Engineer, (ex clusi e of the right of way, and ot the services of the Commissioners) about two millions five hun dred and eighty thousand dollars. The survey and location have cost about fifty-one thousand dollars. . . . The chief Engineer is of the opinion, that the rest of the road will be less than any other rail mad in the United States, constructed in the same manner, and on an equal scale. In pursuance of the law authorizing the Board of Commissioners in conjunction with the Gov ernor, to sell State Stock, to raise funds for car rying on the construction of the road, one hun dred thousand pounds sterling of stock have been issued. The President of the board (Mr. Craw ford) who was deputed to sell this stock, found it unsuitable for the market, in consequence of the form in which it issued. Mr. Crawford was how ever enabled to raise three hundred thousand dol lars, with the promise of an additional hundred thousand, if it should be wanted, by pledging a part of the stock and agreesing for the Legisla ture, that it will at its present session authorize the issuing of such stock as will suit the European market: that it shall be offered for sale to the contractors as early as the month of April next; and that the money which has been advanced shall be refunded out of the proceeds of the sale.— Tlx* State is to pay five per cent, interes upon the loan of this three hundred thousand dollars, from the time that the bills drawn by Mr. Crawford on the contracters, shall he accepted and paid in London. The funds thus obtained in New-York have been sold here for a premium of about four percent; so that the use of three hundred thou sand dollars in Georgia money for one year, has been procured for the State without cost, or not exreeding one per cent, per auuin. The Legislature is requested to make imme diate provision for fulfilling this contract. Means must also be provided during your pre sent session, sot the purchase of the iron railing for the road. As the State will probably have to rely almost entirely upon credit tor carrying on its works of internal improvem nt, it would perhaps be good policy to authorize at one the sale ot Stock, sufficient not only to repay the three hun dred thousand dollars borrowed, and tor the pur chase of iron railing, but for whatever amount may, be necessary for the entire completion of the the Western and Atlantic Rail Road, and for giv ing to the railroads which are now progressing by incorporated companies, such assistance as may be demanded by the public interest. The great value of our agricultural productions in Europe; the freedom of tiie State from debt; and the high cr dit of our Banking institutions and mercantile men, will enable the State to enter the Stock market wiffi many advantages The ac cumulation of wealth in Great Britain, and the fil ling up of all the evenues of profitable labor and investment, have rendered the price for the use of money exceedingly cheap there, when compared to its value here. The extended commercial connection between Great Britain and the United States, and the approach which they have made to each other, by the late improvements in steam navigation, have made the surplus money of Great Britian almost as accessable to us as its manufac tures of iron and cotton. Nor is these any stron ger objection to our becoming borrowers of that surplus capital, to add to our means of accumula ting wealth, th;.n to onr purchasing its products when they can be obtained cheaper than similar products in our own country. So long as the use of money is worth eight percent, per anum in this State, it cannot bo injurious to the public in crest to bring money from abroad at five per cent, to be employed in constructing works of internal im provement, whose profits will most probably re pay the capital and interest expended upon them, in a very short, time, which might not be execu ted at all without thus obtaining the aid of foreign capital. The risk and delay which must always attended the trade from the Gulf of Mexico around the peuiusub ol Florida with t' e cities of the Atlan tic, and with Europe, can he best avoided by a line of railroad from the Cattahoochee river >o the Atlantic. Great advantages would be derived from thus directing this trade to our seaports, and the course of travelling between the South at:d the North, through this State. Still greater advan tages may be anticipated from completing the Western and Atlantic rail-road, and the rail roads which connect it with our principal cities. The difficulties which the Allegany and Blue Ridge mountains present, to the transporation of the vast productions of the Western and Southwestern States of Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and the upper part of Ala bama, to the markets on the seabord, can no where b•; overcome with so much ease as through these lines of rail road. If we shall ever succeed to the extent of our wishes, in enjoying the advantages of direct im portations from Europe, of the proceeds of the sales of our agricultural productions exported thither, it must be by these facilities for transpor tation, bringing such an accession of capital to our cities as to enable the Southern, Southwestern and Western merchants to sell what they have to export, and obtair the supplies of European goods upon as favorable terms, in our markets, as in New-York. And b/ inducing the Northern man ufactures to seek on exchange of their fabrics in the same markets for our rice and raw cotton, and the flour and pork of the West. I consider it therefore of the highest impor tance, that the State shall proceed with the con struction of the Western and Atlantic rail-road as rapidly as possible ; and give such assistance, by the use of credit, to the companies now en gaged in making the rail-roads which form the other portions of the communications between our cities and the South and West, as may be neces sary for the successful completion of their under takings. The Application of the means of the State to as sist these incorporated companies, is justified trom their success being identified with the pub’ic good, and because the State can obtain money upon credit upon cheaper terms than companies, whilst the companies construct the road and keep them in repair, much more economically than the pub llCjin thus supplying the means to chartered com panies to cemplete their roads, the nse of wh ch is not free for every one, the State should take care, however, that sufficient security be furnished by the improvements themselves, for the repay* ment of the money advanced. The Highwassee Railroad Company in Teo nessee, are construct'ng a road from Knoxville to Red Clay, on the line of this State, ind about fif teen miles from the line of the Western and At lantic Rail-road. It will add greatly to the trade and travelling which will pass over the Western and Atlantic Rail-road to be connected with this road when completed. The Highwassee com pany have met with difficulties in procuring the means of carrying on their road, which will pro bably be overcome by the Legislature, giving an assurance that this State will proceed to make the branch road to connect the two roads together, whenever the Highwassee company shall have 60 far progressed, as to render it certain that their road will be completed. I would, therefore, re coinmend to the Legislature to pass a resolution giving such assurance. In pursurance of the resolution passed at your last session, an agent was sent to negotiate with the Legislature of the State of Tennessee, for the right of way for the Western and Atlantic Rail-road from the line of this State to the Ten nessee river. He succeeded in procuring the passage of an act by the Legislature of Tennes see, granting to the State for the Western and Atlantic Rail-road the right of way with the same privileges and under the same restrictions as had been previously granted to the Highwassee Rail road Company. The copy of the act, the instruc tions to the agent, and correspondence with tho Governor of Tennessee, are _Jaid before you. Great credit is due to General Newnan, the Agent of the State, for the zeal and intelligence with which he performed the duty assigned him The most admirable structure of Government, and the wisest system of laws cannot give securi ty to the rights of citizens unless aided oy a well constituted judiciary department. f l hat our rights are without this security is universally acknowl edged. Since the Constitution has been altered so as to permit an improvement of our present system, none lias yet been devised which would not be attended, in the opinion ot the Legislature, with evils as great as those from which we now sutler. This dread would seem to be excessive since the sensitiveness of the public would be certain to direct the attention of the Legislature to the correction of any mischiefs consequent upon the reform which might be adopted. Hav ing expressed my opinion to the Legislature upon this subject, very fully in a former message, I again refer to it from a sense of the strong obliga tion which continually rests upon the Government to provide the best security for its citizens against injustice and oppression. According to the form our Government if is made the special duty of the Legislature to cor rect such imperfections in die Constitution as may have been rendered evident by experience. On a former occasion, your attention was cal led to the importance of reducing the Legislative body, aud of equalizing the representation ot the people. The necessity of reforming the Constitution in these particulars, has become more pressing from tiie removal of the Indians, and the great increase of the population of the State. The appoint ment when made according to the census which has been taken, will add greatly to the number of the members of the Legislature. This enlarge ment of the Legislative body must lessen its res ponsibility, enhance the public expense, render its deliberations more tumultuous, aud increase the uncertainty of its determinations. The great variety of sectional and local inter ests existing in our extensive territory, render it just to the whole and each part, that the represen tation of the people should be made equal. But it is especially important, that the Senate should be constituted differently from the House of Rep resentatives, and that it should fie a smaller, more select, and stable body than at present. If the proposed amendments of the Constitu tion would tend to secure a wise and just admin istration of public affairs, it is due to the commu nity and to the principles upon which our govern ment is founded, (the capacity of the people to govern themselves) that they should be made.. The resolution passed at your last sessioD, authorizing this Department to employ a compe tent Engineer to survey the Chattahoochee Ri\er from West Point to Winn’s Ferry, and report the obstacles to its navigation, and the expense of re moving them ; and also, upon the practicability of constructing a Canal, from the navigable wa ters of the St. Marys to the Chattahoochee, was not carried into eflect, on account of the infor mality of the resolution, and the want of an ap propriation to defray the expense. 'J'he transportation of the heavy agricultural productions of the interior upon rivers, is usually the cheapest mode of their conveyance to market, when it can be used. I would therefore recoin mend that a general survey and examination be made, not only of the Chattahoochee, but of Rll our rivers capable of being rendered navigable t and that an experienced and skillul superieuten dant be appointed to direct the application of the public money appropriated for their improvement, instead of the loose and wasteful manner which has been hitherto pursued ot expending the pub lic money appropriated for such purposes. I would call the attention of the Legislature to the necessity of providing for the settlement of all public accounts. According to the law now in force for auditing public accounts, the Comp troller General is ouly authorized to pass upon demands against the Treasury. Ihe interest ot the State equally requires that the accounts ot the agents of the State entrusted with the expendi ture of the money appropriated tor public pur pose, and drawn from the Treasury, should be subjected to the supervision of some offioer specially charged with that duty. The public money has frequently been wasted, misapplied, or not applied at all to the objects intended, from the want of strict accountability on the pelt of public agents. The legislature has tae t*n dence of this at each session, in the defective im ports received from the Trustees of the Academic Vol. I.—No. 34.