Southern post. (Macon, Ga.) 1837-18??, May 18, 1839, Image 3

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THE OBSERVER, No. G. Sxturd iy. May “N hl esttarn v *lu-re quint rnnleiic'um : nihil fh riliu* e ni 'inir. nihil citius excipitur, uih.l latius dissl patur."—Cicero. There is a lurt in man no power can tame. Os loudly publishing his neighbor’s shame; On Eagle's wings invidious scandals fly. Whilst virtuous actions are but born and die. Having in my last paper despatched some of my cor respondents, and laid the rest over for further conside ration and having nothing now to prevent me, I will > to-day resume my remarks on a subject which I touch ed upon in a former paper, viz : that of evil-speaking. In the piper referred to I expressed it as my opin ion that the origin of this vice and its gteat prevalence were to be traced to two principal sources, viz : Envy attd selt-love- I propose to-day to examine into the truth of this impression, and further to make seme re marks upon the diflerent shades and varieties into which the vice of evil-speaking runs, and the had effects it produces under the different forms which it assumes. And first, of self-1 >ve, which I have pointed out as one of the principal sources of evil-speaking—although perhaps it !>c a remote one- Self love induces us to think be'ter of ourselves than of others —it leads us to view our own conduct with leniency and self-compla cency, an I to be better satisfied with any thing said or done by ourselves than with what is said or done by any one else. Nay, this cherished idea extends even to our possessions—so that it is a most common thing to find a man maintain with great warmth the superi or and unrivalled excellence of his own horse, his own dog, Sze. See. ; and were you to deny i', he would be ready, at a momentjs warning, to bet with you or to fight with you upon the issue. This singular idea is sometimes carried so far, that it vvoui 1 be really ridi culous, did it not at the same time present to the philo sophic tnind a matter for deep and serious reflection. Having our minds thus imbue I with the idea of our own superior excellence, it follows naturally lhat we should wish others to entertain the same idea ; and self love will attempt to bring this about first by setting forth our own perfections—but as lhis does not always succeed, (men, alas ! are so incredulous !) the next at tempt will be to les'en our neighbor’s standing by sea ting forth his imperfect.ons, and thus we !>egin to de tract —if this does not succeed we may be tempted far ther on to lay to his charge faults or even crimes, to publish his secret shame, or some other similar [ roce dure, until we at length become the defamer, the slan derer, the calumniator of our neighbor and the mur derer of his cha-acter and reputation. No v, if we trace back ihe sups bv w liich we have reached this ■point we will find that they commence from the im pulsion and restless workings- of an inordinate self love, an overweening idea of our own excellence. The other source of the vice 1 speak of is Envy. It may be that we are ourselves so conscious of our ow n deficiency of virtue or moral principle, that not even self-love can blind us to it. In this case, we are very apt to ha'e in others the g>ol which is not in ourselves and to envy them the possession of those qualities, and the respectful consideration attendant upon them, to which we can lay no claim. Now as there is not a more restless or more keenly tormenting passion than this same one of envy—it is not in human nature to remain long quiet under the infliction of its stings, without trying to find some relief, w hich is thought to lie infallibly obtained by bringing the object of our en vy to our own level But as this can not actually be done, inasmuch as we have it not ia our power to de prive him of the good qualities he really pnsse-ses, we endeavor to make hint at least appear to he no hetter, nay, even worse than ourselves. This we effect by slow degnes, and the gravlual practice of the differed' varieties of evil speaking beginning with inihler forms arid ending with the most atrocious ones ceasing not until the cherished point he gone I of destroying him whom w e envied, because he was better than ourselves. Tiie envious detractor is more infamous, more bfemea ble and more despicable than He «ho is actuated onl;. bv self-love ; fir the ons injures bis neighbor with the hope of thereby benefiting himself, whilst the other brings destruction upon one ' e ter than himself, with o it any expectation i of deriving therefrom the least ad vantage, olher than the uncertain and equivocal satis faction of gloa'ing over his prostr ti in and ruin. Having thus briefly examined into the causes which lead to evil speaking, let us turn our attention for a moment to its different varieties, which, whilst they are nil sinful, are yet marked by distinct shades and de grees of criminality. One of the simplest and most common forms of evil speaking is Disparagement or Detraction, w hich we are guilty of, whenever, by hint, inuendo or direct remark, we create an impression lhat lie of whom we speak is not all that he is thought to be, yet without accusing him formally, or laying to his charge any thing speci fic. Bv this we prevent our hearers from having so high an opinion of the person S| oken of ns they would perhaps otherwise entertain. This species of vice is extremely insidious, and therefore proporrionably dan gerous, from the great show ot innocence which it puts on. Bv the practice of it, (a practice which is spt to grow insensibly upon ns,) we may injure our neighbor most seriously, our conscience remaining all the while lulled in fancied security, not even whispering our guih, merely because we have not actually said any evil of the victim of our disparagement. And, indeed it not unfreqtientlv happens that those wh > do most evil in this way, are persons who have no positive design to injure others, and who are not influenced by any ma licious intent; but who, from a thoughtless habit of gi ving their opinions at all times, and a talkative propen sity, utter their remarks at random and uncalled for on any subject that may come before them —they talk for i the pleasure of being listened to, and take little heed what they say, provided they can secure the attention of their hearers. They thu9 unconsciously injure ma ny against whom they have not the slightest ill will, and at the same time lay up for themselves an abund ant store of fru tless regiets and useless remorse. Re present to one of these habitual detractors the mischief he has done and show the effect of his thoughtless bab bling, and he will affect surprise that it is laid to his charge. “Why what have I done? I said nothing against him ;at least, I said no harm of him ! I mere ly expressed my opinion about him, &c.,” and thus he quiets his conscience, and cheats himself into a belief that he is entirely innocent of evil. The next degree in the scale of criminality is when not content with representing onr neighbor as not be ing what he ought to be, we go on to represent him as being what he ought not to be. We cast a stain, a ble mish on his reputation, character or conduct, and this is called aspersion. “To asperse," says an excellent; author, “is to fix a stain on a moral charac er. If 1 1 speak slightingly of my neighbor, and insinua'e any thing against the purity of his principles, I asperse hint' But if he be a charitable man [for example] and I as cribe his charities to a selfish motive, or otherwise take away from the merit of his conduct, I am guilty of De traction," This extract gives a very clear and distinr idea of the real difference between the two species ot vice. Aspersion ia by aa much more criminal that- Detraction ns a direct and poaitive accusation is mor< grave than a vague and indefinite insinuation : it wil also be perceived that although both are far too com- j mon, the former is much more frequent than th* latte' I Detraction, as starve remarked, proceeds (generally i though not always) from tfaoofMessnes* ands love o ; foenpping; Aspersion is tiiore frequently the vice o the envious and little-minded, who hate in the goo whom they attack, the virtue which they tbemaelve have not the eourage to practice. and the eaeellenee to which they have not (he power to attain. There is an other reason why As;iersiott is less frequent than De 'ra'tion. viz: he Axperser cleirlv incurs a responsi bility, and may be made to answer for his evil doings, wr.ilst the Det acmr can rarelv, i* ever, be b . ugh’ to account, fiom the fact of his confining trim . o mere hints, inuendoes and insinuations which a ; rulated o lessen the good opinion w hich might be tained of the person attacked, without ever haza- 1 ■■ r.n as sertion es the existence of positive evil. Tli- • tactor therefore is more meanly and basely criminal than the Asperstr, although asper ion be generally considered he greater crime—for it always implies an idea of‘evil either real or supposed ;” but Detraction, tending to lessen the merits and excellencies of another, always supposes the existence ot good Enough I hope has been said to show us how mean, despicable and criminal are these two grades of the vice of evil speaking. By their means, how easy is it to u in and destroy the very best and most virtuous of our fellow creatures ; and alas ! how very frequently does this actually happen ! and for what ? D >es their ruin prove of any benefit to the Detractor? Des it render him more virtuous, more honorable, more upright ? Does it increase his prosperity or add to his worldly wealth? No! none of these. Is it done to avenge some real or fancied injury ? Then why seek a das tardly and cruel form of revenge when there are open, 1 honorable and legitimate ways of obtaining redress.— “But it was done thoughtlessly, without any intention to do injury, and merely by way of conversation.”— Why this is the most abominable of all! The robber plunders for gain, the assassin murders for revenge, but the Detractor and Asperser do worse than either for mere pastime !! Th« plunderer takes onr goods, the murde>er our life, but the evil speaker robs us of our good name and murders our character: and his crime is more detestable and enor.. ous than the others by just so much as Honor is dearer than Life. I had much more to say on this subject, and was about to proceed with my remarks, w hen the two fol lowing letters were handed to nte. On looking over them I find they claim my immediate attention, to avoid the risk of getting into a dilemma. Indeed, Ido not quite kt ow w hether I am not in one already. First ofall, here are at least two rival claimants formy afflicted correspondent, Philo Shadow ; secondly, I advised him in my last, to make his advances to the lady whose bright eyes had disturbed his soul; but if Lucinda he , the real pink bonnet, I must beg leave to think more ' han twice before I repeat my advice : the tone of her letter is exceedingly warlike, the style of her writing in j dicates the jmwer of her hand, and if 1 may judge by a passage in her letter, her capabilities af keeping folks lin hot water are by no means unworthy of notire. I t lie ref re request Philo Shadow not to act on my for ! mer advice until he hears from me again; after this warning, if he dees, it is at his own pert), and I will ! not be answerable for any of the probable conseqnen ] ces. The first letter is from the angry fair one. “Solomon Weazle, Esq., (as you are pleased to he addressed.) Sir—l really think you ought te be ashamed of your self for printing such a monstrous morsel of absurdity ! j as that Epistle of Philo Shadow, Inatled as it is with presumptuous and specious misrepresentations. I re- I peat, it is a shame to allow such a precious piece of chi ! rography to usurp a place, thus depriving the public, j no doubt, es some very sage observations and reflet ; lions of your own. The wretch ! why, as Aunt Clary ! *ays w hen she would S|ieak contemptuously of any one, i “ he must be a horn natural!” I am certain, positive | !y certain, “Father” Weazle, that the scamp of a slta ! iow has alluded to none other person than mine hum- 1 i hie self, although l do not wear a pink bonnet with I green ribbons, nor always place mvselt at the precis, j angle of 47* from this conn red Philo-g indi r. As for | mv eves, I expect they must be tolerably bright, f.r a! i uy heaut «ay so; and I have f admirers a plrnH.i -w h ait falling in love wi.h a shadow, or try chap o • such a phantomy imagma-i -n. Shadow, indeed! I’! correct thn ! why, 1 wnd !as sooo think of fal'mg I i\e » i h a grisly bear or a hippopotamus as 'lus lum; j >f defo r init ! I wi'l ell you boa i- was. Father Wea i z!e, and all a! out it. I: is true, a long time ago, o- < . Sunday I did near a pew and tor close hastily a id wit! some noise, and thereupon 1 turned my I tend, and th i- 1 is nearly a'l the truth i't that slanderous letter. Til* sure, I may have prolonged my gaze for sometime it diat direction ; (any thing out of the comm >n track o! nature rivets my attention ;> and I discovered one of th. queerest, oddest specimens of humanity that I everlaid tny two bright eyes upon. Why, Mr. Weazle, as rev erend, old-fashioned and sober-visioned as "ne would suppose you to be, you must have smiled simnehere had you seen what I did. I have come across this fellow several times since then, and a very good and sufficten reason have I for looking at him, as you shall hear.— Not willing that so rare a curiosity should be lost to the world, I have been endeavoring for some time past to make a sketch and draw a likeness of it, and it is, I can assure you, the most difficult lesson I ever attempt ed. I engaged a friend to assist me one day, but the ! fool ran off and I have not seen him since. I will try ! to give you some idea of this Biped-extraordinary, and ! then you may judge for yourself. Imagine then, first, 1 a dumpy figure, like Paddy’s stone fence, which would be taller "hen it fell down than when it - too J up— I above this mass consider a mottled squash, with a wisp ! of straw on the tipper side thereof, serving fir a wig; : hang a turnip in front for a nose, pin two small onions on for eyes, pas'c a strip of broad red ribbon half way ! around for a mouth ; nd 1 to these a flaming red stock | or neck harness, a verdant vest and a sky-blue coat, and it may give you some faint idea of this shadow of | a man. Is it not a pretty creature to fall in love with, : and do I not write very like one wounded by the shaft of , Cupid ? I couln sooner fall in love with the represent ! a lives of Cerberus, St. George’s Dragon, or the ghost !of my great, grea l , great grandfather. Mr. Philo flut ters himself: and then how extremely sensitive and mo j dest! The bashful boy !he shall have some sugar done up in a clean rag, so he shall—and he may look at tue . girls as much as he pleases, so he may—yes, and he may go home and hide he head in he mammy’s bosom — there —and the girls shan't stare at him, so they shan’t! Yet I cantblatne aim for being in love with me. I wonder if the poor fellow really is ? heigho! Mr. Weazle, I do think you might hove displayed a little more wisdom and penetration in your ”advice;” how ever. upon reflection, you must be entirely ignorant of his modestvshrp, so I spare you, with this piece of coun sel : never advise until you have heard both sides. Tire young hopefuls aboat this place deserve to be stared out of countenance by every lady. They keep iloof from our society during the week, hut make it a regular business, on Sunday, to huddle in droves about the Churches, occupying whatever situation may af ‘ord them the best opportunity of gratifying their curi osity, as they would do in a mer agerie ; cr ticizing and making invidious remarks concerning every young la dy's dress, form gait, ancles, Sec. ; and after staring nt her perhaps until she blushes, they take it as a matter of course lhat she is smitten w ith someone of them, tnd therefore, a fit object for his vulgar gaze forever af erw ards. 1 overheard a fop of this genus, under my vindow the other day, remark to another male biped, hat he would bet any thing that he could recognize tny lady in town, at a distance of twenty pace*, by ier foot and ancle ! to such perfection have they bro’t hie science. I made it my business to throw out of the [ vindow a basin of boiling water which I had jual pro- -1 -ured to do np * une cambric, and heard no more of | hem, save that they scampered off like a parcel of j lucks. Now, Mr. Weazle, (Solomon Weazle, E-tq., 1 1 should eay.) if vou have any influence in correcting ! TIIE SOUTHERN POST. ! publ c abuses, I w ish you would take this matter in hand. Desire the young men to frequent the ladies’ society m>re and the drinking houses less. It is pre sumable, if there is any merit among them, that we fe | ma'es would like to discover it, and if possible, derive some benefit therefrom, as wc all expect to be married some day, and we wou'd not like to be obliged to put up with the first stick that may offer as a wooer. I wonder if that lover of shadows does love me any, or whether he loves his own shadow best ? Heigho ! What an inconsis-ent thing is the human heart! LUCINDA . P. S. My paper is out or, as we women are accused of it, I would have added a Postscript.” “ Moron, May 13, 1939. Mr. Observer—For the benefit of my ‘love sick swain,’ the ‘pink-bonnet-hearted, gneen-ribbon-affueted’ gen tleman, I have determined to address you, and trust to your kindness and good feeling for the sex. to overlook all mistakes and errors that may occur. Without fur ther preamb'e, then, I must thank you, Mr. 0., for the interest you have shown in my welfare, in advising me to accept of this ‘good sort of man Philo-Shadow,’ for my better half. It will be but just therefote, that I should be ‘honest and true,’ in expressing my sentiments and feelings towards him. Be it then known that I do not altogether like your description of him. Bashful he must indeed be, since he has to court by proxy. Let him take care, for it is a dangerous business, (unless you, Mr. 0., are a married man,) for who knows what a day may bring forth ? Make the experiment, and ;o with him to Church next Sabbath, and see the effect of ‘bright eves.’ Don’t think, how-ever, that I want to find you out, or have the least design upon you: only I feel as great an interest in your welfare as you can in mine. But to ‘Philo-Shadow;’ now his very name frightens me, and I almost fear to trust him, for he may change with the sun, and flee away at the approach of night. No, no! it wont do. If I should have him, he must promise to change his name : to be united to a ‘shadow’ would never do! Nay, how should I find him in the dark, unless his sighs proclaim his presence ? for I suppose he would be too modest and ‘bashful’ to talk much, and should I have a secret to tell him in haste, (f>r wives have secrets sometimes, I believe,) w hat should I do, or how find him ? or how would it -otind to hear me calling ‘Shadow, Shadow !' all over the house ? Why the very neighbors would laugh.— Just think of this, Mr. 0., and pray advise me, for I am no shadow myself, and it would not be a fair bar gain, though mv sex and complexion might proclaim it such. Should my objections be answered, you may expect to hear again from your correspondent, EUGENIA. P. S. I am obliged to you for your remarks on dress, which I shall profit bv hereafter. My being hut a short while trom the country at that time, will account for my pink bonnet and green ribbons, which, as you don’t approve of them, I won’t wear any more. E.” Now-, I must allow that I am in a good deal of per p’exity- Besides these two ladies who lay claim to my ba-hful correspondent, there may be half a dozen more for aught I know. Lucinda takes great pains to ap pear angry and to scold, but I cannot help thinking that she has more good feeling towards Philo Shadow than she cares to allow-. Eugenia writes more kindly, and I would almost venture to wager (were such a hing beseeming in a man of my years) that she is pret ty, good tempered and kind hearted. I feel much obli ged to her fir the interest she takes in my welfare, but, luting an old bachelor, I must beg her pardon, if I fly from the danger of her ‘bright eyes.’ As to advice, af ter lung reflection, I have concluded not to pronounce any decision in the case, until my two fair correspond ents arrange their respective claims to the possession if Mr. Philo-Shadow When these claims are fairly laid before me I w ill pronounce my judgment. I hope those concerned will take notice of the latter •art of Lucinda’* epistle, in which she complains with istiee (if a practice whfeh i« a y thing hut gentleman •, and must he a cause of pain and embarrassment to every modest and delicate female. 1 have also received within a few days pa=t, sundry ' ontplaints of a delinquency :n a hizh quarter, which ppears to have caused much trouble and inronveni uce to certain of tny worthy friends and correspond -s. O.ie c-vmplabs tint in consequence of the said elinquenc", he was oh'iged to miss an important ap lointment, to the great loss and damage of the said ■ornplainam. Ano'her asserts that thereby his busi tess is thrown into confusion, and his time lost from he difficulty he now finds of regulating his movements —and a third informs me, with much concern, that his wife was unable, from the ante cause aboveraention ed, to have his dinner ready at the proper hour, where by he lost his meal entirely, being forced to hurry off to his Inisiness. This last complaint, I confess, touched me, as presenting a case painfully interesting to all men who are obliged to be at once busy and hungry. All join in calling on me fir redress, begging me to take notice of this important offender, and either call him back to tiie path of duty or show him up to public con tempt. I cannot conceal my great regret nt these serious charges against one for whom I was disposed to fee! great respect. The offender is no other (start not, rea der, with surprise and grief, as I did,) than our OLD TOWN CLOCK! who, for the last few days, hath most perversely and rebelliously refused to strike, to the very great inconvenience and manifest discomposure of this community. Alas! truly are we fallen upon evil days! since even he, once so famed, nay even pro verbial for regularity and exactitude, has not been able to preserve himself from the c.m'agion of wild notions and extravagance of conduct which mark this whirli gig age, in which plodding regularity and order have ceased to be virtues. The painful news has disturbed me too much to allow me to write upon the subject at present —I wiil content myself with this notice to my old friend, that his misconduct has not been unobserv ed; admonishing hint at the same time that, laying aside ail new-fangled notions, he return forthwith tothe path of his duty, resume his former praiseworthy behavior, and henceforth demean himself in all things asbecnm eth a decent, respectable and well-disposed clock.— Ilow-ever, as I never condemn any one w ithout a hear ing, I am willing to listen to whatever the culprit may have to say in his own behalf. But if he fail in this and do not return to his duty right speedtly > be shall hear from me again. C. 'iFIH ICE!! *f t Six Cents Per Pound. RECEIVED and for sale a large supply of ICE, which can be had at any time from sun-rise till nine at night, by applying at the store. A large Re frigerator w ill be kept filled in the store, and delivered i l any quantities without a moments detention. Price six cents per pound HARVEY SHOTWELL, Druggis’. Opposite Central Ho'el. N. B.—When wanted to go in the country, it will tie carefully packed with a material prepared for the pur pose, that will preserve it from melting almost entirely. May 18 30 Oeinulgce Brink of the Sta'" of Georoia,) .l/.1C0.V, I3M May, 1939. ) DIVIDEND No 2. f f'HE Board of Directors have thi* day declared a ■ Dividend of Four |>er cent, for the last six months The snmo w ill lie paid to S ockholders or their ass gns, no and after Tuesday next. J. A. WHITE, Assistant Cashier. »iav 19 3°P OCT We are nnthorlzed to anuonne* JOHN 11. OFFt'TT as a Candidate (or Clerkship of the Inferior Court of Bibb county, at the election in Janu-1 1 ■ry ntV. * Soutljmi itost, OFFICE, ON THIRD-STREET, ONE DOOR FROM MrLBERRV STREET, AND OPPOSITE THE CENTRAL HOTEL. MACON: SATURDAY. MAY 18, 1939. BOTANICAL LECTURES. It will be sees by an advertisement in to-day's pa per that the Lectures on B uanv, sometime since prom ised, will commence on Monday evening next. Mr. Marcell is highly qualified to give instruction in this in teresting branch of study, and it is to be hoped that he will meet with such encouragement as his talents and capabilities of imparting instruction, deserve. This op portunity of improving in sointeresting a brunch of stu dy should not be neglected, especially by the fair, w ho are the proper patrons of this science. {Cr It has fallen to our happy lot to be cast in the midst of all that is refreshing and delicious, this rea son. In addition to Shotwcll’s bubbling Soda Fount, which is only two doore from our office, a very neat Ice Cream establishment adjoining our Reading Room, has been fitted up within a few days pas', in a very tasteful and creditable manner, where that delicious ar ticle is to lie had to a degree of perfection not to be surpassed. NOTICES OF HOME PERIODICALS. The “ Augusta Mirror,” we are glad to see, is im proving. The last number, which was the first of the second volume, is much improved in typography, and bow presents new and stronger claims to the public.— Our table is so filled, the present week, with literary treasures that we have had scarce opportunity of peru sal. It is high time that Georgia had began to look more to the interest and influence of her literature.— L’pon this she must ultimately depend to place her in a station equal with her compeers. “ The laborer is wor thy of his hire this truth was promulgated by more than Divine inspiration, and is as true in all other laud able undertakings nsin Religion. Let the people,there fore, look to their true interest, and encourage a home Literature ; let them be assured that it is the only me dium that will do them justice in awarding them their proper place in the scale of human excellence; and the only one that will administer proper correctives for re dundances and fillies common to every age, and the sure characteristics es mankind. If our home litera ture be neglected, we may he assured that our ethical good will be correspondingly depreciated. Many arc anxious to add their mi'e in the wav of letters, but few, comparatively, in actual funds—which is as necessary to the life and being of Literature, as it can be to any other business or occupation nuincd.—[VV. T. Thomp son, Augusta, Georgia.] The “ American Museum,” cones up next for re mark. Although not prepare !, from a casual examin ation, to pronounce sentence, yet the impression i° a most agreeable otic left on our mind in relation to the merit of the number for May. As it is not possible to I take up each of its articles, and examine them in their rii-der—time ami room not permitting—<e must pass on to others, with this general remark, that it i.i a most ; agreeable and entertaining M igazine.—[Baltim ire, MJ. published by John Murphy & C’o-] The “ Southern Literary Messunoer,” for May, is an excellent number, and fully sustains the high rep utation it has deservedly gained. It contains some ar ticles of much utility, and others of a more agreeable and lighter cast. It is painful to reflect on the tardi ness of the Southern people to support their own liter ature. This periodical has for several years supported he first character of its class, and still its Proprietor scarcely meets with a sufficient return for his tabor-'.—- Much of the best talent the country affirds, is enlisted in contributions to the “Messenger,” and it should be welcomed into every lamily in the South, that have pre tentions to literary taste, and a desire to keep pace with the current literature of the day. The “ Messenger” may deserve, at our hands, a more expended notice, but as ours is not the part of the critical reviewer, we must leave it in abler hands.— [Published by T. W. White, Richmond, Virginia.] ! “ Tiie Knickerbocker.”—A very interesting article, i from the pen of the Rev. Mr. Baseom, taken from the present number, wri 1 be found in our columns of to-day, comprising a description of Niagara. O.hcr articles, likewise trom this valuable journal, have been set apart for some future number ; all of which will speak its worth much louder and effectually than many words. It is one of the rarest getns in our periodical literature, and ever greeted by us with a double welcome. We find some very intere ting selections from foreign peri odicals, also, and shall endeavor to present same of them to our readers hereafter. —[New-York; Clark & Edson.] The following will he found to be the result of the deliberations of the S ate Convention, convened in accordance with an act of the last Legislature, for the reduction of its members. “ The Committee to whom was referred, the resolu tion of the Convention, requiring them to report a plan for rite reduction of the number of the Members of the General Assembly of this State, beg leave to report the following as a substitute for the seventh section of the first article of the Constitution, now in force : “ The House of Representatives shall be composed of members from all the counties which now are, or herenf’er may be included within this State, according to their respective numbers of free withe persons* and including tliree-fifihs of all the people of color, to be ascertained hy av actual enumeration, to be made front time to time, a' intervals of seven years, as now bylaw provided. Each county shall be entitled to one mem ber. Each county hiving a representative population as above specified, of six thousand person*, shall he entitled to one additional member, and each county ha ving such representative population of twelve thousand persons, shall he entitled to two additional members, but no county shall have more than three members. “The number of members of w hich rhe House of Re presentatives will be composed according to the afore said ratio, and the last census, shall not hereafter lie in creased, except when anew c.mnty is created : and it shall lie the duty of the Legislature, at their session, to . he hotden next after the enumeration provided for by law, so to regulate the ratio of representation, as to pre vent such increa*e “The Representatives shall be chosen annually, on the first Monday of October, until such day of election snail lie altered by law. “ The Committee report th* following a* a substitute lor the third section of the first art.cle of the Constitu- j tion, now in dtree. “ Trie Senate shall consist of forty-si* members, elec ted annually on the first Monday in October, until *1- ‘ tered by law, and shall be composed of one member from each of the f irty-s-x Senitorisl Districts fallowing : 1 Chnham and Effingham. 2 Seriven and Burke. 3 Richmond and Columbia. 4 L ncoln and Wilke*. 5 Elbert and Madison. 6 Habersham and Lumpkin. 7 Union and Rabun. 8 Forsyth and Hall. 9 Jackson and Franklin. 10 Clark an l Oglethorpe. * I Green and Putnam. 1! Taliaferro and Warren. 13 Hancock and Baldwin. 11 Washington and Jefferson. 15 Emanuel and Montgomery. Iff Liberty and Brvan. • 17 Tatoall and Bull .ch. 19 Mclntosh an I Glynn. 19 Camden and Wayne. 80 Ware and L iwndes. 21 Telfair and Appling. 22 Laurens and Wilkinson. 23 Pulaski and Twiggs. 21 Bibb and Craws rd. 25 Jones and Jasper 2d B ios and Monroe. 27 Gwinnett and Walton. 29 DeKalb and Henry. 23 Newton and M >rg m. 30 G.lnter and Murray, it Cass and Cherokee. 32 C >b!> and Campbell. 33 Cowetn and Fayette. 31 Mi nwetber and X.bbot. 35 Pike and Up-oi. 35 Houston and Macon. 37 D nily and Irwm. 3) Tnotnas an I Decatur. 33 Baker and Early. 40 Lee and Surnp er. 41 Ran lulpli and S.ewarf. 42 Muscogee and M irion. 43 Ham* and Tronp. 41 Heard and Carroll. 45 Paulding and Floyd. 46 Chattooga, Walker, and Dade. “ And whenever, hereafter, the Legislature shall lay off an I establish anew county, it shall he aided to the most contiguous Senatorial District having the smallest representative population." LETTERS FROM THE WEST INDIES-No. 11. M ARTINICO. St Pierre, Martinico, March, 1839. To the Editor of the Southern Post: ; Dear Sir—We arrived before this city yesterday mor- j ning and spent almost tho entire day in beating into the harbor, some four or five miles, such was the baf fling course of the winds blowing down through the gorges of hills from the land. The harbor is hut sn open r ladstead, and the shore partaking of the profile of the adjacent cliff*, is so bold that if you chance to dr .p your nn hor a ship’s length out ot the u«ual an chorage, it is doubtful if your full length of cable finds a bottom—thus it was with our first attempt—we drop ped our anchor near the edge of the reef, and before we coulJ get fast it had drawn off so that we had the severe labor of several hours to get in our cable and under way f>r another anchorage. We were boarded early in the morning by the Ame iican Consul, who remained with us during the day, ; a.id lias been unifjrmlv attentive to us both on ship and shore There are but very few Americans here, or indeed persons that can speak English. One of the principal merchant®, to w hom oar ship was consigned, and to whom some of our party had letters, w as so un fortunate as to lose his wife, an American lady, last | ! nigh’, after a severe and protracted illness, which ms t lancholy event of course preven e 1 our expecting or receiving any extra attentions from h tn. The appearance of the town from the shipping is ra ther attractive—it lays along the water’s edge for near ly a mile, an I rises gradually towards the interior.— Nearly central there is a small river coming down fr.-m the hills through a narrow valley, up which the town extant!* for probably half a mile from the sea—from this stream the town is supplied with water, which is taken out s une dis’auce above and brought to the head | of every s'reot: in t! e centre of which is a small pa vad trench, through which the water is conveyed in a I violent rushing channel, to the tea. The streets no' j being generally more than ft been to twenty feet wide, j and well paved, with hut little labor, the streets maybe cooled, wa.lied and purified by each householder be-j fore their own door, in a fe w moments —thc=e streams i are also used ns sewers, and convey every impurity to the ocean, while its rap'd current thus purifjing itselr, gives a refreshing coolness to the air. The water for domestic purposes, I presume, comes j from the same orig nal source. It is supplied to tiie town through aqueducts, and at frequent intervals, in the public squares, pours out of large fountains for gen eral u«e. The arrival of an American vessel on sttcli an object as this had probably never occurred here before, and we had scarcely reached the land before a large con course had assembled on the wharf to meet us. A heavy surf running made it extremely difficult to land, the ladies requiring to be borne by the boatmen a Con siderable distance to a place es safety. In going thro’ the streets too, we were quire lions, but the remarks of the multitude who were following us < r gazing from the windows and doors, were ell as Greek to us, ex cept the word Americanos, or s meriting like it, in French, which was freq”ently repeated. The first place to which » e were conducted was the Hotel or Coffee House of Miss Betsy Parker, the prin cipal, il not only stopping place for English and Ame rican people in the city. Miss Parker is a stout hea thy looking colored woman, speaks English well, and is, 1 presume, a native of one of the Eogli-li Irinnd*. Bv those who do not c insiJ r wide streets as essen tial to beauty and giod tas’e. S'. Pierre would lie call ed a handsome town ; the houses are built mostly of. stone or brick stuccoed, generally two and sometimes; three stories in heighth, and treat fronts. There are se veral public squares planted with 'trees, beneath which i \ cotsl water is seen flowing from fountains, in the nr-J raneement of which, however, there is no-c'a .sic taste. ( j O) the number of inhabitants the accounts ot differ- i cut individuals of whom wc asked information, vary from sixteen to forty thousand —perhaps if we were to| divide the diffirence it would not be far from right, the ; city covering a con.-iderable space of ground, and be-! ing very compactly built, may contain not far from thiity thousand. There are four Ctturches, into one of which, while open for service, we entered and re mained for a few moments. The Priests, ot whom se veral were in arendance, were arrayed in the gorgeous decorn'ion9 of the Roman Clergy, but the service be ing in an uninteliig'bie tongue t> us, we pursued our way as soon as a proper opportunity offered. There 1 were formerly two Convents here, but the bnihlings were so much shattered by the earthquake in January, j that their inmates sough! safety elsewhere. Many oth- i er buildings were afeo much damaged, and the gener al destruction of the town is only supposed to have, been averted by its foundations being based upon a ro k, while that of Fort Royal, so near, hang ail allu- I vial formation, was more sensible to the great concus- 1 sion of the awful and mysterious phenomenon of na ;ture Here hut few persons, not more thnu two or t three, were killed, but many buildings were greatly in- j jured and several partially thrown down, so as to re- 1 quire rebuilding. The shops are many of them handsome and taste- . i ful, and by the aid of partial interpretation and th.ree signs which all money-lovers unders'snd, our ladies amused themselves several hours in shopping among: the fancy stores. The French lady shopkeepi raoryrt- j ; zettes are ntanv of 'hem beautiful, and unde,-stand wfoi all the mysteries of their art. The whi es, i presume,: !are mosriv Europeans, but mtit-h of the toys and oth-j or small article* of traffic are in the hands ot colored- Creoles, who with but a sight lingo of their African extraction, have the manners of intelligent and wcl!, educate.l people ; After having spent part of yesterday and most of to-;' day on shore, our pir'y are njattt peving ready for sea, 1 much p'ensed and deliqhted wi it our «hori but ngrretr 1 ' ble rejourn here. M Dioocnc.s once appeared nuked in the street* on a very coM day, in order to attract the | notice of the people, who jratherr 1 around him j and tooked at hint with eves of pity. Plato, ; who knew the cynic, said to them—“lf \ou ' really feel compassion for Diogenes, you will ■ do well to pity no attention to bim.” Scnliger says that t!?e ffesb of a peacoclc never corrupts, and that lie himself made the experiment. St. Augustin streaking of the :es .rrectio.n, cites the same circumstance, to prove that there are certain mysteries af which ;t is impossible to understand the cause. XICAZmZSB, In Monro* countv, on the 14th instant, by the ftev, N. O. Slaughter..Sfr. WILEY FUTRELL, of Craw. ; ford county, to M.sa SUSANNAH, daughter of War ren Barrow. Mjertitres on Botany. r I?HE first Lecture of this course, which was an- A nouneed some time ago. will lie dcliven don Vion* day, 20;h instant, at the Academy, st 8 o’clock, F. M. Those who have not yet supplied themselves w ith Tickets for 'lre course, are invi'erl to do so previous to hat tints. They may be obtained at the Book Stores. Adinirance (for a single Lecture) 50 cents. May 19 DISSOLUTION. Copartnership heretofore existing between the A subscribers, under the name and style of JAMES H. BISHOP A. CO is this dav dissolved by ntutußl consent. All |*-r=ons having demands against said firm, and those indeb e i, will-please make application :o James H. Bishop, for a settlement of rite same. JAMES H. BISHOP, ALBERT H. ROOT, Surviving Partners. Macon, May 15;h, 1933 NOTICE. fjnilE Subscribers having disposed of their erillra ■ Stock in Trade, Materials, See., to Mr. CURTIS R. PARSONS, beg leave to recuminend him to their numerous friend* and customers ns a gentleman, and every way qualified to conduct the business. JAS. H. BISHOP de CO. Macon, May 15th, 1533 3J Tin I lute, Co} j er and Sheet Iron MANUFACTORY. fUHR undersigned having purchased of Mes-rs. J. 1 II Bishop t Cos. the.r entire sock of T4N WARE, te., takes tips method to inform the citizen* of Macon, a i l surrounding country, that he has es tablished himself at the old stand, (occupied by bis pre decessors,) on the east side of .Mulberry-street, three doors above the Darien Bank, where he will furnish all kinds ot TIN WARE, by wholesale or retail, at mi*- i crate prices, and in everv variety. SPOUTING ami ROOFING HOUSES will U at tended to at short notice. All order* promptly attended to. CURTIS R. PARSONS, Successor, Sec. Macon, May ISilt, 1433 30 PROSPECTUS. he published in Augusta, Ga., on the first a v Saturday ot October, 1*39, tho first number of a weekly journal, to be called “TIIE SOUTHERN PIONEER,” Devoted to the Literature, Insrituuons and Amuse ments of the South.— Ckurles Wyatt Rice , Editor.— The South is tho natural home of Literature. She baa ever been so Homer strolled and sung under the ray* o| the fervid sun ; Italy and Greece have, Irom their first wakening into being as civilized nation*, afforded their Poets a.ii Orators. Trie Literary pilgrim ever j bends his s r ep to 'die South of Europe, as hut moat fa ; voted shrine; while there, fond memories throng tohi* mind, of tin* epic strains of Horter, the soothing ntea- Nitres of tire Mi.n uan Swan, the «tuiting ode* of Ho race, aid the biting sarcasm* of Juvenal. While in later limes reelings to the memory of the fearful sriwns of Dante, thu epic measure* of the mailman Tasso, t t soft strains .1 Petrarch, and the pfenning images of B rccacio. And w hile thus fondly recnltipg to memory all tbe*e, he remembers 'hat they drew thru' inspiration j Irom the icrvid sun of Italy and Greece. He feels m I die balmy air he brea lies, to the brilliant heavens that form the canopy above him, in the hriiliancyot rtrtstn set* that glow m rite horizu >. and in the tint* that rim ;nr arid clone spread over the earth, the inspiration that formed and developed the genius ot those whom he now so fondly rogre s. This is our profession of faith. We believe, in a word, that no part ot the world lias greater literary re sourci s within herself, >r is better calculated from lur natural scenery, ti>e pec a liar i tes of her climate, the leisure of her crizcus, and her general advantages, to become an eminently literary community than the S .inherit St.Ves of this confederacy. This is the plat. | form on which we in cud to raise a Wxekly Journal, 1 to which Southern writers shall delight to contribute, and v»ln?li rite whole South shall be proud to claim aa j its own. Bt lieving most firmly that success vviilcrown i o.tr exertions, no t ifoni will he spared 1 1 draw Irom ev ery portion of the Snttlt, contributions upon every sub ject, which, while they shall be of a high chtiracsrc, sltu.l ever r ingo From grave tn gay, from lively to severe. We believe that the mstitu’ionu of the South are founded in the immutable laws of the God ot Nature. We believe that on them will Ire built « fabric of gfo'y and gn at ness to tin • S mil. W e believe e9|ieciallv thal i;,cy afford to the Smtltern Siaies the means ot out -tr.pping the rest of the world in their "literary ealeer. And we know lhat these are times of peculiar danger o these ins tuitions; wc know tluit they are now st ocked hy ’he insidious foe as well bv the open enemy. We shall therefore place our Journal as a sentinel on he watch-tower of Southern Institutions, ever watch ful for attacks, and ever ready to repel them. We ilelioht in the atnu enteots and holidays of the South. Wc glory in them ns fit amusements for a peo ple generous and brave, qiifok in their impubes, and shunning sluggishness We delight in the gun and cna.-e. We had ui-ory old Christmas and its cheerful sp irts as old friends and true, setting the brow free from care, making the bosoms of men to glow with cheerful and friendly emotio is, calling friends to the festive board and to the exchange of kind thoughts and se.itunen f, and sending all away to run in joyfulness their course of duty until the invitations to joy and mir h ate again renewed. The pages of the Journal will, therefote, Ut enlivened with lively chronicles of exploits in th- sports ot the field, and wiffi sp.riteil sketches of the fun and frolic that merry old Christmas ; let* I, vr*e upon us We will also, in order to please all, : give a weekly abstract of the most important news of rite (lav. And for the fair practiserau[*>n the Pianoor Giittar, shall occasionally embellish our pages with ori ginal and selected Music. i It i* a fortunate circumstance for the interest of a work ot this natute. that the field of Li'erature at the B uith is, as yet, comparatively, untrodden. The Lit erary ri s iurc-1 sos he South, great as they are nc kiu w edged to be, are as vet, war ararively undevelo ped. Every grove, river, dale end motmmin, he* yet t s tale to r r)!. We therefore send our Journal forth as a Pioneer to gather the riche* of this new country.— From every full, dale, river and mountain, lie will re turn laden with rich stores. These stores, original and varied in their character, as they must he, he will be proud to efisplay for the amusement attd instruction of his readers. We ask for him a kind reception at tho . hands of all friends of the cause in which he has em barked. Having thus di foiled ri-e plan of onr future opera i tions, »e commend our hebdomedal to (we trust,) the lav, rable notice of the Southern public. We devote oureelves to the work a* out profession. On he verge of manhood, and of a Literal education, we had a pro ft son to chouse; after mature deliberation, we have ehq-en this, because we delight in the employnient.and a e devo'ed to the cause for the furtherance of wftich the work is established. No common obstacle, there s re, will turn ns aside from onr course- But having chosen the Editing of rite PIONEER* and through it the promot'on of Southern Li rrstunr, a* the work of our lives, we shall relinquish i' only with our breath. And whi'o we comnutia ottr shrift to the favor of the public generally, we commend ts par'icubirly to the kind charities of that band w ho have linked themselves together for the advancement of the cause to which wo devote the work. They have acted w uli ur in the past; wo trust they will act with ns in the future. No exer tion* "ill be spared to make the work turh aa out a* tin v wtd look upon wi h delight. It m*v he v.nu to add that the inVrv* nip ? nine be tween tins date sni die ri.avcf publication will be spent tn collecting tru erials for llw: work- The PIONEER will I* printed on stt imperial sheet, i > quarto f nq and will co.i'asti * greater quantity of rr a ling rnaiii r than any work ot ti,« kind published in the Booh. > Trtuts.—Five D Her* per annnn*. psvnble on the is tiring of the firrt nt>m ! ir'. IN t*>m» reeding »e fen *uh *.-r:b«'s, iovlo#tr.g fifty D-rilf-re, wilFoe entitled to*co py tr*ti«. rr Aper.t* wi’l he rrifevr ’ the Uft-nl per ntare. Awgit-m, Mm> », IWi