Newspaper Page Text
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COLtfMBPS, GEORGIA.”
WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 30,
Congressional Convention, 2d District.
VVe suggest that the Democratic Congressional Conven
tion for the Second District be held at Americus, on Wed
nesday, 11th July next. The Supreme Court will be in
cession at that time in Americus. What say our Demo
cratic cotemporariee to this suggestion] The time and
place ought to be agreed upon at once. wtwtd.
The Meeting Saturday Night.
The Know Nothing Democrats, who retired from
the Democratic party on Wednesday previous, and
others, oalUd a meeting of all parties at Temperance
Hall on Satnrday night, 2Gth inst. The objeot of the
call, as wc understand it, was to break down all the
old parties and to form anew Southern party for the
protection of the South against the encroachments of
the North. The meeting was a very large one—in
deed the house was full to overflowing—but not more
than a fourth of the audience seemed to participate
actively in the business or to join in the applause. The
meeting was called to order by Gen. James N. Be
thune, a known Disunionist. The President of
the meeting was Col. William H. Mitchell, and the
Secretary was D. P. Ellis, both of whom were ardent
Southern Rights Democrats. We, therefore, rea
sonably expected that the resolutions reported would
glow with scotional fire. We were quite surprised,
therefore, to find tlyit they hardly came up to the fight
ing line laid down in the recent Convention of the
Muscogee Democracy. We were still more astonished
when the Hon. James Johnson, the Union leader of
1850, arose to advocate the passage of the resolutions
and declared that he was not in favor of disunion, nor
was he opposed to afiiliation with sound Northern men,
but simply to old political organizations. It is, therefore,
evident that the new Southern party movement does
not go one step beyond the Democratic party either in
prinoiple or purpose in the defense of Southern Rights,
and we are quite at a loss to find what particular charm
it possesses over the Democratic party for Southern
Rights men. It seems to us that all the objeots pro
posed eould have been more certainly attained by means
of the Democratic party. It is a recognized political
organization in party affiliation with, end possessing the
confidence of, all the sound men of the North, who
certainly will not desert their old friends to join this
new party, especially as the leaders in tho new party
•re, many of them, Know Nothings, in affiliation with
men in the North who have j ust come out of a contest
in whioh they beat down nearly every Northern Demo
crat who voted for the Nebraska act.
Another singular feature in the proceedings of the
meeting was that while the Whig party and the Demo
cratic party were invited to disband, no such courtesy
was extended to the, so ealled, Amerioan party. One
of the speakers, Mr. John A. Jones, suggested that the
issues raised by that organization could be deferred to a
future day, and we infer from strict conversations with
a number of gentlemen supposed to bo Know Nothings,
as well as others, who took part in the meeting, that it
is not the purpose of a large number of the new South
ern party to insist upon the breaking up of the Knew
Nothing oounoils as a preliminary to Southern union.
This we think will be fatal to the success of the move
ment. In nearly all the primary meetings of the Demo
♦b* Hoita. oqoosition tn the
Know Nothings is a very prominent leature, and we
are quite sure that an article will be inserted in the
platform of principles ereoted by the Democracy in
State Convention expressly repudiating the piinoiplesof
the Amerioan party.
We wish it however distinctly understood that the
Demooraoy of Muscogee oounty have duly considered
the importance of Southern union and had matured a
plan of effecting this object long before the 26th inst.,
whioh they will submit to and urge upon the Demo*
oratio Convention shortly to assemble in Milledgoville.
This purpose was foreshadowed in the 9th resolution of
their late Convention. The same policy was urged
some time since in the Constitutionalist Republic,
and endorsed by the Atlanta Intelligencer. We
know too that it has been engaging the attention of
the leading minds of the Demooratio party for some
time past, and we firmly believe that suoh a policy will
be adopted by the Democratic State Convention as will
meet the oordial sanction of ail men of all parties, ex
cept those few who are determined to rule or ruin, or
allow party prejudice to stand in the way of duty.
It is but justice for us to add that the proceedings of
the meeting at Temperanoe Hall were characterized
great moderation and that nothing occurred to
wound the sensibilities of any of the spectators, of whom
there was a large number present. It was especially
gratifying to us to see so many Union men present,
cordially re-endorsing the fourth resolution of the
Georgia Platform and thereby pledging themselves to
disunion, as a last resort, if Kansas should be denied
admission into the Union on aooount of slavery,
It gives assurance that whatever differences of
opinion there may be among Georgians upon domestio
polioy, we are, as it respeots the paramount question of
the day, already one people and one party.
P. S. Since the foregoing was in type we have re
ceived the proceeding* of the meeting. The commit
tee have requested the Know Nothings also to disband.
This is well, for until they do disband it would be as
profitable to sing psalms to a dead horse a9 to talk to the
Democracy about Southern union. We notice, how
ever, that the name of Col. Holt is not attached to the
request. What does this mean ?
W ithdrwal. —We are requested by Mr. Warren
U. Gibson, of Ellerslie, Ga., to publish, that on the Bth
iust., he withdrew from the order known by outsiders
as the Know Nothings. He warns Southern men and.
particularly, Southern Rights men, to beware of the
organization. He says other members of the order have
since followed his example.
Cm Light Guards.— At a late meeting of the City
Light Guards, Capt Colquitt, Private B. A. Thornton
was eleoted Ist Lieutenant, and W. T. Blackford 2d
Lieutenant.
Beautiful Flower.— We are indebted to Mrs.
Crenshaw for a brilliant wild flowering plant, which
would well repay the trouble of cultivation. It is a
graceful shrub and is covered at the top with a profu
sion of brilliant soarlet flowers. It may be seen at our
office. What is the name of it ?
Mormon Emigrants. —The ship Curling arrived at
New York the 22d from Liverpool, with 578 Mormon
emigrants on board.
Slow rut Sure. —We will pay our respects to the
Enquirer in oar next The Republican was first
M the mill.
Our respects to the Savannah Republican.
In their zeal for Know Nothingism, the editors of
the Savannah Republican have been betrayed into a
very illiberal commentary upon the proceedings of the
meeting of the Democratic party of Muscogee county.
In order to convict “certain leaders and journalists” of
incincerity in their professions of anxiety to unite
Southern men as one party, it gives prominence to the
resolutions rejected by the meeting, and omits all men
tion of the 9th resolution adopted by the meeting,
though the object and design of that resolution is to
perfect Southern union. In a previous issue we have
fully set forth the motives which influenced the De
mocracy in pursuing the lino of policy adopted by the
meeting in preference to that recommended by Maj.
John H. Howard. Until the Republican can show
the people that the 9th resolution was not adopted in
good faith, it behoves it to be more chary of its denun
ciations. We are authorized, by the fact that it fore
bore all allusion to that resolution, to conclude that its
editors reviewed them with a set purpose to condemn.
The comments of the Republican upon the 3d or
union degree are singularly well timed, and we append
them as are implied admission that our version of the
obligation is the true one , and as and defense of ourselves
against the charge, which some of our friends make,
that we are lukewarm in the defense of Southern
Rights:
From the Savannah Republican.
The Columbus Times affects to have discovered a Gre
cian horse in the alleged third degree of the American par
ty. The fourth resolution of the Georgia Platform de
clares that the people of Georgia ought to resist certain
enumerated wrongs even to a disruption of the Union ;
whereas those who take the third degree of the American
party, according to the Times, undertake “to uphold, main
tain and defend the Union ; to discountenance every attempt,
coming from any and every quarter, which is designed or
calculated to destroy or subvert it, or to weaken its bonds.”
The Times contends that the obligations oi the citizeo(N. N.) i
to the State are incompatible with those to hispaity and is
guilty of the folly of indirectly charging the members of the
latter with “treason to the State of Georgia.” We had
given the editor of the Times credit for greater capacity
than he displays in this matter. Supposing that the third
degree (a copy of which was stolen from a man’s pocket
book) is correctly given, does not our contemporary see
that the pledge to uphold the Union, and discountenance
all efforts to destroy it or weaken its bonds, is directed
against all such schemes as evil minded persons may start,
such as the aggressions of the North upon the South, where
by the peace and harmony of the country are put in jeo
paidy ? If we understand the English language, the obli
gation requres the Know Nothing to strive to remove all
causes and to oppose all measures which can endanger the
Union. Should a cause ari:e, notwithstanding their efforts,
justifying the dissolution of the government, then Southern
Know Nothings at least, and the editor of the Times
knows it, would cut loose from the Union as soon as he
j would. VVe opine, however, that ho is still laboring for tho
! separation of the States, and hence his desire to take posi
’ tion on the Georgia Platform, once a stench in his nostrils.
Should the North resist the admission mt Kansas as a Slave
State, then he would hope to realize his long desired
dream, —the dissolution of the Union.
While we deny that we are “laboring for the sepa
ration of the States,” we boldly avow our purpose to
advooate a “dissolution of the Union,” “should the
North resist the admission of Kansas as a slave State.”
We Infer that the Republican would not, and are now
convinced that in the advocacy of the Georgia Platform
in 1850 it was praoticing a trick upon the people of
Georgia, as charged at tho time by the Southern
Rights party.
We have never allowed ourselves to doubt but that
the vilest submissions in the South would “cut loose
| from the Union” as soon as we would, should a cause
! arise, justifying, in his opinion, the dissolution of the
Government. Suoh is not our complaint of the Know
Nothings of the Union Degree. W© set forth that
the people of Georg - I —"'letrm Convention, rledc-ed
even to a disruption of tho Union
certain actions of the General Government, among
which was the refusal of Congress to admit a State
into the Union because of slavery. We showed that
such an emergency would probably arise in the case of
Kansas within the two next years, and denounced
the third or Union degree because the members of that
degree took a solemn oath to “uphold, maintain and
defend the Union; to discountenance every attempt,
coming from any and every quarter , to destroy or sub
vert it, or to weaken its bonds.”
Instead of denying that we correotly published the
oath of the third degree, the Republican , like the Lou
isville Journal, justifies and defends the oath as emi
nently right and proper, and still has the hardihood to
assert that the Know Nothing of the Union Degree
“would cut loose from the Union as soon as we would,
should a case arise, justifying the dissolution of the
Government.” Perhaps he w’ould, but the brand of
purjury would blaze in his forehead like the mark
God set on Cain, for he swears to “uphold, maintain
and defend the Union ; to discountenance every attempt,
coming from any and every quarter , whioh is designed
or calculated to destroy orsubvert it, or weaken its
bonda/’
We can very well understand that if all the aboli
tionists of the North were members of the Union De
gree and all the pro-slavery men of the South were also
members of the Union Degree, that it would be per
fectly consistent for the Northern brethren to abolish
slavery in the States, and for the Southern brethren to
submit, for the dread of dissolution would be removed
from the Northern brethren by the oath of the Southern
brethren to “discountenance every attempt, coming
from any and every quarter, which is designed or cal
culated to destroy or subvert it or to weaken its bonds/’
Cannot the Republican understand this position ?
Then, the editors, we will not say have less “oapaoity’’
than we gave them credit for, but are tighter bound by
the oaths of the Know Nothings than we supposed.
Whether our capacity be greater or smaller is a
matter of little consequence, so far as this issue is con
cerned. This we know, that this third degree is a
bombshell in the Order, and that all Know Nothings in
this sectiou, with whom we have conversed on the sub
jeot, profess to abhor and spit upon it, and if it is forced
upon them by their Savannah brethren will break the
order to pieces, and if Kansas is refused admission into
the Union, “because of slavery,” will join us in the ef
fort to “realize (our) long desired dream—the dissolu
tion of the Union.’’ See the prsceedings of the meet
ing of citizens of this place on Saturday night last.
Three-fourths of those who participated in the meeting
were Know Nothings.
One word to our Know Nothing Southern Rights
friends. It is not time to quit an organization which
inculcates the submission sentiments contained in the
above extract from the Savannah Republican. Is it
tolerable that one of your brother Kdow Nothings
should taunt us with being a disuuiouists, because we
counsel resistance, even to a dissolution of the LTnion,
should Kansas be refused admittance to the Union be
cause of slavery ? Are we not all Disunionist in this
Bense ? If not, what was your meeting Saturday night
but a cheat and a lie. “Put him out.”
Mr. Mason. —Private letters received by the Baltic ,
announce the return to Paris, from Nice, of Mr. Mason,
our Minister to the Court of France.
Fire in Natchez. —There was an extensive fire in
Natchez on the 18th inst, caused by the burning of the large
and well-known “Natchez Foundry,*’ owned by Maurice
Lisle.
Virginia Election.
It is with no ordinary feelings of gratitude that we
announce the election of Honry A. Wise as the Gov
ernor of Virginia, the election, in ? all probability, of 12 out
of the 13 members of Congress, and that the Legisla
ture of the State is largely Democratic, which seoures
the election of a Democratic U. S. Senator to Congress.
This is the first contest in whioh the, so called, Ameri
can party has locked horns with the Southern Demoo •
raoy and the result of the fight has been to drive the
Northern bull to his native pastures beyond tho Po
tomao.
We have reported majorities from sixty-three counties
which give Wise 3,255 over Flournoy, as follows:
WISE’S MAJORITIES.
Greensville, .170 Madison, 565
Isle of VV right 507 Orange, 38
Prince George, 280 Prince William,.... .417
Southampton, *. .80 Rappahannock. 9
Sussex, 295 Spottsylvama, 14
Caroline, -40 Stafford, 100
Chesterfield ...560 Berkeley, 5
Goochland, ....169 Clarke, 34
Hanover 200 Frederick 135
King William, 280 Page, 961
Louisa, 150 Warren, 229
Brunswick, 350 Rockingham, 2,200
Charlotte, 25 Shenandoah, 2,000
Dinwiddie, 252 Marion, 704
Lunenburg, 200 Tyler,. 50
Mecklenburg, 400 Harrison, 100
Prince Edward, 77 Montgomery, 125
Appomattox,...... .267 Roanoke, 292
Franklin, 150 Pulaski, .50
Halifax, 575 Wythe, 200
FLOURNOY’S MAJORITIES.
Williamsburg, 17 Alexandria, 494
Charles City, 85 Culpeper, 35
Nansemond, 150 Fairfax, 100
Norfolk City 420 Fauquier 90
Norfolk Cos., 200 Lowdon, 1,328 t
Henrico, 212 Augusta, 1,300
Richmond City, 978 Pendleton, 500
Cumberland, 25 Brooke, 174
I Campbell, 619 Marshall, .500
Pittsylvania, 350 Ohio, 700
Albemarle, 144 W00d,... .........600
Buckingham, 70
Alabama Matters.
There are four candidates for Congress in the Seoond
Congressional Distriot. Col. E. S. Shorter is the most
prominent candidate and will probably be elected, as
both the Democratic, Southern Rights and anti-Know
Nothing vote will probably center upon him. His op
ponents are Alford, of Pike, Robinson, of Butler, and
Crenshaw, of Conecuh.
Col. Seth Mabry has probably been elected Major
General of the Southern division. lie resides in Bar
bour county. His opponents were A. Seale, of Macon,
and M. C. Browder, of Barbour county.
Judge Sam F. Rice is mentioned in the Spirit of
the South as a suitable person to be run for the Senate
of the Uuited States. He is a man of decided ability.
Hon. Geo. W. Williams has been elected Judge of
Probate in Henry county. A good selection.
More Rain.-— On Monday, 28th, we were again
visited by a shower of rain. The crops in this section
are a little backward, but decidedly promising.
Constitutional Amendments in Massachusetts. —
i The vote on the amendments to the Constitution is
I very light, but the returns iudicate that all have been
I adopted. The amendments proposed establish the plu
| rality system ; change the day of the State election in
the Presidential years; provide for tho eleotion of
councillors in districts by the people ; the eleotion of all
State offioera by the people, and prohibits appropriations
of the public money to support sectarian sohools.
Democratic Meeting in Muscogee.
We bespeak for the resolutions of this meeting, the se
rious consideration of every Democrat who reads our pa
per. They are worthy of their draughtsman, Judge
Iverson, and the unselfish and high-toned policy which
they commend is worthy of the character of the party.
It was with deep regret that we learn that certain gentle
men, once favorably known as Demociats in Columbus,
after withdrawing from the ranks of their old friends,
should have claimed a participation in the oounoils of a
party to which they had made themselves and
enemies. is nothing in the Democratic senti
ment—nothing in its cardinal principles that will force us
to regard Know Nothingism not only as incongruous,
but irreconcilable with the whole scope and essence of
Democracy, then do we confess that we have mistaken
the pew that for so long a time we have occupied most
devoutly. The Muscogee meeting would not have been
such a meeting of the Democratic party, had it allowed
this commingling of adverse elements, as would have
had a binding authority upon us.Forsome who advocated
in that assemblage the policy of a fusion of K. Nothings
Vv’ith Democrats, we entertain the most profound respect
and regard. It has been a pleasure and pride heretofore
to act with them, and we have been so confiding in their
patriotism as to believe they could hardly do wrong or
mistake the right. But when they call on us to believe ;
that a national organization, fettered and spied upon, as I
the Know Nothings are, bound by awful oaths to abide I
by what the majority shall decide, as we hear the Order i
is—we say, when we are importuned by these friends to
believe that this new party can possibly aid us on the
slavery issue, we must demur. So far from it, that very I
organization is the great stumbling block in our way at j
this very hour to a complete fusion of all other parties ]
in Georgia for our common defence. The Kuow Noth- j
ings cannot, if they would, pledge an unconditional sup* ;
port to our oause, their cause, the cause of the South, so
long as there is honor in men and so long as an oath is a
tie that binds a gentleman. This is too plain to argue
about. We say all this upon the postulate that a chain of
intercommunication and obligation holds all the Lodges
together, and if it be a fact that he will support the can*
didate of a majority of his party. If this is all true, how
plain, how inevitable is the inference, that a Southern
Know Nothing can do Nothing in aid of his brethren
here, who are fighting for life and death a majority of his
! party to which ho is held by hooks of steel. It is too
j plain an implication to allow any one to mistake,
j As desirable as the union of all true hearts in our State
| really is at this critical juncture, we must think our friends
! in Muscogee did right in rejecting in a peremtory man
ner, all connection with so hurtful an incumbrance as K.
Nothing help. We have some weeks ago taken open i
ground in favor of the most important suggestions of the !
Muscogee resolutions, and we will take an early opportu- j
nity next week of expressing ourselves more fully.— At- j
la/ita Intelligencer.
(From the Platte Argus extra.)
Arrival of Col. Vaughn—War Declared by 3,000
Indians.
St. Joseph, May 10.
Col. Vaughn. Indian agent from Fort Pierre, arrived
in town yesterday evening. He states that the Indians
on the plains are in a very unsettled condition ; in fact,
assuming a hostile attitude. The Black Feet, Apaches,
and |Sioux, Manacunques, Sansare, and Yanctnos, bau
ded in a mighty host, and scoffing existing treaties, have
unburied the hatchet, and bid defiance to the powers that
be. These tribes combined with the Brulays and Ogala
! lies of the Piatte, numbering at a small calculation, three
thousand warriors, have thrown up fortifications on Dra
ming Bull, at the source of Grand River, and are not
only ready but anxious to meet any force that the Gov
ernment may send against them !—emboldened by the
ease which they massacred our soldiers in the late skir
mishes, and remarking the terror ever since manifested
by the whites in their necessary intercourse with them,
and are scoffing at the power of the United State# to dis
charge them of their s rong hold. The Asinabianes, Ric
caries, and Mandatnes, having fear the four new re
giments before their eyes, have told their agent, Col.
Vaughn, in Council, that they will not only aid and abet,
but furnish materia) BK#is!anc# in iubduing their refrac
tory brethren.
Meeting at Temperance Hall.
Saturday Evening, May 26, 1855.
Agreeably to previous notice, aa unusually large num
ber of our fellow citizens, irrespective of ail party consid
erations, met at Temperance Hall.
On motion, Wm.H. Mitchell, Esq. was called to the
Chair, and Davenport P. Ellis, E.sq. requested to act as
Secretary. The object of the meeting being explained by
the Chairman/
On motion of Gen. James N. Bethune, the chairman
appointed as a committee to draft and report suitable sub
ject matter for the consideration of the meeting:
Col. John Woolfolk, Col. Seaborn Jones,
Mai. S. A. Wales, Dr. S. A. Billing
R. M. Gunby, Col. Van Leonard,
Dr. Henry Lockhart, David J. Barber,
Wm. F. Luckie, James C. Cook,
S. R. Andrews, Hon. Hines Holt,
Wm. Dougherty, Esq. Maj. Jno. H. Howard,
B. Y. Martin, Esq. James A. Bradford,
\ R. L. Mott, Charles Cleghorn,
Sam’l Rutherford, Joseph B. Hill,
Thomas 0. Douglass.
i The Committee returned alter a short absence, and ro
| ported to the meeting for its action, tho following
PREAMBLE AND RESOLUTIONS,
j Whereas, the history of the past has convinced us, that we
; whose interest aud affection attach us to the South, have
; nothing to hope but every thing to fear at the hands of the
i political organizations of the Non. Slavehelding Stales,
i from’the spirit of Abolitionism which, to a large and fear
ful extent, pervades and controls all of them: Andjwhereas,
the action of these States upon the question of slavery con
clusively shows that a large majority of the people thereof
are actuated by one common sentiment of hostility to the
institutions of the South: And whereas, the gallant band
of Patriots within those States who are friends to the South
and faithful to the Constitution, and whom we remember
with gratitude, have been routed, disbanded and almost an
nihilated, we believe the exigency imperatively requires us
to be one people and one party. Therefore, be it Resolv
ed—
1. That we hold the American Union secondary in im
portance only to the rights and’principlesjit was designed to
perpetuate. That past associations, present fruition, and
future prospects, will bind us to it so long as it continues to
be the safeguard of those rights and principles.
2. That the State of Georgia,in the judgment of this
meeting, will and ought to resist, even (as a last resort) to a
disruption of every tie which binds her to tho Union, any
action of Congress upon the subject of Slavery
in the District of Columbia, or in places subject to
I the jurisdiction of Congress, incompatible with the safety,
j domestic tranquility, the rights and honor of the slavehold
ing States; or .any act suppressing the slave trade between
the slaveholding States; or any refusal to admit as a
State any territory hereafter applying, because of the exis
tence of slavery therein; or any act prohibiting the in*
I troduction of slaves into the territories of Utah and New
Mexico; .or any act repealing or materially modifying
the laws in force for the recovery of fugitive slaves.
3. That,in the opinion of this meeting, the time has ar
rived when our fellow-citizens should cease from their dis
sensions, and forget the differences which have separated
them; and that a common danger and common enemy
should unite us for our common defence and safety.
4. That wo hereby repudiate all fellowship and ‘ connec
tion with the present national political organizations, or
any that may he hereafter formed, unless based upon the
principles and policy of the foregoing resolutions; and re
commend to our fellow citizens of each county of all
classes, whether native or naturalized, without distinction
of party, to assemble together, and send delegates to Mil
ledgeville on the 4th of July next, for the purpose of nom
inating a candidate for Governor, and framing and pub
lishing a basis of action upon which we may all stand and
all co-operate.
5. That we hereby respectfully request the Democratic
aud whig parties to postpone a nomination for Governor,
and to call upon the people of the State, without distinc
tion of party, to meet together in their primary assemblies,
to select delegates to make a nomination for Governor,
who shall be the of the People and not of a
Party.
And he it further resolved, That the chairman appoint a
committee of seven, to transmit a copy of the proceedings
of this meeting to the several counties in this State.
Messrs. Thomas Ragland, James N. Bethune, A. S.
Rutherford, John A. Jones,F. M. Brooks, James K. Redd,
and John I. Ridgeway, were appointed that committee.
The meeting was addressed by Hon. James Johnson,
John A. Jones, Esq., and Hon. Hines Holt, with their usu
al ability and fairness, in support of the preamble and reso*
lutions.
The preamble and resolutions were then voted upon by
the meeting and heartily adopted—there being but one dis
senting voice.
It was further Resolved, That the proceedings of the
meeting be signed by the Chairman and Secretary, and
copies be furnished to the editors of the city papers, with a
request to publish the same.
On motion, the meeting then adjourned.
WM. ii. MITCHELL, Chairman.
D. P. Ellis, Secretary.
Maj. John H. Howard, who was one of the committee
to draft the above resolutions, and who being absent from
home did not see them until after their adoption, suggests
to the committee that the Know Nothings be also request
ed to make no nomination for Governor: Which is con
curred in by the undersigned:
Sam’l Rutherford, Van Leonard,
Thus. O. Douglass, John Woolfolk,
B. Y. Martin, S. A. Wales,
Wm. F. Luckie, D. J. Barber,
R. M. Gunby, R. L. Mott.
J. C. Cook, Seaborn Jones,
John H. Howard/ J. A. Bradford,
Charles Cleghorn, J. B. Dili,-
S. R. Andrews, Henry Lockhart.
S. A. Billing,
William Doughertyr absent from the city.
The Massachusetts Nullification Act.
i In this nullification bill we find:
1. The bill of habeas corpus in behalf of fugitive slaves
and a trial by jury.
2. Heavy lines and the State prison for five years against
any person who shall attempt to carry off, unlawfully, or
come into the State for the purpose of so carrying off, an
alleged fugitive slave, who is no fugitive accordinjfto Mas*
sachusetts law.
3. No State officer allowed to do anything in behalf of
the return of a fugitive to his master. Judge Loring corn- :
pel led expressly to resigu his office of United States Com
missioner or his office of Judge under the State.
4. State officers who may aare to assist in arresting, im
prisoning, or detaining a fugitive slave, are subject to heavy
lines and the State prison.
5. Closes the jails and prisons .'of the State against the ,
act of Congress in to fugitive slaves.
This act is now in operation, lit nullifies an act of Con- ;
gress—it repudiates the obligations of the constitution—it
is rank sedition. When the most solemn compacts are
thus brazenly set at defiance, to what can we look but se
cession and pdisunion? A fearful crisis is upon us when
such things as this Massachusetts nullification bill are pas
sed by a two thirds vote.— New York Herald.
Negotiations of Gen. Gadsden—Santa Anna in the
Field against Highwaymen.
Washington, May 17.
A bearer of despatches from General Gadsden, is en
gaged in a negotiation, in conformity with his instructions,
for a commercial treaty, and lor the paymeDt of a large
sum due our citizens from the Mexican government on
1 account of spoliations and other injuries, since the date
of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. We learn that
Santa Anna was m the saddle and facing his enemies on
the 14th ultimo., instead of being sick in bed, as his ene
mies reported through the press of the United States.
lie has gone on another expedition to the pass of Chel
pinzenigo to clear the public roads on the way of the
bands of highway robbers iufecting them, and acting in
the name and under the protection of Alvarez. These
bands scatter and abscond on his approach, and can sel
dom be brought to a conflict. Beyond the pass which I
named, Santa Anna cannot go, as I suppose, without
much danger, for it is a long and narrow defile, in which
he might be, with his troops, cut off.
Isthmus of Suez.
The State Department at Washington has received in
formation that the V iceroy of Egypt ha* adopted the pro
ject to cut through the Isthmus of Suez, aDd to constitute
a universal company for the performance of the work, in
which capitalists of all nations may take part. The pro
posed canal will shorten the commercial highway from
New York to the ludian oee ip §,439 league*.
Summary oi the News.
The sixth California adjourned on the Ist of May after
a session of 120 days, during which time numerous ber
efieial and highly popular laws h;,ve been enacted 1-
Among these is one prohibiting gambling throughout tho
State, under the most stringent principles. Vigorous at
tempts, both by influence and money,’ have been mads
to procure the repeal or modification of this law but to no
purpose. Another bill for the construction of a wa<n>n
road from Sacramento to Carson Valley has also passed
both branches of the Legislature. The bill which passed
the Senate, exculpating Me : ggs, the defaulter, provided
he should make his appearance iu California within one
year, and expose his confederates in villainy, did not be
come a law. Anew charter foj the city of San Francis
co passed both brant lies of the Legislature.
The Senatorial question still remains unsettled, and
California will remain partially unrepresented for another
year.
The Know Nothings are to be represented by an
in San Francisco,entitled The Citizen ; the prospectus has
been published, and the paper will shortly be issued.
Preparations were being made for a grand school cele
bration in San Francisco on the Ist of May.
The question of the division o! California into three Con
gressional Districts, was agitated at the close of the ses
sion, but no definite result was obtained in relation to* tho
matter. This will doubtless be a leading question in tho
next Legislature-
The bill extending the Statute of Limitations five year*
was signed by the Governor ou the 13th inst.
- 1* ;r -
From Washington.
Appointments by the President—Patent Cases De
cided.
Washington, May 25.
The Union of this morning announces the following
army appointments :—Brevet Mf-jor Sedgwick, Major of
Cavalry, vice McCullough, declined : Brevet Major Robt.
S. Garnett, Major Ninth Infantry, vice Bcnham decli
ned.
,J udge Moreell to-day confirmed the decision of Com
missioner Mason in favor of K. C. Salisbury, versus Ste
j yens. President, and Van Rensselaer, Superintendent, of
| the Camden and Amboy Railroad Company. This de
cision secures to Salisbury a patent for excluding duit
from Railroad cars.
From Boston.
Arrest of Hotel Landlords-in Boston for Violations
of the New Liquor Law.
* Boston, May 25.
In the Police Court to-day, Moses Williams, Parsn
Stevens, Lewis Rice, Ilarvty D. Parker, Samuel Q.
Cochran, and John Corthell, prominent landlords—all li
quor dealers—were arraigned under the new law. Tho
government witnesses not being present, the several ea
ses were postponed till Tuesday next.
The Pro-Slavery Ticket Elected in every District.
St. Louis, May 24, 1855.
Q A despatch from Kansas says:—The Leavenworth dis
trict pro-slavery ticket is elected by sixty one majority,
aud pro*slavery men are elected in every district.
Opposition to Know Nothings in Warren.
At a preliminary meeting, held in the town of Warren
ton, on the 24th inst., it was
Resolved, That all those opposed to that secret order,
called Know Nothings, in this county, be requested to
meet in tho town of Warrenton, on the second Tue day
in June next, for the purpose of holding a meeting of ail
the citizens in this county, opposed to said organization,
without distinction of party.
M. 11. “Wellborn, Cbm’n.
Andrew Jackson, Secretary.
Death of a Former Citizen of Georgia.
We perceive, with regret, the following, under tbo
Obituary head of the N. Y. Journal of Commerce of the
23d inst.
Died, On the 22d instant, at the residence of hisTm*
ther, Col. Casey, U. S. A., in Oxford street Brooklyn,
Thos. G. Casey, Esq., in the 56tb year of his age. 11?
remains will be taken this evening to Rhode Island for in*
terment.
Mr. Casey, was for many years a citizen of Augusta,
and subsequent of Columbus, Ga. lie was au accom
plished gentleman and an intelligent and upright merchant,
and as such wa9 much admired and esteemed.
The Muscogee Democratic Meeting.
We have not room, to-day, for the very interesting
proceedings, and the forcible resolutions of the Muscogee
Democrats, adopted at their recent meeting. We will
endeavor to give place to them in our next weekly. The
resolutions adopted were presented by the lion. Alfred
Iverson, and passed unanimously. Prior to their pustaae,
a point of order was raised by Senator Iverson, whether
a Know Nothing was entitled to participate in the pro
ceedings, though claiming to be a democrat. Pending
the discutsion, Mr. John A. Jones, and a few other Know-
Nothings, withdrew from tho meeting.— Con. R'p-
Tilh.
American Nomination for Governor of Maine.
Augusts, Me.. May 25, 1855.
The Know Nothing State Council ol Maine, in
in this city, yesterday nominated Samuel C. Gage, of Au
gusta, as their candidate for Governor. One thousand del
egates were present.
Resignation of the French Minister of War.
M. De L’Huys, French Minister'of Foreign
has resigned, and Count Welenski (?) has been appointed
in his place.
CH
Lewis Sanders Noble, a soldier of the Revolution, and
a trooper in Marion’s legion, died recently in Clinch coun
ty, Ga., Bged 104 years.
The Wheat Crop of Michigan. —The Detriot Demo*
erat states that the sight of the wheat fields in the north l
ern part of the State is. perfectly glorious. The breadth
sown is unusually great, and the staple is a deep green,
almost to blackness, rank, strong, thick and high. W i;h
all allowance for casualties, it may be most confidently
predicted that the wheat crop will he most unusually
abundant and excellent.
Drought and Crops in Florida. —A letter from an ex
tensive commercial house in Tallahassee, under date of the
21st, states : “The drought in the western part of our
State is woful—can wade the Chattahoochee river at its
junction with the Flint river. The wells thereabouts arc
dry and people find it difficult to supply their stock. In
“Old Lion” wo are more highly favored—crops look fine.
On Saturday’ last we had a fine rain in this city, which
continued for three hours.” — Sac. Journal , 2S ih.
Eleven Hundred Tons. —The President of the Mont
gomery & West Point Railroad Company,we understand,
has purchased eleven hundred tons of an excellent T iron;
three hundred of which will be laid almost immediately,
I and the balance sometime during next fa!!. The aggre
gate will lay about 14 miles, and the smaller quantity ui 11
I enable the company to replace the defective flat rails with
bars which, though old, are not injured.
It is the intention of the company to make additional
purchases and continue the work of relaving as rapidly
as possible.— Montgomery Mail, 22rf.
Seventh Congressional District of Alabama. —We learn
from a slip from the Watehtower office, that on the ITth
inst. the Hon. S.W.Harris was renominated a candidate ior
Congress, by acclamation, in the Democratic Convention
for the Seventh Congressional District of Alabama.
Santa Anna, it is said b\ r writers from Havana, has
made a tender of naval aid from Mexico to Gen. Concha
in case of any actual war difficulty between Spain and the
United States, and hence the arrival of the steamer Santa
Anna on the 6th inst.
True Generosity.— The Marietta (Ohio 1 ’ Advocatesa’ -
that many tanners in that section have refused to sell their
corn to speculators at Si 40, and have chosen to divide r
among their poorer neighbors at SI per bushel. Such f
nevolene* deserves to be recorded.