The Times & sentinel tri-weekly. (Columbus, Ga.) 1855-1858, December 05, 1855, Image 2

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(Times mtir Smtitul. columbus, Georgia! WEDNESDAY MORNING, DEC, 5. Prohibitory .Legislation. Opposition to the traffic in ardent spirits was a very important feature in the last canvass. The advocates of prohibition must have been uniformly unsuccessful, or success has mado them indifferent to the cause they professed to have so much at heart during the canvass. Except the bill of Nichols of Clinch, making it penal to sell or distribute liquor on election day, and the bill es Matthews of Houston, giving Justices of the Infe rior Courts discretionary power in issuing licenses, we do not now remember that any action has been taken on the subject of the retail of ardent spirits by the General Assembly. Some excuse may be found for this inaction on the part of the professed friends of tem perance in the inherent difficulties of the subject. In our Government it is impossible to enforce laws which are in opposition to, or in advance of public sentiment, even if they oould be pressed through the Legislature. This, however, is not the only difficulty in the way of prohibitory legislation. Temperance is confessedly a moral reform, and to insure success to the movement something more than external pressure is needed. To these causes we attribute the disinclination of the South ern people to prohibitory legislation, and the very poor success which is said to have attended it in the North ern States. The obstacles in the way of the Temper’ anceßefoim by Prohibitory laws are, therefore, inhe rent, and no wise legislator will venture to cumber the statute book with them. What then ? Shall we stand still ar.d do nothing to arrest an evil which is more injurious to public health and morals than war, pestilence and famine combined ? Can nothing be done to arrest it by the Legislature ? We think somewhat may be accomplished by pendent legislation to mitigate the evil, for the present, and grad ually to exterminate it, but not before the pulpit, the press and the school house have elevated the tone of public morals very far above its present level. High taxes on licenses will diminish the number of groggeries, and thereby remove the temptation to get drunk from country people and from the lower order of city residents, and from the youth of the land and our slave population. This would be a long step in the right direction ; and we are surprised that this cosy and con stitutional remedy is not pressed with more vigor by the friends of temperance. Liquor shops in cities are very great nuisances, bul they do not do half the harm of cross road doggeries. Residents of cities are in daily contact with temptation. They drink a great deal, it is true, but very seldom get drunk, and when they do, they are not so violent and uproarious as country people. Tho reason is obvious. Their systems become inured to the poisou by eontinu’ ed repetition of the dose. Not so with country people. I* or months they are out of the reach of temptation ; but when they do visit the district groggery they ‘‘go it blind lose all control of themselves ; beoorne irrita ble and contentious ; get into fights ; and often kill each other. The inferior quality of the liquor sold at cross roads and low city doggeries may have something to do with this singular manifestation ; but it is very proba ble that long continued übstinence from stimulants is the chief cause. Another good effect of high taxes upon retail licen ses is the improvement of character on the part of those who retail. This would be a very strong safeguard to the youth of the country and the negro population.— Add to the tax on licenses a discretionary power in the Court to grant or withhold licenses at pleasure, espe cially when the character of the applicant is not good, and the cheek on the lower class of doggeries would be almost complete. Another check is also much needed. No license should he granted for a less lime than one year, and transfers of licenses ought to be sternly prohibited. Add to these checks the prohibition suggested by Nichols of Clinch, and we think all will he done to re strain intemperance that can be safely attempted in the present temper of the publio mind, unless it be to pun’ ish public drunkenness as a crime. Education ior the People. Messrs. Editors.— l send you a bill reported by Lewis of Hancock “to provide for the education of the youth of Georgia in tho rudiments of an English edu cation. ’’ You will oblige me by publishing it in full.— It is in my estimation the most important measure now pending before the General Assembly. It is a source of profound mortifica lion to eve ry patriotic eitizeuofthe State that there are 40,000 free in Ga.who are unable to read or write, and that this large number of Know Nothings are yearly increasing. It would be a great deal better if the people would educate them selves ; but they have shown by one hundred years ex perience that the people of Georgia are either unvvil ling or unable to perform this great work. When it is considered that this largo amount of ignorance is fc-lt and represented in tho jury box, in the hall of the Le gislature, it evidently is a matter of pressing necessity that some adequate remedy should be provided by law for this great and growing evil. The bill of Mr. Lew is, if adopted, will meet the necessities of Georgia, and in a very few years dispell the Egyptian darkness which covers the land. I will keep you advised of the pro’ gross of the bill. In the mean time 1 commend the bill to the consideration of your readers. Your Milledgeville Correspondent. a BILL To be entitled an act to provide for the Education of the youth of Georgia in the rudiments of au English Edu cation. Section Ist. Be it enacted, That at the next gener al election for county officers, there shall be elected in each and every county in this State, by the legal voters, two Superintendents of Education, who shall hold their offices for four years, or until their successors are elected and qualified, who, together with the Ordinary of the county, shall be, and are hereby constituted a body cor porate and politic for the supervision and encouragement of education, in each county in the State, with power to sue aud be sued, and to have and to hold ali real aud per sonal estate which may be given, granted, or bequeathed to them, and their successors iu office, for the purpose of education See. 2nd. Be it further enacted, fce., That it shall be tiie duty ol said Boards of Elucatiotj on the Monday in January of each year to assemble at the Court House of their respective counties, for the purpose of ex amining all such persons as may apply to them for a li cense to teach school in the r counties; it shall be the duty of said Board to issue licenses to all such, and those only, whom they shall find, after strict examination, to be com petent to teach Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, English Grammar aud Geography ; said Board shall keep a dock et containing the names of all persons whom thev may license to teach, aud the dates of their licenses ; for each license granted they may charge dollars. Bc. Jrd. Be it further euacted, &c, That it shall be the du y of all licensed teachers iu * very county iu the Biate, ou or before the day of of each and tvery year, to make return, on oath, to sail B tards of Education, the names, and places of resideno.- of all their pupils, and their parents or guardians, who are taught the br; nches of English education, enumerated in the second sect on of this act, in their schools, and in those r inches only ; the length of time taught and the amount of tuition fees due for the said pupils. It shall be the duty es said Board of Education to meet at the Court Houses of their respective counties on the day of of each and every year, to audit s; id accounts ; if doubts shall arise as to the accuracy aud justness of said accounts they shall have power to sum men aud examine witnesses ; if they shall find them cor rect, they shall approve them and draw an order for their payment upon the Tax Collectors of their respective coun tis in favor of said teachers or their order ; if they shall and fapprove of them, they shall reject them. Bee. 4th. Be it further enacted, &c., That if any li censed teacher shall charge and collect tuition fees trom the citizens of this state for teaching the branches of En gl.sh education enumerated iu the second section of this act, he or they shall forfeit his or their licenses, and be subject to an indictment for misdemeanor, and on convic tion shall be fined in a sum not less than one hundred, nor more than five hundred dollars. Sec. sth. Be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of said Board of Education, on or before the day of of each and every year, to transmit to the Executive office a certified list of all the pupils in their respective counties who have beeu returned as provided for iu the third section of this act. — Upon receipt of said lists, it shall be the duty of the Gov ernor for the time being to consolidate said lists, and, upon ascertaining the amount due to the lieecsed teachers for tuition fees as aforesaid, to assess a tax upon the Btate tax of each couiry in the State of sufficient amount to pay the tuition fees due the licensed teachers in said county as aforesaid, provided the 6ame does not exceed one hun dred per cent, upon the State tax ; and if said assessment shall not raiae a sufficient amount ol money to pay the tuition fees of all the licensed teachers in the St te, the Governor shall make a further assessment upon the gen eral State tax of sufficient amount to pay the same in full, without reference to counties; provided, moreover, that no county in the State shall be taxed more than one hun dred per cent, on the State tax. The tax assessors and collectors of each and every county in the State shall as -Bess and collect, and account for the same as for other State taxes. Sec. 6*h. Be it further enacted, &c., That when the taxes collected in any county in the State for educational purposes are insufficcnt to pay orders of the Board of Ed ucat on, in their respective counties, for tuition fees as aforesaid, said orders shall be presented and paid at the Treasury of the State. S“c. 7th. Be it further enacted, &e., That the orders of the Boards of Education paid by Tax Coll ctors shall be received as cash from the Tax Collectors of the different counties of the State in the settlement of their accounts with the State Treasury and shall be accounted for as cash. Sec Bth. Be it further enacted, &c., That the preseut Poor School system is hereby abolished, and the Poor Sehool funds of the State are hereby me ged in the com mon fund of the State, and may he used in the payment of the ordinary expenses of Government. Sec. 9th. Be it further enacted, &c., That this system of common school education shall take effect from and after the first day of January, 185 Seo. 10th. Be it further enacted, &e., That all laws and parts of laws militating against the provisions of this act are hereby repealed. “Ware-House” Set Right. In your weekly issue of the 27th November, is a com munication signed “Ware-House,” in which Mr. Ren froe, Senator from Chattahoochee, is taken to task for the verbiage of a bill introduced by him into the Senate whioo is reported by your correspondent to be “a bill to prevent Ware-Housemen in the city of Columbus from charging storage to planters after the sale of their cotton,” and suggesting that “to mako his bill effective, he should substitute buyer for Ware-Houseman” in his bill. By reference to the bill introduced by the Senator from Chattahoochee, we find that we have not reported its provisions accurately. The first section of the bill is in these words : “ Be it enacted , cj-c.—lt shall be unlawful for any Ware-house man, or those employed by them, or Cot ton Buyers , to charge and exact of farmers, or others, ny storage upon cotton that has already been sold and disposed of by the farmer or his agent.” The second section of the bill makes it a misdemean or, punishable by a fine of twenty dollars per bale, for every bale upon which storage is so charged. We hope this explanation wiil satisfy your correspon dent “Ware-House” that the Senator from Chattahoo chee knows what he is about, and that his bill is broad enough to cover the whole supposed evil it is intended to remedy. We will further add that in our brief reports of the Bubst|j}ce of the various bills introduced in*o the two Houses it is impossible for us in the limited space allow ed us to give a bare outline of the more important fea tures. Please publish the foregoing and oblige your Milledgeville Correspondent. Private and Local Legislation. dn your tri-weekly of the 30th ult., after giving an account of a “local and private bill/’ which we intended to be a burlesque upon this kind of Legislation, you make us say “such legislation is indispensable .” Please insert the word intolerable in place of “indispensable, ’’ and oblige your Milledgeville Correspondent. Accident to Gen’l Bethnne. We are deeply pained to announce that, on Monday last, a Rerious accident was sustained by Gen’l James N. Bethune, Editor of the “Corner Stone.” He was returning home from a visit to his brother, residing be low the city, and when near Col. Woolfolk’s plantation, the horse he was driving took fright from some cause, and began to kick furiously, during which the General received two or three terrible blows, fracturing a leg badly, and otherwise bruising his person. Although severely fraetured, it is however hoped that amputation of the limb will not be found necessary. The Georgia Annudl Conference of the M. E. Church J w : ll be held this year in LaGrange, commencing on the 12th of December. Appointed. —Seymour R. Bonner and Michael N. Clarke, of Columbus, Ga., have been appointed by the Government, IT. S. Commissioners for Georgia, to take testimony in relation to judicial matters in other States. The Know Nothings of Sumter lately elected a Justice of the Peaoe in that county. The Americus Republi can considers it a ticlory. A d : spateh from Washington states that no decision respecting the three million drafts drawn by Santa Anua upon the Mexican Government has yet been made, and it is believed none will be made at present. Death of an Old Citizen. —The Hon. Henry V. Chamberlain, an aged and honond eitiznof Mobile, died there on Saturday evening last, hav ng attained to his 79th year. Democratic Convention. —The 1 8th of December is the day proposed fur the Democratic Convention to assemble at Milledgeville to appoint delegates to the Cincinnati National Convention. The yellow fever still prevails sightly in Canton, Miss. Two or three new cases made their appearance there last week.— Mobile Register , 2 d. Georgia Legislature. SENATE. Milledgeville, Dec. 1. The Senate met at 10 o’clock A. M. The journal of yesterday was read. Miller of moved to rec onsider the action of the Senate on the bill to incorporate the Athens Banking company. After a lengthy discussion of two hours, the motion prevailed: yeas 43, nays 41. Upon a call cf counties the following new matter was introduced : Adams of Clay: A bill to allow James T. Boyd, a rr.i nor, of the county of Randolph, to lake charge of his estate. Chastain of Fannin : A bill to prevent tho obstruction of the free passage of fish in Toccoa river. Cone of Greene: A bill to incorporate a bank to be call ed the Bank of Greensboro. Also, a bill to incorporate the town of Greensboro. Fambro of Upson : A bill to compel the Superintendent of the Western and Atlantic Railroad to sell all old iron, et cetera, which become useless on said Road at public outcry. Also, a resolution calling upon the Executive for information as to the amount of iron sold, to whom, and at what price, by the Superintendent of the Western and At lantic Railroad since last session. Hays of Early: A bill to give State aid to the South- Western Railroad company, to the amount of $500,000, on certain conditions. King of Sumter: A bill to make adultery on the part of the wife work a forfeiture of dower; and abandonment for three years on the part of the husband work a forfeiture ol all interest in the wife’s property. Lawton of Dougherty: A resolution requiring the call of counties to be made only on Tuesdays and Fridays. Long of Glynn: A resolution inquiring of the House if they can not adjourn on the 12th December; which was taken up and passed Murphy ofDeKalb: A bill changing a precinct in De- Kalb county. Sims of Decatur: A bill to incorporate the “Southern Bank ol Georgia,” to be located at Bainbridge, Ga. Ware of Polk : A resolution requesting the Governor to furnish a clock for the use of the Senate. The bill making changes in county lines was made the special order for Monday next. The Senate adjourned to 10 o’clock Monday morning. SENATE. Milledgeville, Dec. 3. The Senate met at 10 o’clock A. M. The President being absent, on motion of Lawson of B irke, Cone of Bullock was called to the chair. The journal ofSaturday was read and approved. Lawson of Burke, stated that it would be out of the pow er cf the President of the Senate to be in his seat for several and lys, and at his motion, the Senate proceeded to the elec tion of a President pro tem. ; which resulted in the choice of Miller of Richmond, by an almost unanimous vote. The resolution of Lawton of Dougherty, requiring the call of counties to be made only on Tuesdays and Fridays, was taken up and adopted. Cone of Greene, as temporary chairman of the Judiciary committee, reported upon several bills which had been re ferred to that committee. Cone of Greene, Lawson of Burke, and Grant of Wal ton, were appointed a committee on weights of grain. The special order being the House bill to give the elec tion of the Attorney General and Solicitors General to the people, and to give to the .Courts the power to change names, legitimate children, change and establish precincts, and establish ferries and bridges, was taken up and con sidered. Murphy ofDeKalb, moved to amend the House bill by inserting that part of the act of the last session, which was stricken out in the House, taking away lrom the Legisla ture and giving to the Courts “power to grant corporate powers and privileges, except to Banking, Telegraph and Railroad companieswhich, after some discussion, was withdrawn.^ Spalding of Mclntosh, moved to strike out the 2d section of the bill conferring upon the Courts and taking away from the Legislature the power to change names, legitimate chil dren, &c., which motion was lost. The report of the committee was agreed to, and the bill as amended by the House, passed by a vote of yeas 73, nays 9. On motion of Atkinson of Camden, the rules were sus pended for the purpose of taking up all resolutions on the taDle of the Senate. The resolution of Atkinson of Camden, instructing our Senators and requesting our Representatives in Congress to urge up3n the Federal Government the importance of estab lishing a Naval depot at the port of Brunswick, was taken up. t Spalding of Mclntosh, moved tq amend the resolution by striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting the resolution offered by himself urging upon Congress the im portance of establishing a Naval depot on the coast of Georgia, and asking fora United Stages survey for that purpose, which motion was lost: yeas 27, nays 54. The resolution of Atkinson ol Camden, was then adopted. It was regarded by the friends of Brunswick as a decided triumph. The resolution of McDonald of Ware, fixing the hours of meeting of the Senate at 9 A. M. and 3 P. M., was laid on the table. The resolution of Wales of Muscogee, instructing the committee on the Judiciary to bring in a bill providing for the appointment of a public Administrator for each county, was adopted. The resolution of Pope of Wilkes, to refer that portion of the Governor’s Message relating to the Public Printing, to a committee ot one from each Congressional district, was adopted. The resolution of Peebles ofClarke, ins'ructjngthe com mittee on Internal Improvements to bring in a bill provid ing lor the sale of the State Railroad, was in definitely. The resoiution of McMillan of Habersham, providing fora committee to revise the constitution and laws of the State and report w’ at changes are necessary, was taken up. Cone of Greme, moved to amend by providing for the codification of the laws of the State. Resolution and I amendment were laid on the table lor the present. | The resolution of Sims of Decatur, proviiing ior the ap ; pointment of a committee to examine and leport upon the | State Road, was lost. The resolution of Swinnev of Kincha r oonee, instructing our Senators and Representatives in Congress to urge upon the Post Office Department the importance of establishing a two horse hack mail route from Americui to Eufaula, was adopted. ‘ Another resolution calling for a committee to examine the State Road,w’as postponed indefinitely. The resolution of Cone of Greene, altering the rules of the Senate, was postponed indefinitely. The resolution of Ware of Polk, instructing the Governor to furnish three copies of Cobb’s Forms to Folk county, was adopted. A resolution fixing the times cf meeting of the Senate at 9 o’clock A. M., and of adjournment at 2 o’clock P. M., was laid on the table for the balance of the session, alter much time consumed in its discussion. A resolution of Pope of Wilkes, limiting speeches to 15 minutes and Senators to one speech, except by consent, was postponed indefinitely. A resolution of Shropshire of Chattooga, instructing committees to report as soon as convenient, was, on motion of the mover, indefinitely postponed. Peebles of Clarke, reported from the committee on In ternal Improvements, a bill as a substitute for the bill to give State aid to the Brunswick Railroad. The report was received and the bill ordered to be printed, and made the special order for Thursday next. The resolution of Fambro of Upson, calling upon the Governor for information about the sale of old iron on the State Road, was adopted. The resolution of McMillan of Habersham, raising a committee to whom to refer that portion of the Governor’s Message relating to the Western and Atlantic Railroad, was adopted. A message was received from the Governor giving infor mation asked by the Senate, in relation to the Atlanta Bank. Messrs. Pope of Wilkes, Atkinson of Camden, Wales of Muscogee, Gibson of Pike, Murphy of DeKalb, Dabney of Gordon, McMillan ofHabersham, and Wingfield of Put nam, constitute the committee of one from each Congress ional district to whom was referred that portion of the Governor’s Message relating to public printing. The Senate adjourned to 3 o’clock P. M. AFTERNOON SESSION. Crook of Chattooga: The bill for the pardon of Mercer, deferred until Thursday next. The report of the Financial committee was taken up and deferred for the present. The bill to change certain county lines, all changes un important, was taken up and passed. The resolution of the House making enquiries of the Governor as to the propriety of abolishing the office of Surveyor General, and of transferring the duties thereof to the office ol Secretary of State, was lost. The resolution of the House appointing a joint commit tee of the two Houses to equalize the labors of the Judges of the Superior Courts, was adopted. The resolution of the House appointing a joint commit tee of the two Houses to inquire and report what number of clerks are required, was laid on the table, a joint committee having been already appointed. The House resolution appointing a joint committee of the two Houses to inquire into the condition and management of the Western and Atlantic Railroad, was taken up. The opposition urged w’ith some vehemence the appointment of the committee. Cone of Greene, particularly urged the appointment of the committee upon the ground that during the late election, charges of mismanagement were rife, and that it was due to the Executive and to the State that they should be investigated. The friends of the Executive, led by Long ol Glynn, contended in reply, that the charges had been passed upon by the people and the management of the Road sustained; furthermore, that the committee in the limited time allowed for investigation, could make no dis coveries, and that it was a useless expenditure of time and money to send a committee up the Road, who would re turn not quite so wise as when they left. There was, besides, no charge of mismanagement preferred. If a committee was appointed, they ought to have time to report, after careful in. vestigation of the affairs of the Road, and therefore, urged the appointment of a committee of citizens to examine the affairs of the Road and report to the next General Assem bly. There was, however, no great unanimity among the partisans. Peebles of Clarke, and Cone of Bullock, agreed in the opinion that very little good could come of the ap pointment of the committee, and that the best thing to be done with the Road was to get clear of it. Cone of Bul lock, moved to lay the resolution on the table and be made the special order for Friday next, which was lost. Lawton, of Dougherty, moved to postpone indefinitely the resolution. Gibson, of Pike, opposed the indefinite postponement.— He did not feel disposed to shrink from investigation of the management of the State Road. If there was ’any thing wrong he was willing to have it exposed. It he however had any definite information of mismanagement, he would not bring it before the General Assembly by way of reso lutions of enquiry; but in the form of direct charges, and he thought it the duty of Senators who had such informa tion, il there were any such, to give the information to the Senate. Pope, of Wilkes, demanded the investigation sought, in the name of the officers of the Road and of the people of Georgia. This was no party question. All parties were equally interested in the investigation. He wanted to know why the Road had never paid money into the treasury. If it was incapable of making money, he wanted to know it, and to sell it. Buchanan, ol Coweta, hoped the question would not as sume a party aspect. No question had hitherto been so deci ded. There was precedent for the committee,but the resolu tion calling for it was defective ; it was a sort of omnium gatherum. No committee could discharge the duties impo sed by the resolution in one month. Senators were not stnt here to go out of the Senaie chamber, the appropriate field of their labors, to examine bridges, culverts, embankments, cars, freight lists, and depot buildings, of which they knew nothing. Jf Senators desirod information, let them call on the officers of the road for it. If anything was wrong in the information obtained, he would then go for a com mittee. He was opposed to appointing a committee, like the French King, to march up the hill and then march dowu again. Murphy, of DeKalb, argued that tho committee could give no reliable information on the subject ?of the State Road. They would doubtless ride over the road and come back as wise as they went. The management of the State Road was in safe hands, and until some charge was made he should not appoint committe es of investigation. He was not tender footed, and should not comply with unrea sonable requests far tear of being charged with being ten der looted. Let specific charges be first made by respon sible men, and then it would be time enough to appoint committees of investigation He would not vote for the sale of the State Road. It was in as good, if not better hands, than it ever was. If gentlemen hoped to place the road io such hands as that charges would not be made ’on the eve of an election, of mhmanagemeut, they would all die as soon as the election was over. If any officer on the road had done wrong, let charges oe preferred against him, and he would willingly investigate them. Hill, of Harris, thought there was a disposition to shrink from invest'gaiioa. Charges had leen made of partiality, and they ought to be investigated. The motion of Lawton, of Dougherty, to postpone in definitely, was lost. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Mii.ledgevjlle, Dec. 3. The House met at 9! o’clock A. M., Milledge, of Rich mond, in the Chair. NEW BILLS. Bradford of Cobb: A bill to require subpoenas from Jus tices Cojjts to be served 10 days before the sitting of the Court Teihune, of Floyd: A bill to extend the lieu of me chanics ; also a bill to allow damages for the institution of frivolous suits; also a bill giviDg Sheriffs ten days longer time than is now allowed for serving writs, processes and bills. Hudson, of Harris: A bill to alter and establish fees of clerks, sheriffs, ordinaries, justices of the peace and jailors. Matthews, of Houston: A bill vestiug in the Justices of the Inferior Courts of the several counties, discretionary power over licenses to retail spirituous liquors. Tatom, of Lincoln: A bill ,to incorporate the Goshen Mining Company.! King, of M’lntosh: A bill to appropriate $20,000 to im prove the navigation of the Ahamaha and Ocmulgee riv ers. Jones, of Muscogee: A bill to allow certain persona therein named to build a bridge over Chattahoochee river in the city of Columbus, provided they vvill convey the same free of charge to the corporate authorities. Lewis, of Hancock: A local bill. Kirkpatrick of Spalding: A bili'to incorporate the Griffin Mutual Loan Association. The Committee appointed to investigate the subject, re ported in favor of appropriating S2OOO to Dr. B. J. Head for services rendered the citizens of Oglethorpe during the prevalence of small pox there in 1853. Johnson, of Elbert: A bill to change the line between Elbert and Hart counties. BILLS DISroSED OF FINALLY. The bill to allow Dr. Roberts of Carroll to practice medicine, was weighed down with amendments and then postponed indefinitely. The bill lor the relief of certain securities on a forfeited recognizance was lost. The bill legalizing the incorporation of the Columbus and Muscogee Building and Loan Associations was pass ed.’ After disposing of sundry local business, the House ad journed to 10 o’clock to-morrow morning. Excitement in New Orleans. New Orleans, Deo. 1. The whole Fire Department, numbering thirty com f panies, disbanded to day, on aocount of non-payment of , appropriations and other slights of the Government. Twenty-nine companies marched to Lafayette Square, , with bells tolling, and delivered their apparatus into the hands of the city. ) The city is thus left totally without protection in case sos a fire, and much feeling exists. Maj. J. Buford, of Eufaula, Ala., proposes to start For Kansas by the 20th of February next, and is now engaged in raising means to carry out two hundred emigrants fit for military service. Affairs in Nicaragua. W. J. How’ard, Esq., who arrived at Galveston on Fri day last, in the steamship Charles Morgan, from this port, (N. O.) on his return from California, via ihe Nicaragua route, furnished the Galveston News with some informa tion as to the state ot affairs in Nicaragua. The News says: Mr. Howard informs us that Gen. Walker is universally popular, not only with his own soldiers, but even more so with the natives, who express the most unbounded confi dence in his capacity and patriotism. He is said to be ex tremely modest and affable in his manners, and wiihal a man ol undoubted courage and sagacity. He took Gren ada, a city of fifteen or sixteen thousand inhabitants, with only fifty men. But he had many friends in the city, and at the time of his attack, all the troops had left. Walker’s loss was only one man, while fifteen of the natives were killed in the attack. Mr. Howard is of opinion, from w hat he could learn, that negotiations were going on between Col. H. L Kin ney and the Transit Company, which will probably result in a compromise of their differences. Mr. H. informs us that when he left Nicaragua, the country appeared to be quietly settled dow T n under the go* vernment established by Gen. Walker, there being no ap pearance of opposition from anv quarter whateve?. Gen. Walker is now offering SIOO per month and a land bounty of 500 acres for services during euch tim* as he may need them. Prospect of Peace. ... ... New York, Dec. 2. A dispatch from Berlin, received in Liverpool previous to the sailing of the last steamer, states positively that pre liminaries are being arranged at Brussels, with the assent of Russia, for the resumption of peace negotiations. Russia has prohibited the exportation of breadstuff* from her do minions. Reported Death of Senator Douglas. New York, Nov. 30. A report has reached this oity that Senator Douglas is dead. It is believed to be unfounded From California. New York, Nov. 30. The George Law has arrived, bringing nearly two mil lions iu gold dust. She br ngs no news of interest. Presidency of Mississippi College —We learn that the Board of I rustees of Mississippi College, at Clinton, Miss a r and c , meeting, unanimously elected Rev. P. H. MelJ * of Penfield, Ga ,to the Presidency of that Institution.— Ihe well known qualifications ol this gentleman to such a post demonstrate the judiciousness of the selection.—Chris tian Index. Virginia Conference.— The regular Annual Session of the Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, will convene at the Washington -street Methodist Church in this city, to-day at Oo’clock, A. M. Ihe Rev. James Osgood Andrew, D. D., one of the Bishops of the M. E. Church, South, will preside. The Rev. Bishop Early of Lynchburg, is also expected to be present. A large number of ministers have already arrived in the city ; and as the weather is pleasant, and the facilities for reaching the city ample and convenient, it is expected the attendance will be unusually large.—Petersburg Express of the 28 th tilt. CET*In New'Orleans, lately, a man named Hunter has been sentenced to pay a fine of one thousand dollars, un dergo an imprisonment of six months, and forfeit certain slaves w'hom he illegally sold in such a manner as to sepa rate the mother from child, contrary to the laws of Louisi ana. Murder. — A most atrocious and shocking murder was committed in this county, (savs the Euiaula Ala Spirit of the South,) a few days since, bv a negro man belonging to one of our citizens, Mr. Nat. Roach. He attempted to execute a previous threat of killing his wife, and thought that he had succeeded in taking her life, when a little daughter of Mr. \ ining, to whom the man and his wife were hired, ran up, whom the negro instantly knocked down with an axe, and then stamped her to death. There is great excitement in the community and some talk of burning the perpetrator of the horrid deed. Burning is what he deserves, but the law is amply sufficient to repay vengeance upon such deeds, and the offender should be pla ced in its hands. A Woman Swimming the Mississippi. —Lloyd’s forth coming Steamboat D’.rt ctory gives a thrilling instance of th-j necessity for women knowing how to swim. When tha ill-fated Ben Sherrod was in flames on the Mississip- river, and the lady passengers who had thrown lh m seives into the water were drowning'arouud the boat, the w.fe of Captain Castlcman jumped into the river, with her infant in her arms, aud swam ashore, a distance of half a mile, being the only woman saved out of sixteen. She bad learned to swim wher. a girl. The reason why man was made after everything else was bec-aue if he had been created first, he would have annoyed the Almighty by endlets suggestions of improve ment.