Newspaper Page Text
TIMES <& SENTINEL
~~ COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.
THURSDAY EVENING, MAT 27 1858.
Middle and S.m h Western Georgia-
To the traveller passing through many portions of middle
Georgia, the question often occurs, how do the people live?
Unless he have faith in the care of an overruling Provi
dence or give large credit to the tenacity with which hu
man beings cling to ; ite, the pronlem will be incapable J
solution. He will see large tracts of country whence al
of virgin freshness and fertility have long ago departe
exhibiting every variety of mountain scenery from the rol -
ing hill-side, whose red earth a tale unfolds of bye gone
floods and furrows, to the abrupt and craggy cliffs where
the chamois may not safely tread, checkered with ravines
and chasms whose monstrous proportions impart an air ol
sublimity to the desolation. We gaze upon them in mute
regret and are a tonished to find that they have not been
surrendered to the spirit of solitude and the recuperative
energies of idleness—that they are still tenanted by hered
itary occupants who strive to exact a scanty support from
the parsimonious and reluctant clay. Whv do our people
continue to cultivate those barren hills 1 We assert our be
lief most seriously that hundreds of planters, in that once
fertile section of our State, do not receive an annual return
for their labor of two bags of cotton to the hand. Except
on the narrow strips ol land that skirts the creeks and
bianches they cannot count on more than ten bushels of
corn per acre* The yield of small grain must also be pro
portionably small. In every regard agriculture is no lon
ger profitable in that country. Then why does the planter
uot remove. Can’t sell out ? The plea is bad. In many
instances it is not true, in most, he could at least give out
and in all there is one alternative ol which nothing but
death could deprive him. He could move away. With
the proper statistics lor comparing the productions of that
with other portions of our State we have not a doubt we
could justify the latter policy upon purely economical
grounds. Within two hundred miles ol this barreness —
this desert, lies a Canaan—the promised land ol labor.
In the counties of Lee, Dougherty, Baker, Calhoun and
other contiguous thereto are many thousands acres of land,
yet reposing in the shadow of the primeval forest, waiting
to reward with abundance the industrious husbandman. —
They will produce from one thousand to fifteen hundred
p ounds of cotton and twenty bushels of corn per acre, and,
with anything like a rational system of culture, will con
tinue to yield it for a thousand years. What is there can
escape only by the processes evaporation and production.
No hill sides, precipices and chasms—no necessity for sus
pension bridges; the whole country is almost one unbroken
plain. The lands can be purchased at from eight to fifteen
dollars per acre ; the price within these figures depending
upon the degree of improvement and proximity to market.
All things considered we regard that section of country the
most desirable planting region in the South. It no longer
labors under the disadvantage of being far removed from
the great highways of commerce. It has been tapped by
the South-western Rail Road ai Albany and is now reap
ing the benefits which that facility confers, in the rapid in
crease of population and appreciation of property.
Planters from South Carolina and eastern Georgia, we
mean cotton producers, are fast turning their attention
thither May we not expect that the insecurity with which
the western floods have recently stamped the title to prop
erty in the Mississippi valley, will check Georgia emigra
tion in that quarter and give it an impulse in the direction
of our fertile South west, where our own enterprise will be
consecrated to the development of our own great resour
ces.
Divines in Columbus* —Rev. Bishop Elliott of the
Episcopal Church is in Columbus, and has preached in
Trinity lor the last two nights.
Rev. George W. Carter, Rev. Mr. Lanyand others of
the Alabama Conference, and Rev. Blakely Smith of the
Georgia Conference, M. E. Church, are also here, and do
ing effectual service in their labors of love, at the Metho
dist church, where the revival influence seems enlarging.
The altar at this church was crowded last night, and
some fifteen souls professed conversion.
At the Baptist Church, Rev. Mr. Dawson has been la
boring arduously for some days to the edification of the
church and the conversion of sinners.
We are not aware that Rev. Dr. Higgins of the Presby
terian church, has any ministerial aid at present.
The good work is going on finely at all the churches
and the religious feeling in the community is unabated.
Georgia Grays. —This gallant young corps turned out
to-day to attend the lunoral obsequies of their brother
James Harris. The circumstances attending the death of
this young man were very painful, and his sudden decease
has cast a gloom over many of his companions. On
Sunday night he was apparently in good health, and was
a penitent at the altar in the Methodist church. Some
time during that night he was seized with a violent cramp
in the stomach and bowels, from which he expired early’
on Wednesday morniug. He was just sixteen, and up to
his attack was the picture of health and youthful vigor.
Cowhiding. —A difficulty occurred in New York
on last Friday night, between Mr. Charles Matthews and
Mr. AH. Davenport,in which the latter applied a cow
hide to the former, which was returned with blows from
the fist. No particular damage was done as they both
performed their parts at the theatres at which they were
engaged. The difficulty grew out or some reports in cir
culation, assailing the character of Mr. Davenport which
were attributed to Mr. Matthews.
The Union denies that Col. Kane is a Mormon, and
endorses him as a patriotic citizen. The government*
though possessed of no official advices, is incl ned to dis
credit the Utah intelligence. It is the general impression
that the Moimons will quietly submit to the federal au
thority, and that they will adopt steps to emigrate, either
to some Island in the Pacific or British possessions, at an
early day.
The T ract Society.— The opponents of the action of
the American Tract Society, at its late anniversary, in
sustaining its publication committee, neld a meeting at the
Church of the Pilgrims, (Dr. Cheever’s) on Thursday eve
ning last. Violent speeches against the Society and the
South, were made by Dr. Tyng, Dr Thompson, Dr.
Cheever and others. All the speakers expressed their de
termination to remain in the Society, and to agitate the
subject, until it authorized the circulation of tracts upon
the subject of slavery throughout the South.
The Barque Adriatic —The many friends of the gal
lant Capt. Durham, will be pleased to learn that the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations in the Senate have adopted a
report requesting the President to demand indemnityfor the
seizure of the barque Adriatic.
In New Orleans last week Abram P. Philips formerly a
special police < fficer, and more recently of the Parish
Prison, was waylaid at the corner of Canal and Basin
streets by a party of unknown men, and assassinated in a
most fiendish manner. He received three pistol shot
woundsand no less than sixteen stabs, a portion of them
inflicted with a poniard and the remainder with a bowie
knife.
Postponement —lt will be seen bv reference to our ad
vertising columns, that D. P. Ellis has unavoidably been
compelled to postpone the drawing of his ‘Silver Gift En
terprise to the 25th June next. He promises that there
shall be no further postponement.
The Carmichael Mills at Augusta, commenced grinding
flour from new wheat on the 21st. On the same day eight
barrels were forwarded to Charleston by railroad, ehipped
thenee to New York by steamer, where they will be ship
ped by the Persia to Liverpool.
* The Weather — The last few days we have had a <
smack of summer, bringing into great request Soda Wa- 1
ter, Ice Cream and Linen Pants. Speaking of Soda, did
you ever try any at Brooks Chapman’s fountain? No .
Well, just go in and take some on our credit—we shall
be compensated in seeing yon enjoy it. We understand
that to the north and east of ns on Tuesday night there
were refreshing rains. Indeed, the ruddy complexion o
our river this morning indicates that they had a little to
spare in Harris and Troup. Here, however, we are as
dry as the night debauchee, before breakfast Our city
gardens are parching, and late in the afternoon w en
there is a general mixing up of dust, 'drays,
footmen, we have the worst compound for breathi gp
poses we have ever seen, excent some just like it. 0a
did you say? I thank you, I’ll take a glass.
Washington News.
Washington, May 25.-In the Senate to-day the loan
bill was debated.
In the House, the Ohio contested election case was
decided in favor of Vlr. Vallandingham.and he was sworn
in. The House then deb -ted the Senate’s amendment to
the civil appropriation bill.
British screw steamship Salladin arrived at
New York on the evening of the 12th inst., from K ng
ston, Jamaica, with sixty one of the officers and crew of
the United States steam frigate Susquehanna, who were
left sick of yellow fever at Kingston. Twenty-two died
at the hospital in Jamaica.
Exjunction of the Rule on Slaveiy.
It is known to our readers that the discipline of the
Methodist church contained a rule on this subject which
forbade “the buying and selling of men, women and chil
dren with an intention to enslave them. ‘I he lule is rath
er pliant by reason of its phraseology, and, accordingly, has
been made to bend to two constrcetions—one repudiating
the African Slave trade—the other, the institution of sla
very itself- It will be readily understood, why the exis
tence of the *ule was a source of great annoyance to the
church, South. This feeling found expression at various
times in efforts to secure its expunction. The annual
Conference of the State of Alabama was the first to move
in the matter Its action was followed up by similar ac
tion on the part of other annual conferences until the re
quisite majority (three fourths) was obtained, and now in
obedience to their united recommendation the general con
ference closes the matter by striking the offensive rule from
the record. Ihe vote on the resolution to expunge was,
yeas 140 ; navs 8 ; absentees 3.
Asa matter of interest, of many of our readers we sub
join the following remarks of Bishop Pierce delivered im
mediately after the above vote had been taken
Mr. President : I desire to make a remark cal
culated, perhaps, io allay the feeling of the body in
relation to the action just had. The design of the
Alabama Conference in originating that resolution,
and of the Annual Conferences which have sup
ported it, is misapprehended by some. The whole
philosophy of the proceeding seems to be founded
on the fact, that it is not the province of the Church
to decide any question with reference to African
slavery The Southern Church maintains that sla
very is not a subject of ecclesiastical legislation.—
The single object was, that while we disclaimed
the right of legislation on that subject, we wished
to make the Discipline conform to that profession.
The Conference, bv its action this morning, has not
parted with its authority, or the authority or the
authority of the Church, over its members, in any
respect. Every member of the Church claims to
be a loyal citizen. We declare here that African
slavery is a purely civil institution; and there is
no reason for alarm about losing Church control. —
If we turn to the 23d Article of Religion, we shall
find there that the Church retains its proper author
ity over its members with reference to this subject.
We therefore, by this act, simply maintain our
original position—that of having nothing to do with
the subject of slavery more than any other civil
matter over which the laws of the country are ex
tended. I beg the brethren therefore to be easy.—
There is nothing here to warrant any construction
looking towards a repeal of the laws of the United
States in regard to the African slave trade. There
is no occasion for sensitiveness, nor for any legis
lation on the subject any where else. No harm has
been done to anybody to-day. We have only set
ourselves right on a vexed question, and we may
safely defy all the efforts of our enemies, North and
South, to damage the Church for taking a clera
position upon this subject.
METHODIST GENERAL CONFERENCE.
From the Nashville papers and private sources
we learn that 1 the following action transpired in
this body on Wednesday last:
GENERAL RULE ON SLAVERY.
The order of the day now came up: the report
of the committee appointed yesterday to digest and
arrange the chief merits of the several propositions
that had been submitted to the Conference touch
ing f he Generul Rule on Slavery.
T. O. Summers, chairman of that committee, read
the report, as follows:
Report of the Committee on expanding the Gen
eral Rule forbidding the buying and selling of men ,
women and, children, with an intention to enslave
them.
The committee appointed to report a preamble
and resolutions in rpgardto the expunction of the
rule in the General Rules forbidding “the braying
and selling of men, women aud children, with an
intention to enslave them,” beg leave to report the
following as the result of their deliberations:
Whereas, The rule in the General Rules of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South, fofbidding
“the buying and selling of men, women and chil
dren, with an intention to enslave them,” is ambig
uous in its phraseology, and liable to
as antagonistic to the institution of slavery, in re
gard to which the Church has no right to meddle,
except in enforcing the duties of masters and ser
vants, as set forth in’’the Holy Scriptures; and
whereas, a strong desire for the expunction of said
rule has been expressed in nearly all parts of our
ecclesiastical connection ; therefore,
Resolved, 1. By the delegates of the Annual
Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, in General Conference assembled, that the
rule forbidding “the buying and selling of men,
women and children, with an intention to enslave
them,” be expunged from the General Rules of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
Resolved , 2 That in adopting the foregoing res
olution this Conference expresses no opinion in
regard to the African slave trade, to which the rule
in question has been “understood” to refer.
Resolved, 3. That the Bishops, or others presi
ding in the Annual Conferences, e and are hereby
instructed to lay the foregoing resolutions before
each of the Annual Conferences at their next en
suing sessions, for their concurrent action.
Resolved, 4. That the President ot eaeh Annual
Conference shall be required, as soon as possible
after the adjournment of the Conference, to report
to the Book Editor the vote on the resolution to
expunge the rule in question ; and when the Book
Editor shall have received returns from all the
Annual Conferences voting on the said resolution,
he shall lay the information before one of the Bish
ops , and if it shall be found that there is a concur
rence of three fourths of ail the members of the
Annual Conferences present, arid voting on the
resolution in favor of the expunging of the rule,
the Bishop shall direct the Book Editor to expunge
it accordingly.
Resolved, 5. That if any Annual Conference or
Conferences refuse or neglect to vote on the afore
said resolution, the members of such Conference
or Conferences shall not be counted for or against
thp expunging of the rule. , 1
Resolved, 6 That the publication of the forego- .
inn preamble and resolutions in the Church papers
shall be considered a sufficient notification of the
action of this Conference in the premises.
Resolved, 7. That the Bishops are respectfully
reauested to set forth in the Pastoral Address the
platform occupied by the Methodist Episcopal
Church. South, on the relation of masters aud ser
vants, agreeably to the principles contained in the
foregoing preamble and resolutions.
This report was adopted by a vote of ayes, 140
—nays, B—absentees, 3. ......
The foregoing action is further explained by tne
following clear and fo r cible remarks of Bishop
Pierce, who said—
Mr. President, I desire to make a remark calcula
ted, perhaps, to allay the feeling of the body in re
lation to the action just had. The desigh of the
Alabama Conference in orignating that resolution,
and ofthe Aunual Conferences which have sup
ported it, is misapprehended by some. The whole
on the fact, that it is not the province ofthe Church
to decide any question with reference to African
slavery. The South Church maintains that slave
ry is not a subject of ecclesiastical legislation.-
The single object was, that while we disclaimed
the right of legislation upon that subject, we wish
ed to make the Discipline conform to that profes
sion. The Conferenco, by its action this morning,
has not parted with its authority, or the authority
ofthe Church, over its members, in any prospect.
Every member ofthe Church claims to be a loyal
citizen. We declare here that African slavery is a
purely civil institution ; and there is no reason for
alarm about losing Church control.
We are truly glad that this section ofthe Metho
dist Dicipline so often misconstrued and misused,
is thus disposed of.
The Methodist Conference on Dress.
The subject of amending the Discipline of the
Methodist Church by expugning the rule prohibi
ting gaudy attire and ornament was discussed in
the general Conference on Thursday
The resolution m question recommends the stri
king out from the Discipline section 8, on page
108, entitled “Of Dress.”
Mr. Lusk was in favor of striking out the rule,
because it was a dead lettei.
What class of Methodists conformed to this rule?
Go into our churches in Louisville, Nashville,
Charleston, New Orleans, and gold was seen ev
erywhere, in every form that it would be seen up
on a Broadway dandy in New York. Such was
the laxity of administration, that candidates would
be received into the church, though loaded down
with a weight of gold under which they could
scarcely walk. Persons would be taken into full
connection, would be licensed to preach, would be
recommended to the traveling connection, though
wearing gold in every form. It was a reproach.—
I* was thrown to us in every part of the Connec
tion. Why then retain the rule, which was a
dead letter? That we might revive it? As well
think of reviving an Egyptian mummy, that had
been sleeping three thousand years! The Speaker
Continued to declaim in a most edifying manner
about gold studs, and gold sleeve buttons, and
gold spectacles, and gold watch-chains, and gold
headed canes, and five hundred dollar diamond
breastpins; and his style rose to the sublimity of
his theme, and his speech throughout was fraught
with a most refreshing fervor. Methodist preach
ers, he said, would hasten to meet the rich, loaded
down with jewelry, when they came forward to
join the church, while the poor and afflicted were
neglected and uncared for, etc., etc.
Mr. Drake, and Mr J. E. Edwards opposed
striking out. L. Pearce offered an amendment.
L. M. Lee was in favor of erasing it, because it
was too vague, and dictating about dress was a
delicate matter. Mr. Maffitt, said the speaker,
when asked why he did not preach against dress,
replied, that when he went bird-shooting, he al
ways tried to shoot down the bird, and not to shoot
off the feathers. So ministers had enough to do
to preach Christ and him crucified.
Other remarks were made, when, on the call
for the previous question by E. Wadsworth, the
subject was indefinitely postponed.
Bishop Soule, with reference to the foregoing,
said : It is made the duty of the preachers to
read the General Rules (with reference to super
fluous ornaments) once a quarter in every society,
and once a year in every congregation. Has this
been done ? and may it not be that the neglect on
the part of the preachers on this important point in
the instructions, may have contributed in some de
gree to the increase of superfluity of ornament
in the Church ? If this had been carried out
faithfully by the preachers, I think there would
have been an improved condition of things in res
pect to this matter. The brother said this section
had done no good. I think very differently. At
least, sir, fifty years ago it did good. The Metho
dists of that day were a simple people under the
observance of their rules. They knew each other
everywhere they met. They came out from the
world, sir—they were separated from the world.
The Catholic Church and the Slave Question.
The Archbishop and Bishops of the Catholic
Church, who recently assembled in provincial coun
cil in Baltimo r e, have issued a pastoral letter to the
clergy and laity of that denomination. Among other
subjects to which it refers is the slavery question.
We make the following extract:
“The peaceful and conservative character of our
principles, which are adapted to every lorm of
government and every state of society, has been
tested and made manifest in the great political
struggles that have agitated the country on the
subject of domestic slavery. Although history
plainly testifies that the Church has always befrien
ded the poor and laboring classes, and effectually
procured the mitigation of the evils attached to
servitude, until through her mild influence it pas
sed away from the nation ot Europe; yet she has
never disturbed established order or endangered
the peace of society by following theories ol philan
thropy.
“Faithful to the teachings and example of the
apostles, she has always"taught servants to obey
their masters, not serving to the eye merely, but
as to Christ, and in His name she commands mas
ters to treat their servants with humanity and jus
tice, reminding them that they also have a Master
in heaven. We have not, therefore, found it ne
cessary to modify our teaching with a view of
adapting it to local circumstances. Among us
there has been no agitation on this subject. Our
clergy have wisely abstained from all interference
with the judgment of the faithful, which should
be free on all questions of polity and social order,
within the limits, of the doctrine and law of Christ.
We exhort you, venerable brethren, to pursue this
course, so becoming the “ministers of Christ and
dispensers of the mysteries of God.” Let the dead
bury their dead. Leave to worldings the cares and
anxieties of political partizanship, the struggles for
ascendancy, and the mortifications of disappointed
ambition. Do not, in any way, identify the inter
ests ofour holy faith with the fortunes of any par
ty ; but, preaching peace and good will to all man
kind, study only to win to truth the deluded chil
dren of error, and to merit the confidence of your
flocks, so that becoming all to all, you may gain all
to Christ.”
The chess prodigy, Paubin, is playing ten games
at once blindfolded at that, in Chicago. 1
The Railroad.— Every day briDgs visibly near
er and nearer the approach of this long looked for
enterprise. We learn upon reliable authority, tna
the smoke, curling from the nostril of its standard
bearer, will envelope the Public Square of our sis
ter village, Dawson, on the 4th of July next, and be
hailed by the citizens of the place and vicinity with
a fourth of July dinner. We hope, on the occa
sion, to meet our friends of Terrell around the
festal board, to join in the congratulation, and
drink long life success to the project.
At this point, the road will be within twenty
miles of our doors. Between that and this place
the work is progressing rapidly. The enterprising
contractor, John T. Brown, Esq., has a contract in
our immediate vicinity. The souud of his axes,
in clearing the right of way, may be plainly heard
every day from our sanctum. The right-of-way
has not as yet been settled between the company
and our citizens, but Mr. Brown seems to be a
whole souled, clever fellow, and gets along finely
with them all. We are assured that in less than
twelve months we shall be greeted with the en
gine’s shrill whistle. —Cuthbert Reporter , 22 d.
Dr. W. T. Hamilton. —From the following ex
tract it will be seen that the Rev. W. T. Hamilton,
who fell so sadly a few years ago, has been restored
to membership in the Presbyterian Church by the
Presbyterians of South Alabama:
“An application was received from Dr. W. T.
Hamilton formerly of Mobile, praying that the sen
tence of suspension from the membership of the
Church resting on him might be removed. This
petition, together with the certificates of eight or
nine ministers and laymen, personally acquainted
with Dr. H., and now living in his neighborhood,
clearly showed to all the members of Presbytery
that no good reason exists why the sentence of
suspension should not at once be removed from the
applicant. The documents were read with the
greatest interest, and every heart was filled with
gratitude to God for the unmistakeable evidence
they afforded of the prudence of Dr. H. The whole
matter was referred to the Judicial Committee, who
at a subsequent session brought in a report recom
mending the removal of the sentence of suspension
from Dr. H., and directing him to seek admission to
the communion of the church where he might find
it most convenient.” —Canebrake Gazette.
Miscellaneous Items.
We wonder if any body ever picked up a tear
that was dropped.
The best way to silence a talkative person is
nevSr to interrupt him*
When is a tired man like a thief? When he
needs a resting.
The gentleman is known by his walk, the lady
by her carriage.
The Troy (N. Y.) Whig says that the small
pox is quite prevalent in that city.
The speaker who was “drawn out” measured
eighteen inches more than before.
Ex-Gov. Geary, of Kansas, is traveling in state
through Pennsylvania.
The Costomer, to the Wine Merchant.—“ What
is Port to you is death to us !” ‘
The Wisconsin Legislature is about to restore
the death penalty,
“Mr. Conductor, are you running on time to
day ?” “No, we are running for cash.”
Anew Jewish synagogue was consecrated at
Mobile, Ala., on the 16th inst.
Why is a person asking questions the strangest
of all individuals ? Because he s the querist.
The notorious “Col. Titus” is making up a par
ty to migrate to Arizona.
Each moment makes thee dearer—as the parsi
monious tradesman said to his extravagant wife.
Snoring is the spotaneolis escape of those mali
gnant feelings which one has not time to vent
while awake.
“Ned has run away with your wife,” said one
friend to another, ‘.‘ls it possible? I truly pity
his mishap.”
Isaac Wood is to be hung on the 25th of June,
at Genese, N. Y., for the murder of his brother’s
wife.
Cream may be frozen by simply putting it into a
glass vessel, and then placing the whole in an cld
bachelor’s bosom.
The name of Yuma is proposed for a now ter
ritory, to be formed from the western division of
Utah.
To get rid of the smell of oily paint, pnt a hand
ful of hay in a pail of water, and let it stand in a
room newly painted.
Rev. H. R. Hosington, for may years a mission
.ary iu India died suddenly at Centre Brooke, Ct.
on Sunday.
“Won’t that boa-constructor bite me ?” said a
little boy to a showman. “Oh no, boy. he never
bites —he swallows his wittles whole.”
The new flourishing mill now in progress of
erection at Richmond, Va., it is said, will be the
largest m the world*
“When thou art buying a horse or choosing a
wife,” says the Tuscan proverb, “shut thine eyes,
and commend thyself to God.
g^ 33 Hon. Jefferson Davis has written a letter
to F Bostick, of Yazoo City, Mississippi, in reply
to one addressed him by that gentleman in refer
reierence to the action of Congress the Kan
sas question. This letter i9 published in the Union
of the 20th instant. We take from it the following
extract •
“The bill first passed by the Senate, like that
which became a law, covered the two points which,
in my opinion, contained all that was important to
First, the recognition of the right of
the"people to exercise entire control over the mode
in which they would proceed to form their Consti
tution ; second, that the recognition of the right to
hold slaves should not be a barrier to the admis
sion of anew State into the Union. Asa question
of preference between the bill of the Senate, which
failed in the House, and that 01 the committee ot
coherence, which became a law, my judgement is
in favor of the latter, because it distinctly reserves
the rights of the United States, and does not at
tempt to construe, or seemingly to suggest any
moidfication of the Constitution, or to offer any
justification for having admitted the State, but
leaves it to stand as th simple recognition of the
right of the people—they having formed a Consti
tution republican in its character—to be admitted
into the Union.
“The inportance which I attached to the success
of the measure, and my willingness to incur any
responsibility which attached to a participation ‘ in
it, may be inferred from the fact that, though an
invalid, whose condition rendered it less than pru
dent that he should leave his chamber, I went to
the Senate for two days in succession, that I might
have an opportunity to vote for the bill. Its pas
sage was then, and is now, regarded by me as the
triumph of all for which we contended and the
success of a great constitutional principle, the re
cognition of which, though it should bear no pres
ent fruit to be gathered by the South, was an ob
ject worthy of a struggle, and may redound to our
future advantage. By the same means the country
was relieved from an issue which, had it been pre
a threatened, our honor, our safety, our
respect f r our ancestors, and our regard for our
posterity would have required the South to meet,
at whatever sacrifice.”
{From the London Times )
Recompense to Mr. morse from European
Governments.
A meeting took place yesterday at the Foreign
Office for the purpose of examining a proposal
made on behalf of Dr. Morse, a citizen of the Uni
ted States of America, to whom is due the system
of telegraphic communication which has received
his name. No doubt the discovery of the princi
ciple upon which that system is founded does not
belong to Dr. Morse, but he was the first to trans
fer that discovery from the region of speculative
science to that of practical application. It is ow
ing to his labors and investigations, the honor of
which is incontestibly due to him, that electrical
communication which before this time was but a
fact asserted by science, has become a reality, and
one of the most useful acquisitions which our age
has made, and has to bequeath tc posterity. The
important service which Mr. Morse has rendered
to the whole world, to governments as well as in
dividuals, is attested by the admiration which his
system, when applied, has universally excited, and
by the use which has immediately been made of
it throughout both continents. In almost all the
countries where the telegraph is used, it is his ap
paratus which we find at work. Mr. Morse being
unable, meanwhile, to obtain a patent for his in
vention ir. Europe, as in the United States, has
thereby found himself deprived of the profits
which he ought to have derived from the working
of it, end which would have afforded him a legiti-
mate recompense for his labors anii his pecuniary
sacrifice. It ihence appears that it would be an
injustice if all the countties which now profit by
the application of his system should not now take
this state of the case into their consideration and
directly grant to Mr. Morse a collective remunera
tion. With this conviction he has thought him
self entitled to appeal to their sense of equity.
The Emperor’s Government thinking that such
a request had a right to a sympathetic reception,
has not hesitated to support it with the other go
vernments which make use, as it does itself, of
the Morse system. This measure has has been
received with the same feeling as that with which
it was made. In Austria, in Belgium, in the Neth
erlands, in Piedmont, in Russia, in the States of
the Holy See, in Sweden, in Tuscany,and in Tur
key, this a; paratus is employed as it is in France.
The governments of these different countries have
adiiered, then, to the proposal of the Emperor’s
Government, to examine in what manner they
could evnee their gratitude to Mr. Morse; and it
was in consequence of the generous determination
that their representatives met togethei at the Fo
reign Office, yesterday. The first sitting gives us
reason to believe that thoy will easily be able to
agree upon a measure of remuneration, the honor
of bestowing which wilfbe shared by all the gov
ernments in whose generosity Mr. Morse has pla
ced his confidence.
Sketch of Luther by Carlyle.
A coarse, rugged, plebian face it was, with great
crags of cheek-bones—a wild amount of passionate
energy and appetite ! But in his dark eyes were
floods of sorrow ; and deepest melancholy, sweet
ness, and mystery were all there. Often did there
seem to meet in Luther the very opposite poles in
man’s character. He, for whom Richter had said
that his words vVere half battles ; he, when he first
began to preach, suffered unheard agony. *‘Oh, Dr.
Staupitz,” said he to the vicar-general of his order,
“I shall die in three months. Indeed I cannot do
it.”
Dr. Staupitz, a wise and considerate man, said
upon this, “Well, sir, Martin, if you must die, you
must; but remember that they need good heads
up yonder too. fc>o preach, man, preach, and then
live or die, as it happens.” So Luther prpached
and lived, and he became, indeed, one great whirl
wind of energy, to work without resting iD this
world, and also, before he died, he wrote very many
books— booKS in which the true man—for in the
midst of all they denounced and cursed, what
touches of tenderness lay. Look at the Table Talk
for example.
We see in it a little bird, having alighted at sun
set on the bough of the pear tree that grew in Lu
ther’s garden. Luther looked upon it and said:
“That little bird, how it covers its wings, and will
sleep there, so still and fearless, though over it are
the infinite starry spaces, and the great blue depths
of immensity. Yet it fears not —it is at home. —
The God that made it too, is ffiere.” The same
gentle spirit of lyrical admiration is in the other
passages of his book. Coming home from Leipsic
in the autumn season, he breaks forth into living
wonder at the fields of corn. “How it stands
there,” he says, “erect on the beautiful taper stem,
and bending its beautiful golden head with bread in
it—the bread of man sent to him another year.”—
Such thoughts as these are as little windows,
through which we gaze into the interior of the
depths of Martin Luther’s soul, and see visible,
across its tempests and clouds, a whole heaven of
light and love. He might have painted —he might
have sung—could have been beautiful like Ra
phael, great like Michael Angelo.
Be Cheerful.— There are not a few who, even
in this life, seem to be prepa ring themselves for
the smileless eternity to which they lo>k forwaid,
by'banishiDg all gayety from their hearts and all
joyousness from their countenances. I meet one
such in the street not unfrequentiy, a person <>f in
telligence and education, but who gives me, and
all that pass, such a rayless and chillin_ look of re
cognition, something as it he were one of Heavea*/s
assessors, come down to “doom” every acquain
tance he met, that 1 have sometimes begun to
sneeze on the spot, and gone home with a violent
cold, dating from that instant. I don’t doubt he
would cut his kitten’s tail off, if he caught her play
ing with it. Please, tell me, who taught her to
piay with it ?— Holmes.
Presbyterian Crurch. —ln the General As
sembly, says the Savannah Republican the Rev.
Mr. Coe, Secretary of Church Extension Commit
tee, presented a report of the action of the commit
tee during the year past, of which the following is
a summary:
The receipts from all sources during the past
year exceed those of the previous year nearly SISOO.
518 churches have sent in their contributions. —
The amount appropriated to ciiurches this year is
nearly SIO,OOO above that distributed the past
year The applications for relief required a fond
$12,00© larger than what would have sufficed last
year The balance in the treasury at the close of
last year was $8,634.58. The receipts from April
If 1857, to April 2, 1858, amount to $24,741 15;
the expenditures to $24,381,03-leaving and appro
priate balance in the treasury of $8,991,70. 76
churches have been aided in the construction of
church edifices. 47 of this number cost from
SSOO to 2500,22 from $2,500 to $5,000 ; 7 over
.SSOOO. During the two and a half years the com
mittee have been at work they have aided in the
construction of 205 church effices. The work of
the committee, it is evident, has been among the
poor. The committee have knowledge of 450 or
ganized churches which have no house of worship.
The average contribution to a needy church has
bpen SIOO. The operations of the committee have
been conducted withoutcollecting agents ora corps
of salaried officers: