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TIIK CO^MTITITIOXALIST.
it i* vvMßij Jr nvjtce. jj
3 i TERMS —For the »cm:--veekly papor, ; ablirficd
evt'iy ji'ucsJaf and Friday tnonnag, S 3 jer annum
vA for the weekly % 3, afi'pnyaWe in adv.mx c.
UJ” ADVERTi.SEMENTS are inserted weekly for t>2
1-g cents p*»r ? f )<iarc ; ~?er7!sw*»r( I ly C 2 1-2 cent' ; »r the ■
fir-t, and 43 3-1 ctnls for each s-übscqueni ai-crao-i, j
rind monthly for S 1, 00 per «qj-.re for each insertion, jj
For yearly adv rti»«mcn:.- private ';rra:>-;c!rtnts ar
*l bo made. .V deda-tion i- made on ’he adv; rtise-j'
mm** nff er>rs
1)’ Postage mutt be paui on letters '■* ~:n> i.
Important (o the Officers and Soldier* ,
of the Revolution.
Letter from lire Secretary of II or, dT- ,n ' rr Litton to -
the execution, of the. “ Act UMpfhmeritnry to the art
for the relief >tf certain surviving officers and sol- |
Jirr* rtf the reroluhon
War Dei-ak event, June 1 •'», 1832.
.Sir ; In answer te your ’letter of this date, I |
have the honor to observe, that t!ic Set of Con-;;
gross of March 18, I K l*, entitled “ An act to
provide for persons engaged in the land and na-1
val service of the United States in the revolu
tionary war,” made provision for placing ujton
the pension roll all officers, non-'
commission'll officers, musicians, an i private,
soldiers, and all officers in the hospi‘a-1 and me-1
dical stall, who served in the war of the revo
lution. The construction given to this clause*
}*V tins department was, that tin# specific enume
ration of 44 officers of the hospital and ■medical j
stall,*’ excluded from the benefit of tne act all
oilier officers of the staff net holding commis
sion in tiie line of the army. Because, it the
words “ all commissioned officers,” Ac., extend
o the whole staff of the army, there was no ne
cessity to insert a particular provision for any;
branch of the staff. And such .a provision,!
when inserted, would embrace only the particu
lar class described. Officers ot the line only,
were, therefore, supposed to ho included in the
first description. It is, however, clear tome,
that, had the law contained no particular enu
merating -clause, the general provision, “ all |
commissioned officers,” would
the officers of the Hue and staff of the revolu
tionary army. j
I allude to this subject here, that the reasons;
of the difference in the construction pul by thisi;
department ii[kjii tlie act of 1818, and that
which, it appeal’s to me, slwuld he put upon the|
act of the present session of Congress, entitled j
“ An act supplementary to an act fur the rebel
of certain surviving officers and soldiers el tin* j j
revolution,” may he apparent. Ihe benefit of j
the la“er act is exte-nded to each of the surviv. j
iag officers, Ac., who shall have served in the
continental line or f'tato troops, volunteers or
militia, Ac., without any clause necessarily, or
by cons ruction, limiting it* operations. It is, j
therefore, my opinion, that all the officers, whe- :
ther of the line or s*aff, of every description,
arc 4MUbraced m fids provision.
With respect to the evidence which should
be required of the applicants, there is a manifest
difference bet wee* the regular troops and the
militia. Os the former, there arc rolls in this
office, more or 1< ss perfect, and where a person's
name is found upon them, no other testimony is
•or should bo required. Where the name is not
thus found, the presumption is, tha* the appli
cant did not render the service stated, and the
defect must l*e supplied by other tes imony.
The certificate of a commissioned officer, it ouei
can he obtained, is required. Hut if it cannot,
then tiie corroborating statement of two erodi
hie witnesses must be produced. Not that these
witnesses should both certify from their person
al knowledge to the actual service of the appli
cant ; but that they should, by direct or indi
rect circumstantial evidence, confirm the ac
count given by himself. These principles have
regulated the department heretofore, and they
appear to me to be founded in reason and jus
tice. When, however, the rolls arc known to
bo imperfect, considerable relaxation should be :
'allowed, and, under these circumstances, and as
the- difficulty-of procuring testimony gradually
increases, the regulations have recently been
relaxed, particularly with respect to the nature
of the circumstances required to be shown.
The case of militia service is, however, dif
feseut. There are no rolls of the militia in this
department, except those of the State ot New-
Hampshire. —There can, therefore, arise no
presumption against the applicant, to bo met by
stronger evidence than under other circum
stances would bo required ; and time has so re
duced the number of those veterans, and ol the
witnesses ot' their services and sufferings, that
to demand of them positive proof independently
of their own statements, would bo to deprive
many of them of the benefit of the act. Myd
impression is, that the applicant should produce;
the best evidence in his power. If he has not
living nor documentary evidence of his servi
ces, he should transmit as detailed a statement, j
under oath, as he can prepare, showing the timo,j
place, and maiuu-r of his employment, the corps
to which ho belonged, and such other circum
stances connected with the subject, as he may -
be able to recollect, and as will serve to guide!
an examining officer in his investigation of Tlie'
justice of his claim. To this should be added
the certificate, under oath, of at least two res
pectable persons, whose characters can he es-j
tublishcd at the department, stating the general
impressions of the neighborhood, where the ap
plicant resides, or has resided, tliat he was en
gaged in tire revolutionary war. I imagine
there arc few or none of the survivors whose
claims to this character are not recognized in
the vicinity where they live. This traditiona
ry evidence, in the absence of other proof, w ill,
corroborate the statement of the honest nppli-‘ :
cant, and check the attempts of those who are
dish ones:; and it appears to me to be as far as ;
it will bo safe to go.
These are my impressions, hastily written, in
answer to your letter. 1 have the more confi-|j
deuce in them, as they are fortified by tho opin-!i
ion of Mr. Edwards, in whose experience and
judgment I place great reliance. And I think
the committee will agree, that they pursue a just
medium between a latitudiuous construction,
w hich would throw the doors of the Treasury ;
open to all who are willing to fabricate docu-|,
meats which would insure them the benefit ot
this act, and such a rigid administration as
would render nugatory tho beneficent provi
sions of the law.
I have the honor to bo, sir,
Very respectfully, your obedient sow t.
LEWIS CASS.
Hon. Samuel A. Foot,
Chairman o*' the Commititee on pensions in the Senate.
Department of War.
Pension Office, June 2<, 1832.
The foil >wing regulations have been adopted *
by lire Secretary cf Wnr, toi««J fymg-mto cfiect
the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832, entit
led “An act supplementary to ‘An act for the
relief of the surviving officers and soldiers ut the
revolution.’ ”
This law has been construed to extend as well
to tho line as to every branch of the staff of the
I army, and to include under the terms “ contiu
ffntal line,’” “State troops,” “militia,”and “ vol
. unteers,” a ]i persons enlisted, drafted, or whe
; volunteered, and w ho wore bound to military se-r
--! vice, but not those who were occasionally cm.
'ployed with the army upon civil contracts, sue!
as clerks to commissaries and to storekeepers
,Ac. teamsters, boatmen, Ac.
Four general classes of cases arc embraced ii
this law :
1. The regular troops.
' 2. The State troops, militia, and volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the naval service.
4. Indian spies.
As rolls of the regular troops in the rc-volu
tiouary war exist in this department, all person,
‘claiming tho benefit of this law as officers, non
!commissioned officers, musicians, or privates
will, hi the first instance, make application hv
transmitting the following declaration, wind
will be made before a court of record of the coun
tv where such applicant resides. And ever'
court Imv rag by law a seal and clerk is consider
ed a court of record.
Declaration, in order to at tain ike benefit of tin
■net of Congress of the Ith June , 1632.
Stai e, Territory, ou District of ’ ( s?
Countv of • S
(>n this day of , personally appearei
before the of the ,
B, a resident of in the county of
a*id State, Territory, or District of
aged years, who beingfirst duly sworn accord
ing to law, doth, on his oath, make tiie following
declaration, in order to obtain the benefit ot th<
provision made by t lie act of Congress passed Juiu
7, 1832. That he enlisted in the army of the L
nited States in the year , with , am
served in tiie regime nt of the hue
under the following named officers :
[Here set forth the names and rank of the fich
and company officers; the time he lotc the see
vice; (and if he served under more than one
term of enlistment, he must specify the particu
lar period, and rank and names of his officers;
tho town, or county, and Slate in which he re-si
ded when he entered the service ; tho battles, i
iany, in which he was engaged, and the coumn
t!irough which he inarched, j
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatcvei
to a pension or an annuity; except tho present
and he declares tliat his name is not on the pen
jsion roll of any agency in any State,or (if any/
only on that of the agency in the State of
Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year a
foresaid. A. B.
And then " ill fallow the certificate of tin
court :
And the said court do hereby declare tlieii
opinion that the above named applicant was i
revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
1, of the court of , dc
hereby certify that the foregoing contains the o
riginal proceedings of the said court in the mattei
of the application of for a pension
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set im
hand and seal of office, this day ot Ac
If, on examination of the proper record, the
names of applicants, making such declaratioi
cannot bo found, they will receive detailed ill
structions respecting the nature and form of the
testimony they must produce to secure their be
ing placed on tho pension roll. As the presump
tion will, in such cases, be against the applicants
in consequence of the omission of their names ii
the muster rolls, they will be required to furnish
as near as may ho, the same evidence as ha;
heretofore been required by the regulations anc
practice adopted for carrying into effect the ac
of Congress of March 18, 1818, and tiie acts
supplementary thereto; with such relaxation?
as have been, from lime to time, sanctioned by
the department, on account of the rapid decrease
of the survivors of the revolutionary army, anc
; the consequent difficulty of procuring direct posi
live testimony in every case.
Wherever an officer or non-commissioned of
ficer is now in the receipt of a pension, he shook
make application, if entitled to the benefits ol
this act, by letter merely, setting forth his rank,
and the regiment, Corps or vessel, in which he
served, and his present place of residence. His
pension certificate must accompany his letter.
In those cases where the applicants have once
been on the pension roll, under the act of March
18, 1818, and have been dropped therefrom on
account of property, or for any' other reason,
or where application has been made under
the act of May 15th, 1828, and the evidence
of service is in the departments; or, having
made application and proof of service, and hav
ing been rejected, instead of the above declara
tion, they will make a statement, setting forth,
under oath, their having been previously on the
pension roll, and their having been struck from
the same, shewing their rank, the regiment,
corps, or vessel in which they served, their pre
sent place of residence, and their place of resi
dence when the first application was made, orol
their application under the act of the loth ol
May, 1828.
In a case where a claimant may make person
al application at this department, and can produce
i satisfactory proof of service, and of his identity
I also, at the seat of Government, he may make
his declaration before a justice of the peace.
2. The case of the State troops, volunteers
and militia, is different. There arc in the ele
partment no rolls of the State troops, excep
those of Virginia ; and no rolls ot the militia
except those of New Hampshire.
Applicants, who served in the State troops o
| Virginia, and applicants, who served in the null
tia of New Hampshire, will be required to pro
I duce the same proof as is prescribed for tnosi
j who served upon the continental establishment
’ But, with respect to the other State troops an.
militia, there is no record to advert to, and m
! presumption to be rebutted. The nature ot th.
icase, therefore, demands a different rule of pro
cecding. . ,
Everv applicant who claims a pension oy va
lue of service in the State troops, volunteers, o
militia, except as is above provided, will mak.
; and subscribe the following declaration :
Declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of th
act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of , >
County of- ss
Ou this day of . personally appeare
in open court, before th
court of , now sitting, A B, i
resident of , in the county of
, and State, Territory', or District of
, aged years, who being first duly' swon
according to law, doth, on lus oath, make tiie fol
lowing declaration, in order to-obtain the bene
act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
L 4 That he entered the service ot the L . Slates j
. . under the following named otneers, and scr. ed as ,'
ad hf rein stated ; (
e [He re set forth the names and rank of the field
i find company officers; the day (if possible) and 1
lilt the month and vear whet the dafehant entered; t
e 'the service, and'the time when he loft the same,, i
i-1! (and, if trader mere than one engagement, he i
-'■must specify the particularperiods, and the rank ;
o'! and names of his officers ;) the town, and eoun- p
•- tv, or State, in which he resided, when hecß-ij
i-i tored the service : whether he was drafted, was
h * a volunteer, or a substitute; the battles, :t
5,1. in which he was engaged ; the country thro ago
(jwhich he marched, the continental regiments or;,
n !companies with which he sorted ; and tnc names
Hos some of the regular officers whom he knew, j
!'together with such farther particulars as .nay!;
|jbc D useful in the investigation of his claim ; and. j
lalso, if the lac’s be so, that he has no docuniefita- ji
■ i*y evidence, and that he knows ot no pciaoii, |j
{whose testimony he can procure, who can tests- I
is fy to his service.]
,_! ' He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever;
j.l to a pension of annuity, except the present, and
v declares that his name is not on the pension roll
h' ! of the agency of any State, or (if any) only on
i- ! that of the agency ofthe Stated
v Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year a
r. foresaid. . Cl> ‘
And then will be annexed the following certih
y, 1 cate :
|| Wo, AB, a clergyman, residing in the _ >!j
I'andCD, residing in (the same,) hereby certify,jj
'• i'tliat wc are well acquainted w’ith ?;
i i who has subscribed and sworn to theabot e dccla-;
» | ration; that wo believe him to bo \eai sos,
'ago; that lie is reputed & believed, in the neigh- i
’ borhood where ho resides, to have been a soldi
i’ or of the revolution, and that wc concur in that,
f , opinion.
~ Sworn, and subscribed, the day and year a
c, . ’
p lofcsard, „
{ | And then will Mow the certificate oi the
i court : .
And the said court do hereby declare their.
’ opinion, after the investigation ot the matter, and.
j after putting the interrogatories prescribed by |
d the War Department, that the abovenamed ap- 1
plicaut was a revolutionary soldier, and soi ved
° as he states. And tlic court further certifies,:;
that it appears to them that A. B, who has
signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman,,
•h resident in the , and that C. D. who has j
1 also signed the same, is a resident ot the ,;j
•* land is a credible person, and that their state- ;i
! merit is entitled to credit.
r j , clerk of the court of
, do hereby certify that the fore
\ j going contains tiie original proceedings ot the
' j said court in the matter of application of
for a pension.
l * In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my
hand and seal of office, this day of ,j
° &c. i
The form of the proceedings, and of thecer-j
I tificates, will be so varied as to meet the cas**,;
a when the declaration is made out of court, before j
a judge, as hereafter provided fur. j
° livery applicant will produce the best proof,
jin his power. This is the original discharge oi
r commission ; but it neither ot these can be ob
l’ tamed, the party will so state under oath, and^
' will tlicn procure, it possible, the testimony ot
at least one credible witness, stating in detail,
L jhis personal knowledge ot the services of the
II applicant, and such circumstances connected
l " therewith as may have a tendency to throw light
upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot lie found,the
applicant will so state in his declaration, and he
’’ will also, whether he produce such evidence or j
n not, proceed to relate all the material facts which!
*’ can be useful! in the investigation of lus claim,!
and in the comparison of his narrative with lhc|
( events of the period of his alleged service, as
1 they arc known at the department, A very full
b account of the services of each person will be j
* indispensable to favorable action upon his case. j
The facts stated will afford one of the principal;
j means of corroborating tHo declaration of the :
| applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, 1
if one he attempted ; and unless, therefore, these
, are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable de
, cisiou can he expected. All applicants will ap
pear before some court of record in the county j
' in which they reside, and there subscribe and
5 be sworn to, one of the declarations above pro
f vidf d, according to the nature of Ins case.
S Tiie court will propound the following inter
rogatories to all applicants for a pension on ac
e count of service in the militia, State troops, orj
I volunteers, except the militia ot New-Damp-.
I I shire and the State troops of Virginia. ,
;! 1. Where, and in wiiat year were you born ? ,
1 2. Have you any record of your age ; and it
so, where is it ?
= 3. Where were ycru living when called into
service; where have you lived since the ic\o
lutionary war, and where do you now live?
’ 4. How were you called into service ; vveic:
e you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a
substitute ? And it a substitute, for whom ?
’ 5. State the name of some of the regular of-;
‘ fleers who were with the troops where you serv- j
- c ,j ; 9UC h continental and militia regiments ns
'5 you can recollect, and the general circurnstau
-1 1 ces of vour service.
( To a Soldier. —Did you ever receive adis-i
charge from the service ; and, if so, by
c i whom was it given, and what has be
' ; G ? come of ir.
e To an Officer. —Did you ever receive a
commission ; and, if so, by whom was it,
b signed, and what has become of it ? i
7. State the names of persons to whom you!
}t , are known in your present neighborhood,
x 'i who can testify as to your character for veraci
. ty, and their belief for your services as a sol-'
! i Jier of the revolution.
l " The court will see that the answers to these
*’• questions are embodied in the declaration, and,
1 they are requested to annex their opinions of the ;
truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in court, if,
; the same can be done, in the opinion of court,!
without too much expense and inconvenience to |
'j him, two respectable persons—one of whom)
’ should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives ini
I*- i . . ... ' j
; tiie immediate vicinity of such applicant, who
! can testify, from their acquaintance with him,
that they believe he is of the age he represents,:
|and that he is reputed and believed in the neigh-'
ie \I borhood to have been a revolutionary soldier,!
; and that they concur in that opinion. If one of,
S J these persons is a clergyman, the court wiil so
I certify, and they will also certify to the charac-!
ter and standing of other persons giving such
le : certificates. |
a . The traditionary evidence of service is deem-l
j cd very important in the absence ot any direct’
i proof except the declaration of the party. And
n ithe courts are requested to be very particular in,
1-11 the inquiry whether the belief is general, and
?- 1 whether any doubts have ever existed upon the*
Subject- . To Acquire from the applicants positive-
proof of service from a contemporary survivor,
would, after the lapse of so many years be to
deprive many of them of the benefit of the law .
And as no presumption is raised against the mi
litia bv the existence of rolls in the department,
there* is no good reason why this requisition]
should be extended to them. On the other hand, i
to receive the declaration ofthe parties, as-a
sufficient ground for placing them upon the pen
sion roil, without corroborating circumstances,
: would be to open the Treasury to great frauds. A j
!j us t medium seems to present the best rule lot j
carrying into effect the objects of Congress. j
If the two persons w hose certificate is required, |
cannot be produced in court, without too much j
Inconvenience and expense to the applicant, then j
the statement of the facts and opinions above-jj
|mentioned will be made under oath before some |i
j judge or justice of the peace, and the certificate ; j
iof she court to the situation and credibility oi -
ghe persons making the statement will be given. ■
| Applicants unable to appear in court byrea-,
son of bouilv infirmity, may make the dcclara-1
tioa before required, mid submit to the exmni-1
nation, before a judge or justice of a court of re- j
cord ofthe proper county; and the judge orj,
justice will execute the duties which the court is (
herein requested to perform, and will also cei -
tity that the applicant cannot, from bodily infir.
mitv, attend the court.
Whenever anv •official act is required to be
done by a judge w justice of a court of record,
or by any justice of tlie peace, the certificate of
-the Secretary of State, or Territory, or ot the
| proper clerk of the court or county, under his
seal of office, wiil bo annexed, stating tha* such
person is a judge or justice oi a court ot record,
or a justice of the peace, and that the signature
annexed is his genuine signature.
3. Persons serving in the marine forces.
4. Indian spies.
Each of these two latter classes of cases will
produce proof, as nearly as may be, conforma
bly to the preceding regulations, and authenti
cated in a similar manner, with such variations
as the different nature oi the service may re
quire.
No payments can be made on account ot the
services of anv person who may have died be
fore the taking effect ofthe act ot June 7, 1832 ;
j and in case of death subsequent thereto, and
before the declaration herein required is made,
the parties interested will transmit such evidence
as they can procure, taken and authenticated
j before a court of record, showing the services
of the deceased, the period ot his death, the o
®pinion of the neighborhood respecting such ser
vices, the title of the claimant, and the opinion
of the court upon the whole matter.
An act supplementary to the u Act for the relief
of certain surviving officers and soldiers of the
Revolution .”
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Re
presentatives of the United States of America
in Congress assembled , That each of the sur
viving officers, non-commissioned officers, mu
sicians, soldiers, and Indian spies, who shall have
i served in the continental line, or State troops,
volunteers, or militia, at one or more terms, a
period of two years, during the war of iho n>,
volution, and who are not entitled to any bene
fit under the act for the relief of certain surviv
ing officers snd soldiers of the revolution, pass
ed tiie fifteenth day of May, eighteen hundred
and twenty-eight, he authorized to receive, out
of any money in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, the amount of his full pay in the
said line, according to his rank, but not exceed
ing in any case, the pay of a captain in the said
line: such pay to commence from the fourth j
day of March, one thousand eight hundred and
thirty-one, and shall continue during his natural
life : and that any such non-commissioned offi
cer, musician or private, as aforesaid, who shah
have served in the continental lino, State troops,
volunteers or militia, a term or terms, in the
whole less than the above period, but not loss
than six months, shall be authorized to receive
out of any unappropriated money in the Irea
surv, during his natural hie, each, according to
his‘term of service, an amount bearing such
proportion to the annuity granted to the same
rank for the service of two years, as his term
of service did to the term aforesaid ; to com
mence from the fourth day of March, one thou
sand eight hundred apd thirty-one*
Si:c. 2. And be it further enacted. That no
person receiving any annuity or pension under
any law of the United States providing for re
volutionary officers and soldiers, shall bo enti
tled to the* benefits of this act, unless ho shall
first relinquish his further claim to such pen
sion, and in all payments under this act, the a
mount which may have been received under any
other act as aforesaid, since the date at which
the payments under this act shall commence,
shall first be deducted from such payment.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the
pay allowed hy this act shall, under the direc
tion of the Secretary of the Treasury, be paid
to the officer, non-commissioned officer, musici
an, or private, entitled thereto, or his or their
authorized attorney, at such places and times as
the Secretary of the Treasury may direct; and
that no foreign officer shall be entitled to said
pay, nor shall any officer, non-commissioned of
ficer, musician, or private, receive the same un
til he furnish the said Secretary satisfactory evi
dence that he is entitled to the same in confor
mity to the provisions of this act; and the pay
hereby allowed shall not be in any way trans
ferable, or liable to attachment, levy, or seizure,
by any legal process whatever, but shall enure
wholly to the personal benefit of the officer, non
commissioned officer, musician, or soldier, enti
tled to the same.
Sec. 4. And he it farther enacted , That so
’ much of the said pay as accrued before the ap
proval of this act, shall be paid to the person
entitled to the same as soon as may be, in the
manner and under the provisions above mention
ed ; and the pay which shall accrue thereafter
shall be paid, semi-annually, in the maimer a
bovc directed ; and, in case of the death of any |
person embraced by the provisions of this act, |
or of the act to which it is supplementary, dur-:
ing the period intervening between the semi-an
nual payments directed to be made by said acts,;
the proportionate amount of pay which shall!
accrue between the last preceding semi-annual j
: payment an i the death of such person, shall
paid to his widow, or, if he leave no widow, to;
j his children.
Si.c. And be it further enacted. That the:
officers, non-commissioned officers, mariners, or
marines, v. ho served fora like term in the naval |
service during the revolutionary war, shall be
j entitled to the benefits of this act, in the same ;
1 manner ns is provided for the officers and sol
dierrs of the army of the revolution.
Approved, June 7, 1832.
Mr. Buchanan, Minister of the United States'
1 to Russia, arrived at St. Petersburg, in a steam,
it boat, on th£ 3d of Jung;
TITSDAY, Ai«l'ST 7, 1832.
FOR PRESIDENT,
AXDRI W JACKSOJT.
VICE-PRESIDENT,
JIIARTIIV VA\ ISI KlvA.
[FT !fl. 15- LAMAR, Es=q. of Muscogee County, is a
candidate for the Representative Branch ot Congress, at
the election in October next.
■ _____——
83= Corrections in the communication ot J— —. under
| the title of The “ Review” Reviewed, in the second
I i column of the article, and about tile middle of it, 69th
i' line from the bottom, the word “wiU,”to be placed be
! j tore “present themselves," &c. In the same column,
iland 36th line from the bottom, the word “our”‘before
1 “respectable apothecaries,” to be omitted.
i
REVOU TIO.VAKV PEXSIOJiBRS,
For the information of that meritorious class ol our
! citizens, the officers and soldiers of tire Revolution, wc
!'have devoted a few of our columns. Should any ot thoSe
! veterans be in the vicinity of any of our subscribers, it
■; g i lQ ped that this paper will be communicated to them, j
CHOLERA.
In New-York, from the 26th-to Hie 27th of July, ‘lO
o’clock, there were only 122 new cases, and 46 deaths;'
from the 27th to the 2&ih, 145 new cases, and 6d deaths;
from the 28th to the 29th, 122 new cases, and 39 deaths;
from the 29th to the 30th, 103 new cases, and 39 deaths.
In PHILADELPHIA, July 28, 6cases, 5 deaths;
July 29, 6 cases, 1 death ; July 30th, 15 va'ses, 7 deaths.
MACON BANK.
We remarked in our last paper, that the operations of
the Macon Bank should be sifted to the very bottom, and
! that the poor suffer more by the lailure ol this institu
tion than any other class of individuals. We can judge
of the loss sustained in the interior of the state by the
farmers and mechanics, by what has come under our
own observation in this -city. A great number of poor
mechanics are the sufferers by this iniquitous lailure ol
the Bunk. Even slaves, who were carefully hoarding a
few dollars, for the purpose of paying their masters and
purchasing some Sunday clothing, lose at one sweep all
they had. And the farmers, who very seldom keep
much cash by them, except a small amount they usually
preserve for their wives and daughters when they visit
the shops in the county towns, find themselves robbed of
every cent they had with so much fatherly attention put
by for the occasion stated. Arc these not crying evils /
Arc not the members of the legislature responsible to,
their constituents for the loose manner in which they have
incorporated banks ? We have a government, establish- j
jed for the purpose of protecting our lives and our pro- j
jperty. We delegate to that government the sovereign
power which the collective body of the people only pos
sesses. Is not that government guilty of a criminal of
fence, if, by the imprudent and improvident measures it
may adopt, we are plundered of our property ? Should not
those who administer this government be prosecuted loi
iua l,.practice in office, and severely pmushed 7 A great
example should be made, in order to deter hereafter all
banking institutions from deceiving and entrapping (he
people. A great example should me made, in order to
teac h those who wish to become legislators, tiie course
they h.oro tn pursue to please the people, and to avoid
censure. Let all act honestly, and they can entertain no
fear of the displeasure and resentment of the people.
But if fraud has been practised—if the members of the
legislature have not attended as they should have done,
to the interest of their constituents—an adequate reward!
awaits them —tire contempt and scorn of an injured com
m unity.
The next legislature will have to establish an enquiry
into the operations of the Macon Bank; they are bound;;
to do something, to assuage the irritated feelings of thej
people. This is not the fust time that they have been
made to suffer by the banks chartered by the state. And,
moreover, they are bound to adopt some plan, consis-i
tcntly with existing laws, and which can have no retros
pective effect, for the purpose of insuring to the citizens,
that the bank bills they have in their pockets, are not
mere rags, but the representative of some valuable sub
stance. Unless some such plan bo adopted, the credit!
of the Banks can never be placed again on the same j
footing as it was heretofore ; and the consequence will I
be, that those institutions, which have been, and are;
still, honestly managed, will suffer with those who have;
been, and are still, managed otherwise. An example |
should be made ; the people expect it; their voice will
not be unheeded; we hope the legislature will do their
duty on this occasion ; for the people have suffered, and
they must have redress—they say they shall have it.
In the Macon Messenger of last Thursday, wo have
found the following additional information respecting the
Macon Bank, and in the same paper appears the two
subjoined advertisements, one from Messrs. Tracy, Cole
and Freeman, declining to act as trustees, and the other
from Air. Atkison, the cashier.
“ Long ere this, the failure of the Bank of Macon is
known to every one in the State, for almost every one
is more or less interested. We should not have advan
ced our individual speculations on a subject, in which
such general interest is enlisted, for the simple reason
that such speculations would have been founded upon
rumours, and rumours, at least of this kind, are gene
rally incorrect or very much exaggerated. We expect
ed in time a devclopement from assignees appointed to
investigate the affairs ofthe Bank, these assignees for
satisfactory reasons have declined their trust, and pub
lic expectation w ould necessarily have had to remain in
suspense ; we have therefore endeavored to inform our
selves as accurately as possible of the situation of the
insiitution, its resources, responsibilities, &c.
“ The bills in circulation amount to about two hun
dred and eighty thousand dollars. The assets arc com-,
posed principally of local paper running to maturity ; —j
many of these notes are bad in consequence of last 1
year’s failures, and some discounted since, from the ex-,
tent ofthe business, may necessarily be considered as
doubtful. The premiums which have been paid upon
the different transfers ofthe stock, and the great expense
the Bank has had tu encounter to sustain its credit,
must necessarily very much reduce its means to pay
holders of Bills.
“ We were anxious to inform our readers what would
be the probable value of the bills. It is impossible, how
ever, to ascertain this, not from any unwillingness on
the port of the officers ofthe Bank or those concerned, |
but from the uncertainty and the delay in realizing their:
effects—much delay and litigation will ensue in col- j
lecting their resources. The history of the Macon,
I Bank will now be fully known to the state, and the np
parent mystery which has ever attended this institution !
be dissipated.—We learn from good authority that j
i their issues of bills at the time of the transfer to the j
: present Proprietors, amounted to near §6011,000. The
; bills now in circulation are something short of §300,000.
| Consequently about §300,000 have been drawn in un-|
i der the present administration, and no new emissions \
I made.”
| “To the Public. —Upon the suspension of payment of
' the Bank of Macon, the Stockholders of the Institution
■ called on us to receive an assignment of the assets of
j the Bank, for the equal benefit of all the bill-holders and
! ! creditors. But finding that there is no President, or
oßoard of Directors, and convinced that the managers of
■ the Bank are not competent to make a valid assignment,
we have declined the trust, EDW. D. TRACY.
C. B. COLE.
A. R. FREEMAN.
August 1, 1932.”
“ The public are hereby assured that the Bank of Ma
con will use all possible efforts to pay as large a pro
portion of their out-standing debts as can possibly be
realised from its resources. It was the wish of the
; Bunk, by a general assignment of its effects to Trustees,
! to give to all the bill-holders an equal proportion ; But
; as this course is deemed impracticable, it only remain^
* lor the managers of the Institution to do the .us* >V .
can fur ail concerned —and if there be advantages oh.
irained by individual creditors, it shall not be by
1 connivance of the Institution/’
L. ATKISON, Cashier.
August 1, IS3:J.”
TIIK CRISIS.
We must not deceive ourselves, and much dess oa , .
tenders, every thing that is dear to Americans— liberty *
of speech, liberty of the press, the union of the state?
'ami the preservation of the public institutions of tl/ I
| country in their original purity—all is in imminent danger
;—all is involved in the present political crisis. Shortly ■
tv ill ho determined, whether we are to remain the f. r ,.
reptiblic and the most free and contented people in ft.,
j world, or whether we art; to be divided among ourselv, =
; and an interminable civil war is to Succeed the «a ;oi
which has hitherto so happily subsisted hdtwccn tb
. states. As we said heretofore, at such a crisis, it is
duty of every patriot to contribute in giving it a sulmar*
direction ; and He cannot give it a salutary direction,
jhe (Ides not divest himself of all personal fe« lings f...
.men, and follow the natural bent of his mind, whip,
leads him to support only those whose principles accorl
j with his own, but for whom he has not perhaps that r.
i poet which h personal and intimate acquaintance can a.
I lone create. The present crisis demands from over
j Georgian the. exercise of his elective franchise, fro,,
j I from personal considerations ; free from selfish motives ;
j free froth all ambitious views. The present crisis J,.
(I nlands from every Georgian, a:i hottest and sincere c\.
\ pressioa of his principles, that in the conflict which may
I ensue, the friends of peace and union, the friends of li.
berty and independence, may know their numbers, acd
where to meet, in order to Organize and concentrate
their forces. There is too much at stake to falter,
there is too much at stake to deliberate. Action has
become an imperious duty. Every citizen must act,
must push onward, breast the storm, and endeavour to
‘ preserve the misguided sons of America, from assault,
ing our public institutions, and by destroying them, cs.
tablish an aristocratic government over our fallen liber,
ties.
We nave always Supported regular nominations, Wo
art still for party organization and discipline Our
| principles upon the shbject are well known. It was in
' | accordance with those principles, t'.iat we placed unde?
our editorial head, the ticket for members ot Congress
| regularly nominated by a Convention in Millectgcvjllc
last winter. When we sanctioned the choice ot the
convention, by the publication ot the ticket, we were
labouring under the conviction, that the principles of
the gentlemen nominated were orthodox, and in tuiisoa
with the principles uniformly supported by the party to
which they then professed to belong. We know per
! sonally all the gentlemen nominated. We knew i hat
j they had been firm adherents to the principles ot the
republican party, and undeviufing in their support ot the
| men and measures of the party. We therefore gavt
jour cordial approbation to the nomination, and determio.
*ed to advance the popularity and strength ot that ticket
las much as our position would enable us to do so. It was
! then with pleasure, and even with pride, that wc k» q.t
standing at the head of our columns, the names of the
j gentlemen nominated at Millcdgcville. We have tlio’t
(proper to discontinue the publication of this ticket. We
have done so after mature deliberation. And we cow
Say, that, notwithstanding crur prepossession for regular
nomination, and the personal regard we eaten, in for
the candidates, we cannot, consistently with our po'iti.
cal feelings, and with the duties we owe to the comma,
nity in which we live, support all the gentlemen placed
on that ticket, if what is reported of a few of them be
true, and if they intend to advocate principles at vari ?
ance with those that the party to which they belong
have invariably maintained and practised.
We have duties to perform as public journalists, which
are of great responsibility. Our patrons, the p rfy (o which
wc have the honour to belong, and the best interests of
j Georgia, demand from us an independent course ; and
■ that independent course we shall pursue, at any risk, and
| whatever maybe the consequences to us. We shall not
I consider men, and the friendship which existed, and wo
| hope will still exist, between them and us. We shall not
! regard the regular nominations, for w Inch, under any other
circumstance, wc would make any sacrifice. Wc shall
consider the best interests of our party, and, consequent
ly, the best interests of Georgia. And these interests re
quire, at this crisis, that every citizen should do his duty
independently and conscientiously. The Union is threat
ened with dissolution, by ambitious and designing citi
zens, and by men who believe they can acquire populari
ty, by long, vapouring, and vehement speeches, as desti
tute of argument and sound sense, as ofthat spirit of pat
riotism which should animate the American Statesman,
Already have some of the followers of nullification de
clared that their plan is no more a peaceful remedy fur
I the grievances of the South, but that war—civil war
mest follow, with all its desolating evils, if they do not
succeed in leading the southern states to agree to a south
ern confederation, of which South Carolina is to bo the
head. Already have some of our own citizens sent in
their adhesion to this disorganizing party, and promised
to make common cause with men who have been, and snil
are, the inveterate enemies of Georgia. At such a crisis,
all good men should unite and save the country, by going
to the ballot box, and vote only for men who will zealous,
ly contribute in preserving the country from civil war,
desolation and ruin.
In fact, what do wc behold ? Northern manufacturers
and capitalists intent on extending the sphere of their in
fluence, and on rendering the south tributary to d;< in :
ambitious and disappointed politicians of the north, who
cannot now accomplish their designs, without producing
a convulsion in the political affairs of the country, en
deavouring by insults and threats, to draw the south into
complete hostility to the federal government. What do
we behold in the south ? A party disregarding all patri
! Otic- ties; all affectionate remembrances of past concord
and friendship; all the interest which every citizen
should put in the preservation of the Union; all the prin
ciples which have characterized Georgia as one of the
most democratic states of this confederacy: we behold
that party disregarding all this, for political doctrines
which are as subversive of our liberties as the principles
which the tories evinced during the revolutionary war-
The nullifiers are for active resistance to the government
established by the independent and sovereign states of
this Union, and the tories were for passive obedience to
the arbitrary laws of an and despotic mother
country. The nullifiers are working the destruction of A
mcrican liberty, under the cloak, they have assumed, t:
cover their sinister motives, of a resistance to the op
pressions of the restrictive system. The tories were
\ endeavouring to destroy the spirit of liberty which hit
risen in America, in order to gratify their pride, the;:
ambition, and their inordinate desires for wealth and
: power. .So that though in appearance the principles o:
(i both the nullifiers and the tories are widely different,
II yet the ends to be accomplished are the same—the d >
jjstmction of American liberty, and the gratification o;
j| pride and ambition. In these critical times wc must
! act with decision and independence. Through the balk'
j box the people can express their feelings and their pow
| or. Therefore we should be very careful to ascertain be
-1 fore hand the principles of those to whom wc give oat
vote ; and none should receive that vote, who is of doaar
ful principles, or who has the least inclination for the die
organizing doctrines of the nullification party of South
Carolina.
It is true that the policy' the federal government has.
been pursuing is incompatible with the best interests ot
the souths It is true that the federal government has
materially deviated from the plain tenor of the federal
constitution. But is there no other remedy but nullifies
tion to the encroachments of the federal government uju