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THE EOIVSTITETIOM AEI ST. i
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ALABAMA.
Extract froth Hoc. Hoyle** message to the Legitf
fature\ transmitted the Oth ultimo.
The protective policy of the General Govern.
r«ent has produced in the Southern States a deep
and aetT-d discontent, which no patriot can re.
jjurd with indifference. It i* not a sudden or fac
tious feeling, caused by imaginary evils, br.t a
flrmly roofed dissatisfaction, originating ill a
s’rong and clear sense of injuries inflicted on
their constitutional righ’s. It is in vain to at
tempt to divert them by the sophistry which
claims the power of controlling and regelating
the industry of the country, from the constitu
lioual gran' to levy dudes, «Scc. and tu regulate
commerce. It is a pretext, and notning better
than a pretext, for perverting the taxing power
to purpose* of undisguised injustice. Nothing
vt bcttei un U rs'ood by the Am *rican people, of
all classes, than that the proper object oftnxa.
tion is to defray the necessary expenses of the
government, and that the power to regulate
commerce was conlerred to afford protection to
our rights as a nation in ijJr foreign intercourse,
lu the pure da vs ot tin* republic, it was not gup
posed that the extraordinary pretension would
be set up of overcoming the natural inequalities
of the different sections of the I nion, by an ar.
bitrnrv transfer of the profits oflabor, from one
to the other; nor was it anticipated that particu
lar branches of industry would be sustained at
the expense, and to the detriment ofothers. Act
tdl this has been done, with an extravagance
which shows that patriotism has but little con
nexion w ith tins policy, and that avarice is the
great agent which has been at work in es’ab
fishing a preference for individual benefit over
the general prosperity. This partial and unjust
legislation in the national government is hasten,
sag a crisis in our affairs which involves on its
consequences the dissolution ot the Union. How
to avert an event so disastrous, and to have re
stored to us our constitutional rights, is the
great question now before us, and those who at
tempt its solution should endeavor to discard the
prejudices which have been engendered by a
sense of accumulated wrongs. It any thing of
fueling be mingled m our deliberations on tins
momentous subject, let it be that feeling which
glows in the patriot’s bosom when he loves his
country most.
It docs not appear to me that the period of
despair has arrived, but on the contrary, en
couraging hopes arc offered, that the republic
will yet be saved. In the clouds which over
hang the political horizon, bright spots are tube
seen, which forbode that the storm is subsiding.
Since the passage of the tariff bill of 1828, two
attempts have been made to effect a redaction of
the duiies on foreign importations, both of which
have been crowned with partial success. In
1830, the reduction on the articles of salt and
molasses amounted to near one million ot dol
lain; and at the last session of Congress the re
election on protected articles, embracing those
which are extensively used in the South, a
mounted to near two millions of dollars. —The
occurrences ot the lust session, in connexion
with the bill of 1832, d- .oustrate that the sys
tem of protection has received a shock which
should be hailed as the precursor ol its final over,
throw.
The debates upon this bill and the various at
tempts made by the most influential advocates ot
the manufacturing interests, to introduce amend,
uteiits unfavorable to the planting btutes, leave
uo doubt that it is giving away, and that public
opinion will ere long achieve for us our long lust
rights.
The payment of the national debt being con
sidered us already completed, so far as the ques
tion of reducing the revenue was concerned, we
were led to believe that no pretence could bo
found for collecting from the people a greater
amount than might be wanted to meet the ne
cessary expenditures of the government. In
this reasonable expectation we have been disap
pointed by circumstances which were not
foreseen, anil instead of being the most favora
ble, the last was more inauspicious to our rcliel
♦ban any future session ot Congress will lie. <
Among tiie causes which operated materially
iu post {toning our just demands, may be classed
that of the presidential election, i hat the hopes I
of one of the candidates for the office ot Rresi- *
dent depends upon maintaining the American i
Hyste m, is too obvious to require proof. j
The Tariff* and the Bank ques ion were both ;
made subordinate to the Presidential contest, i
and these measures were advocated and mam- <
tained by many of the political Iriends ot the in- ,
dividual’referred to, as the means of securing 1
his election. —This distinguished gentleman was I
himself a member ot the Senate, and it was pro- I
Tcrbiul at Washington that the fate of the manu
facturers was subject to his direction. All his i
eloquence and his influence were exerted against <
u«. s ;
A favorable change in public opinion is ra- i
pidly taking place in the Western States, and c
when the connexion shall be dissolved between ]
the election of President and the protection of t
domestic industry, the principles of free trade (
■ will be triumphant in despite of the combined <
and Concentrated opposition of the rostriction
isis. It is impossible that the inconsiderable I
number who are interested in manufactures in i
the west cun, for any length of time, continue c
the delusion over the great mass of the com- ;
uiunity, by which they have been induced to t
support a policy so injurious to their interest. s
Should the dicision of the people, which is ;
at hand, be in favor of the administration of c
Genera) Jackson, our cause will receive an au. t
xiliary in that illustrious citizen, whose influ- c
uoce Ilia opponent* know well how to estimate, I
iissi whose patriotic exertions in favor of con- ;
«tiiut*onul liberty they cannot counteract. He t
has, already rebuked the spirit of monopoly i
which kas for some time been predominant in t
the national councils, and proclaimed his deter- i
wunatioQ to bring back the government to the t
true principles « the Cons:itution. i
If tfcare is any foundation for the assertion . t
that the T*fi£ has been considerably reduced g
under'the oaosl imfVvoruble circumstances—if s
the cause of the ftW-h whs only partially sue- c
oeasful at the Uu: session of Congress, from the i
interest felt in, and the excitement growing out t
the presidential oonteet~- = 4f there is any rca- c
em t 9 believe that public opinion is undergo- t
i*g a favorable change—and k' Jibe true that f
thf f~V*r*l cxccuriv ni’l influence '
lb
and his powerAtl energies to sustain us in our
struggles, I ask if this is the time to despair, and
if patriotism does not forbid that we sltould en
ter upon any rash and untried expedient that
may {.;«d to a dissolution of the Union and the
destruction of our liberties? All that is necessary
is to be united, and to persevere with firmness
in adopting such measures of redress as are re
oHgnized by the Constitution. Nothing is more
to be deplored than the divisions which have
sprung up amongst us, as to the means which
should be adopted to obtain redress, destroying,
utterly destroying, that unanimity of sentiment
and corc'-rt of action, without which, we have
every thing to dread, and but little to hope.
A portion of our Southern brethren, smarting
under a sense of the outrages which have been
inflicted upon their rights, and rendered almost
desperate by what they believe the utter hope
lessness of their condition, have conceived the
idea of working out their own salvation by the
application of a principle to our sysem of gov
eminent, novel in its character, heretofore un
tried and undiscovered, and believed byvn large
majority of the people, to be essentially revolu
tionary.
So much has been said upon the subject of mil.
lification, that the argument for and against it has
been exhausted, and it would only bean iiVru
sion on your time, and a tax on your patience,
to attempt its discussion on this occasion.
The opinon 1 expressed on a former occasion
remains unchanged. Whenever a State shall
venture upon this deplorable experiment, she will
soon find that she will have to abandon the Union,
or return to it with feelings of disappointment
ami humiliation.
If it shall he recognized as the true constitu
tional doctrine, that n State can remain a mem
ber of the Union, and at the same time, place her
citizens beyond the reach of its laws, ours will
not be the shadow of a government, and, for all
practical purposes, it will be dissolved. But the
strife and dissension which have been produced
bv the persevering efforts of the advocates ol
this doctrine, to gain for it the favorable opinion
ofthe people, have been carried to such excesses,
that it is already growing into an evil not less to
be deprecated than the tariff itself. If the first
fruits of this doctrine of peace, are deep and bit
ter feelings of personal hostility, furious family
discords and a destruction in fact, of the peace
and harmony of society, what arc we tu expect
when it puts forth in all its vigour ?
Ifin its process of obtaining converts, it does
not exhibit all the premonitory signs of civil dis
cord, then th<* pages of revolutionary history
have been written to little purpose. Assure as
it shall succeed, its triumphs will bcs'ained with
fraternal blood, and the proudest of its trophies
will he the destruction of constitutional liberty.
Ifin the providence of Him who rules the
destinies of nations, this bitter cup is reserved as
our portion, I lie patriot will have cause to weep
over the sacrifices made by our ancestors, and to
deplore the delusion which led the gallant band
of the revolution through so many scenes of
difficulty and danger. JOHN GAYLE.
FXOM THE NF.W-YORK COMMERCIAL ADVERTISE*.
THE UPPER MISSOURI.
M and ax Villace, Upper Missouri, t
August ftth, 1832.
Dear Sir—Soon after the date of my last letter
from the mouth of Yellow Stone, 1 descended the
river in a skiff to this place, where I have resid
ed about two weeks, a guest in this subterrane
ous city—the strangest place in the world, where
one sees in the most rapid snccession, scenes
which force him to mirth—to pity and compas
sion ; to admiration—to disgust—to fear and
astonishment. Here are subjects and scenes
worthy of the pens of Irving, or Cooper ; rich
in legends and romances, which would require
no aid of the imagination for a picture.
The Mandans, or (Sea-pohs-ka-nu-ka-kee,
“ people of the pheasants,”) as they call them
selves, are perhaps one ofthe most ancient tribes
of Indians in our country. They take great pride
in relating their traditions with regard to their
origin—contending that they were the first peo
pie created on earth. Their village is undoubt
edly of very ancient origin, and from what I
could learn of the traditions, they have, at a
former period, been a very numerous and power,
ful nation ; but by the continual wars which
have existed between them and their neighbors,
they have been reduced to the number of 16 or
1800 souls.
Their village is situated on the bank, in one
of the most beautiful valleys on the river. The
ground on which it is built was admirably select
ed for defence, being on a bank forty or fifty
feet above the bed of the river. The greater
part of this bank is nearly perpendicular and of
solid rock. The river suddenly changing its
course to a right angle, protects two sides of the
village, which is built upon this promontory or
angle ; they have, therefore, but one side to pro-
Icct, which i« effectually done by a strong pi
quet and a ditch inside of it, of three or four feet
in depth. They arc undoubtedly secure in their
village from the attacks of any Indian nation,
and have nothing to fear except when they meet
their enemies on the prairie. Their village has
a most strange appearance to the cyeofa stran
ger; their lodges are clos«ly grouped together,
leaving just room enough for walking and riding
between them. They appear from without to
be built entirely of dirt, but one is surprised,
when bo enters them, to see the neatness, comfort,
and spacious dimensions of these earth-covered
dwellings. They all have a circular form, and
are from fifty to sixty feet in diameter. Their
roofs arc formed of poles of six or eight inches in
diameter, with the butt end in the ground, and
placed so thick as to touch each other—the points
nearly meeting at the top, leaving an aperture
of four or five feet in diameter, answering for a
chimney and a sky-light at the same lime.
These poles are supported in the middle by large
beams, and over their tops is laid a close mat of
willows, which protects them from the dampness
of the earth, with which they are covered, of
about a foot in thickness. The floors of these
dwellings are of earth, but so hardened, and
swept so clean, that they have a bright polish,
and would not soil the whitest linen. In the
centre, and immediately under the sky-light, is
the fire place—a hole of four or five feet in diam
oter, of a circular form, sunk a foot or mere
below the surface, and curbed around the stone ;
around this are the family group, reclining in all
the mast picturesque attitudes and groups, rest
ing on their buffalo robes and beautiful mats of
willow. These cabins are so spacious that they
contain from 13 to 20 persons—a family and ail
their connexions. They all sleep on bedsteads
in form to ours, but j enerally not quite as high ;
they arc made of round poles, rudely framed to.
gether. A buffalo skin is strained across like a
sacking bottom, on which they place a number
of buffalo robes, making the finest bed in the
world. Their beds arc all covered with dress
ed skins, strained over the frame, in the form of
curtains, leaving a square hole to get into and
out of their beds. Some of these curtains are
fringed and otherwise beautifully ornamented.
Thr nothing in their personal ap
p» araueo or demeanor to distluguuh them in
anv considerable degree from the neighboring
Indians, excepting the singular appearance ot
i their hair. In this particular, they are different,
j I believe, from all Indians in the world. Their
hair has all the shades and variety of colors that
are to be seen amongst white society. Many
children, male and female, at the age of 10 o:
15 years, are seen with their hair of a bright
silvery grey, and some almost perfectly \\ hire.
Manv of the vountr women arc comely ant
some of them ext renielv beautiful, llicy mar.
ry at a very carl v age, and whilst young an i
unmarried they dress with much neatness, an
practise more pure, native modesty, m ihcii
dress and demeanor, than any bin tie society
that 1 ever was if;. If modesty be a vir ue, I
would be well if some ofotir fashionable i idies
could study from these simple models. Then
beau iful white skin dresses extend from then
chins down, quite to the ground, an 1 are studi
ously formed to hang loose over their bodies
without showing any tiling of the s’ apes of the
person ; instead of drawing and cording them
i selves up into angles and protuberances, as our
fair ladies do, to attract the gaze and admira
tion of the world.
Their dresses are made of the skins of the
mountain sheep, which they eons der preferable
to all o'hers, being softer, of liner texture, and
much lighter. These skins are so ingeniously
dressed that they leave, -around the neck, down
the sides, and around the bo tom, a border ol
the skin with the hair on, winch is cut in’o a
kind of fringe, having very much the appenr-
I mice of ermine. They are ornament, din a
great variety of wavs with porcupine quills,
bends of different colors, elk's teeth, and shells.
After becoming matrons, that blushing modesty
jinagr. at degree disappears, and they wear a
j dress made of elk skin, a coarser material,
j shorter and better calculated for the laborious
• duties they have to perform, as slaves to their
j lords.
Perhaps nothing ever more completely as’on-
I ished these people than the operations of my
! brush. Soon after arriving in their villag *, i
i invited and painted the two principal chiefs : in
a very few minutes after having exhibited them,
it seemed as if the whole village were crowding
upon me to see them. I was obliged to stop
painting, an 1 place them high, in a conspicuous
place, where all could see hem. The likeness
es were recognized, and some commenced yell
ing, and o hers crying. The curiosity was to
see me, and so great was the rush upon me, that
I was iu danger of suffocation. The eager cu
riosity and exprassiou of astonishment with
which they gazed upon me, plainly showed that
they considered me. some s range being. They
soon ivsolved that 1 was the greatest medi'-hie
man in the world : for they said I had made liv
ing beings—they could see them laugh, and if
they could laugh they could -speak, eke. and
must be alive. The squaws soon raised a cry
against me in the village, saying that 1 was a
dangerous man ; that if 1 could make living per
sons by looking at them, 1 could kill them when
J pleased, and that some bad luck would happen
to those whom I painted. In this way, they ex
cited fears in the minds of a number of chiefs
who had agreed to sit; ny operations were, of
course, completely at a stand. 1 finally had an
interview with a number of them, and assured
them that I was but a man like themselves :
that my art had not medicine or mystery ahou*
it, but could lie learned by any of them, if they
would practise it as long as I had ; that my in
tentions towards them were of the friendly kind ;
and that in the country v re I lived, drove
men never allowed their ; . to frighten them
with their foolish whims, s , s, Ac. they all
immediately arose, shook me b_ the hand, and
dressed themselves for their pictures.
There was no difficulty after that about sit
tings, all were ready to sit—the squaws were
silent—and my (tainting room a continued re
sort fur them, where they waited with impati
ence to see the completion of each picture, that
they could laugh, sing-a n<. w song, Ac. Ac. I
was then often taken by the arm hv the Chiefs
and led to their lodge, where a f ast was pre
pared for me in their best s ylc. hi this man
ner 1 was taken from one lodge to another, and
treated in the most cordial manner. There is
an universal disposition in the Indian character
to admire curious works of art, and particular
ly for paintings, fur which they seem to have
the greatest passion : it is not, therefore, to he
wondered at that they were astonished at an
opera!ion so novel and iui;hought-of hv them,
and that 1 should, for once in my life, have been
considered a great man and a great painter.
These people are singular in their manner of
treating their dead ; they arc all lodged on scaf
folds at a little distance from their village, after
having been enveloped in many folds of skins
and closely laced with cords from head to foot.
These scaffolds arc built simply with four pos‘s
raid pales across, just high enough to be above
the reach of hands. On those the body thus
enclosed is laid and remains to decay. Th v
often place the mos cosdy sacrifices of the rich
est cloths ; robes, dresses, Ac. over them, which
are hold sacred by tile living, and are left to de
cav with the body.
* -
They generally fasten a wooden dish to the
scaffold that the deceased may be able lo drink
when he is thirsty ; and the squaws who are
nearest related to the deceased, regularly car
ry meat and water, and place them on the scaf
fold that they may not suffer from hunger or
thirst.—Whenever the scaffold decays, and the
bones fall, the relatives take the skull, which is
perfectly bleached, and carry it to a place a lit
tle dis ance from the scaffold, where the skid's
are collected, and arranged on the ground in
the form of a circle, to a very great number.
In this curious arrangement the greatest preci
sion has been observed in placing them in a cir
cle, and at equal ciis anccs, with their faces all
looking into ihe centre. The squaws who re
cognize here the skulls of their husbands, their
children, Ac. regularly pay to them devotions.
—They are to be seen lying flat upon their faces,
embracing these skulls—shedding tears upon
them and offering them something to eat. Each
one of them is rested on a bunch of wild sage,
which is always removed and renewed as soon
as it wilts and decays. These skulls and their
order arc preserved with the greatest ivligmus
veneration, and are perfectly protected: for
their superstition is such that no one would dar<
to violate the order of this arrangement.
I spent many an hour in this interesting study
for the Craniologist and Phrenologist. I made
manv notes, and a variety of drawings, which
are for the curious—of winch I may speak in a
future epistle, but for which I have nut room at
present.
About three miles distant from the Mandan
Village is what is called •• The little Mandan Vil
lage,” containing forty or fffy lodges* built in
the same manner, and the inhabitants in all re
spects the same, being a part of the same nation.
Seven or eight miles up the river are three vil
lages of Gros-vcntres or Minatarecs; their vil
lages are built in the same manner as that of the
Mandans, yet they are a nation entirely disrinct
from th** Mandans. speaking a different !an
i gunge. The two nations live, however, in per-
Z feci harmony anti friendship, and are always
f readv to join in the common cause of mutual
, defence. Those are the largest and best built
r Indian villages on the river. They are a very
X warlike nation, and their number of men rapidly
y i diminishing from their continued efforts to sig
v nalize themselves in buttle. Thev were former
it !v a part of the Crow nation. They speak the
same language, and still imitate them to a con.
d siderabie degree in the richness and elegance ol
•- their dress.
1 I spent several days in these villages with a
1 j great deal ofinterert and amusement,
r j 1 would that it were in my power to describe
v j the beauty and spirit ol a scene which I witness
it ! ed the day before 1 left the Minataree village,
s I It was reported in the village that a large band
r of buffaloes were in sight, and in a few minutes
r ahou*. one hundred young in r were mounted,
- with hows and arrows in their hands and ready
s for the onset. They were divested of all their
e dress, except a small light robe which is kept ex
- clusivelv for that purpose, thrown around the
r 1 waist and carelessly tied.
An old Chief offered me a fine horse to ride,
which 1 mounted and swept off in the flying
throng to see the sport. We were soon insight
e of the unsuspecting herd, who knew nut of their
J danger until they were completely surrounded
v j by their enemy ; here, then, ensued a scene
a i equa! to miv military manoeuvre. The animals
fi affrighted, rapidly fled in a body, but the licet
i i cavalry closed so rapidly in front of them, wav
- i iiig their small robe in their hands and raising
a | their frijfiitA.il veils, that they turned about in
, | confusion, and bent their course in a different
. | direction, where they also met their yelling i’oes
v { advancing in the rear. They recoiled again,
i j during which time they were so closely hemmed
, j in, that they rushed together in a mass, in the
s greatest confusion, being able to move in no
r o her form than in a circle. The Indians then
commenced riding around them in a ring, and
- having closely hemmed them in, the whizzing
; arrows began to fly, and the work of death com-
I menced. Then commenced a scene worthy the
t pool's pen, fir the pencil of the artist —not a
, mere -scene of slaughter, hut a halite scene of
; the mos' spirited kind, for the bulls,exasperated &
) enraged a! their assailants, would often turn up
s on them with the greatest fury imaginable, iu
- which case their only safety was by High*. I
- often saw the Indians dismounted in the midst of
> the hea t and confusion of the struggle ; and the
t ins'aut their fe< t were upon the ground, the
- sanal! robe from their waist was waving in their
i hands in readiness for the bull, which lie ex
t peels is plunging upon him, and quicker than
■' lignlning, (when the animal has mad** his last
*’ leap, which is Jo crush his assailant to death)
- this robe is thrown over his horns and face.
I The Indian leaps by his side, and quicker than
1 thought his arrow flies to the heart. About fif
teen minutes closed this scene, all was silent;
i about .‘3OO were slain, and not one of the band
- escaped. Though the scene had been so spirit
i ed and picturesque that I looked upon it with
i riveted feelings of delight, yet I could not look
■ upon this field of slain who had so nobly died,
* without feelings of pi tv and regret.
1 In my next letter, 1 will endeavor to give you
i some idea of the religious ceremonies of those
i misguided, superstitious people, at an annual
; ceremony to which 1 was a witness for lour davs,
in which they fast and a list > in from drinking,
and then commence inflicting tortures upon
■ themselves by cutting their bodies, and limbs,
in a manner too shocking to describe —passing
' sticks through them—hanging themselves by i
these wounds—dragging heavy weights, Ac. j
Ac. Though shocking to the feelings of hu- 1
inanity, yet a description of it may lx* in‘ores
ting to the people of the East, who are ignorant
of u hat is transpiring in lids Wes'ern World.
Yours, Ac. '' GEORGE CATE IN,
AmWMBMA* ~
TFESOAY, DECUdillliK 4, laa*.
GGOUGJA COXVEXTtOX.-XO. ",
Under the circumstances stated in our last paper, the
convention met in Milledgevillc. And under such cir.
cumstances, what should have been the first duty of the
members of that body, sifter designating a chairman to
preside temporarily at the proceedings ! Certainly the
ascertainment of the authority by which they met in
convention, and represented the sovereignty of the peo
ple of Georgia, when it must have been known to all
the members, that a majority of the people were oppos
ed to such a convention, convened at such a time, and
for the purpose expressed in the resolutions adopted at
the meeting in Athens.
This preliminary investigation of the authority of the
individuals present to form a convention, was of abso.
lute necessity, in order to give to that body a legal eon
stitntion. This convention, when formed, was to re
present the sovereignty of ihe people of Georgia, and
to express the sentiments and views of this people.
This convention was to he held, not only to bring the
feelings and opinions of the people, respecting a particu
lar object, to a central point, hut to apprize the other
States of this Union, in the most solemn manner, of the
course this state intended to pursue, in the orcsent cri
sis of the political affairs of the country. The proceed
ings of this convention were to have as much effect a
broad a: at home ; and to produce the effect expected
from a convention of the people, it must have been call
ed by a majority of the people, and the members of it
must have been regularly and properly elected or cho.
sen. If a number of citizens meet, and call themselves
a convention of the people, without having had authori
ty from that people thus to assemble in convention, cer
tainly the proceedings of such a body of men, cannot
have shat influence at home and abroad, which a conven
tion. convened by a majority of the people, and its mem.
faers, properly eleeted, would necessarily possess and
exorcise. The convention which met at Milledgevillc,
could not —cannot be called a convention of the people
of Georgia, and its proceedings cannot have that influ
ence abroad and at home, which otherwise they would
have had, if the authority of its convocation, and the re
gularity of the eiection of its members could not be
questioned.
Sophistry and ingenuity may give a different colour to
the true ground upon which tiffs convention was con
vened. It was said in convention, that the proceedings
of tiiat body were to return to the people for their ratifi.
cation or rejection. Such arguments, alleged against a
scrutiny im o the authority of the members to sit iu con
vention, arc fallacious and absurd, under the circum
stances of the case, as stated by us, an.i as acknowledu
cd by the friends of the doctrine of nullification, that the
proceedings of the convention were to exercise a most
salutary influence in the country. As we observed above
* 1
the convention was to meet as much for a concentration
of the public feeling in Georgia, as to have a due effect
abroad, with regard to the prevailing sentiment of the ‘
state concerning the protective system. These were
the objects in view. How could the public feeling be
ascertained at home, when those citizens, who represent
cd themselves as delegates from various sections of the
state, did not—could not produce a record, more or less
authentic, of the authority, with which they had been
vested by a majority or plurality of votes, to sit in con.
vcntioß, to act for constituents, and to represent ;
their sovereignty ? Under such circumstances, how
could the convention act, and adopt addresses and reso
’•tf'ors. in the name of the people of Georgia, when a as
, juritr of that people hud had no ruico in the choice ol dele
i gates; when that majority was not fairly represented it
1 the convention ; and when the feelings and opinions o
t that majority could not be ascertained ? But, it was sai
V in convention, the people will have to ratily or reject tin
y acts of this convention. True; but before this r.atifica
tion or rejection could be obtained, the acts of the con
volition would have been made public; and at home
0 where it is known how and in what manner thisconven
. tion was called, and the members were elected or chosen
,f those acts would be duly appreciated, and theirevilef
sects properly counteracted by public opinion ; but n
t broad, where the defective circumstances attending th:
convention are not known, the effect the acts in questio:
» might produce, would be more or less sensibly felt, be
(ore they could be neutralized by public opinion becom
. ing more enlightened upon the subject. It cannot be dc
) nied that the proceedings of the convention were tohav.
* influence with the federal administration, with Congress
? ami with a few of the southern states, especially South
- Carolina. Those proceedings would have had the dice
r expected by those who originated the convent! n, hefor
it would have been known that they were ratified or re
; jected by the people of Georgia ; and a course of policy
might have been adopted by South.Carolina or some
other southern state, on the strength of the proceedings
of the convention, which, it would have been believed
spoke the feelings of the people of Georgia, while, after
a lapse of a few months, quite a different result would
have been produced, by the people acting on the pro
ceedings of the convention,
j The conclusion to be drawn from these remarks is,
that the first duty of tiie delegates sh ruld have been the
investigation of the authority under which they conven
ed, and die authority cadi deleg ite had to sit in the
1 j convention. And the reasons for such a course are ob
vious. If a majority of the people expressed themselves
; against such a convention, certainly the acts of the eon
i volition, notwithstanding this material objection, could
not pretend to speak in die name of the majority, and
could not declare that they were the expression of the
, feelings of the people of Georgia. If it had been as
certained thatamaj *rity of the people did express a de
sire tor the convocation ot such a convention, and made
choice of delegates to that body, the acts of the conven
tion, in this case, would have had that degree of inilu
cuce, before they were finally ratified, to which they
would have been entitled, as emanating from a majority
oi the delegates ot a majority oi the people, duly eleet
ed or chosen. And why were those acts to have such
an influence, before they were finally ratified ? Because
at home and abroad, it would have been taken for grant,
tid, that a majority of those delegates, thus'duly elected
• or chosen, represented the feelings of their constituents ;
and because a majority ot the delegates could not have
) been found, it duly elected or chosen bv a majority of
tlie people, wno would have ventured to speak in the
name of Hie people of Georgia, a language at variance
with their true and known feelings.
Considering the subject under this point of view, we
ag.iin say, that the first duty ol the delegates was to in
vestigate tueir authority to sit in the convention ; and
)' after the investigation, it would have been found
that a majority of the people of Georgia were not pro
perly and duly represented in convention, (lie delegates
assembled should have proceeded no further in the or
ganization of the convention, and should have returned
home, for that authority from a majority of the voters
ot tiu-ir respective counties, which they should possess
before they could organize themselves as a convention.
It the members acted otherwise, they certainly com
mitted a flagrant act ot usurpation on the most essenti
al rights of the people, and they established a prece
dent which may hereafter he productive of the most
disastrous consequences to the public institutions of the
country.
Applying more pointedly the above remarks to the
convention which met at Milledgevillc, the c inclusion
follows, that the investigation should have t iken place, j
I ts justice had been intended, and if a due respect for the |
j rights of the people had not been disregarded. An 1 *
' "by did not this scrutiny take place ? Because ir wis
well known that a majority of the people were opposed
to that convention, and were not represented in it by re
gularly and properly elected ("legates. If an investi
gatimi had been granted, no f ' an exist, that the re
sult would have shown that a -.cry small minority of
tne people had sent delegates to the convention, duly
elected or chosen. W e have room only for an aggregate
form ol the manner the delegates were chosen, to
which we have added the aggregate representative
population. In comparing these calculations, the ren
der will bear i:; mind, that in our remarks in last paper,
we stated, and we believe we succeeded in showing,
that a large majority of the people expressed themselves
against the doctrine of nullification, and :g inst the call
of a convention at this time, for the purposes, and cl ah.
ed with the power, recommended in the resoled >ns n
dopted at the Athens meeting. We recommend to the
reader, to connect the following calculations with those
we have already offered; by doing so he will be aide
to understand at once the object we have in view.
In order to place our calculations beyond the po-siiffl
tty of doubt, iic have followed the report o! the commit
tee, ot which Mr. Clayton was chairm m, appointed lo
examine the credentials of the sitting members of the
convention, and report thereon; which report was not
to be acted upon, but was merely to be attached to the
minutes of the convention.
Delegates from sixty.one counties presented them,
selves and took seat in the convention. These six’y.one
counticß contain a representative population of 350,000
wr.ich is a large majority of the representative popu! i.
tion of the state ; and il the delegates had been regu
larly and properly elected or chosen, and a majority o.
the people had not expressed themselves before against
a convention to be convoked under the auspices of the
Athens resolutions, no doubt would have been harbored,
that the convention would have been considered s having
some authority to proceed to business, and the delegates as
having been commissioned to speak and to act in the name
of their constituents. But what are the facts ? O.
these 61 counties, only 17—of the number of those which
remained in convention, after the session—with a re are
sentutive population of 120,266, can be considered as
having produced some authority to sit in that convention,
though the returns exhibited by the delegates, defective
as tiicy actually all are, do not show that a m. j.irity of
the voters gave in their votes at the elections for the
choice of delegates. The result of this calculation,
which will he found correct, on an examination of it, is
that the convention, which lias adopted resolutions, and
recommended a course of policy to the state govern,
ment, and which has constituted itself a permanent body,
is composed of delegates from only seventeen counties,
possessing a representative population of only 121.2G6,
—a little more than one-fourth of the whole represen
tative population of tlie*stafc ; for the other delegates
have produced credentials of so questionable a shape,
that by taking their seats in the convention, they com
mitted a flagrant act of usurpation, and became liab’e to
prosecution for a violation of the rights and pri ilegesof
the people. In offering these observations, we have
abstained from specifying the counties embraced in our
calculation, and bringing to view more pointedly the
right that several delegates had to seats in the conven
tion, and the certificates they produced. As we feel for
the reputation of the state, we shall not be the first to
publish the reprehensible manner in which seve
ra! delegates obtained certificates of appointment to the
convention. This convention has enough to answer for
to the people oi Georgia, without its members being
charged with all the defects in the authority to sit in con
vention, which many of them brought with them to Mil- t
ledge ville.
As the convention, in their resolutions, pretend to (
speak in the name of the people of Georgia, the mem
bers should feel themselves bound to place before that ,
c
people, the authority they had to act, in the capacity of
delegates, and to show most clvarly, that the o-anv anfion,
C when they ad. pted resolutions, and
n c j'.irsc ol policy to the state g ivemment, rupresanted n
»f majority ofthe people of Georgia. If they cannot do tVi"'
id they stand confessed before the community bsV.^,-
i i . , “winr
ic assumed an undelegated authority, and as having actcj
i. contrary to the known will and. pleasure of a m.tjn r i ly
i- the good people of Georgia. Wc therefore call Upori
those who hu>'o advocated the meeting of this conv e
i. lion, and supported the resolutions adopted by it, to cor
i, trovcrt.the ficts an 1 statements we have presented tj
f- tiie consideration of the public. " c want not sophist
a- and misst item n‘s. Wc want facts—indenkble f ac[ j
is whi.h must prove, that a majority of the counties, with
m majority of the people, were duly represented in the con
e- volition, before the secession of the fifty-three member*'
i- and that th s m jority of the counties and people had
sanctioned the convocation ofthe convention recommend
c ' ;| l ' ie resolutions adopted at the meeting in Athen«
?, These remarks bring us to this enquiry: A serutiny i
i- the authority of the d ’ ales to sit in convention, an j,
rt speak in the n tine >■ ■ people of Georgia, being CSstn
g tin! to the regular proceedings of the body, and impi
ously demanded, in order to give a due weight to „
y acts ; why s!i ml lir have been objected to, especially by
e those of the delegates who to »k a most active part im.i,'
s debates, mi l w!io previously had exerted all tlieir infl o
| ease, and used til! tiie means at their command, toren
r dtr the convocation ofthe convent! >n a papular measan’
I This enquiry shall ns the subject of our remarks in o#r
. next paper. We shall likewise give in our next, a nio re
detailed statement of the representation of the counts,
in the convention, in order to show how and in what
* manner the people were actually represented in that bo
dy. Wo will take this trouble to avoid all controversy
3 upon the subject.
5 GEORGIA LE'tISLATf RE.
The resolutions introduced in the House by Mt R T
1 an, in relation to the Turk?; and a Soiuhcrn Convention
j were taken up, agreeably to the order of the day, on
. Thursday las', andadepted, afteran animated discussion
. with mt amendment, except the following additional re.'
. solution, which was introduced by." Mr. Bates, and a.
. dopted, by 102 votes against 51.
“ 'Hire I, i .nut we abhor the doctrine of Nullific*.
tion, as neither ti peaceful nor constitutional remedy; but
, on the contrary, as tending to civil commotion aiid dis.
union; mid while we deplore the rash and revolutionary
measures recently adopic-d by a (’onvention of the peo.
pie of "outh Carolina, we deem it a paramount duty to
t warn our fellow, k : as against adopting her mischier.
, ous policy.”
The follo wing' are the yeas and nays on the final pa*,
sage ofthe resolutions:—
YEAS —Anderson, Akin, Ash, Bates, Black. Black,
burn, Ilvrd, Bowen, Brown, Bryant, Buffington, Burney,
■ Burks. Chastahi, Cos, Curie, of Lincoln, Davies, Day,
Dennard, Easley, Ector, Edmonson, Eugram, Exuni,
Ezzard, Gholson, G! isccck, Grubbs, Harris of Pike,
H irrisou, Haynes, Hinton, Hilliard of Dooly, Ililliardof
" are, Howell, Hull, Hatcher, Hutchins, Irvin, Johnson
of Henry, Jv oily. K.nj of Crawford, ivmgol .Mclntosh,
Lddell, Lewis, Tiong. Lowe, Lockhart. Martin, Mays of
Defvalb, ifchell, '• oorc, Morgan, MCoy, Moselcv,
Murray, Overstreet, Pace, Pierce, Phillips, Pitman,
Bawls, Rhodes, Roberts, Robinson, Rogers, Rutherford,
ot Washington, Ryan, Rivers, Satlbld, Sellers, Sims,
Shelton, Sheets,' mith ofCoweta, ‘-mith of Henry, Shine,
Solomon, Stamper, - tanfonl, Marhe, '-tcelman, Strick.
| latul, Taylor, Towles, Thurmond, Thweatt, Varner,
W ; liter, Ward, W avne, W ilson of Early, " i■•’gins,
W ood ol Coweta, Wood oi Hall, Wilcox, Young of Ir.
win.— ( )T.
NAYS —Allen, Blackwell, Birr, Biacf.shear, of
Lowndes, Biackshcarof Laurens. Calhoun. Cone, Clif.
ton, Craw ford, (kirrv o Decatur, Curry of Washington,
Daniel. Eh wellon, Floyd, Flournoy, Gibson, Graves of
Clark, Graves of Newton, Groce, Harden, Hardeman,
Hardman, H >ra!> m, Harris of E!hurt, Hnmiltun, Hud.
sou, Hubbard, J "< s, Jones, Johnson of Morgan, King of
Greene, Ki.f'es, done. M-ys of Buffs, McCall, Jhi
wether, M eln'yre, Neal, Nicholson. Rea, Redding, Rib.
son. Ru'herf -rtl of Moaro •, Sparks, pivey, frond,
Sharp, Thorn'.m. Tuner, Vinson, Wn ren, « ihm of
Warren, v- iliiams, White, A illuunsou, loan gos Ogle
tborpe.— a7.
M*o TI:-CA ««MS A.
The Southern 7 ' of the 2Bih nil. holds the follow. I
ing ! .ngunge re the “ Ordinance.” I
“We affirm, a,id .here is no possibility ofiFtiyinptli* I
P >s;ti .11, that the Ordni nice ab >! sin s all these da>«‘gimnl< I
to ihe independence oi the State Judiciary winch our I
j ancestors established in the Cans! it r ion of this State, h I
j has effectually repealed th A part o tins instrument which I
provides that tue Judges shall hold their offices during I
good behaviour, by dive sting them of the right of trial I
by impeachment •»’ one branch oi the Legislature, mid I
conviction by tiie other. L has thus made a fundamental I
i iro id on one ot the groat principles of civil liberty.—Tim I
Judge, nd every inferior civil M igistrulo, is ejected I
from o'dj e, without even lie firm of trial, at tiie moment I
t!:e pres irioen oath is reused to be taken. In no part ol I
the woild t’i t has the slightest pretence to civil liberty, I
his tiie tu ictioii :ty ever !>een dismissed without at learf I
t!ie be:n ‘lt o t!i it inquest wli c!i is not denied by the I
laws to tiie humblest citizen of tiie land. The instru. I
meat by win m this ;s done is <i tr.sl —the engine of tyran- I
ny, in all ages and eon tries, in which men who possess I
power arc dctci mined tu force conformity in religion and I
in p ilitics. I
‘ But iot only a. the g-eat and cherished maxims of I
civil irecdom disregarded ; the principles of good faith I
ar.; v.oi ted, in bre iking the contract into which the I
tto has entered with every officer whose ;in ofolu- I
ce is unexpire !, ■ r who holds during good behaviour. This I
is ns nincit a stipulation iit honour, as if the agreement I
had been lor the per ormance o a specific piece of work I
for a pecuniary consider tion. 'The office! who is divest- I
ed ot ins ofll ebe I’. re the | eriod tor w ichhe was elect- I
ed, or without conviction ol misconduct, if he holds dur. I
ing go >d behaviour, is not only i ijiircd in his rights, a.s I
a citizen, but damaged in his interests. Ir is she fiigliC’St I
act ot injustice to alter the terms and conditions ofa con. I
tract by the ordinary course of legislation, or bv the ac- I
tion of the Courts. Is that equitable, when done by » I
Legisla ive body and th < nis Justice, which is I
just, il achieved by tin ie in Co .volition? Doc! I
Justice change ils essential characteristics by the word I
Political Sovereignty ? Can a people do injustice, of their I
representatives lor them, whether those Representatives I
net in a ('oiive-iiion instead of acting in a Legislature! I
Impossible! Tin n.tnre of things cannot be changed by ■
simply assigning iii:s act done to one source of authority B
instead o!kino' In r. B
“ But tins is not all, in this sweeping measure of du- ■
frarichiseinent and injustice. The Military have always ■
been held, ~sa bo !y, tube entitle Ito tiie bench: of these fl
usages winch precedent and general convenience have fl
established for the government of this branch of the pub- ■
lie service- Tiie officer has always, be 'ore being di- H
vested of his commission, iieen held to be entitled w*
trial by bis Peers. Tins barrier has also been swept I
awav. Tie test, if not co nplie.l with, divests him in & ■
moment, the s one as the civil officer, ofiiis commif- I
sion. and his hrd earned promotion—ids long period ■
o' pnlilic service, is disregarded, as if all oMig : ‘ tlon * ot ft
equity were to be foregone in the on? sweeping renio- K
tion of general conformity. Thus hvv all received K
ideas ol civil security, general convenience and P n- l|
v tc equity, given way to the determination ol ff ,eD
who are bent on having their way, and who, while ■
they h -ve made tliese alarming inroads on the principle* If
ot public liberty, in the very same manifestoes, by wli; cb H
they are accompanied, profess to-act under her iicred H
impulses, and to he governed by the lofty dictates ol H
honour and equity. G-.ni inconsistency so farther ? | 3l H
infatuation, the usual fruit of party violence, made c.eaf ■
headed men intellectually blind, and blunted their pvt- B
captions of riglit ?or to what is this phenomenon "■ 1 B
tree country to lie attributed ’ si
NOR .MA BOLIN A. . J
The Raleigh Register of November 30, informs M
that meetings have been held in Buncombe, Macon, Lb- B
coin, Rutherford, Burke, Orange, Guilford. Rowan, h eW K
Hanover, and other counties ol the state, at which rese- H
lutions were adopted expressive of a most ardentatt*^ - I
merit for the Union, and a determination to uphold it 5 ’ K
every hazard. H
ALABAMA. ft
On Saturday the 17th November, both branches 0 ■
the legislature, which had met, agreeably to the pro<m - ■
mation of the Governor, adjourned; and on he Monds. H
following, the legislature met again at Tuscaloo.- 1 ' H
that being the day appointed by the constitution for lts H
annua! session. Goth branches were organized by tnc ■
choice ot the same speaker of the House,and Fre3i aSS B
of the-Senate. «