Lynchburg Virginian. [volume], January 22, 1849, Image 2

About Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?

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agt'anng d-bate »» n in -tt r »n •rw--lt f very hii kX iiii |
] ft was intended.by Southern m-*n an 1 Hy the
u!»ra ahditionis’s. to make this cps** a Test question as to
whether negro** are or are n**t to be recognized by tile
general gov rnmer-t as property.
Mr. C "Hamer was fr qceutly in’errnpted hy, and re
PT-ed tn. noo<ti. ns pn.poimded hy Messrs Bor', Meade.
C*id.lings, Toombs, Holmes, Morphy and others. Hav
ing spoken his hour, lie was followed by
Mr. Meade, who made a very sound, able, legal and [
constitutional argument on the Southern side of the ques- j
ti*»n. At thv conclusion of his hour—
Mr. Hall*of New \ ork obtained the fl or. and opposed
tie* bill, replying to the remarks of several gentlemen
who had mMressed the House in favor of the bill.
Mr Toombs next obtained the fl or but gave way to
Mr. Schenek. who n»*ived an adj urnment;up>m which
a divisi in t<*.k place, and the motion prevailed. Ad
j timed.
Lynchburg and Tennessee Rail Road.
W ashington, Citt, Dec. 20th, 1848.
Dear Sir,
F Have read with great pleasure the letter 1
•of M*\ F. B. Deane, Jr. addressed to yourself upon the J
subject of the Lynchburg and Tenr.essee railroad, and
which von were kind enough to hand me a few days
since. I h ive witnessed with no ordinary sa isfaclion the
growing interest which you state is manifesting in tins
important work. Indeed the stales ..f \ irgiriia and Ten
l essee have too long been slum heritor over the.r bound
le« and inexhaustible sources of wealth, and also too
indifferent a d unconcerned as to the meins by w hich
thev may be developed and turned to profitable account j
\\ bile \ ugirii? and I ennessee have been dreainimr and *
. spei-'il jting av*om the frure, other s'ates, under less ta |
vorable circumstances,have availed themselves <f ad van
tages wnic i in »r* properly belonged to us. Georgia, with
her far reaching sagacity, perceiving *he importance ot
securing to terse If the trade and commerce of'Tennessee,
has extended one arm of her great railways almost to our J
A*-rv do>rsj hv which we are fumi-oied with a direct arid
8j*eedy communication with tlie Atlantic seaboard. The
fit tier policy is now being daily developed. |i
has given a new direction t • tt*e commerce of Ka>l Ten
(lessee, port i ms ot \> esrern Virginia and North Alaba
ma. Five years ago your commission houses in Win
chester. Kiciimond and Lynchhutg, were crowded with
merehan iizc tor \\ ♦'Stern Virginia and East Tennessee ;
votir mads were filled with wagons, as the only means
ot tran-p irtatim ; your stage coaches were loaded down
with passengers going north and returning south. These
have almost entirely disappear'd. Suutli Carolina and
Georgia have quite monopolized that commerce w Inch
you at one time so profitably employed.
I he question now is, can you regain That which you
have lost, as all will now admit, by a policy unwise and
sdi »rt sighted. Every one at all familiar with the geog
raphy ot ihe country, would not only answer this qttes
ti >n in the affiirm.ittve, but would observe, at a glance,
that the road in contemplation, if completed, at no dis
tant day would become the great thoroughfare from the
north to the south. Look at the map and you will oh
ser e that a straight line drawn from New York to New
Orleans passes immediately over the country through
which this road i* proposed to t»e u a le. 'These two
great commercial cities will at no very remote day, we
may rationally conclude, be connected by railroad com
iniinifatiou. Should the Lynchburg and Tennessee
mao fbr.u one link in this great chain of railway, the
delight'll climate of Western Virginia and East Ten
nessee, with their towering blue mountains and roman
tic scenery, Would invite and*secure fur it a greater a
inount of travel than any other road in the Union; while
it would arouse and direct the enegy and industry
♦ four peu| le in new fields of wealth hitherto hut little ex
j dored.
Knoxville the centre of East Tennessee, Richmond
and Charleston form almost an equilateral triangle.—
From Knoxville to Richmond is 475 miles; from Knox
vilie to Charleston is 520; from Richmond to Charleston
450. 'Thus you will prereive that it is nearer from
Richmond to Knoxville by 45 miles, than it is frmu
Charhgion to Knoxville. Vet almost the entire travel |
from tlie North to East Tennessee passes through Rich- ,
iuood and Charleston. The merchandize for the coun i
lies 50 and 60 miles east of Knoxville, and in some m
stances for some of the counties in Western Virginia,
tal es the same* direction.
J have shown you ih«* importance of the road to the;
tarvelling public, hut there is another light in which it
should be c nsideied. Your own county of Washington
contains within tier bosom more gypsum or plaster, than
would be necessary to reclaim all uf the “old worn-out
Tunis” in \ irgmiaand ’Tennessee. The diffi rence be
tween their present and increased value.by means of impro
per application and use,w. nid build the ro.'d.The table ac
companying the letter of Col. Rogers, formerly of Ten
nessee, who isfatnihar with the country through which
lite road would pass, and which is herewith enclosed,
will give you some idea of the productions of those coun
ties more immediately interested in the work. Th°se
statistics showing the population, agriculture, manufac
lures ami other resources of the country, .were taken
from the census of 1S40. The census of 1850 will ex
hibit a very large increase of the articles therein enu
merated. As an evidence of the abundance uf minerals
embeded in our mountains, I would infirm you that Dr.
’1 most, geolog st for the state, who has made an accur
ate examination of the country, has declared that Carter
county alone contains enough iron ore to supply the world
f*r one thousand years. Several of the counties through
which the road would pass, contain inexhaustible beds
of marble, of a very superior quality and of the richest
varieties. Let me refer yon to a specimen of our mar
ble, dejMtsited iii tlie the Talent Office in this city, by
Orville Rice, Esq. of 1 law kins county. And it ibis con
nection, I Would add that we have many quarries in
1 law kins and Claiborne counties.out of which mill-stones
are manufactured equal m every respect, if nut superior,
to the French huhr.
Every Tennessean, 1 am confident, would rejoice to
see the Old Dominion throughly aroused to the impor
tance ot this work, and engaging in it with a spirit which I
will ensure success. Knoxville cannot be the terminus of
the line. The entire road from Knoxville intersecting ■
Kite Georgia and Chattanooga railroad is under contract,
and so is a portion of the mad from Chattanooga to Nash
ville. I thmk l may safely say that these two roads
will be built before Virginia extends hers to the Tennes
sea line. The distance from ilie Tennessee line, where
\.»ur r-*ad would probably intersect it, to Knoxville, is a
btwt one hundred and ten milts, over which 4 am sa;is
fied that’1 cm lessee will construct a road so soon as >he
finds that Virginia » in earnest. Then let us unfold
our anus, and go to work in an enterprize w hich, while
it ensures prosperity and wealth t» both.w ill unite us as
brulheis, and make ours a common destiny.
\\ itii sentiinen's of high esteem,
1 am, very respectfully.
Your obedient serv’t,
WAJ. M. COCKE.
lion. Thomas 5. Bocock.
Washington, January 6tb, 1549.
Pear Sir :
Agreeably to the request contained in
y»ur letter addressed to me a few daysagoj have con
ferred with several members of the Tenuessee delega
tion in Congress on the subject of the prospects of
your proposed Lynchburg and Tennessee railroad.
Though all with whom 1 conferred were requested
to give uie their views in writing, only one has yet
done me the favour to comply. The enclosed letter of
the lion. M illiam M. Cocke, who represents one of
the districts in Eastern Tennessee, not verv distant
from the proposed line of improvement, will be found
a very interesting and important one. It is, with his
consent, placed at your disposal, together with the let
ter of his friend Mr. Rogers, which he has been kind
enough to procure and submit.
From Mr. Cocke’s letter, and from communications
made to me in conversation by other gentlemen from
that State,! am well convinced ihat Tennessee is look
ing with much interest to your undertaking ; and if
you shall be able to complete your line to her borders
she will instantly take it up and continue it, nut onlv
to Nashville, hut in good time to Memphis or some
.other point on the Mississippi.
In that case, I do not hesitate to sav, that in use
. fulness and in brilliant success, it would he one of the
first lines of improvement in the I'nion.
It would confer immense local benefit by opening up
a business and commercial highway for those interest
ing regions. Southwestern 4 irginia and Eastern Ten
nessee—regions whose resources, though heretofore,
undeveloped,are beginning to make themselves known,
and whose vast mineral wealth and agricultural capa
bilities are only equalled by the neglect with which
they have heretofore been treated. What portion of
our mighty I'nion, belonging to any one cf the thirty
States, is now so poorly provided with facilities for
reaching the great Commercial marts as is Southwest
e. a » 4i'Hurt, ii part of the i4Auciei!t Dominion’' itself ?
Ikn.wufnone. Justice to those regions will be at
•endei w ith corresponding advantages to oor eastern
town? and cities. These I shall not undertake to reit
erate ; but besides these local benefits your line would
posses? a far more enlarged and general importance.
It would'afi rd the ?peedic?t. safest and best line cf
communication between the northern Atlantic cities
and the great and growing southwest. It would form
the best connection between New York and New Or
leans, the one the great importing, and the other the
great exp >rting city of the I mon* The travel between
these two points must therefore be immense. But bv
an inspection of the map ol the countrv. with the vari
ons lines of improvement now in operation, or in pro
gress of construction, marked ofi'. i; must be evident,
that not oi.ly from New Orleans, but from all Louisia
na, from 1 ex:as. from Mi??issipoi, from Arkansas, Al
abama, Tennessee and a good part of Georgia, the
travel to Washington, New York and the north would
be chiefly or almost entirely along this line. It would
be not only the most expeditious route.which is a con
sideration of great importance in this :era of progress.'
but it would also be the safest. It would escape, on
the one hand, the greater part of the ‘‘high pressure1*
travel on the Mississippi, with its dangers and delays
growing out of its liability to steamboat explosions,
running upon snags and banging on sand bars : and oti
the other hand it would avoid the storms of the Gulf
of Mexico and all the perils of our southern Atlantic
coast.
There is another point of view in which this road
may be of great importance. The regular line of com
munication with our Pacific territories, pregnant as
they seeiu to be with incalculable wealth, and winning
away our active population from every city, hamlet
and valley of the cast, it appears will be established
by steamboat to < hagres. thence acru?s the isthmus of
Panama, by railroad to the city of the same name, and
thence again by steamboat to our Pacific ports. If this
shall he done, a regular line of steam packets will run
from New Orleans, to Chagres, and the speediest and
best route for the teeming adventurers of the north
who go out to seek their fortunes, will be from N ew
\ urk to New Orleans by this line, and thence to Cha
gres. And not only the outgoing travel will thus be
gained, but when those inviting shores and valleys a-,
long the Pacific shall become settled with a bustling
population, ns they speedily w ill, and the great com
mercial circulation between the Atlantic and Pacific re
gions shall commence, then every pulsation will pour
a stream ol travel along this great line of communica
tion.
I have taken it for granted in all this, that the road
when completed from Lynchburg westward, will then
be extended eastward, so as to connect with the north
ern line of railroad. I am satisfied, I repeat, that it
only requires Tor you to complete your work from
Lynchburg to the Tennessee line ; the rest will follow
:is a matter of course. 1 have confidence that you will
succeed. You have strung hands and able beads at
work with an enthusiasm that in a good cause must
triumph. 1 am sorry to hear that your scheme is
looked upon with a spirit of jealousy by the friends of
other schemes. There is enough in the great work of
developing the neglected resources of Virginia for all
to do, and I am convinced that interests, in many ca
ses deemed opposed, will in the end be found to be al
lied and conducive to each other. I must, in conclu
sion, beg to apologize for the brief find general views
which I have herein presented, and to regret that op
portunities do not al iw any thing more, specific and
pointed from me.
I am. dear Sir.
Yours, with regard,
T1IUS.S. BOCOCK.
F. B. Deane Jr., Esq.
E URO P E A N I NT E L LIG EN C E.
B Y Til E S T E A M E R A M E R I C X .
Plie steamship United States arrived at Havre on the
20th ot December.
The cholera still prevails in Great Britain. In Scot
land thisea^e prevailed to a very alarming extent. —The
cases in Scotland have been no fewer than 2922. where
of 1358 have perished. Glasgow, Dumfries, .Maxwell
town. and Edinburgh and its vicimity, seem to be the
chiefsfeats of the disease. In London, the last weekly
return gavcoi fatal case^. against 20 the previous week,
whilst two weeks preceding tiie deaths were 65. The
returns from the English provinces are daily about 1<) or
12. Two new cases have occurred in Liverpool. *?n
Belfast several cases have occurred,but, upon the whole,
Ireland has as vet happily escaped this scourge.
It is staled that the proclaiming ul Louis Napoleon as
President, was hurried on a dry in advance,—G n.
Changarnier having obtained full information respecting
a plot which was formed seize Prince Louis on his pas
sage I rom the Assembly to the Palais Ely>ee Bourbon,
and to conduct him to the Tuilleries, to the cry of“ViveP
Empereur !” The Prince of Montfort, Jerome Buona
parte, hn* been appointed Governor of the Invalids?.'—
Jerome Buonaparte met the new l resident i n his re
turn front the National Assembly. On meeting they
cordially embraced. The Prince de Montfort was great
ly moved, and sited tears. 41 was on the same spot he
had parted with the Emperor Napoleon f r the ia<l time,
when he quilted Paris after the Battle of Waterloo.
BAKIN Gai’ CIRCULER—Per Steameb America.
London, Fridav, 29th Dec.
The Corn market has continued extremely he ivy for
all articles; the top price of American red Wheat is 46s.
a-T7s.. duty paid: whi'e 43s.a50s U. S. Flour, is slow 1
sa4e in bond at 25s, jht bbl. to day. There is some in '
quiry fir bonded Wheat in anticipation of the low dutv. -
The present duly on Wheat is 8-. p-r quarter. Good i
(hits, weighing 38 to 39 lbs. per bubble, are sellirig at |
19 s. p*r quarter. A small parcel of American white In
(iian Corn hss been sold at 32s. p* r 480 lbs.
Iron—Considerable business has been done in \Y elsh |
bars at £\ 15s. and .£5, which is the present value in
Wales, free on board. Scotch Pigs, free on board, at
Glasgow, have advanced 13s. an I 44s.
A MEM 1C AN STOC KS.— The business h.is been
limited during the past f« r»niglii: the price of 93 percent. I
ex. div.. has !**en repeatedly paid for U. S. 6 per ct. 1
sto-k ex. div.; but since the nrrfval of the steamer’s let-1
ters to day, ludJers refuse to se'l at that rate. All State
Stock, and the market is scantily supplied, are firmly
held at advanced prices, and it is not easy to qu >te rates
at which purchases to any extent could oe made.
The accounts from Californ ia rather increase than di
minish tit exciting details. A correspondent at New York
says:
• "Letters have been received by one of our most respec
table houses, stating that their agent in California had,
shipped $269,000 in gold to England, and that there was
upwards of two milliors of dollars ready to be shipped lor
this cty ( New York ) as s«»on as vess* Is could be found
to bring it. This amount is independent of the stock held
and consigned to other places.”
A letter dated San Francisco. Oct. 15 h, says : —
"I cannot get men, at 15dollars per day. t • put up the;
buildings I w an ; at thi< rate they will not wo k over six
or seven hours. This is not so surprising, when I asure|
you thal several persons of my acquaintance w ho have
returned, averaged one lit usand dollars per diem in the
g.ild diggius. G"Id i* now so much more abundant than
money that it is only worth ei+ht dollars per ounce, paya
ble in Coin.”—Phil. Inquirer.
CALIFORNIA NEWS.
The New York Nun of Thursday, contaiins the fol
lowing ;
Several merchants in this city have received letters
from California, via Chagres and British West In
dies, probably hy the same conveyance which brought
the recent despatches for government.
The tenor of these advices, is, that large deposites of
gold were discovered in the hills, ami that people from
Oregon, Nanta Fe and Mexico, were pouring into the
country hy thousands.
Such was the scarcity of coin tint gold dust had fallen
at the mines to six dollars aa ounce, being less than one
third its real value at the United Ntates Mint. The
whole amount gathered was about three millions.
Capt. William U. Marcy. a son of«lie U. N. Secreta
ry of War. was disposing of every thing in the shape of
supplies at his camp, in exchange for gold dust. He had
collected fifteen barrels of gold ore, and having no
means of protecting the treasure, he had buried it, until
a vessel of war should arrive on the cua^t, which was
daily expty ed.
I’rovi-i ns and f md of everv hind were vptv scarce,
and daily grow ing dearer. p«rk was $->fJO per barrel,
flour $100 per barrel. bread six-y cents per pound, t>-ans
$18 per bushel, brandy $-30 per gallon, and other things
in pnijt"yii«m.
There was much suffering at the mines, and even ap
prehensi< n of famine, hi consequence of the multitudes
arrtviog from all qnurt< rs. The Indians, being able to
endure more fatigue and poorer fare than the whiles,
, wre ffulherm* .... si. f it.« g..U- Some paru.-s had com
| tnnnc-d k llinj h >r<es and mi.P s f,r fiKHj.
I he pe« pie were in hopes • foetiimr r\ speedy snpnlv
■ ,r‘ ,Tl \ -SR^ls hi San Francisco, which
no been aband«m« dor ne«dec?pd. were once more in re
quest to proceed nlonj »!,^ cast far food. ih* Purer hav
mir become n. re valuable than Hold. Whale ships were
sedipg • ll their notfi < a! Monterey, at enormous profits.
DIRECTORS OF THE BANK OF VIRGINIA—1849.
RICHMOND.
BY THE STOCKHOLDERS. ' EV THE EXEC! TIVE.
•Tames Caskie, Ro. A. Mayo,
; Ihos. K. Price, Archd. Thomas,
John Mumble, Garrett F. " atson,
inhn J. London, AVm. Gray.
John L. Bacon.
NORFOLK.
Aaron Milhado. John G. Colley,
"in. S. Mallory, John B. Whitehead,
" m 11 Hunter, John Janies
Walter II. Taylor.
PETERSBURG.
Joseph Bragg, Wm. Pannill,
David May, II. B. Gaines,
John II. Patterson, Thomas White,
John Rowlett,
FREDERICKSBURG.
Hugh Mercer, Wm. P. Conway,
D. ll. Gordon, Robert Dickey,
Thomas F. Knox, ’ John M. Whittemore.
Hugh Scott.
LYNCHBURG.
Chi'well Dabney, Wm. T. Y'anccy,
Ambrose B. Ilucker, Wm. A. Uicheson,
Elijah Fletcher, Wm. T. Young.
James M. Cobbs.
DANVILLE.
Thomas P. Atkinson, Nathaniel Wilson,
t ieorjge " ilson. George Price.
Wm. G. Craghead, Allen Y. Stokes.
A. AY. C. Terrv.
BUCHANAN.
Charles 1'. Beale, Wm. J'. Staples,
" illktm \\ . Boyd, John M. Robinson
Tbos. Cartmill, William M. lladibrd,
John S. Wilson.
CHARLESTON.
James C. McFarland, Matt. Dunbar,
Joel Shrewsbury, sr., Levi Welch,
Spicer Patrick, W. Chamberlain.
Isaac Read.
PORTSMOUTH.
Samuel M. Wilson,, John Cocke,
Richard W. Baugh Thomas Breeks,jr.,
Jethro A. Jenkins, John Aeciuilly.
John G. Hatton.
DIRECTORS OF THE FARMERS’ BANK OF
VIRGINIA AND BRANCHES—1849.
AT RICHMOND.
Py Stnckh'Jders. fly Executive.
\\ II .Mio larland \V C Allen
J ami s Dunlop .1 R Henderson
Win 11 I Iaxall Sublett McGruder
James Bo.her Bernard Peyton*
James C Crane*
AT NORFOLK.
N C W hitehead Jos T Allyn
James Cornick W illiam Ward
Charles R .1* John E Doyle*
Jusiah W ills*
AT PETERSBURG.
Wm R bertson R R Collier
Jos D While _ Siilnti v Jones
n-’vid Dunlop Charles Corling*
John Kevau*
AT FREDERICKSBURG.
John Tl W allace Sam Gordon, jr*
Join Hart John Cuakley*
G"o B Seott John M tferndon*
Stephen J Blaydes*
AT LYNCHBURG.
AVm Radford John G Meem
John M Warwick James t„ Claytor
Sani'l MeC. rkle* David RoJr/
liicliard Tyree
AT WINCHESTER.
R bert L Baker Frederick Schultz
Philip Williams ' H H M’Guire
Tims B Campbell ' R„ T Baldwin*
Henry B Sin il*
AT DANVILLE.
Natli’l T Green John Noble
John Ross I, vi Holbrook
Wm T Law AY H AVoodino
Thos D Stokes*
AT FARMVILLE.
AVm C Flournoy P H Jackson*
J a 1 J Seott- Jos B Anderson*
<■ R Barksdale* Howell E Warren*
James Blanton*
A P CHARLOTTESVILLE.
John R J nes Thos J Randolph
W in J R .bertson Allen l> Magntder
Andrew M Kee* Jas W Saunders*
Andrew Leitch*
AT WYTHEVILLE.
Stephen MeGavock Robert Gibhony
Win II Sptller • E MeGavock
Robert Raper-* J p Matthews*
in liibborn*
AT ALEXANDRIA.
Phirieas J innny Geo II Smoot
Hugh Smith J hn II Brent*
Robert 11 Miller John T Dyer*
AVm 11 Fovvle*
* New Directors.
New York. January 15—0 P M
J OSS OF THE STEAMER EMPIRE STATE.
The Splendid Steamer Empire State caught fire at her
landing in I all River on Saturday night, and continued ’
to burn until I I o’eluck on Sunday morning, when the '
tlames wree i xiinguished by scuttling her.The fireorhn i
nated in the f.rvvard | art of the boat, having caught froth
a stove. The bull is nearly destroyed but the ennjne
stands ereet and it is thought has sustained but little dam
age. The hull is to be lowed to New York for the pur
pose of being re-!>mlt. She was insured in the diff. r
eut New A oik and Philadelphia offices to the amount
ol one hundred thousand dollars, which it is believed will
nearly cover the entire loss. Her original cost was one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars. All the silver and
much of the other valuable property on board was saved.
While the boat was burning Captain Comstock and ano
ther person broke through the ice and were badiy injdred,
narrowly escaping with their lives,
SAUUliCRY: Ki VBDLLKV/
'4 V
riAHE SUBSCRIBER respectfully Informs liis friend* and
* the public generally, that he is now receiving his #
Fall assortment of Gooeis,
in his line, which, together with his own manufacture, makes
his stock complete. Ilis stock consists in part of
Saddles of every description
Saddle and Medical B.gs
Carriage and Barouche Harness
Carryall and Boat do
Cart and Wagon do
Bridles. Martingales and Collars
Hiding and Driving Whips
Stirrup* and Bridle Bits, *
Carpet Bag-, Buffaloe Robes, Spurs, kc. kc kc .
.I/50--J large assortment of TrnnAg .
both of his own and Northern manufacture, at very reduce
prices. He flatters himself that, in PRICE and QlfJlUTY
his work is not to be surpassed anywhere, ka\ing the very
best workmen and materials.
n i: s* \ i r i a r;
done with neatness and desnatch. Orders thankfully recciv
ed and promptly attended to.
Nov 2—ifW GEORGE B THURMAN.
r^ASII.'IKRES <fe MOLES LI NS—Scotch Plaids, Cash
V./ meres, M'>u-dins, Gala Plaids and Dress Silks. Great
bargain- may be had in these goods, by caliiogon
Jan lo—ts PETERS kSTIGLKR.
BLANK BONDS FOR SALE AT THIS OFFICE.
| THE LYNCHBURG VIRGINIAN
BLACKFORD, TOW NLKY & I ILLARD
PROPRIETORS.
LVATlIBl Rfi JAAl ARY 19, IN 19.
CONGRESSIONAL PfUN flML
\W referred, in nur last, to the very s!*»venly and dis
graceful st>le in which the printing uf Congress was
dune hy the contractors under the new Mstem, Messrs.
Wendell arid Van Benthuysen. We did not dwell, as
we migl t have done, on the tardiness w loch lias niatk
ed its execution—a tardiness amt untino to a frustra
tion of all the objects of pr.niir gat all. Last Session the
Report of the Secretary of the 'Treasury did not appear
for three nr four months—and this Session, though the
document is one of moderate size, it has only just been
printed. We did not know, when we penned our hasty
article, that these contractors were before Congress with
a petition to be secured from loss by a ontract, which
their own folly or ignorance induced them to enter into.
W hen they were declared the successful bidders, the
proprietors of the Intelligencer, I’nion and Congressional
Globe, all declared that money would be lust upon the
printing of both houses, at such inadequate rates. M>
ney has been lost—and the loss would have been still
greater, had the printers complied, so far as despatch*
quality of paper and style of execution were concerned,
with the requirements of the contract. These contrac
tors come before Congress and allege .that their hills <
for the printing for the 1st Session of 30th Congress*
amount to $101,G32G3
They allege llieir expenses to have been 1U8.G8G. k"
Showing a loss to the contractors of $7,053.85
They go on to say that the same work,
if executed by Hitchie & lltks, would
have cost . $307,975.20
If executed by Gales and Seaton, $411,921.23
This la'ler assertion has drawn forth from Messrs.
Gales & Seaton an indignant denial. They pronounce
the assertion false and deceptions, and proceed to sh w
that the attempt to single them from other printers t«
Congress, who have received precisely the same prices
far many hundred thousand dollars of work, is a gross in
jury to them and a miserable attempt to imp ae upon
Congress and the people. They proceed to "show that
from 18l9.(when the contract system was abolish d and
a printer elected) ntilil 1829, they were continuous
ly printers to both Houses. 1 he highest amount receiv
ed, in any one year (1827) was $07,875, which included
the reprinting of the old journals. The lowest amount
in any one year (1821) was $22,510—the aggregate
lor the ten years was $3G3,/05—or an average of $30,
370 per annum. So mu lt for their bills, before Mr.
\ an Burenks efforts to improve the Press led to their pro
scription. As to what their profits have been since, we
give an extract trom their exceedingly interesting article.
‘*\\ hen, at the end of the first ten years tinder 'he old
system, another succeeded G. St S. in the post of Prin
ter to the two Houses of Congress, and at successive
subsequent Congresses, the amount'as well as the profits
olthe printing came to be increased: the amount by
the now and yet growing practice nfordering large extra
numbers nf voluminous documents tn be printed, and the
profits hy the intioduction of labor-saving maclitnerv
(power-pt eases) and the great reduction of the cost of pa
per. \\ lien, therefore, Gales «S’ Seaton again berate
I rioters to Congress,the bills of their work became hire
than they w ere in the first ten years. Phe average amount,
however, per session, tor each of the twenty-one sessions
during which Gales tic Seaton executed the printing for
Congress (including 'he above ten) was but $19,315 per
session,being little less Ilian mu half of the aeknowledg
ed amount of hit’s nf the. contractors, for the single ses
sion. not including ilia hills, if any, which had riot been
rendered when the above statement was made out.
\\ e do not mean, of course, by ibis demonstration, to
intimate an opinion that the prices established by the
Resolution of 1819. graduated, as they were, to the then
prices of priming—that is to say, of the manual labor
and materials of printing—and adopted to the usages of
printing only a limited number of documents of volumin
ous size, would not he too high at this day. They would
be. in some particulars, though not in all. The c ,st o'
composition (setting the types,) fur example, has increas
ed instead of diminishing, the weekly wages for such
work, from manns'-ript copy, which were then $11),
being now $11. The c-st ul paper and presswork lias,
however, been greatly reduced, as we shall have occa
sion to show. Congress, aware of this change, had by
law reduced the prices of 1819 thirty-seven and a half
percent* before resortiog to the contract system. The
price lor [taper and press-work might be reduced yet low
er, say to fifty p r cent, below that of 1S19, iftlte com
position of plain work were left ti stand, as it ought to
do,at the price fixed by the Resolution of 1819. At such
reduced prices work may now he done without loss,
which could not formerly be done lur the same price with
out great loss.
A comparision of the cost of two ingredients, of “paper
and press-w rk,” (that is to sav, of tlie whole operation
of printing the extra numbers, which constitute at least
two-thirds of the amount of the present contractors1 [tills.)
will show how impossible it would have been in past
yea is to work at prices which would now yield a profit.
For the paper on which for many years Gales 5s Sea
ton executed the public work they paid five dollars and
fifty cents |>er ream, for single royal paper; whilst tZo»
hle royal paper, such as the contractors have employed in
their work, can now be'bought at about three dollars i
per ream ; that is to say, the contractors get for three dol-1
lats the same quantity of paper that we paid (outside
quires deducted) tieelce dollars for. Press-work, bv
hand-presses, (the only ones then in use, on this single;
royal paper, eight pages to the form, we never paid fin
al a less rate than thirty three amt a third cents per to
ken. 1 he same work, now done on steam jxtwer mes
ses, does not cost the contractors (all expenses included)
more than./iee cents (if as much) for the same quanti
ty.”
They go on to show that it is only' when a very large
number of a document isordered to be printed,that much
profit occurs, and that Congress, in their day, was nut
in the habit of ordering such masses of printing as it now
orders. Tims, last year 130,000 copies of the Patent
Office Report—a large volume—was ordered to be prin
ted. The atrt iunt which the Albany contractors will
receive for this job alone, even at their inadequate prices,
will he about 430,000. Not one-fourth of these 130,000
copies have been sent off by I he mails, and, as the new
Report from the Commissioner of Patents is already in,
the copies on hand of the oiii are worth about as much as
so many almanacks, ol use to no one but to tiie grocers,
to whom they wili ultimately be consigned—sharing the
fate, as Gale3 & .Sfaton allege, “of cart loads of the ex
tra copies published of the annual Message and D cu
mentsof last year, w hich were sold by weight, as waste
paper, to the shop-keepers of this city before one half of
tiie whole edition of them had gone through the Press.”
Factsof this description are notorious to everv member of
Congress,and yet we constancy see some one movino for
the printing uften.fifteen.or twenty thousand extra conies
of some d cument, of which the staled number ordered to
be furnished is not, in nine cases out of ten, ever circula- !
ted. This motion is sometimes made for tiie pu p .se of;
benefitling the printer — l nt ofiener to mark tiie member’s
sense of the importance of the document, r to flatter
the functionary from whom it proceeds. The absurdity
of printing such immense editions of documents, with
a view to their dissemination, will be apparent u;»m a
moment’s reflection. If each member was furnished w ith
Ids distributive ‘hire of all tiie documents ordered to be
printed, and felt disposed to send them,every one,aim ng
ids constituents, the mere direction ami flanking of th. ui
would occupy the whole ot 'he lours of the day m which
I the House is in session—whilst the n ails would tv ry
where break down with the en runus mass of printed
paper.
The contract system has not worked well. I' was
tried from 1815 to lSlOand abandon, d. Fr*m th at p>
riod to the end of 'lie last Congross.n prin’«• r was t1- cied
hy each house.We think it not impr .bible that C noress
may ajain return tithe system of fnvin<r the print n-r
done by an officer" f heir own. N > move, howev. r. ha**
yet been made, and the bids are to be opened on the 3rd
of next month.
LEGISLATURE.
I iie ll 'USPof ilid liule on MoliJny. The
D ebate tm ihe resolutions was runtinu ii, iMr. Fins
spoke in favor of ibem with eloquence and ability. Mr.
Nmilli, of Alexandria, opposed them and advocated the
adoption of Mr. Syme’s amendment.
Tuesday—The Bill f.r refurnishing the G .vcrnor’s
II use was e> grossed .ayes 09 imesSf. Mr. Cooper mov, ,1
tor a Select Coinmitiee loexamine ail the evidence about
the d, fence of Crany Island, lo designate officers and
men who distinguished themselves, and to consider
what tesiitm nial should be awarded. (This is a verv ah
surd movement. Swords have teen already so profuse
ly granted as lo take from the honor all its value. Why
not at once give a sword to every , ffieer and man who
ever heard an enemy’s gun tire?)
'Ihe Debate on the W.lmot Proviso resolutions was
resumed, by Mr. Ferguson, who had the ll , ,r, and who j
sjaike lor two burs in tavor of the resolutions lie w s
succeeded by Mr. Harrison, in upn ,-ition. who.before con
cluding bis remarks, gave way to a motion to adjourn.
\\ ednesday, the Speaker laid before the House acem
tnuuieation tiom the Governor, caclosing the resignation '
ot Gen. A. Brown, of the 3d Brigade. A bill was repor j
ted exempting officers, contractors au,l laborers, on the
l.anal,trum the operation ot the special road laws of Rock
bridge county. The small note hill was taken up, the
vote of engrossment re considered, the bill amended and !
ordered to lie on the table. Mr. Harrison concluded Ins i
speech in opposition to the resolutions of tin- Committee,
and offered a series e, resolutions which were, on his mo"
tion, laid on the table and ordereil to be printed.
-MICHIGAN.
I he Legislature ot Michigan, by a unanimous vote !
it is said, lias elected Gen. Cassa Senator of the United |
States, fir six years from the 4th March next. We shut1
now see hinv he will act,so far as the rights of the South
are concerned. Ilis free will, however, is destroyed bv
resolutions ot instruction, which some months ag > pass
ed tiie Legislature, of as malignant a character as any we
remember to have seen. He will accept the office with
these instructions staring him in the face and, of course
with a virtual pledge to act in obedience to them, lie ■
will, whatever he may say in debate,or to Mr. Davis,1
vote for the restriction. No une can doubt this. Free
from ail the disturbing influences of ambition—fir we
presume Gen. Cass indulges not the faintest hope of be
ing again the candidate of bis party for the Presidency—
he will make a respectable Senator, as lie has iu'elli
gence and experience in public affairs. Ilis votes, how
ever, may be expected to be at variance with the Balti
more platform—to all the doctrines1 of which he swore
fealty. Tnus, it is pretty evid-nt, that a hill for im
provement of harbors and rivers will be brought forward
at the next session. Does any one doubt that Gen. Cass
will support it by bis speeches and bis voles ? And yet
tlie Baltimore confession ot faith, to which he subscribed,
pronounces appropriations to this object unconstitutional,
and Gen. Cass has solemnly declared that tie approved j
ot every act of Mr. Polk, among not the least important}
of which was his veto ot a bill of this character,for which :
, -on. Cass) bail voied. Trie Senator, free from the
■'r ns of the Presidency, guided by bis own conscience
and judgment, and consulting the will of his own constit
uents, will act very differently from the Candidate, stri
ving to reconcile irreconcilable sections of his parly, ma
king professions to the South, in somew hat oracular lan
guage, and telling the North to rely upon Ins geographi
cal position and past course,—whilst be was prepared
to deceive and betray either, as occasion might serve._
We do not regret, therefore, the return of Gen.’Cass Ur,
the Senate. Me shall now have an opportunity of see
ing how far lie really merits the eul gies bestowed upon
him as a Democrat of the Slates rights, strict construe
tionist, Soul hern school. M e may also, perhaps, test
the devotion lo the interests of the South, ascribed to
him by his Southern supp irters.
A leading article in the New York Evening Post,
written widi art attention to dales which implies that it
was prompted by Geo. W'ool himself, boldly claims f,r
that officer the credit ot the battle of Buena Yista. The
Courier arid Enquirer calls upon Gen. Wool to avow, or
disavow, the pretensions thus sat up for him. *So.far he
has not done eithtr.and we may expert disclosures which
will not tend to add to the fame ot’ liter second in com
mand on 'bat day. Gen. Taylor has never manifested a
nervous, fidgetty uneasiness lest his countrymen should
not do Imn full justice, lie lias, ai all times, been ready
to do ample justice to the merits of bis subordinates.—
But tie is not the man to sit calmly by when an attempt,
originaiing in personal vanity or parly intolerance, is
made to bestow upon another laurels which are justly his
own. Gen. M oid is a good disciplinarian, and a brave
man,doubtless, though of not much intellectual vigor.—
M'e regret to see hitn lending himself to sueli a scheme.
I he attempt to injure the reputation of Old Rough and
Ready will recoil upon its authors.
The Wasliingti n correspondent of the North Ameri
can says:
“M ben the truth of history shall have been recorded,
the singular fact may be disclosed, that he for whom in
discreet tripods have claimed a distinction of the highest
and most commanding prominence, was one of those udin
ml vised a n treat, w hen the bloody scene of the 23d of
February lino closed and the fate of the field bad been
decided. If there is not testimony in existence under
Gen. Wool’s own hand, to the effect that no otli r moil
than General Taylor could have won that great battle,
my information is strangely at fault. But what needs
there of witnesses to prove what the monuments of the
dead and the lips of living actors have vouched in lan
guage that no historian can improve? The audacity of I
this pretension is only equalled by its absurdity; but the
temerity w ith whicli it lias been ventured, exhibits a
purpose w Inch is doubly barbed with malice and ambi
tion.”
In the case of young K y—a son of Judge Key,of Ma
ryland—indicted and tried fur purloining money from the
Post Office at Baltimore, the jury was not able to agree,
and were dismissed. The jury, before separating,signed
a position to the President, asking the interposition of his;
official clemency, believing that, under the peculiar cir
cumstances of the case, tiie demands uf public justice j
have been fully satisfied. So much for having a good
name and respectable family connexions! The fact that !
he took about $1000 out of a letter was abundantly in ev
idence. The certificates ofdeposite, which he obtained in
exchange for the money, were surrendered by him to the
Postniaster, and by that officer paid over to the firm in
Cincinnati, which made the remittance.
MEETING OF SOUTHERN MEMBERS.
W e give all the accounts which have r» ached us of
the result of the meeting of the S miii-rn members of .
Congress, held on Monday night last. • We do not rely
in: ; . y on the accuracy -f the details. En modi,how
ever. t-s ars t.» rdntw that the unanimity.which was es
sential m give any moral weight to the meeting, or its
proceedings, was not attained. The report was re com
mitted to the C nnmittee, by a majority of two. We
f ar no good v\il! r suit from the meeting. We suspend
our opinion, huwevt r, until we know more id what was
dune.
T'V" «ii
'•'! &'*'«= at the Hose of the present session ^ Lni'
Mr. t\ rsteoll gives place l. Mr. M ,rt,„,Ls 'rS'"~
Georgia S’.rersnies Mr. J hns-n hy C.-l. |) "'"j
i mily !'. ■ nsylvania has, f. r the firs, ..
U h'£ i" 'he person of Mr ('-..per. „|,.. "‘Mnl *
Mr. Cameron. Thir.llv—Mr. Niles..,f
give place to M-. Truman Smith, New York will i’ "
h''S srttil a Whig, in | lace of Mr. 0iY
sl,a!I havi an iuftisi in offive \\ big Senators in i" *®
:i' ma } D nn ,-r.its « ho now hold seats in ti,:u
" e do n .1 emmt nprn a \\ big successor to Mr
ill On.., We fear even a worse calamity than ! J
eleeth.ii—viz: the choice of Mr. Giddinge. ^
"ill have two Senators to choose, and the \\'}.r.
VPr) confidently of carrying the Legislature „ **'
titer. ' Xl su»
SIGNOR JOSH DE A I.YEAH.
A great many i four culoinpur.iiies, wo oh., rrp
pnM:s!iing a Im g a 'verlisomrnt, [uirpurting t,, s, t |- ^
llie merits ol an Iuslrimioiii, aih geil In lur. V rr-frr,
Oil hy iho pors n op \vh >so name heads this arti, |JU
od the "Gold mu ti r,” hy which one iseuahled in ,| ,
pr. wulmut difficulty, the locality- nf the preciuus n*J|"
1 ois advertisement was preceded by a circular, v\Rjcu
\vc had the hnnur in receive, in the fullowiixr wnrds
.wii'Ki:
TO NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS,
of' Pubjisliers nf Newspapers,iliruiiijliimt il c Uni'
Stales, w ho have already given, nr w ho will „1V|,
I dlowing highly iiiteresln g n rr live one iriseni "n.i!n n
•he reading mailer nf their paper, and send a copy ,,f o'"
-aim : * the timl*rsigned hy mail, shall receive' ac/l
\ilvertisemi nt nfa new wnrk upon the suhpeel nf (• ..
Disuuverit'S in California, tn ihe amnunl nf ilUmta'i
iiiiinoiiiaioly upnn the receipt uf the pajier. Address i'i '
paper as follows :
Signor JOSE Ok ALYF.AR
Box 2713. New York Cu,
P. S. The above notice tn publishers is nut tu be in
serted in tin* paper, of course.
Ihe a.tiele appended was tlie following :
[From the N. Y. Adv.]
CALIFORNI \ GOLD-VRKIVAL OFDON JOSp
1> \L\ EAR. THE FIRST DISCOVERER OF
lllE GOLD MINES—INTERESTING UK
V E LO P E M ENTS.
Doll J..SP D’Alvear, the celebrated Spanish GenUist
whose furious treatise on the "Age nf the Earth” ,mM'
be known In many of mirreaders.has just arri ved ai N, w
York, tr.iin lire Gold Regions of California by wav 0f
Panama, CIngres and New Orleans, bringing with |,i „
a large amnunl nl Gold ore, estimated In be worth m re
Ilian a million of dollars, the result of lus labors, by the '
aid nl a lii'ge body uf Indians, lung before the exist'cee
■ f 'he G ild mini s became known in the residents of Cal
"'"■'"•'t -.r:,lb - Signor D’Alyear went out tu Califur
ni i nearly two ve irs ago, in eons*1'j uto i ee uf certain m_
fnrinalioii w hich he had received of the gen]nrrjKil char
aeie, of that country, w ith the firm belieOhat vast mines
ot precious metals would be revealed there, upon careful
investigation. He was encouraged to this enterprise,
also, by his confidence in ihe powers of a certain Mag’,
riuliu iiislruiiiunl which lie had invented, called the
“Goldometer,77 by whose aid he expected to be directed
at once to the “Gold Placers,’7 it anv such existed. \.»r
were his exportations disappointed. Mis scientific calcu
!;,li,,ns P»»yed to be founded in tnnh and profound wis
dom.ami his new instruim nt,the “Goldometer,77 fulfilled
his highest hopes. In less than two months after reaching
California, he struck ujK.n one of the richest rr |,| minus
in that country, i)|>on an obscure branch of the Sacramen
to river, in a gorge of hills extremely rocky and difficult
ot access, and sold un visited hy the native Californians.
Disguising lii? oi.j-ct under the pretence of purely scien
tific research,he i.b’ai ed the aid ot some filteen or twen
ty simple and laitlitul iudiaus, and steadily pursued his
task. collecting. tien more than $1,000 worth of gold in
a single day, which he concealed in a deep ravine, w ith
out exciting my suspicion w hatever, until after the dis
covery t g- Id at Capt. Sutter7' Mill, when ilie moun
tains were ran Narked by gold seekers, and Signor L)7A1
vear’s “gold placer,7 ihe richest in "all California, was
bpset with greedy adventurers. It is now found that ihe
real mines or sources nf ihe mid, lie in the gorges of the
mountains, a <1 not m the beds or sands of the rivers.
I) >n Jose I) Alvear was beyond all question, the first
rind real disooveier of the^g.dd mines of California ; and
in* deserves the more credit t »r this, as his discovery was
his d upon profound scientific caleulation, and was not
the result ot accident. I he evidence of -these facts,
which he possesses, in the shape of well attested docu
ments, from persons high in authorityjin California, place
’he matter beyond all doubt.
Signor I) Alvear now visits the United States, where
lie was for several years a resident, tor the purpose of
disposing ot his g*dd and investing it in safe and impro
ving property, and also for the purpose of obtaining the
necessary apparatns and material f*r constructing lus new
instrument, the “Goldometer,77 w hich is now in great
demand in (. alifornia, but the means of#constructing them
was not to he obtained. Previous to leaving California
he sold his own instrument, a very imperfect one, for
$‘2.0(H). while they can, in reality, he made for less than
$20. —'The person who purchased it confidently expect
ed to maKe a handsome fortune, hy simply finding “gold
placers,77 and selling out the right of digging to the gold
workers. As to the principle upon which, the new
“Goldometer,77 or gold finder, is constructed, we have
no knowledge. Signor D’Alvear, it is understood, will
tor the preseni keep it a secret; as it would he impossi
ble to protect a patent, if one were taken out. It is very
simple in construction; and is worked somewhat like
the old-fashioned w itchhazle rod, formerly used in seek
ing for w’ater.
Signor D’Alvear is of opinion that vast depO'ites of
gold will yetjbe f »und in the United Saes,ofa quality
vastly superi r to that recently di-c vered in Virginia
ami North Carolmia, and tlr.it the other mineral riches of
thiscountrv are inconceivably great. Tne Signor is | ro
fmindjy 'killed in the mysteries of Chemistry, Geology,
Klectro and \ i al Magnetism, and other curious branches
of philosophical study, which, it must be granted, he I as
turned to goodaccount in the present insance. We be
lieve ii is his intention to publish some account of hisj'in
vention ot tlie“G Milometer,77 before returning toCaUjir
nia. W.e shall look for this work w ith much interest.
There being no paper in New York,called the Adver
tiser, except that most respectable journal, the Cumu er-.
cial Advertiser, and believing that its editors would not
lend themselves to such a miserable humbug, we were
persuaded the ex ract w as a fabrication and declined to
give it circulation. N«t were we mistaken. The N.
V . Commercial says :
Signor J)\ llvcur on Gold .Vines.— Quite a number
of papers, from various parts of the country, have been
received at tins office within the last few weeks, every
one marked so as to direct attention to an article announc
ing the arrival of ‘Don Jose D’ Alvear’ fe rn tire gold
mines, and giving divers wonders as related by him.
Thisanicle is credited, sometimes tu the *• New York
Advertiser,” and sometimes to the ** New York Coins
mercial Advertiser,”—\\ lirlhcr all this is a misconcep
tion or a designed mystification we do not know : but in
either case it may as well he put a slop to. We have
no knowledge of any 1) n J i-e D’Alvear, nor have we
ever published any account of his discoveries in the gold
regions.
In a week or two afterwards, we received another cir
cular, covering the long advertisement alluded to. Had
the money, instead ut a promise to pav, accompanied it,
we might have given it a place as a matter of business in
our columns, but we did not choose to run any risk of
loss in giving publicity to wlint we believed a gross at
tempt to swindle the credulous out of their money.—
Jose de Alvear is a good, sonoroos, Castillian name, and
there may be sttch a personage in New \ oik. It a Span
iard, however, he would know, at least, wa think,
that “.Si0nor” is not tjie way to spell his title.
We may daily cxp< ct to hear t.f the elect < n t fa Spn_
al»r by the legislature of lliiti ,is. I'lte canvass has been
very active and a great deal of aciitn mious filling r"‘
gendered. Idle latest accounts represent that General
Shields would probably rt ceive the nnmim>*iun 0* '*lu
Democratic caucus.
Gen. McQ men has been elected to Congress from
South Carolina,in place of Ale St ns, deceased, lie was
a fiend t;f Gen. Taylor m the late.canvass.