Alexandria gazette. [volume], January 19, 1850, Image 2

About Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
i
PUBLISHED DAILY ANDTR I-'V eeely by
EDOAR MOtWMSW*_
TheAi-DXA NuttiA GaZKTTE,torthecmiatiy,
i a pr i nted oi 1Tuesday $,Tli u rsdays a iid t u run) »
SuMSCBiPriON.—The Daily paper is tarnished at tJ
dollars per annum, payable halt yearly. Ihe
Country paper—<n-weekly—is furnished ior live
dollars per annum, payable in advance.
Advertising.—Three insertion^ ol one square, tor
one dollar. Yearly advertisers at s pec l tied, ates.
No subscription received fr* >m the country, unless
accompanied by tiie cash, or by a responsible
name.
Americau Colonization Society.
The thirty-third Annual Meeting of this So
ciety was held in the First Presbyterian Church
in Washington, on the evening of Tuesday, the
loth instant.
At the hour announced tor assembling the
church was densely ciowded, a large propor
tion of ladies being present
The Hon. Henry Clay, President of the So
ciety, occupied the chair.
The Rev. Mr. Me Lane, at the request of the
President, opened the proceedings by Praxer.
Mr. Clay then rose, and briefly addressed
the gentlemen of the Society and others who
were in attendance. After stating, by the wish
of the congregation by whose kindness the So
ciety was permitted that evening to occupy this
room, that there might not he on this occasion
any manifestation of public applause which
might seem to be inconsistent with the place
itself, as well as with the feelings of the Socie
tv, he continued thus:
' 1 will take occasion to say that 1 meet you,
fellow members of the Colonization Society,
with very great satisfaction upon lh»s occasion.
rl his is our annual assemblage. It is the thirty -
third year of our annual meeting since we were
organized as a Societv. We commenced oui
exertions with the declared purpose of confin
ing our efforts to the ( oloiiizuhon ot the F ree ,
People of Color of the United States in Africa,
with their own consent. To that great | i»nc i
ide and to that restriction of our exertions we
have constantly and faithfully adhered. During
the existence ot the Society, we have met with
every species of difficulty an<i obstruction. \\ e
have been in the attitude of a person standing
between two fires—the ultraism ot the North
and the ultraism of the South. !
The great masses, however—the impartial, ,
enlightened masses—had given to them theu
approbation: and they met, on this occasion,
under circumstances ot peculiar encouragement,
whether thev look to Africa or at home.
Glancing at the former, they behold the gratify- j
mg -result of the perseverance of (he society,
under the smiles of at» approving Providence.
Brought into existence as a State common
wealth, we behold a people self-governed—a
race which many have supposed utterly incapa
hie of self-government. He under>too! that not
a solitary white man was concerned at all in the
administration of Liberia. It was their own ;
woik, exhibiting discieton, judgment, an ! good
sense. VV e behold stabditv. order, law, imputa
tion, and devotion to the God who r.as ble.-std
them and those who projected the enterpuse. 1: ,
we look at home, we may find great cause ot
gratification and satisfaction. Lveiy w here lie
(Mr. C.) looked, he-aw that opposition to the
sociefv and its progress and .-ucccss had gieatiy
abated. Public opinion was becoming moie
anil more sound every day. It w as no longer \
to he doubted that there is a possibility oftne
redemption of the native African from barbar
ian: and the societv afford an opportunity for
- the transportation from our own country of an •
unhappy race, who cannot, by inevitable cir
cumstances, amalgamate with the whites, ft
is no longer questionable whether there can be j
planted on the African coast (with suffic.ent !
means to transport them from tune to nmei
such colored persons, with their issue, whom
their owners may think proper to emancipate.—
These are encouragements of the past, which '
should cheer and stimulate to futuie efforts.—
Mr.-.C. said that he had not risen to make a
speech: hut merely a few remarks introductory
to the proceedings ol the society. I he secreta
ry would proceed to read the report, which
would impart some know ledge of the republic. ,
of Liberia—and this was saying a great deal—
a republic, which had been recognised ns such by i
two or three of the great powers of the earth.
From the report it would he learned what had
been done. Allhough a less number had been
transported to the Alrican coast than was de
sired, the number would have been greater had
the means of the society been larger. Six or
seven hundred had registered the r names, de
siring to he conveyed thither: ami when the
public opinion, to wh ch he had adverted.)
should ripen into conviction, greater vigor will
be imparted to the cause of colonization, and, (
it is hoped, libera! donations made ny ine pumic
authorities, that the objects of the society may
be carried to the extent of their own wishes,
and which the goodness "f the cause demands.
It is no longer doubtful whether, with the ap
plication of adequate and sufficient means, it is
practicable to transport, with their consent. |
from time to time, and colonize, free colored j
persons from the Tinted States—as well such j
as are now tree, with their issue, as those who j
by the acts of their owners may hereafter he
emancipated. These are motives, feliow-cti
zens, of encouragement for past exertions, ami
of stimulus to our future efforts in this cause. ;
You will learn from the report that during the '
present year a large number of applications j
amounting to some six or seven hundred persons, J
have already been registered,desiring to be trans
ported to Africa, and when that public opinion
which I have mentioned shall more and more
ripen to the benefits of the resuits which will
accrue to both countries. Africa and America. '
from the prosecution of this great system of Col
onization. it is to be hoped that liberal contri
butions will be made, corresponding to the
wishes of the Society and the goodness of the
cause in which thev are engaged.
The Secretary, the Rev. Mr. McLank, then
read the report, from which it appeared that the ■
receipts of the society during the past year
were $55,000. The expend tures were several
thousand dollars more than the receipts, and |
the debt is now $1*2,000. There have been
conveyed to Africa w.thin the past year, four i
hundred and twenty-two emigrants and prepa
rations have been male to send out, during the t
next six month*, three expeditions Sin bun- «
dred persons were anxious lo go, but the socie
ty would not be able to send more than four
hundred and eights . The attendant expenses
will be $40,000. Progress lias been made in 1
education, religion, the arts: just.ee fiimiy es- 1
tablished. and the slave trade to a great extent ;
broken up. All that President Roberts want«. »<
f^bolish the trade from the North to Sierra 1
** twenty-five thousand dollars to pur- 1
Sen,-»trte territory within that ra>*ge. Two 1
each; r. tl^ave given five thousand dollars 1
philanthrope more act in the same liberal and 1
Liberia is a reJl^the work will be done.— |'
lence. and show.v Reared hv private henevo-1 *
equate means at cnr».^qght be done w th a 1- m
A motion was made % 1'
eepted and referred to ihe Boik r<‘Port hp ac-. •
for publication, whereupon— of Managers j<
Robert G. Scott, esq., of Virgmv : l
addressed the society. A mete glance ^ and ;
he Rod other speakers sa'tl follow*: l»* I
inf the motion, he begged leave to submit
the president (one of the fathers of one of the’
noblest and most philanthropic undertaking*—
one who for thirty years has stood by the cause
and who was now present again to counsel ami
aid in this work) that, fifty years aro, from this !
Citv, went up the voice of one of the best men
our nation has ever produced, in favor of this
approved undertaking, to b'es* the white man
and the black. Thomas Jefler*on wa* the fir^t i
to predict that Africa would eventually be
come the home of the civilized black man.— .
The State of Virginia directed Mr Munroe. at ;
that time governor, to applv to Mr. Jetferson to •
tike action to carry out tbit which, like a gram
of mustard seed, has now grown to a great tree.
The subject, Irom time to tune, engaged the
cons,deration of the Legislature ot Virginia.—
In 1*04, the mind of tbe President st.ll being
fixed on this great end, he addressed a commu
n cation to Governor Pige, pressing on action.
There was no final act tintil IS 16. Tie
public mmd was not prepared for action ti:I
that time, when thissociet> was not organized.
Thirtv-five \eais had passed since they had en
gaged m this gieat woik They were now
convened to consider the object to be accom
| nlished, and the means requisite for that end.
They hat acted, not by authoiity of law, but
by the impulses and dictates of their own
i hearts*, gunied by their own best judgments.—
The> went to the hut of the black man, and
said to him. this was no place for him or his :
they ofieied to him another home from whence
his fathers had come; they appealed to every
passion that could operate upon the human
mind and judgment, of a proper character: and
presented to h;m a,bright and beautiful future,
offering a home lor time to come. They asked
not Government nor laws to drive him from
this land, and separate him from the ties that
i bind him to his kindred. No, They rose above
i that: the> taught him. appealed to his judg
ment, h»s heart, and his interest, and were con
tent if they could secure these. They did not
touch the rights of property that they left to
the fanatics of the North. They had eneme
enough at the South. No, he ought not to
use the word enemy: for he could not believe
I it was in the heart of any honest, fair man, of
1 stable judgment, and a single jaiticle of pnn
! ciple, to harbor enmity nga nst the society.
A man might he an opponent of the society and
not an enemy. T hey touched not the rights of
property, and operated only upon the fiee black
man—the man upon whom He that had made
1 us all had put the mark of separation from us;
who, socially and politically, can never mix
with the white man, as his equal in the same
land. Among them of the South, though re
leased from the condition of servitude. he was
yet a slave, and must carry with hinu ftom vil
lage to village, and fu in count\ to counts,
possibly from State to State, the title to his free
dom: he must alwa\ s carry the evidence of his
right to freedom through all the South.
It was not a reproach to the people of the
South that this was exacted; it was from ne
cessity. prudence, and safety that it was de
manded. When free, in what rond tion was
I he? Was he useful? There might b * excep
tions, hut in many cases lie w’ho hail been
! the slave of a kind master when emancipated
became an idle, worthless, drunken vagabond.
Why was this? T he answer was, there waste
their mind no past, no sunshinv pr sent, and no
hopH for the future. Every stimulant to virtu
ous action, every motive to industrious habit,
was taken awav. He lived a* a moving crea
tine upon the ti-.ce ot the earth, for mere ani
mal indu'gence: and this must ever he the con
I ilition of the hlack man in the countn, so long
I as the white man was the master of the conn
! try. and gave the country law. He had no
tempting associations: the professions were all
c'osed to him; i>o pursuits remained to him ex
cept the most humble dut'ps.
Such were the subjects upon whom the So
ciety pioposed to act. A different picture wa*
presented when the hlack man had*Ianded on
the coast of Africa and become a man, with
all the rights a freeman, and in the enjoyment j
of them. He would inquire if the scheme the I
Society proposed was possible, and whether it j
-.tie practicable to remove from tin* tailed
States a!! trie free black population within a
reasonable time? T his was not the work of a
day, but of \eais: but when the act ofconsuin
in:it on came, it would bless both the black anti
white races.
It. lsih> theie were in the United State* 10S
010 free blacks. In IvjO, when the first emi
gration passed across tlie Atlantic ocean am!
took it* place on ihe shoies of Africa that num-!
her had swelled up to 22S.OOO. having more
than doubled in twenty year*. Ten thousand oi
tnese were those who had been emancipated in
the State of New York. In IS 10 there were
3f>ti.ooo tree hlack people in the United States,
and they were constantly increasing upon us — ^
T iirse were the materials uprfc which the So-1
cietv was to operate. If no action was had, in
ihilly veais there would he at leas! one million
of this population in the United States. It
theie was united action from North to South,
and Hast to West, eleven thousand might be
annually removed, and this was abont the nat
ural increase. Assuming the e\?»ense for car
iying each emigrant $100. w hich was nearly
double the actual cost, $1,100,000 would be an
mialty required for this purpose. To keep one
of our regiments of seven hundred men in ser-j
vice during a year costs as much as tha1; and
be would a-k. from which the greatest benefit i
would he derived, to keep a regimenuin ser-;
vice, or to take out eleven thousand of nlese de
graded people to trie shores of Alrica? He be
lieved the means for this purpose could be oh- |
tained.
T he colony had already secured seven hun
dred miles of the coast, and only one hundred
and fifty miles more needed to he *ecuied to i
prevent the slave trade on that whole coast.- - j
More than eighty thousand of the people in
that region were under the influence of this
colony: towns had been built up and churches
erected: the schoolmaster was abroad among
them: farms had been opened, ami there were
all the marks of well-regulated civilized socie
ty. Black men had been the agents of the
society in doing this work, and therefore be
might well say that th s Society had done all
this. England, with all her power, age and
experience, wiih all her statesmen, had tunk j
Sirio.MO.ofiO m atti mpnng to colonize the hiack
man. ami liaii failed* and her colony at Sierra
Leone had been abandoned. This Society had
not resorted to the same instrumentalities which
Kngland hail employed—the bayonet ot the
-oldit*r and the armed vessel: but had simply
appealed to the rea-«»n, judgment, and con
science of those on whom they acted. They
had rr.a'e the black man their age't. and had
worked through their churches, schools, and
workshops in carrying nut their scheme of col
onization. The colonv was hut the other day
an infant, which the Society had fostered with
a mother's rare, and they had led that infant
on till it had acquired the strength of a man,
and then they had said to it. “Take careol
yourself.*’ This was the condition of the col
ony of Liberia. They had taught this colony
the principles of self-government. and in their
constitution they had one feature, of which he
w as prou i, which was, that no w hite man
-hoiild own a foot of the soil of Liberia.—
Another teatuie in the woik of this Society,
and perhaps the most bright and beautiful, was
that it took the black man and carried him hack
to the land of his fathers. They should go on,
then, and continue to biess the white and ihe
black races, erect a republic on the coast of
Africa, and ; lit an end to the slave trade.
The report \va- accepted and ordered to be
printed.
The Rev. George W. Bltiiixe, D.D., then !
uttered the following resolution : j
Resolved. That we deem it gratitude to A1- j
mightv (lod. for his past eminent blessings up-!
>n our cause, to take courage and go forward
with redoubled z<*al.
He said they had met upon common ground,
where no advocates of that caiPe had a right
to compromise the Society by an expression of |
individual opinions winch might clash With or
ippe ir to be antagonistic to ihe opinions of
»thers. He had some consolation in hemg
•resent at that meeting. He knew that the
President of the Society (Mr. Clay) would open
t with-oine remarks. He anticipated that they
would he short: but falling from a mouth that1
lever uttered a word without meaning, and
whose one sentence was woith more in expres
sion and force than a hundred such as h? could
utter, he was very sure that principles would be
ulvocated and established behind which he
li ght venture to s|»eak, and no more fear the
collision of conflicting opinions titan he should
ear ihe -pr.iv of the ocean after it had dashed
igainat the adamantine rock. This Society
und met with the most virulent opposition bv
fanatic*, both in the North and the South; and
V called that man a fanatic who, under the in
iig?Ke of a peiverted conscience, allowed ma
oppose0 ,;i^° the ot benevolence, and to
Som? timJj°ut measure h»s honest opponent
Soc etv wa^^'i' cause bad been begun, the
free black mar^f1 w,th t0 tht!
from his home in tfr£!IUs^,t. t?°^1 ^Lm. au.a'
him to he a thorn in UtV1^’ ,n/*ua'
his fe low-count rvmen in^0? those who held
the language u-ed. And. *$£***:, Thc!S
that it was preposterous t« attemil' J' h‘
the continent of Africa with such °
as these—the refuse, it was said, of th^ij!-. *
States. Now. tho*e men were doing the ^
thing for which they impeached this Society:
for it was notorious that they were engaged in
decovin* black men from the South, and at
tempting to establish colonies on the very bor
ders of this Union, (Canada) in a climate which
I was wholly uncongenial to the negro. Of all
the remarkable events which characterized the
! present century, there were none more remark
i able than the estatdishment of the colony of
i Liberia. The history of the black man, fiom
' the earliest davs to the present time, had been
that of slavery, and the establishment of this
republic had been one ot the biighlest enons
which distinguished the present age.
The reverend gentleman entered into an elab
orate description of the principles of this Socie
ty, and urged with much eneigy its claims to
public support.
The Rev. Mr. Gurley, wl.o has recently paid
a visit to Liberia, said there had been great pro
gress made bv the settlers on the Afiican coast
s.nce the day when he fiM observed them.
At that time not exceeding 'iOO in numter had
pitched their tents upon the holders of that
great wilderness. They had adopted a simple
form of government, and under that government
during the last twenty-five years the town of
Manrovia had grown to some 000 well-con
structed houses. Many of them were built of
stone, and many of the warehouses had been
built of the enduring locks dug from the inun
dations of that cape. All of them were well
constructed habitations, and were occupied bv
a peaceful, law-observing, thriving comm units,
whose churches gave evidence ot their attach
! merit to icligion, and whose manners were not
! exceeded in refinement by any community in
! this country or any other that it had been hi* I
j privilege to visit. He had remained thereabout
two months, and eveiv day he was permitted to
go on shore and mingle with the population. |
He had spent a fortnight at Monrovia, and next
proceeded to Ba*sa Cow. where there were
two prosperous settlements. He next proceeded
to Senoa, which i« distant about 70 miles fiom
Bassa Cove, and there saw some emigrants who
had recently been sent from the State of Geor
gia, and a more intelligent and thriving commu
nity had not any where been planted on the
shores of Africa. Within the last few mouths
! these emigrants had erected some thirty or forty
| frame houses, generally ot materials brought
] from Georgia. Fiom thence he visited _ Cape
! Palmas a colony planted by the State of Ma
j rvlnnd. With all these people he had enjoyed
I the most familiar intercourse: and hail occupied
j their pulpits, addressed then assemblages, and
: more devout and attentive listeners it was nev
er his privilege to address.
! He could not express on this occasion all
| that he felt in regard to the claims of these colo
f rusts u|on the charities ami support ot the
American people. He might speak ol their ra
llied intere-ts, of their increasing commerce, ot
j their opening and flourishing farms, small it wa
true, hut indicating a great amount ot labor, ami
j full of promise in regard to the future crops ot
! some of the most valuable products of the
earth. He might speak also of the certainly.
■ t their icsources were only increased, of then
| opening and cultivating large plantat ons of
! coffee, and the sugar cane, cotton and rice,
which could not be surpassed by an\ that were
now found upon the hanks of the Mississippi.
He was we!I satisfied that the regions of the
N. Paul’s and John's livers in fertility were
not exceeded by any portion of this Cnion.
hut the best and most valuable thing he had
seen in the republic of Lihena was to he found
in the effect which liberty had upon the hopes
and spoil of these colonists. Some of the in
dividuals who were now administering the Gov
ernment of that country were equal in intellect
and power to administera just and efficient gov
ernment to many of those who occupied a s milai
position in some of the States in this t nion.—
It was true they had been educated under peru
j lull ciicurnslances. Manx ot them had studied
! hooks, and were ready to devote themselves
w ith whole-souled energy to the cause of colo
nization ir* their land, and some of the mo*t
I distinguished men on that shore were those j
1 who had been entirely educated within that j
! eolonv. He had seen one man who. when |
a box, had been captured by and taken to the j
| haunts ot a* native chief during the war which
I had been waged by Mr. Ashmun. He had :
I been carried off at the age ot s;\ years, and in
| the many native wais had been transferred |
fiom chief to chief, and from the knowledge of i
the w ant- of the eolonv and the habit- of the j
natives he had thus acquired, and his great in- |
tellect and ability, he wa< looked to as the fu
ture head of the Liberian republic.
He would say a word or two in legard to those
who were cultivating the soil in Liberia. On
the banks of the Saint John’s river, at a little!
village called Bexley, he saw a man from the j
State of Kentucky who had planted alone in'
one xear 900 lbs. of coffee. As he was leaving :
this village he asked this man what h*» should !
say to the people of Kentucky? To which t ie
man replied, “that he must tell them th^re is a
j gieat deal of grubbing to be done beie, and
! it wants the strong arm of the Kentuckian to do |
1 it.”
lie told him that he would repeat his words
and fie now lepeaUul them, and lie trusted j
there would be tho-e who would respond to ;
them.
He had had many opportunities of judging
both of the conduct ami the situation of these
people, and he was stiuck with the healthy
appearance which characterized the great mass ;
of them, and the general absence of all signs |
of weakness or decay. They were a people |
full of life and activity, and appeared to be
cheertul and happy.
As to the effect of the colons upon the moral
and political condition of the native tubes, it
might not he generally known that there is a
provision in the constitution of ihe Republic,
requiring that whenever there shnli he sufficient .
loources they shall he expended in sending j
lorth teachers to instruct the natives in the arts j
and morality of civilization, and to prepare j
them for their intro ruction to the blessings of j
a free and Christian State. He knew -of noth- i
mg on record in the history of any country
which was equal to this piovsion, evidently
made under the influence of the spirit of the
Christian religion. Ihe reveiend gentleman
here paid a warm and merited tribute to the
memory of Mr. Ashmi n, to whose exertions
and influence was mainly to he attributed the
adoption of this provision, which, in his opin
ion. in its influence on the legislation of the
colons, had made the growing republic the
morning star of African redemption.
There was another idea connected with the
constitution of tf»e republic, to which he would
a*k attention. This was the existing idea that
Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky should each
of th<*m establish separate colonies which
were to he conducted upon a principle resulting
m the creation on the African shore of States
corresponding with tho.-e of our own concede- j
ra^v. There was no piovision for ai»V thing
ol this kind in the constitution ol the Liberian
republic: and past experience in regard to this
separate kind of action here had been unfavora
ble. While he would not regret to see a great
state like Virginia making appropriation tor the ;
establishment of a separate colony, yet he was
far from being convinced that this was the best
mode of canying on a scheme of foreign colo
nization. Let that republic he one State, and j
it was a matter of great question with him ,
whether, if the peculiar circumstances which j
were attendant on our own colonial condition j
and their separate oiganization had not existed, •
it would have been wise to have established
this gieat confedeiacv of States instead of one
general republic. Rut. at all events, he saw no
reason why there should he transferred to the
African coast those jealousies and sectio’ al j
inteiests incdental to a union of separate
States, and he believed the opinion of the peo
ple of Liberia was entirely opposed to it. He
should, therefore, believing it would he greatly
to the interest of that colony, and the republic
it*elf. rejoice to <ee the day when the Alai \ - i
land colony would he merged in the republic.
The reverend gentleman then urged ihe im- j
portance of continued and increased exertion in >
hehall of this cause, which he regarded as i
tending, in its results, to bring the African ra- !
ce*outof that state of trial and degradation to1
which thev had been subjected tor agns. and to
the establishment among th^m of a nobler and
purer form of Christianity than any exiting on
the fare of the earth. He drew a glowing pic
ture of the progress of civilization among the
colonists, and of the beneficent influence their
example was working upon the surrounding
tribes of savage natives, as exhibited in the dis
cont:nuance of many of their barbarous, re
volting. and life->acrifici"g superstitions. He
regarded the colony as the dawning light of
Atriean redemption, and urged upon the Socie
ty the importance of enlarging its operations,
referring to the co operation given in it* efforts
by Mr. Clav as among the brightest of the pa
ges it» his illustrious life. It was due the great
scheme of Afiican civilization, which was
among the greatest objects to be achieved by
the Society, ami through which., under theprov
idence of God, he believed the deliverance ot
that whole continent from the jaws of death
was to he effected, that it should increase its
energies and enlarge its operations.
The reverend gentleman then, after briefly
refer; ing to the progress ol education in the!
colony, ami to the translation and printing ot ;
books in the native languages, closed his re j
marks with an affecting reference to the labors i
and exertions of the early missionaries, Irom |
the graves of whom he had brought some en- j
dealing memorials.
A London Pickpocket.
The first meeting of the Shoreditch Bible As
sociation was field in the church, which was
very much crowded. Some weeks afterward
the collector* calle i on a widow, wl o kept a
groceiy shop, for her subscription, which she
had always paid cheerfully. As they weie go- ;
mg away, she said, ‘•Gentlemen. 1 have got a ;
young man. a lodger, who is always poring over i
the Bible; i dare say he would subscribe v—|
The collectors were introduced to him to solicit
his subscription. He answered, ‘*1 certainly j
will," and gave them a guinea, and desired them
to put down his name as a subscriber of six
peuceaweek. The gentlemen were astonish-i
ed, and hesitated at taking so much, and wished J
to return a part. He answered, “No, I owe my ■
ail to the Shoreditch Bible Association." About
a month afteiwanl the committee wished to in
crease its number. T he young man was pro
posed and accepted. But when the matter
was mentioned to him. he warmly replied,
-No, gentlemen, you must pardon me, 1 am not j
worthy to form a part of your committee. If j
you want moie money. I will gladly give it;
but to act on your committee f cannot.’* 1 hey j
in vain pressed lhe matter, and wished to know j
his reason.
About a \ear after he requested his landlady i
to desire the gentlemen to wait upon him. when
they called, (he had legularlv paid his siifscnp
tion thlongi» lhe medium ot his landlady,) as he !
wanted to speak to them; which they did.—
••Now gentlemen," he said, -my lips aie un
sealed; I take my departure lor America this
week. Here are five guineas. I will now tell
j on my short history. Two years ago I was
one of the most piofligate ytung men in the
city of London. I was a common pickpocket.
At your anniversary, seeing your church crowd
ed. I, with several of my companion* in iniqui
ty, entered, m order to pursue our sinful practi
ce*. Fiom the crowded state of the church |
we yveie separated. I got into the middle ai*!e. \
just in 11out ot the speaker. The first wools 1
caught were. *'J hon shall not steal!’ my atten
tion was fixed; my conscience was touche !: the
teais began to flow. In vain did my compan
ions make th.r signals to commence our opera
tions. As soon as the meet eg closed. I hmri-d
away, threw my-ell into the first coach I found,
drove to my lodgings in the west end of the
town, paid my tent, took away all my things,
and came into this part of the city, in order to
hide myself from my companions; and provi
dentially found th*s house. I immediately in
quired for a Bihie; and lor the first time in my
life began to lead it. 1 found the convictions !
of the evil of my conduct increased, and I hope *
I have now found peace and rest in believing
on that Saviour whpm the Bihie reveals."— j
London Paper.
kailnappcr Arrested.
We learn that a white man, named Wade*, j
who claim* to he a citizen of the State of North !
Carolina, was arrested in Peteisburg, on Tues- :
day night, in the act of kidnapping two negro j
men belonging to or hired hy Mr. Joseph R.
Anderson, o! this city. It appears that Wade
had been tampering with the negroes engaged ;
in Mr. Anderson’s Roiling Mill, several days j
prim to the one on wh-ch lie left tin: city.—
Through Ms representations and persuasion,
these negro men had agreed to follow him to
the South. According to the statement by the
negioes. Wade pledged himself to give each
of themS.'JOO in money, on reaching New Or-;
leans. I h*'amount wa* to he raised in th's !
manner: W ade was to pa*s himself a* the i
owner of the slaves—was to sell iliem in New i
Orleans, ami give each of them f.’iOO on? oi ihe 1
proceeds aiming Hour ihe saie. W Mil tins:
money ihe negroes were assured they could
easily"escape to a nee Stain. One of the ne-i
grues divulged the whole affair to Mr. Ander
son, u ho thereupon took cautious though ef
fective steps tor the nr rot of the kidnapper.
On Tuesday morning Mr. R. S. Archer was
sent to Peiersbmg by Mr. A., with necessary !
instructions. Wade also repaired to Peters
burg Tuesday moinir.g. there to await the am- j
val of his two dupes. He and Archer t ravel I- i
ed thence m the same car. On reaching Pe
teishurg, Mr. Archer laid the whole p'an be- ;
fore the police of that tov. n, who readily ten- :
dered their so vices to an] him inane-ting the i
kidnapper. At half past six o’clock Tuesday ;•
evening, the two negioes who had promised to :,
follow Wade were placed in the cars, undei i
control of Mr. F. Wyatt, who accompanied j
them to Petersburg, and after reaching that '
town, proceeded with them to the Southern J j
Depot, agieeahiy to the arrangement made hy
Wade w ith the negroes. About five minutes, i
before the cats were to leave for the Soutn, the (
sigt al was given by Wade and promptly re- ,
sponded to by the negroes. Cpon which Wade
made his appearance, when both the slaves';
immediately approached him. Thev straight- j i
way proceeded to the car*. <ol lowed by Messrs. 1,
Archer and Wyatt, and several police officer* j i
or Petersburg. I he w hole company got into j j
the cars, and as the train was about to mov“ \
off. Wade turned to the negioes and remarked \ \
they were now under his protection and were (
safe; whereupon one of the police officer* of ]
Petersburg took Wade by the arm and remark- <
ed, “so are you !” The kidnapper was taken |
fiom the cars and lodged in jail, and the ne- ,
gioes brought back «o this city yesterday by |
Messrs. Atcher and Wyatt, 'fhe whole thing
was beautifully arranged and admirably execu- {‘
ted. — Richmond Times. 11
jLocofoco Censure. i
The Locofoco papers are, with habitual mean- |
ness, censuring the Secretary of the Jreasuiyji
tor issuing the Circular directing certain leduc- ; f
lions in the expense of collecting the revenue. , <
while they cannot but know that, in doing this, j i
he is hut the instrument, and that by theircom- j'
pulsion, ot laws enacted by their own party. , t
The Piesideut, in his Annual Message, call
ed the attention of Congress to the i< adequa
cy of the allowance made by. law lor the col- ,
lection of the revenue, and asked of them ear- ,
ly legislation thereon. This request lie renew- ! j
eil ma special message to the Senate, alter .,
waiting m vain a reasonable time for the action j
of that hodv thereon. The Secretary of the I f
Treasury, mi like manner, called upon Congress {
for prompt action in relation thereto. Resoiu- |
lions to that cfltct were early offered in then
Senate by the minority, but Locofoco wsr- |
fare against the Kxecutive m that body, and \
the delay in organizing a Locofoco Hou-e. j j
had prevented action m the matter to a pe
nod that it became imperative on the Sec re- i ,
tary either to issue the Circular in question ,
or* to violate the law. Did the l/»cofnco- :.
suppose that General Jayt.or would know- :,
ingiy permit that to he done? V\ e do not be- i.
lieve they did. They know full well that he j \
has been tine to every pledge of his lile, and ,
that among them was the reiterated one that he ^ j
would fulfil the obligations oi his oath and si r .
that the laws were executed. j 1
We regret the necessity that compelled the ! |
issuing this Circular, but we should have bad |
much more regret if the Department had con- ,
tinned expenditures in violat on of law. As it : (
respect* the item* of reduction, we can only say ^
that they appear to have been such as are eith- j.
pr sanctioned bv the law, or were entirely with- .
in the jurisdiction of the Department: and \\ p
doubt not they were made solely with re- j
ference to the best interests ot the | ublic ser- j |
vice. The law limiting the expenses of collect- j (
mg the revenue was passed a‘ th« close of th° j
last session of Congress for t he purpose of em- (
oarrassing the incoming A bninMration; and (
never would have been enacted if Gen 1 ayj.or (
had not been elected. —A*. ^ . Courier.
Reduction in the Army.
We have heard from authority upon which |
reliance can be placed, that the contemplated ,
reduction of the army will be to the extent of
10.000 men: but the detailsof the manner in
which it is proposed to effect it. have not trans
pired—London Morning Chronicle. ]
Professor Mapea on Agriculture.
From the Newark Dotty Advertiser.
The introductory lecture of this instructive.
cour>e was delivered in Library Hall last eve
ning. The practical benefits to lire country at
large, in accessions of pos uvw wealth, by im
provements in this all-important branch of in- ,
dustry, were clearly exhibited*, and to this end,
the importance ot an Agricultuial Bureau, re
c< mmendeii bv* Washington and sanotioned by
the elder Adams, hut neglected till this day.
was shown to be a great national instrument
for bring about the de>ired re>u t*. It was t-titid
that an advance in improvements winch would
add one-halt to the aguculiural product of the
country, would be equal to the whole annual
revenue of the United States. But to the lec
ture, of which we subjoin a briel report;
Prof. M. said, it i> difficult, in addressing a
popular audience on this subject, to suit the re
quirements of all. If agriculture is treated
strictlv with reference to »t« chemical or scien
tific character, it loses interest wiih practical
farmers; while a moie practical course readers
! it less attiactive to a general audience. I shall
! endeavor lo convince my practical friends ot
I the necessity of understanding theoretical truths,
I and also to convince those not so immediately
: connected with agriculture, that thorough
' (arming is not without general interest.
Farming call* into action all our knowledge;
ell the sciences are its adjuncts, while itsimpor
tance to the body pol.tic renders it woithy the
attention of pilanthropists. In relation to the
I General iinpoitance 01 agriculture, the lecturer
stated that England, Scotland. Wales. Ireland,
and the adjacent islands, had a population of
30,000.000, and that the total area of land was
I but 87.440,000 acres, while the United States,
with a population of 17,431,000 has an area ot
land of s‘»0,0.')3,l*20 acres, and that this wa» ex
clusive of terriional and newly acquired lands.
The public lauds of the United States amount in
all to 1.r»S4.2l-V>00 acres; of these immense
tracts but 142,000,000 ot acres have been dispo
sed ot.
The professor here referied to the tart, that
much the larger portion of our whole popula
tion were engaged in agricultural pursuits, and
adverted to'helate message ot the President,
and his recommendation of an Angricuitural Bu
reau.
He stated that the crop of Indian corn foi
IS-I7 was not less than 000,000.000 nu-hcls. and
j thirl its export value was $300,000,000. That
in the world at large 1,000,000.non of human be
ings are supported by agriculture, and nine
! tenths of the available capital in the world is
iempoyed in agricultural Uses
With these facts before us. it was strange
i that so little had been done to advance agricul
ture as a science; and the lecturer here gave a
variety of rea.-ons for the want ot energy on
1 the part of taimeis in adopiaig the current im
' piovemenis of the dav: and cited a number ot
‘ exceptions, showing that over 100 bushels of
1 shelled coin had Tieen inised per acie in many
pails of this State, hut that still no organization
had existed for disseminating a knowledge ot
;.the>e impiovements. lie dwelt at some length
i on the impiopriety of manuring soil without
lefeienceln its chemical constituents or the re
quirements of plants, and stated that no taim
er who could read, need at this time pursue so
I unprofitable* course of farming. If any soil
known to produce a lar^e crop should heana
! lyzed. any o hersml conan ing a fair share of '
; similar constituents could, by judicious inunur
j ing. based on an anly*ds, of the soil, be made
| to produce similar crops.
We regret our space will not permit us to go
moie fully into the dtt«iil> of the early part of
the lecture, hut were luily convinced lhat the
arguments were tenable, an 1 that if our farm
ers would attend the lee*tires of Professor M.,
a new era in agrfcultuie would be tin* neressa
rv consequence.
He compianed that our colleges have i>o or
ganizat (>" for agricultural instruction, w hile
Iho^e of Trance arid othei countries were found
ing piofes-m.-hip- for ed the branches collate
ral to agricultural in-trnri'on.
H" spoke a! ienjith of ihe importance of geol
ogy . meteorology. botanv. k.c., to a h gh slate fit
agiiculiuie. and that for the want of such
knowledge run farmer- were not occupying the
position in the body politic that the import nice
of iheii vocation entitled iliem to. Ileie th*'
professor ma :e some allusion to his own fat id.
and liie high slate of cultivation it was now
nn hr. from nriei<*l\ appl mg the published im
provements o! the day in Ihe best manner. That
lie was entitled 10 no c-pecial credit lor origi- j
ealiiy. full that he had simply collated the dis
coveries of others, and applied them with refer
ence to the chemical constituents ot his soil.
The lecturer then remarked, by the time he j
had finished his lecture before this audience,
any of his aud tors wiil he capable of duplica
ting the experiments.
Jf plants are subjected to destructive analysis
we shall find two classes ot constituents: the
one called organic, or those parts which will j
pa-s away by burning- -and the other inorganic,
being those earthy materials which are found in j
th^ a.-hes of plants.
He then procee Jed Jo the examination of the
organic constiiu’ents, iln* somce- from whence
they were obtained by the growing plant, the,
manner of their solidification. N:c., all of wnieli j
has been so fullv set forth in the “Working Ter
mer," which he edits, that we mu-l refer our
readet-there for minute information. It resul
ted. however, in showing that many of these
organic constituents were received tiom the
atmosphere, and that the atmospheric ocean j
was ihe great store-house ot nature, into w h ch ]
all the organic ultimate-of plants passed after ,
the decay of the plant, and that a proper state
of the sod was necessary for the reception of
the resultant gases arising from the decay of J
former creation: that the principal organic con- •
siitnentof plants was carbon (charcoal;) that ;
this pervaded the atmosphere in the form of !
carbonic and ga« (carbon dissolved in oxygen:) j
that every con! of wood or ton of coal that
was burned. na*sed its carbon into the at i.os
pherein the form of this gas leaving the inor
ganic port ons as ashes.
The same results occurred when vegetables
were digested as food, or derave I in an\ wav. i
The grain used by the brewer, distiller. &c.. all
passed into the great store-hou-e of future te
iTeations. The decayed crons »»f but fur- j
nisi ted the raw material tor thosp of I he
processes of nature were fully described, an t a j
number of experiments cited to prove tin* fact, i
that rarhoivc acid gas was absorbed hv plants, :
and m pas-ing through them the carbon was
retained to increase the size of tin* plant, while
the oxygen passed off into the atmosphere for
re-u<e in a similar way.
Another North West Expedition.
Reports are rife rt.at an expedition, to he pio
mo'cd ami set on foot by private enterprise, i
to he got tip. and the direction of it is to be
given to the veteran Sir John Ross, \vh i -tdi
boasts of his vigor and capability of with- ,
slandmg the rigors of an ire campaign. Tni
expedition is to push forwari through Bai
imvp's Straits tn Wellington Sound and Mei
viile Island. Whether this lepoit will be veri
fied or not remains to he -ecu : but we are con- i
fi lent volunteers will not be wanting, lor we
have an idea that it will he easier to man (
ships for such an enterprise than lor the Ik*fi
ring's Straits service. But we should as soon 1
think of Sir Chari* s Napier turning F>qu mnux. :
as believe for one moment, that >ir John Ko-fc ,
will he suffered to hive ihe command of such ,
a perilous undertaking. Sir John must know
tha* the dav ha* gone bv. when he could with
impunity perch himself inast.itpof nudi'y on
the’op of an ireburgh. With reference to the
-hips alreadv 01 the Pacific side, we believe
that the Plover, Commander Moore, was short
|v evpec’ed back at the Sandwich Islands.—
Here she has order*, to re-fit. and wait further
inst*notions*, and ihe Herald, Captain Kelletf,
C. B., bn* orders to supply her there with pio
visions. and then reiurn to England via India.
— rutted Service Gnzette.
Government Warehouses.
We learn that the Collecioi of this District
has been instructed h\ the Treasury Depart
ment to make inquirv for the purpose of axer
ta ning if re«pon«i'hje parlies can be found io j
relieve tlie Cnited States of the existing leas- s
of warehouses for the reception of bonded mer- '
chand ze I he-o inquiries, we presume, are
being prosecuted with the view of relieving »he
fJovernment entirely from the necessity of fur
nishing warehouses, and thus saving the ex
pense, over and above the receipts for storage,
which has borne so heavily upon the Treasury. >
—Baltimore American.
Tob piTintTn<; ~ * ~ i
Neatly executed, with despatch, at this Office.
COMM UN IC AXIOM S.
To the Voters of the Senatorial District, com
posed of the Counties of Loudoun, Fairfax
and Alexandria.
As the period for w hich I was elected to a
seat in the Senate is about to expire, I adopt
this mode of announcing, to \ou, my purpose,
long since expressed 10 many of my iilends,
not to he a candidate at the next election.
In thus retiring fiom yoV service. and ter
minating the relations which have so long ex
isted between us, \ou will pardon me, 1 trust,
i for adding to this annunciation, my grateful
acknowledgments for the evidences of kind
ness and confidence received at sour hands.
Almost a quaiter of a century ago, 1 was
honored by my native county with a seat in
tiie House of Delegates, for two years-and
having served for the last eight years in the
Senate. I feel it to he a duty, no les* to myself
than to you, to devote my time to my private
affairs, and to give place to another and more
efficient man.
fn thediscliargeof my duties, next to represent
ing }om immediate interests, iny humnle efforts
have been directed to the development ot the
vast resources of our venerated State; ami I
have had great pleasure in seeing the rapid ad
vances made in the last few \ears, towards the
! accomplishment of that object. A liberal sys
tem of Internal Improvements has been pios
teented—and though no system of popular
Education has been adopted, there has been
a steady increase of the means and benefits
of the Literar) Fund: many of the Litera
ry Institutions of the State have received
the fostering care of rhe Legislature : our fi
nancial affairs are in a healthy condition, 'i he
credit of the State is high in the public confi
dence—and all these results have flown fionia
system of taxation w hicn meets the approbation
of our people, and which is moderate, compared
with those ot most of our neighboring Slate*.
Such are the resources of Virginia. Fndei
such circumstances we may well hepp that our
.careerof prosperity will he onward.
A convention ;o reform our StateConstitution
has been the subject of discussion for se veral
years. That dissatisfaction in relation to its
provisions, e\i.*t* in every pait of the State,
cannot be doubted: and, believing that no fu
ture time will he n ore propitious than the pre
sent, to a calm and wise consideration of the
questions involved in the proposed amendments,
I am prepared tosuppoit a hill, properly framed,
tor the assembling ut a Convention at an early
period.
To my Alexandria friends, I beg to say that.'
having become your representative by act ol j
As.*tmbly, and not by your suffrages, the county
having been assigned to rr \ district, by the act ol
retrocession, no part of my public life has given
me more satisfaction than the success of all
those measures of local legislation connected
with your interests—asking lor nothing unrea
sonable, you have never asked in vain. One
measure theie was, however, ot vast impor
tance to your town, which did tail of success
at the last session. I mean the hill for con
stituting the Manasseh’s Gap Railroad. It has
been revived, an ! I cannot believe that a pio
po-iiion so leasonahle ar.d ju*t— one so impor
tant to a large portion of our heavy tax-paying
people, can he iejected at the present ses-ion.
With this improvement, and others already in
progress, your ancient town, with her great
natural advantages, may expect soon to take
tier pos lion wi:h the oilier tide water cities of
the Hast, and er.j**y a degree of pso*|eriry
which will awaken the pride of evtiy Virginian.
In thus hastily glancing at our condition as a
State, and offering you iny congratulations on j
oui general picsprrity, if is a matter of deep ie
grtt that our peace and happiness should be
disturbed by a mo*t exciting subject, which
agitates the whole countiv, and threatens the
veiv existence of our glorious I’nion.
Recent events seem to tend rapidly towards
the “crisis" winch we have heard of so long,
am! nothing but the interposition of that O vine
Providence, which Ini'* so signally watched
ovei and guided the coup.*,*!* of our wise and
. i
jutnotic tn?n. ran save us from consequencesi
the most awful to ( very friend ol that Onion.
One of the first lessons I learned in politics,
wax reverence for the union of these Stale*
that it was, in the language of the Kafhet of
his Conntrv, whose principles you have alvvav*
held, “the palladium of our liberties." It has
been rr.\ purpose, theielore, a* your representa
tive, to stand ready. to repel by all constitutional
m -ans, every as-ault upon tin* rights of the
South, but not to be a party to any n.ea-ure,
calculated, in my judgment, to bring about a re
sult equally dc-ti uctive to the be.*t interests of
the "'hole country. 1 have had reason to be
lieve that my course met >0111 appioval. I'ndcr
the-e circum-tanres, I shall feel it my duly to
oppo-e the passage of 1 he resolution* now
pending betoie the Legislatnie, piovidmg for
a Southern Convention in .Mine next, to delib
erate and act upon this momentous subject. I
d 1 not understand that von sent me here for
any Mich purpose. When the true shall come,
for such an extreme measure, as come I hope I
ii never will, the people must take the subject
into their own hand-, and do what the dreadful j
emergency mav require.
With kind feelings towards ever} member of
the Senate, ami my ardent {ravers for ihe |»ros
peritv an.] glory of our country. I shall, at the 1
end of the session, take leave of vonr service.1
ASA lUXiKKS.
Richmond. Jam\.uy IOth, I "AO.
[Papers of the District, please cop} .]
A Card.
It is due to myself, an ! our worthy Delegate.
Mr. Snowden, to dir-abuse the public mind of
any impression, that in offering the resoiut mn
in the Common Council, to appoint acornimttee
to co-operate with him. in aid of important j
measuies before the Leg!-lain re, there was the
sugh'est intent on to refl 'Ct upon his ability or>
efficiency, that he will not mi*consti tie the I
collide of Council. I feel assure 1. I have leason
to know, that Mr. Snowden desired the at
lendance in Richmond, of one of the gentlemen
appointed, to a-s »t m piomoting before tfie he- j
gislatiire. the passage of the Manases Gap
Rail Road hill, to which, in Council, the re>o-1
»nfion wa* expressly understood as referring.—
Another Delegate had also written to one of
<»ur citizen-., urging Alexandria to send down;
a committee in furtherance of this object. The
importance of th s improvement to Alexandria,
neither friend nor enemv of the town vvi.l ques
tion. Fauquier and Frederick have each two
delegates, and noth have committees, the one to
promote, and the oth»*r to defeat this great
-chcme. Nothing is more usual in Virginia,
than to send such committee* to Richmond. t<»
ensure siicre-s to anv n» portant measure, and
never implies any reflection on the Delegate.—
Some of the hist men of the State, arid if I am
not mistaken. Mr. Snowden himself, have thus
acted I have written this hurried note. only,
as explanatory of mv course in Council, and in j
justice to our representative.
FRANCIS L. SMITH, j
Your correspondent “ a citizen '* in an article i
in yesterday's Gazette, intended to be very se
vere upon the Common Council, for their ap
pointment of a Committee to co-operate with
the Delegate from :hi- county, m
interests of the town before the l>■ '
asks the question, u hetlier this c«»urs/r^*
requested by our Delegate. Pei ha; <
have been as well, that he had a-ke.’: ti,V
tion privately before lit* gave hi:n»e.f tt>
of composing an aiiicle upon ^h:c:.
evidently bestowed so much labor |/
he took good care not :o a-k thi- q a *
ing tnat the answer which he uny
would take away the who e por t hti
an art.cle intended by him. to tlolr.!l<* *
annihilating the Common Council.
J will, however, answer his questim. ^,
ing that it was Mated by a member o; i
that the Delegate had expressed a «>».
this course should be pursued, arv 4
same thing wan recommended by oiht • ,
of the object particularly »n new a*,. t>
to counteract the etfoits made ai.d r
by active and bitter opponents of tfc > rr.*!-.’
from Winchester act:ng i»» the >*ameca| :1( •
It would be a curious history. if ;c.
written, and it would make tiie noodj* • .
the town open tlieir eyes, o iii^s o> .
know the private and selh-h e idspop
he attained by all tlio-e who havel.de ,
so loud iu condemnation ot the Coinm i. (
cil. ANOlHKi; Cill/py*
_ _ _
Wreck or on American l'a<k*i
On Wednesday morning, luth Oecrwr*
American ship Oneida, with a crew or „
and JO pa»»*ngers, struck on *ocne n-u^,,
two miles off the N. w. of (jitem'iiex. a:
tei an unsuccessful attempt being made ton.
ship, w as driven on to the rock> on tin**
ern extremity of La IVnelle Ba\. uheir*.
lemained fixed. B> the concussion the r„
was unshipped, the ship’s hack hr. kei. .
the mainaia't sprung, in Consequence <d u
the la ter was cut away, and duffed on: • .
with its sails and rigging. The sea w..»:
breaking violently over the sli p, wh ch r. •*
apprehended would go to pieces: in ro-*. 3
queuce, several of the boats were zot mp -
as thev were lowered, the) were daMied:
ces. with the exception of the long-boat, wr
however, fiom the boisterous state oj ti.« *.
could not be entered When the tide ha: :
en. the whole of the pa**et:ger- ami crew v
their pei.sorial effects.were subsequently 1 r<
without any accident to the shore, wne-e '
were kindly leceivul in various neighbor
houses, and m the evening the whole wcie<
ducted into town. The cabin passengeis w«r
French lady ami gentleman, ar.d hr. Kdouar I
French *1mat, who had on hoard with him a v. ■
valuable collection of pictuies and other w• .
of art, accumulated by him during a seM.tr
of Tr years in the United States, and whirl
is feaied. will be destroyed bv the sea w *•
as they are in the ship’s hold. 1 he steeu.r 1
passengers were principally poor (ierman #•
grants, who weie on then* return to tin 11 < *
country from the 1 nite«l Stiites, w hen* tr ■.
had tailed in finding that employment ot wl
they had gone in search. T he wreck of *
Oneida consists of 1.D50 bales of cotton, a*'
large quantity of provisio. »*. tallow, and
making in the w hole nearly 1.0( 0 toi - Ti.
property has been taken possession of 1 v .V
Le Merchant, the Consul lor the United v.i>.
and, under his directions, a strong force o: :n»
boats, carts and horses is being employ#.!*,
bring the cargo to land, the sum of U-cd t.» ^
fixed for every bale of cotton hrougl.t n> t g*:
watermark, and a propoitionate palmer’
other parts of the pioperty. The Mop. it * U*
lieved. will become a total w reck, hut it 1.- ».<*, < .
that the u.ateiials max he saved.--Lr>n J •
Executive Power*.
Tl ie Constitution confers special and i> '
pendent powers upon the Kxctut.ve.atM ainm.:
ihe sc is ihe power ot appointment. J n»*ie i.
limitation to the exercise ol tins right, exo,'
such as is due to a respect for public Op.l <11
and to the i i^lds of mdivuiiials. 1 he 1‘resi .ei:
is fire to apj oint whom he w ill, a* the >< nuv
i> tree to reject such appointments, it cornu g
with.n its jinisiiiction ol ••auvire and coi.se*■'
v\’e do not mean *o much to question fin* piu
prietv of a call lor spec,tic individual cli.nge*.
where they have been publicly made, a* we
•:o tfie abstract right of the Executive to make
these appointments upon j oiitica! or any o:tn
giounds.
This is not a new question. It was J.-eu-sr *.
m the Coin ention w inch liamed the constitu
t,on, and has bi*en debated many tune- miu*
We believe, however, the opiiin n has usually
been against the nglit to call the Piesident ti
account lor his exercise ol the appointing pow ei
We would he among the last peisms to de
fend tlie Executive m an abuse ol power, either
in himsell or by all liilringellient upon legislative
right. Ihe countiy has abends sutteied -f»
much fiom Executive usurpation, and sonnuti
too from the abuse of power in legard to ap
{kointmeiits, that we had lalhei eii upon ine
fide oi ihe >enate than upon lii.il of the !'•<
dent: hut when w e see a move of thi* son ma le
upon political gtound* meiely. and wdh \ vim
of emfntilassiug the Pi«-*nient, and ong.i a’ i g
al-oui h a paity who oiiginated tt*e w|. e
system of pioscnp* ,011, and have exeic.xdd
Horn tii*t to la*l ino>t unsparingly, we led
hound Jo "pea!-, ol it a> it deceive* to be s{*ok«ii
of. ami tiiat i" with tinniea-ured eoiujemnat on
- A. } Hi/tyns.
Tilt? ( nioti on (it'ii. Taylor.
•• 11 seems that, w.th ail h»> piofeesioiia! i* -
"peel lol the vviil ol the people, a* PXprc^x*-!
through ?heil lepieseiilallVt s, he, the Plexilet t
o| the Emted States] tak**- no pains to coneeai
tii" passion, when the representative* ot t!.*•
people call upon him for inhumation lenei'g
not t(» In*, hut to ihe people* Government
From more than one source we tiave beaut 'In
tact slated; am! further, that tlie l*rr*ulent ot
the people make* no hesitat on in denouncing,
even in the hnteiest teirns, tlie impertinent cu
riosity of the people's representatives ( tnou
Loose libelfol the pres* upi n ihe I’rkmiikni’
however wanton and howevei mttei, may well
he treated w»tli conte/nj tiuuj" silence -that i".
aliowed to pass unregarded by Coi.teniporary
presses friend!) t<» him and hi" Admiuistiation
>ome such, however, which affect relation* so
iuipoilant. and m» well-defined by tlie President
himself, as those between tlie legislative Bode*
and the Chief MagistiaU* ol the nation, are oc
casonally entitled to notice. Of such achat*
acter we consider that which is coinpiised in
ihe above extinct.
We feel authorized to say, therefore, that each
nf the statements in the extract referred to i- un
true and without foundation; and that the Pres
•dent h s never been known to speak of th»*
KepiesenJative* of the people, or iln-ii call- 1 <r
information, in any other term* or temper than
tho** wh ch he lia* ernp'oyed towards them m
tns late Annual Message, and also m hisLi.nig
ural Address.—A ut. hit.
Distressing Accident.
Mr. John Richards, the worthy superintendent
of the Eranklm Paper Mill, m tin* city, lost
hi* life yesterday, under the following di-tre*
mg circumstance*. Some ir regularity of the
water wheel directing Ins attention m that quar
ter, he was in the act of s'onp ng to examine
into the cause, w hen he lost In* foothold and
was piecipitaied upon tlie win el and earned
under ,t into the nairow sj ace reserved for the
passage of the water. The Immiv being thu*
forced into the i.mrow ajeiture. choked oil the
water and caused the slop; age of the wheel.
In th * dreadful situation he remained ciusfied
for some ten minute* before being released
which was done h> cutting away portions of
the wheel and in that way reaching hi* body
He lived but a few minutes a ter the ccctit
ivnce. fhir regrets and sympathies are height
ened by the fact that be leaves a family to
mourn the sudden and peculiarly afflicting be
reavement.— Rich. Whip.
Important Movement.
A resolution passed tfie House of Delegate**
tester*'a\, authorizing the Attorney General oi
Maryland to teat, before the Supreme Couit, if
rcece-sary, the power of a Magistrate of New
York city, to dischaige from custody a fng'tive
dave. The c»ee in point i* that of Mr. L*e.
r»f Frederick, w ho -ome time since arre-ted hi*
runaw ay slave, in New* Yoik. but he was sub
sequently discharged hv one of the Magistrate-,
and allowed to escape The hill also provide
for paying Mr. Lee the ex|*»n*es incurred m h *
unsuccessful effort to regain possession of the
iunaway. — Baltimore Sun.
Pont Office Appointment*.
Pleasant Valiev. Fairfax County, Va , Jam**
H. Palmer, vice Wm. H. Jollifee, reigned.
Raccoon Ford. Culpeper County, Va, Joseph
J. Halsey, vice P. P. N’aille, resigned