colored person, named Margaret Morgan.
Upon the trial it appeared that she was held us
a slave in the State of Maryland, and that she
escaped into theStaleot Pennsylvania in the
year 1832— that in 1937, Edward Prigg was
appointed, by the owner o( the slave, to seize
and arrest her as a fugitive from labor. In
pursuance of this authority, and under a war
rant issued by a justice of the peace, Prigg cau
sed the negro woman to be arrested, and with
out having obtained any warrant of removal,
he delivered her to her owner in the State of
Maryland. These lacts were found by a spe
cial verdict, and by the agreement of counsel,
a judgment was entered against Prig?- from
this judgment a writ of error was taken to the
Supreme Court of the State, where A pro forma
judgment of affirmance was again, by agree
ment, entered, and the case removed to the Su
preme Court of the United States.
It will be observed that the question, wheth
er Edward Prigg was really guilty ot ihe crime
of kidnapping, under the Pennsylvania statute
of 1826, was never actually passed upon, either
bv the court or jury, in the county of York, or
by the Supreme Court of the State. Ihe jury
merely found the facts, and the action of both
courts was but a matter of form.
In the argument and defeimination of the
case, in the Supreme Court of the United States,
it appears to have been taken for granted, that
our act of 1826 made it a criminal offence for
a master to take his slave out of this State, with
out a warrant of removal ; and, upon this con
struction, the act was declared unconstitutional
and void. This, I submit, was a clear misap
prehension of the purport and meaning of our
legislation. The first section of the act of 1826
under which the indictment against Prigg was
framed, was almost literally copied from the
seventh section of the act of 1788, to which a
construction had already been given by the
highest judicial tribunal of the State of Pennsyl
vania, where it was held to have no application
whatever to the removal of a slave by the mas
ter or his agent, with or without a warrant.—
Such was the undoubted law of the State under
the statute of 1788, and in re-enacting that stat
ute, in the act of 1826, with an increased pen
alty, it is manifest that the intention and object
of the Legislature was to protect free persons of
color, and to punish those, who, by fraud, force
or violence, were guilty ol kidnapping, and
holding or selling free men as slaves. This the
State had a clear right to do ; and nothing but
a misconstruction of her act, could have indu
ced the declaration that it was forbidden by the
Cbostitullfcn of the United States. It is per
fectly clear, that Edward Prigg had commitied
no crime in removing Margaret Morgan from
the State of Pennsylvania to the State of Ma
ryland, and delivering ber up to her owner; |
and it is equally clear, that no attempt was
made, by the statute of Pennsylvania, to declare
his act a crime. He should have been discharg
ed, not because the act of the State was uncon- j
stitutional, but because he had not transgressed
its commands.
The Supreme Court of the United States not
only pronounced the particulat section of the
act of 1826, then before them, unconstitution
al, but a majority of the court heid that the
whole act was void, because the power to pro
vide for the rendition of fugitives from labor,
was vested exclusively in Congress and the sev
eral States were, therefore, incompetent io pass
statutes either in aid of, or to hinder, delay or
prevent, the delivery of such fugitives. That
this was the extent of the decision, as delivered
by Judge Story, not only appears from the opin
ions of the majority, but also from the dissen
ting opinions delivered by the minority of Ihe
court. By this unfortunate decision, it was au
thoritatively proclaimed that Pennsylvania, in
enacting her liberal statute of 1826, making it
the duty of her own officers to aid in arresting
and delivering up fugitives from labor, had mis
taken her constitutional obligation, and that her
act was in violation of, rather than obedience
to, the Constitution of the United States. Un
der such circumstances, it was the manifest du
ty of the State to repeal her law thus declared j
unconstitutional. This wa3 done by the act of
1847 ; and if that act had contained nothing
more than a repeal of the law of 1826, and the
re-enactment of the law against kidnapping, it
could not have been subject to any just com
plaint. But the third section of the acl of 1547
prohibits, under heavy penalties, our judges and
magistrates from acting under any act of Con
gress, or otherwise taking jurisdiction of the
case of a fugitive from labor; and thp fourth
section punishes with fine, and imprisonment,
the tumultuous and riotous arrest of a fugitive
slave, bv any person or persons, uuder any pre
tence of authority whatever, so as to create a
breach of the public peace. The sixth section,
denying the use of the county jails for the de
tention of fugitive slaves, was repealed in 1852
and need only be referred to as showing the
general spkit of the act. The seventh section
repealed the provisions ol the act of 1780,
which authorized persons passing through our
State to take their slaves with them, and gave
to sojourners the right to bung their slaves into
the State, and retain them here fur any period
not exceeding six months.
The provisions of thp third and fourth sec
tions of the act of 1547, seem !<> have been
predicated upon the language of the Supreme
Court in Prigg's case. It is thete admi'ted
that the several States may prohibit their own
magistrates, and other officers, from exercising
an authority conferred by an act of Congress j
and that while an owner of a slave, under and
in virtue ot the Constitution of the United
States, is clothed with power, in every State of
the Union, to seize and recapture his slave, he
must nevertheless, do so without using any il
legal violence, or committing a breach of the
peace. It is evident that the frainer of the act
of 1847, had closely studied the case of Prigsr
vs. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and
had kept his law strictly within tia letter. In
many respects, the act is a codification of the
principles enunciated by the court ; and more
fault may justly be found with its temper than
its want of constitutionality.
If fugitive slaves were stiff claimed under the
act of Congress of 1793, the denial to the mas
ter of the aid of of State judges and masistrates,
might be a source of greaCinconvenience to him;
but the complete and perfect remedv now pro
vcded by the act of Congress of 1850, renders
htm entirely independent of State officers. And
the punishment of arrests without warrant, bv
a master in the exercise of his constitutional
right of recaption, but made in a violent, tu
multuous and unreasonable manner, amounting
to a breach of the peare, is but recognizing, by
statute, what was before the common law.—
fhesp sections Were re-enacted in the revised
per.ai code of Pennsylvania, at the last session
of the Legislature, and are still the law of the
State ; but they are not now of any practical
importance, and as their retention on our sta
tute booE is calculated to create the impression
that the people of this State are unfavorable to
ttie execution of the fugitive 6lave law, and the
discharge ot their confederate duties, and with
the view of removing this subject ot reproach,
[ earnestly recommend their unconditional re
peal.
While a majority of the judges of the Su
preme Court of the United States, in the Png>
case, held, that a State had no constitutional
right to provide by legislation tor delivering
up fugitives from labor, a minority were then
of the opinion that State laws, consistent with,
and in aid of, the constitutional injunction,
were valid and proper. And this minority
opinion is now the judgment of the present
court, as rectify indicated in a case which a
rose in the State ol Illinois. There is, there
fore, nothing to prevent the revival ot 'he act
of 1826, and its restoration to the place in our
code to which, by its merits, it is so justly en
titled. This would leave it to the optiorr ol the
claiman', whether he would seek his remedy
under State or National laws. He had this
right before the repeal ot our act ot 1826, and,
ih my opinion, no good reason can be assigned
lor refusing to place him again in the same po
i iition.
I would also recommend taat the consent of
the State be given, that the master, while so
journing in our State, for a limited period, or
passing through it, may be accompanied by his
slave, without losing his right to his service.—
While such legislation is due to the comity
wnich should ever exist between the different
Stales of this Union, it would undoubtedly tend
greatly to restore that peace and harmony,
which are now so unwisely imperiled. By this
Pennsylvania would concede no principle— we
would simply be falling back upon our ancient
policy, adopted at a time when our people were
themselves [struggling tor their rights, and
never departed from, until, by a misconception
ot its leaning, one of our most important stat
utes was declared unconstitutional. From
1780, to 1817, a period of sixty-seven years,
Pennsylvania, herself a free State, permitted
the citizens of other States to sojourn within her
limits, with their slaves, for any period not ex
ceeding six months, and to pass through the
State, in traveling from one State to another,
free frorr. ail molestatiou. Was she injured, or
was the cause of human freedom retarded, by
the friendly "grant of this privilege! This
question cannot be truthfully answered in the
affirmative ; but it may be safely avened that
by changing our policy in this respect, we have
in some degree, at least, alienated from us the
feelings ot fraternal kindness, which bound
together, so closely, the sisterhood of States.—
Let us, then, renew this pledge of amity and
friendship, and once more extend a kindly
welcome to the citizens of our common country,
wnether visiting us on business or pleasure,
notwithstanding they may be accompanied by
those who, under the Constitution and the
laws, are held to service and labor.
The Territories of the United States belong j
to the General Gov.-e iment, and in those Ter- j
ritories the people of the several States un- j
questionably have equal rights. They were
acquired by means of the common expenditure
of blood and treasure. By the Federal Constitu
tion power is given to Congress "to dispose
of and make all needful rules and regulations
respecting the territory and other property
belonging to the United States." Whether
under this, or any other power confi-rred by
the Constitu'i m, Congress can prohibit or pro
tect slavery in the Territories, has been seri
ously questioned. But, if the power to legis
late upon this delicate and important subject .
were clearly vested in Congress, in my j.idg- j
ment it ought not to be exercised. To declare
that slavery shall not exist in the Territories, is j
calculated to exclude from their occupancy the ;
citizens of the southern or slaveholding States;,
while,to make it a legal institution in all the
Territories of 'he U. StatPs, by Congressional
enactment, and to provide for its continuance
during their entire Territorial existence, would
be equally injurious to the people of the tree
States. The principle adopted in the Compro-
I mise measures ot 1850, lor disposing of the
\ question of slavery in New Mexico and Utah,
i and reiterated in the Kansas and Xebra.-ka bills
jof 1854, of non-iuterventio:) by Congress with
j slavery in the States and in the Territories, is
the true rule. It is the duty of Congress, when
j a sufficient number of hardy and adventurous
pioneers find their way into our distant Terri
| tories, to furnish them a shield of protection
and a form of government ; but to the people
themselves belongs the right to regulate their
own domestic institutions in their own way,
subject only to the Constitution of the United
, States.
While these views have been long entertain
ed by me, and while I am sincerely of the
opinion tnat their general adoption, and faithful
enforcement, would have preserved, and may
yet restore/peace and harmony to all sections
of the country, I am nevertheless not so wedded
to them as to rpject, unceremoniously, all other
propositions for the settlement of the vexed
questions which now threaten to sunder the
bonds which for three quarters of a century
have made us one people. Forty years ago,
our fathers settled an angrv controversy grow
ing out of a similar question, by dividing the
Territories purchased from France, and pro
viding that Slavery, or involuntary servitude,
should not exist north of a certain line ; and
the whole country acquiesced in that compro
mise. In 1854, that restriction upon slavery
was reTnoved, and the people of all the Terri
tories were left free to decide the question for
themselves. Now the sectional issue is again
presented, by the dominant party in the North,
claifvung that slavery cannot legally go into
the Territories, even if sanctioned by Congress,
or the Territorial Legislature; and that it is the
right anr> the duty of Congress to prohibit its
existence. While the doctrine which obtains
with a majority of the people in most of the
southern States, is, that under the Constitution,
the Territories .ire all open to slavery ; that
neither Congress\nor the Territorial Lege !.i
--ture can lawfully prohibit its existence, aid
that it is th duty of Congress to provide for
it all needful p.otection. May we not wisely
follow the example of our fathers, by re-enact
ing the old compromise line of 1820, and ex
tending it to the boundary of California ? Not
by the means of legislation of doubtful con
stitutionality, but by an amendment to the
Constitution itself, and thus permanently fix
the condition of the Territories, so that those
1 who desire to occupy them, may find a home,
at their discretion, either where slaveiv i< tol
erated, or where it is prohibited. It the adop
tion of such an amendment would peacefully
settle the difficulties which now surround us,
f am satisfidd that it would be sanctioned ov the
people of Pennsylvania. At all events, they
should have an opportunity to accept or reject
if, if made as a peace offering. I would, there
fore, recommend the General Assembly to in
struct aud request our Senators and Repre
sentatives in Congress, lo support <t proposition
tor such an amendment ot the Conslitulion, to
he submitted for ratification or rejection, to a
convention of delegates, elected directly by the
people ot the State.
In the event ot the failure ot Congress spee
dily to propose this, or a similar amendment,
to the Constitution, the citizens of Pennsylva
nia should have an opportunity, by the applica
tion ol some peaceable remedy, to prevent the
dismemberment ot this Union. This can oniy
be aone by calling a convention of delegates, to
be elected by the people, with a view solely to
the consideration of what measures should be
taken to meet the present feartul exigencies.—
If Congress should propose no remedy, let it
emanate trom the souice of all authority, the
p; iple themselves.
Every attempt, upon the part of individuals,
or of organized societies, to lead the people a
way trom their allegiance to the government,
to induce them to violate any ot the provisions
of the Constitution, or to incite insurrections in
any ot the States of this Union, ought to be
prohibited by law, as crimes of a treasonable
nature. It is of the first importance to the per
petuity of this great Union, that the hearts of
the people, and the action ot their constituted
authorities, should he in unison, in giving a
faithful support to the Constitution ot the Uni
ted States. The people of Pennsylvania are
devoted to the Union. They will lollow its
stars and its stripes through every peril. But,
before assuming the high resjonsibilities now
dimly foreshadowed, it is their solemn duty to
remove every just cause of complaint against
themselves, so that they may stand before High
Heaven, and the civilized world, without fear
and without reproach, ready lo devote their
lives and their fortunes to the support of the
best form of government that has ever been de
vised by the wisdom ot man.
In accordance with the provisions of the
Constitution of the State, I shall soon resign the
office of Chief Executive of Pennsylvania, with
which the people have entrusted me, to him
whom they have chosen as my successor. I !
shall carry with me info the walks of private
life, the consciousness of having honestly dis
charged the duties that have devolved on me
during the ♦erm of my office, to the best of my
ability ; and shall ever cherish the warmest af
fection tor, and the deepest interest in, the fu
ture welfare of our beloved Commonwealth and
our glorious Republic. The shadow of a dark
cloud does indeed rest upon us ; but my hopes
and my affections still ciing to our Union, and
my prayer shall be that He who orders the des
tinies of nations, when He shall have chastened
us for our sins, and humbled us before Him, will
restore us again in mercy, and bind us togeth
er in stronger and more hallowed bonds of fra
ternity ,to remain unbroken through all future
time. WM. F. PACKER.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, I
Harrisburg, January 2, 1861. j
•TF'The following eloquent and beautiful
extract from a Southern Thanksgiving Sermon
has been handed us for publication. We give
place to it with pleasure :
[For the Bedford Gazette.]
PLEA OF THE SOUTH.
It is a remarkable fact that during these thir
ty years of unceasing warfare against slaverv,
and while a lying spirit has inflamed the world
against us, that world has grown more depen
dent upon it tor its sustenance and wealth.—
Every tyio knows that all branches of industry
fall back upon the soil. We must come, every
one of us, to the bosom of this great mother for
nourishment. In tiie happy partnership which
has grown up in providence between the tribes
of this confederacy, ourSndusiry has beeti con
centrated upon agriculture. To the North we
have cheerfully resigned all the profits arising
from manufacture and commerce. Those prof
its they have, for the most part, fairly earned
and we have never begrudged them. We have
sent them our sugar and bought it back when
refined ; we have sent them our cotton and
bought it back when spun info thread or woven
into cloth. Almost every article we use, from
I the shoe-latchet to the most elaborate and cost
| ly article of luxury, they have made and we
j have bought ; and both sections have thriven 6v
! the partnership, as no people ever thrived be
fore, since the first shining of the sun. So lit
erally tiue are the words of the text, addressed
by Obadiah toEdom ; "All the men of our con
federacy, the men that were at peace with us,
have eaten our bread at the very time they
were at peace with us, have eaten our bread at
the very time they have deceived and laid a
wound under us." Even beyond this—the en
riching commerce wtiich h3s built the splendid
cities and marble palaces of England as well "as
of America has been largely established upon
the p r idactsof our soil { and the blooms upon
Souiii rn fields gathered ov black hands, have
fed thp spindles and looms of Manchester and
Birmingham, not less than of Lowell and Law
rence. Sti ike now a blow at this system of la
bor and the world itself totters at the stroke.—
Shall we permit that blow to fall ? Do we not
owe it to civilized man to stand in the breach
and slay the uplifted arm ? If the blind Sam
son lays hold of the pillars which support the
arch of the world's industry, liuw many more
will be buried beneath its ruins than the Lords
of the-Philistines ?— Extract from Rev. B. M.
Palmer's Sermon, delivered at JVew Orleans,
on fAe 29 JVOV., 1860, (Thanksgiving Oay.)
Southern News,
WegJean from our exchanges the following
with regard to the state of affairs in the South.
SECESSION MOVEMENTS. —Fort Sumter is said
to be beseiged ; the communications cut off;
Fort Moultrie repaired, and the guns remount
ed by the Carolinians ; new batteries erected
and the dangers daily increasing.
Major Anderson is determined to defend his
posi.ion to the lasf. He was visited by his bro
ther under the surveriance of three gentlemen
who accompanied him to the Fort.
The South Carolina Commissioners have gone
home quite offended at Mr. Buchanan for re
turning tneir note unanswered. The Georgia
Forts were seized by order of the Governor of
the State. The arsenal at Augusta is threaten
ed with seizure also, as are all the Forts on the
Gulf coast. The Georgia election has gone for
the secessionists.
Tne arsenal at Mobile, Ala., with 75,000
stand of arms, has been seized and is now in
possession of the secessionists.
A secession flag has been raised at Wilming
ton, N. C.. a secession meeting held, and the
feeh.ig seems to be daily increasing.
•The Florida State Convention met and orga
nized yesterday at Tallahasse, and then ad
| journed until Saturday noon.
It is now denied that Fort Sumter is be
sieged. The U. S. Arsenal and Forts at Mo
bile have been taken by the Alabama troops.—
The U.S. Forts in Georgia, are in possession of
the Georgian troops.
BEDFORD GAZETTE.
-BEDFORD, Pa.—
FRIDAY::: JAN. 11, 1861-
B. F. Meyers, Editor and Proprietor
Treason of British Abolitionism.
The blood-hounds of Black Republican Ab
olitionsm have at last brought their Southern
game to bay. Their keen scent for the negro
has at last brought them to the fastnesses where
the Southern lion makes his lair. The brazen
clangor of their restless tongues has aroused,
alarmed, yea, maddened the people of the
whole Union. Abolitionism, under the conve
nient d'sguise of "Republicanism," has at last
achieved its long-cherished design of bringing
civil war upon the country and of effecting the
dissolution of this noble confederacy. This
most dark and heinous form ot treason, was in
vented by Old England and given as a Grecian
horse to the fanatics and traitors of New Eng
land to be used for the destruction of our glo
rious Government. The descendants of the
cruel and cold-blooded witch-burners of Salem
were well calculated to introduce this machine,
bowel led with plagues and death, within the
walls of our Troy. They had no
trouble in finding a sufficient uumber of knaves
and fools to help them on indheir work of trea
son. The forum was made to ring with the el
oquence of demagoguges seeking to court their
favor. The pulpit was desecrated by their
priestly partizans and God-mocking hirelings.
The press was corrupted to their aid by British
gold, and even the novel was prostituted to the
Utterance of monstrous aud distorted pictures of
the institutions against which these devout and
saintly patriots were urging their new crusade.
Thus were The people blindfolded to the hide
ousness of the danger impending above them.
Jts very monstrosity seemed lovely in Ibeir eyes.
Completely deluded and ensnared, the confiding
people were willing that the machine of Anti
slavery, should spew out upon the land the hid
den and mysterious influences which were to
biing such concord, unity, plenty and glory to
the confederated States. The sixth of Novem
ber witnessed the culmination cf this insanei
dolatry ; the seventh resounded with the com
mingled clamor for Disunion, the crash of bank
suspensions and the cry tor bread of the poor
laborer suddenly deprived of the means of sub
sistence.
How many, many timps were the people
warned against this Abolition monster! "Line
upon line and precept upon precept," and yet
they would not consider ! Verily, the day of
their humiliation is come ; their country i* in
the agony of civil rupture ; the British horse is
changed to an iion-shod courser, soon perhaps,
to tread in scorn over the tombol Washington
and to stamp the print of his ignominous foot up
on the soil of Marion and Sumpter. Shades of
our conscript fathers ! Spirits of the glorious
dead of the Revolution ! Seek the degraded
hearts of your sons and kindle therein the in
digiation ye would have felt at your country's
dijgface! Oh that British intrigue should have
brought us to this 1 Oh that the plottingsofthe
arch-enemies of our country, should succeed,
and the traitois that execute them should go un
hung !
Has Lincoln done his Duty ?
Ls it an essential attribute of the model states
man that when his country is in peril he should
remain silent and inactive ? Is it the quality
of patriotism when civ il war and fraternal itrif*
threaten the land with rapine and destruction,
to lie supinely down, without one single efTort
to check the impending storm 1 To justify the
conduct of the President elect, these questions
must be answered in the affirmative. Mr. Lin
coln knows that it is because of his position be
fore the country that the present alarming trou
bles exist. He knows that it is because he
clings to the Chicago Black Republican Plat
form, which 'hnies equal rights in the Territo
ries to the people of the South, that the South
ern States are resorting to secession and dis
union. Had lie spoken out two weeks ago, in
favor of the maintenance of the rights of the
Southern people, it is hardly to be doubted that
all would have been well. He certainly must
have known that all that the South desires is
the assurance that it v. ill be treated as fairly
under his Administration as under that of Mil
lard Fillmore and other Northern Presidents,
and knowing this, if he intends to deal justly
with the South, why does he preserve his stud
ied silence ? Why does he not say to the South,
"Hold ! Do not break up this Government!
Your Constitutional rights shall be maintained?"
Silence ia such a crisis, on the part of a man
in Mr. Lincoln's position, is nothing less than
treason. It is ten-fold more treasonable than
the conduct of the secessionists. The latter are
fighting for what they believe their own
self-preservation ; Mr. Lincoln, in remaining
silen', is merely obeying the behests of his par
tv, and for the sake of keeping in favor with
the radical Republicans, permits his country to
suffer and, perhaps, perish. Out upon such a
I demagogue as this! The viais of popular wrath
will yet be poured out upon his head; and from
the conservative and Constitution-loving masses
of the North—yea, of the negro-ridden North
—will come a voice of thunder in his condem
nation !
"The man who rises on his country's ruin,
Lives in a crowd of foes, himself the chief :
In vain his power, in vain his pomp and pleasure!
His guilty 'boughts, those tyrants of the soul ,
Steal in unseen, and stab him in his triumph."
[£F"The scramble for office among the Re
publicans in this State,is just now of an irrepressi
ble nature. A K McCltire and Simon Camer
on head the opposing factions in the Cabinet
war. McClure is a sly lellow, but we think
old Winnebago will "wiggle waggle" his
si ippery moccasins, somehow or other, under
the lintels of the Treasury.
An unintentional admission.
That mendacious Abolition sheet, the Phila
delphia Bulletin, in a recent article stumbles on
the truth in this wise :
"The Republican leader? seem to think that
they are not yet called on to do anything more
than quietly defend their position, and attend to
their ordinary Congressional business. None
of them have offered any staillmg remedies for
the troubles of the times, that task having been
performed by those whose one thought is the
preservation of union and peace."
No, indeed ! None of them have offered anv
remedies,:••startling" or otherwise, "for the
troubles of the times." That is not their forte.
They must attend to their "ordinary Congres
sional business,"* such as devising ways and
means to rob the Government, whilst thev man
age by the cry of "stop thief 1" to divert atten
tion trom their own peculations to innocent par
ties. Thev must hatch new Abolition plots and
involve the country in additional trouble on
account of the great an d ever blessed ne
gro. They must see to the parceling out of the
spoils which they expect to obtain under Hon
est Abe's administration. No, no ! They have
no time to devote to "saving their country, no
:nclinatiou to offer "startling remedies for the
troubles of the times." They must attend to
the interests of Black Republicanism, and,
meantime, for all they caie, the country inav go
to the devil. For political scoundrels like
these, is a Tophet prepared, the burning where
of shall consume every British Black Republi
can traitor in the land.
The Governor's Message.
Our present issue contains the last annual
message of his Excellency, Gov. VV. F. Packer,
to the Legislatuie of Pennsylvania. It is an
able and interesting document and will be read
with satisfaction by men ot all parties. In many
respects the administration of Gov. Packer has
been an excellent one. Tt has certainly succeed
ded admirably with the financial affairs of the
Commonwealth. Begining with the monetary
panic bequeathed to it in 1857, and laboring
under the disadvantage of a reduction of one
sixth of the State tax, Gov. Packer's administra
tion has, notwithstanding these hardships, suc
ceeded in reducing the debt of the Common
wealth, two millions, two hundred ar.d thirty
six thousand, eight hundred and eighty two
dollars and fifteen cents. The taxpayers of
Pennsylvania wll long rtmember,with grate
ful hearts, the services of William F. Packer,
in endeavoring to lift their burden from their
shoulders. On national affairs the Governor
makes many wholesome suggestions. We
especially endorse his recommendation of the
repeal ot the anti-Fugitive Slave Law, and of
tlie restoration of the old laws of 1780, repeal
ed in 1847, giving the mastpr, while sojourn
ing in our State, for a period not exceeding six
months, and when passing throush the State,
the right to keep his slave with him. We
also cordially second the Governor's proposi
tion of a re-enactment of the uld compromise
line of 1820, and ils extension to the boundary
of California, by the insertion of an amendment
to that effect, in the Ffdera! Constitution. The
message deserves a careful and thorough peru
sal.
Pittsburg and Connellsville Failroad.
We are indebted to Hon. A. L. Russell, o 1 i
Pittsburg, Treasurer of the Pittsburg and Con- j
nellsville Railroad Company, lor a copy of thp
Eighth Anrtfla! Repoit of the President and Di
rectors of said Company. Tlie pamphlet con-i
tains an account of the last annual meeting of
the Stockholders of the Company, from which
we learn that the following named gentlemen
were elected officers for the ensuing year :
President, Benjamin H. Latrobe, of Baltimore ;
Secretary and Treasurer, A. L. Russell, of
Pittsburg ; Superintendent, Henry Blackstone,
of Connellsville. The following is a list of the
Directors chosen for the ensuing vear : Benja
min H. Latrobe, Benjamin Deford, W. F. Mur
dock, of Baltimore, Thomas Bakewell, Jbeeph
renock, Charles H. PaulsoD, William Phillips,
John Watt, Joseph VVoodwell, Pittsburg, Alex.
Millar, Allegheny co., Pa., D. R. Davidson,
Fayette co., Pa., and C. P. Markle, VVestm'd.
Co., Pa. The Report of the President exhibits
the linancial affairs of the Company as being in
a very fair condition. The entire receipts of
the company for the last year were §80,552.
81. The current expenditures for "maintain
ing, working and administering the general af
fairs of the road, during 4 the same time, were
$59,511.55, leaving $21,04-1.26 as the clear
income for the year, which has been used part
ly in payment of claims on account of real es
tate and right of way, partly in paying for the
section of road connecting this road with the
Fayette County Railroad, east of Connellsville,
and the remainder on new machinery and buil
dings absolutely necessary to enable the Com
pany to earn its enlarged income." The ex
penditures for construction and equipment, sur
veys, right of way, and real estate, since the or
ganization of the Company, in 1846, have been
$1,866,691.10. of which $1,464,016.25 have
been spent on the Western, $218,925.2S on
the Eastern, and $183,7-1-9.57 upon the Turtle
Creek Division.
The Prestdeni say?, in concluding; his report,
"Willi the extension into Pittsburg completed
by the ensuing Spring, and the restoration, as
we must hope, of the country to tranquility,
and the money market to ease and abundance,
and the confidence of moneyed men in an enter
prise with such rare recommendations as this,
fully engaged in its behalf, we cannot but hope
for the most favorable result to our intended
efforts to press the work on to Cumberland next
3'ear. In this move toward Baltimore, it is
more than possible we may be helped ]by new
interests in Eastern Pennsylvania and New
York, which seem to be interesting themselves
to unite our line, at its elbow near Cumberland
with the existing direct route east of the Sus
quehanna, through Keadinr, Allentown and
Easton. Information has been received that au
instrumental survey has just been complete,) of
this route by Sherman's Valley and B-dford to
Bndgport, on this road, which exhibits a line of
great directness and easy grades."
Bedford county is deeply interested in the
completion of the Pittsburg and Connellsville
Railroad, and her citizens ought not to be back
ward in encouraging the Company in their en
terprise whenever it is in their power to'do so.
We look forward with biigfit anticipations to
the day when our county sha!! I - i n direct
railroad communication with I itisou and Bal
timore.
Local and Miscellaneous.
....SAD ACCIDENT—CHILD BURKED TO
DEATH. —On Friday last a little daughter of
Mr. Geo. Atkins, an employee in the Machine
Shop, at Hopewell, was burned to death at her
father's house in that place. The parents were
both absent at the time the accident cccuurred
the mother having gone out a sfiort time previ
ous. It seems that the child's clothes causht
fire from the stove, and were burn-d entirely
off her body, her flesh being also completely
charred. This is truly a sad accident and
should warn us to be careful with children
when about fires.
lature is about to appropriate a million of dol
lars to arm the militia of the State. Let this
be done, and our neighbors, Maryland and Vir
ginia, will b* compelled to take similar steps,
which will at once tend to heighten the excite
ment in those States. Besides, why are the peo
ple to be taxed thus exorbitantly when Penn
sylvania Iras no cause to be alarmed for the safe
ty of any of her Constitutional rights ? The
Legislature t had better fust repeal the odious
Anti-Fugitive Slave Law, and endeavor to do
justice to the South, before it attempts to com
mit the people of Pennsylvania to coercion and
civil war.
. .. .AN EXTRAORDINARY SHOT.— On Wed
nesday afternoon ot last week, Messrs. Adam
Cam, Jacob Line, and John Stoutnour, of this
place, went out to have a little recreation in
the way of shooting at a mark. Having "bored"
their target until it was unfit for use, a banter
ensued among the party to shoot at a goose at a
great distance from them, and seeming to be far
beyond rifle range. Two shots were fired at it
one by Mr. Cam striking it full in the neck
and killing it instantly. On measuring the
di-tance, it was ascertained to be 3162 3arc 1 ; •
Who can beat it ?
P. S. The owner of the slain fowl will
please call upon either of the iparfv, prove his
property, and he will be remunerated for his
loss.
... .Judge DOUGLAS has delivered a speech
in the Senate which seems to give general satis
faction to the Democrats and Conservatives.
He says the present difficult ies should be settled
peaceably and that war is disunion. WP shall
publish the speech at an early day, if able to
obtain a correct copy.
.. ~K. Al. Palmer, of Schuylkill county, has
been elected Speaker of the Senate and Eiisha
W. Davis of Venango count), Speaker of the
House.
.... We are under obligations to Hon. S. S.
Wharton, of the Senate, and C. W. Aschom,
Esq., of the House, for copies of the Legislative
Record and other documents.
. .. Legislature elected Edgar Cowan,
of Westmoreland county, U. S. Senator, on
Tuesday last.
• . ... President Buchanan has appointed Mr
Mclotyre, of York, Collector at Charleston.
Legislative Jews.
In the Slate Senate, on Friday, bills were
read relative to bridges at Pittsburg, to incorpo
late the American Engravers' Company, and
concerning the borough of Birmingham. The
joint committee on the Daily Record reported
a contract with George Bergner to print it.
General nominations for U. S. Senator were
made, including Messrs. McMicbael, Cowan,
Pollock, Wilmot, Stevens and others. The res
olutions of Mr. Smith, of Philadelphia, relative
to the maintenance of the Union, were taken
up in Committee anil passed first reading A
resolution was adopted inviting the clergymen
of Harm-burg to open the daily sessions of the
| Senate with prayer. A number of veto mes
sages from the Governor were read. The Sen
ate adjourned till Monday. In the House, the
reports of the Auditor General and State Treas
urer were presented. A petition was presen
ted from citizens of the first Legislative district,
contesting the seat ot Joseph Caldwell. Abra
ham Stewart the contestant, alleges that fraud
was committed, and that a recount of the bal
lots, in certain divisions, will prove conclusive
ly that he was elected. It was resolved to ap
point an investigating committee on Wednes
day next. Several messages received from the
Governor, after which the House proceeded to
consider the Luzerne contested election case.—
A committee was drawn in the usual way, and
will meet this afternoon. The House made gen
eral nominations for U. S. Senator. Air.
Thomas presented a petition from 11,000 citi
zens of Philadelphia for the repeal of the Per
sonal Liberty bill. The House adjourned till
Alonday.
THE GREAT FEMALE MEDICINE. —The functional
irregularities peculiar to the weaker sex, are inva
riably corrected without pain or inconvenience by
the use ofJudson's Mountain Heib Pills. They are
the safest and surest medicine for all the diseases
incidental to females of all ages, and more especial
ly so in this climate.
Ladies who wish to enjoy health should always
have these Pills. No one who ever uses them once
will allow herself to be without them. They re
move all obstructions, purify the blood and give
ro the'sktn that beautiful, clear and healthful look
so greatf y admired in a beautiful and healthy wo
man. At certain periods these Pills are an indis
pensable companion. From one to four should be
take n each day, until relief is obtained. A few do
ses occasionally, will keep the system so healthy,
ami the blood so pure, that diseases cannot enter
the body.
JI DSON'S MOUNTAIN HERO PIT.I.S \RA AOT.D RY ALL
MEDICINE DEALERS.