armx
THEITOITIVX OWE LAW-OPINION OP
MIL ORITTENITS.
ATTuitint,t Oflrlinxt.:ll tit. ' vim, . i
• 18th September, 1820. c,
Ste: I have had the honor to receive your hate of
this date, informing me that the hill'consmcinly called
Alm Fugitive Slave bill, having passed both Houses
a' r L Congress, bad been stitnititted to you kr yetir
consideration, approval, and, signature,- and' reques
ting my opinion whether the oath section of that
act, especially the last clause of that section,. con.
- dicta with the'preyieion'of the' Atistitution which
declarei that "the privilege of the writ -- 61 habeas
corpus, 'shall dot be suspended. unless when, In cues
of. Rebellion or invasion, the public safety may re,
quire' ill" ~ - . .
It is my clearconiiction that there is nothing In
the lest clause, nor in any pert of the sixth section,
nor indeed in any part of the provisions of the act.
which suspend, the priviledge of the writ of habeas
corpus, or is in nay Manes in conflict with the Con=
stitution. - -. .-
The Co stitution, in' tho _second' section of the
_fourth" ar cle, declares, that 'no person held to rev
'vice
or I or in one State, under the laws thereof,
'escaping . into another, shall, in consequence of
'any law or regulation therein, be discharged from
'ou.ch - service or labor, but stuns be delivered' up
'on claim of the party to whom such service or la
bor may, be due.' ~
It Is well known and admitted,' historically and
• judicially, that this clause of the Constitution was
made for the purpose of securing to the citiiens of
slaveholding' States the complete ownership in their
slaveslis property, in any and every State or Terri
tory of -the Union into which they might -escape
(Prigg vs Commonwealth of Pehnsylvania, 213 Pet.
b 38.) - It devolved on the Genera) Government, ass
solemn duty, to make that security effectual. Their
power was not only clear and full. but according
to the opinon of the Court, above cited case, it
was exclusive; the States severinily, being under no
obligation and having no power to make laws or
regulations,in respect to the delivery of fugitives...e.
Thus the whole power, and with it the whole duty,
- of earring into effect this important provision of the
Constitution was with Congress. And accordingiy,
soon after the adoption of the Constitution, the act
of the 12th Febuary 1793, was passed, and that
proving unsatisfactory and inefficient, ,by: reason
(among other causes) of some minor errors in its de
tails, Congress are now attempting by this bill to
, discharge a constitutional obligation,' by securing,
• snore effectually the deli very el fugitive slaves to thelr
owners.- The arra and most material section in sub
stance declares,that the claimant of the fugitive slave
may arrest and carry him before any of the officers
named and described in the bill, and provides that
these officers and each of them shall have judicial
power and jurisdiction to hear, examine, and de.
beide the case in a summary manner that, if, upon
such hearing, the claimant, by the_requisite proof
shall establish his claim to the satisfaction of the
tribunal thus constituted, the said tribunal shall give
him a certificate, stating therein the substantial foots
of the case, and authorizing him, with such reason
able force as may be neccessary, to take and carry
said fugitivee66k to the State dr Territory whence,
. he or she may have escaped, and then in con
clusion proceeds as follows : ...rile certificates in this
'cud the first section mentioned shall be conclusive
'of the rAht of the person or persons, in whose fa
scias gr e 4, to remove stichltigitive to the State
6 er.Territesi from which he escaped, and shall pre
'vent all molestation of such person 4r persons by
• !any process issued by any court, judge, magistrate,
brother person whomsoever,."::. - .
, There is nothing in all this that d.'des not seem to
Me to be consistent with the Constitution, and nee.
emery, indeed, to.redcem the pledge which it con
tains—that such fugitives "shall be `delivered up on
claim" of their owners. . .
The Supreme Court of the United States has de
cided that theowner, independent of any aid front
State or national legislatpu ~may, in virtue of Alm,
Constitution and his own right of property, seize anti
• recapture his fugitive slave, in whatsoever State
N, he may find him, and carry him blek to the or
Territory from which he escaped. (Prigg vs Com.
montreeith of Pennsylvania, 19 Pet., 2304 This
bill, therefore, confers no right on the owner of the
fugitive slave; it only gives him‘ an appointed ' and
peaceable remedy, in place of the more exposed and
insecure, but not less lawful, mode of self-redress.
And as to the fugitive slave, he lies nocause to com
plain of this bill; it adds•no coercion to that which
Oils owner himself might, at his own" will, rightfully
exercise; and all the proceedings which it inetittit::s
are but so much of onlerly , judibial. authority, infer
posed between him and his owner, and consequ'ently
of protection to him, and mitigation of the exercise
directly by the owner himself of his perional author
ity. This is the constitutional and legal viJw-of the
subject,,as sanctioned by the decisions of the Su
preme Court; and to that I limit ayself.
The act of the 19th'Pebuary, 1793 before alluded
to, so far as it respects any constitutional question
that can arise out of this bill, is identical with it.—
It authorizes the like arrest of the fugitive efiive, the
like trial, the judgement, the like certificate,
,with
• the like authority to theowner. by virtue of tha cer
tificate as his warrant, to remove him to the , State
or Territory from which he esosped. And the con
stitutiooality of that act, in all those particluars,
has been affirmed by theadjudications of the Snag
tribunals, and by the courts of the • United States,
• without a single dissent, so fur as 1 know. (Bald
: win's C. C. R., 577, 579.) •
I conclude, therefore that so for as the act rff the
12th Pebutiry,ll93,jhasbeen held to beeconstitution
al, this trill must also be so regarded, a . nethat the
custody, restraint, and removal, to which the fugi
tive slave may be subjected, under the provisions of
a
this bill, are all lawful, and that the certificate to be
granted to the ocaner is to be regarded as the act and
judgment of a Jddiciai tribunal having competent ju
risdiction. .
With these remarks as to the constitutionality of
• 'the general provisions of the bill, and the consequent
legality of the,custody and confinement to which
the fugitive slaie.may be subjected under it, I pro
ceed to a brief consideration of the more particular
qubsilon
you have propounded in reference to the
writ of he bras corpus, and of the last clause of the
;xt/i section, above quoted, which givea,rise to that
tostiori.
My opinion, es before expressed, is, that there is
nothing in that clause or section which conflicts with
or suspends„ or was intended to suspend the privil.-
edgeont the writ of habeas corpus. ' I -think so be
cause the bill ssys_not one word about that writ;
became, by the Constitutron. Congress is express
ly forbidden-to suspend the privilege of this writ,
' , ordeal when in leases of rebellion or invasion the
publio:safety may 'require it;'' and therefore the sus
pension by this act (there being neither rebellion
nor invasion) would he a plain palpable violation of
the Constitution, and no intention to commit - such a
violation of the Constitution, of their duties, and
their oaths, ought to be imputed to them upon mere
constructions end implications; and thirdly, because
there is no - incompatibility between these provisions
of the bill and the privilege of tis 6 writ of habeas
corpus in its utmost constitutional latitude.
Congress, in the case of fugitive slaves, aii in all
other cases within- the scope • of its constituianal
authority, has the unquestionable right to ordain
and prescribe, for what causes, to what extent, and
in what manner. persons may be taken into custody,
detained or imprisoned. Withotit this_ power they
could nut fulfill their constitutional trust,-, nor :per,
font the ordinary end necessary duties of govern-,
meat. It was never beard that the exercise of that
legislative-power was any enenrisch,tp_eot Upon or
suspension of the privilege of the habeas corpus.;
It is only by some confusion of ideas that such a con !
Met eau be supposed to exist. It is not within -the
province or priviledge of this great writ to loose
those whom the law has bound. That would be to
put a writ granted by the, law in opposition to the
law to make one part of the lawdestructive of another'
. The writ follows the law end obeys the law. 11, ii
issued Upon proper complaint, tomake inquiry , into
the causes of commitment or inigriseriment, and Its
sole remedies, power:and purpo e is to deliver the
party from Hall manner of 'i ll eg vonfinement.r::...
(3 Black tom., 131.) -If, upon a lication to the
>
Court or Judge for this writ , p r , upon its - return,
it shall appear that the.confine ent:,crinifiliined - of,
was end the leitfut i thewrit in the first instance would,
be refused, and in the last the party would be remit
ded to bis former lawful custody. - - - -
The condition of one in custody as aftilitive OW
under this law, so far as reopen, thewrit of Itabetsi
corpus, is precisely the same 'se that of all other pri
soners under the laws of the United States.— The
priviledge of that,writ remain" alike tcr all of them
but to be judged of--pentedpr refused-odiricharged
IMMI
or enforced—by the proper tr nna t i, according to the
circumstances of each case, a a the,commitment
and detention rnarappear to be I tn.
The Whole efrec.) or,the law.- may,4 tints. briefly
stated. Congreell'hai constituted a tribunal' with
exclusive jurisdiction, to determine, summarily, and
without appeah,who are fugitive's from service or 11.
bin...under the Inroad section cii(tbe fluith artiont'of
the:•Coost Untie% end to whom 'such service or "IshOr
Ur dee. The judgment of every tribunal of exclusive
curisdictio n, where no- appeal lies is -of, necessity
onclusive dpon every other tribunal, and ,therefore
the judgment - of the tribunal - Created this act is
conclusive upon all tribunals. Wherever this judg=
ment is made to'appfar, it is conclusive of the right
of the - owner to retain in his custody the fugitive
from hie service, and to renieye like back to the place
or State from which he escaped, If it is shown
upon the applicition of the figitive fora writ of h a .
Leas terra, it prevents the issuing of the writ—if
upon the return, it
_discharges the writ and restores
or maintains the custody. -
The view . „ . of the lacy of Odeon° is fully sustained
by the decision of the Supreme , Court of the United
States in the case . of Tobias_ Watkins, -where the
Court refused to"dscharg,e, upon the ground that he
was in custody tinder the sentence Oa court of cont•
petent jurisdiction, and that judgement was condo-.
sive upon them.-r(3 Pet., 202.) ' •
The expression ,used in tint bust clause of the sixth
section, that, the , certificate therein'alluded to ashen
prevent all molestation," of the persona to whom
granted, siby any proems Issned,! /cc., • probably
means, only what the act of 1793 meant by declair
ing a certificate tinder that act a sufficient warrant
for the removal of a fugitive, and certainly do not
mean a suspension of the habeas corpus. ,
'1 conclude by repeating • my conviction , that there
is nothing in the bill in question which conflicts,
with the, Constitution, or suspends; or was inten
ded to suipend the pivilega of the writ of habeas
•
eor
pus.
I have 'the honor to be, very respectfully, sir your
boedient servant.
J. J. CRITTENDEN.
Tohnn Panstortryr. -
Minks in Eastern CalifornA—The Gold Mountain
From the New York Trihttite.".
We have scene gentleman juSt returned 'from
California who has personally visited the smealled
"Gold Mountain," which has can quite commonly
considered fabulous, It Ilea/ in -about lat. 334.
North, two hundred and lift/ miles east of Los ,An
gelos in Southern California, and perhaps one hun
dred West of the Colorado. The region is as for
bidding as can be, without inhabitants, even Abar
iginal, though-there is a sparse population of sava
ges on the Mohave River, Say `fifty,miles Esst, To
approach it, you pass over the Sierra Nevada, near
Mount San Bernirdiro, across
. two sand deserts of
sixty to eighty miles, and thence- to a region of
deep cannons rugged muuntains,'eterile, almost des
titute agrees, and with en timber except the mue
quit, (something like our alder;) which rarely grows
to the size of a {Rated arm. The region to infested
with rattlesnakes in incredible numbers, and the
earth is se full of minerals (especially salmratus,)
that the water is absolutely Oisonous. There is
ho water fit to drins,.within sixteen milesl of the
"Gold Mountain," so 'called, which rises about 450
foot rather steeply front a cannon, which has an ele
vation of some one hundred and fifty feet on•-the
other side of it. The, cannon is about one-fourth
of a mile lung, and the.-two hills are surrounded by
sand deserts. The hills are composed of a .dark
hornblende rock, with perhaps a tenth of whitefrld- ,
spar intermixed with it; and the Gold Is found -in
both denerally running in streak:toe strings, though
sometimes showing bulbs or lumps like a button.
It has been found by analysis to yield an average of
about s2b per prund of the rock.
Eight miles north of this "mountain," our infor
mans tried his luck in dikin in the usual Califor
nia fashion—scraping . out 't a surface earth and
washing that which lieitimin diately abovßthe rock.
He dug thus with two India kr four hdpm-obtain
ed about ten ounces of pu old, . taking only the
"lumps," having nothing , veal) the earth with.
Probably as much.was thus oft as taken. tie did
not try any other spot, but_h s n o doubt that the
gold extends all the way fro Sonora, in ‘4orthern
Mexico to the upper Sacramento and ClregnM—a dis
quiet: of full eight hundred miles. The region here
descrbed is about five Ihundred . miles from the near
est diggings in California, but cannot be approached
less th ". n a thousand miles a tual travel, Ills very
dear. the boundary line ins e 1
tablisted by Congress
bet Ween Calif°, a and Utah. ' ' . - ,
• \A company has been lormedie San Francisco ex
press to mine this , •Gdhl mountain" and. vicini
ty:, It is entitled "the Los Angeloi .Gold Mining
CoMpany," and has or is to have a capitalottir7so,-
000.'. It hits already sent fol. vard a pioneer party of
one hundred miners, with itnpl meats, provisions tstc.
We. have thus given, on in likable testimony, a
succinct account of the""Gol Mountain," of whose
existence we have hitherto avowed cscepticism if nut
incredulity. It will be seen it is not a mountain"Of
gold, but only a mountain containing gold through
out, Yet we doubt whether its like is known else
whfro in the world. • The men sent out to work it
arc well-provided and armed, and are to be paid SO
per day "and found," which is a considerekhm in a
region where p is ict easy and so perilous to get
lost. The mules (all but four constantly employed
to carrying water fur drinking) have been brought
away, so that the miners (Souutians mainly) could
not ruin off if they would. - i
Now don't pick up your traps *MI rush off post
hake for this new Gold Region.—lternember that it
is some hundred milei from tiny where, in ' s r e a m's ,
almost grassless, woodless, starless region, whose
t...
chief denizens are rattle-tine es, - and where the ther
emotneter frequently Sho.va 130 ta 00 degrees of
Fahrenheit, with the first dr p of drinkable water
sixteen miles away. Our fri nd'who.visited itttet
on the way thither scores of immigrant men, wo
men and children, ' totterin 'California-ward, on
foot, famishing, and nearly d vested of clothing by
the briers and thorns, through which they had scram
bled since -their animals starved or sank to die .by
the way. , The ,h w 0110 and wasting survivors were
frantic fo r bread—they he'd no. longer an appetite
for gold. Only by capitalista or large associations
can the Gold of Eastern California be profitably. dug
now; it will soon bo so in the valley of the Sacra
mento and its tribmaries as Well.. The day. of in-,
dividnal scrambling for lumps and grains in ' the
"gulches," or beds of hirers is already nearly over.
AMERICAN GEOWN TEA.:-- ; The tea go;wn in the
United States turns out far mere highly and deli
cious flavored thnnthat imported,being in all respects
like that drank by tht4wealthy in China, the grand
difference between the American and imported being
the lose of Savor oebasioned, by:- the sea voyage.
Latitude thirq 7 lour north, to Alabama, Georgia and
North Carolina, proves better for the cultivation of
the plant than any other region. ttr.''Davie; of
South Caroline, who originoted"tttel periment, is
already realizing handsomely by the sale of his
young trees, which are eagerly bought up at. any
price by Southern agriculturalists.
There are perrons,yet - living ' who can recollect
when the cotton plants was only seen in flo'wer-piits
in which it was cultiinted on account of its lovely
blossom; one of the prettiesst flowers in the calender
of horliculturei Observing men in the S o uth : who
'thisthe history (tithe cotton-raising,bullpese of
thittcduntry, • are- generally of °pluton - tea
growing is about-to become quite as itnpertane•Ao
us in evest lees time than it has taken pa to become
the - grearcotion prmlticin,„o "'country of the, world.
The chiracter of soil 'and climate adapted to the
growth of the tea plant, are not ouches to make it
interfere at all with the production of cotton; tea
landsend cottenitinds==thase Which,produce these
articles best; being ail 'different in their attribdies tte
they well can be. '
ar The European Tiniesomeaking of American
politics and the - WhigAarty,
sptakingi the .4 , neirican Whigs wife '14 14 '
P*llllll6, They ate regarded - ar. the Aristoe'reres
of the Union." That i#• flat-footed! A. cenfeesim
or their relatirret,. t_ • • - . .
` ,NICE DllSTlricrqm,--fine Tribune th inks tile Tenth
lepoiroandoient forbid* AnteriOitis to covet Cuba, it
belog a'posseSsiori baloitithrjr to tbelinsiibbOrsi'bot
does not think that portion which forbids'' , iovertirig
"the rnab-iierlaos and maid iervant' , 'L of sotr i a:neillh'
tboi, h 'iln,Y.lPP!igatiol!.. - „stillittsvoi..l4i tbirstcalOg ci f
siases ktabo,litiontatii.;74.llil _ .
= GSM PrteaSsusAawriestate one *file leaders
of.ths,Nsiivo party. fn;Vhilado,l;shis, has Coake,oat
Bat-footed Democrat. N,htio onsl-Nsiliss gaits .
"abuthig him for ranking the ilisigib;
- 'MOTION:
- n 7 - complete,'. : STATE ..o-Vpicpgs.
•
—. -.•utuaoin • Audi Ceti Sutv Geri
dem whit , demi whig :dem I ;villa
Adam' -• 1,9531.561,1,993 1,564 1.962
Allegheny.' • -T3.303 - 5.324 4,210.5.189 4,236 5,288
litinatront • '1,606 - 1.252 1.4631.271 - 1.491 1,306
Berke ',.`.6,991 2,917_6.770 2,781 6.638 2.746
Buckle • ' •-• 4.899 4,750 4,9554,6 W, 4,940 4:628.
Medfordl.B42 1,832'1.842 1.833 1.842 1.834
Beaver , 1.688 1.658 1.2771.639 1.6741.646
1.243 1;740 1,247 1,713.1,208 1.731
Butler 2,057 1.986 2,061 1.976 2.035 1,981
Brddford'. .3;127 2,899 3,128.2,885 3,095 2,902
Cambria: ' 1,462 .949, 1.400. 93Q 1,409 936
Cara • 762 '..511-1 760. 502 757 506
Ch ter 4 " 4.428 4.827 0 4.420 4.816 4,990 4,824'
Centre 2.049 1,209 9,056 1.203 2,045 1,207
Cumbirlatd 2.672 2,288 2.678 2,881 - 2,664 2,278
Columbia -1,599 838 1.519 , .763 1,477 756
Crawford _ 2,668 2,094 2.667.2,095 2,075 2,525
Clarion; " . 1,691, 999 1.611 ", 981 1,569 '953
Clinton 843 663 . 827 ' • 830 654
Clearfield .• ~ 994 , 524 , 907.. 595 .4182 493
Dauphin 1,943 2.340 1,946 2,340 1;880 2,383
polawaro , ' 1,311 1,613 1,299- 1,619 1,307 1,629
, Elk • 253 101 243 . 93 438 .97
„ .1,19_13 3,176 1,706 1177 3,667 3.203
.. _ _
Fayette — ' '' 1,i34 2.413 3,111 2.401 3.104 2,394
Franklin ' - 2,871 3,382 2.868 3.382 2867 3,384
Fulton . . 633 655 - 683 655 693 . 655'
Green° . 2 141 1,039 2,125 -1,021 2,142 1,017
Huntingdon ' 1.404 * 1.787 1,375 1.762 1,338 1,772
lndiatia ' • , 1.240 1.825 1,148 1,736 1.096 1,736
Juniata - 1,107 882 1.104 882 1.081, 894
Jefferson. • -762 497 724 489 _717 486
Lebanon , ' 1,323 2,090 1,320 2,095 1,308 2,092
Lancaster - 4.062 5,843 4,067 5.831 4.074 5,817
Lawrence :846 1.615 829 1.591 83 7
.1,597
Lehigh - 2.846 2.285 2.821 - 2,2 1;817 2,285
Lycoming 2,182 1.718 2.171 1,573 2.163 1,662
Luzern(' 3,656 2,523 3,596 2,515 3,537 2,504
Monroe 1,073 ' 156 1,033 111 1.029 142
Montour '. 1,211 829 1,119 774 1,131 ' 732
Moretti' 1,847 1,971 1,848 1,974 1,815 1,990
Mifflin 1.486 1,175 1,559 1,099 1,483 1,168
Montgomery, 4,607 3,464 4,679 3,450 4.684 3,449
McKim, ' , 407 293 404 278 408 272
Northampton - 2.831 1.b38 2.791 1.674 2.662 1.558
Northumberland 1.966 1,119 1,952 1,357 1,848 1;067
Perry 1.755' 995 1.758 983 1,748 996
Philad. City 4 623 7,861 4.615 7.871 4.609 7,872
.. ' County 15,797 13444 15830 1341815802 13409
Pike 538 49 473 69 493 63
Potter
• 465 330 437 292 428 321
Schuylkill . , -2,793 2.611 2.738 2,607 2,726 4 2.588
Somerset 978 2,444 954 2,424 959 2,321
Sullivan ' 384 208 342 189 339 170
Sesquehana ' 2,348 1.317 2.327 1,322 2,309 1,315
Tina 1,605 1.098 1,502 1,076 1.091 1,085
Union 1,470 2,250 1,443 2,172 1.368 2,186
Venango 1.221 727 1,222 692 1,204 745
Westmoreland 3,666 2,257 3,313 2,119 3,325 2.229
Washington 3,264 3.152 3,263 3,151 3,161 3,260
Warren 1,083 784 1.087 745 1,082 742
Wayne • 1,197 650 1,155 4921,150 596
Wyoming 829 633 816 634 816 . 630
York-'' , 4,324 3,315 4,323 3,347 4.326 3:345
Reaspi
Canal - Coinntissioner."l Surveyor General,' -
dent. de. /45.809 Bratvley, derv.
,141.641
Dungan. whig, 132,092 tlendersau, whit 131,015
. Morrison's naaj. 13,717 Drawloy's maj. 10,629
Auditor' General.
Banks, don. 143,808 The entiro'Native Ameri-
Snyder. whir, 130,556 can vote for Canal Corn
indssloner is 1101.
~'
Batiks maj
Amendment .U) the Constitution:
tilgi
Adams • 1038 100
Allegheny '4t/4 ..2113
Annatrung _ 1010 fr
Berko 5100- 3532
Bucks Mit 2571
Bedford 1813 1001
Bearer 2.577 428
Blair- 891 738
Butler 3782. 04
Bridal,' 1 2009 038
Cambrl 39 • 1373
Carbon 1 130 • 037
Chester ' ' 3302 4272
Centre 16)7 - 1
Ctuntoriand 2033 '254
Crawford • 1360 gsio'
Clarion • ~ 121)3 atal
Clinion .
Clearfield . (1.27 k',r— 3331
, 073
217 i
Dauphin 1404 ' 2930 1
13011%itare, 2150 4011
Elk to.
Erie I 990s ' • 369;
Fayette 2670 , 1036'
Franklin 3231 ' 22183
Fulton - 697 las'
Greene 2259 403
Huntingdon • 714 1623 .
Indiana 1743 • 513
Juniata 797 717
Jefferson 077 112
'Lebanon . 'l4ll • 1143
Lancaster ' 6439 1001,
Lawrence ' 100) 228
BEIIIND Tnti Scenes.--Crane Ec Co 's Circus per
formed in this village on Friday week, and when the
call fOr Mdlle. Rosa was made, ti beatitiful little girl
of ten or,twelve year', came bounding unto the ring,
equipped in riding attire; She was thrown upon a
horse, and went Oro the entire act with the utmost
precision, with 'one slight exception. In leaping a
number !;If canvass in rapid succession, she caught
her toes—pulled the Ct 11441118 from the hands of the
person holding it, and alighted upon the hi.Wse,unable
to car the next one. She returned .to the Wort,
and suCceeded to a aharm, and, doubtless; to the ex
tisfaction of every ono present. The mishap was
more attributable to the horse than the rider, and so
',thought .every spectator,
Shortly lifter tier exit. cries were head from the
rear or dreising tent; by those near to it. The host
of the American immediately repaired to the spot,
arid found a creature by. thonarne of Maddigan,
claiming to be the father of theirl, whipping, her
with a horsewhip—the alleged cause for such bru
tally to his child, while clad in thin riding-clothes,
being, the accident alluded to above. Mr. - Oliver
soon changed the gallant Madigan's arrangements
in such a way that he found it rieccessary, in order
to•save his own hide, to cease whipping his child. '
In the next scene the child made her appearance
with a face as bright and smiling a& though grief
had never cast a shadottic over it. Such is life behind
the scenes.
It mar be piopor to add, that Messrb. Crane
Co., as well as every member of their gompany; had
before remonstrates with Maddigan in regard to his
cruelties to his child, but all i to no puroose.—.4ngeli-,
ca Era.
A SrasunoAT ron4s.—An elegant . little .
steamer called the Colorado', designed for the nav
igation of the river of the same nave, sailed from
this port on Saturday evening last. • She.wili pro
ceed directly to Galveston; and thence to Matagorda
Bay, touching at the principle ports on her way out.
It is thought probable that the steamer will not be
eble-to pass through a raft- which obstructs the
mouth of the Colorado river, and in order to meet
this emergency, preparations , have been made to
carry her unkind it, a distance of four miles by land.
After this le'actoinplished sho will have no.difleulty
inperforming her regular-trips. Thepnijectors of this
enterprise are C. M. Cohen, and Samuel Douglass,
of Wheeling, the latter of , whom goes out as Cap.
ta in'of the Colorado. Capt., D. isthoroughly
,a 4-,
quainted with thatirealon, of thiicotintry and:is eon
guine in hie expectoitiona ut success .: The boat
is 1150 tons burtherr,latlapted to coirrying cotton and
sugar, and these cat)- be, little doubt that,. as, she
will be the firslateamer on the river, !the underta
king will be highly profitable. The Colorad4 noun
try is rich and constantly improving, and with new
facilities of sending produce' to triarket, must in
crease rapidly iti . \ buisneas and, prosperity.--Pits.
burgh Journal. \
Patience* Lawrel,The news from-almost every
part of Mississippi, is good. Governor QUit
man'p treasonable proclamation fitni4 no sympathetic
reiponse in the niassei.- Missisappf, it is trues re
pudiated the bonds of the - Union Bank, but .she _ will
not repudiate theqmode of the : Union
Mlle lour. • . A • ,=, ,
A u- Let-those *boomsli co.rwiy - their children
for money, remember the admirable reply of the Ger
matt girt , to her father, who reproached her that her .
'lover was lame. ' “Willfetnt pleating's:Me! said she,
"just at he - ie.': If he had straight : feet,' he Would
not Wilhelm Stilling; and how could Eleie him
Otireley, of IMlOniiiie;•
bai bola ceiifinedltolief vitas ter eight . mohtbe prat
with ~d ropry, ' tem:Tier Seeds? last by
,4egiegy4 of soil a isty-foor. post/i,atoLfoor
.9 to sego, of ,w.steir estisiiiiti Or. 9.. ,f..epott*,
lieprk,ol i k - wet4coa t *iteg f ts4: f ior.
•
tion.
.:. 1 I
~,,
Lehigh itir IU7I
I.vcoming 31e9 EG7
Lugorne 33.41 5F7
Monroe 912 274
MOntc . o lO4ll
EMVIII
~~
Montgomery - 346 i 3148
'o4fllcKeen 4
Nortbntripton 709 2033
Ndrtliumbenand 1419 4125
ilPgrry 1453 307
d City two. am
evniq !‘.unn 4904
Pik4 517 '
Potter 000 "!! 70
Schuylkill. -, 2151 • 2010
: Eatuessel , ' 1037 ! 331
ISullictin 3 0 3 , " 30
:Bosons/twig '3223 '`
, 30
rriolto .. 07133 .. 339
.Union ' 1431 1421
; Venattgo .4 , 1200 , " 332
;Westmoreland 2.533 2040
:Washington . ,, 2930 1473
Warren ' MI 1
IVnytut ' 1067 127
- Wyout Inc *lB ' 374
York, '- 3024 ' 300
. .
'Total 111023 71003
71i.?Xt
, --
Mn). for Ant's 73620
frit Ve,014 01Jott,t0t,
ERIE, PA-.
SATURDAY MORNING. NOVEMBER 2.1850
trlFfr..Crittenden'e opinion on the Constitu
tionality of the Fugitive Slave law srittlbe found
in another column. lieletiery one read it;
OtrOur • State 'street friends above the Diamond
begin to squirm meat beautifully because the reach
street plank road is drawing Away from them all
The trade and travel. Our advice is not to fret, but
go (0 work manfully (woe the Waterfo rd and
Wattsburg roads, and thus secure more tban they
have lost.
, 0711. P. Whalion, Esq , is the Democratic can.
didate for the Legislature 'in the adjoining' county
of Chautattque, N. Y. We hope he will be elected,
but rather expect we hope in vain. Thee - district is
too hopelessly Whig for so staunch s 'politician as
Mr. W. to succeed. •
, •
- The Pretionia Censor, in speOirig of some
•building'itiateriat sent fr om this port to that
says they were sftipp d, on the Dunker Hill to be
landed at, DiMkink, :Tint_ that the vessel not being
able to get into. Dunkink harbor, they were carried
by to Buffalo." A very capracious and safe harbor
that Dunkirk, ie al_ Whit a stupendous amount of
freighting business the New York and Erie Rail.
road will be able to do, with such a harbor at her
western terminus, won't However, Dunkin& is
destined to bo a tall place, when it's fenced in:
•
Etgcrom.—The elections to take place the present
year, will occur in November, as follows: Illinois,
•Wisconsin, New York, New Jersey, and Michigan,
on the-6th. Massachusetts on the 11th, and Dela
ware on the 12th..
A Plank Road Past
The Michigan Plank Road from Logansport, is
progressing rapidly, and the portion finished, has
during the hat:three months produced a clear
in
come of four per cent.—equal to sixteen per cent,
per annum.
0. P. id. James Yankeeizing Himself.
Notwithstanding that "lone horseman that was
seen coming down a hill in the north of England,"
we always thought that G. P. It. James, the Novel
ist, was a man of a good deal of Sound sense; and
his course since be arrived in this country proves
we were not mistaken. So far be baent acted e
"Boa" at all, but. like a person desirous of seeing and
•hearing, and gathering information, be has quitly set
tled himself down for a season. It is also iannoun
ced in the papers that he has taken the necessary
legal steps towards making a Yrinkee of himself.—
This has probably been dune to enable him td obtain
a copy-right hero for his future publications; but he
has further shown his determination of becoming
one of usby sending one of his sons to Yale College,
and put ling another into the law school at Nett' , Ele
ven.
Compliment to Pennsylvania.
Father RITCHIB, of the Washington Union, closes
en admirable article in reference to the victorious
Democracy of Pennsylvania, with the following
beautiful compliment. Let who will spostetize,
let who will agitate, let who may raise the,standard
of disunion, it will receive no aid or countcnace in
Pennsylvania, she ie lo putli 4hg IrVy@tooe of the
Union; and never will that Keystone be moved from
its place till the whole arch itself is crushed into
ruins. 'When the • storm rages, and the inch is
threatened to be hurled from its base, we turn our
eyes to the 'Keystone, and while that remains un
shaken we have no fear.r.thot noble arch will stood
forever: it msy bid defiance to the combined assaults
of the world.
Horrible Murder.
We have to record this week the particulars of a
horrible - murder perpetrated in this city on, (it is
supposed,). Saturday night last. The victim is a
young man aged elmat 22, named WOOSTER Bua-
Tux, son.of Mr. David Burton, and brother of P. E.
Burton,'Esq., Sheriff of this county. He bad been
missing since Saturday night last. The last
place he was seen alive was at a houie of ill-fame,
kept by a man named James Dean on the canal,
some distance above the Eighth Street landing.
No very great anxiety was felt at first an account
of hi bsenee, as the inmates of the house said he
loft there, out 9 o'clock in companY with the
Steward of the Canat Packet Queen City. After
wards,• .however, when inquiries became pressing,
they said he did not leave with that person, but went
away alone. On Wednesday morning his body
was discovered ' itt the edge -of the canal near the
residence of the Said Dean, end although it is evi
dent that those who plated it there intended it should
be believed he came to his death by drowning, he
.had not the appearance of a drowned man. He had
no w ater in hie chest, be was not bloated at ill, his
eyes and mouth were closed, and his body appeared
as fresh as though it had not beed,in the water
three hours. A . coroner's jury watt ithmediately
called, and a post mortem - (lamination made by
Dra. Faulkner, Thayer, and others. No marks of
violence were found except about hie 'throat, where
appeared the print of a man's thumb, and his neck
was broken! After a patient investigation of all the
facts and*ircumstances 'Of the case, the Inquest
brought' in a verdict that the deceased came to his
death by violent means, and.ae 'they believe, at the
hands of James Dean. Dein and his Wife have
been arrested and lodged in jail to await the action
of the Grand Jury next week. . ,
h is a most painful Ind heart-rending affair thro'=
out. The relatives of the victim ire among out
most respectable and , worthy eititens; and' they
shrunk with instinctive delicacy from,.a public in
vestigation of the affair; but as there was not a
doubt of its being a premeditated and fiendish mur
der, 'he public safety demanded thorough and
searching investigation. It has been commpnced,.
and we' trust it wilt be contintted until the guilty.
arehrought to junky.' What was the 'object, of the*
Murder is a Mystery. It could not . have been for
gain, for the, occupation and circumstances orthe
deceased render it impossible that lie had any very'
great amount of money with hirnohough he was
known to have • 'some. Not i cent, however, - was
found uponliii person. It'could net have been done
in a fighti Or be - would haveWhibited other, narks
of violence' than that ' which caused death.-- ,
Hence; we ' anCierrtire it' no other conclusion thin
that it ivtie - preineditated—that the aleinnin caught
him by -the throat unawares With eneinind, while
'with a sudden jerk With the Other is mapped -hie
neck., , • - '•
.
el'• Senator, Santo!! arrived at St. • Loo . ir about
the 16th Inst.; end isotnnience4 searching (or
io as to bare a residence in the State.
.'"
On the 19th last, the brig ftlineentkelel - ras rout
'Chteige for Swannee, In Wales ! 'She la to tithe int
bait!! =copper oar iroarthit LOW Sulierlor 'shier; it
(eit"tiollitreVer,teni Sao& 1410 drib aq ptr
hundred 09!ids. ' '•- 1 ; ,
2;
The ENsud4);al Question.
_.
- The fact that the Democracy et : Pennsylvania
have secured so large a majority on joint-ballot Id
our, next Legislature has brought into the field a host
of aspirants for Senatorial honors and emoluments.
Each One has his friends, amisach one's friendo.are
striving, throUgh the press, to convince the public
mind that their particular favorite ie most entitled,
as well as , beet calculated to fill the seat, now occu
pied by Dr. Stungeon, with honor to himself and
credi o the Commonwealth. Some, in this strug
gtet help their favorite, we regret to see, are per;
Jr
suin o a a
i c i o u u d r e s e w e
t s h u e n p : l i i s c e y as or it issome
n o j i u t s h t e i fi t ; b o l in e.-. 00
re
t.
le papers of the State in regard to Gen. Cameron.—
It is well known toner political friends throughout
the Commonwealth that we are ino wise tinctured
with "conservatiem;" or, if you p Ouse, "Catneron
-1
ism:" We, were among the first to denomme those
Democrats who set at defiance thregular (matinee
of the party, and united with the vhigs in -securing-'
Tariff' his election;' and as to the u v ekiert, we prob
ably ditrer as widely from him as we do from Mr.
Cooper or Gee. Johnston. • But, in Gen. Cameron's
political course while in the Senate, If we except it
upon this one question of the tariff, we saw much '
to admire. and little to condemn: He was true to
thn • local interests of Pennsylvania, and manfully
stood by the Democracy and the Union throughout
the eventiul period of Mr. Polk's Administration.—
So far, therefore, as that is concerned-the Democra
cy have little to complain of WM. But it is now
said that he is striving to secure a re-erection? It
may be that such is the fact, but where is the evi
dence? We have yet to see his name mentioned in
onnection with that office, except' by those who
have done so to protest against his election. And
even Wit has been -- meationed, has not he and bis
personal friends, if he lumens', just as much right to
urge his election as of any ; of the other gentle
men named? We think so, and it strikes us as
extremely bad policy in the friends of other gentle
, men to deem it necessary( in order to secure the
elevation of their favorite, to first set up a man of
1 - straw and call it Gen, Cameron'S aspirations, and
then knock it dorn! We are not advocating Gen.
Cameron's nomination or election by any means,
On the contrary we should be sorry to see him elect
[
,ed at this juncture. Besides, we have our favorite,
and would dislike to see that favorite set aside to
make room fur ono who, however much we may ad
mire as a private citizen, we so widely difflir from
• • certain vital public questies. We desire to
see, however, every man claiming to be a Democrat
treated fairly and honestly in this contest. We are
.., .
not so strong or o a ll-powerful that we can pro
scribe with impunity. We are not so invulnerable
that we can ) strike down when it is not necessary. 1
On the contrary, sound policy tells us that we can
each one advocate our favorite, and set tread lightly"
upon the corns of our neighbor. To hold up the
"mirror faithful to nature" and call upon others to
_admire, it it by no means necessary that we should
exhibit the "hydra-head and bloody-banes" of "Ca
meronisin" upon the opposite wall. - 1
There are many gentlemen mentlifed in connec
tion with this office that- we would much prefer 'see
ing elected to Gen. Cameron. McCandless or Mc.
Lunahan would either of them make a Senator whom,
as Pennsylvanianeove should feel proud;but in Judge
J. Sn3Lsor, of Somerset, we have a man, who,
should the Legislature eee fit to elect, the whole na
tion would soon learn to love and admire. Posses:
sing cnc of the first intellects of the age r in the full
vigor of manhood, a ready and polished writer, and
a powerful speaker, but a short time would elapse
before he would be looked up to by the whole Union
and counted among her tuightest jewels. Judge
11. is a man whose fame depends not upon accident
or popular excitement, but upon tho,solid acquires.
meats of the Lawyer, the Judge, and the Statesman.
It is acknowledged, we believe,' on all hands that
the West is entitled to the Senator. Judge Black
is a IVestern man; though in our view it matters
little where the man i'esides, so that he has the ne
cessary 'qualities of head and heart to represent our
Commonwealth as she ought to be represented.—
We want a man of more than ordinary talent—one
who can take his position beside those great lights
of the Senate, Cass and Clay, Dickinson apd Doug
lass: Pennsylvania is now represented by a Whig
In the person of Mr Cooper of no mean caliber, and
she, certainly oar h t to be repr6seuted by a Democrat
his equal, if not' is superior, in all the attributes of
the Statesman. . nth Judge 13. is such a man, no
one we think wil deny. We shall, therefore, while
we shall not deno nce Cameron ',tweak disrespect
ful u o 6any of hie competitors, deem it our duty 4 as it
certainly is a pler.au re, to urge upon the Legislature
his election to that high 01E6.
Louis Napoleon.
Our readers will recollect that our intelligent Pa
ris corretiOndent, "Docteur" has, often prophesied
that Louis Napoleon was shaping his course to, and
•
would finally ask to be made Dictator of France.—
By tt recent arrival it appears that the Plan fur the
accomplishmeut,of this purpose has, at last been di
vulged. The Paris Moniteur, of September 24th,
in a kind of a semi-official manifesto,- says that the
"President, for the sake of meeting the menacing at
titude of the monarchial party during the last two
months, will apply to the Assembly for a prolonga
tion of power, which ho only sake fur the sake of es
tablishing order, confidence eni credit, and with no
dynastic views; and if refused, he will not hesitate
to make an eppeal to the people."'} But it should be
noted that the word people here should be electors,
for more than halt of the people were lately disfran
chised through the effort; of this same unprincipled
and selfish Napoleon. •
07 . !' Sir a Scotch Baronet, arrived
at Now York receWi, in the steamship Asia. Sir
William is_said to be aCommedian of singular abil
ity and he comes to try lie fortune upon the Ameri
can stage. He is shortly to appear at the Brot.d.
way, where, of course everybody - in Gotham will
flock to bear him—not because of his merits as en
actor, but because be is a .nobleman!
Andrew E. Elmore. a candidate for Congress in
Wisconsin, was mail carrier between the village of
bloomingburgb end Poughkeepsie, a few years ago.
—Ex. Paper.;
Well, there is nothing strange in that—we were
'ourseif a "mail carrier" "a few years ago," and now
we are an - Editor—a- profession. at least, one step
above a "candidate for congress," even if a success
fulone. .'
Q7' P. M. Deehong, a mathematician of ceneid
erable celebrity, died on board the steamer "City of
Toronto," between Kingaton and Toronto, .on' the
19th inst. Mr. hpng yaea native of Lancaster
county, Pa.. .
0:;i"; , Milt Jones was hangar, Mt Carmel. 111.,
On the 11th net.,,for the n4irder . Of Jos. K. Miller.
At leak,. *, O OO persona witnessed the eFecutlen, ,of
'Whom . itt leati'mtiiihini weri.femites. ' •
- ",-..itrOuir two Cotenspiwaries of the gazelle pod
arc* Itavetlekea to writing musical criticisms.
Wo aboutd'at, wander if they - wOcild locylaunounce
a inaierti accuumantwi with Vitiations on the cov
eting-fiddle and.tin-whiette. c- ,
KW AND THINGS IN BOSTON. —No.
Correspondence of the Erie Observer
Boirrox, October 22,18.50.
Abbott Lawrence Is one of the distinguished me ti ,
of Boston; how great a man he is I will not pretend
to say. That he has shrewdness, tact, and Breit
business ability, must be true. Ile is the oracle of
a certain class of business men in this city. Wh en
Abbott Lawrence speaks, "let no dog bark." 'hi,
worth—or rather be has pkoperty to the amount of
$ . 2,000,000; gained by Importing cloths a long time
ago at throe dollars per yard, and selling them at
six; and by manufacturing ' , cotton goods at ti later
period. To day be is at the court of St. James to
represent the - Government of the United State,
while at home he has many a hard hand toili ng , su i
huge wheel turning, to heap up wealth for his cof
fers. He is said to ba c benevolent. I cannot tell
whether he ever eased 4 sulTermg mortars pa ne ,,
or dried a tear of sorrow; but he hag been known
to : publicly bestow upon the rich old Pr:ism...4ot
Harvard fifty thousand dollars. Truly, his mustbe
a benevolent soul, lie maintains asu endid bout,
on Park street. He has been known take upon
himself the task of speaking before t e public; he ,
did so in 1848, when he actually rendered himself
quite ridiculous by blowing the Taylor trumpet to
the tune of I! 11l I!!! lie is a pompbus man on the,,,
rostrum. and a pompous man every where. Ye stare'
and dirty planets! behold him as he walks,
NWhat-,
an immaculate display of linen about his cars how
glossyhia bearer; his coat—shade of Brumell, !lOW .
superfine! What a benevolent snail - file wears; how
patronizingly be bows; how swells Isis "fair round
belly with good capon lined." ..I would not be Ea-
vere, but when I see him I iNia always reminded of
Dickerils "moral PecksnifF."
Oh, — Abbott! a rare old fellow you are to - lo)k at.
I
Sur:casabas been yours; you have won wealth; you
have won some political honor, and may win more,,
but Self has been thy idol! With all thy great
means lion haat done nothing for which mankind
will bless thee, when thou art in the grans, r and all
thy vast possessions scattered.
If Satan has any brothers .143nogine they resem
ble, in person, Itufils Choate; a tall, thin, nervous
ratan, with features stamped with the hard lines of
thought; mouth stern and unforgiving, yet capable
of distilling;the sweetest honey of, eloquence; eyes
shaded by overhanging brows; keen, dark, and rest
less; piercing as old Sol's meridian rays. He looks l
like an opium eater. I have seen bids in the streets,
in conversation, at the bar, in public halls; almost
I
everywhere, yet I never saw him sn ile. - He looks
as if he could cut off a man's head nd write a let
ter in th - nf -- hree ~ - 1 -- - - ----
.ne space of any th - ree tnintnrs. H 9 pays the
most unremitting attention to his profession—the
Law. Ha is a great orator—Ciceronian Out and
out; his Speech is music. Oh! he can throw the ..
finest kind of dust into the eyes of an "intelligent,
high minded jury." Ile is always sweet, always
charming, and almost all Nays irresistable in his or. ,
story; but tiller it is all done and comes to be sifted,
what does it amount to? It answers its end for the
time, but his words will not last like those of Burke,
or Chatham, or even Webster. Said the p5-et—
"Let windy Choate pour forth his froth divit.e
Like rapturous bottle,: on a beer-eart's
And the poet's simile was not bad. Clwets is a law
yer; if fed well, he'll fight well. Pay him, and he
will electioneer, and make votes too. Cash in hard
is hie motto. lie was in the Senate once but made
no great figure in its councils. He sometimes lee.
tures before literary associations, but is rarely coax
ed from the bar; there is his siege, and well does he
play his part—which isMainly extricatipg mer
grown rascals from the "cobwebs of the L'w." Ho
Is fertile In • pleas—insanity, somnainbAm,
fact, any thing that offers a fair chance of success,
but all this is in the way of his profession. What
he is at his own fireside few can tell. lie has dose
little so far to make the world bettet or a A
singular ,genius--a strange soul—the subject c{
much remark; who will write his biography? it will
never be %Vritteu in full. Yours, SCRIBO.
Goon ADVICE.—Owe no man any thing; keep out
of debt .—Exchu nge. _
We don't think that is very good advice. It is
very well for a young business man to be somewhat '
in debt. It urges him to work the harder to obtain
the means to get out of debt, and establishes halms
of energy and perseverance. It acts as a propel,
ling power to push him o'n.—Euston Argus.
Well, we have had this kind of "propelling` pow- ,
er" "pushing" tts, about long enough to "establish
habits cf energy and perseverance" if it has any
such effect; and should now really be pleased to
take a rest; but we fear there: are so many in tt 0
world, who think with our friend of the .Irgus, the
we are destined to wait some time yet fur that "goc ,
time coming." But we don't believe in this ductrin ,
that it is "well for a young business-man to be
somewhat in debt," or for any body else to be in!z's,
debt, in order to "establish habits of energand
perseverance." Where one struggles throogil l sind
becomes useful and enterprising, nine drag along
with the weight of debt upon their shoulders, end
finally give up the effort to relieve themselves of the
load in despair. No man can be free, and be a debt
or. If he be a high-minded, right thinking man,
every time he puts his hand in his packet to spend
a dollar for either pleasure or comfort—for the gfat
ification of himself or his fanily—he chides himself
with appropriating that which rightfully belongs to
another to his own use. This feeling continually
haunts him; it is ever present, and we care not-how
genial his disposition may be, or how kindly he '
may naturally look upon his fellows and seek to
maks the paths of those around bim bright with sun
shine, the constant wear upon his mind - of - the tho'ts
of pecuniary obligations he, is unable to liquidate,
'Will sour hioi, and render what was once a cloud
less brow, stern and cold; No, no; debt is the in
cubus which rests upon the mind of many whe would
otherwise present a far different exterior:
"PfJammu gattungerobenerwahntenn schmidsch- -
ap ungincfichen schulvig,beabsichtitt regerstimm
rephthftx—yawr
This must be a specimen of, one of the "dead lan
guages." Will our friend of the Observer, who le
learned in alchymy, dialects, and all questions of
"mighty lore," interiamt it for us?—..Gazellt.
Certainly. It means that tender hearted young
men, like our eotempnrary, should be careful end not
visit young ladies too often, or stay toolate, or they
may .be politely requested, like one we wot of, to
make their visits shorter and their ahseace longer!
Will somebody guess who's hit now.
07 The Boaton Tunes, states that J tvlsonjl atch-
Won was seen on - Thursday bye friend, in Worces
ter, lie appeared all right, and seemed very happy
among his friends—several of whom were in his
company. -There was not the slightest indication
of disordered intellect noticable; and a keen scru
tiny was instituted in nrder form a correct opinion.
eir. Another suspension bridge, says the Albany
A Use, is building across the Niagata river Lew
iston, about , eaten rnitea below the Falls. It 13
to be one hundred feet longer than the one at Dilig
ent and when finished, will be the most stupendi
cue work of the kind in the world.
aj' A young lady, of delicate health, in this city
lays the Portsmouth Clipper, attempted suicide by
eattag “Tell ears of green CINID, a few clays age. —
Nu-cause asidgned.
VI
Q