AMERICAN VOLI.NTEKIt,
JM!I B. BMTTOS, Editor & Proprietor.
: CARLISLE, PA., DEC. 3. 1857.
ThakKsoiviso.—Thursday Inst was- (he
day get apart.by Uib Governor of this Common
wealth, for. general Thanksgiving. Thc.day
was appropriately observed by our order-loving
people, greatly to their credit and the honor of
•or town, by abstaining from business and at
tending upon Divine service.
Tbe New. Codntt Opfiokbs.—Messrs. Quia
let, Caorr, and Eminoer, our newly elected
County officers, were sworn into office on Tues
day last. They are fully competent to dis
charge the duties of their respective stations,
and we feel quit^certain they wilt give general
satisfaction to the public. We wish tlieni suc
ccs*.
Moses Bmckeh, Esq-, the new County Trea
surer does not take possession of in’s office ualil
the first of January.
THEConEEKcr— Coi..Be.nto.n’s Letter. —Wo
call attention to tlio letter from Tiuuias IT. Be.n
iojr on Banks and currency, addressed to the
editors of the National Intelligencer. It is.tin
able exposition of the evils of our present bank,
ing system, conducted without a responsible
specie basis and of the vicious intliienccs exert
ed by the unrestricted issue of a small- paper
currency. No man in the country is more com
petent to handle the subject (ban Col. Bentok,
who years ago led the memorable assault upon
the United States Bank in tlio Senate.of the
United States, and bo has placed the question
in so clear a light that the evils of our banking
system and the, remedies that should bo applied
are put with tlio force of absolute demonstra
tion'.
Podithy Thieves.— There have lately been a
great many depredations committed .upon our
farmers and .others by certain lawless scoundrels
who appear to have a hankering after line, tat
poultry. We learn that on one night last week
Mr. Jons StoXrt, Jr., of South Middleton
township, had,stolen .froia him no leas, than
ieventeen splendid turkeys. All wore taken at
one fell swoop. No cine has been discovered
which might lead to ihddetection of the perpe-
Matora of this “ fowl ” robbery;
On Thursday night Inst, the poultry yard of
but old friend; Major Micuael Sanno, at the
Carlisle Barracks, was invaded by some of the
soldiers attached to the post, and m number of
turkeys slaughtered. In this case, however,
the thieves were discovered and identified be
fore they could make off with th°ir booty, and
bn Friday last some of them were severely pud
ished by the authorities at the Barracks for their
unsoldier-like conduct.
■We have heard of many more of such petty
thefts having been committed recently in this
vicinity, but ■ as-we have-not.learned tho full
particulars ive forbear to mention them.
• [£7* Left his home in' Hampden township, ou
tlie 22d of November last, Edward Seiueu, a'
boy about 15 years of age, and has. not been
heard of since. Any information of his where
abouts, will be thankfully received by his fath
er, John. Setter, at Good Hope, this county, or
at this office.
DnrAtiTuaE of - U • S, Tuobr.s.— On Monday
list, a detachment of United States troops, num
bering’ 219 men, left Carlisle Barracks, under
the command of Lieut.- Lee, They were a
which it undoubtedly soon, will, will do yeoman
service in tlie cause of their country. Their
present destination, wo believe, is California,
but eventually they will join tho army under,
Gen. Habhey, and aid in subduing the rebel-.
Uous Mormons.
[C? Congress .assembles on Monday next.
Hon. John A. Ann, the member from this dis
trict, passed through Carlisle on Mqndaay
last, on his way to Washington. In speaking
of. the Presidents Message, a Washington cor
respondent says—The President has determin
ed to keep Vis message open until the last mo
menta and it is extremely doubtful whether it
is sent even its far as Philadelphia ip advance
of its delivery to Congress. The President has
alsoadojitcd the utmost caution with reference
to the contents of the Message, and you may
rely upon it that all reports that may bo pub
. lishcd.with regard (o the topics upon which, it
treats are purely guess-work, and nothing
more.
Re-Elected U. S. ' Senator. —The two
Branches of the Legislature of Alabama met in
Convention, on Saturday last, and on the first
'ballot elected, lion. C. C. Clay, Jr., to the
United Slates Senate for six years, from the
4th of March, 1859, when his present term of
office expires.
Gov. Walker. —The Union aufhoratively
contradicts the report, that Gov. Walker .has
purchased lands in Kansas or elsewhere, and
adds that no part of the reservation- at Fort
Leavenworth,has been sold.
... ICf* t)b Vall’s Galvanic Oil will remove
all pain from Burns and Scalds, in from 10 to
20 minutes, by making a free application to the
.parts effected. Painful Sores’ and Swellings
will be relieved in a short lime by the use of
this Oil.
Tub McKeesport Murderers. —The Su
preme Court, has affirmed the aclion of the
Criminal Court in the case of Charlotte Jones.
Henry Fife, and Monroe Stewart, who were
sentenced to be hung for the murder of an old
man and his sister, at McKeesport.
. tTT* The Easton Argus mentions an incident
of an did gentleman recently deceased in Lehigh ,
county, who had been suspected of having con
siderable money in his house, although no one
knew the amount. lOn examining the premises
after bis death, no less than eleven thousand
dollars were found in specie, which he had
doubtless been, saving arid concealing for many
yean.
News, from California.—The Northern
Light, from Aspinwall, arrived in New York
yesterday morning. She brings upwards of
$2,000,000 in gold dust. The news is unim
portant ,
.The Mormons were preparing for a contest
with the United States troops. The news of
the, massacre Of the Plains is fully confirmed.’
O’ Accordipg to scientific gentlemen we
arc likely t 6 have a mild winter this time. The
more unseasonable the weather is the more sea
sonable it will bo for-the poor. Let us offer up
a propiliary sacrifice to the clerk of the wcath
e{. .
, THE POOR.
“ Let not ambition mock their useful toil,
Their homely joys and destiny obscure;
Nor grandeur bear with a disdainful smile,
Tlie short but simple annals oftlio poor.”
When the Chilly blasts of bleak November
howl around our comfortable-dwellings ; when
wo are seated around our firesides enjoyirfg iho
comforts of ii happy'home : when we feel that
Gyd in his bcnifieciicc has vouchsafed to us all*
the comforts that the heart can -wish for, it is
fit siteli times, .wc, siioutd ask ourselves the
question—is it thus with our neighbors ? Our
duty as Christians does not cense, with merely
contributing a few pennies or a few dollars to
this, or dial committee, for the.poor. .In
stead of being satisfied with ourselves when wc
merely contribute our mite, wc should remem
ber that, it is pur duty to go seek the modest
objects.of charity who arc pining in want and
snfll-ring because they cannot summon sufficient
courage loajje, although they need the help.—
Go seek the objects of charily we say, and let
their wants be known to those who have the
means to relieve them. . It is only necessary to
appeal to the big heart of. the American people,"
when an object is presented worthy of its sym
pathies, tq insure relief. The wisest of nil
teachers has told us that charity is the best of
Christian virtues ; that it covereth a multitude
of Sins, and that he who “giveth to the poor,
iendelh to the Lord.” Let this duty, be tended
to by one and all. . ■
Bad Advice.— The .newspapers of the princi
pal eastern cities,are urging upon the poor, and
those out ol employment; to leave the city, for
the country'. ,It is not-jhst,-that our city
friends should give this kind of adviep. The
people in the rural districts, at, this season of
the y'enr, have hands enough to do all the labor
required. We have onr own poor ariiong us,
and onr duty' is to see that they' do not suffer.
There is ,a much more, extensive field for.em
ployment in the city'than in the country tit the
present time, and the means of providing for
those ini,straightened circumstances is more
nipple in the former than, in Hie latter. We
advise persons out of employment, to remain
just where they arc, and hot go where they are
not known.
Already are the poor houses of . the different
counties of Pennsylvania, on the route of Phil
adelphia to Pittsburg, tilled to’overflowing wiili
the poor of Hie Eastern cities, and our publi
cans are nightly solicited fqrTrce quarters'-by
destitute strangers. Let the cities take care of
their Own poor and the country will provide for
such of il.s own citizens as arc in indigent eir
cumstaiiccs.
[£7” The vanity'.of riches is seldom illustrated
so strikingly as in the case of the great English
-millionaire,-Morrison, who died worth $20,000,-
000. It seems to. be one of thoconditionsof.
the accumulation of enormous wealth in n. single
generation that the possessor'shall first dis
qualify himself from enjoying it, and in some
cases, even from appreciating the, fact that he
holds it. Mr. Morrison accumulated this al
most fabulous amount himself, and in the reg
ular course of his business, wlthbut'any extra
,ordinary, turn oflortmic ; yet tile following ex-,
tract from a,letter in the Boston Post'shows
how lilllc.benefit be pcl-mitlcd himself lb receive
from all his wealth. What a satire it is upon
the exclusive devotion of all the faculties to the
J’w , ’.'.\ii|',' , i\i(HTl^Cfri , eu7ed from active UusmosCi
several years since, without withdrawing his
capital from the -mercantile', house, and though
managing his vast funds himself up to the nine
of hisdcalli with all the sagacityof.earliordays,
he has for the .last three years, been possessed
with (he idea that' ho ’should come to want.—'
More than two years ago. he commenced doing
day. labor upon a farm held by one of bis ten
ants, for which be received twelve shillings a
week, and this he continued Up to the lime of
his illness. For the last eighteen months he
lms been a regular applicant for relief to the
parish, assembling twice a week with the town
paupers at the door of the .‘Union - ,’ and rcceiv.j
ing with each one of.them his two shillings and
aquarlern loaf.' His friends have indulged him
in these fancies on the ground that it was the
host choice of two evils. The truth is, money
was his god, and the idea became at last too
great for him and broke him down. And yet
tie is said lo have made h most judicious will,
and his investments up to the hialar'e iilnrac
terised by great good'sense. The probate-du
ty on his will exceeds X100,000.”'
CCT'An entertainment- coniplimonlary to
Chief Justice Lewis, of the Supreme Court of
this State, by the members of the Pittsburg
Bar, on his retiring from the Judiciary, came
off recently at tbs Monongahcla House, in that
city. The Bar was fully represented, and ex
hibited the good sense -and taste to Select the
venerable Wilkins for the presiding officer, who
delivered a very touching and eloquent, but
short address upon introducing the common
object of respect, Chief Justice Lewis, whoso
remarks exhibited a proper appreciation of the
genuine esteem bestowed Upon him by the
members of ihe Pittsburg Bar. Tjje regular
tpasls brought out the other Supremo Judges
present, Messrs. Armstrong, Woodward and
Knox. Judge Slialer, ‘who was the master'
spirit of the evening: made some happy re
marks, followed by A. W. Loomis, Judge Wil
liams, Judge McClure, K. Biddle Roberts, G.
P, Hamilton, and others. Chief Justice Lewis
ja undoubtedly one of the leading lights of the
legal profession in-this country, and Ids retire
ment from the' position which he filled with
such manifest benefit to the community is a
cause of general regret.
Worthy of all Praise.—We ask the at
tention of our readers to the following item :
A New .Movement.—A correspondent of
the Providence Journal, writing from Dixon,
Illinois, says: “A move has been made by the
ladies of Dixon. Illinois. Some twenty of .the
daughters of Rhode Island, now residing here,
have resolved ll\at until every factory and cali
co establishnienniLdJißiymlivc State is again
m successful operation, they,will neither pur
chase nor consume any fabric, rinless of Amer
ican manufacture, and will give preference to la
bor of their native Slate. The sons of Rhode
Island, also residing hero, have adopted a simi
lar resolution, and ten of them (till appear next
week in new suits of broadcloth, the materials
of which were furnished by the Rhode Island
factories.” ,
Here is an example worthy of universal hni
lalion. If American ladies possessed indepen
dence and patriotism enough not only to re
solve but carry into effect a; similar resolution
everywhere, we should not export millions of
spepie evtVy year for ridiculous gew-gaws.—
VVe should like to hear once in a whole life
[time that there was good sense and good taste
enough in the United States to invent an Amcr
ican fashion, without servilely copyingcvery one
of them from Europe as wo now'do.
Gov. Packer's Cabinet^-.
Tire papers , are amusing themselves' with
guessing who will compose Gov. Packer’s Cab
inet. For Secretary of the Commonwealth, 1
Hon. John Cessna, of Bedford,TlOn. Win. M.
HiesieT, of Berks, and linn.' John L. Dawson,
of Fayette, are mpst prominently named. For
Attorney General, A. B. McCalmont, Esq-, of
Pittsburg, Judge Church, of Erie, lion. N. B.
Browne, and W. A. Porter, Esq., of Philadel
phia, arc mostly spoken of, and \ve lake occa
sion to add the name of lion. F. TV. Hughes,
of Schuylkill, one of the most brilliant minds
m the Commonwealth. That cither of thes
gentlemen are fully competent to discharge the
dunes of the distinguished positions for "which
they aic named, no one will doubt, but wheth
er Gov. Packer will ,confine himself to the list
made for him by the nespapers may bo ques.-
tionablo. lie has had abundant experience in
State politics, lo be able to, choose; a very re
spectable Cabinet without much advice oh the
subject,and we suspect will make his, selections
to suit his own views of propriety, yet of course
having full regard to the judgment of the parly
in regard Ip the ultimate merits of the appoin
tees. He is, however, a pretty good listener,
and no doubt will feel duly grateful fol the nu
merous suggestions made by his two hundred
thousand friends. . ....
Black-Republican Hypocrisy;
The Washington Union says with truth that
the most arrant .hypocritic to bo found is the
Black Republican, who pretends to bo horri
fied because the whole of the Kansas constitu
tion 'is not submitted ro the people of the Ter
ritory' for ratification or rejection. This same
Black-Republican, was, and is, the advocate of
the Topeka constitution, that was made by a
body of irresponsible fanatics, who assembled
in open defiance ot the laws of-the Territory,
usurped tho power to .sit as a .constitutional
convention, made a constitution in open hostdi
ty to the legal authorities of the Territory', re
fused to submit any -portion to the people for
gratification or rejection, blit sent it to Con
gress, and there insisted that it was’ the true
arid legitimate constitution of Kansas. The
hypocrite now. pretends to be schocked that
tho legally constituted convention of Kansas
has (ailed,to submit any other than the sla
very clause for the judgment of the people.—
Such brazen-faced effrontery and shanieless hy
pocrisy desei ve Ip be scouted and despised by
all.'true national men.
The Kansas .C.oxbtitiitipn;— The Philadelphia
Ledger contains the following pointed remarks
concerning tho Kansas Constitution. Wo agree
with our city contemporary that it appears like
foolishness to engage in a discussion about the
Constitution’ of Kansas before ive know its pro
visions..; Tho paramount issue in Kansas'.is
very or np slavery, and that is to bp put to rest
by a direct vote of the people. If a majority,
are opposed to slavery, they have only to go to
Hie polls and say so, and it is prohibited. But,
to the article fibradh e Ledger ;
■ Making ax Anxioipatoiiy- Fuss.'—Some of
the newspapers are making a great pother over
tho Kansas constitution and the groat wrong
done to the inhabitants of that- Territory, by
submitting only the slavery cllhisp to the vote
ol the people. What this constitution is nobo
dy knows; even. Gov. Walker, it-is said, has
not seen. it. Then why pH this denunciation by
the newspapers? Would it not bo ns well to
wait and see ivlint the constitution contains, be
fore so many words arc expended upon it f
Perlitips the inhabitants of Kansas arc not
to prevent the wrong being douo. Kaiisns will
be a froo and independent Slate, in spite of (ho
(ricks of partitians; and (hose \vlio t Ijink fo rc
revive the Kansas troubles for flic purposo of
•trading in them, will lin'd that the game is played
out. The country is sick of this continual tur
moil about Kansas, and will readily acquiesce
in and support any measure which will establish
a proper government whore nothing but anarchy
prevaiis,-and which will leave the people to.do-'
cldc .whether they want slavery or not.
The Career or a Foroer. —A criminal trial
of unusual interest has just terminated in Cleve
land, Ohid,' in which the defendant is one Ed.
ward T. Nichols, cousin of-Phinoas T. Bainnm,
the distinguished showman. Nichols, who wa>
tormeily a, tradesman and a communicant of the
Baptist church; in the spring of 1855 became
manager of the Athcnicnni theatre, in Cleve
land, and also interested.himself in gift lotter
ies." While engaged in these enterprises, be
sides borrowing at different times largo sums o(
Bainnm, ho forged-hia acceptances to the amount
0f540,000, upon the discovery o( wbicli'hc fled
to New York, where ho was- secreted for seve
ral months. He was apprehended and taken
back to Cleveland; managed to- escape again to
New York, was-again-taken bade, and after va
rious attempts to break jail;-was persuaded by
bis counsel in view of the overwhelming evi
dence against him; to plead guilty and to sub
mit to the sentence of the Court. In Ohio, we
believe twenty years is the shortest term allow
ed by law-for forgery.
Government Patronage.— The State De
partment has recently published a list of our
Consuls and Ministers abroad, their compensa
tion, tho States from which- they were appoint
ed, &c. This list affords some curious statis
tics of the rank-held l by theseveral members,of
tho Union in the government patronage. New
York, of course, carried off the lion’s share.—
Pennsylvania is very little behind her, however,
tho aggregato-of the former being $79,250, and
of. tho laltors74iB2s.- Virginia comcsnext with
$55,800; tbOmlndiana $23,500; Massachusetts
$20,760; and so on down tljo list. Ohio, tho
third Sttito in tho Union in almost otery re
spect, ranks ninth, with $15,5001 Missouri,
Tennessee, Nortli Carolina. Arkansas and Ver
mont do not appear in tho table at all. .
Unanimously Democratic. —Tho San Diego
(Cal.) Herald says: “Every vote polled in tills
co. was cast for John B. Weller for Governor.
Wo heard of one Black Republican vote being
cast.in the precinct o( Temecula, but as" it is
not mentioned in tho returns, wo presume that
tho inspectors threw it out ah being a mistake
on the part ol some greaser.”
Eytrume Sensiuiliiy. —The Cinoinatti (Ohio)
Gazelle says : “A young lady from Kentucky,
who was visiting hear Columbus, Ohio, became
much attached to a mocking bird in the house
of her relatives. Tho bird sickened and died.
The lady bewailed tho loss most piteously, and
soon after became insane. On being-sent home
in charge of an attendant, she attempted suicide
bv stabbing herself with her scissors, but is now
recovorihg.
, . D3f lion. John C. Breokonridgo, Vico Pres
ident of tho United States, his resi
dence in ,Lexington, Ky., toKov. W. C. Dandy,
of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
“Have you ‘Blasted Hopes f asked a lady o(
a green librarian, whose face was much swollen
by the toothache, “No, raii’am j but I havo'a
blastud togthacho.” ’
Economy on Railroads.
Tbo recent financial crisis lias led to.marked
rcircnch'tnciifs in the management of the prin
cipal railroads of the country. Salaries liavc
been reduced, wages cut down, snpernumories
disaliarged, and all work not of pressing im
portance temporarily suspended. This course
has greatly restored public confidence in rail
road securities; for it is an evidence that the
days of reckless "waste and ..improvidence in
railroad management are over. *>
In.speaking of these railroad .retrenchments,
the Philadelphia Ledger remarks, that, there is
danger that they may be carried too far. “ A
penny wise and pound foolish ” economy js ns
perilous to lasting prosperity ns extravagance
itself. On soinc railroads, for example, salaries
haye been reduced to such a point that first
rate ability can only be commanded on suffer
ance ; that- is,, competent employees only re
main till they can find other avenues of support,
so that! sooner or later, all such will be lost.
As a general rule, conductors, engineers, and
■others filling the highcr-olliccs on railways,
have never been paid excessively t and, ns a
consequence, inferior men have generally filled
these posts, often t 5 the peril of passengers’
lives, always to the pecuniary loss of the com
pany. We cannot "hut think, therefore, that
retrenchment in this direction is unwise. It
may .save a few dollars temporarily, but it will
be, ire fear, at the ultimate expense of thou
sands.
On some roads, also, a practice lias prevailed
op rewarding engineers on freight trains, and
other responsible Ompldj’ces of this class, for
long continued good behaviour. •' The persons
occupying these stations generally require some
s a (ill incentive to prudence aiid watchfulness.,
'To'reward the engineer of a freight train', who
has had no accidents for six months or a year,
is, perhaps, the cheapest method of insuring.a
company against collisions and the consequent
loss of engines, cars and freight. On many
lines, these rewards have been abolished, or fet
tered'.,with such liniitations. in regard to.'the
mode of bestowing them, as practically to ren
der them nugatory.
No one denies that there has been great
wasicfnliicSs in railway management, or. that a
reform is indispensable: but the question is,
what is reform ? . IE is assuredly not reform to
drive away shilled, careful and generally capa
ble upper servants. It is hot reform to with
draw almost the only practical inducement
which the more ordinary engineers have to .be
prudent and 'thoughtful of the company’s
good. The cheapest way to manage a railroad
is .to have the work well done. To save a few
thousands to-day in salaries and '.rewards,, hi
the expenco of! efficient service, is to involve to
morrow tens of thousands in damaged trains,
and a reputation for being unsafe.
Increase of the Army.
. .The .s7. Louis Republican advocates strenu
ously .the immediate increase of our army; as a
measure demanded by the-hostilities in'Utah,
and the Indian wars in Texas, New Mexico, aid
•other western regions. It is, indued, very true
. that the Government forces seem to be inade
quate to almost all the services upon which they
are ordered; hut it. is equally true that the army
is not how filled up to the, strength authorized
by.law, nor has it been fur a number of years.
A considerable additional force whs authorized
.quite recently, and jnducemcnls to enlist also.
gd.itpou insane expeditions to Nicaragua,'Ciilm,-
Sonora, Lower California, &c., tho recruiting
service for the regular army goes on very slow-1
•And the reason is plain. Those expeditions,
“insane” tliougli they may be, minister to that
love of adventure which pre-eminently charac
terizes the American : people, and hold out a
hope—seldom realized, it is true—of ultimate
and handsome reward. But, oh the other hand,
thoarmy offers to those whom it would enlist
in its service, a mphitbndus routine of.severe
discipline, little or no adventure, the merest
pittance for pay, andno-prospoct for distinct
ion. Thp fact that so few American citizens
enter the army of their Own Goviirnmant, proves
at once that neither in its organization or its re
wards, does it offer inducements worth the ac
ceptance of the poorest. Generally speaking,
in this country, the army is only chosen- when
the, desperate presents itself to the recruit of en
listment or starvation.' Wo might follow tho
example of Franco under tho first .Napoleon,.in
this respect, with.jnstice and profit. Lot pay,
approaching.to something like an equivalent to
the service to bo performed, bo,offered j and let
tho way buopeiuui to promotion fromtlio ranks,
for faithful service aqd gallant deeds j and, our
word for it, the Would never want for
good and willing men.
Heavy. Defalcation.
- Tho “solid men” of, Boston arc in a fever of
excitement, concerning tho reported defalcation
in that city of Mr. Samuel' Lawrence, the sen
ior member of the lir.m of Lawrence. Stone &
Go.,.agents of, the State Mills- and other
manufacturing corpora'ions. From 1 the ac
counts which arc published of the affair; it ap
pears that Mr. Lawrence .was Treasurer of the
Bay Stale Mills, and employed the credit of the
Company in his speculations-to- the amount of
hall a million dollars,' or thereabouts. It fur
thermore appears that the functions of treasur
er and agent have in'this instance become so
mingled, as to make it somewhat uncertain
upon which'office the alleged deficit should
fall. It is certain, hqwever, that the stock of
tho Company .was offered on Saturday nt 12i
per cent, on the par ($1000) without finding a
purchaser, and iliat manufuciuring stocks in
Massachusetts have received a blow from which
they will not soon recover.
, lloruible Statement. — Tbo Marengo (Iowa)
Visiser says.that a yonng child, but six yrs. old,
died with delirium trqmons at -Brush Run, . The
father, a short time since, was sent to jail lor
selling whiskey, and during his incarnation his
wile made whiskey “ meat and drink ” for her
self and child. The wife finally fell down stairs
and killed herselfj and the child was shortly af
ter attacked with all the symptoms of, delirium
tremens, with which it died.
D3 5 " Miss Lane, the President’s niece, who
does the honors of the White House, is compli
mented by having her name given to the steam
re,venue cutler just launched Irom Webb’s yard,
in N. Y. city.
Gen. W. S. Haskell, of Tennessee, wlio.
was placed In the Kentucky Insane' Asylhhr n
few weeks ago, has been restored, and was aiw
nounced to lecture in the Odd-Fellows’ Hull, at
Lexington, Ky.
Correspondence of the Volunteer
LETTER FliU.il WASHINGTON. •; \
Washington, Nov. 30, 1857
Dear Bratton —“ The cry is still they como”
1 strangers, members, and oflico-soekcrs—and
our hotels and boarding houses are now doing
a thriving business. The weather for the past
week has been delightful', and yesterday (Sun
day) wo enjoyed one of the brightest of. Indian
summer • days. ‘Our 1 side-walks wove ci on ded
all day long with pedestrians wlio all seemed to
enjoy and appreciate the treat ofierod by nature.
Since my last communication Kansas a flairs
have assumed a more threatening aspect. Gov.
Walker has arrived and lias been in consultation
with the President. The former is opposed to
the action of the convention which Iramcd the
constitution allowing only tho slavery section to
be voted upon’ b}’ the people, white the admin
istration, it. is supposed, is in favor of the ac
ceptance of the constitution in its present shape
by Congress. ,A great division of sentiment
.pruvaite, and a tierce conflict is anticipated
when tho subject conics up for action. Wcnrc
inclined to the belief that a majority of the De
mocratic portion of the Congressional delega
tion from your State will vote to reject a con
stitution for Kansas which is,hot.endorsed en
tire by its citizens. May tho Goddess of •Lib
erty nerve the arm of the patriotic upon whom
our national safely now depends. , •
Central America and the Clayton-Bnhvcr
treaty will again bo dragged up lor action* Sir
GoroOtisuiy’s mission lias been rather scvereljv
commented upon by the press generally, hut
wo believe his instructions from -the English
government are much more moderate than is
'supposed by most of those who have showered
their censure so freely upon him and tho. gov
ernment he represents. Mr. .Clayton, certain-,
ly, committed'a Very .great blunder when lie
framed that treaty, and acting on the principle
of ‘“every one for himself,” Mr. Bulwer did
right to get tliq advantage of ft doubtful con
struction for the benefit of his own government.
While, the National Intelligencer \9 endeavor
ing to excite dissension »n the ranks of Dcmpc
racywith a view to re-build the old Whig par
ty* tho.S/n/M'is tiring ftt all the big game, for
eign and local, that presents itself, hoping thus
to establish character. It assails unmercifully
Gore Ousely, ami,a recent'leadef in fho London
Times viewing'Central American affairs and fil
llbustei expeditions. The Time* rightly attrib
utes fillibusterism to. the want of an outlet for
the' military.spirit of tho population. While
some charge the administration with conniving
at tho success of Walker in Nicaragua, the Lon
don" Times pro'clamics tho truth that “ Amori'-
cans'nre convinced that the possession of these
equatorial regions would lie a curse rather than
a blessing.” Wo shall'seo' whnt we shall see.,
While" we do not want them ourselves we must
not let the British lion get them W.ithin his'gi
gantic grasp. -
Most of the'members will -be' - present-before
the week is" ended, ready to.tnke their positions
on Monday nex-t. The Democratic caucus for
the nomination of candidates for Speaker, Clerk,
.Doorkeeper, and" Postmaster of 'the
House, will meet.on Saturday evening., .The
friends of the respective'candidates wijl cner-.
geticallv press their claims. ■ ’ ' -
: Thanksgiving day passed off quietly, and was
well, observed by our citizens. The places'of
business were.all closed,-and the churches w.erc
-open for divine service.' The precautionary
measures of the Mayor and police had the effect
of keeping vowdj.sm in restraint, and allowing
llio more peaceable to enjoy the holiday without
alarm or disturbance.of any kind. -
Young,Liinahan bids fair .to 1 recover, though
the. ball cannot be extracted. Birch has bycn
admitted, to. hail in the sum of five thousand
dollars. . Yesterday, young Murphy, who died
on Friday of, wounds received on Saturday
night week, at. the. hotel of Mrs. Hughes, was
buried in Glemvood Cemetoc3V llisfuneral was
largely attended, his remains .being followed 1 -to
their last resting place by about' two hundred
and fifty members of .the Stone-Cutters Assoch
atidn. (of which lie was a member)' preceded,
by a band of music. ■
To Whom it tuny Concern.
'. Tbefollowing from the National.//ite//:£cnccf*
we beg our.readers to consider-as adopted bj
the Volunteer, .
i-.—, H,T,l»'ftfl-ifl_na»tv>.r>U-.aA.. nT,, (iin Imuinan.w
community wfiictT feels more scnsihlv'Uian the
Proprio.pis of the many public journals tile ef
fects of the-derangement of the currency, mid
other consequences of the. present motley pan
ic, which has perniciously embarnssed ilie
whole Country for several' weeks gone by, and
which still continues. Under , a certainly of
this fact, wo feel , that no one - of onr readers
will take exception to the general request wh ch
we address to all of them, that every one who
knows himself to be indebted to this. Establish •
merit, aiid is in circumstances to allord it, will
forthwith remit to us, hi notes or draffs on sol
vent banks the amount of his indebtedness, or
so much of it as lie can conveniently spare. '
Good anil Bail News.-
Bad nows weakens (lid action; of the heart,
oppresses the lungs, destroys the appetite, stops'
the. digestion, ami ..partially suspends all the
functions ol the system. An emotion of shame'
flushes the face; fear blanches, jov illuminates
it i and an instant thrill electrifies a million of
nerves; Surprise spurs the pulse into a gallop
Delirium;i-inluscsgreat energy.' Volhion 'coim
mands, and hundreds of muscles spring to ex
cite. Powerful emotions often kill the body at
a stroke. Chile,. Diagoras, and Sophocles (Vied
of .joy at-the Grecian games. Thu nows'of de
teat killed-Philip V. One of the popes died of
an omofjon ot the ludicrous on seeing bis.pet
monkey robed, in-pontificals occupying the chair
of state. Muley illolocbwas carried upon the
field of battle hi the first stages of an incurable
disease!',nppn seeing Ins army give way, lie ral
lied' his panic-stricken troops, rolled back the
tide'of battle,- shouted victory, .and died. The
doorkeeper of Congress expired oh- hearing of
the surrender of Cornwallis. Eminent public
speakers.have often died.in the midst ofan im
passioned burst of eloquence, or when the deep
emotion Unit produced it lias suddenly subsided.
_ Guns.— Guns .were invented— by. Swarlz, a
German, about 1378, and were brought into use
by Ibe Venetians in 1532. C CannoiMvere inven
ted at an anferior date. They wore first at the
battle of'dressy, in 1310,\JnJing|and, they
were first ii-.etl at the siege ofßerwiel:, in 1405:
it was not until 1-514, however, that they were
cast in England. They were used on board of
ships in 1529, and were in nso among the Turks
ahont tho same time. An artillery company
was instituted in England, tor weekly military
exercise, in 1010, The best iron plates for gun
barrels.ar.e those made of stnb-iron-t-that is, of
old horse-shod-nails' welded together, and forg
ed into thin bars,,or rather narrow-ribbons. At
ono time Damascus barrels were much in vogue
they were fashioned from plates made cither of
iron or stool, parallel and welded together, or
Irom ribbons of the same Damascus stuff’ colled
mte a cylinder.at a red beat, and then welded
together in the seams. Under Louis XIV., the
French cannon are said to have been of abetter
quality than those of the present time : zinc was
mixed with tlio metal in the condition of brass,
1 lie trials made in latur'lhues have failed lx*-
cause tlio zinc was introduced directly into tlio
alloy while in fusion, in which case the zinc is
burned oft, and forma no combination with tho
fused metal.
‘ The New Senators from Texas.— Hon. J.
' Hemphill, not Campbell, ns has been sta
ted, is one of the new United States-Senators
from Texas. The Union says :
„ Judge Hemphill is a nptive of. South Caroli
na, who emigrated at an early period from his
native Slate and setlled in San Antonio, and
became, a citizen of Texas; From the era of
her independence he has been idcniifled with
the history of Texas ns a republic and a Stale,
and at one time lie was prominent among those
who were regarded ns suitable candidates for'
the presidency of that republic; Hu is an,emi
nent lawyer and advocate, and has participated,
as an able actor in the progress of Texas, from
small beginnings to a sovereign State of this
Union. For several years past he has been
chief justice of tile State.
He. will silenced General Houston, whose
expires on the 3d of March, 1859.
Ex-Gov He iderso i has been chosen to fill the
vacancy caused by the death of Gen. Rusk.
To the. Editors of the Notional Intelligencer :
Gentlemen: —Many papers, desirous of the
establishment of a National. Bank, are.quoting
what Gen. Jackson said in favor of such an hi-
Slitutioh at the beginning 6T his Presidency.—
I have to remind all such papers that what was
said was said before Gen. Jackson saw. a pros-.
pect of festering the currency of lhi*Constitu
tion."and that, after he saw that prospect, ho
said nothing more in favor of banks. National
or Stale, bin the contrary, and labored during
the remainder of his public life to ns'oro and
preserve the hard money currency which the
founders of our Government' had secured (as
they believed) for us. ;■ The plan of that resto
ration arid preservation consisted of five parts,
namely: 1. To revive the gold currency by
correcting the erroneous standard of 1791. .2,
To create a demand for hard money by. making
it the exclusive currency oP tho Federal Treas
ury. a.. To make sure of this’hard'money,by
keeping it in its own treasuries. 4. To sup
press all paper currency under twenty dollars
by a stamp duty. 5- To wind up all defaul
ting banks by a bankrupt law against delin
epinitfi.
TheVirst 9 of these 5 pads were accomplish
ed, andjlo these we are indtb'ed, for 20 yda-s
exeinption —from 1887 to 1807—from bank
suspensions, and depreciated currency! also
for carrying, the country through 0 foreign war.
the Mexican—without paper money, and with,
the public securities above par : also, for having
in the country at this time full fifteen limesas
much hard money as we had in the lime.of the
late Hank of the United States : and we are in
dlbted.to the want of the two latter pans of
the.plan, for what we now see;. nearly two
thousand banks in the country, a great part of
them frauds from the beginning, and lire bad
governing the' good, a general suspension in a
season of peace' and prosperily t people forced
to nse depreciated paper when there is more
hard money hi the cofmlry than its business
crtnld, employ inni and women begging for
work, and unable tO'obtain it, when the coun
try, needs all the work. they,, can do, and has,
the means to pay for it; faniilies crying for
bread when a bountiful Providence has. given
flic most exuberant crops that ever Wel'c seen,
the business of twenty-five millions of people
deranged, disordered, and thi qtvn but of joint:
and all this the work Of the base 'part of the
banks, falling down of , theiiiseh'es fur. want of
foundations, and dragging (he solid Onesafter
thein. tor it is in lliis case of bank suspen
sions, as it is with a ship sinking at sea,' it here
tliosc who ca'miot swim drag down those who
can. A stamp duly on their notes, and a
bankrupt process against themselves, would
have saved the country from the, calamities it
now endures : for many of (tie base ordey of
banks would .have been unable Id “-miik'e cur
rency" for bant of money (o pay for. stamps on
their notes, and others would have been proper
subjects for the bankrupt’(irOßess hr the filrat
few days of thcir eXistencS'
.'The restoration of the gohl' citrrciVcy. was ef
fected under Gen.-. Jackson's administration :
■ the establishment of the hard niohey currency,
forthel/ederal/jov’ernmbni arid thek toping of its
own moncy-in its own treasuries-, das''-accom
plished under Mi-.’ Win Bureri, both of which
Presidents look-lhe full respotisihilijy -of rec
ommending these three measures. and -also the
.two Olliers, the two-for the imposition of-a
stamp duty on all paper money under 20 dol
lars. and for a bankrupt act against.defaulting
banks..’ Bills were repeatedly brought into
Congress for both purposes-; but were always'
def attd by the defection of the paper money
wjng of the Democratic party. ■
The most plausible of the open objections
made against- the stamp duly was in. the ex
pense-, and the extensive machinery-for its coll
lection, That was answered by providing a
cheap amt simple process for both pnrposes-r
a clerk in the Treasury Department for a su
perintendent of the business, and the’ Clerks of
the Federal Courts to’ deliver but the stamps
Yours truly, ■
Mac
I which ilicy received from-. the 'Treasury. The
- ... .>iv; mu ~ 11*1,1 « uccnei irsn’muuap
'■ ply lo all notesor ohly to those intended to be
,suppressed, wcrr-quesiions on which there was
room for some diversity of opinion. The ore
dominant.opinion was,that there should be du
ly.upon all notes issued as a currency, (for
what- more lit to he taxed than the-uionjyd
power?) the duly being the Same on all'notes,
and such as the large ones could easily carry
and the small ones not. The amount of the
duty-.was .held necessary to be largo—far great
er than in Great Britain; for theic no note is
re issued ; no one goes Out of the bank a sec
ond tune, so that the duty in England is-pai'd
every lime the. Bank puls out a nolo. Not so
m the United States. Here a note is re issued
until it is worn out—until it has become too
ragged: to hold together, or too filthy to be
, linndU'd, or too dcluccd lo be deciphered. ■ A
small duty is, therefore, sufficient in Great
, Britain ; it would require a very heavy one to
be its equivalent in the United Slates. .Among
the penalties for violating-, the act -either.by is
suing, receiving, or passing the unstamped, pa
pci should be a disqualification to retain re
ce’ve a lederal appointment: fir the pur
s'll,l °1 ofhcc is so general at this time in our
country and so ardent, .that, in'arriving a
. class so large, so. inlhiential, and active against 1
the unstamped notes, their circulation would
be effectually checkmated.
.The paper money wing of life Democracy
was snll more against The baiikraipt act against
bankrupt hanks than against the 'stump tax
1 on notes; iind. acting with the habitual.oppo
-1 nents of the party to which (hejy professed to
belong, easily defeated all the.bills. The open
objection' came from the lawyers, with’their
professional idea, drawn chiefly from British
statutes, that merchants mid traders were the
proper sn.Dj-cts of the tiankuii t lair, alfhoimh
every late British statute on the' subject in
cludes banks, (the Batik of England excepted :)
and in a single season of suspension /that ol
1813-T4-T5) .92 of these banks had been .sub
jected to commissions of hankmptcy. But
ihis.rettwdy-was not of English,-but of Roman
origin, as its name would .-linw, (‘■banens” nm\
“ruptus ;’*) and hankers were the original ob
jeots of the law. as the same name also shows.
‘ Broken Bench” is the English of the Latin
name, mid was so called because the bankers
fmoney changers, of Ihaftime. as now in the
East,) had their benches in. public places, on
which they sat and did business : mid when
any one became delinquent.'or criminal, he was
driven away and his bench was broken. And
thus in its origin, bankruptcy was a process ■
against banks and bankers, mid still is in
Great Britain ;. and hence retains its original i
name of Broken Benoit—the bench so broken. <
being the sign and warning to the public that
the banker himself was insolvent, and deprived
:of Ins place of doing business. -
Banking in the United States is the most .un
restrained mid unsafe that there is in ike
world : and unsafe even lor solid and well con
ducted hanks, ihore being enough of the nnsol
id and badly conducted to fall down, ot them
selves every few years and' to drag down the
rest witlnhem. The laws put few restraints
and penalities upon them : aind these restraints
and penalties are regularly repealed just as of
ten as the'community needs the benefit of
them. It is by name in some places, and by.-
fact iny-oLlicrs, a system of “free bunking”
which the hard money Democracy was, accus
tomed lo : call l ‘ : ‘freo.js>y,i!vliijig.’’
, banker? tliat plcascsGanil
issjlcspipallno.fe&and.sendsithein of! to a djs-
Imioe.do'be dirqulatcd, and lost, and to sink
.upmi the hands of tbe laboring people. A fu-
Wite plan is to issue notes at one - place paya
ble at another far off. out of the way, and diffi
cult to be got at, so as to compel the holder to
submit to a shave. That mode of doing busi
ness was invented by a Scotchman of Aberdeen
in 1806 ; but be was in Great Britain, i ot in
the United States ; and the British Ministry
aiid the British Parliament immediately took
cognizance of the inventor and his imitators,
and placed them all in the category of swin
dlers, and so-put an end to their operations,—
LETTER FROM THOMAS IF. HESTON. '
ON BANKS AND CURRENCY.
Washington, C Street, Nov.\K, 1857-
I No stamp' tlnCy, no .bankrupt net, and no rctpii
. j sitidn 10 keep any proportionate amount of
bard money on hand completes the license and
unbounded freedom, and the perfect title tope
riodical’explosions, which belong to American '
banking. • •
This last requisition, that of keeping qn hand
an amount, of hard money .proportionate to
their liabilities, seenis *o be unknown) (even m
name.) in the United States : yet that requisite
is h legal and fiindffmqnlal condition: of the
Bank of England - and the proportion of one
third in gold of the total amount of its,habili
ties in circulation and deprsites is the rate cn- '
forced ; and.below that proportion, the Bank of
England docs hot deem itself safe. : Thnjj .
swore Mr. Horsley Palmer, Guven or of il 1(!
Bank of-Enjrlahd before Lord Allhorpe’s com.
niittee, in 1832. “The average proportion. ii s
already observed, of coin and bullion Which (ho
bank deems it prudent to k- op onhandfs nt ?
a rale of the third of ilo Intel -amount Of all h cr
liabilities, including -dgp^ilet’as weir as. Ise
sues:” . And thus swore Mr. George Ward
Norman, a director of the l ank.—“For a full
slate of the circulation and deposites say 21
million of notes and C .millions, of deposites
making in the whole, 27millions of liabilities'
the proper sum in coin and bullion for the bank'
to retain is 9 millions.” And to the same ef.
feet swore other directors. But in Great Brit
ain it is not sufficient that this proportion of
one third is required to be oh hand, but.it must
bo shown, -and that,.'continually, that jt j s
there. This is accomplished by the publico,
lion of the quarterly weekly average of the lia
bililies and assets'of- the bank, from whifeh the'
public can always see- when the bank has-'-
crossed the lino of safely. How different this'
is from banking in the United States, where no
proportionate rale of specie to the liabilities is
even proscribed: mid where five, ten. fifty, an
hundred paper dollars Coi-. one .hard .one-in tbo
vault is frequently issued.
But one tiling whs wanting |o complc.tlio ti
tles of our hanking system to utter uinvortbi
ness.aml that one tiling lias 1 ecu discovered--
it.is dispensation of the specie basis ! ..through*
out llie world, so far ns paper money is known,
n specie basis is deemed necessary tp an insti
tution, whioli issue promises to pay. specie
Not so in the United Stales. Taper upon pa
per has become the vogue with us., ■ Slocks,
and the notes of other hanks, are the “smidi/”
foundation upon which a large proportion of
our banks are built. :
f do not Cxpnciaic upon-tbo evils of small
paper money ; they are palpable to every ob
server, and only ri quire enumeration. 1. It
drives away all-hard money of equal denomina
tions.; for,;in. a cbirpe ilmn, between tjjo eur
rcncies, the meanest is ahvays the conqneier .-'
an.d chases the other out of, the field. 2. .It is.
the great source of the crime of counterfeiting; -
for the mass of'the counterfeits consist,of small
notes. 3. It detnbraliz'S the community ■ for
neoplc not being willing. I o lose a note for which
they' have given value, instead.of burning it
when rejected by a knowing or.e as counlerfeit,
put it back in tiic pocket arid oiler it again to
an ignorant person, who receives it, am! who
goes lhrongh:lbe samp process' when, rejected in.
bis'hands; 4 Small notes make the panics
and bring on the ru'nd which break down'good
banks : fur tlirSP small notes being'iti lbe hands
of the masses/'when they gef alarmed, they nf
semble by ll (iusands at the dnofsof the Insliui
tion which 'isst Cl the notes, demand the money,
break’.the banks, and propagate thealai-m wl«A\
themselves feel until it - Itecomes general; for
nothing is imue ooniagcdns than a moneyed
panic, nor anythin; more unmanageable; 5.
It pillages die poor,and.tbo ignorant; for every
base note, .every one that.is counterfeit, of on a
broken ibank. or on a bank that never existed,
although itwill run for awhile, must slop some-
When*;: nAd. whien it dots', is’ sure td' ftqgin
the hands, of the poor aild‘ nTiiiifonncd; upfavc.
that class least able to bear the loss, who have .
no advantage from in operation.,
and who hear the h. f ss when , they stop. 6. It
excites to swindling for .knaves, with -nothing .
hut brass for their, capital, arid that ip their
faces in's; cad of their cOlhfs, are induced'to„ set .
up manufactories. of sinall’ paperb to\§c s^fnt’,
• abroad ap'd sunk upon the hands'of those
among wluinit is scattered : nil that is sovpunk
• "uemg ciunrga;ns-‘ur-lhc iimrionfcturcr. 7. It; .
induces and even compels people lo be jvtfs.'eful
of their money : for sneh is the natural: hondst,
and Just contcinot.nn<| distr.ist of small notes
that lie of she that receives One hurries ofl fo
lay it out for something not. needed ; while a
piece of gold, ol i lie same amount would be Val
in d and 'cherished, and laid by niid kept niid
added to; until cm ugh accumulated to make ii
purchase of something needed and useful.' 8.;
Ft subjects ihe payer to be chenttd or worsted
in change-; for, giving paper in payment. lie
must receive the change in other, paper ; and
for that purpose dhe meanest’,_most rnggtd,
dirty, .and wort bless will always be picked out
and .shoved upon him. In short, such are (be
evils the crimes, tbedemoralization, and.cl eat*-
ingof small papermoney that all nations'? except',
ibe United Stales, place it in the category* of
a criminal agent and suppress it according//*
i wen I ,y-ocld, years ago. when we’were labor*-
ing,tb*rcslorc tho consiimtiqnnl currcncy ldthe’
Government and'people, the ready .objection^
repealed by all i he friends of paper money was,;
that there was not gold and silver-in the world
lo carry oh the business of the - United States:
and the ready answer to that objection was;'
that there was precisely enough ! and
acily. enough would come ?o the United, States’
if we would only create a demand for it by cor
reeling the gold standard, make it the Govern*'
ment and suppressing -small paper.. ‘
Guly a pan of these things have been
there have llowed into’ihe United Sta esorbeeh-' *
obtained from our o\vn mines, about four or five"
as-much gold ns*the business of the Uni-*
ted States could employ; The supply has been
nearly a thousand .millions of dollars, and the
business of the United States would only cm*
Iplo}' about two hundred millions." This is hot
guess work,, but bottomed upon authenticdrilft':
for the siaiislics of political! economy" show that
nations can only use certain amounts of money,
sonu* more, some dess, according to. their par
suiis. Thus, a highly' manufacturing country,
where the employ’d' needs money incessantly ip
cany on "llis business in the purchase .of raw
materials, and the’ paymicnt of-operatives; and
in i he construction and repair of buildings hud
machinery, and where thcoperhtiVcs themselves
need money daily for the support of their famU
lies, (he quantity of money required isfnrgreat
er thhn in an agricultural andplanting country,
where the 'fanner raises his own supplies and
has his crops and produce lo pay large demands.
And therefore England, the foremost manufac
turing country, requires the .greatest amount
of money ; and has it, to ivit , about eleven dol
lars a head; and Russia, so largely agricultur
ul. requires the least amount of money? and can
employ but about four dollars a head. So tho
United States, in small part manufacturing anal
largely agricultural and planting, would findi
her maximum demand for money somewhere*
half way between the two —say, eight dollars ft
hend-which, at the present amount of the*
white 1 population, (say twenty-five millions;)'
would.give two hundred millions-ns the nation?
al demand—always remembering that thp great
payments arc made with crops and bills of ex-*
change founded on the proceeds of industry".--'
And thus it becomes a proposition demonstrated
that the United States, since the correction of
«the gold standard twenty r -three years ago, have
received a supply of gold to four or fivc'lmies.
the amount which the business operations ot
the.pcoplc could employ. Of thatambunt tha-i
leading ~ v ' two hundred and
ninety millions to bo Remaining in the country
commencement of the present panic ; and
since that time more than twelve mmionahavo
arrived, and very-little gone out; so that three
hundred millions could be the present estimate
of the amount of gold and silver in'the country
—being one_ hundred millions-more than tho
business of the country would-cmploy. "h rc °
hundred millions is exactly fifteen as .
much as the United States posscsscdnn the time
of the late Bank of the United States. Iwen:
ty millions was the whole amount at. that time,
and all that in silver—not a particle of gej
being then in circulation. And it is exactly
thirty times as much, as the whole Union P oS '