AMERICAN VOLUNTEER. JOHN B. BRATTON, Editor b Proprietor. CARLISLE,' PA., APRIL 5,1860. DEMOCRATIC STATE NOMINATIONS. For Governor, HENRY D. FOSTER, OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY. FOR PRESIDENTIAL-ELECTORS, ELECTORS AT LARGE. Oeo. M. Keiu, of Berks county. Richard Vadx, of Philadelphia. : DISTRICT ELECTORS, L Frod’k. A. Server. 14. J. Baokliow. 2. Wm. C. Patterson. 15. Geo. D. Jackson. 3. Jos. Crockett, Jr. 16. J. A. Ahl. 4. J.’G. Brenner. 17. J. B. Danner. 5. J. W. Jacoby. 18. J. R. Crawford. 6. Kelly. 19. 11. N. Lee fc-CK-P'. James. 20. J. B. Howell. S.-Ditvid'Sohall. 21. N. P. Fettorman. 9. J. Li Lightnor.- 22. Samuel Marshall. 10. S f/ S. Barber. 23. Wm. Book. 11. T. H. Walker. 24. B. D. Hamlin. 12. S. S. Winchester. 25. Gaylord Church.- 13. Joseph Laubach. j Child- Burnt to Deathi —Wo learn from the last Shippensburg News, that on Wednes day of last week, a child of Mr. Jacob Gross, of that place, was burned to death under most distressing circumstances. The child, nearly three years of age, was, with another younger, in the front room, where, was a stove with a fire; while the rest of the family were in other parts of the house. It is supposed ho went to the hearth of the stove, and was engaged in putting chips through' the door,, when, his clothes caught fire.- Screaming, and nearly fr'antio with pain, ho ran out into the entry, where-the father of the child met him, and taking in his arms the little sufferer, ho car ried him into a back room, where,-by- the aid ofothers, the flames were extinguished, but the:obild'had been injured mortally, and after lingering until Thursday afternoon, • he' ex pired.-. PoizfGS-OF puu Members.— Tho bills incor porating-'tHd .Mount Joy Deposit- Bank, and the tewistoTO Bank,having been vetoed by the Governor, the question was again taken on the bills, and both passed over the veto. Mr, Crawford voted in favor of the bills and against the vetoes. Mr. M’Curdy yotod the same way, and Mr. Power to sustain the ve toes. • , The bHVfor the relief of the Sunbury and Erie‘Railroad Company, which, bill releases the Company from the payment of its indebt edness to the Shite, having passed the-House, also passed,the Senate a few days since. Mr. Crawford and Mr. M'Curdy favored the bill: and voted for it; Mr. voted in-.thc ne gative.* The bill to-establish a-systcm'of fr.oo bank ing,'.liaecd'ifpoiv’tho debts ot the State, which originated in the House, and passed that body I some days'ago, finally passed the Senate also bn Friday, with some immaterial amendments, in which tho House has concurred. - Messrs. Crawford‘and M’Curdy favorod'tho bill; Mr Power opposed it. AYc notice that a* number of our exchanges express the hope that the Governor will veto this bill of abominations, but wo fear their hopes will not bo realized; PkoF. Porter’s Lecture. —The last lecture of* the ■ course'’ for the benefit of- 1 the* Young Men's Christian Association: of out. t&wn, was delivered in the Gorman Reform Church, on Friday evening last, by Prof. Thomas C. Por ter; of'Lancaster. Ilia subject .was “The Dominion of Man over the Animal Creation.” Prof. P. is a gentleman of rare oratorical pow ers, and his lecture on this occasion afforded a rich intellectual treat to those present. AVc will 1 not attempt to give even an outline of his remarks, for wo fool that wo cannot do so without doing injustice to the eloquent spea ker, - Suffice it to say, his lecture, from first to last, was highly entertaining, and was. de livered in:a graceful and easy manner. Our. people, wo feel'satisfied, will ho ready at all times to give Professor Porter a warm wel come, and wo hope, therefore, the time is not distant when wo.shall again hear him. Adjournment. —The Legislature of Penn sylvania is about closing. It is well so; and it would have been bettor for the people, if it had never met, although to certain parties it has been the most accommodating of any pre vious session. While we aro writing this, the Senate-is about passing the Free Banking Bill, giving anybody,. singly;or in pairs, the privil ege of issuing ■notoeou a-Oapltal of fifty thou sand.. Wo ; aro afraid'dt is a bad bill,'- though not more so than the present system.' The issue of paper dollars should bo done away •with. It is a bad law that enables the rich man to make money off the needy, by com pelling him to use as a circulating medium, the.evidences of the rich man’s debts. .An. Infamous Measure Killed. —lp the State Senate, on Monday, the bill from the House, relative td the Police of Philadelphia, which had been vetoed by the Governor, was called up and negatived—yens 20, nays 11, two-thirds not voting in the affirmative. Eve ry Republican voted for the bill, and every Democrat against it. jjgy-Gov. Factor-has vetoed tho Philadel phia Police bill. It was passed by tho Oppo sition majority in tho Legislature, for the pur pose of perpetuating their power in Philadel phia through the police. It practically gives to the present Mayor, power to retain tho pre sent police force for a term of five years, and strips the Mayor to bo olectedin May, who is' sure to bea Democrat, of nil patronage. This desperate attempt to control tho next election. wo ore happy to say, has been so far frustra- ted by the interposition of the Executive veto. The Opposition in tho House have passed the •ijtSil 1 over-the head of the Governor. It cannot pass the Senate, if the Democrats are at their posts when duty calls, during tho remainder of the session. Excluding Mr. Nunofhachcr;- who is still detained at homo by illness, there ajre 11 Democratic Senators, who if they throw a-united vote, will leave the Opposition one short of tho requisite two-thirds. Jgy The Democrats of Kansas have sent delegates to Charleston instructed for Dou glas. . The proceedings were attended with much excitement.. t&T A.Constitutional Union party was or ganised at Boston on the -27th',nit. TOWN MATTERS. Our New Borodoh Officers—-The Ddtt ■fnEV Owe to oUr Citizens. —Now that our now Borough Officers have entered upon thoir duties, wo deem the present a proper time to refer to some of tho grievances of which our citizens complain. Our present officers, Chief Burgess, High Constable, and the AVard Con stables, are all good men, (wo mean no reflec tion upon the Into officers,) and will, wo feel satisfied, discharge their duties fearlessly and faithfully. Our good citizens too, as well as tho public press,- have duties to perform,-by pointing out nuisances and rowdyism to tho officers, and by rendering assistance when it becomes necessary. Unquestionably, Carlisle is rapidly earning a most unenviable reputa tion. It contains as many if not more rowdies than any town of tho same population wo know of. An unprotected lady is afraid to set her foot outside her door after dusk, from a dread of boing insulted by tho rabble who infest our streets and'block up the foot-walks. This is plie of tho nuisances of whiclvour peo- ple complain ; hilt, wo shall mehtiou others, and if, in doing so, wd tread upon tender corns, wo can’t help it. The public good must be consulted, and oiir citlzdns protected. False alahms of Fire.—-For tho last year or more, wo havciiad a set of Juvenile rascals in our town who amuse themselves after dark By starting false alarms of fire. Six or eight of them will have ari understanding, and place themselves at different corners, and then yell out “fire” at tho top of thoir voices. This brings out tho engines, and a race, and some times a fight takes place.. This may bo fun for the boys and for Irresppnsible youiig-mcn, but it is a most intolerable nuisance to all oth ers! The alarm of fire always carries terror and dismay to every good citizen, and to those who are languishing upon beds of sickness it has a most deleterious effect. ..Let our officers, then, bo on the look-out for the young repro bates who are guilty of this crying offense, and arrest and' punish them to the full extent of tho law.- Obstruction or the Street-crossings. Wo have noticed ourself, on a hundred or more occasions, early after dusk, ladies as woli a's gentlemen, who were compelled- to- step .into the street at different crossings, oh account of the number of yomigmt-n arid boys who occu pied them-for hours atadime;- -Tliis is anoth er nuisance that must is in vio lation of the Borough' ordinance' to block up the streets, and if the, young mcii and boys who thus offend are ignorant of tho’duties they owe to decency, our officers', must teach them. Selling Ale and other Drinks to Minors. Most of our citizens are aware that wo have dens in our town whore ale and strong drinks’ are-furnished to minors. This evil has'been felt by scores' of fathers and mothers. It is oho of the crimes that may be tSlaasifioJ as .devilish and villainous. By a little sharpness on the’ part of our officers these dens can, wo think,'bo forrited out,, and their keepers pun ished. The Crowd at the Depot.— On the arrival of, every train of cars the Depot is besciged by scores of idle boys,-black and white. They 1 i flock tberediko' buzzards, and completely, ob -1 struct'tbo'paasago from, the cars to the Depot.' j They annoy the passengers, the rail-road pffi -1 oers, and everybody, else-. ■ They have no busi -1 ness there whatever, and the sooner out Con stables turn their attention to these, idlers— , white boys and woolly-heads —the bettor. The Borough Ordinances.— There- are u number of Borough Ordinances which are very generally disregarded: "We believe there is an Ordinance prohibiting any one from hitching a horse to adrefr in thoborpugh : and yet on Market mornings,-a« vtell as af other times, scores of horses arc hrtoh'od to trees, and many of our beautiful lindens have been nearly (mined. Lot our officers enforce this Ordinance. Another Ordinance-forbids persons wheeling barrows or gp-carts on the pavements, but the •Ordinance is entirely unheeded. ■ Let it be en forced. • - But, wo have ■written more than'wo had in tended. Wo may, on a future occasion, refer to our town matters again; and it will always give us pleasure to speak in terms of,praise of our Borough police officers, provided they d.is .charge their arduous duties, and we feel sat isfied they will. JDSy'Gen. Doniphan, of Missouri, has hear tily joined the Democracy. 110 was an Old Line Whig. The. Platte Argus, which states the above fact, says, “ iln abler and a purer man cannot bo found in the State. Wo know the General—ho is a noble, brave, honest man -and- his - now- political associations will .strengthen those- excellent characteristics.— During our war with Mexico they used to call him -the- American -Xenophon." A Strong Party: —The Stack Republican Assembly of New York has passed a resolu tion providing for a Constitutional amendment to abolish the property qualification.of colored voters. The vote stood 70 to 3G—the Demo cratic members with five Republicans, consti tuting the minority.. Gii.v.—The search for Oil in Venango coun ty continues with all the activity the weather will permit, and every day wo hear of the growing prospects of those interested. With in a few days, a flattering “ show” of Oil has been found on the Two Milo Bun, and good judges pronounce it equal to any yet discov ered. . George 11. Martin, Esq., of Philadel phia, has sent a donation of §lOO to G. A. Hawley, tho marshal of tho shoemakers on a strike at Haverhill, Mass., to “ assist in sus taining tho white men .and white women of tho ‘Old Bay State’ in their struggle against their oppressors”—tho sympathizers with Southern slaves. Bgy- Thnddous Hyatt, tho contumacious witness at Washington, who has been put in prison because ho refuses to divulge what he knows concerning tho Harper’s Ferry raid, has tho head, phronologically speaking, of a lunatic, i. .o> a' low, receding forehead. Men with that kind of' bends, however, generally make capital Black Republicans. The State Senate; a-few days ago, passed a bill creating a now county out of parts of Clinton, Elk, Fritter and McKean, to bo called Cameron, WeS~ In tho town of Victoria, near Roches ter, last Friday a week, a. bey-named Ratliff, while running with a butchor.ktiifo, stumbled and fell, tho knife penetrating the chest, till ing him instantly. THE MASK THROWN OFF! AVo have, says, the Beading Gazette, all along charged that tho so-called Republican party was Abolitionism in disguise—that its immediate design—tfio,constant agitation of tho slavery question—and ultimate object the complete extinction of the institution of slavery in tho United States—were the same; and that it differed only from the open advo cates of Abolition, in that it was less candid and honest in tho avowal of Us sentiments. AVhnt is Mr. Seward’s declaration of an “irre pressible conflict” between the free and slave States, but a species of progressive Abolition ism, disguise it as he may with fine-spun phil osophical reflections, and carefully rounded rhetorical periods ? And what was tho John Brown invasion but thp logical effect of the Seward doctrine? . Although the Republicans have over and over again protested that they would not interfere with slavery where it now exists by authority of local law, yet he must bo blind indeed who docs not see that the ■ in evitable tendency of thoir course and teach- ings is to tho total abolition of slavery every where, and to tho litoral fulfilment of tho ob ject for which, it is alleged, the “irrepressible conflict” is being carried on. But if a doubt has lingered in tho mind of any one, as to tho Complete identity of Republicanism with Ab olitionism, tho proceedings in the House of Representatives, on Monday, last, will bo suf ficient to remove it. Mr. Blake, a Republi can member from Ohio, (with more zeal than discretion, his friends now say) introduced a resolution of which the following is a copy: AViiereas, The chatellizing of humanity and the holding of persons as property is contrary to natural justice and the fundamental principles of our political system, and is noto riously-a reproach to our country throughout the civilized world, and. a serious hindrance to the progress of republican liberty among tho nations of tho earth: Therefore, llesohied, That tho Committee on _ tho Ju diciary be, pnd the.snrne are hereby, instruct ed to inquire into tho expediency of reporting a bill giving freedom to every human being, and interdicting slavery wherever Congress lias the constitutional power to legislate on the subject.- This resolution, which appears to have been offered without previous consultation or no tice, took the house completely by surprise, as may well be supposed, and none were more anxious to avoid a direct vote upon it than Mr. Blake’s own party friends. But, after considerable confusion and excitement, a vote was ordered, and they were compelled to show their,hands. ’ the resolution was defeated— yeas GO, nays 109. The sixty who voted'for it, are all members of the. Republican party,- and among them stand their prominent lead ers, Grow, Sherman, Colfax, Burlingame, Hoard,-Farnsworth, the Washburns, Lovejoy, and others of that ilk. John Coyode, and se veral of his associates from Pennsylvania, “dodged," while Messrs. Morris, Millward, Hickman and Schwartz, well knowing that their constituents would not sustain a propo sition of so ultra a character, were frightened into voting no. The purport of, this resolu tion cannot be mistaken or misinterpreted. It is broad and sweeping in its terms, and looks to the absolute and unconditional abolition of 1 slavery throughout the'. United ’'States'.- ,Tlo\ out-and-out Abolitionist would havestaled his I case in more positive language. - And yet, 1 sixty Republican members of the' Jlousc. were found ready to endorse its extreme views, and sustain them by their votes!- Wo must re spect, their liffnesif, at least, oven while we condemn the aggressive, unwarrantable, and, ~ dangerous position they have taken. ' They have thrown aside thd'mask under which their orators and presses have endeavored- to hide the reblscntiments. of:the Republican party, and have unequivocally accepted the Aboli tionists’ platform and aims—the total extinc tion of slavery in the United Abies, by meas ures of aggression upon the South, without respect to rights of property which have been ] established and guaranteed by constitutional enactment and local law without, regard to the real good of the blacks; and at the. sacri fice oven of the system of government under which twenty-five millions of white freemen ate protected in the enjoyment of civil liberty and political rights,- Tho Bepublicana have made up their own record.- They cannot evade it by any sophistical explanations or apologies. 'There it stands—it speaks for it self—and by it, and it alone,'the- people"will judge them. Wo append a list of , the yeas and nays on Mr. Blake’s abolition resolution for present information and future reference: Yeas —Adams, Mass., Aldrich, Alley, Bing ham, Blair, Blake, Brayton, Buflinton, Bur lingame, Burroughs, Butterfield, Carey, Car ter, Colfax, Conkling, Curtis,' Delano, Duell, Edgerton, Edwards, Eliot, Ely, Farnsworth, Foster, Frank, Gooeh, Grow, Gurley, Hale, llolmick, Hoard, Humphrey, Hutchins, Kel logg, Mich., Leach, Mich.’, Leo, Lovejoy, McKean, Morrill, Olin, Palmer, Potter, Pot tle, Rico, Sedgwick, Sherman, Somes, Spaul ding, Spinner, Stewart, Pa., Tappan; Tomp kins, Train; Yandever, Waldron, Walton, Washburno, Wjs., Washburno, 111., Wells, Windom.—Total, 60. Kays—Allen, Anderson, Mo., Ashmore, Avery, BArksdale, -Barr, Barrett, Bocock, Bo lder, Boyce; Branch, Briggs, Bristow, Burch, Burnett, Campbell, Clark, Mo., Clopton, Cobb, John Cochrane; Cooper, Cox, Craig, Mo., Craigc, N. C„ Crawford, Curry; - Davis, Md., Davis, Ind., Davis, Miss-.,- Dojarnette-,- Dunn, Edmuudson,- Etheridge, Florence;' Poutko, French, Garnett, Gartrdl,- Gilmer, Hamilton, Hardeman, Harris, Md’/, Harrisp-Ya., Hatton, Hickman, Hill, Hindman; Holman,' Houston, Hughes, Jackson, Jenkins, Jones, Keitt, Ken yon, Kunkel, Lamar, Landrum, Leach, S.-C., Leake, Logan, Love, Mallory, Martin, Ohio, Martin, Va., HcKnight, McPherson, Mc- Queen, Mcßae, .Milos, ■ Millsori, ■ Mtllward, Montgomery, Moore,' Ky., Moore, Ala., Mor ris, Pa., Morris, 111., Niblaok, Nixon, Nooll, Phelps, Porter, Pryor, Pugh, Qiiirles, Rea gan, Riggs, Robinson, 111., Ruffin, Schwartz, Scott, Scranton, Simms, Singleton, Smith, Yn., Stallworth, Stevenson, Steward, Md., Stokes, Taylor, Thayer, Thomas, Trimble; Un derwood, VaLandigham, Whitoly, AVinslow, Woodson, and 'Wright. —Total, 109. It will bo seen that the “beauty” who mis represents this District, Sir. Juxkin, was among the dodgers. Como, Ben, stand up to the work of your party—be a man, or a monkey, or a long tailed rat. All your dod ges will not save you. USS“ The Alabama Legislature has passed a law compelling Northern insurance companies to pay §5OO to each town in the State in which ■they effect insurance. It amounts to a prohi- bition—an effect of tho anti-slavery war upon the South. . Cuttings for grafting.grapos should be cut now, and grafted when the vines are in bud. Cherries should also bo outthis month. Appropriation BUR Bill has been I House by the Committee of (ns. The following is an ab- Itcnta: Tie The General/ reported to the] Ways and Meql street of its oonl Governor and H , partmonts, ■ 1 State Departme] Auditor Qenero mont, „ 1 Surveyor Qoneri [ends of Do - $lB,OOO ,t ' ■ ,0.' 95 ° \’b Depart- 0(000 ■ ogsO ment, ' W School Departmed Treasury Departnj Attorney Generali Expenses of thej ent, i Clork, Lo ° 150,000 30,000 700 2,600 3,000. 21,200 ture, % Printing, J Distribution of thfc Laws, Water and Gas,~B'* Contingent FundM. Supreme Court, £ District Court- of IPhiladol-. phia, J Courts in Allegheny, Courts.of Common Pleas, Associate Judges, Interest on Public Debt, Guaranty Interest, Common Schools^. Pensions, .>* Eastern ■ Western Penitentiary, . ' Philadelphia House of Rof- •uge, Pittsburg House of Refuge, State Lunatic Hospital, AV'caternSsllospltal, Pitts-. burg, Blind Asylum, Deaf and Dumb, Idiotic School, Northern Home, Other Charities, Total, MEXICO. The nows from Mexico is of an exciting ■ character.- General Miramon completed his battery on the Medano del Eerro, on the mor ,ning of the' 13th dlt. It consisted of some twenty gups of small calibre', and was about two and a half miles from the city. A little after midday the. enemy opened fire upon the oity. Many of^the shells at first fell short, but as the day progressed, all reached their destination. ~'But very little damage, howev er, was done in the city. The raw hides spread on, the roofs protected the houses, while in the streets, the sheila were intercep ted by barricades of sand bags. The batter ies wore worked with great energy and-skill, and during all the day .and greater part of the following night the bombardment was kept up incessantly. The firing was also re turned with spirit from the oity and the whole range of sand forts, comprising the outer line of works. " The new long range Queen Bess gang—the newly erected sand fort, be . tween the barracks and cemetery—did .par ticular execution. - Before the bombardment commenced the detachment of troops sent by Miramon to Alvarado were recalled, to take part in the assault in case a breach was made. They •made their appearance before the city on the 'morning of the 14th of last month, just after the "firing hail ceased. In the meantime a detachment of troops from the liberal army ipA Ijoetf Mttt outside'.' the city to nitorcopt them!- Thoy'mijt'Bomo distance to the South of the cemetery, vjSveu a spirited engagement took place,-in -which the’ advancing enemy was completely’routed and driven hack.- too junction with the main army, except by in dividual fugitives, was made. The engagement took place at ah early hour in the mOrtilng, Miramon, soon after, sent into the city a flag’of truce, asking a sus pension of hostilities. A letter from the city of Mexico, dated the 17th" ult., after stating that the city of Zacatecas had fallen into the hands of the Constitutionalists, says: It appeals that the clergy forces had moved, out from the city to attack Ortega. They had not-been gone hut a few hours, when the pop ulace rose against the small garrison, and in a few hours more the soldiers were actually stoned to death.- The populace then proceed ed to destroy the municipal palace, and kill the members of the ayuntanie-iuto found in it. Several houses, owned by 1 pOrsonh leaning to the clergy 1 side-,- were, also destroyed. • The populace then moved upon the churches, breaking-dowri-the doors and dragging out the priests and killing them like dogs,- The scene of riot and ruin continued until Ortega had got’the better of the clergy forces, and moved into the city, when of course order whs estab lished. • The bombardment of Vera Cniz waii contin ued till-the morning of the 17th, when Mira mob attackcd'lhe city ; but after half an hour’s combat his force was repulsed, with consider able loss.- The women aftd'children to ,th,e number of five’bundred, sought refuge.in the . castle during the attack. • The bombardment . was resumed on.tho same day, with renewed . vigor, doing much damage. -, One bomb burst in the American Consulate, which seemed ‘ to be the especial mark for Miramon. . . Another assault was attempted on the night . of the 18th, but was quickly repulsed. , Gen. Caravajal’s force had captured, near . Jalapa, a convoy of. fifteen wagons,' loaded ■ with munitions and provisions,'and containing . §24,000 iii specie, destined for Miramon’s , army. The guard, consisting of seven hun , fired men, was dispersed. ! Miramon raised the siege on the 21st, and , withdrew towards the Capitol. . After the capture of Marin’s steamers, Mir , amort sent a decree to the Capitol, confiscating , all American property, and ordering that al , Americans shall bo sent out of the country. Philadelphia' Nominations. —The Demo cratic City Convention of Philadelphia, has placed in -nomination, l for the May election, John o.' KMler, of the-Fifteenth Ward, for Receiver of Tokos ; J6hn B. Downing, of the Ninth Ward, for City Controller; Henry M. Deehert, of tho Twenty-fourth Ward, for City Solicitor; and Him.' John Bobbins, Jr., of tho Eighteenth Ward, for Mayor. - Mr. Robbins was nominated on the first ballot,' by a vote of over four-fifths of tho whole Convention'; and the* nomination was afterwards made unani mous, amid groat enthusiasm. • The' Demo crats aro sanguine of electing their candidates. Tile Opposition have ro-nomirtated' Alexan der Henry, for Mayor.. Thoir other candi dates aro: George W. Hufty, for City Con troller ; William P. Hamm, for Receiver of Taxes; Charles B, Lex, fpr City Solicitor; and' J. A. Houseman, for City Commissioner-- BSS“ Hon. Edward Bates, who is now the most prominent candidate for tho Republican nomination for the Presidency, is a native of Virginia, is in his 07th year, and the father of seventeen children. Tenement House CasuautV;’ —ln New York, on Wednesday, another tenomenfrhouso was burned, causing thedefrthof ten pertoab, mostly children. Some of those'who- escaped wore compelled to leap from tho fourOfstbry windows. ► PRESIDENT’S SPECIAL MESSAGE. Wo publish below the President's Mes sage to the House of Representatives upontbo subject of the Covobe Investigating Commit It will bo remembered that Mr. John Co vodo, as also Mr. John Hickman, of.lonnsyl- Vania. Mr. John B. Haskins, of Now York, and Mr. Adrian, of. Now Jersey, one and all, fooling that their course upon tho election ot Speaker of tho House was looked upon by the whole country ns treacherous and unfaithtu , for tho purpose of attracting attention from themselves, made vaguo and indefinite charges against Mr. Buchanan, upon tho plan of tho pursued rogue that raised the cry of “stop thief!” r , . . ~ Every member of the Hpijao know, from tho political life of Mr. Buchanan, in winch ho had filled,’ in tho course of a long senes of years, every position in the Government, from tho lowest to tho highest, with distinguished honor to himself and to tho advantage and credit of his Government, that ho.was the last man in God’s creation to be approached or to approach another corruptly, and, consequent ly, they repelled, those charges with tho indig nation and contempt which they properly' merited. , - 6,460 6,500 ■ 800 i6;soo 10,200 55.000 25.000 1,960,000 •3,517 280,000 10,000 12,800 10,150 25.000 15.000 20.000 Finding themselves in this unpleasant po sition, and aware.that they wore looked upon by tho whole country as base and unprinci pled calumniators, it became necessary for these men to put on a bold front, and to pre sent to the country a seeming belief in their haso falsehoods. For this purpose, after the organization of tho House, Mr. John Covodc, who was one of the leading ■ authors of the charges, moved for an Investigating Commit tee, which was carried, and the Black Repub lican Speaker, Mr. Pennington, appointing a committee to suit, placed Mr. Covodo, the ac cuser, as the Chairman, or Judge, upon the truth or falsehood of his own charges. 1 ■ 30.000 22.000 23.000 10.000 "5,000 5.000 §2,80,8317 This committee, with all the zeal and with all the determination to sustain, in some pos sible shape, at least, by. implication,, the charges made, which would reflect credit up-' on a “ Holy Inquisition” of past ages, have been tor .some time (t iu the full tide of suc cessful exporimeht." The President, not in behalf of himself, (for he courts investigation in the fullest and broadest' mannbr, 'when properly made,) but with the'view of arresting at once thishiglily outrageous 1 ihshlt up6ri the Chief Magistracy, and preventing-this mode of action from be-- coming a precedent by-which fiiturc Presi dents may bo annoyed, insulted, slandered, and -degraded, before the eyes of the citizens of these United States and theworld,‘has sent this message to'tire'ifousC;* ■ , /The defence iof the rights and dignity of the office of the Chief Magistrate was * eminently ■proper at-this time, and will tend to hip.in '.the-bud this evil system of legislative slander,' which gives consecpicnce to vague and .un substantial charges, byappointing committees of investigation. The document itself,‘like everything that emanates'from the pen of that distinguished man, is.marked with unsurpassed ability. It has become almost onoof the “institu tions” of this country) to abuse; slander, and, if possible, bring todisevedit the ChicfMagis [ trate*- Every President, -since the days of "VVash ington.-has be’eii fillified and attacked, and, as is'to be 'expected, the vpry best men. have been those who were most abused. Jefferson, Jackson, and now Buchanan, have each in turn been the subjebfs of the’most envenomed malice ; but, in this last lustabbe,-As-in all the others, “ the shafts of malice wift ’fall hurtless at his feet.”. To the Housc of RtprcsoniaUi'cs 'i After a delay which has afforded me nbiplo time for reflection, and after much and ciiroful deliberation, I find myself constrained by an imperious sense of duty, as a 00-ordiuato branch of the Federal Government, to protest against the first, two clauses of the first resolution adopted by the House of Representatives, on the sth instant, and published in the Congres sional Globe on the succeeding day. These , clauses are in the following words: ‘ ’ Resolved 'that a committee of .five members be appoint ed by the Speaker, for the purpose (first) of investigating whether the President of the United States, or any other officer of the Gov crnment r baa, by money, patronage or .other improper nrcaus, sought to influence the ac tion of Congress,‘or any committee there of, for or against the. passage of any law ap pertaining to the rights of any State or Terri tory: (and; 2d,) “ also, to-iuquire- into and in vestigate whether any officer or officers of thq, Government have, by combination or other wise, prevented.or defeated, or attempted to prevent or defeat, the execution of any law or laws npw upon the statute book, and whether the President has failed or refused to compel the execution of any law thereof.” ■i I- confine myself exclusively to those two branches of the resolution; because the por tions'of it which follow relate'to alleged abuses in post-offices;-navy-yards, public buildings, and other pubjio works of the United States. In such eases inquiries are highly proper in themselves, and belong equally to the Senate and the House, as incident to their legislative duties, and being, necessary to enabledlicm to discover and to provide'the appropriate legis lative remedies tor any abuses which may be ascertained. Although the terms'of tho lat ter portion of; tho resolution aro extremely vague and general, yet my solo purpose in ad verting to them at present is to mark tho broad lind of distinction between the accusa tory and the remedial clauses of this resolu tion. Tho House of Representatives possess no power under tho Constitution over the first or accusatory portion of the- resolution, except as an impeaching body; whilst over the' last, in common with the Senate, their authority as a legislative body is fully and cheerfully ad mitted. It is solely in reference to the first or im peaching power that, I propose to make a few observations. Except in this single case, the Constitution has invested tho House of Repre sentatives with no power, ho jurisdiction, no supremacy whatever over tho President. . In all other respects he is quite as independent of thorn as they aro of him. As a co-ordinate branch of tho Government, ho is their equal. Indeed, ho is only the direct representative eii earth of tho people of all and each of tho sov ereign States. To them, and to them alone, is ho responsible whilst acting within tho sphere of his constitutional duty; and not in any manner to tho House ofßeprcsontativcs. The people have thought proper to invest him with the most honorable, responsible and dignified office in tho world; and the individual, howev er unworthy.; now holding this exalted posi tion, will take care, so far as in him lies, that their-rights and prerogatives shall never bo violated in his person; but shall .pass to his successors unimpaired by tho adoption of a dangerous precedent. He will defend them to the last extremity against any unoonstitution al attempt, comeffrom what quarter it may, to abridge the constitutional rights of the Exec utive, and render him subservient to any hu man power except themselves. • J The people have-not ’confined the President to the exercise of executive duties. They have also conferred upon him a X houses In bis legislative capacity, ho might" n common wlt!i the Senate and Houscf institute an inquiry to any facts which ought to influence his judgment in •ttsSSi v& « legislative duties between the co-ordinate bran ches of the Government ought to inspire the conduct of all of them, in their relations to wards each other, with Mutual forbcamnoe »md rcsncct. At least each has a light toue mand justice from the other, The .cause °, complaint is that the constitutional rights and immunities of the Executive have boon viola ted in the person of the President. The trial of an impeachment of the Pi® 3l dent before the Senate on charges preferred and prosecuted against him by the " OUB ° ° Keprosontativcs would bo an imposing sp - ■ ole tor the'world. In the result not only his removal from the, presidential.office would be involved, but, what is of infinitely groaler portance to himself, his character, both in the j eyes of the present and of future generations, might possibly bo tarnished. A 0 dl8 6"l c0 oast upon him would in some degree be reflec tod upon the character of the American people who elected him. Hence the precautions adopted by the Constitution to secure a lair - trial. On such a trial it declares that the Chief Justice shall preside." This was doubt less because the framers of the Constitution believed it to be possible that the Vico I resi dent .might bo-biased by the fact that, in case of the removal of the President from of fice,” “ the same shall devolve upon the V ice President.” • _ The preliminary proceedings in the House, in the case of charges which may involve im peachment have been well and wisely settled by long practice upon principles of equal jus tice both to the'accused and to the people. — The precedent established in the case of J udge Peck, of Missouri, in 1831, after a; careful re view of all former precedents, will, I venture to predict, stand the test of time. In that case Luke Edward Lawless, the accuser, presented a petition to the House, in which he sot forth minutely and specifically his causes of com plaint. He prayed that “the conduct and proceedings in this behalf of said J udge Peck may be inquired into by your honorable bo dy, and such decision made thereon as to your wisdom and justice shall seem proper.” This petition was referred to the Judiciary Committee. Such has ever been deemed the appropriate committee to make similar inves tigations. Itiaastaudingcomniittcesupposod to be appointed without reference to any spe cial case, and at all times is presumed to be composed of the most eminent lawyers in the House from different of the Union, whoso acquaintance with judicial proceedings and whose habits of investigation qualify them peculiarly for. the task. No tribunal, from their position and character, could, in the na ture of things,bo more impartial., luthccaso of Judge Peck the witnesses were .selected by the committee itself, with a.view to ascertain the truth of the charge. They were cross-ex amined by him, and everything was. conduc ted in such a manner as to afford him no rea sonable cause of complaint. In view of this precedent, and, what is of far greater'importance, in view of the Consti tution and thd principles of eternal justice, in what manner has the. President, of the United States beeq treated by the House of Repre sentatives?'. Mr. John Covode, a representa tive from Pennsylvania, is the accuser of the President. : Instead of following the wise pre cedents of fonno'r .times, and especially that in i the eaWbf Judge Peek, and referring the ac -1 cusation to the Committee on the Judiciary, \ the Housb have ; made my accuser one pf mi sjudges. ■ uh' .. To make the accuser the judge is a violation' of the principles of universal justice,, and is condemned bp thf/ practice oi -CU civilized na tions. Every fijeoman must revolt at such a ! spectacle. lam to appear before Mr. Covode, either personally or by a substitute,'to;cross examine the witnesses which lie may produce before himself to sustain bis ownfhdehsations against me; and perhaps even-this poor boon may be’denied to the President. And what is the nature of tbo iuvestigafion which his resolution proposes to institute?— It is as vague and, general as tlio English lan guage affords words in which to make it.—' Thff committee is to require, not into any (spe cific charge or charges, brft Whether the Pres ident has, by “ money, patronage, or other im proper means, sought to influence/’ net the action of any individual member or.members of Congress, but “ the action” ,of the entire' body “-of'Congress’? itself, “or any committee, thereof.” The President might have had some glimmering of the nature of the-offence to bo investigated had his accuser pointed to the act or acts of Congress which he sought to pass or to defeat by the employment of “ money,, patronage,' or other improper, means." But the accusation is , boiijidcd, by no such limits. It extends to the whole circle of legislation; to interference “ for or against the passage of any law appertaining to the rights of any State or Territory.!’ And what law doss jwt appertain to the rights of some Stale brT'er ritory? And what law or laws has the Pres ident failed to. execute? Those might easily have been pointed out had any sn'ch existed. Had Mr. Lawless asked an inquiry to be made by the House whether Judge Peck, in general terms, had not violated his judicial duties,-without the specification of any par ticular act, I do not believe there would have i beona single-VCto in- that body'in favor of the inquiry. Since the-time of the Star Chamber and of general warrants there has bben no such' pro ceeding in England. The House of Representatives, the high im peaching power of the country, without con senting to hoar a word of explanation, have endorsed this accusation against; the' Presi dent, and made it their own act./ They even refused to permit a member to inquire of the President’s accuser what were the specific charges against him. Thus in this prelimi nary accusation, of “ high crimes and misde meanors” against a cor-ordinate branch of the Government, under the impeaching power, the House refused to hear a single suggestion even in regard to the correct .mode of procee ding ; but, without a moment’s delay, passed the accusatory resolutions under the pressure of the previous question. In the. institution'of a prosecution for any offence against the most humble citizen—and I claim for myself no greater rights than lie enjoys—the Constitution of the United States and of the several States require that he shall bo informed, in the very beginning, of the na ture and cause of the accusation against him, in order to enable him to prepare for his de fence. There are other principles, which I might enumerate, not less sacred, presenting an impenetrable shield to protect every citi zen falsely charged with a criminal offence.— Those have been violated in the prosecution instituted by the House of Representatives against the Executive branch of the* Govern-- ment. Shall the President alone'lie'-deprived of the protection of these great principles which prevail in every land where- a ray of liberty penetrates the gloom of despotism; ? Shall the Executive slope be deprived of rights which all .his follow-oitizons enjoy ? The whole jrrooeoding against him justifies the fears ofAhoao wise and great men who before the Constitution was adopted by the States, apprehended;that the tendency of the Government was- to the aggrandizement of the Legislative- a*' the expense of the Execu tive and Judicial Departments. I again declttfe, emphatically, that I make tins protest for no reason personal to myself anffl do it with perfect respect for the House ot Representatives, in which I had the honor of serving ns a member for five successive toms, I'havo lived long in this goodly land, and .have enjoyed nil the offices and honoris which my country could bestow. Amid- all tho political storms through which X hat-a ■ Eassod, tho present is the first attempt which ■' os over been made,.to my knowledge, to as- • soil my personal or official integrity; and thi B ! as tho time is approaching when I shall vol. | untarily retire from the services of my conn- f try. I fuel proudly conscious that there is public-act of my life which will not bear tho ; strictest scrutiny. I defy all g Nothing but the basest perjury can sully my p fiod name/ Ido not fear oven this ; becauso cherish on humble confidence , that tho gra* i' oious Being who lias hitherto defended and protected mo against tho shafts of falsehood i and malice will not desert mo now, when I fi have become “ old and gray-headed.” I cmi f declare before God and my country that no I human being (with an exception scarcely wor- | thy of notice) has at any period ..of my lift | dared to .approach mo with a, corrupt or dis- I honorable proposition; and, until recent do- I velopments, it had never entered into my l m . P‘ agination that any per Son, oven in tho storm f o? exasperated political excitement, would b charge me, in the most remote degree, with ' having made such a proposition to any human being. I may now,.however, exclaim, in the language of complaint employed by my first and greatest' predecessor, that I have been ' abused “in such. exaggerated and indecent i terms as could sc'arcelyTie applied to a Nero, to a notorious defaulter,' or oven to a common [ pickpocket.” -.- I do, therefore, for the reasons stated, and in the nemo of tho people of the several States, - solemnly protest against these proceedings tf ; the House of Uepresentativos; because th»y ; are in violation of the rights of tho.co-ordinati fe i Executive branch of the Government and sub- '> versive of its constitutional independence; bt- ■ ■ cause they are calculated to foster a band ot interested parasites and informers, over rea dy, for their own advantage, to swear before. ex parte committees to protended private con versations between tho President and.them- . solves, incapable, from their nature, of being b disproved; thus furnishing material for bar- r.. rassing him,degrading him in the eyes of the 1., country, and eventually, should he bo a weak ; or a timid man, rendering him subservient to improper influences, in order to avoid such persecutions and annoyances; because they ! tend to destroy Unit harmonious action for tho j, common good, which ought to be maintained | and which I sincerely desire to cherish, be- i tween co-ordinntc branches of the Govern-1 moot; and finally, because, if unresisted, they ;: Would establish a precedent dangerous und 1 embarrassing to all my successors, to wlmtcv- I cr political party they might be attached. 1 . JAMES BUCHANAN. '[ XVxsniKOTox, March 28, 1860. ; ! A Charge; AnAsnpj. - kD.=-It will be remora 4 bored that at the close of the Congressional canvass of 1853, the Republican presses wore loud in their charges that the re-election of the Hon. Thomas B. Florcncd ( m the first Congressional District of Philadelphia) bad been secured by “the most outrageous frauds." Notice was given that his scat would be cou 4 tested by Mr. John W. Ryan, his defeated competitor; and the prediction was confident 1 ly made, that Col. Florence would be ousted, Now, that tho time hits come for proving these charges, and making good their boastful pre diction, what dp we sod and hear? . A core plcte and humiliating retraction of them alll Mr. Ryan himself is compelled to answer iui morons inquiries of his own friends, by a pub lic confession that “after an industrious and patient investigation of the many rumors that reached him of alleged frauds, he was unable j to obtain a.sufficient amount of legal tcattaio-; ny to .prove that he bad a majority of votes." j •Thus is exploded another of the many mot- ! strous allegations of fraud agaiust the Demo jOratie party, which 1 unscrupulous Qcppjitiot; (journals aro in the consf&t practice of mUßiig. ; Curtin Caving in I— A. G. Curtin, tl;o “ Republican" candidate for Governor begins to feel the cold chills running over him alrca- 1 dy. Even the large mooting of his friends in Philadelphia, which, by .the way, was a spirit' Jess affaSr in comparison With the Domfocratit demonstration that* 1 immediately followed tin nomination of General Foster, did not serve b warm him intothd belief that his prospect!; were of the inost flattering kind. Ho evident; ly heard and saw enough in Philadelphia! let frighten him thoroughly, for the next web(*| of him is in Washington where he warns hi! t Republican friends agains't-the nomination of Seward, and predicts that should the author J of the irrepressible conflict be - chosen ad (he Republican candidate; defeat is inevitable iu \ Pennsylvania'.! j s Curtin'S fears arc well founded. A Sew-- ardite dooms him to defeat; while any but s Sewardito kills his party elsoWlierot' TheK; publican parly fins got the nfoif fiy the can; and to cither hold on or let go, ie cfertainly fatal. . . The Union. —“ The Union is "glorious only when the constitution is preserved inviolate* Igo fdi v the Union, but what is'the tlW* Worth unless the constitution is preserved ninil maintained rn all its provisions ? I have no inith in the Union loving ecu timcnts'of'those who will not carry out thffconstiWtioh’ifl'gtW faith, as our fathers made it. Professions oil fidelity to the Union will be taken for uaugW| i unless they are accompanied wfth“6b6dieuw| to the constitution upon which thC’ Unisf rests,"— Reply of Senator" Dodgtas Seward, R, .AiLttoXiV Train BViinsJd'.— Tiny oar and two passenger cars of Monday irigto' Wcst&’irfrsiil' ort the Pennsylvania; Kailrm were'bttfngd rtt tfcejiventfo Btovo Yard, fe Philiidelphia, about 10} o'clock. The cs* ; of the disaster was the breaking of' an m*' All, the passengers escaped without serio° in?ury, and reached the city by the passong# railways. j U. S. District Attorneys—lt is despatches from Washington, that the Vr&i -’t dent has appointed George M.-'W’harton, Esq- ■ o of Philadelphia, U. S. District Attorney f«' t the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, in | of James G, Vandyke, Esq. 1 PbPwtA#»io»W Chicago,—The vote cast* 1 the late municipal election in Chicago®* 1 18,818 —the largest ever given.- Estimadt! the ratio votes to the entire population of tb* J 150,544. O’ Judge Stump, of the Baltimore cri®- 1 j nal court, has been removed from office by dj , Maryland-Legislature, for drunkenness a*, inoffieiency, and the Governor has appoW i. Hugh L. Bond, Esq;,-, to fill the vacancy- 0“ The; mayor of Pittsburg has dooi that the prize'system adopted by the stores is a-violution of the lottery act. ttl7“ A man nfcraed Boatright was r ccen ; married in Cooper county,,-Mo.,' to his l eDl wife 1 suckers, in groat q®** tioa,. are'caught in the Susquehanna. , O* The 'widow of Morgan, of onti-M®** 1 ' v notoriety,-died lately in Memphis, Tc® 0, I
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