o'clock.
It had been hurriedly called, hutiree
. .
a large one, and a firm and I..esl4ute
spirit was manifested.
S. N. Wood,
,gsq., was called to the
choir. A gentlepian present, Mr. J.
B. Abbott, was called on to state tli3
objects nfile meeting. He spoke of
the jnurder, of thopeating at Hickory
day before, the violent
arrebt of Mr. Branson t one of tho most
peaceable citizens of the Comity . ; of
the rescue :Ind the necessity of pro
.
tecting ranson, and ale& of de-
hndiu~ li f e poimpttnity front attacks
made ji~ion it. Theso men - had sent
tliitsputch to Governor Shannon, and
11.areatened that a large force, chiefly
Nit,k)utians,would be here to effect
a recapture
I.lr,l3lanson him - self being present
was riaikti on. He is a Man of forty
or•tifty ;' u *quiet, respectable-looking
fderner. 110 spoke simply and briefly.
Hu said that the deceased person who
had heep shot boarded with him; that
nieeting of the citizOns the day he
tom had first convened at his house,
.und had then proceeded to the spot
where aow had been murdered. That
he had attended that meeting and re-
turned holm when it broke up, and
retired to bed at the usual hour. About
.9 o'clock VFW awakened by some
kind of noise, and immediately asked
Who is there 1" The reply_was "A
fiiena." He responded, "Come in,"
when the door was driven open, and,
immedtately the house was filled with
a. and mtfu. He wai undressed and
t i:Ito the middle of the floor,
when Mr, Jones, PoLtma.,ter of West
port, who had been elected Sheriff of
Doggies County by the bogus Legis
lature, presented a pistol at his breast
and exclaimed, "You are my prisoner."
They then ordered him to put on
his elethe:i immediately. He respond
ed, this ho hoped they wouldn't hurry
him, but Jones and some of the others
replied that " they would"—that he
must " come immediately," or they
wuulll blow him to !" lie har
ried on his clothes as fast as he could,
when they took him and put him on a
mule and started off, leaving hiS family
in distress and anxiety. There was
unoth ! ..r man about the house, who
malted and gave the alarm after they
left. FroM his house ;..tr. Branson
stated his captors did not follow Et
direct eurse, but rode round _past
severed houses. He asked one of the
n; en who was close to him what he
had been taken for? The man replied,
" Oh, it was only a peace warrant."
He afterwards asked Jones what he
was taken 'fur? Jones said, "Oh, just
a peace warrant—but we had no fun.
We expected to have seen those sixty
men that were there to-day 7r we have
had 1,1 fun."
This, hq said, was the talk of all of
them as they came along; they were
boasting of what they would have
done, am';lyishing they Gould have met
his friend:. As they approached the
houso, of a Mr. Abbott, they triet the
company of men, fifteen _in number,
(exactly the same as Jones's party,)
who had been apprised of his abdue 7
ties, an I had come out to rescue him,
having apprehensions that his life was.
in danger. This company was planted
across the - read; Jones's party halted.'
.S thi!T !;
e i e near. voice from his I
ftieinfs requested Branstin to come out
mid join them ; a voice from the Jones
( -,0 1 .-•+any said they would shoot him if
L lere wag a clicking of the
lucks—Western on one side, and
Sharp's t~i!les
oaf the other, And both
pm ties I cveled their pieces. Mr. Bra? -
son rode his mule out from among the
; ,arty who had taken him, and, stop-,
lag between the parties, asked what lie,
would do with the mule. A voice
from - his friends said "Let him go."
Ito !disoriented, and a man stepped
from the ranks , of the Free State party
and gave the mule a kick,driving him
back to the opposite party. These
Later commenced to curse and threaten.
Tito Free State men did nut say much,
and stwi,e3d determined to let their
opprinents make the first attack. This
thei latter did not appear to Tedsh, and
kelid threuteuing, the would-bo ,Sheriff
dechiring that Governor Shannon had
promised that they should have.ten
thousand men to enforce the laws . of
their Legislature, and that they would
let them see. His party, however,
retreated, and sent messengers to
Governer Shannon for a military force,
• - stile the Free-State men wheeled
about ur.d marched to Lawrence ,
_ _ .
Most of - them lived abqut the Wauka
rsa, but-they wei) . ,t,to-.Lawrence to
organizo a tleciiiase 'against their'eue
mies. kfr,titnsoli - Btatea thht ho - l4aA
beep requested by. some friepfla ; to .
litake Lawrence and secret himself or
fly. so that no one 3votild have even
the setnblance of an excuse for iittack
lug Laws mice. Ho said he did not
wish to invol've any of his friend and
if it was the - will °fp majetiti he
would go,lut he did notvvant to leave
his wife, his family and property were
there unprotected, and he could go
home, even if they should murder him,
as they had done his friend Dow.
His remarks, which were rather a
simple and plain narrative, • than. .a
speech, had a profound 'effect ; and
when ho spoke of leaving, there were
loud cries of '!No, no!'
G. P. Lowry, Esq., Lite secretary
of Governor, Reeder, 'iose and propos
-ed that a committee of ten should be
elected to cooperate }vith the militia
companies that be understood Were
organized for the. mutual defense of
all. k 1 r. Lowry said he had` hitherto
taken no part in the matter, but from
the aspect of affairs the time had come
when it }vas incumbent on every one
to act. lie wished no irregular' pro
ceedings taken, and merely proposed
this committee, and the organization
they should perfect, as a measure of
. defense, not of aggi ession. He thought
the interests and security of every . one
was involved, and that it would be
irrational and improper for any to
Staml back. The gentleman's remark;
Were well received, and bie proposi
- lion immediately adopted.
THE PEOPLE'S JOURNAL.
JOHN S. MANN, EDITOR.
PA.,
THURSDAY MORNING, DEC. 20, 1855
12ir Remember the concert . this
(Thursday) evening, at the Methodist
church, by the little girls, under the
direction of. Mrs. Shaw. The pro
ceeds of this concert, are to beappli
ecl to the purchase of lamps and other
needed furniture for the church . . Let
a generous spirit fill the house.
Admission twenty-five
,cents--Child -
ren half price. -
U'• Our friends who can 01111111mi
cate an item of news, are urgently
requested to du so, as that is the life
of a country newspaper•.
I air We hope no farmer will 'cease
his efforts to improve his condition
b,epatise winter has sot in. There are
many kinds of necessary work, which
can better be done iu winter than
Su mrnor.
rir " The pistrict School under the
charge of H. J. Olmsted, is well or
ganized, and in good condition. The
exercises are .conducted with spirit
by the pupils, which ,is evidence that
the teacher is doing his duty, -
The Montrose Independent is a
good paper. We read it with tittefi!
tion and gredt pleasure, as often as
.received, which is about once in four
\Vhat is the matter, Messrs.
of the Independent 1 Do you-exchange
with us or not ?
Sleighs commenced running
quite - briskly last week, which gave
the town a lively appearance. The.
weather was just:Foul enough for com
fort, and every boat seemed delighted,
especially the chiltlran, who kept their
little sleds going witlj great glee from
daylight till bed time.
tilr The organs'-of Pierce Democ
racy, oven in the free States, sympa
thize with tile border ruffians of Mis
gnuri. Hence their alacrity to charge
origin of the troubles in Kansas
upon the . Free, State men. That the
wish v(as father' to the thought, in this
matter, is tip - Parent to the dullest
reader.
rr The Intlependext ( I ,f Wil
liamsport, is sent to us semi-occasion -
ally. As the Gazette of the same
glace comes regularly we ask for an
eplanation: If the Press did not come
at all, we should knOw what to depend
on, but these irregular and • far be
tween visits - are - not ;be. thing among
friends. -
LY7' We regret that Mr. Mather has
ceased to supply the town with fresh
moat. • The iiext time a butcher com-
mencos here; we hope out citizens
will feel the need of one sufficiently
to give him a support, - We find it a
great inconvenience tp he deprived of
the regular Visits of a go'o . d butcher
like Mr. Mather.
t The Tribune's Correspondence
fre* Kansas, on the first •,page,"ii; of
thrilling Interest. It giies . graphic
. a
and detailed account of the origin of
the civil traria that, Territory', which
is the legitimate &pit 9f the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise, and the
reign of "squatter sovereignty?' Wai
ever a villainetis humbug more effect
ually exploded
17; e —• •
• 129* The Academy is moving off in.
grand style. The building h as been
improved and made more comforttlble
Mr. Hendrick is up to the recom
mendation of his friends, and the stu
dents are full of life and energy. The
school was never in hotter condition
than at the present time. Keep the
ball in motion.
Er The snow will doubtless put an
end te:the.search fin• coal and iron in
this, county, until spring, which we
regret, as many favorable' indications
kayo been found, and the spirit of .our
people was up for action. In the
aping, we fear, other duties will . en
gage their attention, and considerable
time.will elapse before any progress
will be made.. But we- feel confident
that our empty is rich in mineral re-
sources
• rir Do
.our friends roaliz,o that the
loss of our publisher very much in
creases the expenses of the office ?
little activity on the part of.each friend
of the Journal, in procuring new sub
scribers, and in inducing old ones to
renew their subscriptions promptly at
tbeend of the year, would soon relieve
us from all care of the publishing de
partment. Have we not a right to:ask
this 1 Can we afore to give more
than our services to the paper? -
ar Congress had not organized on
Friday last. The Republicans stand
firm for Banks, and will elect him
speaker.
" A favor well bestowed, is al
most as great an honor to him who
confers it, as to him who receivesit."
TEA EEPII3LICAN MOVEMENT
Important accessions are constantly
made to the only party which makes
opposition to slavery extension the
first plank in its platform. Francis
P. Blair, editor of the Washington
Glohe While it was tlio organ of Gen.
Jackson, has lately written 4 roost 'im
portant letter in which ho endorses.
the Republican movement. Mr. Blair
has always lived in a slave State, and
therefore his letter will exert a strong
influence. We have not room fin• the
whole of it, but the following extract
knocks the bottom nut of the "squatter
sovereignty " argument :
"GENTLEMEN: Having relinquished
political employment, and to avoid en
couthering again its anxieties, addict
ed myself to country life, I am con
strained to decline your invitation to
join the Republican Association of
Washington City, although
"tempted
bY the honor of lit:coming its presiding
officer. Yeti feel it my duty to say
that in the main I concur in the aims
of the Association. To exclude Slave
ry from the Territories of the United
States, and to rebuke the violation of
the Compromises which were made to
stand as covenants between the slave
' and the. free States to effect that ex
elution, are, in my opinion, the must
important movements which }MEI en
gaged the public mind since the Rev-.
elution,
" The extension of slavery over the
new Territories, would prove fatal- to
their prosperity ; but the greatest ca
lamity to be apprehended from it, is
the destruction of the Confederacy on
which the welfare of the whole coun
try reposes. Every . conquest of this
element of discord which has so often
threatened the dissolution of the Union,
increases the. danger. Every surren
der of the free States inva
sion.
" The cause which -your organiza
tion is intended to promote, may well
draw to its support men of all parties.
f ) ;:foretwes on questions of policy, on
construction, on modes
constitt;:iond!
of administration, may well be merged
to Unite men who 1-)en,,,ve that nothing
but concert of actio.i 0: 0 part ( ° )f
those who would arrest tht: sproad of
slavery, can resist the power Cf the
combination now embodied to malct;
it embrace the continent from ocean
to ocean.
" The repealing clause of the Kan
sas
bill, is predicated on the nullity of
the clause in the Constitution which
gives congress the power to make
regulations respecting the Territories'
of the United States. Vet nothing is
clearer in the history of our Govern
ment, than that this phrase giving pow
er to Congress ' to make regulations
respecting the Territories,' was meant
to give it the power to, exclude slave
ry from them.
" 4 - efferison's resolution of 1784,
declaring that. , tkerr shall neuter
slavcrij nor invOlinzta4.‘ervitude
any of ppp States' laktl off in the West
ern Territory, was - subsequently re
newed in the Congress of 1785, which
added, that this regolittion shah bo
an article of corn - pact,' acid it was so
voted unanimously by the delegations
of eight States out of twelve. .
4f.f.t was passed by the. unanimous
gottis of all the States by-the Congrese
of 1787, which sat cotemporaneonsly
with the Convention forming the Con
stitution, and that Constitution gave
Congress the power 'to make regula
tions respecting the Territories,' and
moreover affirmed the validity of 'the
engagements entered into before the
adoption of the Constitution,' by the
confederation-Lone of which engage
ments was that made by the regulation
excluding slavery from the Territories.
Thus the:Congress of the confedera
tion and the Constitution united in
giving a double sanction to the eNclu
sion.
"They first exerted the power oil
enacting Mr. Jeffersen's interdict of
Slavery in the Territories - then held
by the United States, : to which it has
previously given an impressive sanc
tion by adding, ' This regulation shall
be an' article of compact,' &c.; and the
Convention guaranteed this ' engage-
Merit,' entered into under the C.onfeder,
ation, by declaring it 'valid,' and em
ployed
the same terms, 'regulation of
the Territories,' to transmit the power
here exerted .to future CenaTesses.
In the fade of this history, and the let
ter of the Constitution granting the
power to make what ever regulations
it deemed fit respecting the Territories
of the • United Stator, the - authors of
Kansas and Nebraska bill deny the
constitutionality of all the regulattons
which exclude Slavery from the Ter
ritories, and set at naught all the pre
cedents that confirm them, which hav4
followed in uninterrupted succession;
I from the foundation of the Govern
meat."
[For the Journal.]
THE COIIMERCIAL, COMPARED WITH THE
MILITARY SPIRIT, OF NATIONS
National prosperity is not the re
sult of a single agency, but it springs
from the embodiment of correct prin
ciples working out their legitimate
consequences. Every State has had
its leading agences, which have formed
the basis of its power, and stamped it
With peculiar characteristics, but more
of these perhaps. have left a more in.
,dellible impression upon - National
c haracter, than those of commerce and
War. Two master spirits, whose real
essence is composed of antagonistic
principles, the one resulting from
those relations which Clod has estab
lished by local differancos and similar
-constitutions—the . other Springing
from the ontbreakings of human de
pravity and tolerated by the universal
prevalence of evil; and the want of
sufficient moral courage in man to re
buke. Commerce unrestrained by
those hostile spirits to which it has
been farced to pay tribute is concilia
tory in its character, and with no 'op
posing influences to impede its pro
gress, would as naturally work out its
own
, perfection in consistency with
the highest good' of man. - h stands
an angel of mercy, to unite in one
common brother-hood the universal
family of man, formed alike mid Polar
snows and the arid waters of Arabian
sands. When viewed as an agent in
carrying forward . to a complete devel
opment the great and universal law o
love, the Sea might well. rejoice in
the graedure of her mission while she
bears upon her swelling - bosom the
commerce of peace and plenty. The
heavy laden Ship. strikes. her noble
prow to tho snow-cart wave and. is
soon away to other lands = hut as oft
as she returns, fresh tokens of . her
peaceful mission are seen in the utili
ty, friendship and benevolence which
give abundant proof in her well filled
store, while all unite in uttering sen
timents replete with . boner to God,
and good will to, man. But of the
military spirit no such sentiments can .
be expressed. In its infancy a mon
ster, and in its riper years eneomPaSs
ed by a legion of ether spirits desti
tute of the least vestige of mercy,
-truth, or justices; nd yet, it claims a
1
I FAace among men and exacts its horn- .
- a ,i3 a 3 H . glory beamed on every fea
ture, at ;il virtue's crystal robe wrapp
ed its hideor;
trace, tire deep form. But when we
ii,-;es of woe it has
written upoe the brow of society, and
marl its prevailing will as t . ;, gangrene
upon the general prosperity, it i then
that humanity feels its bondage, and
•
* c o o ncsri
create
a n
t c e o b loathes ut t o de s t
r its y !
Sqmmon tho dead, and lot thy vota.charms. Go
thou dark -spirit whose mission is not
ries shout thy praise. - Let all the
mighty heroes from an Alsixitaer to
a Napolesan sit in judgement 'on thy!
merit, and -then would reason blush
and seem thy mockery,. Thosp mon
uments which science, art, and corn
mercnwould have rejoiced in raising
along the borders of the sea to have
written for-man a bettor history, 'the
pestilential breath of war has touched
and blasted with premature decay..
Those rapublics which once 'stood
forth like the morning star; herladiug
the approach of a brighter day, are
now mouldering in the grave of hurri
ed Nations, blasted by the shock of
war. Oh thou foul scourge of hu
man kind, if thou hast - aught to offer
for thy-work of desolation or death ; if
thine ambition bath outdone thy na
ture in acts of atrocious wickedness,
then offer frail man'sorne apology, and
let him cease to acknowledge thinb
infallibility, that when wit and reason
fail, all may not fly to thee for refuge
VOTRE AMI.
From the N. Y. Eve, Pest
A COINITRAT,
The contest between the policy of
Mr. Jefferson and the statesmen who
were associated with him, and that of
Mr. Pierce and his associates, in re.
lation to thesovetm meat of the terni 7
tories, is be Inning to he known and
alai lied.. Under the Jeffersonian poli
cy, peace and prosperity attended the
rising territories—under the Pierce
policy, anarchy, strife and blood pre
vail. One dedicated an empire in the
northwest to freedom, the other has
opened. in the west a vast domain to
slavery. Jefferson imposed rdstrie-
Lions and limitations on slavery; Pierce
has removed all restrictions that had
been devised to check its extension.
The enlightened wisdom and benevo
lent forecast of one has been tested by
nearly sove'ity - yeaes experience, the
rash innovation of the other brings us
its bitter results -after a trial ck a few
months
When the politicians in the Senate
of the United-States commenced two
years ago the work of unsettling the
principles. and policy which ~talc.cmen
had-established, they were forewarned
of their unwise and ill-advised legisla
tion. Iu abdicating sovereignty in
the territories, and repealing all laws
on the subject of slavery, theadminis
tratiop. and Congress directly invited
civil commotion. The 'people were
left without lawon a question that was,
in the future, to affect, for weal er for
woe, their government and instituti9ns
and were virtually told to fight „it out
among themselves. It was not an as,
of omission on part of politiciatc
in Washington, but was aceomplishen
by positive legislation, betrayiivz reck
less and inexcusable w ant of fidelity
and honesty in the discharge of their
duty. The question was not an open
one, it had been settled more than
thirty years • previously, under cir
cumstances that gave ils adjuzit went
the sanction of more than ordinary
solemnity and validity—the policy of
Jefferson, first proposed in 1781 and
adopted in 1787, iu regard to the
whole territory then ownGrl by the
United States, as in 1820 made to
apply to all the territory west of the
Mississippi above the parOled of :36
deg. 30 min. A compact With i;ondi
tions had been entered into at the
time this law Was enacted, and the
country had
. peacefully acquiesced in
the measure, without a complaint
against it,• or a wish or expectation
that it would be abrogated; when the
administration and the politicians in
Conkre is, suddenly, remOrselessly,
proceeded to arrest the Jefiersonian
policy, and installed that which is now
the test of party orthodoxy Un the part
of the administration.
As if to bid defiance to the - people,
who have rebuked this great wrong,
by sending representatives to Wash
ington of a very different character,
the chairman of the committee, who in
the qopgress; introducd and forced
through the bill which changed the
whole action of the government, is the
selected administration candidate for
Speaker. He,. like the Senatorial
politicians who occupy positions once
filled by statesmen, was too democratic
to_sustam the policy of Jefferson—he,
like Mr. Pierce, would leave the ter
ritories without law, and, with pro
found deference to " popular sove
reignty,"• would let the squatters decide
1 for themselves a question on which it
was impossible for them to agree.
This orthodox administration candi
date for Speaker, by the aid of the
power and patronage of the govern.
meat, has been able through' forty- -
. five successive ballotings, consuming
mare than a week, to obtain seventy
four votes from two hundred and
twenty-five representative's. . This is a
pretty decisive . indication, that the
peOplepreforthoJeffersonian policy, to
the policy of this administration. in
addition to this, the President and his
fi lends hare brought upon themselves
an unwelcome test ofle sincerity of
their professions of regard . for popular
sovereignty. -The sea!iment of the
country has been expressed in the
elections that have taken, place, tLe
popular will has been conveyed to
Washington by the - immediate repro,
sentatives of the people, chosen mine
the policy of Mr. Pierce and his p o ly,
cal. friends was disclosed, and if “po n ,
lar sovereignty" be in fact a contr o l,.
ling principle with them, they raustre,
trace their steps, and adopt the pOlicy
of. Jefferson and those real stateerne n
whose beneficent legislation has bo il ;
attended with such happy results, end
to which- tho.-people • are attacked.
The wretched system substituted by
the last Congress, ;be 'experiment of
abdicating sovereignty, and leaving the
territories without- law, has not only
Keyed a failure in .I.C.ansas,- but has
been condemned by the people a n d
the states.' - Men of. enlarged 'rims,
conscientious men,. studious of the pub.
li e good, would not hesitate to-el:tweet
and undo what is so palpably shown
by experzence to he a great error,
From politicians of a loss noble elite! '
—from men wile 'set . out with low
personal motives, assio a m false reasons
for their ac - 1, and tltink to cheat pub,
lic opinion—we do not expect either
the degree ofintelligence or the courage
which leads them - to correct their owa
wrong: ' AVe ni:;ht expect it from such
a man as Jefferson, if he had been be-
trayed-4-whieh could hardly have
happened—into such a mistake, but
not from the men %Jim now.bear the
rule at Washington. -
But the administration having sot
.1 ptlkular sovereignty" at defiance, is . -
now prostituting the power and . patron
ago of the government sustain
The test of party orthodoxy at: Wash.
ington—and - it will be' the Banta at
Cincinnati—is fealty to the - Pierce
policy and repudiation of tile policy of
Jefferson. This is now called olemocrs,
cy. No man can receive art etriut•
ment from this administratton, uo
delegate will ba received into the
Cincinnati Convention, who does not
abjure the policy and principles of
Jefferson, and adopt -those of the ad,
ministration. The candidates to. be
nominated for Presisients and vice,
Presidents at Cincinnati are to be, like
the administration candidate f4Speak,
policy of Jefibrdea,
or, opposed 'to the
and co-laborers in the cause idayekrl
extension.
THE ALLEGANY IRON AND COAL 'COWAN?.
This Company is now fully organiz- •
ed. Its books have been opened, and
its stock is being ;ssued. The proper--
ty of-the Company is located in Keat
ing Township, AlcKean Co., Pa., about
twenty-flee miles from this village...
The capital stock is :5250,000, and the.
Company are to commence business
immediately. with 830,000 in . their.
treasury. They will have a furnace ,
in successful operation by the lst.of
July next. A geological report upon
the extent Qud value of this Conpany's .
minezal property will be published
within the next three or flow. weeks.
It is to ho prepared by Prolossur
RicitAnoso-x, of Massachusetts. This
Company, is composed of etwgctie
bitsiness men artdileavy capital 4; We
can see no ,good reason why it May
)t move straight along - with its hu4il.
nQsq, a source of profit to the stock
bidders, and an important addition to
the business enterinises 4'11%4 Yillne.
and vicinity.-Olean if.2rnat.
LIMBER QUOTATIOIL
The Pittsburg . Gazette of last week
stated that the run of lumber on the
late rise was quite large, and that the
supply was considerably beyond de.
!nand. The dealers have their sands
pretty MI from their spring purchases,
and are not disposed to buy freely. It
is probable, that a considerable pr.
tint' will have to belled unsold. The
li'azette of this week says that - a rinntt
deal Of lumber is drawing on the auks
of the Allegany, but holders find the
market dull and heavy. Sales at the
river. at '7i9 and ,39 75. for common,
and X2O for clear. Shingles $2 to SZ'
75 1011 • -
A few days since a lovely little child
of four summers was buried in tide
town. On leaving the house. of its
parents, the clergyman, Rev. Mr. Jay.
plucked up by the roots a beautiful
little "forget me-not,' , and took it with
him to the grave. After. the little
embryo of humanity had boon deposi
ted in the grave, the clergyman, hold
bur up the plant in his hand said :—"I
hold in my hand a beautiful flower
which I plucked from the garden we
have just left. By taking it from its
parent homo it has withered, but 1
here plant it on the head of this grave
and it will soon revive and flourish.
So with the little flower we have just
planted in the grav - e. It has been
plucked from its native garden, and
has wilted, but it is transp la nted i
the garden of Immortality, where it
will revive and flourish in immortality.,
glory and heauty."— Ohio Farmer. "
This is the best season of the year
for transplaMing either fruit or shade
trees, and ought to be• improved by
every one who has an unshaded house,
or a - corner of unoccupied groutuid.
A trial of fire enginea took place at
New York, a day or two ago, when
the highest altitudee-reachecl was 182
feet, by engine No. 13 of Brooklyn.
The same engine threw a horizontal
ore= of 206 feet 10 inches.