El
VOL. XIII.
COUDERSPORT
ACADEMY.
Mtn Trustees of this Institution take plea.
ante in announcing to the Public hat
they have eapiged the services of the Rev.
I. lIENDRICK, as Principal. This gentle
man comes to us well recommended as being
able, talented, and experienced. lie has been
4s gaged in teaching a large share of the time
for 1 1 1 een years; and from among the large
number of his pupils, about 500 have gone
out from under his instructions, as teachers in
..idirent parts of the country. It will he his
Ab j ect to make Our Ac idetny one of the most
.de-irablo schools in the co nary, for those who
w.sh to qualifv themselves for teaching or for
.other responsible stations in life. and also for
Abose who desire to prepare for college.
THE WINTER TERM
•Will commerce on Monday. Deeember 3d.
15S-'x. The Academic year will be divided in
to Four Terms, of eleven weeks each term.
The Spring Term will commence on Monda••.
February .25, 1ii.56; the Simmer Term will
-commence on Monday, Mny 26th, IKi6; and
the Fall Term on 31anday, the lit, day f
September, 1,56.
TERMS.
'Tuition par tense of alarms weeks ae
follows;
iPrimary studies—Reading, Spelling,
?dental Arithmetic, &c., - - $2.00
,Common English branches—Geognt
phy, Orthography, %rithmetic, and
Grammar,
Higher English Branches—Natural
Prillosophy, Asz rono Inv. Chemistry,
and First Lessons in Algebra, - - $4.00
Higher Mathematics--Algebra,
&c.,
Latin, Greek, French, and German
Languagea, - $5.00
Drawing extra, $2,50
Piano Music, do. $8.09
Use of Instrument, $2.00
112" Payment strictly in advance.
All scholars who can write legibly, will he
required to preieut an original Composition
'nee in two weeks; and all scholars to
rieelaiot once in two weeks.
Though the Terms of tuition ere consider
ably lower than they have been heretofore
relit is designed that the instruction shall
de thorough in all the branches taught ; and
those who desire to learn and are witting
star will find it a Very PftOrITAELS Senor
SORIF.SKI Ross, President.)
LEWIS MANN. Treasurer,
G. B. OVERTON, Secretary, y Trustees.
lI.J.OLMSTED,
ELI REES,
Board can be obtained in private Fatn
ilies in the village, or rooms can be had in the
Academy by applying to the Trustees.
Coudersport, .Nov.'2.lnd,
Orntratinfarmation.
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENI
Presiileat—Franklin Pierce
;ice President--<de ricto) Jesse D. Brigat
Secretary of State—Win. L. Morey.
Secretary of Interior—Robert McClelland.
Secretary of Treasury—James Guthrie. •
Secretary of Ft 'ar—Jetrerson Davis.
Secretary of Nory—Jarneg O. Dobbin.
Post Master General—James Campbell.
Attorney Generees--Ca!en Cashing.
Chief Justice of United Stutcs—R: B. Taxed
STATE GOVERNMENT.
CorersJr—James
Secretory of State—lndsew G. Curtin-
Deputy Secretary of State —J. M. Sullivan
Surreyor General—J. Porter Brawky.
.Anditor General—Ephraim Banks.
Treasurer—Eli Slifer.
Siare.me Court Judgts—Ellis Lewis, W. B
Lawns, G. W. Woodward, J. C. Knot, J. S
alask.
Snit Officers, with Post Office Address.
Presidtnt Jud!fc,
Alum G. Mitre., Wei.4.)co, Tiers Co
Associate Atizcs,
ORA4q./ A. Lrwis ' Clysses
JOSILIPII MANN, Miilport.
District Attorney,
To sztis W. lisos, Couderiport.
Sherif.
rjIDIRRI Srkasin.s, Coudersport.
Protkostotorg and Clerk of the Courts
Tuoxes ES, TYLER, Condersoort.
Register and Recorder,
ANDREW ECDR , N. Coudersport
county Commissioners,
PRICY Wpirrt.r., Ulysses Center
ganattsos Rosa, Whites Corners,
• liastr %VtAiti
Countsj Auditors,
WILLIAM S. GitirtY, Cla m
HARRIS LYMAN, Roulette.
H. L SIMONS, Allegany..
Eli
Commissioners Clerk,
Illrr!elAnyens, Coudersport •
. • Trtesoirer,
Henry Ellis, Coudersport.
County Surveyor,.
Z. F. Robinson, Harrison Valley
Biperietendent of Common Schools
• J. B. Pradt, Coudersport:
•
T"Cythara, the Lute: or .Zinn,
and Berland Girls' Singing. Ririe, at the
• .70i_TRNAL BOOK STORE:
Machine Ott
Ilifill.Ownenwill always find supply o
OiLfosloarliineri at aatisfacwry price!, and
lisamAtosatity,st
I't S'S, D rag Store.
:-.SELLING OFF AT
49044E*
Orodenport, You. 1441,18 N.
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THE JOURNAL •
• Terms—ln Advance
One espy per annum, $l.OO
Village subscribers, 1.25 -
TERMS OF ADVERTISING.
square, of 12 lines or less, Linsertion, $0.50
" " " " 3 insertions, 1.50
" every subsequent ingertion, .25
Rule and figure work, per sq., 3 insertions, 3.00
Every subsequent insertion, .50
1 column, one year, 25.00
I column, six months, 15.00
Adm:n;strators' or Executors' Notices, 2.00
Sheriff's Sale., per tract, 1.50
Professional Cards not exceeding eight lines
inserted for $5.00 per annum. -
IV" All letters on business. to secure at
tenion, stimuli! be addressed (post paid) to
the Publisher.
The gent'eman who, after an unex
ampled contest of nine weeks' dura
tion, was elevated on Saturday last to
the office of greatest political influence
under our government, next to the
Presidency, is one ofthe most favor
able specimens with which our na
tional history abounds of what are de
nominated " self-made men."
In the twelfth year of his age Mr:
Banks graduated from the only schnol
that be ever attended, and entered a
cotton factnryin his native village of
Waltham. Massachusetts. He subse
quen:ly assisted his father, who was
house carpenter, and then leatned the ••
trade of a machinist' which be prose
cuted flur some time in Waltham and
in Boston. His employment did net
prevent hii finding time to cultivate
his Understanding,. while gratifying
a constitutional taste for intellectual
pleasures and in. 1845 he entered
the office of the late R•rbert Rantoul,
then U. S. District Attorney in Boston
as a student of law. He was admitted
and commenced practice at the bar of
Massachusetts in IS4S.
Mr. Banks bad always been - a firm
and consistent supporter of the demo
cratic party and its policy, and the
year that
,he was admitted to the bar
he was ehosea a member of the state,
legislature by the democracy of his
native town. He was one of about
twenty democrats in the House, among.
whom the present Attorney-General
of the United States figured quite
prominently.
in ISSI Mr. Banks was again elec
ted both tri the Senate. and the Howe
He chose-to accent a set in the latter,
and was chosen Sneaker of that body
by a coalition of the freesoilers of
Korth the old political parties. As a
presidine.office.r he hen.. the distinc
tion of heirs?, a better Sneaker than
Robert Winthrop. who prereed
and who was tinicersalty esteemed as
the hest Speaker they had ever till
then.
- - - $3.00
- SS.OP
Tn 1552, he was re-elected Speaker
of the House in 1853 he was a mem—
ber and president of the convention
which was elected to revise the con
stitution of the staie. and wag at the
same time member elect of the Thirty
third Congress.. In the latter body he
made himself the object of assaults
from the administration party and its
agents by his opnosition to the Ne
braska-Kansas Bill, and every effort
was made, to prevent his re-election
but without success. He . was re-nomi
'nued by the regular democratic con- -
veption of his disttict, and elected 'to
the present Congress, of which be has
just beep chosen Speaker, by about
7,000. majority ; Om, 'largest majority,
we believe, ever cast for any candidate
n his district. •
Mr. Banks was born in 1816; he is
now. thelefore just forty 'years of age.
His motheris a descendant of the Pren
tiss family, of New Hamshire, from
whom he derives his middle name.
He has a wife and two -children. He
is a man of dignified presence and
dep tment, deliberate, but precise
and fluent in his speech, and repriatk
able for perfect coolness and self-con
trol, asyras abundantly.proven during
the long contest from which he hal
come out with a reward far more, flat
tering than mere success; the 'Univer
sal.couvictinn of all parties .thar . he
was,vr?TkliY.:q;4;t4. l 4o4: ?..4
to.the, duties em4cri pe;sitiga ; to
ithicitilik-hal Sew •
DEVOTED . To PRINCIPLES OP -DEMOCRACY, AND T H E TIISSEM)NATION OF 'MORAL LITERATI:RE, A4IIIINEAVIL
•.
COITRERSPORT POTTER. COUNTY, PA., FEBRVARY 21, 1856
From th• Ere. Post
NATHANIEL P. BANES. •
MZEEZI
lOBEI GROVE
Friday. Jan. 11, 1556
The road which leads from Fort
Leavenworth to Fort Laramie, runs
tnrnugh the prairies to the hack of
Atchison and Doniphan, at a distance
of Some six or eight miles. Along this
road the attention of the traveler is
often arrested by the graves on the
wayside. The frequent occurrence of
these is sad evidence of many a pain
ful story, long deferred perhaps, hat
sure and sorrowful, conveyed to the
relatives of those who thus sleep be
neath the prairie sod. The rumbling
of the emigrant wagons or the Govern
ment train Makes their resting-place
a busy thoroughfare. -A. few of these
graves have a fence around them, but
most of thein are marked only by the
mound and broken sod. Some of them
had been torn up-and. the prairie wolf
had made a banquet on the poor relics
of mortality.
There is a road leading from Atchi
son into this military road. This is
now the route for the Mormon emi
gration on its way to Salt Lake,; and
here, at the•distance of some six or
seven miles from Atchison, they have
a starting station. I was on my way
from Doniphan to Ocena, when I came
in sight of Mormon Grove. It stands
on high ground in the prairie, and is
of young hickory trees, which can be
seen at a -great distance, their feathery
outlines giving the scene a picturesque
effect. I had intention of stopping
but something in the appearance of
the place arrested me. There was a
large farm, :some 160 acres. neatly
fenced with sod. I had often seen sod
fence before, hut never . had occasion
to admire it, as the hogs and cattle al
ways seemed to honor it " more in the
breach than in the observation r but
this appeared to be constructed on a
more scientific plan, and is, I think,
worthy of imitation in a prairie court
try. On the outside there is a ditch
some three feet deep by four . feet wide,
sloping to a point at the bottom ;- from .
this the materials of the dyke have
been taken. The sods from the sur
face form the face of the wall, which'
is only two-and a-half feet high. The
earth frorn the trench is- thrown • be
hind these, and slopes away very grad
ually. When well built, this will, I
mink be very dui able. • The hogs and
cattle are prevelitedfro'm knocking it
down by the trench, and - cannot jump
I t he
trench for the wall. I was told
t h a t a man could put up from three to
four rods of this fence per day, .
There are oneor two Mormons lirr
ing at the Grove and its vicinity. •hut
as I have stated, this. is merely an out
fitting station for the Salt Lake trains.
Whether the - Polygamy feature of do
mestic bliss flotirishes here, is a prob
lems . which my observation had net
enabled .me to solve. The people ap
pear to be very quiet, and seem to
possess some little' inteilligence: One
elderly lady had quite a matronly and
dignified appearance, and one girl was
rather pretty—in fact, decidedly good
looking. For the first time in some
weeks Ihave heard a " blessing" ask
. ed at table, and in the quaint and
semi-religious conversation of hos t
I
ht
.. •
.
I almost forget the few peculiarities
that startled me at Mormon Grove. •
0TT;: . :11 COUNTY DIECERWMISED.
In the'. matter of the contested elec
tion ofJol C. M'Ghee, the following
proceedings were had ia.the Legisla
ture of this State, on the 7th i.nst.:•
Mr. Foster, (Select,) from the Com
mittee to try .the . contested :election
case of John: C. .14.'G.hee; •ttiacie the
following written report : in favor .of
the right of John - . 4. to, his -seat
as • me m b er of this liouse;. -.•-
John C. M'Ghee, the sitting_ mem
ber, received, in the county lot - .
comings two thousand and. thirty • one
votes On the county of .Clinton one
thousand and, tweßty-eight,
_vote.? ; in
the County of Potter s ix4undred and
fifty-three votes ; mating : _hisentire
vote in, the district,_three thousand.
!VC Kr: A 3 1 1 114T4 pO, ‘
Fc'te9t77!
John B. Beet received. ie the ...c.9*,47y.
Of Lycoming, two thousand three hun
dred and eight votes ; in the county of
Clieton nine hundred and forty-eight',
votes; in the County of Putter four
hundred and forty votes; making his
entire vote in the district three thous
and six hundred and ninety-six votes.
This result is arrived_ at by counting
the votes from all the election districts
in the three counties, as returned by
the officers of the election, and shows!
a:majority for .John C. I‘ll.lrhee, the 1
sitting member, of sixteen votes .---.1
John B. Beck, the contestant, alleges 1
in his petition that the vote in Sharon 1
township, in Potter county was illegal
and ought not to he counted for eith
er party. In this township John C.
M'Ghee received i sixty-one votes, and
John B. Beck received twelve votes.
which, if attngether excluded, would !
leave a majority iii the District for
John B. Beck, of thirty-three Votes. I
By the actor assembly passed . the sth
of April, 1849,. the general elections
were to be held in Sharon township, 1
in Potter county, at a school house
situate between the houses of Jonas
Wood and Simon Drake, at the
school house known 'as the Leroy i
school house. The general elections i
were held for that township from the i
passage, of - that act, except that held
on the 9th of October last, 1855. which'
was held at a new school house sitna- 1
ted one half mile east of the old school
house, and not between the points in
cluded
in the act of assembly of the ;
sth of April, 1849. The school house
referred to in the act. was sold in IS
-52,
by the school directors, to Mr. i
Burdick, who moved it a few rods 1
from its former location. The gene-
ral elections were held in it, however.
in 1853 and 1854. On the Inn• hing of,
the general election in 1855. Mr. Bur-
.dick informed one of the officers of
' the election that lie would not permit
the election to be held there. °wine
to sickness in his family. The evi
dence clearly established that the last
general election was not held at the
place required by the act of assembly,
but at a new school house half a mile
distant, by some known as the Leroy
school house, and by others - as the
' Sharon Center scherd. The act of the
15th of April, 1849, fixed the place of
holding the election, which. was im
perntive on the officerS. The 22nd
I section .of the general erection .laws
'provides that the inspectors and jugd
es shalt meet at the respective places
norniwed for holding the election .in
the district to which they respectively
belong, at nine o'clock nn the morning
la the second Tuesday of October in
' each Tear. This act the officers of
, the election had no right to disregard.
llf they timid change it to a place one
half mile from that appninted by law.
they would haVe the same right to
change it five mile^. or to any other
l
I point within the district. • The legis
-1 , ,
1 inture certainly never ilitended to rest
lin the officers of the election the poW- -
~
1 er to change the place ef. holding the
i election fixed by law, at their discre
i ti!in,ol" for, causes which they might
! deem sufficient, although it is not pre
tended in
. this case that the change
I was made from any improper -motives
on the part of the officers of the elec
ltion.'erthat the .election was improp
erly conducted at the place where it
was .held. Yet the great evils that !
...
Might resultfrom the exercise of such
.. .•
power, by the officer of elections,
would he . sufficieut , fo : bring its exer
'
cuss under - the 'emideconation' of the
.
lawrand prevent the legislature, rom
... . .. ..
establishing such, a Precedent.: To'
*thew that the exercise ersaeh a pOw
er by eleetion officers, wis never Cott
..
templates) ' . by ;the legislattire, it, will
onfy le* tieeessary te'refer to the : loBth
•._ . .- • .. • -
sectionn . of
.the . general . election lath,
which proviciesas followS :: "It slia'fl
he' lawful for" tire' Governor' of this
dontinonwealth,,On the represeUtatiOtt'
of the beard of health, or of:die : Mini
cipal authority of" any 'c4;_barough;
toWn;tii-'iric;Wi;pOiaia"digtilet iri*.thiS
Coninicitiorealth;iliat l froth" the -pieva-
I leae - Of a ny itialiiitint : Of : Cetttiiitibits:
Aliliiie iii:sliCll Kty;liciiißikktivir. or'
- ~. ~;..,:"; :::, ,-,.:4.11-47..1., • -
dist riel,the Irves ,of the'eleetors may
be in danger by attending at the places
fixed by law' for holding elections
within the 'mine, to direct the sheriff
of the- proper county to . give notice
that the election for such city, borough,
town, or incorporated district, will he
held at such place within the limits,
or in the neighborhood of the same, or
;IR he, the Governor, 111117 judge the
most safe and convenient o and it shall
be the duty of such shetifl to gibe
public notice of such place, in thr.
manner hereinbefigo required, seven
days before the election," &c.
It is not,important now to consider 1
whether this section anolies to all
election districts in the.Commnnwealth
or net, as it is only referred to for the
purpose or shnwine that the legislature
never intended that the right to change
the places of holding elections shoUld
rest in the discretion of election Offi
cers, even in cases of the mnst press
ing necessity. The act of assembly
of the 20th April, 1854, provides an
easy and convenient mode in which
changes mny . be made in the places of
holding elections in any district in the
Commonwealth, by application to the
courts in the manner prescribed in the
act. If there ever could have been an
argument in favor of such changes,
from the existence of circumstances
which might.seem to make them nec
essary, they are - greatly weakened by
the facility afforded them since the
passage of the act last referred to.
Belejving the election held in Sha
i rnn township Moen!, the committee
has adopted the follnwing resolution :
Regolred. Thar John B. Beck has
received the highest number. of local
votes. and-is entitled to his seat as one
of the members of this House from the
district comonsed -rif the counties of
Lycominc. Clinton. and Potter, which
is respectfully submitted.
S Bscaus H D FOSTER
Jesse PeAasos .Tony TuomesoN
StMt:EL HILL JAMF.9 13 ORB,
G H 13nesu Joey F.scsnt D
Mr. Beck then appeared, was sworn,
and took -his seat.
Mr. PURCELL,. from the same
committee, presented to the chili the
following minority-report :
The constitution of this State makes
each House the judge of the qualifica
tions of its own members. It further
provides that contested elections shall
he determined . bya committee, "to be
selected, formed, and retruls . .ed in
such manner als.shall be directed by
law."
The act of the. General Assembly
passed July end. A. D. 1839.. provides
the manner of selecting, forminz and
regulating the committee as content
plated in the constitution. .
•. The 142nd section of said ort. pro
vides.that sail committee "shall decide
ne.t only on the validity of such elec
tin: but alsn.whieb of the ra'ulirlates
had 016 greatest number of votes."
It is also provided ill the same art.
that each member of the - committee
slialTtake the follrovinsy, oath. to trit :
To ttv the matter of the netition. and
to . .give . a'true jagment flirrenn accord
ing to the evidence. Unless the com
mittee AO be di!isnlred.
The powers of this committee are
only- Tearned'from the above referen-
The first dutii devnlvimy, - tipon the
committee, ati indicated by the 142nd
section of the act of 1829, is to decide
,upon the validity of the election - in
'Potter county. -
constitute - an
_invalid election, it
must be Stuiwif iltht frail& has been
prakticeil•or that . illegitithate" Means
have bec;il used in.seeurino=a•popular
decision at the ballot:4)oX..
In this cage it:•is not claimed that
the. election was dr - should be deilared
invalid: It is intimated that there -
was fraud connected with the election
iti = Sharon townshili, or:-that illegiti
mate ineins were in any-way made-to
afrect'the Wishes of the peOple. There:
fore the question of Validity is at once
dismissed. -.• •:'
-The next duty devolving upon the
eointnittee; is to decide which ' ofthe
eaad~Jstes hid the ireeiest number of
EEO
=::I
12=2
legal Notes. - • _ .
The legal qualifications of a voter,.
are defined in
_the - first section of. the
third article .of the constitution of this
State, which reads as folic - 4s :
" In elections by the citizens every
white freeman of the age of twenty
one years, having resided in this State
one year, and in the election district .
where he offers to vote, ten days im:
mediately preceding such election, and
within two years paid a State or county.
tax which shall have.been assessed at.
least ten daysbeforethe.electiou, shal4 .
enjoy the rights NC an,elector." .
The. last clause here quoted is Ira..
perative. Citizens being legally qual 7 ,. _
ified. as in this ecti o n required, pos:.,'
seas rights thnt cannot be taken aWay,
or even \impaired by legislative enact=
ment. Nor can any irregularity in
the manner of holding an election, or
of election officers, be used as a pre
text to deprivethe citizen Of his sacred
rights at the ballOt-boi. In this eis'is
it is alleged that the election Was held
at i place not designated by law.
;
Until the passage of the actOf tlok
20th of April, 151 . 5, there was no
general law pro . viding fur fixed places
of holding elections.
`G ~.
s:~"="
Z") , t) , ra - t2 lOW
..„ • 4 ... •
....;'..:. .11.1:ingt
.•~ Jr
..„
BE
By the act -f the second of July.
1839, section 1.3. th, of e yeei•
county is required to give notice or
the general' elections by adveitisinent,
.&., and in that advertisment he is re-'
quired to „ designate the place at .
which the election . is to be held."
By the 35th section of an aet rego
lating election districts, passed the ;Ith
day of April, 1819, it is proVided, that
hereafter the qualified voters of Sharon .
township, in th'.:!'county of - Potter, shalt
hold - their general elections at the Scho . ol
House . situated between the housei o:
Jonas Wood and giinou Drake.
This act fixes no place for holding.
. _
the township election in said township.
The school hotise relerretl . to abova
was school house No. - 3, in-Leroy sub.
district, Sharon township, and-Usually .
called Leroy school- house. - In .1851
the school directors for Sharon toms-
ship, contracted for the building of a 1
new school Wise in Leroy sub-dis 7
trict, and at the same time sold the old
one. The new schoOl house was built
on ground owned by Lewis Wood, and ,
a short distance east: of Wood's house.
The old schdol house stood on ground.
west of Wood's, and - a little more thus
140 rods fiom the new location.
new school house was designated by
, the directors the same as the old_one..
I 'school house No. 3, in Leroy
district," and was fin all public ptt.. ,
poses the sameschool house.
Immediately after the general
tiuu_ in 1854, the old house. was
moved by the rosu who owned it ft4iim..
the property on mach it stood to othe z - ; ;,
property, and a private knaily
into it.
The simple question is ..now. su7s.. ;.
mitted, were the -a votes of Sliatow,.
lownship legal or illegal. The .elei—
tiun was held in the new.scbool housi2..
It was the. only. election held. in Altar.
township on that day, and there yv,i
tin objection on the part of oy citizens.
to the holding of the- election, at-that.
place. .
The Sheriff's proclamation
and plainly designated . the place -at.:l
which the election should be held.- .It. ,
required the citi4vis to nazet.at the,
' Leroy School ;Reuse."
. •
There - was butone Leroy
i I _ 4
in SharontownsNpi,andtbere but*
axe school house
.i!?
Hence no nruncol4l4haCeb4cii
mis
taken in did
Sheriff', *there was no evideric%
whatever befu'reibe pomm4tery.ibi;t_rx.
sin kW citiaCn
taken or ` iiiii~eii WYit ; inure than thin;'
there was no evidence beforlitt; eoaa
mine"e ' that'~by citizen' ortliitoiingihtp. ;
viantedibe bidctiodheltrit 'any . bitiek:
pteee. -
sib
• •..
-Then,-by *hat rule,' - are` . ire . to "4,4- . . —.1
ciae:theils ArOtes4lletal. i Nbt
. NV
rule, gatlitria•ftbar tfiedonistitufiki-?t
'I!
'the-Stittel, not bylitit of this si kt
of The ant=ef 1839; and 'eel-till:AV mile
-,
II
,:4; 41. 7 ,
:
C°l/
ME
r ~: -. .
NO. 4I