Report of ilto- Majority COmOtittee
Appointed to examine unto the alleged Frauds on
die AfieghcurPortops Railroad.
,
The - committee appointed on the 23411404 to
examine the new roan to avoid the inclined- planes
on the,Allegheny New road, and toiutrire hen
the propriety of nicking further apprOpriutunisffierek
for, as well into the manner in winch this
for the said wcirk were made, beg leave' to submit
tne following additional report—
. That they ttrivegivertn , the.chargee which int.
plicated the official conduct ,nethe Board of Canal
Commissioners in the allotment of the work on said
roacTall the con4ideration which their importance
demanded. The result' of the. investigation has
convinced your committee lint the conduct of these
officers has been governed by a proper sense of
their public duties, and that the charges of corrup
tion.so freely 'urged Reins% the r m balm the op.
pointmetit of the entrenotie, is *bikini even a
'Wow of a foundation. Beefy faciti - y was given
to those who made the charge to prove its troth.
bet they ueetly• failed to produce any evidence
whieh,.iu the most remote degree, reflected on the
integrity ot fee Canal Board.
In the allotment of large qu anthi vs of work,'m any
individuals II nat of necessity be disappointed, and.
as is too olten the case, are.very much disposed to
give vent to that disappointment in attempts to
oriminate the oexens who have bad the divensa
lion of the patronage.
The crimmations are publicly thrown ont'for the
mere perpose of abasing the -public mind. and to
bring unrest adjoin on agents who have Willfully
pa - donned their duties to the people. That this has
been the ease in many instances, the records of the
Legislature will afford abundant proof; and it ap.
pears to youecommittee that the cause which pro
duced the preseit investigation is another evidence
.of that tact.
The committee have carefully examined the
prices of all the bids for thcoaterkon the new road,
ani they find that the contracts have been allotred
in the aggregate helot* an average of the highest
and lowest bids. The accompanying statement
marked A, shows several of. the highest and
loweit, bids on each section al:otted at the last
hitting. the average of the bids, the price at
which the section was allotted,tand the estimate of
engineer oh the coal In the statement the lowest
bids have.been taken, with the exception of those
of Messrs. Painter. Gender and M'Evoy, who, as it
will be seen'from the testimony informed the Canal
Commissioners, before the allotment, that they did
not desire any any work allotted to them. at their
bids, the acting partner, in conjunction with anoth•
er partner, being desirous of obtaining two. other
sections. The committee not having time to make
en average of the whole of the bids on the several
sections, amounting, in . some instances, to over one
hundred, a few of the highest and the lowest have
been taken, whim) they believe to give a fair aver
age
of the whole.
It will be seen from the statement, that the av
erage of several of the highest and lowest bids.on
all the sections, amounts tp $697.497, and the total
amount of all the allettmente of the same sections
to $654,329, showing a difference in favor of the
allottments over the average ot the bids of 843,
168
On abandoned sections, Nos. 10, 12, 14 and 20,
on the western slope of the mountain, the original
estimate of the engineer was predicated on the con
struction of a single track. The action of the Leg
islature di►ecting a double track, renders it unfair
to contrast the estimate with the price given at the
re-letting of the sections. The annexed statement
shows the engineer's estimate of the cost of all the
sections or: me eastern slope of the mountain, (in
chiding the tunnel.) the price at which they were
allotted, and the average of several of the highest
and lowest bids.
Estimate Average of
Sections. of I Allotments. I highest and
Engineers. lowest Inds.
Nubber 21,
22,
23,
24,
25,
- 26,
27,
26,
20,
30,
6122,000 6103,065 $90,117
27,300 27,675 25,756
0,480 6,380 7,077
14,870 14,419 19,842
sg t oso 44,600 68,771
24,920 24,620 32,775
19,760 20,680 20,506
21,450 22,250 22,213
17,800 15.290 17,496
10,100 9,600 10,300
17,460 14,950 16,792
83,200 77,250 75,845
23,100 22,100 24,663
41,950 41,350 41,466
38.190 38,050 90,461
17,100' 18,380, 16,758
24,96 . 0 27,100 25,864
46,250 43,700 46,650
12,100 10,440 12,866
12,860 12,515 12,017
5,700 5,405 6,093
639,080 599,839 645,456
The committee regard this statement as of some
importance is the consideration of the questions
submitted to them. It shows that the allotment of
these sections, has been made for 939,241 below
the estimate of the engineer, for $45,617 below the
average of the bids which exceed the estimate of
tto engineer by $6,376 Inexperienced individu
als, or contractors who depend:upon the advantages
of prices orlegislative actiotillor relief, ern frequent
ly found bidding at prices below the actual cost of
construction. Under such a statement of well
known fdcis, it becomes the duty of the Canal Com.
missioners so to allot work as to guard the Com
monwealth against loss either by too high or too
low prices. In the case under consideration, they
-appear to have adopted a medium between, these
these two extremes, and in adopting that course,
they are supported by the results of former years.
The Canal Commissioners have been accused of
rejecting the bids of good contractors, whose pro.
posals were below the prices at which the work
was allotted. The testimony shows, that in one in.
stance, Contractors ofseknowledged ability, bid low
an nearly all the sections, to use the words of the
witness, as a bridge, in order to obtain the sections
for which they, bid, in another name, et what they
considered fad prices. In the last allotment on the
Portage railroad, there are some exceptions to this
rule; Mr. Merriman, the chairman of thecommittee,
and the more[ of the resolution of inquiry, in corn.
puny with others, put in bids .191 kungen eeetione
as follows:
EceetionL
Number 37,
35,
34,
.33,
- 32,
31,
29 w
28,
25,
24,.
-23,
22,
tr 21 ,
~-
8413,850 2367 204
Mr. Merriman has the general repitation of be.
ingest old experienced contractor, mid the forego;
ing statement shows that his and hie partner', bids,
en bucteen sectione, amounted 846,655 mow than
the allottegents The testimony shows that the pri
es' on the Pennsylvania railroad, running in many
plates nearly pude* with ~the new Portage road,
baying been generally, and, in some imagoes,
twice, raised, since the original allottment, and that
the prices paid by die State do not exceed those
paid by that company, u far se the etimmittele
have been inlotmed The committee, alio mg.
sere deliberation and examination of thealintments
see no cause ins censure of the Canal Commission.
cos. ' The' puces et which the work has beetroo
ts:weds few would appeeri from. the testimony • pro. .
demi, not lobe above Revalue, and to bear a fair
comPubsos *lib the price paid fur similar work en .
manner improvement inihe same section of the"
country. Not a pnaicleof evict:ace hes berm prod am
lemnamea A. Allotments
Co.'s bide.
828,000 $27,100
04.250 38;050
46,650 41,350
29,500 22,100
78,650 77,250 .
17,100 14,950
11,900 , • 9,600
21,400 15,290
16,650 , 22,259
58 000 44,600
16,075 14,419
7,585•' 6,380
20,919 i 27,675
8,080 ` 6,190
intto substantiate tbe chaigeef ciirraptiort. A ehargi
was made that contractors were at , work before their
feCticulkwerefellotted ; the, metimopy proves Ibis
-la be nritmerios far as any pospatation for soldisrodi
otaiimomenced,;*4 a lufeeledge as ccialeat 'Of,
aot,lttale edifier.' 2 l-7
Ant attempt, was made' elbrer:The =millet to
,eh* that some fraud had bean committed in the
delivery' of 4tioas-ties tit but'ilie eiridenee failed
support ItriCettarge, Or to throw anybhime oponite
conduct of the officers having that part of the work
under their 0. mina The Canal COnnnielkniegb
eefe titan d'argetf tivftL tnis-applying the ippropri
anon of 1852, which directed the appropnation of
; 8150.000 to the completion of a double track front
the toot of plane four to the point of intersection on
the long level, and straightening the carve& and
laying another track on that level. . The statement
famished by the principal assistant engititer, shows
that some $225,000 have been expended on than
poke of the Work, w hicbcovea • the . whole of the
vecial appropriation, and
.$75,000 of the general
fund which completely exonerates the canal board
horn ibis charge. The line of the new road cremes '
'he old in several places, and some little delay has
unavoidably occurred irt the business of the road
while making the necessary changes. It was shown
in the testimony that the prices on four of the sec
tions had been raised, bat no evidence was attempt
ed to be introduced to
. prove that the increase was
beyond theactual value ot the work.
It would seem that, in this instance, the Canal
Commissioners werefgoverned by the same motives
which controlled them under similar circumstan
ces, in raising prices on the North Branch Canal,
which they, withont reserve, set lonia in their last
anneal report to the Legislature.
To prevent ary delay in completing any portion
of the work on the western elope of the mountain,
and to bring it into immediate use, three abandon.
ed sections were relet without advertising. it ap
pears that the prices on ibis work were beyond
those paid on the contracts for jobs, similarly situ.
ated. In this case, it is not apparent that the inter.
eats of the Commonwealth suffered from the ne.
amity which prevented a public letting. ,
frt conclusion, the committee must express their
disapprobation of the manner in which their report,
presented to the'flouse a few days ago, was muti
lated and interpolated by the clerk of the commit
tee, so as to Orange its meaning in - au important
particular, and to make the committee recommend
an abandonment of a portion of the road, to which
they never consented.
The following resolution is respectfully submit
es:
Resolved, That the committee be discharged from
he further consideration of the sat ject.
J. M. KILBOURN,
SMITH SKINNER,
E. B. CHASE.
Harrisburg, April 1-1, 1853.
The Railroad Cdlision at Chteigo.
The terrible catastrophe of the collision upon the
Michigan Central Road near Chicago, whereby
many lives have been lost, and many persons se
riously injured, mutually excites the inquiry as to
the cause of the accident, and who is responsible
for it 1t; The collision occurred at a place same
eight or ten miles from Chicago., where the Central
Road crosses the track of the Michigan Southern
Road. There has been a dispwe bettfeen the two
companies about the tight of one road nkernsa the
track of another, and it was proposed to cross the
track by a bridge. The accident would seem to
show that there was some good reason for the pro
position.
The following is part of the testimony before the
coroner's jury, of Edward Davi., conductor of the
Michigan Southern train,
Leh Junction al 10 o'clock, started by the signal
light given by the conductor ; started from the Junc
tion and was trying to make up lost time, till he
saw the sparks flying from the engine of the Mich.
igan Central train. Was at this time about six or
seven times the length of his train from the place
of crossing ; about, perhaps, not a quarter of a mile,
was standing on the footboard of the locomotive
with his hand out of the window, and his hand on
the throtle valve ; was in the same posi:ion since
leaving the Junction ; immediately blowed the
whistle for down breaks and reversed his engine;
saw by the glare of own light for the first time,
the position of the Central cars, the engine being
over the crossing the cars on it ; in a few seconds
more was under the engine and tender ; was run.
ningTfrom 20 to 25 miles an hour ; don't know
what car he struck ; thinks his engine wen' direct
ly through the cars. Had a large • white light ;
thinks the Michigan Central trains had no light ;•
witness did not see one; the roads cross nearly at
right angles : thinks the train of the Cantu! road
was running slow.
Thinks it was only fifteen or twenty seconds
from the time he first saw the care by the light of
his own tram, till the collision took place ; the
wheels of the engine were reversed from Inc mo
ment he saw the cars ; wheels slid or turned back.
ward all the time; has been a railroad man all his
life ; has been on this road tour weeks • has adv.
er had any orders as to this crossing. Thinks the
brkaemen put down the brakes. It is the business
of the engineer to look out.
If at any time he is called away, the fireman
must do it ; has had a time table ; instructions at
the bottom ; has understood that it was the duty of
trains going out of Chicago to keep out of the way
of all trains on the Michigan Central railroad
Never did understand these instructions till this
morning ; has bad a time cart ; the instructions
are as follows :
" Regulations to be observed at the railroad
crossings between Ainsworth and the Rock Island
Junction. Trains going from Chicago on the North.
em Indiana Railroad must avoid trains going eith.
er way on the Illinois Central Railroad. Trains on
the Illinois Central Railroad going either way will
avoid trains going towards Chicago on the Indiana
Railroad." The witness did not know of this reg.
ulation till this morning. Has bad a time table
ever since he was on the road.
The following is a list of the dead, so far as
brought to the knowledge of the inquest :
Thomas Lawler, frith boy ; Goodlep Wagoner,
German, .luannah Sildolph, German. woman ; He
man Sifdolph, her eon; John Hunter Earl, Amen
can boy ; ad Irishman, name unknown, supposed
to have a wife in,ibis city ; German boy, name en
know; Susan Stott, Little Falls, N Y., Stephen D.
Gray, of Wheelock, Vt., aged 7 years; Edward
Misener, about 16 to 18 years of age ; Man, tin•
known, with $71,54 in his pockets; Boy, name
unknown ; Woman, unknown, $32.51 found in
her pocket • German man, unknown; W. W.
Haines, a German child, about two years old. In
all, sixteen. Stephen D. Gray, of Wheelock, Vt.,
had in his pockets 8320,21 We did not ascertain
on which one of the trains he was. Edward Mis
ener had in his pocket a draft from Adams Co.,
San Francisco, lot $209; payable in New York, and
some small change.. He,had a letter in bis pock
et dated Minnesota City,yeb. 28, 1851 signed S.
F. Kelton. He is a lad of about 16 to 18 years of
age.
The following persons; officers and employees
on the two trains,. have been committed to wait
the verdict of therry:
Herbert D. Whiting, conductor, Southern ; Mo.
sea M. Tyler, do. Central ; Edward Davie, engi
deer, Southern ; Thomas Rackan, do, Central ;; Robert Whiting, fireman, Southein.
A STATE DROIRRONO TOR Cilium... The Leg
islature of 'Wirconsin has paused a bill providing
for the appointment of a travelling emigrant agent,
whose duty it shall be to induce emigrants to the
west to embrace the advantages held oat to them
in Wisconsin. lion. 1.1. Townsend, formerly a
member o 1 the Legislature, has accepted the np
pointmeot.
Wens= vs. Wavaa.—At a municipal elerrion
in Louisville, By., last week; a • majority of 205
was given in foot of liCenses for the sale of opik-
Dons, lignati f _and majority 01 7 77 against " estab•
fishing city water works.. The Couviee - seems
think that this vote establish* conclusively the
fact that whiskey is stronger (ban water.
Mrcit•fovtt I):ttpovtev
Free Oen , Free Speed., Free Men
Blratatems for Shwa reredlonlh
E. O. 000DrUCI{ ? EDITOR:
Towanda, Saturday, May 7, 1853.
Terms rof The Rap meter.
0540 per annam—ifp.MA seinen the yaw 50 rents mid
se deducted-4n case actually in 'dee:meet 00 wilthe
ledneted. Na paper sent overruns yearti.aalese paid tbr.
Aremartsmacrrs. per squats of ten time. 50 cants for the
drat and 23 cent. for each subsequent insertion.
ttr Mewls the " Union Block." north side of the Pabhe
Mptare,*.tt door to the Bradned Hotel. Entrance bemeen
Messrs. Adams , and Elmelra law *Sees,
iimationitio State Nominations.
IeAL comiriancrssa.
THOMAS H. FORSYTH, of Ptata. Co.
AttblToll Me AL.
EPHRAIM BANKS, or MIFFLIN, CO.
FOR evitrisTos 611IWZIAL.
J. PORTER BRAWLEY, or CRAWFORD CO
Gov. William Bigler
The extraordinary interest which the advent of a
new administration has naturally excited in Nation
al politics, remarks the Penn.ryivarrian, should not
Toll us into forgetfulness of our own state, or of her
faithful public servants. It is refreshing to contrast
the conduct of our present State EZIICI3OO with that
of his predecessor. Gov. BIGLER is always to be
found at his post, giving unwearied and unremitting
attention to his duties, and squandering none of the
people's time is perinea" pilgrimages. His official
coarse has been marked by a devotion to the public
interests auturpassed by eny of his predecessors.—
His active mind has constantly been employed in
devising new measures to promote the welfare of
our'good old State, and to protect her from the evil
of special legislation in all its protean shapes His
bold and manly course open all questions of State
policy, while it may have offended the interested
few, cannot fail to meet thesfiearty approbation of
the masses. His able messages abound with cor
rect doctrines, and evince at once great ability and
unswerving devotion to the interests of the people.
Frank and cordial in his manners, honest in his
purposes, devoted to his duties, the administration
of Gov. 8., if continnenn the spirit in which it has
been begun, wilt prove highly beneficial to our
State, and will form a bright page upon the future
history of Pennsylvania.
The Canal *Gard.
In another column will be bond the report of
the majority of the Legislative Committee appoint
ed to examine into the alleged frauds on the Alle•
glieny Portage Railroad, for which we have been
endeavoring to find room for several weeks. ft
will be seen, horn its perusal, that it telly vindi
cates the Canal Board from the charges of entrap
tion preferred against them, and will satisfy every
reader, as it did the Legislature, that in the dis
charge of their official duties they have been gov
erned by a due regard for the interests of the Com
mon wealth .
The office of Canal Comm issiontil l not to be
coveted, if the incumbent desires ecure the
welfare of the State, for in the performance of 141
functions his actions are liable to misconstruction,
and his motives to be impeached. It is impossible
to satisfy all who approach the Board for favors,
and the clamors of the disappointed are generally
proportioned to the intensity of the disappointment.
That the interests of the State have been promoted
by the gentlemen who have been selected to ma
nage our Improvements, is manifest from the steady
increase in the amount of revenue derived-from our
Public Works. No better evidence of the wisdom,
abili'y and honesty of the Canal Commissioners
could be desired.
Messrs. Meatuses end CLovea have alyeady
tingnibhed themselves by the bold stand taken
against unjust demands and encroachments of that
grasping and powerful monopoly, the Central Rail•
road, which sought to cripple the State Works, and
by their untiring devotion to the management of
the great interests coufided to their care. For the
uniform and warm interest they have taken in the
North Branch Canal, as evinced by their action y and
by their Annual Reports, they deserve the gratitude
and esteem of the North. Col. Remus, who has
but recently taken his seat in the Board, has already
demonstrated that his experience and ability will
make him a valuable colleague to the two first
named gentlemen, and add to the usefulness of the
Board.
Titles of Adti
In the list of Acts, passed by the Legislature of
1853, we find the titles of the following, having es
pecial interest in this locality ;
Relating to the Dorm:tab of Towanda, in Mellon
y of Bradford.
Annexing-the counties of Bradford, Susquehanna,
Lonnie, Tioga and Wyoming to the Eastern Die,
trim of the Supreme Court.
To incorporate the Tnnkhannock Railroad Com
pany.
For the relief of Lumen &Hogg& Alvin Seward.
Relative to the justice docket of L. P. Stafford, of
Bradford county.
To authorize the transfer of the Towanda Acade
my to the Susquehanna Collegiate Institute.
To incorporate the Towanda , and Franklin Rail
road company.
Repealing certain sections of an act relating to
hawkers and pedlars in Braelord =Maw.
Extending the time for the Completion of the
Athens and Ithaca Railroad.
To authorize the Governor to incorporate the Wy
alosing bridge company.
Relative to a State road in Bradford wanly.
To an& the marriage contract between Morgan
'DoWitt sad Emily, his wife.
U. S. Dormer Arsosures..-Wer fearer from the
Pittsburg Post, that the Hon. owe=
,Saa,ura, of
that city, has been appointed" U.A. Attorney Ain the
Wagons Disuiot of Permsylrinia. Jmige &is me
of the oldest and ablest lawyri ;• at, the ! 1 4:1,04
highly esteemed not only among
,his. ptobssional,
brettnen E tnAin the social Circles of 14_ ,W!kuors..
grunted' the Judge upon receiving ibis token of re.
gard from the.adminisiradon,
By our recent files we learn that affairs on our
So**ltalia *die iri w hat
riinvanspaiCt-maluppeirs lat tltei prisyleice
situated kfew leagues ittuth*ist Dona
Ana conteineacime two or ihnle thousand !people
who inefet the ttioveriiment of 'Mexico tho''
lying south of ibe line fixed by Continissioner Bart.
tint—Gov.Lane hits made a descent upon this val
ley upon- hisown- responsibility for -the purpose
of annexing it to Mexico, and ttie State of
Chihuahua in which it id included, is reported to
have revolted from the Central Government
Our relations with New Mesicolarisnot in other
respects of the most satisfaitory ohiracter,.. and the
recent rotum of Santa Anna may possibly produce
another speck of war. '
Later adviceuTepresent a considerable Mexican
force as-marching upon the disputed territory and
ere this it ms have become the scene of an elicit.
ing and bloody means.
Death of Judge Gibson.
We learn from the Philadelphia Bullelin, that
HON. Jose BANNISTER Meson, Judge of the Su
preme Court, and for many years Chid Justice• of
the State, died at two o'clock on Meeting last, at
the Misted States Hotel, in that city, where for Bei
end days his afflicted family had been awaiting in
.agonizing suspense the termination. of his honoured
life. His disease was an affection of the stomach,
which completely baffled the best medical treat
ment. It is a satisfaction to'know that tis last
hears were not disturbed by severe suffering, and
that even when prostrated on the,bed of death, his
great intellect remained unclouded to the last. His
death is a severe loss to the State, and a bitter af
fliction to his family and friends, who, with all
their admiration of his talents, were more strongly
mind to him by thosegentle and generous traits of
personal character of which the world at large tan
know nothing.
Judge Gibson was born in Carlisle, Pennsylva
nia, in the year 1780, and wasconsequently seven
ty-three years of age. He was the son of Co). Geo.
Gipson, a well-known and distinguished officer of
the revolutionary war, who fell, while fighting
with the Indians at'St. Clattra defeat, in 1795. He
was educated at Dickineon College, where he gra
duated in 1800. He then eluded law under Thom
as Duncan, Esq., of Carlisle, and was admitted to
to the bar in 1803. After some interiar, employ
ed in the selection of a place to commence prac
tice, he finally opened an office in Carlisle, where
he soon won a high repntation , as a lawyer. He
was sent twice to the Legislature, in 1810 and 1811,
giving a zealous support to the administration of
Governor Snyder and President Madison. In 1812
Governor Snyder appointed him Judge of the 11th
Judicial District, just organized in Northern Penn
sylvania, which included , in its limits the County
of Bradford, and in 1818 he was elevated to the
Supreme Bench. In 1827, on the death of Chief
Justice Tilghman, Gov. Shultz appointed him to the
vacancy, and he held the office from that time un
til 1851, when the amendment to the Constitution
made the Judiciary elective. Having received the
Democratic nomination, Judge Gibson was elected
to the Supreme Bench by a large majority, and
drew the nine year's term, of . which scarcely a
year and a halt had elapsed at his death.
New JUDICIAL Durrucr.—A new Judicial Dis
trict was created by the last Legislature, composed
of the counties of Centre, Clinton and Clearfield.—
The two former were attached to Judge Doran's
District, and in place of them, Montour county has
been taken from Judge Conyngham's District and
added to Judge Jordan's? His District is therefore
now composed of Northumberland, Lycorn ing and
Montour counties. The appointment of a Judge
for the new District, to serve until the October elec
tion, has not yet been made.
How S. A. Dorcn.ass will please accept our
thanks for copies of - his Speeches in the U. S. Sen
ate, in reply to Messrs. Clayton and Butler on the
Central American Treaty.
Hon. Wes. H. Smut's) will also please accept
our thanks for his Speech in the Senate on the sub
ject of " Duty on Railroad Iron."
STUITICD ESVZLOPICII. It is stated in the Journal of
Commerce that the stamped envelopes contracted to
be famishedd , e U.S. Government by G. F. Nesbitt,
of New York,'w ill be reaiy for delivery by the Ist
of June next. A large quantity are already proper:
ed but specimens are not yet exhibited.
ALUANDER R. Rua, Esta , one of the oldest and
most respected citizens of Clearfield, died there on
Thursday evening, April 21st. lie was the father
in.taw of Gov. Bigler, who, with Mrs. Bigler, arch , .
ed there just two hours before his death.
Judo G blunicr, a young Lawyer at Richford,
Tioga County, has been arrested by the U. S. Mar
shal and taken to Syracuse for examination, on a
charge of forging pension vouchers to enable him
to draw the pension ot a deceased soldier,
Hon. hint SLIDELL, Union Democrat, 0,1 erected
U.S. Senator from Louisiana, in place of Mr,'Sonle
appointed Minister to Spain.
The Hon. Henry M. Puller is mentioned among
the candidates for the Whig Nomination for Gov. of
Penhaylvania, by papers in the Northern section of
the State.
A BmaH Oversight.
Less than twenty years ago, a prothineet, but very
eccentric poitician of our State, went to Philade!.
phis, and issued invitations to all the leading and
distinguished politicians of the Quaker city, to al.
tend an entertainment to be given by him atone of
the hest hotels of the city.. Of course, they gener
ally attended—everything was done op in the most
handsome manner—and thet.,„ entertainment wet
sperken d'art one of the most homptuous that bad
been witnessed for a long time—but, most unluck—
ily for the landlord, the gentleman who gave the
fete forgot to foot the bill,
The like accident seems to have occurred io
the ease of the handsome. entertainment given . by
the Painsylvania Legislature to our neighbors of
Baltimore any and the State of Maryland. Th e
dinner wascapital, the chempaigo of the finesitrand
and in the greatest abundance; and the bill of a
-character to do credit to oar State authorities ; bat, I
mostlnnleekily, in the hung andbostle, noise and I
confusion the last hours of the session when the
great put& theassitha have tote put through with
out reeding, as was 'the easwof: the appropriation
bill, emprovhdons was made to pay for *ht.• line
entertainment. and the gentleman, Wholtirnished the
good thing, will hive bile bille out of 'some' Slew' six
- thousand dollies for altar to come. This is pat.
sauteing , a landlord vritb-e vengetuthee--/Igaischdi o
Mom
tiM. ~i.~>x L">'L'.';ii''i.S'Y: ,a-~""";n:;ik'b«=+7,re ii^«
&incekfint xtiellifamroan Reemtftrit.4liee '
announced by jour` paper of the Bthsof,Aol,lloll,
di &silt of fen*lvania passed a'reieliiiton.ii;
vittng theGovernortind Members of the login*.
omit of Mittrytero, ar.d the Councils of the - elty
lialtimort, to visit Harrisborg as the : Omni of "ttie
State. Now, the question stilt eats itself, What
,rigld has the Legialatat . e.togive ouch axinvitiationt
It cannot be said they have any constitutional right,
and if not, what have they received from their
immediate constituents! I think the good people
of out state never intepdedtogive:any such power
:to their agents. - thor have that fight, then upon
the same principle they may invite the Legislatures
of ell the*tites, at MA" exPeitee 'of "Oki Cerninteri:
vfealth. What sum has been proposed to be raised'
to defray theexpense of said guests,' I have net
teamed we will suppose' they appropriate the tow
sum of two thousand dollars. Then upon the prin.
ciple premised, that they incite the Legislatures of
all the diffeient states of the Union, we have the
sum of about sixty thousand-dollars. ' It does ap
pear that this is a stretch of power that no Legisfa•
ture - of ti free state have a right to assume; and if
they have overreached-the powers "granted them,
they sluiald be taught by the disapprobation of the
people, that such conduct in their agents will not
be overlooked.
This movement savors strongly of the principle
adopted a year since by the Senate of the United
States, in appropriating five thousand doHare for the
expense of KOMUTII. and suite.
The questidn also presents itself, What end have
our Senate in contemplation, in giving sac!, invita
tion, and what is the State to gain by h? If there
is a difficulty to adjust, it certainly cannot be settled
to any advantage in this way; and is there is an
arrangement to be made between the two States
whereby each is hi be materially benefitted, tow
is it to be no:compile/red any better by eating ex
pensive dinners and i sw i fling brandy and champagne
at the people's expense! If neither of these ends
are to be gained, what then?. Is it through some
speculative motive of members! If ibis be the
case, it is the more detestable atilt Some may
say, that it was for a social interchange of feeling
and friendly intercourse. Cannot the states retain
this without so much parade? The answer I think
would be, from every patriot and lover of his coun
try and his country's gdod, Yes. I hop c e some one
mote capable than myself will take this matter up,
and have it show to the people in all its bearings.
What would the people of Pennsylvania have
thought thirty years ago, had our Legislature made
even an attempt at such profusion ? lam not sure
but there would him been a Buckshot war in ear•
nest. ft does seem that our Legislatures in the dif
ferent states in the last thirty years • have become al-
most reckless. I will not attempt to deny that some
good' and wholesome laws have been enacted in
that lime, but look at others which the people will
neithet adhere to nor respect. Look, if you please,
at the attempt made a year since by the Senator
front Dauphin, to introduce a bill prohibiting any
colored person from entering the stale, under the
penalty of fifty dollars, and also a fine of fifty dol
lars upon any white person that should be instru
mental in getting any negro to come into this slate.
But we need to be thankful that such act did not
disgrace our statute book.
II my vision has not become altogether eclipsed,
as a nation we are upon the down ward course. It
must be evident to every man of experience, that
we are apparently as nigh to a monarchy, as was
Rome fifty years before Cmsar's time. This will
appear startling to some, but let such consider the
signs of the times, and the perfect recklessness of
our Legislators, both State and National, in regard
to our constitutional rights, when they will spend
nearly the whole of every session on private bills,
white others of vital importance to thousands of
suffering and honest people, receive scarcely a
passing notice. this state of things does not arise
from a want.of honest Democratic principle iriour
Legislators, I am at a loss how to account for it,—
You will not understand me as classing all mem
bers in this category, but there are enough to ruin
the country.•
I think it high time for every man in the Nation
to pause and consider what course it is.best to pur
sue, and to exercise his rights before that precious
boon is taken from him. No Republic ever lost
her liberty all at once; it was always done little by
little, and by trying the people to see how much
they would bear, and after one trial if the people
bear it weft, then another and another until a Cmsar,
a Cromwell or a Bonaparte are at the head of their
legions, and then adieu to Liberty forever.
Let our law makers do the business allotted them
by the people, and we shall not have all this train
of evils coming upon us. Look at the Fugitive
Slave Law, the Black Law of Illinois, and the rate
law passed by Congress raising the salaries of Ca
binet officers ; and the •buying of Bank charters in
oar own Democratic state, and the thousand specu
lations entered into by Legislators when at the seat
of government, and then let the people say.if there
is not ground to fear for the liberty of our country .
I sincerely hOpe that an overruling Providence will
so order it that oar Liberty will not be lost to our
selves and to our pesterity. IL D. P. IL
RENTRUCTIVE FIRE IN ROCEIENTER••-FOITR LIVES
Loam—Rochester, April 29.
About 1 , o'clock this morning the Rochester
House, a Temperance Hotel, was found to be on
fire, and, sad to relate, four domestics, three women
and one boy, lost their lives. There were about
120 persons in the Hotel,..rnany of them families,
who were boarders, and the scene of confusion and
dismay which occurred is inconceivable. Nothing
remained of those who perished but a few charted
bones, sufficient to enable the surgeon to designate
them. We, learn only the names of Catharine
Conlin], aged about 40 years, and James Pheeney,
14 years old. The buifdiruy, was recently purehas
'ed by J. Mi Preneh, for 825.500, and was insured
for 810,000, It was kept by Bryan Cone &Cn.. as a
Temperance House. About two-thirds of the buil
ding, and a; large amount of personal property, was
destroyed. The fire originated in thecooking and
'drying room.
A livery ;gable was also burned, bat its contents
were saved, , The loss in th e Rochester House can
not beiescertained at present.
The Boston Post states that a girl seventeen
years old was bitten by a rattlesnake on the left
instep. Two hours afterwards Dr. T. A: Atehin•
sun, who describes the case in the Bonthem Medi.
cal Journal, visited her, and found her sightless,
with her taceastollen and her mind wandering.—.
He pbteed.her in.a hot salt bath, and administered
whiskey arid carbonate of emmonii until she had
takei thnieviiils - of the first and 'BO grains - of the
tatter- no tntoxication , followed, and she mum.
Q i
-
.n New York, within a year or two,a physi
cian was sufficed to die.f the bite of it ranlettnidte a
siso a phYttician ot-PhihttPa. - •
~#i~r~t'!~L'ee~.
A nieetiugof the Bradford County Agricultural
:oothke Zeirrtiiinge
imer t eey;blearafthe Conn House in the bore' of .4.
wmadaion alOt evening . of ee hi ll s o y et
priiiieed ne
p i c o e gal even sve i r . ei p h r s . d r ;
andkV. Surat el ected Secretary pro tent.
ifesotoedMiat inasmuch as this meeting aeo
called underra misapprehension ol the stated H oke
for such meeting—the appointed time for tbis me et ,
ing by the meeting held last February, being oo
luesday evening pelt. Therefore •that when tlt
meeting adjourns,ft adjourns to meet on tom er .
row evening.
addßres s esok e d t tb a t, Henry Society Booth, EsqEsq.,be invited t o
the .
After an able and eloquent address fron t lb,
Booth, a large number of citizens from various?),
tions of the county, came forward and joined th e
tocielyt. ,
Rooleed, That theithanks of the meeting b e tebe .
!be
ered
so to M
licite r d fo.. Boor
ph tia slidation. land•that a copy of his addrela
Mr. E. W. Hale offered the following resolutions
—the consideration of which was postponed till to.
morrow evening.
Resolved, That this Society will have an Arm c o,
tura! Exhibition at the boro • ofTowanda, on Th uq .
day, the 6th day of October neut.
TVISDA
The President ofthe Society being absent co.
G. F. (aeon was called to the chair.
The resolutions Offered by Mr. Hale, was cello
up and adopted therefore there will bean Sari ee6
tural fair, to beheld at the time and place Imo
upon.
Resolved, That B. S. RuoselL W. C. &g a g. la ,
E. W. Hale, be constituted a committee to act in
conjuncuon with the Executive committee to make
suitable arrangements for the Pair io October
next.
The townships committees then made repo
E. W. Hale reported fifty names as baring joined
the society in Monroe rap.
Samuel Kellam, 2d, reported ten names from Do
rell twp.
J. D. Montanye reported seven names from Stand.
ing Stone twp.
Julius Russel reported two names from Wind_
ham twp.
Joseph Menardi reported two namerfrom Albany
twp.
Resolved, That a meeting of the society be held at
the Court House, in this boro' on Monday of th e
first week of Sept. court at 3 o'clock. P. M.
Resoked, that the proceedings of this mectiag be
pulished in th'e papers of this county.
G. F. MASON, Chairman. pro tem.
F. SMITH, Secretary.
Burning of Steamer Ocean Wave--
Twenty-Eight Lives Lost.
We learn by telegraph, from Kingston. C. W.
that the Steamer Ocean Wave Naas destroyed by fire
on Friday night, six miles west of the " Ducks,"and
about forty miles above Kingston. She is repotted
to have had Eft ypersons on board, twenty-tw o of
whom only were saved—including Capt. Wright
the mate, and the parser. The Ocean Wave was
owned at Ogdensburg. by the Di orthern Railroad Co.
and has been running between that port and Ham!.
ton, for freight and passengers. he was oo her
downward trip. She was insured in different States
and. in the Canadas.
The Ocean Wive took fire from her furnace cc
her downward trip, off the " Docks," about four
miles above Kingston, on Saturday morning, about
two o'clock. When the fire was discovered she
was about a mile and a half from the shore, which
she was immediately headed for, but so intense was
the heat that the machinery gave out, and she dna ,
ed to sea. The upper cabin was consumed to about
fifteen minutes, and in about two hours the hull
went down. Those saved were taken otT by the.
schooner Georgians.
The Ocean Wave had on board 14 cabin sod
deck passengers, besides 4 children and the crew,
who swelled the number to almost 50, of whom
were saved ; among the crew saved were Captua
Wright, and both mates, Thomas Oliver the purser,
both wheelsmen, the second engineer, Mr. Mini,
man, and a number of deck hands ; among the pa.
sengers saved were Mr. Francis Ktsh sod wife, both
of whom were burned, but not dangerously; Mrs.
French, of Cornwall. and the wife of Mr. Moor, of
the Gore Bank, Hamilton—these three were all the
females saved. A small vessel on her way dove
sent a boat to the assistance ref the th.fated steamer
but the men being so much frightened pulled asap
again.
The schooner Georgians then here in sigbt,lo>t•
ered a boat, which was manned with her mate sod
two of her sailors, and succeeded in picking up
eighteen persons ; in two minutes after the rescue.
the wreck went down ; she had drifted eighteen
miles from the shore before she sunk. The captain,
first mate, and one passenger, reached the shore
near the disaster, and the vessel brought the rest to
Kingston. Among those lost are Mr. Trumbull, Ist
engineer : Julius Sanders, bar-keeper ; the cook.
Mrs. Donnald, a nurse and three children of the
cashier of the Gore Bank. Hamilton ; three ladiv;
names unknown Mr. Lyman S. Fiske, of the firm
of H. S. Humphrey & Co., of Ogdensbarg—whole
number lost, at least 28. The progress of the
Mimes was so rapid that it was impossible to launch
any of she boats that were on board.
F/R6 AT COEMING.--0111' neighbors semis be
doomed. They have been burned out of " holes
and home" a number of times during the last few
years, and we had hoped that the scourge had pass
ed. Much eaation has been used slier each sa
c eeding fore to guard against a like occurrence, bet
it appears that they are not " fire proof," as Rill be
seen by the following extract horn the Cow!,
Journal of last week :
This morning at 3 o'cliick, a are was discovered
in the third story of the building on Market &,
formerly owned by Southwick, which goon ierolr.
ed the whole structure, and extended east, desray
ine all the bnileings towards the comer, viz • awl
and Pierce, Grocery Store ; U. D. Heod, Hamm
Shop, E H. Smith, Grocery Store, and the Bari
ware Store of Win. Hart. Wi'h much diffculty,
C. G. Howell's building on the west was sared,aul
at one time great fears were entertained for the
safety of the brook on the opposite side of thestreet
Owing to a rapture of the hose, the Engines velt
not available fora time. Hood be Pierce and L
D. Hood were not insured, saving their stocks mat
ly, but losing their buildings. Their kiwis whoa
$BOO each
The buildings where the fire originated, soot'
copied below by rink as a Clothing Stor e--Md
•of 'his stock was saved. The second floor two
derstand, was used as a. Rawlins! Saloon and ttgt
third floor as a Billiard Saloon. The building to'
fully ineered. E. H. Smith was also lowed. AO,
E. Worm*, who owned the budding ticcuilei
by Wm. Hart. Nearly all the contents of the hold
ings burned, which were on the first bon lel
saved-.
SCSQUICITANNA STK.MRORTING—An act err irm el ,
by the last legislature, creating a steam taw T h e company on the Susquehanna, at Sunbury. I ' .
gentlemen at the head of it are already makingP._!
partition for building the boat Th e Engine, ate'
is building at Providence, is of eighty five hOri e
power, low pre-lista/e t withem dens in Pi
the length of the boat is eighty feet. Its bleaJtal
including guards, twenty•eight feet, with a prt
way running the whole length, nine feet in
to drive on and oft. She will have side weee li '
eight feet in diameter, and will thaw bat Intle more
than three feet of water. Her speed will be ' bug;
fourteen miles per hour, making the trip from SP
D ury to Northumberland in six or seven moo ,
and to the Union county side in half that tuna Tb e
boat ie. designed for a tow and a Ferry boat, which
the coal operations of the Railroad Compeel tea•
der absolutely necossary.
A Bra STICK FOR TUC CRYSTAL PALACE Ext
nos —The Binghamton Daily Republican Ks
that Messrs, Campbell, Moody, and BissekatsP re '
'paring a large pine stick of timber, at Allegbeel ,
.0: the World's Fair. It is 80 feet long, and altt
m
Ja three feet, containing 720 cubic feet, el
teat of - lumber, board measure. It was over five fe e
itt diameter. ' •