The miners' journal, and Pottsville general advertiser. (Pottsville, Pa.) 1837-1869, May 22, 1841, Image 1

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Ei.D2RXIIS
To the People of Pe nsylvania.
The lundersigned.. your Serit.rs and Representa•
lives, h i eing about to separate aftk the discharge of
arduoui duty, deem it to be the* duty to present a
view Of the public affairs of llhe Commonwealth
with reference to their past and 'present administra
tion, and the hopes i ahich every good citizen has i
)
right to entertain o a change Or the future. Dii
ring the session of the Legisliture iv - filch has just
terminiated, they , have labored with a resolute pur
pose of meeting the.expectation4 of the people and
the - resPonsibilities imposed upoU them by a state of
things unparalleled in the history of our country.
As the expression of the Wants of the people reach
ed their', Os petitions for relief in a season of une.
quailed alestreSs Were presented io them, they sought
to meet these wishes. and by one measure of relief
after another, such as have liaised both Houses, to
do foil the people what the people had 'a right to
ask. ; ' ~
Unhappily for those who sought relief, and for the
Legislature who desired to afford it, the Executive
authoril has been canferred.ou an individual, who
exercialng it'syith no view but fr the ruaintainance
of his Own official influence, has never ventured to
indicate his measure of eitheri n relief or reform, or
been ,W i lling to unite with us i ours. There is a
irmrse,of official duty which thi Constitution can
.'templritea. on the part of the Ex,e i cutive 'alike remo
ved from improper interference land mysWrious re
serve, : which, her been putsned by the present
Exectitive, would have abridged our session, simpli
fied otlr labors and shaded us lo return hope with
the hjypy assurance that the iGir.ernment, by the
concurrent action of its various e , partmeots, had re
leivedthe distress and perplex 4 of its constituency.
That Course is the same which! the patriot Harter-
SON intended to pursue, to which his successor is
pledged, and the reverie of the !lark and sinuous line
of action, in which the present Governor of Penn
adlvartia seems 'to delight. ; ''t is hot to 'dictate to
the Legislature, Who, coming rdoro recently from_the
people, best know Vitra want's, init. hi the letter of
the Constitution ills .. froth . tinie to time to give to
the General Assembly information of the state of the
Commonwealth and reconmer4l to their eansidera;
Lion .uclt. measures as shall be Most expedient;" and
in 'its spirit having made thee recommendations, to
aceitiesce in the action of the immediate represents
- lives of the people, unless it violates either the Con:
stitution or some essential prinliples of good govern
ment.
Tins , middle course betwer obtrusive interfe.
. 'r.
rence and stahhorn reserve, thi .present Executive of
PenriSylvania seems unable to' _discern, and the Le.
gtslature has been compelled with no other:consola
tion than the honest effort to duty always affords, to
wait; for weeks and months unable to attain a glimpse
of Executive opinions except When they Were made
manifest in Vetoes? frequentlylcouched in disrespect
ful language, or es they could be gathered from .the
' intimations of accredited partii.ans in and out of the
Legislature. Under such eMbarrassment has the
Legislature . acted, and to audit: embarrassment has
the ,Exeltive been content, til leave us to act. We
wish a suffering peOple to understood this and tolls
ten to the proof.
'I he session of the Legislaitne commenced on the
first 'Tuesday. tit January 184 The state of things
wea's 'then most- peculiar. The Banks were in a
state of general suspension.lThe currency consis
.teditnainly of the notes of th 6 Banks of other states
or bf the, Bank of the United States, and far the set.
tle.nent of the smal, accountis which form so large',
prdportion orthedaily besincisis of the citizens, noth
ing was accessible but the illegal and discredited
small note currency from aliroad. A 'promised re
sun-TO-on of specie paymentA was at hand and every
-citizen looked forward ivith r he hope, if not the ex
peetiati-ii, that it might be ermanent and the cum
ninnity might not again wit s a scene of universal
discredit. There were man'who belieYed that no
pqmanent resumption couldbe effected without the
Intreficial interposition Of th 'General Government,
and on' that interpo,nioo'directed by the Wisdom
and patriotism of a Preside t chosen by Pennsylva
nia itself, we Confidently 'IA eat , : But the GoVernor
wi's not one of these.' Herelied on the efficacy 'of
- stnte legislation directed bynee :party impulses : he
..n
shltred in none of our epectations of action at
Washinetion ; he tiever expressed and probably
1 1 -
•
never felt any share f the clonfidence which the rea
-8(4.
1 and good feeling of t e people, reposed in the .
wisdom and patriotism of t e lamented HartittiOs.
- Now
. we ask you to mark t o results. On the 15th
of January, 1841, the Bo t tika resumed speciepay
rrtents-:-on the first of Febr
,ary, the Governor negoL
elated a loin of nearly 1400,000 dollars with 'he
Banks, ar 3 .. mainly with Idle Bank of the United
States—on .the 4th of Feliivary, the Banks again
suspended, and in a state of almost hopeless prostra
thin have they remained evfr since,
On the sth of February,ithe intelligence of the ca.
lriareity reached the seat of Government through pri
fata° ,channels. The le islature, after pausing to
..give the Executive an opp ilunity of presenting his
j )
clew„ et thia o crisisrproceedea' Without further delay
ito do its duty 'and legislatp for the crying necessi
ties of the people. To enable the Executive to sug
gest his remedy for theekili thds liflperiding, was
vine alike to'him and to o rselves—.-we waited, but
.rfti ve:ted in `•sin.. The xeCtitive. functions were'
• irn iri c , No word fell f orri the lips of the Gover
nor,public are apprized of
and se fares 1::.' or t e
lib views as voluntarily exilna2gedi content with the
preient state of things, irrdein:table curTfPcy, hope.
lessly irredeemable for the uffering people, he wrap':
peal himself in mysterious ilence Rnd made no ef
t fort, gave no sign that pro Ind relief.
Not so your Itepreientatß•es—tinited, untounsel.
led by the Executive, theyiS - Siinied the responsibility,
and measures of relief were originated, matured and
enacted. Mixed, howeveri, with the prayer for relief,
there was an emphatic delnand for reform—and it
. i
, was-with steady view , to the coincident ministra.
lien of relief and reform time' our measures were pre.
'Pai ed. . 1 , •
' ' lt was not long before a measure of Bank reform
and popular relief was enacted by both Houses. It
vas rigid in its enactmenis to the Balls.. It was
generous and beneficial lo the people. It limited
the pOwers of Bank. offieets and Directors—it check.
ME
ETEI
r • C
•
k •
-7 0 • • •
-
widteach you to pierce tNe bOwels of the Earth.and bring out from theCaverna of Moontaino,Metals which will gisestrength toourlisnds arid subject all Natureto ouruse andpleasuren— rA.,JoriNfoN
VOL. XVII.
ed inordinate Banking opett Lions. T it was not • the
extravagant privilege of disregarding . law. It was
the privilege which necessity exiicted and it
was nothing more. But with that privilege were
connected vital, measures of .refoirn which the
people had long depended. So far as the .Legisla
ture was concernc4 their duty 'wait - promptly and
faithfully performed.
Nor was it tilt the Legislature had thtis acted that
any Executive intimation was made., It came as
usual in the form of a peremptory refuSal to acquiesce
in'the views of the Representatives of the people,
and it left the Legislature to mature its measures
again, and guessing at Lc! varying opinions of the
Executive, to try to enact laws which might conform
to them and at the same time be consonant with
public policy and Constitutional requisition.
With what an anxious desire to regulate our
course by wise and disinterested views—to do what
a peculiar exigency required and no more—to con
ciliate Our political adversaries and for once to unite
with them or to persuade them to unite with us in a
common effort to relieve the soffering community,
those who were immediate spectators of the scene
bet Can'tell. One of the undersigned, representing
the feelings of us all on the floor of the Senate, ex- -
pressly tendered to the• Executive the assurance of an
earnest desire to bury mere party feeling, and to co
operate cordially in measures at which no party cavil
could be uttered. But it was in vain. The only
answer was derision C. the offer, anti, a scornful de
nial of the existence of all 'tstrt'as among our con
stituents. •
. •
Not discoUraged by the failure of all these e$ rts,
the undersigned again matured a measure of relief
designed to effecohe great object in the attainment
Of which we believe the hopes of our suffering con
stituents were involved. Could our constituents
have seen what we have seen, and - know what we
have known, they would still more highly appreciate
our reasonable anxiety_ to give relief. Not only was
the comniuni y generally agonised, but on certain
classes the pressure of the times fell with peculiar
severity. .The cntracts on the unfinished lines of
the public works were made on the faith of the Com
monwealth, solemnly and sacredly'pledged by agents
who, however faithless to their trusts, were still the
egents of the State. After the adjournme.it of the
last Legislature, ii..e Canal Commissioners holding
their offices at the will of the Governor, aware that
the approPriatioi s were expended or insufficient,
proiecuted the public works. Of this action we do
not feel disposed to speak further than to say, that
the Erxectitive who would thus willingly incur debts
ougheto he us willing to pay them end not to deny
poor just.co to those wh . o suiTer by his acts. The
contractors w ho in full confidence trusted the Com
monwealth, have come -to us and told us their pite.
ous t de—tlieirproperfy sacrificed, their toil wasted,
debts incurred, executions impending, ruin staring
themielVes and fjmilies in the face, the disgrace of in
solvency tainting their character, and the debtor's
prison waiting to receive them. The counties of
Erie, of CrawfOrd, of Beaier, of Dauphin, Hunting
don, Centre, tycoming, of Mercer, of Columbia,
Northumberland, Luzerne, of Bradford and Susque
harms, are filled r ith sufferers like these. We have
listened with pity_ to their - story of suffering, and
though great diversity of opinion exists as to the
policy of further expenditure on the'unlinished lines,
none of us are insensible to the State's obligations to
pay her just debts. It is the ExeCutive alone, who
contracted debts without authority of law, that.'per
sists in his refusal to pay them.
To give relief and do justice to diesel creditors, the
Legislature has Wio're'd long and anxiously and in
the hove of giving this relief, was the measure to
which they have referred in a great measure matu
red.
The deht due 1-Ir repairs alone, amount to two
hundred and sixty-eight thousand dollars, due gen
erally to poor men who have contributed their labor
to keep the public works in such condition that they
may render revenue to the Commonwealth. Cases
of individual hardship have been brought to our
view, at which any heart would sicken, except the
callous hearts of i;Aose who, elevated above the
sym
pathies of.ordinaryliumanity, can use the,berieht of
labor, and yet deny to it its reward. It was to pay
those debts too that the 'undersigned have anxiously
labored.
To other public creditors, to those by whose pe
cuniary contributions the Internal Improvement sys
tem has been constructed, there'l:was due at least an
effort on the part of the, State .o discharge its obliga
tions. Relying too confidently on the professions of
the Executive, that by; no act of his should,the State
credit be impaired or the public faith violated, we
assumed the hazardous responsibility of exacting
from the -people new contributions to the common
cause, The ruinous and disgraceful system of bor
rowing to pay interest, the undersigred thought and
still think•ought - be arrested. They have endeav
ored to do so, and if they have failed the responsibil
ity is not their's: The State credit t•diat and ought
at all hazards and at ony cost he sustained. The
State debt is the aggregate of .every man's promise,
and if dishonor rest on tha individual who violates
his word, fa: deeper and fouler is that dishonor which
s will ptirsue the community which Wantonly and
causelessly disregards its obligations and tahing con
tributioni from the hand of generous confidence, en
trenches Well' within its constitutional immunity and
refuses, to provide firi the payment of its unquastion-
There is but one mode of sustaining credit,
and to that the Legislature resorted. Its torture is
not attritutable to us.
The measure thu , maimed, finally passed the Le
gislature on the 36th of April, and on the let of
May it was returned to os with the Executive objec
tions. To that measure and to thoie objections we
risk your best attention. They are in all respects'
worthy of it: It was a measure Vvhich will at once
relieve the pressure of immediate !'ability on the
Commonwealth, pay its domestic crc liters, afford re
lief to the people, by' a Moderate and well reguldted
amount of small note ciiirencY, saved large amount
of interest on the public:debt, and give to the banks
such relief as for the sake of the community it was
propel to afford thi m—but it did more, and to this
we invite especiu: atter. ion. It provided for a reduc
tion4if the expenses of the government—it expressly
prohibited the entanglement of the Commonwealth
in Doty, contracts, the burthen of which would ulti
mately fall on the people themselves—and above ail,
it especially appropriated the money to be raised to
certain objects and made it offence against the law
for its officers to misapply the appropriations. There
was to be no transfer ; of money from this fund to that
fund—ito drawing from one pocket into another—no
concealing deficiencieu or defalcations by ingenious
transfers—no puzzling the public mind by intricate
acconeis; bet every cent of revenue bad it. appOtlli•
INI
WWI lit 11.1 PI DlEcki DVI FEN !IV t - 44 g - f.l ;11
Weekly by Benjamin Bannan, Pottsville, Sebnylki County, Pennsylvania.
ate object indica'ed, and neither the Executive nor
his agents, could without detection misapply it.,
This constitutional coercion" we Thought we had
a right to apply, and yet it is of this restraint which
the constitution itself enjoins, and which we were
bound to prescribe, that the Executive complains as
a dangerous encroachment orl his prerogative. From
this coniplaint we again appeal to the popular judg
ment to sanction a measure which would deserve ap
proval, if it contained no other provision than this.
We trust that no Legislature will ever be• dissuaded
or deterred from imposing this wholesome restrant
on the' power of the Executive over the treasury.
So far as the Relief Bill'affected the banking in
stitutions of the State, to the great surmise of the
undersigned, they found the views of the Governor
on one point bad suddenly become consonant with
theirs. At the begin Ding of the late session ho de
nounced mall
. notes as an evil which was on every
account to be avoided, and strenuously urged the pro
hibition of notes under ten dollars. At that time
the people were suffering (or the want of this curren
cy, but The Executive prejudices were obdurate. At
the Leginning of this session his views were unchan
ged. So late as the Bth of April, ho still professed
hostility to small notes even to a limited amount, and
made this one of his objections to that measure of
salutary regulation. By his recent veto it however
appears that within a shorn dine the Executive on
tins subject has changed his ground, and that influ
enced by Considerations which he has not indicated,
and in relation to which in charity we,will not pre
tend to speculate, he too is in favor of this mode of
relief to the community. We apprehend that the
people will appeciate the sineerity of his past profes
sion=, and feel due eristitude for his late acquiesence
in their wishes.
Not discouraged yet but anxicus to preseivo the
public credit at all hazards, in order to save the Exe
cutive from the stain which must rest on him, and
on him alone, if by the course he has thought fit to
pursue the Legislature was forced to adjourn without
definite action, still perplexed by . the obscure intima
tions of his will, and sympathiling`deeply with the
suffering people, the undersigned determined to act
on their own responsibility, and accordingly passed
the measure of relief by o'constitutional majority.
It public gratitude be due, no Shure of it is duo to
the Executive.
It is a measure of comprr miss to which we a.-1 the
cordial and - generOus consideration of the people.
It is a measure of necessity amidst surrounding dif
ficulties. It is a measure which gives relief and •
deserves the 'popular
Such has been the general course of action on tLe
great measure of relief and reform—and to that ac
tion thus thwarted and perplexed, the confidently in
vite your canc:id and generous consideration. Could
the Governor have been induced to depart from his
oracular reserve, and appealing to the impartial
judgment of the people, a reliance which never fails,
frankly have indicated his views or expressed his
willingness to take counsel, and honest counsel with
the Legislature on such subjects, much time and ex
pense might have been spared, and bong ago might
we have returned to those who sent us hither and
told them that counsels of patriotism had prevailed,
popular necessities been relieved, and wholesome re
form enforced. If the 'result had been different, the
responsibility would not be with us. If we had left
the (people without relief, we should have left then,
in the hands of the Executive.
But this engrossing subject is not the only one
for which the legislation was needed. Nor is it the
only one in which the wishes of the people have been
frustrated by the unstable and pervene will of the
Executive.
At least ten executive vetoes disfigure the Journ
als of this session, and in but one of them has the
Governor pretended to indicate other than consider
ations of local expediency of which the representa
tives of the peopie believed they u ere the best judges.
And in the single exception, strange as it may seem
to our fellow citizens, so few of whom are ignorant
of the proVisions.of the Constitution under which
We live, the Governor fotinihd his objections on a
clause in an obsolete Constitution which more than
two years ago was abrogated by a vote of the people.
Nor had the Exe;cutive the manliness either to admit
the error, if error it was, or assign the true cause of
the misrepresentation until it had been discovered
and rebuked by the vigilant action of the represen
tatives of the people. For proof of this assertion,
now made with regret, but, from a sense of justice,
the undersigned refer to the Journals, where it will
be seen that in a Message on the 10th of February
last, the Governor quoted as in force the old Consti- ,
tution as justifying his negative to an important bill, I
and that on the 12th, not, however, until after the
misquotation had been detected in the House of Re
presentatives, lie acknowledged it in a supplemental
communication, and attributed it to a 'mistake in
transcribing. No one can read the passage with the
context and believe that it was an accidental error.
We ask the people to examine the journals and then
judge for themselves.
This is the solitary instance in which the Gover
nor has frustrated our legislation on account even
of pretended constitutional scruples. A few instan
ces:of his abuse of the power the constitution hos
conferred on him, are fresh in Our recolection. They
will show to the people how the public time has been
wasted by the constant and frivolous executive inter-
SATURDAY MORNING. MAY 22..1841.
Terence.
It became necessary to supply the -omission of a
Prothonotary in Huntingdon cuoniy to note the re
cord of a deed barring an entailed estate. A petition
was presented, referred, and examined, a bill to the
effect required passed int, a law. No remonstrance
was presented though ample time was afforded: No
pUblic policy was affected. The bill passed in con
-I.ton with an important public bill, extending to
all r ligious societies, without distir . 'ion, the right to
hold lands foi churches or burial grounds. Notwith
standing the public exigency, and for no adequate
reason, the Executive returned the rneasure with his
unexplained objections. the 'stain of religious in
tolerance was left on our Statute Book, and the pub
lic time was wasted by the necessity of re-enacting
that Which was confessedly ut...bjectionable. •
if the people of Lancaster county desire to abolish
an useless Court, prostittited to party uses, the Ex
ecutive, differing in opinion, but suggesting no con
stituf ional difficulty, vetoes the bill—but suggeits
the reference of the question to the votes of a por
tint, of the people of the county.
In accordance to his suggestion, the question le
referred to the decision of all who contributing to the
support of the Court have a right to decide on its
continuance, the obduracy of his will is not softened,
and he vetoes the bill again, because he thinks on
the question differentlY from the representatives
wham the people of the very county had elected.
, • •
But worse than all, the Governor will nut permit
tl e Legislature to regulate the distipline of a county
prison. A bill providing for a ehange in the appoint
ment of Inspectors, Wardens, and Door Keepers' of
a prison in Chester county, was passed by both Hou
ses, and has been vetoed by the Governor fur no
other pretext then that which differing views of ex
pediency afforded. The people must judge of this
abuse of power.
If this be tolerated—if on all questions of cal in
terest when the people have spoken first in e choice
of representatives, then through those r sentatives,
and the Legislature has exercised its sound and hon
est discretion, the Executive is to interfere and thus
defy the popular will, far better would it be to dis
pense with the complicated system of popular repre
sentation, its expense and its delays, and give to the
government that unity pf der.lb which it appears in
the view of the Exeutive would seem to be its per
fection. . .
At any other period than this; the undersigned are
free to admit'they believe a different course would
have been pursued by the Governor. A wanton
abuse of power without object, they are disposed to
attribute to no public functionary. But on the eve
of an election, when the incumbent of the Biecotive
office is a candidate for re-election, the Infirmity of
human nature, always developed in the tenaciousness
of office, is only overcome by a spirit of independence,
such as even by his friends is not claimed for the
present Executive. To retain the possession of pa
tronage and pov cr— to cultivate factiotis or party in
fluences however minute,whether among the tip
staves of a Mayor's Court, or the turnkeys of a coun
ty jail—to secure all doubtful friends—to dispense
with the execution of the laws—to pardon admitted
libellers before trial, and give a plenary indulgence
to them to violate all laws hereafter, ere some of the
fruits of the privilege of re-election operating on un
scrupulous partizans. The undersigned have no rea
sen to regard the present possessors of power to be
exceptions to the rule.
Sensible of this exposure to temptation, and yield
to the expression of public opinion on this point,
the undersigned, at an early period of the session,
procured the passage of an amendment to the Con
stitution limiting the Eiecutive to a single term. If
on any one point the public voice has spoken, it is
on this. The promise of the venerated HARRISON,
a promise the sincerity of which even political ene
mies did not questron, that in no event would he be
a candidate fur n-election ; and his opinion that .
such an amendment was desirable, has consecrated
this One Term Principle in the affections of the peo
ple ot Pennsylvania, and each day's experience tends
to ripen that sentiment into deliberate judgment.—
Does any one doubt that had the present Governor of
Peinisy hauls been ineligible for a second term, he
would not have raised himself beyond the sphere ot
party movement to which he Seems confined I Un
favorable as is the judgment which the undersigned
have been compelled to form of the present Execu
tive, they have no hesitation in saying that his con
duct and policy would have been different had the
temptation to do wrong been withheld.
Before the 4th of March last, when the present
Governor was re-nominated, the amendment to the
Constitution had passed the Senate, where it was re
sisted by the friends of the adaninistratior, and was
under consideration in the Houie 01 Representaii‘es.
It afterw aids passed the House of Representatives by
ar. o , .erwhelming majority, tut eight members voting
in the r.t:nority, aid they all accredited friends 01
the Executive.
It mast next be indirectly submitted to the peo
-ple, always the last and surest resource, and by them
at the next general election it must be decided. We
submit it to you as part of our acts. Having neigh
ed it well, having looked at it in all its relations to
the interests of the people which no were scut here
to . guard, no submit it to you and to your elecn•ion
now as ever we shall submit. The next Legislature
must revise this act of ours, and we appeal to you
to make this the test hereafter.
There is ono matter of great public interest to
which the attention of the undersigned ,Ivas early
called. They refer to the condition of the public
works, and to the abuses which were supposed to
exist there. There was a prevalent opinion among
the people that the Canal Commissioners, dependent
immediately on the Executive, had prostituted their
high functions, and had bestowed on personal and
political favorites a large share of the patronage which
unhappily for the people they are authorised to dis
pense., The public has been stn tle'd from its confi
dence by the astonishing disclosure that the public
works during the last two years under the care of
the present Canal Board have cost for management
and repairs the sum of TWO MILLIONS ONE
HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE DOLLARS—or
an average of ()NE MILLION AND SEVENTY
FIVE THOUSAND AND FORTY DOLLARS
for each year of Governor Porter's administration—
velultA during the lace administration the average even
at periods of extraordinary accident never exceeded
eight hUndred and six thousand six hundred and
ninety six dollars. Unable to account for this by any
theory but that which is fobnded on a conviction of
the ward of integrity 'of the public akenta, and earn
estly desiring to restore public confidenie in the mag
nificent system of improvements for winch so much
has been expended, and in the success of Which the
best hopes of the people are centred, the House of
Representatives soon after its organizationinstituted
a thorough investigation of the Canal Board. Its
results will soon be before the. world and to those
results we direct your early attention. They justify
suspicion—they authorise and demand the strongest
reprobation—they are the results of calm and delib
erate inquiry, in which justice was fairly done, ample
opportunity of exculpation afforded, witnesses were
publicly etatnined and cross-examined, and the Ca
nal Commissioners will stated before the public con
victed,on unquestioned evidence of gross and palpa
ble abuse of power. Who can wonder at the increas
ing expenditure on our public works when they read
and bear of such instances Ms one or two, which, tat
heri at eandoin from the report of the Investigating
Committee, are but specimens of worse and more
startling developements hereafter..
It became necessary to purchaie ropes for the in
clined planes. The bead :article was offered lly man
ufacturers of unquestioned merit, and could have
been proctired at the aggregate amount of $1,877 ;
a political partisan offered it to the disposers of the
public bounty for $9,049. The competition was no
longe'r equal, the partisan obtained the contract; and
on this one article the Commonwealth lost eleven
hundred and seventy-one dollars.
It became necessary to Jay eleven miles of railroad
near the city of Philadelphia. It was in unquestioned
proof that this work might have been done and well
done for thirty-six thousand dollars. It was done
and cost the Commonwealth fifty-four thousand five
hundred and eighty fiS . dollars, causing :a loss of
more than eighteen thousrrnd Alleirs,"for reasons no
doubt as patriotic as - those which regulated the pur
chase of ropes.
Among the largest and most important work on
our canal line is the construction of the Reservoir
near Hollidaysburg. For this work three 0111 rs were
made and the work given to a political friend—at
what cost to you, fellow citizens, will thus appear:
For grubbing and cleaning, two contractors • irtied
to do it for s3so—Juhn
,Mitchell charged $7OO and
has the contract.
For rock excavation, Iwo contractors cared
thirty-nine cents, and Mr. Mucha! has it for forty
eight cents.
For common excavation below water, two eun
tractors offered, une twenty and one twenty-four
cents, but Mr: Mitchell cared thirty-three cents, and
has the contract too.
For good earth embankment, one contractor offer
ed Feve nteen cents and one fifteen cents, but Mr.
Mitchell has done it for twenty-five cents.
For cor.rse stuff embankment, one contractor of
nineteen cents, and another pertnteen cents,
and Mr Mitchell has it for thirty cents, and so it
will appear throughout, till it is demonstrable that
the loss to the Commonwealth in this one work will
not be less than twenty thousand dollars.
On the Western Reservoir it was ascertained that
it cost the state upwards of twenty thousand-dollars
to clear from timber about four hundred acres.
Had no other inducement existed, there' Vtuuld
have been in these disclosures enough to justify im
mediate action and a change in the tenure of these
Canal Commissioners. A bill was immediately ma•
Lured to that effect, with the &alga of changing the
tenure, and giving to the Legislature and the Gover
nor a concurrent power of nppointment. But the
tenaciousness with which power [Kilda on to patron
age, w ac not to be relaxed, and this measure adapted
to the wishes of the people and their necessities, fell
before the veto power. .The Executive suggested a
reference to the vote of the people—to that sugges
tion we have acceded, and there is now in his hands
a Bill to ca ry it into effect. Its fate we do not pre
tend to conjecture. Let the people nail on the Ex
ecutive decision.
We are now about to separate and to mingle again
With our constituents. We shall find them of press
ed by difficulty and embarrassroentasJch es we have
labored anxiously to alleviate and remove. The pe
riod will soon come when the popular will is to again
determine into whose hands-the Executive power of
the state is to he entrusted for the next three years.
What that deciSion will be we do not doubt. The
events of the winter have added to the necessity of
a change—and to that change alone most the people
look for permanent and substantial relief.
MtiMISEIIS OF THE SE:gATE.
Joseph M. Sterrett, Thomas E. Cochran,
Henry S. Spackman, Mho Case, -
W Mindy. Reed,
John J. Pearson,
.lames Mathers,
Robert P. Maelay,
John T. Hudilleston, Charles C. Sullivan,
William H iester, thornas
John H. Ecitng
1 , 1E7 , 1131:HS OF TIIF. P.O[79F. OF nErittsrs - TATirt..;
Hugh Andrew, George L. lauss,
James Banks, ' Jacob Forman,
Richaid Bard, John Fu :k,
Jacob Brurec, Roburt rurhey,
Julio B. Chnsman, Jacob Gratz,
John Hanna,
Joseph Higgins,
B. M. llinchman,
M. T. Kennedy,
Aaron Kerr„
Christian Kieffer,
Edward E. Law, ,
Jonathon Letherman,
John Rush - , .
Stephen Skinner,
G. Rush Smith,
Daniel M. Smyser,
Andrew Snively,
James Sprott,
Seruch Titus,
John D. Steele,
Philip Von Nelda,
Benjamin Pennell, Daniel Washabaugh,
Joseph Pumrey, Wm. A. Gmbh.
HATIIIISRURG, May 5, 1841.
S. 11. Clark,
William K. Correy,
J. F. Cox,
John Cummins,
George Darsie,
William Dilworth,
James D. Dunlap,
Joshua P. Eyre,
Isaac Lightner,
Samuel Livingston,
Joseph M'Clure,
Ner Middhswarth,
J. G. Miles,
James Montgomery,
Benjamin Musser,
Isaac Myer,
J. S. Pearson,
A YANKEE ADMIRAL.—It Is stated in a New
Hampshire paper that a former citizen of that
State, THOMAS F. WILLIAMS, has beceme on Admi
ral, Count ZINZECHOVF, in the Russian Navy.
It seems that he was in early yotith a clerk in a'
store at Meredith Bridge. Being :naturally of a
generous, bold and ardent temperament, no sooner
had he served out his time, than he went to visit a
relative in Portland for the purpose nf seeing a ship,
and if possible, obtaining employment in one. He
at length succeeded; after one or two voyages he
was taken daogu,rcusly ill at St. Petersburgh, and
upon his recovery, through the aici efib.l-Aszerican
Consul, obtained a berth on board= of a Russian
merchant vessel, as privileged seaman. Ater a
prosperous voyage on their return home the vessel
was attacked by a piratical corsair ;—owing to the
bravery and skill of Williams the pirates were bea-
ten off and the vessel arrived at her destined port in
safety. The Emperor Alexander hearing of this
brilliant exploit, was so much pleased with the bra
very aild good conduct of Williams, as to send for
him to visit his palace : the result of the interview
was his appointment as senior Midshipmen in the
Rus.4,4an Navy. From this he has risen to his pre
sent rank. He has been married for some years to
a beautiful pnd accomplished Russian lady.-
A GRICULTORE.—The Legislature of New or 4
has made the judicious appropriation of SRN a
year for five years, for the promotion of Agriculture
and household msnufactdres in that State. It to
the duty of the officers of the Stute and County. A
griculture Societies to r regulate and award premiums
on B uctoirticics as Cre.
.betit calnulated to promote
the agricultural and household manufacturing in
terests of the State, giving the reward for the most
economical or, profitable mode of competition. An
accurate written description of the whole process in
raising the crop, or feeding the animal, as may be,
is to be given by the person claiming the reward.
DIUW.BACK. oar hoer..—The New York Canal
Board have ordered that during the present year
there shall be allowed a drawback of 73 per cent. on
the amount of tolls paid on the transportation of mi
neral cell froin the west to the tide water or to the
junction canal, provided such coal shall be deliverel
9► tide water, or at some point on the junction ca
nal or on the Champlain canal ; and the like draw
back is to be allowed on the amount of tolls paid on
the transportation of anthracite coal from the tide
water to Utica. delivered et that point or west of
Utica.
NO. 21.
Abraham Brower,
Nathaniel Brooke,
Samuel M. Barclay,
John Strohm,
A HIGHLAND OUTLAW or 1841.---Abont 'the
. centre of Loch Quench, under the shadow of two high
mountain terraces, streaked with snow, iv a small
island, scarcely more than half an acre in extent, on
which are seen a few birch trees.. It is about a
quarter of a•mile from the nearest Inceartain, - and is
as solitary as the heart of or recluse could de
sire. Orr this spot residca a Highlander, now olfel
and °lrrne who bads defiance to all the civil powers.
and lives a free den.z.n of nature s Soare forty years
ago, EwennlThee, a enc,:prightly, athletic High
land lad. enlisted in re'regiment of which his s. pro..
preetor" was on officer. Ile was 'promised, or was
led to believe that he wnuld 80611 lie preferred in the
arm:. Ho went though his exercises with correct
ness and regularity, but ins teitiont came not, and
Ewen eleleberstely one cloy marelwel out of the ranks
and betuelt himself to the hills. Ilia reneat was dis
covered, and two files of soldiers were sent to appre
hend him, With the cuncurrt I . •,ce of the late Glen
garry:Ewen was seized, handcuffed, and 'carried otT
a prisoner. As the party proceeded through Strathc
tick, the dauntless Highlander watched a favorable
opportunity, vide at rerrefehmaleap over a precipice,
and bounded gi" frnm his escort. The party thschar
gcd their makets after him, but without c ao, Pill -
breaking oil his handcuff's, by dashing the iegainst
a rock, Ewen was again a free matt onfftng the
wilds. He established himself on Lochicl . slpro per
ty Corrybue. an out-of-the world retreat, where ho
lived unmolested for many years, bunting, fishing,
and rearing goats, without any man daring to make
him afraid or presuming to quark of. ICIlt. As o corn- -
pinion was wanting to soften or cdt%en his solitude,
Ewen wo. ell, won, and ran fig with a damsel of
fourteen, now his wif., and the mother of five chil
dren. At length, however, the law prevailed for a
time, and the adventurer was ejected lion, Corrybue.
He submitted quietly, and took refuge in this link
island in Loch Quoieh, w here he det ins himself safe
and impregnable. With turf and birchfrees he rais
ed a hut, and found or made a boat to enable him to
communicate with the mainland. Ile has about fifty
goats w hich he quarters on the n' ighboring hills,
and his gun and rod, we suppose, supply him with
fish endgame, .In winter, the situation of this lone
ly family must he awful. twen's strong, muscular. -
and handsome frame is still clad in the Highland cos
tume, end ho never ventures abroad without his dirk
by his side. Sonic of the tenants fear him from his
daring character, and utbers reverence him fur his
supposed witchcraft. and supernatural power, which
is firmly believed in the glen. In this way, cr boll
of meal now and then, and perhaps a sum of money,
finds its way to the lonely island, and the home of
the outcast is made glad in vk intrt. He believes
himself, that he is possessed of a charmed life, but a
loaded gun is constantly at his bed-side during the
night. and his dirk is ever ready by day to supply
mortal mesns of defence. When Mr. Edward El
lice visited Glen Quoich, atter purchasing the prop
erty, Ewen called upon him, like a dutiful vassal
in the old feudal time, doing hon age to I ege lord, and
present( d some goat's milk as a peace offering. His
terms wore simple but decisive. He told Mr. Ellice,
not that he would pay relit for his island, but that
ho would not molest the new laird, if the new laird did
not disturb him in his possession ! The grizzled
aspect, intrepid bearing, and free speech of th t told
outlaw struck the Englishman with st.rprise, end
Ewen instantly Ie: ome a sr rt of fvio its. It is
'probable he will not again be disturbed . ; for tbaisl
and is not worth a shilling to any person but Ewen
M'Pliee and it would be cruel to dispossess even this
daring and desperate man, now upwards of sixty
years of age. The situation of his family growing
up in wild neglect and barbarism, is the most pain- :
ful circumstance in Ewen's sing.ilar
?less Cotirier.
TOSIO OF GEN. I /AR It 1,;ON.- By the following par
agraph, copied from tinftTheltry (Ky.) News of the
sth ult., it will be seen, that 'those with whom the
deciAort of the question properly rests, have decided
that the remains of the great rind good Irvin whose
loss a nation mourns. ore to find their permanent
resting place on the bank of the Ohio river, at
North Bend. The Baltimore Patriot observes:
However a national or central feeling, mingling
with rer.pret fur the memory of the
might have favored a different disposition of-these
remains, and induced the that they should
repose in the national cr.netre, none eon rinettiOn
the rights of those w lio have Ous decided, on the
fitness of the decision. To in:. the spot designated
a- the final testing place of the remains aGen. LIAR
nIFON, seems peculiarly appropriate.
" We learn from Col. 'I odd, that on his way to
his residence in this cotthty last week, he, in pee
liirmance of his sacred duty, called upon the vener
able Widow of our lamented deceased President.
Whilst there, he was invited by that lady to a con i .
saltation with herriell'and her only remaining son;
as to the ultimate depositary of the remains of her
distinguished and beloved husband,—thc Great and
Good President. It was determined, at this COO*.
imitation, to remove the rernairis immediately to
North •flencl, to be deposited upon a beautiful and
elevated natural mound, where the monument may
be recn for several miles up and down the Ohio riv
er. * * • There, the traveller of distant ages,
will be refreshed by a vi-it to the tomb of the War
rior, who was never defentrd ;rf the Patriot, who
died poor : and of the Statesman, who, from the
proud height of President, " fell, like a star struck
from its sphere, covered with glory and renown."
rATRICK —The following ekelch of the life of
St. I Oriel' we find in the Dublin UtliverEity Mag-
azine :
St. Patrick was a native of North Britain, lieing
born in the year 372. Ea was the son of a deacon
and the grandson of a prenst,--When he was six•
teen years of age, he was taken captive by some
Ir ish pirates, and brought to Ireland. Here be con
tinued six years, discharging the most servile offi—
ces, but having at length effeetea his escape, he re
turned to his native country, having during his cap
tivity been converted to the faith of Christ, and
having made himself wall acquainted with the lan
guage and manners of the people of Ireland. From
this period he is said to have had sn intense desire
to be employed as missionary in Ireland. To pre.
pare himself for this purp.,e, -re are tufa that itt'
passed into France, fhe very country from which,
in all probability, the gospel was originally sent to
Ireland, and spent come years under the tuition of
St. Martin, bishop of Tours, who ordained him a
deacon; ire was.mad.c.a rypbbyier by Gt ruinous,
bishop of Auxere. After thlt be spent some time
among the canons of the Lateran Church, and then
took up his residence among a colony of monks in
the 'Tuscan See. At this period of his life his form
er desire fur the spiritual instruction of the Irish
seems to hare revived with increased ardor: ho
preached to Britain for some time with success, and
from thence passed over to Ireland, and became ono
o t the most successful missionaries Unit ever rip
peered In the Island of . Erin. Such appears to be
he simple outline of the history of our Irish apos
tle, di7estod of a mist of legendary lore, in which
his threescore biographers have enveinpr,dlhini.
PRETTY COOL.—We clip the follow ing queer ad
vertisement from the N. 0. Picayune. The Pica—
yune says it is copied, verbatem et sea ia tem, from
a Mississippi paper.
TAKE NOTICE.
" With Mr. GINN the erowd-csnie In—
Some took brandy—some took gin.
•
Fourth of July at the Springs.
- FT RIAH , GINN takes this occasion to inform his.
Vv creditors,rliends, the public at large, and the
community in particular, that it is his intention to
change his place of residence by leaving Rankin
in the course of one, two or three weeks, as may
best suit his convenience. Ile is induced to bo
thus particular, licing like ten thousand of his
neighbors,) not exactly prepared to " out the
corn," and wipe out old scores : at the same time
he will use every !Ton to settle all of his debts
wherein ho bas got value•receivca: but le wishes to
be emphatically understood by them who hold paper
with his name saddled on it as an-endorser, that he
bluffs the whole arrangerrient. Those who hold
claims against him upon that footing can turn the
screws and •• grind on, andlif they get the moneys
before Gino does they can, 'sing it out.
QRI All-GINN;
Mande& Jan.4oth IS4t•