MONDAY. TMnv- H litarA.
... , . J w, tuot,
Alter prOliminarv motions nnll-.1wU.
siows the Convention agreed tn .i ro.M;.-?.,
appointing the following committees on-the
uincrcm arUclcs of our present constitution,
Vfz;
The 1st Article to a Committee of nine.
U Article to a Committee of nine.
i i Art!cl ,0 a Committee of nine.
1th Article to a Committee of nine.
mil Article to a Committee of nine.
-Jth Article to a Committee of nine.
TWArticlo to a Committee of nine.
8th Article to a Committee of nine.
Jth Article to a Committee of nine.
Tuesday, "May 0, 1837.
Several rasolutions requiring information
from the Secretary of the Commonwealth
in rcspoct to the number of incorporated
companies, .for banking and other purposos,
were offered, and laid on'thc table.
.Air. Banks offered the following
Resolved, That' the sccrctary-df the com-
uuim uu requested to lumisli the con
vention with a stnlnm
- - - - ... v Uli IIUUI-
ber or taxable inhabitants in ihe respective
t,,n...ln P.1... . 1 i . .
..iiuaui uiu several chics, ana the respec
tive boroughs and townships of the several
uuiiucs in ino sune, according to the cnu
meration made in 1825 and'30.
Both of which were read and laid on the
i tabic.
.Mr. Bitow.v of Philadelphia county, of
fered the following:
Jlcsolved, That the Secretaries have
printed for tkc use of the members of the
convention, a tabular statement, showing
Ihe number and official names of all the
officers, whose office is established by each
of the constitutions of the States of the U
mion, by whom appointed or elected offi
cial tenure salary, &c also the official
names; tenure, salary, &c. of all officers,
"whose office has been established by the
laws of this state.
Resolved, Tlpt one hundred and thirty
three copies of the constitution of the Uni
ted StatCS. and of 'flin finvftrni fit-llns nf (lm
Union, and one hunQreQ -and thirty-three'
copies ot a iiook, called the Conventions oi'
Pennsylvania, bo purchased. i
Mr. Porter of Northampton, offered the
following resolution, which was referred to
the committee on printing:
Resolved, That the Secretaries be di
rcptcd to pay, as part of the contingent cx
ipcnses of this convention, tho expense of
-two thousand seven hundred copies of the
Daily Chronicle and Convention Journal,
during the sitting of thi3 body; and to be
divided among the members, for distribu
tion among their constituents.
Mr. Sterigero offered the following,
which was laid upon the table.
Ordered, That the Journals of the .con
vention, and of the committee of the whole,
be printed on good paper, in royal octavo
form, with long primer type the yeas and
nays to lie inserted in solid .paragraphs.
Ordered, That a number of copies of the,
English Debates corresponding with that of
the English Journal, and a number of copies
oT the German Debates corresponding with'
that of the German Journal, bo printed on
good paper, in royal octavo form, with bre
vier type.
lOrdered, That two hundred shall be
considered the usual number of copies of
any paper directed to-be printed by the
convention.
"Wkdnbsda-y, May 10, 1837.
"Mr. Ingcrsoll offered the following reso
lution: Resolved. That the subjects of the cur
rency, corporations, highways and Eminent
Domain of the State, be referred to a select
(committee, to report thereon.
And that tho subjects of public improve
ments, loans and debts, of the State, be re
ferred to another special committee, to report
nhcreon.
By Mr. Brown of Philadelphia county:
ARTICLE I.
Resolved, That the Legislative depar
tments of tho constitution of this common
wealth ought to be amended.
I. By taking from it the veto power of the
Governor ior, if retained, substitute three
fifths of botli Houses as necessary to pass a
tlaw, instead of two thirds, as at present.
II. By limiting the term of service of
Senators to two years instead of four.
III. By prohibiting, tho Legislature from
passing in the same act laws 'relating to sub
jects unconnected with each other.
I V. By restricting the Legislsturo in gran-,
tin" special acts of incorporation to associa
tions for -internal improvements, for trans
portation, or Tor municipal governments and
requiring all other acts of incorporation to be
by general laws, equally free and open to all
citizens. ,
V. By requiring the Legislature to meet
oniho second Tuesday of January, instead
of the firt Tuesday in December, as at pre
sent. ....
VI. By requiring all laws to bo origina
ted -in the House of Representatives.
VII. By prohibiting any citv, borough or
district, incorporated for municipal govern
went, from holding any real estate other than
what is used for public purposcs-or connec
ted with its public establishments.
ARTICLE II.
(Resolved, That the executi vo departments
,df thin commonwealth ought to be amended.
, MyTeducing.thc, term of service of lire
Governor totwofcars.'nrid his- eligibility
"V auill ill bix.
II. Bvlilk II1IT frnmltlin Cl (t.
pointmcnt of all officers dthcr than those
connected Willi the state executive depart
ments, as Kccrdtary of State, Auditor Gene
ral, Surveyor General, Secretary of tho Land
Oflicc, and tht'ir assistants, and requiting
concurrence ot the Senate to the appoint
ment of the .heads of those departments.
ARTICLE III.
Resolved. Tlmtnrtirln tliinl
of the constitution of this commonwealth
ought to he amended.
I. BV trivilinr tilt! t-icrllia nfnn nlnnlnr tr.
cvory citizen of the United States, native or
natural, of the age of twenty-one years, who
i" u rcsiucu in tins state six months
nrecedin.fr'thc nlmni fill.
. a "...
II. By -taking from it the tax qttafifica-
linn
ARTICLE IV.
Resolved, That the Judiciary department
in uiu cunsmuuon oi tins commonwealth
ought to be amended.
I. By limiting the term of office of the
Judges t)f the Supreme Court to five years,
and by giving their appointments to the
joint vote of both Houses of the legisla
ture, one Judge to be appointed annually.
II. By limiting the term of office of the
President Judge's of the district or county
Courts to three years, and giving their ap
pointment to the joint vote of both Houses
of the legislature, and by limiting the term
of office of the associate judges to two years,
one to be elected annually by the citizens
of each county.
III. That justices of the peace shall be
elected by the citizens of each ward, dis
trict, or township, and shall hold their offi
ces for three years.
ARTICLE V.
Resolved, That the article Oth of the
constitution of this commonwealth, ought to
be amended.
I. That the citizens of each county in
the state, shall elect their sheriff, coroner,
prothonotarics, register, recorder, county
commissioners, ;and such other county of
fices as conveniently can by them so elect
ed to hold their offices for three years.
II. That the citizens of each of the wards,
districts or townships now established, or
that mav hereafter be cstablishfil Uv hi-
shall under the powers that may be given
tem y law, cieci on the third 1- nday of
March, annuallv. iudp-es and i
elections, constables, assessors and collec
tors of taxes, school directors and overseers
of the poor, who shall all hold their offices
for one year, but may be re-elected at the
expiration of that time.
ARTICLE VI.
Resolved. That article 7th of the
tution of this commonwealth, ought to be
amended, so that provision be made for the
establishment of schools thromrhnnt tlm
whole commonwealth, on a permanent ba
sis and on the most enlarged and liberal
pian.
By Mr. J. M. Porter:
Resolved, That the committee on tlm
first article of tho constitution bo instructed
to inquire into the expediency of so modify
ing that article as that,
1. l he senatorial term be reduced to
three years.
11. J he legislature shall meet on tlm first
Tuesday in January in each year, unless
sooner convened by the Governor.
III. I he Lieutenant Governor shall be
president of the Senate, and each House
shall 'have the riirht to select a nrnsirlinir nf.
ficer, pro tempore, in the absence or other
the duties of the chair.
IV. The legislature shall have no power
to combine or unite in any one bill or act
two distinct subjects or objects of legisla
tion or anv two diMtinnt
-f J-I ...M W
appropriations to distinct or (KflcrnnL ob
jects, except appropriations to works cx-
ftltlcMiml.r linlm, irl i, tr te nml ... .1 I
the state, and that the objects or subject
matter oi eacn 0111 or act shall be distinctly
stated in tho title.
Thursday, May 11, 1837.
Mr. nillinger, from the committee to
whom was referred tho resolutions in rela
tion to the printing of the Journals and de
bates, of the convention, reported the fol
lowing resolution:
Jlcsolved, 1. That the printer of tho jour
nal, in the English language, bo directed to
strike twelve hundred conies of the said
journal, and the minutes of the committee
ot the whole, on good paper, m medium
octavo form.
2. That the printer of the journal, in tho
German language, be directed to strike
twelve hundred and fifty copies of said jour
nal, and minutes in the same form.
3. That tho printer of the debates of this
convention, in tho English language, be
directed to striko twelve hundred and fifty
copies, of said debates on good paper, in
royal octavo form, tho yeas and nays in
solid paragraphs.
4. That the printer of said debates in
the German language, be directed to strike
twelve hundred and fifty copies, in the
form and manner afoiesaid.
5. That tho secretaries of this conven
tion, cause the said journal and debates, to
bo stitched, 'bound, and delivered, into tho
offico of tho secretary of the common
wealth, to be by him 'distributed in -such
manner as shall hereafter be directed by
t'jis convention.
THE COLUMBIA DEMOCItAT.
"rnuni without teak."
ESSlDttf IB 6
Saturday, May 20, 18S7.
fC5Thc unavoidable absence of the Ed
itor, on professional business at New Ucr
lin, will be an apology for any errors or
omissions in this number of our paper.
PHILADELPHIA MARKET.
Flour and Meal. Sales confined to homo
use, at 80 per bbl. for good brands Wes
tern $8 G2i without inspection, 88 75 to 9
for standard. Rye Flour, free sales for
shipment at SO a 0 12; yesterday $0 25
per bbl. Corn Meal, a sale in bbls. at
about S'l. Grain Wheat has been in good
demand at advanced jratcs. Sales of 9 to
10,000 bushels of domestic wheat at $2 10
per bushel for fair to prime quality, 3,000
foreign red at $1 50 afloat, and some small
sales ,from stores at SI 00. Rye 1,000
bushels fair foreign sold at SI 10 in store,
several lots of Pennsylvania atSl 15 a 1 20.
Corn Sales of round yellow at 90 to 9U
els. afloat, flat 85 to 80 cts; white 82 83
being a slight advance.
We arc indebted to William L. Harris,
Esq. for Convention proceedings, to whom
we tender our thanks.
SUSPENSION OF SPEOI13 1'AYJIENTS.
We learn by our last mails, that the
banks of Philadelphia, New York, Balti
more, Harrislnirg, Middletown and Northumberland,-
have suspended specie pay
ments. It is supposed, however, that the
adoption of this course was a measure of
persecution only, and that the suspension
will be of temporary duration.
Wliile the Banks in the commercial cities
generally, refuse specie payments, the Nor
thumberland Bank deems it advisablo to
pay out for thcKpurposes of change.' This
course will preserve the institution safe and
sound, and accommodato the public with
change, until tho present excitement blows
over which will, we are confident, be in a
short time.
The President of the United States has
issued his proclamation for Congress to
meet on the first Monday of September
next.
Thclatcnews'fiom New Orleans inform us
that the U. S,. sloop of war Natchez captu
red a Mexiean brig of war in retaliation for
several American vessels captured by the
Mexicans.
THE PRESIDENT'S REPLY;TO THE
NEW YORK COMMITTEE.
We subjoin the reply of Mr. Van Buren
to the address of the New York committee.
which recently visited Washington. It is, as
we anticipated it would be, courteous in
manner, decided and explicit in its declara
tions, and in every respect a paper which
will be received with satisfaction by all who
arc able to perceive, and have the candor to
acknowlcdge.the real causes of existing em
barrassments! In tho address of the commit
tee, we find that they actually assert, in the
face of all the speculating madness of the last
two T)rthrce years, that 'it is uniust to attri
bute the cvils of the time to any excessive de-
vclopement of mercantile credit.' Accord
ing to them, it is all attributablc'to the rcmo-
valof the dcposiles in 1833, and to other acts
of the administration, such as tho importa
tion of gold and silver, the Specie Circular.
fee They, therefore, asked for a rennnl nf
the Specie Circular; that instructions may ho
given to prevent the commencing of suits in
any of the collection districts, upon unpaid
Bonds, until after the first day of January
next; and urged upon the Executive tho
propriety ofcalling an extra session of Con
gress at as early a day as possible. Pa.
Ihporler.
To which Mr. Van Buren replied as fol
lows: Washington, May 4, 1837.
Gentlemen I have bestowed on your
communication the attentive consideration
which is due to the opinions, wishes, and
mtCTJiti of the respectable portion of my
fellow citizens in whose behalf you act,
In tho correctness of tho judgment which
in the exercise of an undoubted right, you
have in such general terms pronounced upon
particular points in tho policy of tho late and
present administrations, you cannot expect
me to concur. My opinions u thoso points
were distinctly announced to the American
people before my cleciion, and I have seen
no reason to change them. ' But however
much I may difl'er with you upon tli'cin, as
well as in respect to the causes of the exis
ting evil, you may be assured of tho warm
interest I shall ever feel in whatever concerns
(he mercantile community, of my deep
sympathy with those who arc now 'sullcr
iiiir from tlm limns, null nf irv readiness to
adopt any measures for their relief, consistent
The propriety of giving to tho Collectors
of the Customs instructions of the character
desired, 1itcesarily involves inquiries into
the extent of the power of the Executive over
me suitcci, me present condition oi the
Treasury, and its probable receipts and ex
penditures for the remainder of tho year.
These examinations have lienn dirci'tnil. nnd
are in progress, and the result will ho com
municated by the Secretary of the Treasury"
to the Collector at New York, who will be
instructed to give it publicity. A few days
will be required to arrive at a safe cor elusion
upon sonic parts of the investigation, but
tliero shall be no unnecessary delay.
The other subjects to which you have
called my attention, are, first, an immediate
repeat ol the order requiring specie m pay-
r i i ; H.. .....
mem, u ooius ui liuuin; liuius, 15SUCU Uy IIIV
f n . "
iircuccessor, ior mo purpose ot cnlorciuir a
strict execution ofthc Act of Congress, which
forbids the allowance of credit on such sales,
and secondly.
1 have not been able to satisfy myself that
i uugui, unucr existing circumstances,
to interfere with the order referred to.
You must be aware of the obstacles to
an immediate convocation of Congress ari
sing from the imperfect state of the reprc
sontation in one branch of that body. Sc
ver.il of the States have not chosen their
Kcprcsentativcs, and arc to do so for some
months to come. Independent of that con
sideration, I do not see at present, sufficient
reasons to justify me in requiring an earlier
meeting than that appointed by the consti
tution. I am gentlemen, very respectfully,
Your oljedient Servant.
M. VAN BUltEX.
DRY DOCK BANK.
In consequence of some improper publica
tion in a wlliir mnnr nrinlnrl In T.Tn. Vn.l.
run was made, last week, on the Dry Dock
juuk. ui mm city, and tlie institution was
obliged to stop n
the affairs of the bank has since been publish
ed, from which it appears that the bank is in
possession of assets sufficient to meet HI its
liabilities, and leave a surplus of more than
two hundred and eighty-seven thousand
dollars. The notcsarnnnw mdnnmml ntnll
the other banks in the city. Pa. Reporter.
MOllE MURDERS UY STRAG
GLING INDIANS.
Jacksonville, April 20.
On the 5lll hint, tlin tinnco nf t w:i
liam Clcnunons, situated on the road from
Alligator to Livingston's Ferry, on tho Su
wannee, about twentv miles fWmi ilm lniinr
place, was attacked bv Indi mis. Tlm in.
mates, consisting of Mrs. Clcmmons and
lour children, a little orphan lad living with
Mr. Clcmmons, were murdered. Mr. C.
was from home at the time this awful visi
tation was made upon his family. He re
turned on the lOlb insi. il If cnrrnrl tin n f
tor the horrid transaction, and the first inti
mation oi tnc calamity that had befallen his
wife and little ones, was the desolate ap
pearance ofhis home, ami limn tlm i,,i:
onus wife and children, fifty or more yards
" "uuhc. iney mm been shot
while attcmntincr to
seem from the position in which the bodies
lav. TllCV WCie unspnliml
The children worn lmih .lw.t i
1 in titk, nuilUi
and so near were tlin mms wimn i
that the heads of these unfortunate victims
were literally blown to pieces. And to add
to the horror of the sight, and anguish of
the bereaved husband and father, the body
of the youngest child, a babe, was almost
devoured, and the arm nf tlm mmli
off by the hoirs!
What a scene was tins. Wlmt .. ,1.,...
a heart rending duty, was there to be per!
lormcu uy tne husband, the father! To
collect the mutilated bodins nf Ilia Ytrifn nwl
five children, four nf tlmm in
place them m a corndiousc till ho could go
eight miles for assist in h,,,,. ,i.i
lireathcs the man with heart so cold, as not
iu aympaimse with the alllictcd and suf
fering of East Florida.
RAVENNA,
v remarkable fart 'PI nt. iniini li. rii.:n
J '..a u J! Ill VSIUU,
stands on a fixed and mnilnminl
tract, directly on the dividing line between
the waters which run inf dm ni.: 1
those which run into Lake Erie. The old
court house is so situated that the rain
winch Tails on tho
passes into the Cuyahoga, and is dischar
ged into the St. Lawrence while that which
alls on the south side passes into tho Ma
honing, and is finally poured into tho Gulf
or Mexico, so that this house, in a rainy
day, is a fountain of waters for two opposite
A mcthodist in VormontTthinks it wicked
? P'?" ,,aSQ v,10,m in l"rcht and declares
that it his people persist in using it, ho will
retire to privato life.
tester "W?
lll'IOW Ml-lmiliii. A ! , i '""
LA. , WC,"1'"'. A rnilroa-t of two ami n i.mp
w-i 1 - -j lumuu'i 01 two ami 1
milCS is to rnlinn..! .-til. .1.. T . . 1
Tl,iIroa,i " c ""Brangc ana Ale
imj.his
BANK OF NORTHUMBERLAND.
The Directors of the Bank of Northum
bcrland, in announcing to the public, the
partial and temporary suspension of specie
payments, dcenl it their duty to state the
causes that have compelled them to adopt a
measure so repugnant to their feelings.
It is well known that the Banks in our
three great commercial cities New York,
Philadelphia and Baltimore, no longer
redeem llicirnotcs with specie, and that their
example has been followed by all the banks
of the interior as far as heard from, and of
course this hank cannot at present receive
specie for the debts due it. Such being the
case, the DirccloifTof this institution have
been impelled to adopt tho same course as
a duty less due to tho institution, than the
community; as the attempt to continue specie
payments under these circumstances, could
only rosult in having it all drawn out by
Brokers and others for the sake of the pre
mium which it will necessarily command in
our cities, and thereby deprive" the institution
ofthc means of accommodating the district
in which it is located, with change, and pro
vent it resuming at once full payment, when
other Banks adopt that measure.
The Directors can confidently assert that
'the Institution was never in a more solvent
situation than at present; thcamount of spe
cie in the vaults is larger, and the balances
due in Philadelphia greater than usual at
this period of tho year. After declaring the
last dividend, a surplus of nearly 20,000
dollars was left, which (as the debts duo to
the Bank arc well secured and based upon
the business and produce of tho country,
unconnected with speculation) is far 1110'ro
than sufficient to meet any losses that could
possibly occur; independent of which there
is a a Capital ofSM0,000 actually paid in;
so that in no event can the note holders or
depositors be losers.
Tlie Directors confidently hope thaL the
notes of the Bank of Norlhuingerland, will
sustain the same credit as heretofore in the
city of Philadelphia, and answer the same
purpose as they have hitherto done as city
notes. No exertions shall be spared to
continue that credit by which the institu
tion, will preserve its usefulness in tlie col
lection and transmission of funds, and be
among the first in resinning specie pay
ments, when that desirable event shall be
accomplished in the city. In the mean
time, tlicy feel convinced that an intelligent
public will sustain them in an act unavoid
able and as necessary for their interests as
that of the Institution And that Ho doubt
may be entertained of our entire confidence
in the solvcncv of tlm H;inL- nf ivnrii,.,n..
. J " vi liuilliudl'
norland, we do hereby pledge our individual
ii-ajiuiiaiuiiuy, ior tnc intimate payment of
all liabililics. Witness niir Itmwlu iImo 1 r,,I,
of May A. D. 1837.
Jamt:s IIi:pnuRN,
A. Grekk,
Peter Richtkr,
John Tacoart,
J amiss Murium.,
J. II. Cowdkn,
A. JoiiRVN,
H. FmcK,
AVm. Clyde,
Wm. Forsytiie,
T. CoRvr.LL,
Wm. M'Keuv,
. J- H. Priestly.
Arsenic for Crcam-nf. Tarter Melan
choly Death. Wo are pained to record the
death of Mr. James Thompson of Indiana
in this State, which took place on Tuesday
at the Red Lion Hotel in Market street.
This gentleman had been for some days
I.. .11. . . , .
mini:! unnuji; nut so mticn so, however, as
to provent his attending to business hav
ing come to tho city to buy (roods, bein" a
merchant in Indiana. Monday evening
as ho stated he called at an apothecary
shop (the precise one he said he could not
recollect, being a stranger in the city) to
buy a little cream-of-tartar. He 'took the
dose, and was soon convinced by its ef
fects, that he had swallowed poison. Ho
died Tuesday morning, and an examina
tion of the stomach proved that he had ta
Len arsenic instead of the simple medicine
he had bespoken. We are told he has left
an interesting family a wife and several
children to mourn his melancholy and un
timely demise. We wish it were in our
power lo give the name of tho shop where
this fatal carelessness was committed for
we should feel it our duty to warn persons
from ever entering its portals lo buv modi-
cmc. Saturday Courier.
" Unfortunate -Miss Jlailli!" youn"
man named John Bobbins loil to the altar in
St. Luko's Church. 011 Sllndnv Inat n inn
pretty girl aged only 19, tho daughter of
I J nmni-n II.. .11.. - - . . I
v.uuiBu jjuiiiuv, a respectable larmcr in thU 1
borough. While passing thro' the aisle of j
unureii, mo entire head dress of the I
nnue, including a tviv m was pulled ff
uur iioau, which was lelt as bare as tho back
ol her hand! In consequence of this un
lucky exposure; the happy bridegroom de
sired limner time to consider whether lie
would accept the bareheaded spinster as-
llfll-lnnr f,,,. lip... 1 ..' . . , 1
r; " mm uiu parties lelt the
ciiurch. j tie mischievous trick was effect-
The Louisvillo KV r70,.,.,., r,.
pany have sullcred a loss of $08, 000 by
oeses sustained within a few wcoks past,
uy tho burning or sinking of steamers on
(III, . ! 1 .1 I , . .
ni , . -"-" li. UIU I IMUlH.'l
Shoahvatnr. Ih, U Ifn,. .,.,.1 v m...i.
"in iunit:iii w:nnvu ,m. m:..i. i
'J'he loss of the lone, S 100,00 fells ou tlif
-- .-..v..W I'HIM,