MMfClAT
-i - i
I have sworn upon tlio Altar of God, eternal hostility to every form of Tyranny over tho Mlud of Man." Thomas Jefferson.
IPRINTEI) AND PUBLISHED BY if. tyEBBl
Volume HI. BliOOMSBUIftG-,. COLUMBIA COITOTY, PA. SATTDTttBATif, DECiBMBER 29 1S38. ,.. .ukilier
OFFICE OF THE DEMOCRAT.
fosxx ti5ak ro Romson's Stack Office.
IV;,. nnr.mrnM democrat will be
K 'published ev$ry Saturday morning, at
'TWO DOLLARS far annum, payable
iJFyty Cents, if not .paid ivithin the year.
No subicfipiibh.will be taken for a shorter
i .1 ... ' . ,;;
penon man six nivjiiiix , .riy.i um uioiwi
.tinuance vsrmilted', unlWall arrearages
,.ar6dischargcdi , . , , ,
ADVERTISEMENTS not exceeding a
square will be conspicuously msenpu ai
One Dollar fat the first thrcehiserlions,
and Twerty-five centi. far, c'veryAubsc
quent nsertion.' CpA liberal discount
mmle tn tluise hiho advertise bv the near.
LETTERS addressed a'ii busthtss, must
be post paid.
StiNG OF THE PEOPLE.
, BT Vf C. TOBtt-
Jlir Str Spankted Runner.
Wafco Freemen! arr lie! over tnountain and stream"
The war-trumpet breathe loud tho foul despot's
1 order.
Awakel ere the wnr-clovd, ,vith pMsylng gleam,
Spreads havoc and death through our onco peace
ful bordera I ,
Twhe fiat goes forth,
From the south to tho north, (
To ftgfrcmtle the blood-thirsty hordes of tho eatth' ;
That your capitol', Where otir proud banner doth
wave, , ,
Rtiall Anrnfl in Its rhlnn. ill. Tintrmt'n crrnTpi
"Awake ! ere your tyrants their fettering yota
Shall forge for tho nec.s of a frco generation.
.'Awake ! as tho genius of liberty spoko .
And hiolJtli8 fair fame- of our glonouc nation:
Shall AtaJricn'a sons
i Bpw to tyrants or guns,
And blot the bright names of her glorious ones 1
IV d t Freemen! as long as a heart shall remain
That beats fojc its country, our rights we'll eustaint
,'t) ) where is thatband, who on Concord's red plain,
And at Hunker end Yorktown gsln'd immortal
Who at Thames and Otlonns,ond on tho wido main,
jrWoioied the bold deeds so rcnouned in (juratory.
.They have passed from this earth,
But the land of their birth
Has not yetfoigotton their valor and worth; ,
And the s t ipt ri jled tanner they nobly unfitl'd
Stroll wave here forover, the p'tiJo of tho world,
i
Tho buglo is heard over mountaip.aud dell.
. From tho east to the west hlu the clarion so.unded,
O'er the land where a i'iiu and Montgomery tell
Has tho governor's bare proclamation rebounded:
Our government's stored
i With a hell-serving horde,
Who boldly usurp both tho urse, and thesword 1
The shout of tho soldier, th cUsll of tho bpoar,
And artillery's thunder, they bid greet tho car.
, ,t
Our county appealed, and she called not in ajn,
Old Berks' hacdy sons have arose to defend hor;
Philadelphia sends forth her glorious train,
From the groy.headed sire to the youthful and
lindeh,
Old Washington spoke,
., Bucks cast oIT tho yoke,
And Hedford and' Fayette ent stout heats of oak;
F.'cn Lancaster, bound as she is by their chains.
Proudly raises her voice, and our freedom sustains!
Then freemen, attso in your strength, in your might,
And write your names high in America's story !
Strike boldly for freedom, for justice, for right,
And Htftvcn will crown you with immortal glory:
'Then conquer wo must)
i, For our cause it is, just,
And this bo oar motto in God is our trust;
And tho star 6panglcd banner injiiumph Khali wave,
l'er the land of the free, and the home of tf'o liravu!'
Tfiiiigs that are Wrong;.
Telling a lie td cover a neglect of irtilh. .
A bov of seventeen allowing his father u
jfcnll him sis times, mid then lie in bed till
Kteakfast to ready. v ,
t To spend time idly when it may be em
ployed usefully.
, To talk about things that don't concern
us. ' ,. .
To laugh at sin when wo ought to pray
for tho sinner.
-i. To claim a living without striving to earn
it. ,,-
To stand behind tho door and listen to fa
mily conversation. ' , ,
To disobey a father for tho purpose of
pleasing a crony, ,, , .
To heap trouble upon a man who has al
rendy as much aa ho can bear.
To KEEF the PRINTER out or hU
DUES & tUlill wlioti aU6 to pay him.
PciiMMyiyania cgisIatHirc.
HOUSE OP "representatives.
,'Tuursday Dec. 20.
Mr. Drodhead offered. the following; t
, Whereas, Tlii3 House was duly organ
ized on the 4th inst. (December 4, 1838,)
and gave notico to the Senate of such or
ganization, and has held its session .every
day since that 'period in this hall, and has not
received an, official communication that the
Senate, a co-ordinate branch of government
is oiganizcd.and ready. to co-operate with it
in the discharge of duties devolving on tho
legislature of Pennsylvania. .Andwhereus,
The. public good requires that tho lcgisla
tute should, proceed in the discharge of its
cflieial dulles promptly,, and. ollicjaly ac
cording to the constitution ,and laws. Jlml
whereas. ,,). appears by, the journals of the
proceedings of the Senle,.,ihat,, .that body
has passed upon the 'Constitutional organiza
tion of the House .of, Representatives and
decided thereon.. And, w here as Uy this
decision the legislative departments of die
government have became iuoperate. There
fore. v I I. ,
Resolved, that a committee be appointed
torenortfor the consideration and adoption
of this House an address to tlio freemen of
lhe,,Qpmmonwealth calling upon them to
take immediate measures for the restoration
of the government. t . ( .
Mr. Flcniken supported , tho resolution
he thought the, time, had como when the
people of tho slate had a right to know
whether they hail a legislature, and what
had been done by thtdr representatives.
More than two week's had elapsed since
the time had come, prescribed by the con
stitution, for the meeting of tjio, legislature
and nothing had been done. The. wheels of
governqn were stopped the interests of
the state were not taken care of uo.provii
ion was made ,for repairing or advancing
the improvements, or for regulating the1 fis
cal concerns of. the. commonwealth. Why
was this bo?, Vhy .was their no legisla-ttlrp-no
laws passed to meet public exi
gencies? Why no legislation begun as ex
pectod in the different quarters of tho state?
.Some great obstacles were. thrown in tho way
which prevented the; usual option al the peo
plo's representatives', and it wta3 certainly
worthy of the most set tolls enquiry to as
certain what these obstacles were, and show
to the world who wore in fault.
By the constitution, continued Mr. Flen
niken, tho legislative powers of the govern
ment were vested in a senate and house of
representatives a time for their meeting
was. prescribed all the requisitions of that
instrument, arid of laws had been complied
with in the organization of this house. A
committee had been appointed to inform the
body calling themselves the senate, that tho
houso was ready to exercise its constitutional
functions. .This was done ,more than two
weeks ago but their communication was
flighted and an official recognition was ab
solutely refused, thus preventing all lcgisla
liun.aud virtually dissolving the govern
men,!. It wad time this stale i-ot things
should end Iho great interest of the state
demanded immediate legislation, and he
could to see no other plan of obtaining this
but an appeal to the people who were the
Iruqdcpository of nil power, and, who would
apply the proper remedy when llieir agents
were unfaithful. ... ...
Mr.McElwee recapitulated the history of
pvents at the seat ol government, since tlie
first inst. In sheaking of tho senates report
upon the organization of the house, ie said
that it contained many palpable untruths.
One in particular ho noticed, as it, related
more imnjediately to himself. It Va3 ab
solulcly.f Jlse, as swdrn o by one of the
tellers appointed by Mr. Ste.yens on the 4th
inst., that Col. M'Cahen had assisted Mr.
Speaker Hopkins to the chair at the time
of his election. He, Mr. McElwce, hatl
performed that act himself, and knew posi
ticly that Col. M'Cahen did not officiate,
us ho did not oven see him pt the time.
A systematic plan to disbraanizo and rev-
olmiunizo tho government, so as to place
it in ilm hands of a minority. had now been
iv'r Hpuio time acted upon by, a few reckless
master spirits. The proe'eediugs of the
body calling themselves the senate, were
Un.. Ii.wl o r I r r! Ill fi WAV
111 II1I9 Ulliuauiui' Utlijf liuv. uuivw tt " ....
which had dissolved the government They
had this dav. bv a solemn vote, declared
that this Iiouro was not legally .organized,
by which voto (hoy declared thero was no
legislature and nq constitutional government.
In audi a crisis thero was no other remedy
lint thnt contemnlaled to bo brouc'it about
by tho resolution before the house a rovi
val or reorganization of tho Government.
In disnosimr of this resolution, Mr. M.
honed th'at everv member would act fear
lesaly and independently, though armed
men, brought here by Gov. Ritner, were
walking their rounds within a few rods of tho
capitol. Werqjvo to bo oyjrawed by military
forces 1 There was no doubt but this was
tho object of bringing them here, but ho
trusted the . sight of muskets and cannon
would shako no man's honest purposes. It
was a time to try the patriotism of gentle
men, when called upon to resist usurpation
and anarchy surrounded by the armed le
gjon&of the usurpers. ' For himself be felt
no fear such an occasion required deci
ded action no compromise, no terms
should . bo, thought of, in tho presence, of
troops brought hero to .intimidate and force
us into submission. - An appeal to the peo
ple is the only resource i .
As tho senato had declared virtually .that
there was no legislature in being, tho reso
lution before the house properly proposed
tho call of a convention to - re-organize the
government, and provide for tho meeting
of a legislature that should bo elected by
the people, and truly and faithfully repre
sent them. Thu government was now
wielded by men who were aliens to our
soil, and who had no interest in the honor
or welfare of the state no other interest
amongst us but to pillage the treasury.
The whole seciet of all the commotions
they had brought, upon us, was to keep
honest man from investigating and exposing
their- trauus to continue the wicked reign-
ol their minority friends To enable them
to do this vc liad ben harrasscd by soldiery
the scat of government had been convert
ed into an encampment, and our quiet dis
turbed by mottling gnnsf rcviclles( drums,
trumpets, die. . . ' , -.! t
J he investigation under this teBOlutioh
would show to tho people of Pennsylvania,
that their government was disolved by
fraud and violence. There had been no re
bellion here, the military wete called in
merely to enable our rulers to preserve their
ill-gotten and abused power. For himself
ho should be willing to go further than the res
olution proposed, tho unscrupulesenes shown
by the majority in the senate was so unprece
dented and outrageous that he should bo
willing at once to aid in. the call of a con
vention to expunge thai body, so a3 the peo
ple could send members there more truly to
represent them.
Mr. Snowden reterred to what nau oecn
done to the legal and'custolnary organiza
tion of this house to the fact that tho sen
ate had refused the customary intcrcpurse,&c
The members of the house had complied
with nil the requisitions of the law iV tho con
stitution they had done all in their power
to form a legislature and to preserve the
government tho proceedings in tho senate
to-day, compelled them to do something
further. That body, by declaring the house
of representatives was not legally organized
had assumed power not granted them by
the constitution.
We had had a very exciting time here tor
tho last two weeks, and what was the cause
of it ? Was it not occasional by the strug
gle of the minority to keep their power, af
ter having been decided against by the peo
ple? In' times past, the popular voice had
been submitted to the decisions of the
majority had been met 6y calm acquies
cence on the part .of tho minority. But
now it was otherwise. A few desiffnwjr
politicians had laid plans. for resisting and
overturning the decision of the maiority. If
these were cairied oiit, our government
ceaseu longer to oe a repuonc n wna an
arristocracy, or a government where tho
few ruled the many. (
The senato. had declared this an illegal
house. If thja were not the .true house,
where was it? .Was it at No. 40, Wilson s
hotel, where Mr. Cunn.inghan s body. say
they hpUl their meetings ? Such could not
be thp. house, for the law especially provid
es Hint the nouso Ol representatives suau
meet in this room in tho capitol. This de
cision of tho senate, thou, says thero is no
legislature now in belnc in tho state. What
then remains to bo done, , but to appeal to
first principles call upon tho peopie to as
?emble in convention, .and rc-organize their
sovernment ? It is true that this is the der
nier resort tho last irrcat remedy. . Cut
this is.justified by the occasion. Exfreme
eases iuslifv extreme remedies. W have
no constitutional government noV in exist
ence, and it behooyes tho people, the, foun
tain of all power in a republic, to form one
their safety and nrotcction demand it.
. Harrisburir had been filled .with armed
forces the arsenal was. still garrisojicd.and
wo met the military whenever wo wept out
of the capitol. .Why was this 1 We .wore
told they wero called here to put down nil
armed and infuriated mob. Where was
that mob ? Air. S. believed it existed no
where not oven in t.ljo imagination of those
who, issued tho warlike proclamations and
orders. No Mr. S. believed tho military
wero brought hero to intimidate, .the legisla
ture, and to coerce tlio house into measures
nf llin minority. ,
Mr. Hill, of Westmoreland, approved of
tho resolution;-he could see no other peace
fill method of providing. for the exigencies
of tho time. Had it indeed came to this,
that tho senate,' a co-ordinate and co-equal
branch of the legislature( hai). taken upon
itself to decide upon the., qualification !of
members of this hduso upon .the legality
of its organization. Such an assdmptiori
of power in relatibn to an equal body, was
not to be borne. It destroyed the ballajio.es
of the different members of the government
it was illegal and unconstitutional it, in
effect, broRc up and dissolved the state gov
ernment, and there was but the one reme
dy .within our teach.
i Mr. H. thought the time had come for
appealing to tho people we had been in
sulted aiu trifled with already loo long by
the minontyit was time to act like patri
ots nr!d freemen nothing else could save
us fioin Ihc.effccls of thcrevolution' sought
to be accomplished, by .the minority; our
rights were grossly invaded our constitu
tion was trampled in the dust our legal
government was overthrown, and longer for
bearance wa3 not to bo thought of.- . .
Tho Governor had issued his proclama
tion, slating that the capitol was besot by
an infuriated armed mob ? Where was this
mob, or had it over existed ? Every one
who was here, knew that the statement was
false; it was like a great many other char
ges, statements and allegations made in
thc.riumnrous messages, vetoes, proclama
tions and toasts which had como from tho
same quarter; ther.ri wasjiqta sjiadow of
truth in it. It was coined lot a pretext to
bring, ajined men here, to enable the mi-
noniy to perpetuate incir icign. ., ,
Mr. Roberts, alluded to the succession of
extraordinary circumstances -which had oc
curred at tho seal of Government since the
members hod convened hero from-the first
day to the pre3ent' Why were we surroun
ded by soldier.", armed and equipedfpr mor
tal combat ? He had been an attentive ob
server of passing events he knew the alledg
ed. reasons for marching them hero untrue
he had watched the movements of cer
tain men, and lrom all he had seen and ob
served he- could not entertain a doubt but
the military operations were for the purpose
of subverting tho great principle of repub-
lics-that the majoiity. shall govern.
Had it not been announced.. said nlr. K
!y a high public functionary, that the elec
tion sliouldjbe treated as it it never had hap
pened t A. general action in obedience to
this order had taken place, -end adetermin
ntlnn on the nart of the minority 'had been
boldly exhibited, not to Bubmitto.the.de-
cision of the ballot boxps. t The .question
forced upon us then, is, whether the minor
ity or the majority shall govern. -On llie
first day of our meeting, , an. attempt was
made tn foist upon thejiouso.a set of mem
bers whose claims were groundless, except
that thev received a minority vote, and fcam
certified to us by a minority return.- Ought
the people to tolerate suoh dangerous prac
tices ? Will 'thoy submit, and stand pas
sively by, .whilst their liberties, aro under
mined and their government overturned?
Or will thoy, in their sovereignty, relinks
this daring attempt to trample their authority
in the dust? '. -
The doctrines advanced oy that party,
whose brief reign has been so repiete with
usurpation and anti-republican practices, are"
directly subversive of all the principles and
practices known to our costilution. They
aro to substitute tho will of the executive
for the, wjll of the people, and to permit the
ant of the Governor to corruptly fill this
hall with minority representatives. 1 his
has been carried out in tho senate minori
members have been voted into seats, whilst
the majority claimants knock at their door
m yam. , lf
i That body has also refused to recognize
the neonle'oi representatives they have ar
rogated to themselves the tight to dueide
whether this is a house of, representatives
or not whether we are the chqaen pgents
of the nconlo or no they have decided
that our3 is an illegal body, and have refus
ed to hold any official communication with
us. Out commonwealth, thru, is now with
out xi Government., U therefore becomes
ourdntv. as the only legitimate representa
tives of tho peoplo to tell them what has
been done in this capitol to tell them who
has overthrown their constitution and their
government to tell them to fly to the res'
cue ot heir ngliis, , . , . 4
Whit .other course, enqnireu Mr. It. is
thero left to us l Wo hud met and organ
ized as usual we- had sent a committee to
tho senate to give - the information that wo
wero ready for .business, In return wa
have received no reply, no recognition. Al
our constitutional advances had been met
with silence, and 'to day we had been pro
nouncedan illegal assemblage I How much
longer .should wa, onduro.these things ?
When would legislation commence? Were
we discharging our duty to the puiuic.oy
remaining lonircr hero in passive submis
sion to this grasping minority t Should we
stand bv mid 8co the constitution - tho poo
plo havo solemnly adopted remain null and
n i
indperativq for want of legislatipn? Should
we permit this government' W tumble'lo pie
ces through; tho unhallowed schemes of A
balid of -pbliltcal trimmers whose despera
tion' would tiprobt ill law and' government
ratheMhaii'the-abuses and fraud practised
by their adniiaiotration-sliould be disclosed',
In. conclusion j Mr.' R. Jexpreqscd a hop
that ntfhe would htfsitaie' in deciding upoi
tlio momentous quebtion urtdei'cbnsidirtionV
It was a question vital to the liberties . of jtho
country-it was to docide whether ,the, major-
it.. .1.. I il . , 71
or me minority snau. ruie, jor. wnetner
oui government shall be hereafter a fiee re'
public or a partial aristocracy. ' "" ,"
fllr. rtay thought that the time had como
when longer forbearance ceased to be a vir
tue. The house had been in session more
than wo weeks, and tho senate had refused
to co-operdte vVith it so as to form a legis
lature. As the crovcrnirient was thus stopt
ped in its operation, "it became necessary to
go back to first principles, and ,re-prganize
uiuier tho power rserved,i,to Jtne, peoplo in,
tho bill of rights Mr. P".. pointed tq the deci
laratitm of independence, and Imped thai;
the 'same1 firmness would bo shown, now in
resisting oppression, that lhe signrs of that
trumont had so nobly exhibited.. The
occassion was truly momentous. An au
dacious minority had usurped power incom
patible with the preservation of our freedom
they had surrounded us with armed men
to mtimidiate and drive us into their meas
ures. There was but tho ono remedy for
all the.so grievances an appeal to the peo-;
rtle, tlit)' fountain of all 'pbwer. No one
preseiit had occlision'to distfuat-puch an p
peal or to fear the balm movement of thoif
con3iUuents..vHi.i , , - . .
1 ho resolution was then unanimously a
dopted. ';The committee appointed by tha
speaker dnd'er tho resolution 'were Messrs;
firodhead, Flennikaiv Hill -of iWestmore
uid, Field. Fegelly, Pray, Woddburn, Hi'
gins, ?nd Puller. ... ,t,i. 1.3 nu sy
Adjourned nntil 10 0 clock to-morrow.
VERA CRUZ. , ' '.;i,r
The town of Vera Cruz and its Vicinity
being now tho theatre of very importer
ovents, we think the following compilation
may provo interesting to our readers. r
Vera Oruz is a seaport on the gulfotaVIex-
ico and Europe, and the place throucH
which almost all the trado between Mexico
and Europe, and. the United States is car
rjed on. , Opposite, jOib,e taiv;t.on a small
island, 4 lands the castle of Si. Jiiand' Uiloa.
whjch is fortified by 9p0 pieces of cannoriJ
The port of Vera Cruz is not remarkably
commodious. ' The t town ic situated on
an arid plain, , without running ..water and
on- which, .the north winds, whioh,ihlow
with dreadful impetuosity' from October
April, have formed hills. 0? moving sand
from twenty-six to thirty-eight fe.ct, hi'ghl
which change their form anil situation every
year. hi .iu.i-! - '
- The, cjity is handsomely and. regqlarly
buih, and the streets broad and straight; but
the climate is hot and unhealthy, and ex"
tremely subject to tho yellow fever. The:
buildings are-constructed from stone drawn
from, the ocean, there, being no rock in the
town. The population's 30,000. ( r. 4f
' Vera Cruz is the Capitol of the stale c'f
Vera' Gruz,' which belongs to the Mexicaft
confedraoy. ,It has -a population of about
234,000 and is. a, very- important provincs
cn account of its harbors. The soil is fer
tile, but the climate very hot arid unhealthy
particularly on the eastern part forma hd
declivity of the Cordilleras of Anahuac. and
such is the steepness of the mountains, in
this part ot tho country, that a travellen
passes in the course of a day, from suffoca
ting heats.to froats, traversing as il were
successive laycJi' of, climates, ( k
1. Tho stale contains thcivbloarto'bf Orizlba
haying an elevation of 10,308, feel, and tho,
cofijar. of tferoloi 13,280, feet. iiighj. and fa
miliar to navigators as the first .land seen
when approaching, tho coast of 'Mexifct
The principle townB are Vera Cruz, Tarn
pico, mid Xalapn. The latter isicolebratcd
lb: supplying immense quantities of tho
drug, called J,ala'p. 'ihe,chief .productions
of tho country are coffee, coflonaud tobA
Tho directors of tho Urandon Bank
Miss., have recently called in their paper tq
the amount of 0110 million two hundred
thousand dollars, and committed (lie notes
to thd flames.
We learn from the Cutskill lieSieneerof
a late date, that four steamboats, and some
20 freight barges and canal boats, loaded,
witlunerchaudisa, are- now lying at that
place, embargoed by the ice
- ', 1 OfMlatyiicpw 1, 'J . (,t 1
An. -Agricultural Society in .Kentucky)
has awarded a premium of 'a gold 'thimbl'oi.
to Mrs. Dr, Leave!, for hoi husband appears
ing.in the beet.stijt oC. homespun, .Thew,