I BMOCMV I Uavo sworn upon tlio Altnr of God, eternal hostility y form of Tyranny over tuo Blind of lllaii." Thoinas Jefferson. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED HY5(k WEBB; Volume IV. BliOOMSBUMG, COLUMBIA' COUNTY, PA. SATURDAY, TFElBIfcUAXfcY 580, 1841b Niiftulicr 43. OFFICE OF THE DEMOCRAT, bfroiTK St. Paul's Church, Main-bt. TERMS i tnt COLUMBIA DEMOCRAT tvill be published every Saturday morning, at TWO DOLLARS per annum, payable half yearly in advance, or 7 wo JJoltars Fifty Cents, if not paid within the year. No subscription ivill betaken for A shorter period titan six months; nor any discon tinuance permitted, Vnlil all arrearages I are discharged. hfiVERTl SEME NTS not exceeding a iquarc lout oe conspicuously inserted at One Dollar for the first three insertions, and Twenty-five cents for every subse quent nserlloni IC7" A liberal discount made to those who advertise by the year. UETTERS addressed on buSinesSi mttst be post paid: itfECDOTE OP THE REVOLUTION. Almost every ono is acquainted with the Icircumstanees of the taking of General Piescolt, the then commanding officer of the British forces on Rhode Island, by Cap loin Barton of Pioviddnce. He was ex changed for General Leo, who was previ ously captured by the British. I Shortly after his exchange he returned to Rhode Island and was in"itcd to dino oil board tho Admiral's vessel, with many oth I er officers of tho highest grade. General I l'refcott was naturally a haughty, imperi lousman, and as a commander was very unpopular with his officers and soldiers and I with the citizens of Newport, but was brave and skilful ofTiccrt I It was often the case that boys as well as Iraon werd sent from the town on board Ihe Admiral's ship for any offence, and confin- I ed thero for some time, by the arbitrary au I thorily of those in power Martial law I was the law 01 tne place, a small mo a bout thirteen years of age was placed in Itliu situation provious to General Prcscott's return, and was on board with many others I si the time the General dined there. lis I did not know General Prescoolt. I After dinner the wine circulated freely I snd a toast and song was repeatedly called for. In the course of tho evening the firs lieutenant observed to the admiral, who was a real jolly son of Nontune, that there was I Yankee lad on board who would shame I all tlioir singing. I 4 Bring him up here,' said Prescolt. Th boy was accordingly brought into the cab I in. Tho Admiral called on him to giv them a song. The lililo fellow being some what intimidated by gold-faced coats, epu I.. M I. I . t lens, aie. rcpueu, t can't sing any songs but Yankee songs.' Tho Admiral perceiv ing that ho was embuirasscd ordered the eteward to'give him a glass of wine, saying como ray fellow, don't be frightened, give us one of your Yankee songs.' General Pretcott spoke in his usual haughty impe rious manner, you d d young rebel, give us a song, or I'll give you a dozen.' The Admiral interfered and assured ihe lad that he should be set at libcrly the next day if ho would givo them a song, any ono ho eould recollect. Tho following doggerel, written by a sai lor of Newport was given, to the great a rnusement of tho companyi "Pwas on a dark and stormy night Tho winds and waves did roar, Bold Barton then with twenty men Went down unto tho shore. And in a whale boat they sot off To Rhodes' Island fair, To catch a red-coat General That then resided thero. Through British fleets and guard boats strong i They held their dangorous way, Till they arrived unto their pott And then did not delay. A lawny son of Afric's raco Them through the ravine led, Aud entering then the Overing housef They found him in his bed. But to got in thoy had no means Except poor Cuffce's head, Who boat the door down ihon rushed in( And siozed him in his bed. Stop, let me put my breeches on The General then did pray, Your breeehes Massa I will take For dress we cannot slay. Then through the ryo stiibble hihi thoy led Willi shoes and breeches none,! And placed him in their boat quite snug And then from shore were gone; oon the alarm was sounded loud, The Yankees thoy have como, And taken Prescolt from his bed And him they've carried home. The drums were beat, sky rockets flew. The soldiers shouldered aims And marched around the grounds thoy knew, Filled with most diro alarms. Hut through tho fleet with muffled oaro They held their devious wav; And landed him on Gansett shores:): Where Britain held no sway When unto Ihe land they camo Where rescue thete was none, A d d bold push, ,' ihe General said, Of pris'ners J am one!'' There was a genoral shout of all the ompany during tho wholo song and at the close, one who was a prisoner on board al iho .time, observed, he thoucht tho deck would come through wilh.tho stamping and cheering. General Prescolt joined most heartily in the meiimont. Thrusting his hand into his pocnei no nanacu uie boy a guinea, saying ' here you young dog is a guinea for you.' I ho boy was set at liberty the next morn ing This ahecdote is often related by an rged gentleman now'living in Newport. There is a deep ravine leading from the shore to the house which was occupied by General Prcscotl. tMr. Overing was a tory and owned the house in which Genercl Prescolt resided He was landed on Narraganset shore noai Warwick. WINTER EVENINGS. During Iho winter season, most of the youth of our land' particularlytthosc of the country, have tho evening at their own dis posal, to devote to amusement, recreation, or whatever pursuit they cliooso. We speak now of those who aro employed in some acllvo r necessary pursuit dining tho day, to whom evening brings their only lei sure) for the youth who has not some such employment, or who doer not seel: it, is not the ono to bo benefited by any thing that may be said on tho improvement of his leis ure hours. We therefore address our re marks to the industrious youth of our coun try, who are trained to useful and laudable purpose. Such young men will hall tho long evenings of the season with delight, anil bless the glad hours which they may uevoto uninterruptedly to Iho cultivation of their minds. Few young men are at all awato of tho amount of valuable knowledge of which they might become tho masters and pos sessors, by a careful and judicious improve inent of tho leisure afforded by tho even ings of a single winter, and when wo add (o this the acquisition of ton or fifteen winters ihe aggregate amount of what a youth of common capacity might attain would mako him a learned man in any section of tho Union Many who rendered themselves eminent and useful in their day tho Frank lins, the Shermans, tho Rittonhouscs, and Iho Bowditches of our own country tho Walls, tho Forgusous, and tho Simpsons of England names conspicuous in tho list of contributors and tho benefactors of that spe cies made themselves what they weie by a diligent use of less leisure than falls lo Ihe lot of four-fifths of the young men of the United Stales. The greatest men of every ago have in general been self taught and self-made. They have risen from oh scurity, and struggled with adverse circura stancbs. A diligent uso of their lime, fain1 1 dying and laboring whito others slept or played;) a steady peisevcranco and an in domitable energy gave them their attach ments and their eminence. Cicero, by far the most learned man of all antiquity, as well as tho greatest orator of Itdmc, let us at once into ihb secret of all his vast and varied learning he tells tis that tho lime which others gave lo feasts, and dice, and sports, he devoted io patient study. Il matters nol what may be d young man's intended pursuit of life; he cannot choose any which reading and study, during his leisure hours, will nol the belter qualify him. If he is to bo a farmer, let him read books and treaties on agriculture) if he is lo bo a mechanic, lei him study tho mathema tics and worfts on mechanifcism, architec ture &c. if ho is to boa merchant, let him become familiar willi the principles of po litical economy, iho statistics ot trade, and tho history of commerce; and, finally, if ho is to bo an American citizen; one of the millions to whom is to be intrusted tho rich heritage of civil and religious liberty be queathed to us by our fathers, let him study well the history, and tho institution of tho United States, and let htm oontcmplato the lives and character of thoso who wrought out and framed our liberties. Nor is Iho knowledge lo be thus acquir d the only inducement for a young man io devote the hours of his leisure to reading and study. Tho pleasure to io found in such pursuits is as much superior to that transient and giddy excitement attendant morely on tho graver amusements, as it is puror, more elegant, and more refined. The young man too, who habituates his mind to find pleasuro snd gratification in reading and study, can nover want for so ciety! for ho creates around hin a socioty ol winch lie can never be deprived a so- 'ClBty WniCH-'Hltrilinwi t-jS-w ence, which has nothing cold or artificial or false a society composed of tho very elite of the earth the master minds bf all ages, all countries. With them he can retire in to his library, to spend a leisure hour, when ever opportunity occurs, certain of finding them ever ready to delight and instruct Effect of Free Material. A dealer in wool lnlorms us that during the nasi six months, some fifteen thousand bales of for eign coarse wool havo been sold in this market. A lew years ago, a cargo oi lave hundred bales overstocked he market, and supplied the sales for a year. But wools costing less than eight cents a pounu were made free under our tariff, ami immediately there has grown up the vast business in the manufacture of them. Wow it Is proposed to tax the wools. What tho wholo effect of the proposed tax may be, it is difficult to say; but the tacts show the stimulating effects of letting in raw materials Iree or du ty, while they also show the danger Of go vcrnmcnt interference for the purpose of re dilating Iho business of the citizens, and iho extreme difficulty of working such in tcrferenco into any system which will on tho whole operata beneficially, or even fair ly. Our manufacturers will never bo safo until all interference with their interests on tho part of Ihe Government, is withdrawn jour, oj uom. LOST IN A dANEBREAKEl. A late number of the Corydon (Indiana Whig, stales that two citizens of that coun ty, one by tho name of John Ellis, ihe oth cr not remembered, whilo on their way to New Orleans, with a fiatbdat, landed some where in Arkansae.on account of bad wealh er. and left the boat.laking with them thei guns, intending to take a fotv hour s hunt Thev soon cot into a very heavy cane brcake; and after turning round a few time new not tho course back to the boat; an it had snowed so fast that they were unable to follow back their track. So they continued to bo lost for foil days and nights, travelling through a deep snow in a heavy cane-brcake, without fire or a mouthful to eat. They were found in a most piteous and wretched condition, one of thorn insensible to his misery, and the other barely able to walk but yet urging the oilier ono forward, who was tailing an pitching in every direction Mr. Ellis, th most able one of them; has como home- He. from all probability, will lose all tnts. several of ikem having como offalrea dy. Ho was much injured otherwise from tho cold. Of Governor Porter vetoing iho Bill giving to the Legislature the appointmontof Ca nal Commissioners, 7'o the Senate and House of Rtpresenta tives of the Commonwealth of Pennsyl vania: GnNTLaMEN : Tho Bill entitled " An Act relating to Canal Commissioners" has been presented to mo for the Executive ap probation. Ah I cannot approve tho Bill, I return it lo tho Senate, which il originated, with my objections thereto, in order to such fdrlher action thereon as is provided by ilm Constitution; The Bill provides for tho election andap pointmcnt of three Canal Commissioners, to wit : the election of one Commissioner by the Scnato and one by tho House of Re prcsentative, and tho appointment of : third by the Governor This mode of ap pointment, as to any officers of government, is novel and without precedent"; and I con fess I can see in the system hero proposed, nothing but discord and confusion. It is an event to be reasonbly expected, that diiler- ent parties, interests and combinations in ach House, and it may bo with the Govern or, will lead lo frequent removals and chang es of the incumbents, and thus our improve ment system, instead of being conducted as should be, with consistent steadiness, will e constantly undergoing the changes and experiments incident to our daily political mutations. Collisions will take place in the Board of Commissioners, embarrass ment will be thrown in tho way of its ac tion by tho minority of its own members, nd the public interest will be sacrificed to piomotc the objects of private or local or political designs. By the appointment of tho Board by each House, and by tho Gov- rnor, nearly tho whole responsibility is ttou i jr. wmaaa iionei, should thoy me, it will be quilo lmpossibTe toTcacri d the delinquents at one. The adherence f the Governor or of either House to its favorite, will place him beyond the reach f popular opinion, although his associates who ore responsible to an appointing pow er differently elected, may bo promptly dis missed. Tho Governor, the Senators and tho members of tho House, aro notallelect- d at once, nor by tho same constituents. Pho members of each Houso are the imme diate representatives of detached portions of the people, with peculiar local interests to advance, all of which must more ot less conflict with those of the State at large; and although each Houso, in tho aggregate, no doubt, represents the people of the wholo State, it is through tho medium of thirty three members in ono, and one hundred in tho other. Responsibility thus divided, vanishes almost entirely, and ceases to af fotd an adequato guarantee to the public. Should Commissioners thus appointed, bo guilty of official mis-conduct, how aro thoy lo be punished ? The House impeach cs, and the Senate tries but hero the House is impeaching an officer whom it hns itself just confided in, and appointed; and the Sen ate is to try justly and impartially, for mis- j demeanors in office, the man whom it has but a fow days before trusted and honored. What a spectacle of absurdity would this exhibit I Would not combinations among tho friends of oach in the repective Houses, defeat tho ends of justice, and laugh to scorn all efforts to inflict punishment I The history of all representative govern ments shows, that although their legisla tures, especially wien numerous, ar'd odmiri ably adapted to the enactment of general laws, and the promotion of the tights and liberties of the people, they nrei from the very nature of divided responsibility, tho most easily tampered with, by political in triguers and demagogues, in their appoint ment of officers of any other branch of the government; and in tho selection of their of ficers, have been often made the dupes of intrigue, of venality and of corruption. I beg you to understand mo as speaking in the abstract, and not in regard to any pastor future legislation ir. Pennsylvania. I can not, however, consent to forego, altogether ihe salutary lesson's bf experience. W6 have no right to expect ontire exemption from evils that other people have suffered; and I am determined, so far as I am con cerned, to sharo none of tho responsibility of introducing them into Pennsylvania. If done by btheis, their be the hbnor, t want it nol. But I am satisfied that neither agreeably lo the spirit of our Constitution, hoi on thd ground of expediency, ought tub appoint ment to bo vested in the Legislature: Thd Legislature have the power of bnactlng thd laws making tho appropriations lo purposes at internal improvement; and thb Spirit of the Uonslitulion, as well as the legislation, of thb Commbnwcalth, has provided that tho disbursement of the moneys and settle ment of the accounts of the Commonwcaltli should be in the hands of officers differently appointed, evidently to prevent cdmbinai lions or collusion, or tho operalloii of thd same influences in the appointment or bach; To givo io Ihb brahches of government which appropriate the moneys, tho appoint ment of the officers who arc to disburse1 them, would, in my judgment, lend lb treats. down the safe-guards provided by thb Cbn1 stitution in tho disbursements bf public moneys. The Bill before me presents othbr UiffU cullies. Tho constitution vests tho lcgisla: tive power in tho General Assembly; thd Executive po'ycr ih a Governor; and de clares the duties of both. The leading duty of the former is to enact law3, and of tho latter, to tako cato that they aro faithfully cxecuted.To enable him to perform that du: ty, the Constitution declares " all officer whoso election or appointment is not proviJ ded'for in this constitution, Shall be ccctcd or appointed as shall bo directed by law." A plausible argument may be drawn from the Bill before me, that it establishes a mode of appointment within the latter clause abovd of the Constitutiort.which declares that 'no' member of the Senate and Houso of Repre sentatives shall be appointed by the Governs or to any office during the term for which he shall have beed elected," it manifestly shows that the people intended lo confine the principal dutius of their Representatives to direct legislation. If this Bill becomes a law, and tho principal extended, they might fill all offices out of ihoir leSpoctive bodies, which would destroy their purity, and des toy tho incompatible principle in the Con stitution, which restrains the Governor from making appointments from cither House; during tho timo for which they shall havd been elected. In point of expediency I think the Bill ought not to become a lav, and this I think is manifest from our provious legilalion on this subject; Under the acts of 27th of March, 1824 11th April 1825, 10th April.1820, and lOtlt April 1827, the Canal Commissioners werd appointed by the Executive. At first tho Board consisted three members; it was then increased to fivc;ml by tho act of 10th April, 1620, it was increased to nine; at which number it continued until 1830. By the act of id lit of April, 1829, nino persons named in the law, were appointed Canal Commissioners, and authority was given to the Governor to fill any vacancies which might occur in the Board, from death, resignation or otherwise. On the sixth day of April, 1830, in esi than a year after its passage, the act of lOlli April, 1820, was repealed, and tho Govern or was authorized to appoint three persona as a Board of Canal Commissioners: public opinion having decidedly pronouced a gainst tho appointment by the Legislature. By the act of 28lh January, 1630, the time of appointing Canal .Commissioners was changed from the 1st of June, to the lst'of February.and by tlio provisions Of that law; the then existing Board of Canal Commis sioners were legislated out of effico four months before the expiration of their com missions, but no change as to tho number of the Commissioners, of their modu ol apJ pointment was made. It will be within thd recollection of all, that the leading reasons'
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