VOLUME 1. The American Citizen. T8 published every We.lne*d iv in the l}>rotwh of Butl*r, 'by Hmiiiv-on A C. H. WOERS >N •t.iT'Mniii street, 'opp wife t» .lack « II 't«:l—up Nt'tir* in the brick wine It occupied l>y i-.li Yetter. a* a «tnre T :rmi:—V 50 h ye «r. if p ii three in<»*rti'>n* SIOO Hiverv -oilMequent insertion, per nquire, 25 ciMi ciMi 112 10 lines «»r le« 112 >r one year, inclu ding pipwr ft 00 VI column 112 «r nit inwMn v 7 00 f»rone yeir .... 12 00 column 112 «r nix m'*nth* '* 13 00 • column f»r one y* ... 25 00 1 column J »r «ix month* 25 00 1 c 4nmn f«r one y«v -S® Resignation of Speaker Penney. The tact that Mr. Penney, on the#th instant, resigne 1 the Speakership of the Pcnrnylvan'a Sena'e. and that he was iin me liately re electe Lwas communicated to 1 our readers at the time by telegraph from Ilarrisburg. The object of tU it resigna tion wis. tosh .w to-the country that the j I'n'on party of the Sta*e could afford to wive i question of piece lent, an 1 even of law. in >r Ic ' that the w irk of legisla tion, wh'eh hid so lon/been doJayel*by the fictiomnew of ihe 0 ippe heid Sena tors. nigh' be un lerfaken an 1 expedite 1. We hive just receive 1 Mr. I'enney's spec.-h on the occasion of his resignation of the S, e.ike -h p, and at once lay it be f' iTb our rei to*s. It c >nta tn a mum* of all the fa ts inv ilve.l in the Lipg coutro- | versy vith wh eh h'< name will always be ass ic'ate I.— J't/ts. (hrj-ttr. The SPKAK.RU. The Cli ur asks leave •of ihe Se:ri:C to make a person il explans tiifn. ■* Leave eing granted, The S 4 ie iker continued : Fi 1.t.0w SEN ATORS : At the last session, by the parti ality of tho Sen itc. I was electe 1 to fill the clnir of the Spc ikcr. Since that time I | hive en le ivore 1 to discharge its duties with n conscientious regard to the oath hat I toik when I assume J tlie office. If I hive fuilel in that en leav.ir, it has not been a failure resulting from any in'ention to wrest from any member on the floor a single privilege to which he is by rsht en title 1.1 have continue I to discharge those duties during the present session; an 1 allb nigh during the discussion on the question of organ;/, ition, I have listened to many things that perhaps appeared h irsh toward myself personally, yet I have received n i discourtesy from any member of which I have to complain. As I have' thus far sat a silent listener to the discus sions regarding organization, it is perhaps proper that I should define at this time the cxict position tli.it 1 have occupied during the present session. • I came here as theSpeakerof the body, du'y electe 1 and duly qualified; I called the Sen itc to order, according to the cus tom and practice of the Senate always. I believed it to be my duty to act as the Speaker of the Senate in its organization; I bclicvfe I it to be.uiy duty when the Sen ate w is orguiize 1 to continue to act as its Speiker until my successor was.electe 1. Ia I >;itel tint opinion «112 duty under the obligations of my oath With mt con sultation with any one. and I may say, in jmtifi.Mtion of myself, tint that opinion wiin it taken up m impulse, or upon any party v'e .v of the c'renin stands un lev wli'tdi /lie Sen ite was about to meet. I hive ha 1n i myv v'e .vs on that questing I hive always believe 1 that under the Cou.stitu ion. the Senate was a permanent orginizition. made so by the Constitution, -an 1 necessarily so for the permanency and pe-petu'ty of the f offue I assume 1 its re sp mobilities Aai >ng th >se fi ling the .Executive eh lir. in the case of a vacancy ithe e. Com'ng into the Sen ile at the com men moment of this session, clothe 1 by you w tli the au h irity to act as its Spciker, swim to discharge tli ise duties that the Constitution devolve.l upon me. I came here with the elcirest conviction, which his not been unsettled by anything that has transpire I duing the session, and e;m --11 it be unsettle 1, tint it wis tjiy duty to preside until the Senate by itsehoiceelect ,el sonic one to take my place. I believe that without that construction of 4he Con stitution. the proflsion that in ikesthe Sen ate a permanent body, with jwj-t birds ot its members always in offioc aiul i|iiabfied ,to act, would be but a farce, an 1 that the mere accident that has occurred this ses sion, for a time depriving oue district of its representation and the consequent fail ure tj ch use a S.ieikar, might leave the State completely disorganized, without a Governor, with >itt a Senate, and without authority anywhere to fill any vacancy that might occur." I'ermit me to review the position of af fairs at the commencement of the present session. The national Government was still engage J in the fearful struggle with citizens an 1 States that had dritted into rebellion, upon the false idea that the Gov ernment ha I n J power to protect and pre se ve itsel. from dUuolntiqy. It was call i g upon an 1 douun ling the steady, firm uui eue.get.ic support of the Government AMERK AX. CITIZEN. I of every loyal State, and of every patri | otic citizen. This great Commonwealth had just passed through a heated politic al contest, resulting in the choice of a 'chief Executive officer, abundantly pledg ' ed to an untiring support of the Govern ment and the war. With a majority in I both branches of the Legislature, holding j the same political views, the fortunes of ; war had placed the gallant and patriotic' ! Senator from Indi ina (Major White) in the hands ot the enemy, a depriving the people of the State of the power to carry out their expressed ffill in the Senate. The constitution required i the returns of the elections to be opened 1 and published by the Speaker of the Sen ate; the Governor was to be inaugurated, an 1 all the machinery of legislation tube" putin motion. I'n ler these circumstances, an 1 with the clearest convictions of my duty, 1 ciine to the Senate wi.h >ut anticipating the slighte ■UI i(Terence of opinion anions | Senators upon that question. I knew, however, that political parties were eve* ly balanced in the Sen I'e. and 1^ id an ticipafe a con'est in thee'ectioh of Speak er, wh'eh might be protracted, unless the expressed will of a lnaj irityof the people was disregarde I; an 1 I wml 1 have con sidere 1 it a plain disregard of duty, if 1 hid left the office vacant duing such a contest, at such a time. AI \v iys acknowle lging the light of the Senate to choose its presidingofficerat the commencement of the session, if it shall .so 'determine, an 1 always ready most cheer fully to yield my place to any successor that might be so chosen, 1 assumed thcTe sponsibility of retaining my position in the chair, and discharging its duties, and 1 am perfectly w.llingnow to bear the re sponsibility of which had prevailed for years in the Sen ate, in this respect, that I did not step out of the Chair when the motion was made to proceed to the election of a Speaker. I remained in the Chair and put the mo tion myself, when the practice had been« for the Speaker to retire from the Chair and allow the Clerk to put the motion. My own view of that practice is that it was never anything more than an act of false delicacy on the part of the Speaker to avoid putting a question in which he was generally interested, and that lie could have resumed the chair at any time upotj a failure to elect, and continue to discharge all the duties of Speaker—and 1 have simply to say that 1 disregard the prac tice, which 1 considered purely personal to myself. Some Senators, however, pre fer to regard this practice of leaving.the chair as a resignation of fhe office. If this be the true construction of the prac tice, then uiy only reply to those who op pose my position is, that, (as I said belore.) under the circumstances we were placed, 1 believed it my duty not to resign and leave the office vacant during the contest, thus subjecting the State to the liability as be'ng comp'etcly disorgan zed, bothjn its legislative an 1 executive departments, and in th s vew of the piece lent and practice, I am equdly willing to take the res_ o isib lity o; my acts. ' It has been admitted byall. ' hat when the session commenced 1 wtsclo he J with all the functions of Speaker, an 1 that, it \va uiy (lutyti take the eh'a r anl call the Senate to order; bu: Sen i ors who have oppose ! me say that when I had rece ve the returns of the ejection of eleven new members to the body, (hut muni'-nt alt 1113 official functions cease 1, an J1 was no lon ger the presiding office 1. because a new el etueut h id couie into the body which ha . a right to participate in the elec'.ion. II such an argument has any force whatever, it proves too much ; for upon tlutt theory if the Senate had chosen its officers on the first day of the session, after the new Sen ator from Indiana took It's seat, a new elec tion have been held, because a neir element had conic into the body, and the official character of the Speaker ceased. I have searched in vain for either law or precedent to establish such a position, and 1 think the argument wholly without force. The office of Spcakor erected by the Constitution, and when once filled in ale gal manner can only be vacated, as 1 con ceive, by expiration of the term fixed by law, by the death or re-ignation of the of ficer, the expiration of his term as a Sen ator, or the actioir of the Senate, it de claring fhe office vacant, or electing a suc cessor. No law exists limiting; the term for which the Speaker shall hold the of fice, and it is not pietended that any of the other contingencies have yet happen ed to vacate the office. It seems to me, therefore, that fttere can bo no reasonable ground to assume a vacancy. I do not intend to pur.-ue the argument further, I have only to say that i» as suming the |Kj»ittuti I have taken I have uo credit to claim other than "Let us have Faith that Right makes Might; and in that Faith let us, to the end,dare to do our duty as wyjnderstand it"— A. LINCOLN BUTLER, BUTLER COUNTY, PA., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1804. that of havingconscientiously discharged my duty. I fc:»ve bfcen charged, on the flfcor of the Senate, with usurping the of fice, by Senators who have uniformly treat ed me, personally, with the greatest cour tesy. All these charges I have treated as mere declamations —they have not affect ed me in any way. From tho. commence ment of the session I endeavored to con fine myself strictly to the rules of parlia mentary law, until the rules of the Senate were adopted, and I have not willing y de prived any Senator of his rights in my ruling. The positions which I have as sumed, anil which have been so firmly and ably sustained and defended by my friends on the floor of the Senate, have alaob en most fully and cheerfully recognized and en killed by the co-omlinate branch of the l,cn the darkest night look at the American flag. ARTEMUS WARD thinks it a hard tiding not to have a wife—no gentle heart to get up in the morning and build a fire. IF any groat artist wishes to get up a painting to be called the picture of deso lation, he had better get the rebel Con federacy to set for him. IN polite society the stomach should be spoken of as " The Bureau of the Inte rior." The cuphism is required by deli cacy. says ". McSnob on Etiquette." TIIE Southern lands are iflud not to be well adapted to rye. A cotemporary thinks lliQie are very good grouuds there for wry faces. LIGHT PIES. —A certain landlady, it is said, makes light that her lodg ers can see togo ftßed without a candle after eating a moderate Tsized piece. ' " MARRIAGE," said aft unfortunate bus band, " is the church-yard of love." " And'you men," replied his wife, "are the grave diggers." A COUNTRY editor, praising a success ful politician, called him " one of the cleverest fellows that ever lifted a hat to a lady, or a boot to a blackguard." A LITTLE boy was asked the other day if he was a copperhead. " No," said he, looking down at his feet, " I'm copper toes." A CARPENTER took a holliday and went to llockaway. When he returned home his friends asked he saw. "Why," he replied, "I saw the sea, and now I see a saw." THE following is sharp : " First party —'• you'll all come to the gallows some day." Second, or addressed party: "yes, the day you're hanged." PAT DOOLAN, at Gettysburg, bowed his head to a cannon ball which whizzed past six inches above his bearskin. " Faith," says Pat" " one never loses anything by pcliteness." " All Jemmy," said a sympathizing friend to a nian who was just too late for >he train, "jtou did not run fast enough." " Yes, I did," said Jemmy," 1 ran fast enougji, but I did not start soon enough." A WAG, upon visiting a medical muse urn, was shown some dwiyfs and speci mens of mortality all preserved i*4cohol. '• Well," said he, " I never thoujht the dead could be in siftli spirits." A CAS£ OF MODESTY. —Ay exchange paper very gravely informs us that a young man who was recently bathing in the Mis souri river,.seeing a number of ladies ap proach, drowned himself from motives of delicacy. SQUABBLES, an old bachelor, shoVvs his stockings, which he had just darned, to a maiden lady, who contemptuously re marks, " pretty good for a man darner." Whereupon squabbles rejoins, " good enough for a woman, darn her." A GENTLENAN who was in arrears for several week's board and lodging, com plained one morning that his coffee was not settled. '• You had better settle for the coffee ancfr then complain," said the landlady. A DRUNKK* youth got out of his cal culation, and wa3 dpzing in the street, when the bells roused liinl by their ring ing for firg. , "Nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen," cried he. "Well, if this isn't iatcr than I ever knew it." (jhlucatioiuit Department. The Rotation Of the Earth, DEMONSTRATED BY TIIE I'ENDULU M. In 1851, the scientific world were much occupied with discussing the merits of a new mode of demonstrating the earth's diurnal revolution, discovered by M. Leon Foucault, of Paris. Although the very general interest which his discovery then elicited, has long stuce given place to the excitement incident to fresh discoveries, yet we are confident that some (particu larly Teachers) may still be interested, if not benefit, by a repetition of the experi ment of M. Foucault, and a review of the itemonstration based upon it. The simplicity and conclusiveness of the latter, commend it to all, indeed, who appreciate the Baconian or inductive meth od of investigating nature; whilst its nwrjiunical character renders it invalua ble to the Teacher or Lecturer, asa means of ocularly a fact already fully established by abstract Reasoning, based upon the known principles of physics.— These considerations are our justification for again calling the attention of educa tors and others to this subject. The fact underlying said demonstra tion is, like all important facts in science simple; inasmuch as to excite considera ble wonder that it should so long have re tna'ned unnoticed. It is as follows: A pendulum so suspended as to move freely in all directiois, will, if made to vibrate across a gryduatcd circular table, continu ally change its path in reference to the plane over which it is moving; so that in a certain period, of which flie leifgth is determined by the latitude of tho place where the experiment is made, it will.ap parently have described a complete revo lution uuouud the circle across which it has been vibrating; and the devotion will be uniform for each degree of latitude,, but its rate will regularly diminish*from the poles to the exuator, where it be comes equal toO; whereas the time of otic complete revolution of the pendulum rcgu larlp increases from the polos, where it i -24 hours, to the equator.* where it equals infinity. Furthermore, the deviation i.- in opposite directk ns on opposite sides ot' ilie equator; being, in the 11 >rthcrn hem sphere, from west to cast, (i.e. in ( lie rcction of the hands of a watch); an from east to west in the southern. The reader may be readily • convince i <">f the reality of thefe inteiesting phe nomcna, by instituting the following sini pie experiment. From the ceiling of a high room, su pen a globular weight of about six pounds by means of a slemler wire, of such lenth that the weight, at rest, may stand about one inch above the floor. The wire should be so attached to the ceiling as not ty prevent the gyrate ry motion of the pendulum. Next, describe upon the floor a circle of convenient dimensions, say from 8 to 16 feet in diameter, having its centre directly under the point of suspension.— Divide the circle into a certain number of equal parts, dy lines passing through the centre and terminating at both extremi ties in the circumference; or (which is better) divide the circumference, or a por tion of it, into degrees, minutes, etc., num bering the divisions. Things being thus arranged, let the ex perimenter carefully draw the pendulum j to a convenient point in the circumfer-.j once. and. by means of a slender thread. 1 fasten it to some object, say or block, stand- j ing outside the circle. When it has come j to a state of perfect rest, he may then j suddenly, but dexterously .sever the thred j by burning it. The pendulum will, ol course, descend along one of the diame ers of the circle, pass over the centre and terminate in the circumference at a point opposite to that from which is star ted. From thence it will apparently re turn, by the same path, to the same poiut .»f*rest; but after a few vibrations, it will become evident that the pendulum con stantly changes its path In reference to the circle; always cutting the circumfer ence on the right of the point of rest to an observer on the opposite side, and on the l>Jt of that poiut to an observer on the same side. With a large circle, ten minutes of time is sufficient to uhuw a de viation of several inches; but if the Vi brations be eountnued without interrup tion, iu about 30 hours (in our the pendulum, after having passed suc cessively over every portion pf the cir cumference, will move along the fi;st di ameter again. By this movement—sub lime, because compelled by the oinnip<- icnce of Divine law—is chronicled the hourly motion of the earth upon he. axis. The theory of theso important phe nt mena will become apparent, without aw extended discussion, by attending to the following brief analysis. From the very nature of the 112 roe operating upon it, a pendulum, snspen c I and set in motion as we have described, will continue in the suujQ-|Vnii« of vibra tion, though the point of suspension be. at the same time, revolving; for when about to return from an outward excursion it is influenced by a single force, and can therefore in but One direction—to ward the lowest point of its are. Having reached that point, it has acquired . sufE c:ent momentum to carry it in the jiame direction to the opposite point of rest. — Being here under the influence of the same force acting in the snme line of di rection, it must, in reference to absolute space, return by the same path, although the point of suspension may, in the mean time, undergo a revolution. It is not therefore difficult to conceive that a pedulum, vibrating at the pole of ihc earth, will apparently describe a com plete revolution around the graduated ble once in 24 hours; for since, in this case, the axis of the tabic coincides with that of the earth, if wc suppose the latter body to have the diurnal myjion usually ascribed to it, the table will be carried for ward at the rate of 15. degrees per hour under the plane vibration ; which, though fixed in regard to space, appears to re volve, on the principle of transferred mo tion. At the equator, the plane of the table lies parallel with the earth's axis; h< nee the latter is at right angles with the axis of the table; and the only effect of the diurnal motion (supposing there is one) will be to carry forward on the circumfer ence of the great circle, the table, and, with it, the plane -of. vibration, without disturbing their positions in relation to each other and to absolute space. A priori therefore, we should infer that theie is no deviation at the equator* !he case of a pendulum vibrating at places intermediate between the pole and the equator, is not susceptible of so easy, an explanation.. The conditions it under goes are so numerous and variable as to render an e.faet conception qf its motions d.fficult, and a full description of "them in writing impossible. Nor is it necessary; for by aid of a terrestrial globe, having a smaH circular plane of paper marked with the cardinal points, tangent to the surface ;tt any latitude, (say 45 degrees) the ex perimenter will be able reidily to show— First, That the circular t ible and plane it -u pension always maintain their rcht 'iv positions unchanged during the revo lution of the sphere ; the poiutof suspen sion being constantly preserved'vertically jver the eentre of the table. Second, That in cionscqucncc of its rotation arouHtl the axis of the sphere, the caidinal poiuts of tho table are ever revolving, in respect to a stationary point in space; and. Third, That therefore the plane of vi- I)ration .-which is necessary fixed.must ap pear to advance over the table from 'o east, like the hands of a watch when its face is upwards; although in reality ihe tab!o moves in .tho opposite direction, as if turning round its own centre. In conclusion, wc may be permitted to remark, that the experiment of Foucault, illustrating, as it does, one of the mo§t important topics of primary instruction, deserves the'careful investigation of the" teachers in all our public schools; and should be regarded by tlrcm, not as a.curi •isity of science, to be turned over to the management of the moan, but as an im portant and permanent accession to their professional recourses, to be hoardod and u«ed for the credit of the fraternity* as well as for the benefit of their pupils. J. B. BEACH. llow TIIK PRISONERS ARETREATED.— Four Yankee soldiers, captured in Tames City County, were brought to this city and delivered at tlje LibUy, where they w.ere distributed, as far as they would go, into the solitary cells of the Yankee officers captured during the recent raid. This is a taste of negro equality, we fancy, the said Yankee offi cers will not fancy over much.—Rich mond Whig, March 8. *» Sfcy Fourteen States have declared their preference for Mr. Lincoln for Pres ident, in 1865, as follows: Pennsylvania ' ogislaturc; New Jersey Legislature ;Cal ifornia Legislature; Ohio Legislature; Maryland Legislature; Michigan Legis lature; Kansas Legislature; Rhode Is land Legislature; Minnesota State Con vention; lowa State Convention; ludi ma State Convention ; New Hampshire State Convention ; Connecticut Stat^Con vention. The rebel Hragg is a brother-in law of Jeff Davis, which aec unto for h g pot Lion. ''He that provideth not for his own house hold is worse than an infidel." Davis is acting on scriptural authority. ftafAuioricus (ieorgia, where our pris j oners are to be kept, is said to be a healthy j md pleasant place in a fertile region, and i its inhabitants voted a-.iimt secession by ' i'JU majority. . NUMBER 15. BiaS"" Gen. Halleck's status is no longer a matter of doubt, writes a correspondent. He reported on Friday to Gen. Grant for orders, and was assigned to special duty here Gens. Mead aud Ingalls came here with Gen. Grant from the Army of the Potomac. a t&r A St. Louis letter says :—lt would swell the loyal hearts of your readers to see the immense quantities of provisions aud quartermasters' stores now going for ward from this city to General Grant's department. A dozen steamers leave here every day carrying government freight as rapidly as it can be put on board by our teamsters and laborers. Reports from Chicago, Cincinnati, and Louisville indicate thq same extraordinary activity at those points in tho shipment of sup plies for .rant. When the armies of tho nation advance into the heart of the Con federacy there will be no waiting for sup plies. A HlNT. —Taken in connection with the nomination of Fremont as the Democratic candidate for the Presi dency, by the following from the Volksfreund read tho following from the New York Herald of Friday last: "Now, unless the fortunes of war shall yet bring General Grant in the foreground and leave "Old Abe" in the background; the best thing that tho broken-up Democracy can do is to fuse with the Fremont party. Why not ? Why stick upon Democratic pynciples and prejudices when they havo had their day and beeome obso lete ideas? Why not take a new de parture, nnd strike ahead of the Ad ministration on this modern idea of universal libertyby adoptingthe Fre mont platform and Fremont as their candidate. An oflieial report from tho Pro vost Marshal General gives the number of enlistments in tho United Sta.tos be tween January 1, 1863, and February 22, 1864. as follows : From January 1 to NOT. 1, IMS ftR.OOO From Nvembor 1,1863, to Jan, 81, 18f4 110,OJO From January 31 to Feb 23.18fi4.. 90 JOO Add product of the draft of 1863 4*,000 Add deserters returned 2' ,000 Invalid corps...: 2f .000 he-enlisted retorans .100,000 Add black troopa 7C,000 Total 631,000 #®~ Some of the old established banks in the Atlantic cities, which have in years past realised large profits from Govern ment business, are quite indignant about the creation of the new National llanks, and are waging a petty warfare upon them, by •' hiowing out" their notes and checks upon them. eST" Mr. S. S. Cox is reported to indig nantly deny the truth of the New York I/crald's recent story thatTJeneral MoClfil lan was. unwilling to be a candidate for tho Presidency The Herald seems to have no faith in tho story for it has dropped its advocacy of Gen. Grant and returned to the support of McClellan. S® 1- It is said that tho King of the Belgians, has strangely advised the Prin cess Charlotte not to accompany her hus band, the Archduke Maximilian, to Mex ico, but to follow hi in when he has smooth ed down the difficulties attendant on his taking possession of his empire. tST Stoves made of soapstone have been introduced in' Quebec. They are said to throw out a mellower and more uniform heat than iron.- The material of which they are made is very abundant in the mineral region south of the St. Lawrence. IST" The South Eaitern (Eng.) Gazette states that two steam vessels, the Garland and the Jupiter, lately belonging to the London, (Jhatham and Dover Railway Company, have been purchased for the Confederate States of America. UfSF In a recent letter frpm West Vir ginia to his father, Col. Mulligan writes : '• I am not now, and have never been a member of the Kenian Brotherhood. Ido * not now indorse, and have never indorsed, this association." BQJ- The Richmond War Department has set on foot measures to conscript 20.- 000 negroes for work on the fortifications at Richmond and elsewhere. Barbers, waiters and other colored persons atßich ni'imt* who do not feel themselves equal to being " field hands," are moving into our lines to avoid this conscription. CRACKERS. —One pint of water, one tea cup of butter, one tea spoon full of soda, two of crcain tartar, flour enough to make us stiff as biscuit. Let them stand in the oven until dried through. They do not need pound ing- fc