. . . ! :
MflMTAMNTINF..
EBENSBURG, PA.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21. 1850.
ETThk Scntinel, has much the largest eir
culatitn of any paper published in this county
'and as an advertising sheet offers superior
inducements to merchants and business men
generally. Those desirous of making u of
tlis medium for extending their business can
do so by either sending their notices direct, or
through the fullotoing agents;
John Crouse, Esq-, Johnstown.
E. TP. Carr, Evans' Buildings, Third st.
Philadelphia.
V. B. Palmer, Esq., New York, Philadelphia
vnd Baltimore.
CPWe are indebted to our friend Dr.
Smith, for a copy of the School Laws of
Pennsylvania, with explanatory instruc
tions and forms prepared by the Supenn
tendant. EP A tremendous fire occurred in New
Orleans the morning of the 16th instant,
which destroyed some thirty or forty hou-
1 A -1 J
sea, ana property 10 me amount ot near
two millions of dollars. At the latest in
telligence, the fire was still raging.
"Notwithstanding the positive instruc
tions received by Lord Elgin relative to
Canadian affairs, the annexation movement
is still boldly and freely discussed both by
the people and the journals throughout the
country. Strong efforts are being made
to carry the measure by the force of public
opinion.
t-fihe slavery question is still the
principal topic of discussion in the Halls of
Congress. The excitement created by the
fanatics relative to the dissolution of the
Union appears to be subsiding, but until
the slavery question is finally disposed of,
we cannot expect that much business will
be transacted.
Improvements.
The exertions made by our Johnstown
inenas in iavor oi a new county, do not
appear to have any effect upon the pros
pects or improvements of our borough.
There are but few towns in Pennsylvania
perhaps, which have comparatively im
proved more rapidly than Ebensburg.
During the approaching summer it is sup
posed that from twenty-five to thirty bui 1
dings, some of a very superior kind, wii
be erected in this place, a large number of
which are already under contract. Du
ring the last six years, this place has more
than doubled itself both in size and popu
lation, and to judge from present indica
tion we would say that it will do more
than this in the six years to come. This
speaks well for the business and growing
importance of our borough.
EPThe Apportionment and Appiopria
AtAn ktl)a 4 T 1 a
nwn urns aic me important matters now
before our Legislature. The session
already half spent, and all the business
transacted, with the exception of a few
bills, perhaps, has been purely of a loca
character.
Wheeling Brid
Am, V
A bill has passed both brandies of our
Legislature granting $2,000 to aid in pros
ecuting the suit against the Wheeling
Bridge. In this bill, the Governor is au
thorized to employ counsel &c, in behalf
of Pennsylvania. It will thus be seen that
the matter will be prosecuted vigorously
and we shall soon see whether the nui
sance across the Ohio river will be
mitted to remain.
per
The New County Movement.
It appears that every exertion is being
made ny our Johnstown neighbors to pro
cure the passage of a bill erecting the new
county of Conemaugh. Money has been
raised and borers employed and sent to
Harrisburg to operate upon the member.
of the Legislature. Private interests a
private feelings of different and particular
sections of the county have been tampered
with, in order to secure influence in favor
of the measure. Wo have heard of one
instance of a petition being circulated and
signed in the northern part of this county,
where the citizens have been promised a
turnpike road in exchange for ther signa
tures. Rash bargains and rasher promi
ses uave been made, and with the aid of
false representations, they have finally
succeeded in getting a bill reported.
But notwithstanding all this, we do not
think the people of Cambria county need
be alaTmed about the matter. The fact of !
a bill being reported is no evidence that it
will pass, and we have reason- to believe
that the bill was merely introduced with
a view to ,kill;anpther'of a similar charac
ter. Thepfesenr Legislature is composed
of men 'th6 ; have too much regard for
their own reputations, to be guilty of such
a burlesque on common justice and com
mon' sense. An investigation into the
matter will be sufficient to satisfy any
member that the wants of the people do
not demand the erection of the new county
and are not willing to destroy a county
already established for the purpose of sub
serving the speculating schemes of a few
individuals in Johnstown.
"We repeat, that there is no danger to
be apprehended from the movements now
being made by friends of the new county.
et them "play out their hands," and sat
isfy themselves that private interests are
not to be gratified at the expense of those
of the public.
Allotments for furnishing Materi
als, Horse-Power, Coal, &c.
on Portage Rail -Road for
1850.
HORSE-POWER.
Foot of Plane No. 1, James Sharp.
Head "
1, Robert Stewart.
oot "
lead "
44 2, Dan'l A. Kelley.
4 3, James Runyan.
44 4, Michael Mullen.
44 4, Hugh Mullen.
44 5, Jos. C. M'Closkey.
6&7, Arch'd Galbraith.
44 9, Thos. Wallace.
44 10, M. Murray &. Co.
" 10, "Wm. Anderson.
toot 44
lead "
Foot 44
Bet'n 44
Foot
Head 44
Foot "
Johnstown Boat Slip, Rob't M'Dowell.
Hollidaysb g 44 44 Thomas Wallace.
Between Planes 2 & 3, Walter Graham.
7 & 8, Joseph Barr.
8 & 9, James Laughery.
COAL.
Plane No. 1, John Murray.
2, Peter Dougherty.
3, Ditto.
4, Ditto.
5, Ditto.
6, 7, 8, 9 & 10, Samuel Lemon.
Hollidaysburg Boat Slip
and Depot, Moore & lihea,
Johnstown 44 H. Sutton.
LUMBER fc MATERIALS.
Wm. Palmer 150 Crop Ties 8 by 8 in.
150
3000
1000
6
8 in
Daniel Burke
8
8
8
6
8 in.
Lewis Plitt
I
8 in.
8 in.
8 in.
John Wehn
2000
Kern&GorgaslOOO "
STRING TIMBER.
Wm. Palmer 5000 ft lineal, (Jefferson.)
Geo. Myers 20,000 ft " ( Johnst'n.)
Jas. St. Clair 6000 ft
J. Fronheiser 20,000 ft " 44
HEMLOCK PLANK.
Wm. Palmer 10,000 ft B. M.
B. M'Col-ran 10,000 ft do
D. Ketner 20,000 ft do
Thos. II. Porter 20,000 ft do
CASTINGS.
Geo. R. M'Farland A!. P. Castings
Kelly &. M'Lan?han Repair castings from
Hollidaysburg to the Summit.
Magill fc Co.. Repair castings from Sum
mit to Johnstown.
CORD WOOD.
Johnetown Station.
No. of Cords.
Richard Sanderson
H. Caufield
John Murray
Tunnel.
Jacob Steinman
Geo. Murray
M. Finnegan
M. Stewart
R. Stewart
M. Bracken
John Egan
100
100
800
150
600
100
200
100
100
200
Half Way.
Anthony Long 100
Neal Dugan 200
Robert Trotter 200
Kichard Trotter 300
Geo. Murray 500
Foot of Plane 2.
A. Durbin fc Co. 200
Samuel M'Gough 200
J. B. Brookbank 200
B. M'Colgan 300
Wm. Palmer 300
Between Planes 3 4" 1
Stephen Moyer 500
Between Planes 1 5.
Thomas Carroll 100
M. M. Adams 900
John Ivory 200
Thomas II. Porter 400
A. Durbin & Co. 300
Wm. Bradley 200
Riffle & Humphreys 200
David Sharp 200
Summit.
Peter Dougherty 200
Riffle & Humphreys 200
John Ivory 200
Foot oj Plane 9.
Samuel Wier 125
Si WING fc SPLITING WOOD.
Johnstown John O'Rourk.
Tunnel Peter Kinney.
Half JVay A. fc J. Angish.
Foot of Plane 2. Patrick Reiley.
Between Planes 3 3 4. John Peters.
44 4 5. Wm. M'Dowell
Foot of Plane 9 John Keach.
10. Valentine Hahng.
CF Persons to whom allotments have
been made, are requested to repair to the
office of the Superintendent at the Summit,
without deby, for the purpose of entering
into contract. .
Wm. S. CAMPBELL,
Sup't A P. R. 11.
s 7 ""
Americans H ordered and Mar'de Prisoners by the
Patsgonians-
. Boston, Feb- 15.
The Atlas this morning, publishes two
letters from the Straits of Magellan; one
from Captain Brown, of the schooner John
Allyne, of New Bedford, who was taken
prisoner by the" Patagonians. He says
he was a plose prisoner for ninety-seven
days, when he jumped into the water, and
succeeded in swimming to an English
boat. He afterwards went on board of a
whaler, and finally reached the schooner
Hopewell, from Boston, bound to San
Francisco. "
The other letter is signed by Captain
Bourne, who gives an account of the mur
der of Capt. Eaton, while trading with
the Patagonians. Two men, named Sims
and Douglass, were taken prisoners at the
same time.
The schooner Francis Mayo, from New
York, for San Francisco, was at Boorga,
Bar on the 16th of November detained
by bad winds.
From Oregon and Ibe Sandwich Islands.
By the steamer Ohio, the Oregon Spec
tator, to the 13th Oct., and Sandwhich
t
Island papers to the 1st Dec, have
received. The only item of uote from
Honolulu is the presence at the Islands
of the U. S. propeller Massachusetts, to
a ship crew, that she may proceeed on a
surveying cruise along the coast ot Ore
gon and California, with the joint commis
sion then on board sent out by the Gov
ernment to select sites for foits, dock
yards, Lc, on the Pacific. The commis
sion consisted of Messrs. Smith and Og
den, of the U. S. A, and Messrs. Golds
borough and Van Brunt, of the U. S.
Navy:
The Oregon Spectator, of Oct. 18,
warmly eulogizes the passage, by the Leg
islative Assembly, of a law establishing a
system of common schools. It gives a
synopsis of the law.
Two of six Indians, tried at FortStula
com. for the murder of Leander C. Wal
lace, had been covicted and executed. The
murder is spoken of as having occurred
in some attack on Fort Nesqually, of
which we do not rememder to have heard
befoie. The two who suffered were
chiefs.
The Spectator says 4,happlily political
parties have no existence in Oregon;" ad
ding that conseauen'.Iv. the members of
the Assembly have been chosenwith ref
erence only to their fitness for the duty.
A blessed state of things, that, if it really
exists.
The Spectator notices a great rise in the
value of real estate, both in Oregon and
Luna cities with a continuing upward
tendency.
Business, moreover was active, and
every thing indicated prosperity. Gold
was abundant from California, of course.
The territorial library badjarrived. The
cost was about 52,000. The books ar
mostly legal.
Intemperance is spoken of as deplora
bly on the increase.
The regiment of mounted riflemen, un
der the command of Col. Loring, had ar
rived. Very few had deserted; the loss
by desertion and death was about 60. Six
were wounded by a raft going over the
Cascade Falls. They :were teamsters
belonging to the wagon tram.
A man had been tried for selling liquor
to Indians convicted and fined $500.
Dealhofrcnay Pena.
In the Mexican papers received lately,
the death of Pena y Pena is announced.
The New Orleans Dtlta says:
He was one of the mcst eminent law
yers his countrv'ever produced. Pena y
Pena became President of the Republic at
the close of the war with the U S. It was
under his auspices the treaty of peace was
made, and it was by him it was ratified af
ter Herrea, tne rresiaent elect, ieanng
popular indignation and the cabals of the
Santnnists. shunned the responsibility of
advocating or sirrninof it, and ob tained the
election of Pena y Pena as President, ad
intcrum, by Congress.
A fashionable lady (not Mrs. Parting
ton, beinir inquired of how she liked the
dinner at a distinguished party, her reply
was "The dinner was exnlendid, but
my seat was so promote from the nick
nacks, that 1 could not ratify my appetite,
and the pickled cherries has such a de
fect on mv head that I had a motion to
leave the table: but Mr. irave me some
' i
hartshorn resolved in water, which berea
ved me."
An Absconding JFtnister. The Rich
mond Times states, that on Saturday last,
Rev. Joel W. Jones, who officiated at a
Methodist Chapel on Oregon Hill in this
city, in consequence of certain disclosures,
suddenly took his departure, leaving his
board and other bills unpaid. Rumors
from Syracuse, N. Y., where he formerly
resided, led to a call for his credentials, but
he could show none. He was engaged to
be married to a lady of his congregation,
and it is said he already has two wives in
the State of New York.
The Baltimore Sun states that a "wolf
in sheep's clothing," of the same name,
"Joel W. Jones" figured in that city about
ten years since. He married a wife there
and afterwards deserted her and went to
Kentucky, where he married another.-
His Baltimore wife it is believed, followed
him to his western retreat and had him ar
rested on a charge of bigamy; and on con
viction he was sentenced to ten years im
prisonment. He was afterwards made the
subject of Executive clemency, and was
seen in Baltimore about a year since.
Whether this is the same Joel W. Jonc?,
the Sun is unable to say.
The Annexation Fcclin5rrli.-Hnrder of Miss
Adainv:. .vv." - .
Boston, Feb. 14.
The St. John's New Jjrunswicker of
the 8tht contains a long and well written
article in favor of the annexation of Cana
da to the United States.
It contends that for the want of it their
resources and population are fast dwind
ling away, and that the free trade policy
of England will give the finishing blow to
the prosperity of ihe country.
The article contends for the constitu
tional riffht of the colonisls to agitate the
subject, and calls upon them, in the name
of their children, not to falter in the course.
Dr. M. Clark, of Lawrence, was arrest
ed vesterdav for the murder of Miss Ad
ams upon the verdict of the Coroner's jury.
He has been taken to Salem i ail . His
wife is charged with being an accomplice.
It is supposed the deceased, while under
going the operation, made outcries, and
fearing a discovery, the doctorput a folded
cloth over her mouth, and was finally obli
ged to kill her.
The young man, Taylor, the lover of
the deceased, testified for the State, before
the Coroner's Jury. Dr. Clark is 69
-Wea'rs pld, and has heretofore been a ph
sician ai veorgeiown, luaou.
From the Union, Feb. 14.
Another attempt to Settle the Whole Controversy.
We hail the suggestion of Gen. Foote
with great pleasure. He gave notice yes
terday that he would bring forward to-day
a proposition for appointing a committee
of fifteen, to whom should be referred all
the resolutions and matters touching the
subject of slavery. If the resolution is
adopted, the committee will of course at
tempt to strike out some plan for adjusting
at once the whole of this complicated and
dangerous question. Mr. Iroote gave his
notice immediately after Col. Benton had
proposed to refer to a select committee the
constitution of California, which was yes
terday communicated by the .President in
a short special message.
Mr. Foote is pursuing a course which
seems best calculated to adjust the ques
tion. It is the same proceeding which was
adopted in the House of Representatives,
at the instance of Clay, on the final settle
ment of the Missouri controversy. Mr.
Clay first obtained a committee of thirteen,
appointed by ballot of the House. tTheir
report was, however, rejected by a small
majority. He next proposed a joint com
mittee of twenty three members of the
House and of about half the number of the
Senate. Their compromise report was
finally confirmed by both Houses, and the
Missouri controversy thus terminated for
ever. We rejoice that Mr. Foote is about to
propose a select committee of fifteen, for
considering and reporting some mode of
compromise which may calm the agitation,
restore tranquility, and save the Union of
the States. It is high time for some effi
cient mothod to be adopted; for a profound
alarm has gone forth, about the existence
of the Union, and in every form in which
public opinion is communicated to Wash
ington, the most serious apprehensions are
entertained of the stability of the confed
eracy. The most intelligent citizens who
visit Washington, are deeply impressed
with the perils of our situation. We seem
to have almost approached the very brink
of the precipice. It requires all our wis
dom and calmness as well as firmness to
save the Union! The work must be ac
complished by conciliation and compro
mise. The unfortunate expressions which
escape from the White House, and the ir
ritating threats which are hurled at the
heads of some of our citizens, are only
calculated to exacerbate the passions aug
ment the danger. We trust that the pro
position to refer tint whole subject to a
select committee may "prevail; and that
they may succeed iadivising some scheme
which will settle thft whole question now
and forever.
Mrs. Farnham in California-
The Evening Post of New York has
the following letter from this lady, who
found friends to take her to California:
Sax Francisco, Dec. 30, 1849.
I have been but two days here, but as
the mail goes day after to-morrow, I am
constrained to write to you in the midst of
a confusion that quite defies the attempt
to say more than that I am here; that 1
came from from Valparaiso on the Louis
Phillippe, found the Angelique here a
fortnight before me, and all things right.
Women are im
prisoned here at this season by the horri
ble condition of the streets. We have to
wear men's boots and shorten our skirts
as much as possible. I have been in the
streets but twice, and each time in that
costume. Women
are more in requisition than gold or any
thing else. Those who came out with me
had immediately offers of employment at
$75 and $100 per month. If there had
been five hundred instead of five, they
could all been have engaged immediately
on similar terms. They must begot here
in considerable numbers before society can
take any shape or assume any character.
I hope that while our good brethren at
home are bestirring themselves kindly to
send out churches and clergymen, they
will not forget that the best of all mission
aries to such a population are resolute,
virtuous, intelligent women.
One of the chief difficulties that were
felt by the women who consulted me, was
the fear that they should not be protected
against rudeness, or perhaps something
worse. I reasoned then that it would not
be so, but it was difficult to convince by
argument. Therefore, let the fact be
Known to an wiio care to know it, that;
the utmost possible deference and care arc '
t m .
shown to females; and that any woman,
to experience rudeness or insult here,
must expose herself much more impru
dently than, sheTwould to incur the same
risk in your "cities." No woman need fear
to come here who dias the sense and ener-
n - - ir i
crv to take care -oi nersen eisewnere.
Every thing is scarcer here man gold.
A Walerspont.
The following is a description of a wa
terspout, as seen by Dr, R. Stranbury,on
board the ship South Carolina, in Febru
ary, 1849: 44 Among the sights and won
ders of the tropical regions, we have been
favored with an opportunity to see two
waterspouts; one was very complete, the
other was dissipated before it reached the
last stage of formation. With the first
there was a phenomenon which I have
not seen noticed in the accounts of such
objects. Around the base there rose a
cylinder of mist, straight and smooth, like
a perpendicular rainstorm, cut off level at
half the height of the spout. It looked as
if it had rained upward from the ocean,
and the drops evaporated at the same level.
The cloud sent down a tapering spire of
dense mist, while the ocean boiled from
below; presently a stream of water rose to
meet the'cloudy spire & the union tvas com
plete; you saw a dark tube, with a light
case, as if a pale light resided in a thick
shell of the darkest cloud matter. Pres
ently there was a confused motion in the
mass, the light and dark became mingled,
and then the lighter part seemed to shoot
upwards outside in spiral strands into the
cloud above. In a moment afterwards,
the upper part of the column vanished and
the lower part fell, and we were happily
too far off to have practical evidence of
the commotion which must have ensued
in the ocean surface round about it. Some
conjectured that we were two or three
miles off."
Phenomena of the Brain.
Dr. Wagan, in a treatise on the ' Qual
ity of the Mind," makes the followig re
marks: "One of the most inconceivable things
in the nature of the brain is, that the or
gan of sensation should Jitself be insensi
ble. To cut the brain jjives no pain, yet
in the brain alone resides the power of
feeling pain in any other part of the body.
If the nerve which leads from it to the in
jured part be divided, it becomes instant
ly unconscious of suffering. Ii ;s only by
communication with the brain that any
kind ofsensation is produced, yet the or
gan itself is insensible. But there is a
circumstance more wonderful still. The
train itself may be removed, may be cut
away down to the corpus colassum with
out destroinr life. The animal lives ai
performs all the functions which are ne
cessary to simple vitality, but no longer
has a mind; it cannot think or feel it re
quires that the food should be pushed into
its stomach; once there, it is digested, and
the animal will even thrive and grow fat.
We infer, therefore, that the part of the
brain, the convolution, is simply intended
for the exercise of the intellectual facul
ties whether of the low degree, called
instinct, or of the exalted bestowed on
man, the gift of reason."
The first locomotive did not average five
miles an hour in 1815 a European wri
ter placed the maximum velocity at six,
and ridiculed the promulgation of such
nonsense as that we shall see locomotive
engines go at the rate of twelve, sixteen,
eighteen, and twenty miles an hour. Some
of our river steamboats now can run 20
miles an hour.
The Present Jflnter i. Europe, Mr.
Walsh, under date of January 19th, writes
from Paris as follows:
"Throughout France the snow has been
heavier than any the presenfeeutury has
furni shed; the case appears to be the same
in the middle and northern parts of the
continent. The cold has been intense in
Italy and Spain. An American relative,
who set out for Lyons on the 1st instant.
has written to me that he suffered more
freezing'm the diligence than he had done
in the open American stages, in thedays
of yore, in the depth in winter."
CF We have lately, says the Charleston
Register, heard of a witty remark made
by a certain conductor of a northern news
paper. Speaking of a cotemporary he
said, "He was formerly a member of Con
gress, but rapidly rose till he obtained a
respecta61e position as an editor a noble
example of perseverance under depressing
circumstances."
tTwenty years ago, the whole quan
tity of anthracite coal mined in Pennsyl
vania, was3G5 tons. In 1840, eight hun
dred sixty-seven thousand and forty-five
tons. In 1849, three million two hundred
eighty-two thousand four hudred and nine
two, and for the present year it may be es
timated at four million of tons. The bus
iness is in its infancy.
"Down East" (says the Boston Post,)
a pious old woman was summoned as
witness in an important
case. Having
lived in the backwoods all her days.
she
was wholly unacquainted with the rules
of a court of justice. Being told that she
must "swear," the poor woman was filled
with horror at the thought. After much
persuasion she yielded, and being told to
"hold up her right hand," she did so, ex
claiming, "Well, if I must, I must-?am"
The court immediately adjourned.
A sharp juke. The Rochester Ameri
can says that the "mysterious knockings"
at Rochester, are at length ascertained to
be caused by the departed spirits of the
prec Soilcrs rapping on
form.
the Buffalo Plalr
Remarks of General : CauV . -"
IN THK SENATE, FEBRUARY -11, .1850.
Upon the reception of a Memorial preten
ted by Senator Iale, fromJelaicart
and Pennsylvania, askita-peceQh .
dissolution of the Union.: c-.-.rr c.--Mr.
President, no man wbaatteml -the
discussions in the Senate can fail to per-'
ceive the predisposition which -prevail
here to push principles to their lextremes;
If we do not find a massive wall where
they must stop, we follow them indefinite
ly with as much metaphysical zeal as any
of the disciples of the ancient schools of .
logic. The provision respecting the riht
of petition is contained in one of the amen
ded articles of the constitution, which pro
vides that Congress shall pass no law to
prevent the people from assembling, peace
ably and petitioning for redress. ot .grief."
ances. I do not deny that the right that
secured is an important one, but 1 do not
rate it by any means as high as the '-honorable
Senator from Ohio Mr. Chasal
appears to do. Thanks to the wisdom of
our forefathers, and to the spirit of our in
stitutions, the people of this country have
a much more efficient remedy than the
right of petition for any abuse of the gov-,
ernment, whether apprehended or existing
the right of action; the right to send you
home, and all of us home, and to putoth
er and better men in our places, that"theu:
wUhes may be accomplished. The'gdr
ernment is theirs, and the ballot box is a
far better security for its faithful adminis
tration than this humble right of petitioa
In England, whence the measure is deriv
ed, it is the best means the people have
for a redress of grievances; and a poor one
it is, too, there, as the experience of every
day demonstrates. With a hereditary
Executive, a hereditary House of Lords,
and a House of Commons originally elec.
ted for the life of the sovereign, the right
to petition is about all that is left to the
people. Why sir, if we were utterly to
refuse to receive petitions in this country,
it would produce no other effect than to
rouse public indignation and to hurl us
from our places. No Legislature in this
broad land will ever place any improper
limitation upon the exercise of this right.
But sir, the rare limitations which control
it necessarily arise out of the nature of
things. You would not receive a petition
couched in insolent, or obscene, or blas
phemous language. Would you receive
one asking Congress to declare that there
was no God, and to ' pass law prohibiung
the people of the United States from as
sembling for the purpose of religious wor
ship? Would you refer such a petition,
as the Senator from New York fMr. Sew
ard proposes to refer this, with grave in
structions to report the proofs of the exist
ence of a God, and to add their feeble ev
idence to the testimony on the subject,
which is found equally in the Book ol Na
ture and in he Book of Revelation, and
which is with us and around us, from the
cradle to the grave? Then, sir if there are
limitations to the duty of receiving, if not
to the right of presenting petitions, what
are they? They should be decent in their
language.and the action they ask ior shonld
be within the sphere of our constitutional
power. This principle the Senator from
Massachussetts, QMr. Davis in my opin
ion, laid down the other day with equal
truth, and lorce. If I understand 'his vote
however, it happened to him as to most of
us too often in life, that his doctrine was
better than his practice. I think, on a test
vole on that occasion, he was among those
in favor of the introduction of a petition
asking what we could not grant. The
constitutional object of the right of petition
is declared to be the redress of grievances.
Instead of a valuable right, an application
to Congress to do what it cannot do, re
duce it to a farce, and is calculated to bring
the right itself into contempt. If we have
no powers to grant the prayer of petition.
wny snouid sucn, a petition be receireJJ
and our time thus profitlessly spent might
be devoted to useful and national purposes.
I am not speaking sir, of a doubtful ques
tion of petitions for measures of doubtful
validity, and about which reasonable men
may differ and do differ. These should
be respectfully received and considered.
But I speak of applications for the exer
cise of powers which we have clearly and
undeniably no right to asume like this
for the dissolution of the Union, or for the
annihilation ol a State of this great confed
eracy. It has been said, sir and it has been
said in reproach that if we ought not to
receive petitions asking us to do an un
constitutional act, we ought not to receive
petitions or remonstrances against such aa
act. '
I do not so understand our own dutiei
or the rights of the people. There is a
great difference between a proposition to
do what we have no right to do, and a re
monstrance against doing it, when there is
reason to apprehend it may be done. The
one asks us to violate cur oaths, and the
constitution, the other to recollect the obli-
The petition asks us to dissolve the U
nion. 1 shall vote for rejecting it; and if
there were any other mode by which our
indignation at such wicked and foolish
proposition could be more powerfully ex
pressed, I should adopt it kwith pleasure.
I had occasion some time since, and un
der much less imposing circumstances than
the present, to say we onght to have one
unpronounceable "word, as the Jews of old,
and that word, "dissolution." I repeat the
sentiment and with stronger conviction,
if possible, than ever of its truth and im
portance. - - -
We talk as flippantly of breaking up
this Union as we talk about dividing
township. The great dirlicuhy of our po
sition is sir, that wc do not know how well
wc are off. , The sun never shone on so
prosprrous country as this; and -yet 'c