From the thrrislitirg Chronicle, The Keystone on the Rack. If ever poor devils received a more beautiful scoring than the Editors of the Governor's hand-organ have in tt reply of the Ledger to an abusive and vulgar attack upon it, we have not seen it. But it is richly deserved as it is schathin., , . It must make them equirm like =gots on a hot shovel. Poor fellows. We pity them most sincerely, But it will have one good effect, for it will teach them, if they are, not as unteachable as they are malignant, that men who can have such things said of them with truth should not be ready to pronounce others blackguards, liars, rogues Ace. The following is an extract from the Ledger article And how were such numerous bodies of citizens excited against Mr. Biddle, who, since our call for fair play, have dis covered that they were under a delusion, and that he was not responsible for the sins upon which they were preparim to -hang him ? We answer, by such ruffian appeals to ruffian passions and blind prejudices as those which we now notice in the Keystone. With a mendacity of a thief, the ferocity of an assassin, and the syle of a maniac, it appeals to the lowest malignities of the most rancorous hearts, against the Ledger, "Nicholas Biddle," and the other bank plunderers. Precisely by such appeals were mobs instigated to burn " Pennsylvania Hall," to break into the Capitol, assemble round our office, and to commit various other outrages upon personal rights, by which our Common wealth has been disgraced. And the instigators of such lawless outrages call themselves "democrats": And these democrats" of the Keystone, in their mendacious appeal to ruffian feelings against us, say that we " have been paid with the gold that has left thousands houseless and homeless, for defending the guilty." To say that the two editors and proprietors of the Keystone know this to be false, is saying no more than is known by every citizen of Philadelphia; and to atilt] that men capable of publishing such wicked fabrication against us, would hang us without even the form of trial, if they had a chance, is saying no more than every honest man in this community believes. We have no taste for an interchange of vituperation with blackguards, but shall not study any courtesy of phrase in deny ing the charge of briery, and bribery to the crime. of misleading the public. When 'thus infamously assaild, we feel bound to speak plainly; and therefore we say that the authors and publishers of this charge against us in the Keystone, whether the ostensible editors and proprietors, of that paper, or any other person or persons, ere the prototype• of Frd:newel Alerlit. Pinto,. LIARS Or !ME PIRiTrIA•WITUDF.." . . . . And what has elicited this, burst of in • vective against the Ledger from a press whose pretensions to honesty are equal to those of a highwayman? Our remarks two. the Governor's extraordinary message, extraordinary, because unnecessary, and directly fitted to defeat its professed ob ject. We say .hat the tendency of the message is to prevent further disclosures, by intimidating Mr. Handy the witness of the State : and the Keystone calls this a false, dishonest and infamous condo , sion." The Keystone says we know that Mr. Handy had solemnly sworn that he knew nothing to impeach the Governor; that he had told all, and that his testimo ny fully vindicated the Governor; that our knowledge of these facts stamp our attack upon the Governor as one of double and damning hypocricy and outrage." First, how would we or any body else knew that the witness hail told all But waiving this, and taking these admissions of ;the Keystone, where, we ask, was the necessity of prosecuting Handy According to this, the Governor assumes that the legislative protection is void unless he tells all, that he has told all, and this all exonerates and vindicates the Executive. Then in the name of common sense, I what has the Governor to gain by the prosecution ? That is the pretence.— But, according to the Keystone, the whole story has been told, and that whole fur nishes nothing from which to vindicate himself. If the Keystone speaks for the Governor, we must consider its article executive; and if so, we must say that " His Excellency" has demolished his only pretence for porsecution. The Governor prosecutes Handy to vindicate himself from Handy's testimony, and that testi mony does not impeach him ! And the Governor prosecutes Handy because he has not complied with the condition to tell all and Handy has told all. Though you make yourselves knaves, Messieurs Key stone, we beg, for the honor of the Com monwealth, that you will not make the Governor a fool, which you certainly do by such logic as this. The Keystone proceeds, and says if Handy has told the whole truth, and noth• ins but the truth, he is in no peril ; but if it should appear that he has suppressed important testimony, and thus committed perjury before the committee, then the vengeance of the law should be satisfied ; and that the only effect of the message , will be "to induce lam to tell all." Such cowardly ruffians always talk about the vengeance, not the justice of the law, and merely because they aim, not at right, but the gratification of some fiendish passion. Rut waiving this, we ask the Keystone to remember that in a sentence above this, it charges us with knowing that Handy had told all. Then if he has told all, a mes sage to induce him to tell all is an absur dity, and its author must lie insane or idiotic. Putting the v.hole story if the Keystone together, we find it thus : Handy has told all and exonerates the Governor. To vindicate himself from the impeachment of llandyts testiMony, the Governor prosecutes him, and tells him he can defend himself by telling all. If he tells any more after the prosecution, he may criminate himself, and the Gov ernor's message will induce him to keep i silence for fear of criminating himself.— And as the prosecution involves all par ties implicated, none of them can testify, arid they only know the facts, And the Governor's object in the prosecution is to elicit the truth!!! This is very much like the defence of Joseph Surface, " a full and dear account of the whole matter:" And no doubt the public will say with Sir Peter Teazel, that it is " a very clear account truly." If we are to judge the Governor by the logic of the Keystone, he is positively con victed of an attempt to suppress the truth in these transactions. But if he does not speak through the Keystone, we advise him to silence it, for it will, at this rate, blast his reputation. And these prevaricating ruffians talk of outraged ',wile! such pretensions are, to use their own language, "double damning hypocrisy and outrage." Correspondence of the National Intel ligencer RILODE ISLAND, April 11. Perhaps to some of your readers at a distance, who, for the first time, are be ginning to take notice of the troubles in, this little State, a brief account of the rise and progress of them may not he uninter esting. The Colony of Rhode Island re ceived its first charter from Parliament in the year 1693. A second charter, conce ding and securing to the people the right of self-government was granted by Charles II in 1663. Under this charter the num ber of Representatives from the towns was fixed without reference to the increase of population. Of course, in the lapse of nearly two hundred years, there has been an equality in the increase of population in different parts of the State, and hence an unequal representation in the Legisla ture. Besides this, the right of suffrage , was only allowed to those persons pos sessing a freehold. In 1824 the discon tent of the people with this inequality arid limitation of rights led to an attempt at a change, but it was not effected for want of a majority. In 1834 the attempt was again made, and then failed becanse the Convention could not agree upon a new Constitution. The desire to extend the right of suffrage was not favorably en tertained by the Conventions of either of these periods. In January, 1841, in con sequence of a popular movement, the General Assembly again took the subject into consideration, and requested the vo ters to elect delegates to a Convention, in be held in November last, to frame a new constitution. The Assembly at the same class of citizens who enjoyed the privilege under the old charter. In consequence of this act, a popular movement was com menced in open disrespect of the Legisla. five decision, which resulted in the forma tion of a Convention in October last, being a month previous to the time fixed for the authorized legal Convention. The party forming and sustaining the acts of the Oc tober Convention is called the “Suffrage patty." 'lbis Convention formed a cons stitution extending the right of suffrage to all white male persons of the age of twen ty-one years Who hail resided in the State one year and in the town six months pre. I sinus to voting. This instrument was ' submitted to the people, and three days appointed to vote upon it, when that class I to whom the appeal was made, and with I whom it originated, decided to adopt it,— Meanwhile the legal Convention, called by the Legislature, met in November, and the Delegates, being unable to agree re- I specting a proper qualification, adjourned to February last, when they met again, and adopted a constitution extending the right of suffrage to every white male per• eon who had resided Two years in the State and six months in the town prior to the time of an election. The Convention and constitution of the Suffrage party were thus treated as nullities by the legal Convention, and the constitution framed by the latter was accordingly submitted to the decision of the voters in the same manner as if the former had never been passed upon. The result was, that the constitution of the legal Convention was, defeated at the polls. The serious ques-, tion, and that which now agitates the, State, then arose, namely, the latter in strument being rejected, what should con stitute the fundamental law of the land? The Suffrage party claim their constitu tion, formed by their October convention, as a fundamental law, under which, of course, the whole Government of the State must he created and directed. Their, opponents on the other hand, finding the y constitution of the legal Convention of February rejected, declare that the State, falls back under the old charter of Charles, which is therefore the fundamental law. In favor of this are the Governor, a great majority - of the Legislature, and also the judges of the higher courts, who, of course, sustain the existing Government and laws. The Suffrage party, determined to make' their constitution operative, have nomina ted candidates for the State offices, and design to hold a formal election. The Governor declares this proceeding treason, forbids citizens to accept nominations,' summons the militia, and menaces force in order to put down all attempts to rec ognise practically this new instrument.— The Suffrage party, disregarding legisla tive enactments and Executive menaces, nominate their candidates, and resolve, if( tithed that he has failed to comply with need be, to oppose force to force, and to its conditions. But I cannot discharge carry their point. They have the advan- , the party, because lam to infer, from the tap or toting a majority of the people . — fact that a prosecution has been com• Hence the difficulty of coercing them, and lmenced, that it is contemplated to prove of adjusting the dispute. Both parties !such failure on his part. have applied to the Federal Government If, upon the hearing of all the parties for assistance. Beth slam to be right. In whom this proceeding embraces, the pros order to show the interest eicited in this ecution fails to established that Mr. Han-, question, I may mention that, among the dy has not complied with the conditions candidates for the Senate on the old char. of the resolution, it will then be for me to ter ticket are James Fenner, for many consider how far I may have the powerlto l years Governor of the State, and Elisha discharge him as a party; and, should Mathewson, thirty years ago a Senator in there be "probable cause," upon which to Congress—veterans, who would not again bind over any of the defendants, direct enter into the strife of public affairs unless him to enter into recognizance to appear impelled by a strong sense of 'duty. Alter and testify in behalf of the Common alt, there seems to be nothing in the guar. wealth ref which a spirit of concession might not readily settle. If it is carried much fur ther the world may be reminded 'of the war. of Lilliputians about the propriety breaking eggs at the point or the butt. From tbs . :Harrisburg Telegraph. Another seheine Hatching: The Keystone runs on so fast with its interminable falshoods that we must cut THECASE OF HANDY ANIDOTHERS. across lots and head them ? otherwise we Judge Barton ) * Opinion. shall never be able to answer one half of Commonwealth their groundless assertions. But there vs. is, or rather, there will be, one lie of theirs Geo. Handy. Jos. Solms, C ' ns P irat Y , °" which we will try to head, before it gets and Daniel M. Brodhead the start. Last week, the Governor, The warrant against these parties was through his Kickapou organ, put out a fee issued at the instance of the Attorney ler, on the subject of the .Attorney Gen. General, by whom affidavit was made that eral's address to the Handy prosecution. he had good reason to believe, and did be- He saidt lieve, that they " confederated and con- "So fat from stifling investigation, the spired together, with divers other persons, Attorney General informs the public that to him unknown, to procure and obtain he is instructed to depart from the usual legislation by corrupt means, and to ob. cour.e in the preliminary investigation, lain from the Bank of the United Stateo!at,ut us tie aw the door wide open to all large sums of money, to be applied to slip 1,10 may know soy thing calculated to; corrupt purposes aforesaid," dtc. Medicate the Executive, or any officer of Joseph Soling was not arrested in oe • the ( ,evernment. Here, then, is a bold sequence of the return oh -he itifi,ei thst challenge to all the calumniators of the Ex.. he was cur , fined to his bed ti, see« to. ut.iv•. to come forward and give testi. disposition. Th. other pa, s v e iinst him, and if they do not vol. to bail, andphe hearing, at r u. .v.i, I ihemeelves of this opportu ni. was fixed in the 28th alt. s 4 iih...q.l n ! • 1.1 red.. , las their proofs, it they have the counsel of George it ...1, si.p• ,• tr„.• tea , or .ey ri •neral may to me for an earlier hearine, Than the prey s the... . Ade- :al scout'• ent, in his behalf, that a preliminary que.. v •. ,•• . • *::: 000 dander Lion, which they prop°, it to olive. iseelv - ompel them be determined. , n the subject. The right to institute tills pre,• ' • the Richard.' against Mr. Handy is denied , and his 'Ls. a • P . ,;s ;tr. iletons would charge claimed, because of the passage 711 t... ,r, upon their a resolution, at the recent session of d ~.r. ha in a Cow t of Justice, anti Legislature. . will be ;)rOught up, so that A certificate from the Joird mititer verify their own public*. of the Legislature, contemplated or stand before the world branded resolution, has been receives ii• •, tbe wilful and malicious calumniators no objection having been made to it- te and ~ ;ostl. ception, and is as follows: I .oma•ag ev. tits cast then shadows CER TIF IC A f lt. I ,ere,' :;:,1 as saint ;is we read this paragraph,i w that entities . GRA N tt V. the untiv.stl ; leal, membe:s of ri lIIIC BUG , .., Joint Committee et Investigation, of the i,lated upon; that every editor • boldly cliamed the truth home to Senate and House of Representatives l'orter, subptuaed on the the Comiminwealth ol ap- flatly trial. Our anticipations have l''""ted t " five '" i g"te and report realized, we have been summoned corrupt means have been at airy eln• as well as others. The shouts of locofo ploy, a ,; S'..nk or its agents, or an as will now resound over the state, in of th• in, direct?: th indirectly, for e dare grist her Vest Attorney M igradlie ' "4 " f " thei."l4o4'6°6l ' 6 ' tieocrat to the door wide open to this commonwealth, in regard in aly leg- ell investigation! After all the mouths islation for their beaefit, do Usetity that George Handy appeared before them, war are closed which can titter legal evidence; after Brodhea 1 and Solnis, as well as drily sworn, and testified fully before said Handy ore arrested for conspiracy, and committee, answering ell questosne put to him. therefore silenced in defence, then it is that these wretches, festering with crimes and steeped to the eye lids in •iniquity, want to see others brought up to testify on the subject, who have never charged any thing but by implication and circum stantial evidence, more connected than that which has broght many a felon to the gibbet ! The Keystone editors of 1040—the Attorney General, and the Governor knew well enough whom to. subpena and whom to pass over! They know that the locofocoo only were privy to the heavy lumber transactions, and therefore. we have been compelled to follow up circum stances and matters which lead to the door of truth, and arriving there, we find it closed by these legal proceedings which have been instituted ! Let any man look at the manner in which this trial against Handy, Brodhead and Sohms has been commenced and judge what degree of justice can be expected! The procee dings and their issue are entirely in the ,hands of th ose who are themselves impli• rested! The names of Ovid V. Johnson I.and Judge Barton figure largely in the Handy and Brodhead letters; and yet the former is the prosecutor and the lat her " in his capacity as Justice of the Peace," the tribunal before which the investigation is commenced! IS IT CITA% 7 OMARY TO INITIATE BUSI NESS BEFORE JUDGE BARTON? Is he not rather a Judge to preside over Jury trials, than a committing magistrate? Rao by what strange accident was he selected by the Attorney General? Was it chance or preconcerit The scheme is laid shrewdly but it will yet be baffled, anti the attempt to gag investigation will be foiled. Every effort will apparently be made by the Attorney General to bring nut the truth, but rest assured no single witness will he summoned, who knows any thing of the transactionl The prose ruiion 'live not, and the defendants can not w.thout implicating themselves— the " hands that gave" are on trial, not the "hands that received the bribes" This the Governor and it,. tool. knew full well and therefore they Rommel, those edi tors as witnesses. we, ...vet pretended to have direct evidence iit their guilty participation; but have brought forward cu mulative circumstantial proof, not a single, link of which is broken until it reaches the , bosoms of Sults and Brodhead, and there' the Attorney General would bury it by these proceedings! Had there been direct evidence, there would have been no neces sity for the Investigating Committee. It Signed, GEORGE SEA ASWOOD, J. H. DEFORD, E. A. PENNIMAN, J. H: EWING. Harrisburg, April 6, 1842." His discharge is nevertheless opposed by the Attorney General, upon the ground that this certificate is insufficient to prove his compliance with the conditions of the Resolution. My duty is an obvious and simple one. Admitting for the purposes of this application, the authority of the Legislature to pass a law which would seem to encroach upon that provision of the Constitution, by which the pardoning power is confided solely to the Executive, this resolution being, in effect, a condi• tional previous pardon, it is not at this stage of the proceeding, if at all, that I can enforce the obedience of the Attorney General to its direction ; or, in hie default thereof, cut short the proceedings by the unconditional discharge of the party. The Attorney General is an officer lia ble to impeachment. and it the act of the Legislature be binding upon him, his re fusal to comply subjects him to the pen , attics pointed out by the 4th article of the Constitution. But if, doubting the Constitutionality of the resolution, or de .inying the compliance of Mr. Handy with -hits conditions, he chooses to incur the re sponsibility to which he may thus subject himself by the institution of this proceed. ing, I do not concieve that I, entertain ing this matter merely as a Justice of the Peace, have any present power to inter fere. This prosecution, after Mr. Handy has testified to the Joint Committee his knowledge to the transactions to which the resolution refers to trusting to the ob• servance to the good faith of the Common wealth, I need not hesitate to say would! be a violation of the good faith, wore the: Attorney General satisfied that the party: had honestly lived up to the coditions which lie had embraced. But if believing that he has not so done, that he has testi. fled falsely in any particular, or that he hasi withheld testimony, it was not only the . right,but the duty of that officer to insti. tute this proceeding. The presumption is, that Mr. Handy, in l availing himself of this indemnifyinglaw, l has testified fully and truly. This it is not his business to show, if the fact be dis puted, that he has not done. The onus probandi rests with the Commonwealth; by whom if the constitutionality of the ,resolution be conceded, it must be estab-, was only to unravel the mystery, in which guilt had cloaked itself, and bring toge ther circumstances to aid in explaining certain facts and conduct, that the Leg islature took the novel step it did. It was to tear the mask from a conspiracy, sot to follow up an even chain of open guilt! We are prepared to hear the locos en deavour to make the most of NM) flimsy, pretexts —they catch at every straw in, their struggles! But can, or will, such open and barefaced attempts to impose on the good sense of community, have any effect, other than to produce a deeper indignation against those who would en deavor to blind their judgments and throw difficulties in the path way of truth? We think not; and shall therefore look to the result of this deep laid, crafty and wicked conspiracy, with full confi dence that the people, who desire but simple justice, will never permit their servants to impede its administration, directly or indirectly. THE JOURNAL. One couniry,onr cenotilutiononedestiny, Huntingdon, May 4, 1842. • The Case of George Handy In consequence of Mr. Handy's refuse to testify when brought before the Inves tigating Committee of the Legislature, on the ground that civil and criminal suits were then pending in which he was defen dant, the Legislature, by a large majority, passed a resolution, which wrs signed by the Governor, authorizing and DIRROTING the Attorney General to enter a nolk pro sequi in any criminal proceedings had eel to be had in any court of this Common- wealth against George Handy for any act or participation by him in obtaining any money from the United States Bank of Pennsylvania, or conspiring with other parsons to influence the Legislature or the Executive in the year 1840 in regard to the Banks &c. The resolution contains a proviso that before the Attorney General shall enter a nolle protelni, Handy shall appear before the joint Committee of the Legislature, and then and there testify all his knowled.ee in retation to said tramar. This resolution, having passed the Sens ate and the House of Representatives, and having received the Governor's signature, is a law —a law as binding upon the At torney General and all persons concerned, as any other law upon our statute book. Now, let hs see how the Attorney General has disregarded the said law—in what sovereign CONTEMPT he has held it. In pursuance of the orders of the Governor, the Attorney General made oath in pro per(' persona, against George Handy, had him arrested, and put under bail. Some time aftewards, an application was made by the counsel of Mr. handy to the Court of Criminal Sessions of Philadelphia, (be fore whom he was bound to appear, for trial,) to have him discharged from arrest. lie produced the resolution of the Legis, lature, signed by the Governor, directing the entry of a nolle prosequi in any crimi nal proceedings had or to be had; and also a certificate under the hands of Messrs . Sharswood, De ford , Pennimanand Ewing,! of the Investigating Committee, certifying that lie had appeared before them, was duly sworn, and TESTIFIED FULLY IMPURE TIM SAID COMMITTER, answering all ques tions pul to him. It is manifest from this certificate that Mr. Handy had complied fully with the provisions of the law, and was clearly entitled to its protection.---1 Yet notwithstanding this, the Attorney General subsequently dragged him, upon his own charge, before the Court . Judge B taros refused to discharge him, and in timated very strongly his doubts as to the constitutionality of the resolution referred o. The opinion of Judge BARTON 18 given in another part of this paper. Read it, and judge of its correctness for yourselves. To us it seems that the opinion of the Judge shows neither wisdom nor fairness, and can gain no honor for its author. It was, however, never expected by any one that Judge Ilawrox would discharge Mr. Handy. The Judge, as well as the Attorney General and his master, the Governor, is implicated by Mr. Handy and the numerous letters produced and ! exhibited before the committee. The Judge who manifests a selllingneas and an ANXIETY to sit and adjudge a rase 0.1 cos t SPIRACY in which he is himself implicated, • IS RIPE TOR ANT THING. it is usual for t Judges, in similar cases, to leave the bench, and submit the case to those who are, like Cxsar's wife, not only pure, but unsuspec ted. Judge BARTON'S opinion cannot have touch force when people know the relation in which he stands to the parties. And his course is well calculated to bring re proach upon our Judiciary. We dislike to censure Judges for any reason what ever;—reluctant are we to insinuate any thing that is calculated to diminish confi dence in the Judiciary, the very channel through which the streams of justice should flow pure and unadulterated $ and we should regret exceedingly to charge a Judge with connerrior. But when Judg es, of their own free will, place themselves in positions that must necessarily attack suspicion to them, it it then the duty of the Press to speak out against it, trumpet toned, to check, if not correct, the evil. We said it was never expected that Judge BARTON would take any other course than the one he did take. It is but carry ing out the scheme,. The refusal to dis charge cannot affect George Handy se riously, for he can avail himse I fof the ben efit of the law directing the entry of a nolle prosequi at the trial, if the case is ever brought to trial, which we at present doubt. But we say that this step too, is taken to conceal and suppress the truth, and to intimidate other witnesses. George Handy has TESTIFIED HIS KNOW.. LEDGE FULLY. So say the investiga-: ting committee. lie could testify no more lit he were discharged. He has testified that the money I:that was got from the bank went into the hands of DANIEL M. BRODHEAD. There his testimony ends.— In order to enable the Committee to as certain whether that money was employed to influence the action of the Legislature, or the Executive, it would perhaps be ne..- eessary to subrEna Brcdhead to appear (before the Committee, and procure him testimony by directing the entry of a none prosequi in all criminal proceedings hail or to be bad against him for or on account" of his participation in the bribery arid cor ruption. Then it would be that lie would• be intimidated by the illegal and high-t handed proceedings had against Handy before Judge Barton. Well might Brod head and all others who have any know.. ledge of the facts, say I wiN not testify and criminate myself; and notwithstand ing you have given me every assurance of protection—yet look at the VIOLATION of the ' , moon') ram of the LEGISLA- I nsr. - nanayi 111119 would they still smo ther investigation. By this article it will be seen that the Attorney General has disregarded and. trampled upon a law which it is as hio sworn duty to observe and mainta'n, lle no doubt considers the behest of our ire maculate" Governor superior to the lan of the land. Now, in the name at all that is just and patriotic, will the people op. Pennsylvania submit to conduct like this? Will they patiently 'wirer their Governors, their Attorney Generals and their intlgr4 to place themselves above the /at, omit treat it with contempt? The p cgsle , the real sovereigns of the State, have already impeached the Governor and the Attorney- General. Will not the proper tribunal (the House of Representatives,) impeach them formally and Constitutionally? Such a step is greatly required. if they are guilty it should be known to the people, and condignpu&shtnent inflicted. If they are innocent the impeached have nothing to fear from the tribunal who are to try all impeachments, (the Senate,) as it takes two thirds to convict. Let them hi im peached. Let there be a chance to show their guilt or their innocence! Trial of Holmes. The case of the United States ye. Alex antler Holmes was tried in the U. S. Cir cuit Court at Philadelphia, last week, be— fore Judges Baldwin and Randall. It was a trial that excited much interest. Our readers no doubt all remember the fate of the ship William Brown. On the 12th day of March 1841, she felt the port of Liverpool for Philadelphia, under the most favorablo auspices; but on the night of the ill-fated 19th of April, within some two or three hundred miles of Newfound land, the ship struck, as was supposed, an iceberg, or an island of ice, which stove in her bows, and in about an hour she sunk, head foremost, with thirty-one persona on board, and was seen no more. After the ship had struck, and before she sunk, for ty-two, men, women and children, inclu ding sailors, got into the long boat while the captain, with eight of the crew and passengers, took to the jolly boat, deter mined to make the best of their way to , land. The long boat, leaking through the bottom, and rain falling in from above, rc coked constant bailing. At length. goof,:
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