r Mr. Steven's Remarks, , On the Bill to prevent the fi,rther issue of Relief Notes by the Bunks. Mr. STEViINS said—E do not know that' the Gentlen:an from Crawhird (Mr. Low-1 ry) designs to misrepresent me ; I am bound, however, in charity, to suppose that he does not, though were I to look at the facts, I could hardly come to any oth er conclusion. The Gentlemati has held out the pretence before the !louse that no new issues have been made by the Erie Bank since the lust session of the Legis lature. Sir, l appeal to you, (Mr. Dunlap in the Chair) for I recollect that you sta. ted on this floor at the last session, that the Erie Bank had then issued less then $lOO,OOO of the relief notes, and I have it on good information, which I do not doubt, that it has issued $350,000 now, and that more than $250,000 have been issued since both branches of the Legislature, by decisive majorities, passed a prohibition of such issues. The Gentleman may attempt to mislead the House and the people by saying that no new arrangement was matte, and that credit was entered upon the books of the Bank to the use of the State, before the last session. Sir, I do not mean to say he speaks false; but, in the language of an old writer, he "speaks the thing that is not." I saw the corres pondence between that Bank and the Exs' ecutive authorities, and it did not contem plate passing to the credit of the Common wealth a dollar that was on the books of the Bank. But, on the contrary, it pro posed in distinct and huxtering terms, that if it were allowed to select its credi tors--the contractors to whom it was to issue the notes—it would go on an issue $350,000. And, as the Gentleman told you lust winter, that in consequence of that swindling proposition (and I do not, include the Executive iu this transaction, and the Gentleman has misunderstood me in supposing so, for I leave the inference to be drawn according to the truth) the Bank had shaved the contractors out of ten per cent.; and there was a clause in serted (at his suggestion) in a bill which was passed, that the Bank should refund the ten per cent., out of which it had rob bed them. And yet he tells us that prior to that time there was a credit entered to the credit of the Commonwealth, and that they were shaving as the brokers of die Commonwealth, and buying up the con-i tractors' estimates at ten per cent. dis-1 count! Sir, is not this within the memory' of every Gentleman within the sound of my voice? Yet he would deceive, mis lead, and falsify the facts by telling us' here, in the broad and open day, that not a dollar has been issued by that Bank since the adjournment at the last session, and that the whole of the Bank money of the Commonwealth passed to the credit of the Commonwealth anterior to that time. Sir, that Gentleman knows little of the law of 1841. as his whole conduct has shown.— zing a single dollar to be placed to the credit of the Treasury of the Common wealth, In any Bank in the State. It that law be executed, the moneys, commonly called " relief notes,” are to be sent to the Treasury here, counted, marked and paid out to contractors ; and if any other ar rangement is made, it is contrary to law, and was never made with the Erie Bank. Now, Sir, I call upon you and every , Gentleman present to say whether I mis represent facts with a view of casting odi um on the Governor. I said not a word about the Governor. But I said that the Erie Batik has, for her own selfish gain, flooded the Commonwealth with notes to the amount of four times its capital—that it has issued all this irredeemable trash, and deserves to be censured by every hon est man in the Commonwealth. If my vote can do it, the honest man who took the small notes, shall be protected by ma king that Institution—l mean the Presi• dent and Directors of it—personally lia- tile, and they shall redeem what they issued so dishonestly, in coin. And even the law of non-imprisonment for debt shall not save them from the walls of a jail, unless they redeem in the coin of the country, the money they have sold at ten per cent. advance. The Gentleman says, that an effort has been made to cry it down. Now, what better is it, I should like to know, than that abominable trash issued by the Towanda Bank, and signed " Dyer and Boyd 1" It is no better—the one is just as spurious as the other—issued, to impose upon the honest laborer, from a little two-penny shop, conducted by a few , avaricious nabobs for the purpose of ma king money off the necessities off the pus-, ple and the State. That, Sir, is the esti mation in which I hold such acts. These transactions are not only calculated to rob the laborer of his hire--to make worth less the traffic of the country, but to cor rupt and degrade the circulation, and to bind us faster in the fetters of these insti tutions. If they are to be sanctioned, they will paralyze all the business of the com munity, and by prostrating business, and loading the State with obligations, crush all that come within their grasp. Sir, the Gentleman says I have spoken against the Domestic Creditors. I have done no such thing. I have said, go ors and pay them money that is worth some thing. But the Gentleman most not ex pect me to put on the seine put on a par with those that have faithfully fultilled their contracts, authorized by law, up to the 4th of May, 1841, those men who went on with their work—who thought that they would make fortunes from the Commonwealth, by going on after that time, without authority of law, plunged the State in debt against her will, and running the risk of getting over-es-, rtimates to make it profitable and make up 'for the danger and risk of getting nothing. Sir, they are a very different class of men; and vs bile I would pay one, to the very last dollar of coin in the country, I would say to the other, you shall not now have it unless you can satisfy us it is a legal' contract. And if you are to be paid at all, it is nut to be at a time when we are grinding the farmer. the mechanic and laborer with taxes, for the purpose 01 heaping upon you, princely fortunes, of which you have rubbed the State by going on recklessly in violation of your con tracts. The wealthy speculator, who thus adventures, is nut entitled to the same treatment, the same sympathy as the hon est contractor who obeyed the law and stopped when his contract demanded, and the authorities of the State notified hint. And yet these are the men for whom the Gentleman's bowels are so powerfully, and to us who are near him, so disagreeably moved, for the mere laborers are all paid, long ago. Those who have been working on the Erie Canal since the 4th of May, 1841, have worked without authority, and now bring a claim against the State, for more than 113500,000 !Or it. We passed two or three bills last winter to stop them. I do not know what become of them suppose. though, they are hid away among the waste paper, or are in the Gov• error's breeches pocket. And in the meanwhile, no doubt, these men have been goingon with the work—man, horse, jackass and oxen. I suppose they are to come in for three or tour months labor, and are to be put on the same footing with honest men who did work, according to law. The Gentleman (Mr. Lowry) says •—tor he seems to be, I think rather, per- , sonal—that I have not made many friends by my course here, with regard to these creditors. Friends! anti does the Gentle man expect me to make friends by sacri ficing my opinion, and my sense of duty? to make friends of the hungry claimants, by forfeiting, what I believed to be my duty to the Commonwealth—duty to my conscience, and to the observance of the eath I have taken to support the Constitu tion and laws of the State? And yet the Gentleman admonishes me that I can make more friends by pursuing a different course. Sir, I have nu doubt of it ; but I have always had the unfortunate fashion of saying what I thought, regardless of whom I pleased or whom I offended.— As lung as I have the liberty of speech and of thought, I shall continue to do so, in fluenced by no fear of making enemies, and no hope of making friends. And no thing on earth will ever induce me to de part from that course. I beg the Gentle. man not to hope to intimidate me with the threat of the loss of that popularity, which is not worthy a decent man's aspi , - ration and which none but a blackguard. I would court. StaVAregicin-roMmiiikc 1 4111:111Stla,' a large number of the citizens of Holli daysburg and vicinity, convened at the Town Hall, on Saturday evening, 11th June, for the purpose of expressing their views in regard to the present " hard tints," and taking some measures of re lief. On motion the meeting was organ ised by calling JAMES COFFEY, Esq to act as President, and Col. James R. Johnston and Charles Hughes as Vice l'residents, and John Dougitprty,and John, Brotherline, as Secretaries. On motion, James Ross, Fsq., was called upon to express the object of the [fleeting, and give his views in relation to the s abject. He complied with the call in a very able and satisfactory manner.— kfter speeches from ether gentleman, it was, on motion, Resolved, That the chair appoint a! committee of five to prepare and report to an adjourned meeting, a memorial to the Legislature, setting forth the evils coin. plumed of and praying for relief. The Chair appointed John Dougherty, John Barr, J. C. McLanahan, Thomas Johnson James Ross, Esquires, said com mittee. Resolved, That when this meeting ad• journs, it will adjourn to meet again on Tuesday evening, the 14th inst. at the same place. Adjourned. Tuesday evening, 14th June. The meeting assembled.—ln the ab sence of the President, Mr. Jos. Reed, was appointed in his stead. The committee previously appointed, reported the following memorial, which was unanimously adopted and signed by the members of the meeting, viz : To the Senate and House of Representa tives of the Commonwealth ot Pennsyl vania, in general Assembly met. Your memorialists, citizens of Penns Sylvania, respectfully and earnestly beg your aid, in arresting the ruinous sacrifi ces ot property, real and personal, sub ject to sale, under executions, thereby de priving many of the means of enduring money to pay their debts and involving thousands into irretrievable ruin. Vie, therefore, pray your honorable body, for! the passage of a law, suspending sales on Executions in the hands of Sheriff's , Constables, and other officers ; as also the issuing of Executions, for one year, froni and after the passage of such a law, or' the re-enactment of the appraisment or stay-law of 1820 '2l, ot such other mea sures of relief as in your wisdom may seem best, and which is imperatively re quired by reason of the present scarcity of a circulating medium, by which debt ors are compelled to pay two prices for their Lands, Merchandise compared with the relative value of such articles at the present period of time. Your petitioners would suggest, lhai the passage of some such law, would be the means of arresting the evils complain ed of, throughout the length ant breadth of this once happy land ; and which have arisen, not from want of enterprise or in dustry on the part of the people, but by !reason of former unwise legislation, in expanding the measure of valueand there by creating millions of indebtedness, payable in gold and silver. An amount greater than the present supply, which can only be paid by a course of forbear, ance, economy and industry. We are of opinion that government was instituted for the preservation of the happiness and the protection of the prop erty, of the citizens generally. And that it is an error to suppose that patrotistn, generosity and charity, justify a pi efer ence of the wishes of a few, to the inter ests and happiness of a large majority of your fellow- citizens, whom it is believed' are now victims to the evils complained of. We, therefore, pray you to grant the• desired relief and your petitioners, as in . duty bound, will ever pray, &c. On motion, Peter tiewa, John Barr and A bm. Votaries, Esgr's. were appoin tett a committee to procure the printing of, and signers to the memorial, and for ward the same to the Legislature. Resclved, That Wm. M. Pennington, 'F. Johnston and John Brotherline, be a committee on finance. On motion of Win. Groves, Resolved, That the thanks of the meeting are here by tendered to the committee for their able report. On motion of J. Snyder, Resolved, That the different editors in Huntingdon county be, and are, hereby respectfully requested to publish the proceedings of this meeting. — JOSEPH REED, Pres't. JAS. R. JouNsroN, t v . ', m e t ,. CuAs. H LIOHES, John Dougherty, Secretaries. John Brotherline, Court of Errors. Our readers, we believe, understand that a portion of the Loco-foco members of the Common Council of New York, of the last year, affect to hold over from last year, in consequence, as they assert, of the irregularity in the returns of certain wards. An appeal wits made to the Su• preme Court of the State, and an opinion obtained against those over-holders, Con sequently the duly elected Whigs came in, took their seats, arid made considera ble alterations in the city appointments.— An appeal, however, was made from the Supreme Court to the Court of Errors.— This last named body is the Senate at the State, and something of the character ofl apart of its members may b, inferred l i from an affidavit published in one of they morning papers, declaring that a Loco-, kilo„er,ther Tiler 4iatliarro tk , 1141 sand dollars, that the decision of the Su preine Court would be reversed. The following is a part of the affidavit: " That said Cornell then offered pub-, licly to find twenty thousand dollars to' bet to the same effect if any body would coyer the money. That after the bets a bove mentioned were made, excepting the bet of one thousand dollars, Cornell then stated that the Democratic members of the Court of Errors had a majority, and had held a caucus, and agreed, or pledged themselves to decide, in favor of the Dein ocratic Corporation; and that said Under hill was present, and backed and counte nanced said Cornell in all the last men tioned statements relative to the Court of Errors, and that the parties above men tioned called upon deponent, ahtl reques ted hint to take down in writing, and witness the said bets, which he did ; and statements which were made and which are above set forth, in relation to the Court of Errors. JOHN L. MOFFAT. Sworn before me, this eighteenth day of June, 1842. N. C. EVERE'I7, Justice of the Peace. Here, then, a party, composing a ma jority of a Court, meet in caucus, and be fore hearing testimony, agree upon the verdict! Beautiful illustration, this, of the purity of the New York politicians of the Van Buren party.--U. S. Gazette. AN larrorron.—The Rev. G. C. Light, of the Kentucky conference, cautions the, religions public, through the Cincinnati, Christian Advocate, against a man of the' worst character, who, at Louisville, wentl by the name of A. Bernard, and professed' to be a dentist. Ile imposed himself on the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has a license to exhort in his possession. It is supposed that he has gone to the north or to Canada. It is believed that Ber nard is not his real name, and that he will change his name when circumstances call for it. lie is about 5 feet 6 inches high,: somewhat heavily built, has a full face,) dark eyes, dark hair, fair skin, high fore head, inclined to baldness, handsome fea tures, and assumes a modest air in compa ny. It is affirmed that said Bernard, not, long since, suffered all the penalties of, the laws of South Carolina for the crime of bigamy, and that he has now seduced away the wife of a very respectable gen denim' of Louisville, Ky. Titz WirEAT CROI , —The Cincinati Chroicle of the 31st ult, says that the pre sent wheat crop of Ohio will not fall short of twenty-five millions of bushels. Ten or tvielve persons have been mur• dered in Florida, since the last announce meat of the termination of the war. .....,..,,„:. - 7 • 7-- - b . . ',:4-- ."- • ..' 7 . . , . 1k.,...-. 3 ) ~ ) ),, -..„21., / 44, ,„L it., THE HUNTINGDON JOURNAL 'One country, one constitution, Gne destiny." Huntingdon, June 29, 1842. V. B. PALmEn, Esq. (No. 104 S. 3rd St. Phlladel phia,) is authorized to act as Agent for this paper, to procure subscriptions and ad vertistnents. Pennsylvania Legislature. EXTRA SESSION. Correspondence of the Huntingdon Journal. 11mtuisnutto, June 18, 1842. Mn. CREMER : The Select Committee of Investigation is engaged in its duties, fer reting out the " lumber" transactions of 1840. Several witnesses have been exam ined, among whom is Judge Barton. Ido not know of any thing of importance that has been brought out of the witnesses.-- Daniel M. Brodhead is still non comatibus in Winnebago swamp° —poor tellow! he ran off with the span of horses that Kick apoo presented him with, because the Com mittee wished him to testify, and he knows nothing about the "lumber" business. In the Senate, yesterday, the bill rela ting to the relief notes and the sale of stocks belonging to the State, which had been returned from the House with info! , wale', that it had been passed in that branch with amendments, was taken up.- 4t was then postponed till to-day, and or, dered to be printed. A bill providing for the extension of the charter of the Farmers' Bank of Reading fur ten years was then taken up and din. cussed till the hour of adjournment. After disposing of preliminary business in the House, the bill relative to the pay of domestic creditors was taken up, and af ter considerable discussion, it was referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, The bill to abolish imprisonment for, debt passed, and was sent to the Senate. The bill authorising the purchase of tracks for the transportation of section' boats, was then taken up, and after some discussion was postponed. In rue Senate, to-tray, a nit was repor ted to extend th , : chatter of the Bucks County Bank, The proceedings of the Convention of Domestic Creditors, which had just ad journed, were presented by Mr. Bigler. The bill providing fur the redemption, of the relief notes &c. then came up, when the Senate refused to concur in the most important amendment made to it by the House. The bill staying executions in all cases where property does not bring two thirds of its appraised value, came up and was discussed some time, when the vote was taken on the first section, which stood yeas 12, nays 14, so that it was negatived. The further consideration of the bill was then postponed, In the House Mr. Leet offered the lot lowing resolution : Resolved, That the Committee on Ways and Means, be requested to inquire into ,the expediency of bringing in a bill asses sing a tax of three per cent. on the dollar Ifor the payment of the State debt ; said 'Fax shall be paid in three annual instal ments or at the option of the payer of the tax, on the first instalment. And the Treasurers of the several cities and coun ties of this Commonwealth be authorized, on the payment of said tax, to give a re ceipt in full of the claims of this Common wealth against the holder of said receipt, or his property ; and the said tax shall or may be paid in state stocks, in the legal authorized issues of May 4, 1841, or in current funds. And the said tax shall be called the " State Tax for the payment of the State Debt," and shall be specifically appropriated to the payment of the State debt and to no other purpose. A debate ensued on this resolution be tween Messrs. Deford, Roumfort, Leet, [lawn and Wright, after which Mr. Scott offered to amend the resolution by striking out all after the words " annual instal ments," and inserting the following: the first instalment at the rate of three per cent. the first year ; the second instalment at three per cent. the second year; and the third instalment at tour per cent. the third year." The amend ment was adopted and the resolution carried by a vote of 49 to 37. Yours ,S.c. Corresporidence of the Huntingdon Journal HARRISBURG, June 21, 1842. Mn. C ItEMER Yesterday and to-day there was but little of importance done iu either branch of the Legislalure. In the Senate on motion of M r. Maclay, a resolution was adopted, to appoint a Committee of eleven Senators to divide the State into Con• I gressional Districts, agreeably to the new Apportionment Bill. The Speaker has k not yet announced the Committee. The bill to extend the charter of the Farmers' Bank of Reading was negatived by a vote of 14 yeas to 15 nays. The tlouse, after having disposed of preliminaries, took up a vetoed bill enti tled " an act to prevent persons from trio ening free of toll on the Public Works, and for other purposes," upon which a discussion took place between Messrs. McManus, Delon', Heckman, Stevens and others. The bill was lost—yeas 42, nays 47. In the Senate, to-day, Mr. Gibons mo ved to reconsider the vote given yester day, negativing the bill to extend the charter of the Farmers' Batik of Reading, which motion being agreed to, the further consideration thereof was postponed. Local bills were considered, without I lany final action being taken upon them. In the house the amendments to the bill from the Senate, relating to the re demption of relief notes &c., which the Senate had refused to concur in, were ta ken up and considered. The House de termined to adhere to its amendments, and the bill was returned to the Senate. The bill provieing for the pay of do• 'nestle creditors then came up on final reading, when a long and animated dis• cussion ensued, after which the bill passed by a vote of 60 to 36 and was sent to the Senate. Yours &c. Correspondence of the Huntingdon Journal, HARRISBURG, June e 3, 1842. MR. eIIE2DiR For the last few days the doings of the Legislature have not amount ed to much, and are, therefore, easily told. Yesterday the Senate passed a resolu tion requesting the Auditor General to furnish that body with a statement of the income and the expenses of the Militia of S;rsr.. • the Committee on Finance to inquire into the expediency of setting apart the money now appropriated to Colleges and Academies, to pay the Domestic Creditors. The bill providing for the payment of Domestic Creditors, which passed the House on the 20th, was made the order of the day for to-day. In the House, Mr. Stevens from the Select Committee to whom the subject has heen referred, retorted a bill for the sale of the Public Improvements. The House then proceeded to the con sideration of the Tariff Resolutions, offer ed at the regular session. The question being on an amendment declaring that Penusylvunia refuses to accept her share of the proceeds of the Public Domain un der the distribution law of Congress, a motion was made to postpone the further consideration of the subject for the pres ent, which was lost, The House then adjourned. To-day the Election District Bill was under discussion in the Senate for some time. Sundry amendments were added, after which the bill was returned to the House. The bill making provision for the pay of Domestic Creditors was taken up in the Senate, The discussion of amendments occupied the senate till the hour of ad, journment. In the House petitions were presented and bills reported. The bill providing for the redemption of relief notes, and to prohibit the further issuing thereof by the Hanks passed final ly, and wily wants the signature of the Executive to make it a law. The House receded from its amendments, which the Senate had refused to concur in. A bill was reported to abolish militia training in time of peace, and to curtai l the expenses of the militia system. That is the sort of law we ought to have. The Investigating Committee are still investigating, but to what purpose " this deponent saith not." Yours 4•c Citr We learn by the Bedford Inquirer, that Gov. Porter has respited the execu tion of James Rice, the murderer of James Mcßirney, until the 2nd of September next. Ile was to have been executed in Bedford, on Friday the 17th inst. H. II The Case of our Sheriff—eau more. The Supreme Court have at length de cided this case in favor of John Shaver The opinion of the Court was delivered by fudge Kennedy, and is said to be lom: and very conclusive. We do not know upon what grounds they have rested their decision, but presume it was that the pen alties of the law had been suffered, and the &fence was not an infamous one as the. Supercedeas necessarily implied. Thus has Gov. Porter been frustrated in his high-handed attempt to usurp power and authority which is not given to him by the constitution and laws, and which none but tyrants would long after. And thus too, has the long protracted, savage perse• cution of an honest, unassuming, hut de ceived man, at length terminated, greatly to the satisfaction of all except a few vin dictive khaves who sought to rob him of character, of office, and of every thing that is dear to a freeman. Sheriff Shaver was, through the circum vention of designing politicians, induced to enter into an agreement prior to the late general election, which was prohibited by the laws of the state; but like most of the hontist and retired men of the country, Mr. Shaver knew nothing of the existence of the law which he and others violated. The offence was in substance this—another candidate for the office of Sheriff made an agreement with John Shaver, in which it was stipulated that the former should with draw from - the political arena, and use his influence to elect the latter, and if suc cessful, should become his sole deputy and jailor. Others were equally if not more guilty, for they procured the agreement to be made, and three signed it as witnesses, It is thought that the others have pardons in their possession, and that they will pi o• duce them before the Codrt of Quarter. Sessions on the second week in August. We do not know how much truth there is in this supposition, but we do know that pardons before trials have become quite. common in these days of Porter dement cy. But to return again to the subject. For this violation of the law John Shaver was afterwards singled out from among the rest, and was indicted, tried, convicted and sentenced as the law directed. It was evident to every one that the prosecu. tion, though it may have been institutes! through honest and proper motives, yt!f' when it was once commenced, the whole clique who ford been disappointed in their hopes, entered into it with a bitter vindic tiveness that would raise a blush of Awns: even en the cheek of a Cannibal. Ti. persecution was cruel, fierce and vindic tive. His pursuers, as if determined to out-Shylock old Shylock himself, were not satisfied with the "pound of flesh"—for when he hod fully suffered the penalties of the violated law, they pursued him still fur ther with increased savageness,and sought his utter destruction. We have fleeces?, rily used harsh terms in this article, but we have only called things by their right names. They raised their savage death song, and were joined by the Chief of the Kickapoo tribe, who led them on, bearing in his hand a bloody scalping knife, stamp ed--SDPEnSEDEAS. But fortunately her the Sheriff, in flying from his pursuers, he got among civilized men, where the strong arm of the law in the last resort interposed --the "Ingins" were captured—and the "scalping knife" and all their other instru ments of death and torture taken from them. And now we hope that the Sheriff will in future keep out of bad company, and avoid similar dangers. H. II Sixth Census. Through the politeness of ROBERT NIACLAY, Esq., of the Senate, we have been favored with a copy of the late cen- 4 ,! sus of this State. The number of inhabi- ' tants of the respective counties composing this Congressional district are as follows : Huntingdon, 35,484; Centre, 20,492; Clinton, 8,323; and Mifflin, 13,092, making 77,391. The ratio of representa tation under the new Apportionment Bill is 70,680, being 6,711 less than the num ber of inhabitants in the District at present. By throwing off Clinton we would have 1612 less than the new ratio of represen tation. Under the new Apportionmen t Bill counties may be divided. (*." Messrs. %CLAY and MATH} Rs o f the Senate, and Mr. JESSE Moore of the House of Representatives, have our thanks for their attention to us. 11. II The Democratic brood spinets arc to hold a State Convention at Harrisburg on the Bth day of January 1343, to help Ten- Cent-Jimmy Buchanan to the Presidential chair,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers