rules to enable the House to receive it.
The rules were suspended, and the
resolution received. Mr. Ashman ob
tained the floor, and told the House very
plainly what its purpose evidently was.
It was apparent from the tone and arti
cles of the official organthat a wnr was
to be, and was being, carried on by the
administration against Gen. Taylor. He
referred to the old, obsolete order of the
War Department, published this morn
ing, in relation to the writing of letters
by officers or others from the army as
one oLthe signs of the times. The re
vival of this obsolete order, was intend
ed
also to cast censure upon Oen. Tay
lor for writing n letter to Gen. Gaines,
which the latter, imprudently, as some
think, published. He referred to the re
marks of Mr. Wick of la., made seine
days ago, in which he declared that no
Whig ought to be permitted to be at the
head of the army. This was the feel
ing of the administration and all its sat
ellites. Gen. T. was to be destroyed if
he could be, because he was a Whig—
that was the head and front of his of
fending.
Mr. Ashman sent to the Clerk's table
a resolution which was read, and which
he proposed to move as an amendment
to the one offered by Mr. Thompson,
calling for information in regard to the
negotiation which was carried on be
tween Mr. Polk and Santa Anna, which
resulted in the latter being sent to Mex
ico by the former. It was known that
an agent was sent to Havana by the Go
vernment, and that Santa Anna was per
mitted to pass the squadron blockading
the ports of Mexico, to enter that re
public, and take command of her army
against us, and for one he wished to
know what arrangement had been enter
ed into between him and Mr. Polk ; it
was information which the people also
desired. He wanted the whole corres
pondence between this government and
Santa Anna in reference to his entering
Mexico.
Mr. Ashman was followed by Mr.
Douglass in defence of the Administra
tion. No vote had been taken when 1
was obliged to close my letter.
Strenuous efforts are being made by
the northern members of the Cabinet, to
induce the northern Locos to forbear
pressing Wilmot's provision on the ques
tion of slavery in any shape in refer
ence to territory that may be taken from
Mexico. One of these has stated that
members were being bought up, or bought
over, on this question. What consider
ation is to be paid, or in what sort of
coin or commodity, I am not informed :
but so long as the administration have
offices and contracts to dispose of, and
are unrestrained in their use by any
sort of principle or conscience, so long
they will be able to buy men, as bullocks,
who are in the market, and labelled "for
sale."
We have had floating rumors that the
President had ordered the recall of Gen.
Taylor, but I imagine they are at least
premature. He would if he dared, I have
no doubt ; but I would stands trembling
before I dare not.
Remarkable Seizure of a Supposed Burglar
---Thrilling Scene.
A gentleman living in the western part
of the city experienced a truly exciting
event, and became suddenly and unex
pectedly AIAN hero of a startling scene
the other ht. He had retired to bed
ayes listed hour, his wife being sick,
a rtunatcly, as it seems, under the
necessity of taking medicine during the
night, which, with a lamp, match-box,
&c. ' were placed upon a small table near
the bed. At about 2 o'clock, as it after
wards proved, his wife awoke and dis ,
covered that the lamp was out ; and
wishing for her medicine, awoke her
husband, requesting hint to reach to the
table and hand it to her. He was, it
seems, lying upon his left side, and the
table directly before his face ; accord
ingly extending his right hand to feel
for the bottle, he placed it upon the hand
of a man upon the table. With admi
rable presence of mind, he instantly
tightened his grasp, and firmly holding
on, at once cried out, " There's a man
in the room !" His wife screamed, and
cried aloud for assistance upon others
in the house, unwilling to move; while
her husband, feeling the risk of moving
from his first position, and unable to
turn so as to get at a !Jaded pistol be
neath his pillow, shrewdly enough, how
ever,
exclaimed sternly to the man, "If
you dare to move, I'll blow your brains
out." The noise occasioned by such an
occurrence, with the crying and scream
ing of one or two children in the room,
who had been woke up by it, soon
brought in two or three of the other
members of the household, with lights,
when our excellent friend was discov
ered holding in the vice-like grip of his
right—his own good left hand ! Under
the intercepted circulation caused by the
pressure of his hand, stretched out upon
the table, the unfortunate cause of this
frightful scene, was just coming to itseif,
the grip of the other hand almost start
ing the blood from the tips of the im
prisoned fingers. The supposed bur
glar was released instanter, and our
worthy friend, with his daring and pres
ence of mind, at a marvellous discount,
slid under the blankets to enjoy his laugh
by himself.—Baltimore Sun.
113 The remains of Watson ' Ridge
ly, Thomas, Pierson, Boyle and Graham
arrived in Baltimore on Saturday even
ing, and will bo buried with Military
honors.
THE JOURNAL.
fluniingdun, \1 piluesday, February 19 , 1847.
11:7- See 4th page, for the Triennial
Assessment of Huntingdon county, for
1847.
Appointments by the Canal Commissioners.
The following appointmente for the Juniata Di•
vision have been officially announced:
SUPERVISORS :—James Turner, John Roes.
COLLECTORS.--JCS. Beaver, Newport; Wm.
R. McCoy, Lewistown; John M. Cunningham,
Huntingdon.
George Potts, Weighmaster at Hollidaysburg.
EtJ Hon. James Cooper, H. S. Evans,
D. Blair, John Morrison and R. Rush
Franks, Esq'rs, have our thanks for fa
vors from Harrisburg.
TERRIBLE STottm.—OnWednesday last
we were visited with the most terrific
storm we have witnessed for some time.
In the evening the wind blew a perfect
hurricane. 'I here was no damage done
in this place, but we learn that in Wood
cock Valley a number of barns and other
buildings were unroofed; in some in
stances killing horses and cattle.
We learn from the papers that in Phi
ladelphia and its vicinity, the storm has
been very severe. The Western and
Southern Telegraph lines have both suf
fered. Innumerable houses have been
unroofed. A number of vessels had
been driven from their anchorage, and
the tide overflowed all the wharves.—
The damage along the Schuylkill is said
to be very great.
MARSHALL COLLEGE,---WO have been
favored with a copy of a Catalogue of
the Officers and Students in Marshall
College," by our young friend, B. FUL
LERTON MILES, at present a member of
the Senior Class in said Institution.—
This College is located at Mercerburg,
Pa., under the Presidency of Rev. JOHN
NEVIN, and appears to be in a highly
flourishing condition. It was founded
in 1 -
1830, and there are at present, in the
Idifferent classes, and Preparatory De
partment, 142 students, as follows:
Seniors, 14 ; Juniors, 33; Sophomores,
28 ; Freshmen, 21 ; Preparatory, 46.
Q The editor of the Hollidaysburg
Standard complains because we inserted
the "pleasant raillery" of a correspon
dent in reply to his attack upon our
" women " and "babies," and says we
must have known the article to be "li
bellous." Not so. We knew nothing
of the insinuations contained in the
communication signed "Hornet," what
ever, but supposed it to contain about as
much truth as the article to which it
was a reply. We have but recently
made the acquaintance of the editor of
the Standard, and have no reason what
ever to bear him any ill-will; but at the
same time we deny that any relationship
exists between us. If Mr. Jones has
any relations bearing our name, it must
be another family entirely.
While upon this subject, we would re
mark, that when it becomes necessary
for presses to make slanderous attacks
upon communities—either offensive or
defensive—for the purpose of gaining a
little notoriety, their condition must be
sickly indeed. And when they can be
devoted to no better purpose than at
tempting to stir up a strife between
friendly communities, we think they be
come any thing else than a credit to
those communities—a decided social
evil, rather than a public good.
Adjournment of the Legislature---A Short
Session
The resolution of the Senate for a final
adjournment of the Legislature, on the
16th of March, passed the House on
Saturday morning last. Thus making
the present the shortest session for more
than thirty years, and thereby saving to
the Commonwealth twenty or thirty
thousand dollars. It takes a Whig Leg
islature to do up the business with dis
patch.
Da- When the Attorney General pre
sents his compliments to us in a less
"questionable shape" than a very deli
cate nibble by his pet "Rats," he may
possibly hear from us.
Kr A movement has been already
made by many members of the Senate
and House' in Washington, in favor of
submitting Gen. Taylor's name to the
Whig National Convention us a candi
date for the Presidency.
LOCOFOCO CONFEREE MEETING—COWARD
LY CONDUCT.
The following resolutions which ap
pear in the proceedings of the Locofoco
Conferee meeting held at Martinsburg,
on the 30th ult., as published in the Hol
lidaysburg Standard, will be looked for
in vain among the proceedings of the
same meeting, signed by the same officers,
us published in the Huntingdon Globe. 1
They read as follows :
Resolved, That we have no failh in the politi
cal hone ty of the few croakers who profess to be
long to the democratic perry, that are crying out
for ONE TERNI. If these croakers be properly
sifted, they will found to be the men who held of
flee under David R. Porter for Iwo terms, and
their objection to Mr. Shook is. that he would not
I permit them to hold for four terms!
* Resolved, That we view the Harrisburg Ar
gus' as one of the vilest hind of federal papers,
published in this State; for, whilst it makes pro
fessions of democracy, its whole aim end object is
and has been, to throw fire-brands into the ranks.
The unmeaning opposition of this piratical con
cern to Mr. Shunk, is one of the strongest argu
ments in favor of his re-nomination."
The conference which "unanimously"
adopted the above resolutions, appointed
A. GwIN, Esq., the Senatorial delegate
to the March Convention, instructed for
Shunk. W e mention this fact hero to
show who managed the Conference which
was not afraid to pass and publish the
above resolutions in Blair county, but
whose courage failed them when the pro
ceedings came to be published in the
paper printed in the town where Gov.
Porter at one time resided. We think
no one will attempt to deny the fact that
the proceedings containing the resolu
tions which we quote, were written,
" signed, sealed, and delivered," in the
borough of Huntingdon. And why, can
any one tell us, were these resolutions
struck from the proceedings before be
ing published in Huntingdon 1 Were
the authors warned, by sad experience
that a " dig" at the ex-Governor and his
friends would not aid them much politi
cally by being published in this comma
nityl It would seem so. It has rarely
fallen to our lot to witness a stronger
case of political cowardice than this.
The Harrisburg Argus is denounced
by these valiant friends and office-hold
ers of Gov. Shunk, as "one of the vilest
kind of Federal papers," and yet they
request this same "vile Federal paper"
to publish their proceedings. Witness
Ithe last resolution adopted by the Con
! ference
" Resolvid, That the proceedings of this meeting
be signed by the officers, and that the Bedford Ga
zette, Huntingdon Globe, Hollidaysburg Standard,
and Union and ARGUS at Harrisburg, and the
Pennsylvanian at Phi adelphia, be respectfully re
quested to publish them."
It seems strange that a meeting call
ing itself Democratic, would request 'the
vilest Federal paper in the State' to pub
lish its proceedings.
We claim no political affinity with
Gov. Porter. He is a Locofoco whose
political promotion we have always op
posed, yet we cannot but admire the
bold and manly stand he has taken in
defence of Pennsylvania interests. And
it is evident that the opposition made to
him by the Shunkites, is mainly owing
to the fact that he is not willing, in imi
tation of them, to surrender the interests
of his native State at the bidding of the
administration at Washington.
Public Plunder.
We learn that Mr. Power, the new
Whig Canal Commissioner, has discov
ered the most enormous frauds upon the
public works. Take a single item. The
collectors upon the Columbia rail road
have returned about 2,600,000 bushels
of salt, as western freight. Salt pays
less toll than almost any other article,
and dry goods and other articles, paying
double toll, are weighed and returned as
salt. Now the whole amount of salt ac
tually transported from Philadelphia,
does not exceed 600,000 bushels—the
balance returned is a fraud upon the
Commonwealth.
GEN. TAYLOR'S LETTER.—Since the
appearance of this document, Mr. Polk
has revived and caused to be published
an old Army regulation, which forbids
any officer of the army from writing
letters for publication, in relation to the
war, under penalty of being dismissed
from the service. And further says
that private letters are disgraceful!
The Washington Union, the Tory
Organ of Jas. K. Polk, publishes an ar
ticle of three columns, directed against
Gen. Taylor for the terms of the capit
ulation at Monterey. The war in the
old Hero's rear has fairly commenced.
[lj Bedford county has appointed A.
King and W. Lyon, Esq'rs, delegates to
the State Convention. They are both
friends of Gen. 'ruin. Bucks county
has also appointed Irvin delegates,
Mr. Walker on Increasing the Revenue.
The editor of the N. Y. Tribune, wri
ting from Washington, thus speaks of
Mr. Walker's proposition to raise the
revenue :
" I have enumerated the chief articles
on which he proposes—no, I believe he
proposes nothing—but iich he says
would yield more revenue if the duties
were higher. ./Ixes and Scythes ,
he
thinks, would yield more if the duty
were cut down from 30 per ct. to 20.
Perhaps this is so ; for our own artisans
make such choice articles and at such
low prices thut it is hard to sell British
Axes or Scythes among us ; but how
nn increase of duty on the raw material,
Iron, to 40 per cent. coincident with a
deduction on the manufacture, Axes and
Scythes, to 20, would strike that portion
lof the public which puts faith in R. J.
Walker's statesmanship, 1 cannot say.—
' I presume the mass of them will stand
anything from that quarter. According
to my anticipated, narrow-minded, Fed
' eral, Aristocratic, Bank-Whig notions,
such discriminations of 20 per cent
against our own Industry are more im
politic and unjust, no matter whether
i more Revenue can be raised by them or
not. I even believe those who say they
are for a Revenue Tariff end that only,
must recoil, if they think or care about
its influence on Labor, when they see
their principle run out to such results
as this. But I will not presume too
much.
Mr. Walker of course says that mod
erate duties on Tea and Coffee would
afford a considerable increase of Rev
enue; so of duties on Foreign Copper
and many other articles now admitted
free or nearly so. I suppose we all knew
this before.
My faith is unshaken that no Tariff
will pass at this Session. One or more
may be introduced, and serve to facili
tate the negotiation of Mr, WALKER's
new Loan or the dispensation of his
Treasury Notes, but nothing will come
of it."
FLORIDA INDIANS.—The Jacksonville
News of the 22d ult., says the .Indians
have trespassed at least 200 miles from
the limits which they engaged to keep.
It is not long since 150 head of cattle
were stolen by the Indians from the
neighborhood of Ocala, Marion county.
THE RUMORED PEACE PROPOSALS.--The
Washington Union, of a late date says :
The northern papers continue to teem
with rumors from this city that the Mex
ican Congress has passed a resolution
declaring their willingness to receive a
minister of the United States to treat of
peace. The same rumor was again
afloat in our streets to-day. We have
made the necessary inquiries to-day
through official sources, and we cannot
find the slightest authority or confirma
tion of sue h a statement.
RAILROAD ACCIDENT.-WO learn from
the York Advocate that a drover named
Peter Creist, returning home to the west
a week or two since, on horseback,
whilst riding near the Railroad, a short
distance from Mount Pleasant, his horse
became frightened, and came in contact
with the train. Mr. C. was thrown un
der the locomotive, the wheels on one
side crushing his brains. and those of
the other cutting off both his legs below
the knees, killing him instantly.
A Reported Battle,
The New York Herald of Friday last
says :—" It was stated on 'change, yet
terday, that a private letter had been re
ceived from the frigate Savannah, one
of the Pacific squadron, containing in
telligence of the capture of more terri
tory, and of a battle with the Mexicans,
in which they were defeated, although
they considerably outnumbered the
Americans. The letter was dated at
Mazatlan.
ID.- The Norfolk Courier says.—" It
will be gratifying to the friends of " Old
Rough and Ready" to know that he is
a "staunch teetotaller," and has not
drank a glass of " the ardent " for twen
ty years past. This we state upon au
thority that we believe to be unquestion
able, and comes from an old friend of
Gen. Taylor, one who has recently seen
and conversed with him.
CONUNDRUM.-Why should Prince Al. I
bert feel jealous of one of our American
Generals 1 Because Taylor has his arms
around Victoria.
VERY UNKIND-VERY!--ThC Washing
ton Union is quite severe upon that por
tion of the Democratic members of Con- 1
gress who refused to vote in favour of
a tax upon ten and cofibe. The Admin
istration organ denominates them "the
Mexican party in the United States."
HAGGERTY, the murderer of the Ford
ney family in Lancaster, was tried last
week, convicted of murder in the first
degri, and sentenced to be hung.
LETTER FROM HARRISBURG,
Correspondence of the Huntingdon Journal,
HARRISBURG, Feb. 6, 1846.
JAMES CLARK, Eso.—Sts :—The most
material event of this week—at least
that which has excited the most interest
here—is the settlement of the question
as to who will be the Whig candidate
for Governor of this State, at the next
election. True, this matter has been set- I
tied long since, but there were still some
who questioned it and hoped against
hope. This is now at an end. The
news brought in during the week, from
different counties of the State, of the
election of delegates, seems to place the
nomination of Gen. Irvin, on the first
ballot, beyond controversy. That is, if
the wishes of the people, and the predi
lections of the delegates are not stifled ;
and of this there is not the remotest
chance now. Many of those best in
: formed on the subject, are confident that
Gen. Irvin will get 90 votes on the first
ballot. What his exact majority will
be, I am unable to determine at present,
but I am satisfied it will be large.
Our legislature is a very industrious
one. Work is despatched with uncoin
mon rapidity. You know that for years
I have been about the capitol nt the sit
tings of the Pennsylvania Legislature,
and that I have bad every opportunity
of becoming familiar with the business ,
traits of each session during that pe-j
nod. Not one, of all with which I was
familiar, could compare with the pre-j
sent Legislature for doing business.—
There is little or no disposition to make
speeches, and less yet to make long
ones.
The subject of most interest now be
fore the Legislature is the License Law
question. A great many petitions from
different, and indeed all, sections of the
State, are coining in, praying for privi
lege to decide by ballot whether intoxi
cating liquors shall be sold or not. A
very interesting and spirited debate took
place in the House on Wednesday, on
this subject. It was brought about by
the introduction of a resolution requir
ing the Committee on Vice and Immo
rality to bring in a bill extending the
law of last session to the whole State.
• After some debate the resolution was
amended so as to instruct the commit
tee to bring in a bill including only the
counties which petitioned for this law,
and in this shape it passed. In its ori
ginal shape the resolution was objected
to by members from counties where this
subject had not been agitated. on the
ground that it would have an injurious
effect, and. hinder rather than advance
the cause of Temperance to force it on
counties that had not asked for it. The
reasoning was specious, and had ita ef
, feet on the House, though its shallow
ness was palpable enough. I wonder
what harm it would do to the cause of
Temperance, to ask any man in any
county of the State to vote yes or no on
the question of granting liquor-selling
licenses
A number of petitions arc coming in
praying that our Banks may be allowed
to issue notes of a less denomination
than five dollars, and I hope many more
may yet come in. This prohibition is
one of the most absurd of all Locofoco
absurdities. Our State is flooded with
the small notes of the Banks of other
States. • And are these any better cur
rency than the issues of our own sound
institutions 1 They are not so good,
because they are not convertable into
specie at so remotes distance from home;
and this is the very reason, too, why
they are sent here. Business men from
Pennsylvania can borrow money from the
Banks of New York for less than legal
interest, because it gives them an oppor
tunity of sending their small notes into
our State. Besides, it enables their
Banks to preserve their specie ; whilst
in our own State, the banks must fill up
all the business channels, under five dol
lars, with specie,
except what the small
notes of foreign banks supply.
An interesting divorce case was final
ly acted on in the House on yesterday.
The bill is entitled an act to divorce E.
A.Whale from her husband C. T.Whale.
The parties are from Albany, N. York.
Mrs. Whale's father is with her, and
seconds the divorce ; he is reputed rich,
and, as the saying goes, moves in "high
life." She is young, beautiful, and ac
complished—attractions enough, as you
know, to interest the community. Be
sides, the treatment she has received
from her husband, who is an English
man by birth, is of the most villainous
character. It is one of the worst cases
of brutality—of bad treatment on the
part of a husband towards •his
ever heard of.
Among others who spoke eloquently
and effeetivebr in favoizsof.the bill, was
Mr. Blair from your county. It passed
the House by a' vote of 64 yeas to 14
nays—a strong vote in its favor.
Several important bills passed through
the House this morning. One to pre
vent kidnapping, preserve the public
peace, prohibit the exercise of certain
powers heretofore exercised by judges,
justices of the peace, aldermen and jail
ors in this commonwealth, and to repeal
certain slave laws. You will discover
from the title that this is quite en im
portant bill, and I have procured a copy
which I transmit herewith, [We shall'
publish this bill entire in our next.—Ed.]
Another bill of some importance, which
passed through the House this morning,
is entitled "An act to de'fine and punish
the offence of bribery." This act com
pels those violating its provisions to pay
a sum of not less thati "five thousand
dollars," and suffer "imprisonment in
the county jail or state penitentiary in
solitary confinement at labor for a pe
od not exceeding five years." This
ney shall be paid and luniabatene
fliCted for bribing, for corrupt tßirposes,
a member of the Legislature, juror, ar
bitrator, justice of the peace, or other
public officer, holding an office of honor
or profit under the laws of this Com
monwealth; and the person receiving it
the bribe shall be punished in the same,
way, and shall forever thereafter be4llo.
capable of holding office.
The newly elected member from Brad
ford took his seat this morning...
The Committee of Ways and Means,
in compliance with instructions from
the House this morning, reported,
through its chairman, a bill to provide
for the sale of the public improvements.
It is similar in its features to the former
i law. Nothing of importance occurred
in the Senate.
I have just received a letter from
Bradford county, stating that the repre
sentative and senatorial delegates to the
Whig State Convention, from the coun
ties of Bradford, Susquehanna and Ti
oga, go for Gen. Irvin, without fail.
Yours truly, SPY.
CONGRESS
On our first page we give two able
letters from " Oliver Oldschool," the
Washington correspondent of the U. S.
Gazette, to which we invite attention.
It will be seen that nt the close of the
last letter, the resolutions relative to
Gen. Taylor were before the House.—
They have since passed that body, with
the preamble in regard to the emu
mencetnent of the war, and also the pro 7
viso casting indirect censure upon Gen.
Taylor.
The resolutions as passed in the House
came up in the Senate on Wednesday
last, and to the honor of the members
of that body be it spoken, they struck
out the obnoxious proviso, and also the
preamble in regard to the commence•
ment of the war, and, on motion of Mr.
Webster, passed unanimously a real vote
of thanks to Old Rough and' Ready".
and the officers and soldiers of the Ame
rican Army, for their gallant condact at
the storming of Monterey. Some of the
Locofoco Senators for a time resisted
the striking out of the House proviso,
but the Whigs, seconded by Mr. Cal
houn and his colleague, came up to Gen.
Taylor's defence so gallantly that his
Locofoco enemies were forced to surren
der. The resolutions will now go back
to the House for concurrence.
The Ten Regiment bill passed the
Senate with amendments. It then went
to the House where it was further
amended, and is now again .berore the
Senate.
Mr. Ashmun's amendment calling for
information in regard to the return of
Santa Anna to Mexico, has been voted
down in the House by a strict party
vote. The Locofocos lo not desire
the President to ba inte!rogated on
so delicate a subject.,
A bill giving the President flirec mil ,
!lions of dollars is tinder consideration
l in the Senate. It has been postponed
in the house in order, it is said, to allow
the administration time to drill in the
refractory Northern Locofocos who had
some inclination to vote for the anti-sla
very proviso—known as "Wilmot's pro
viso." The objbct in giving the Presi
dent these three millions is not known,
unless it be in some way connected with
his negotiations with Santa Anna. What
would the country think' of a peace se
cured with Mexico by bribery 1
THE TARIFF.—In the Senate, on
the Ist inst., a communication was re
ceived from the Secretary of the Treas
ury, in reply to Mr. Cameron's resolu
tion of the 7th of January last. It re
commends the following increase of du
ties, viz : On coal 10 per cent ; iron
10 per cent ; cloths and cassimeres cost.
over $4 00 the square yard, 10 per cent;
brown, white and refined sugars, 20 per
cent ; cotton prints costing over 30 cts.
the square yard, 5 per cent; and on white
and red lead 10 per cent.
These increased duties, the Secretary
estimates, will produce $1,418,000 ad
ditional revenue. He also recommends
diminished duties of 5 per cent on axes,
hammers, chisels, plough shares, and
cotton goods, not costing more than 8
cts. the square yard, and estimates this
diminution of duties to increase the re
venue $55,000. The tax on TEA and
COFFEE is again recommended, but
the rate reduced to 15 per cent; and a
few articles now on the free list, he re
commends to be taxed, but none of con
sequence.
ig" Thomas W. Newton, (W.) has
been elected to Congress from the State
of Arkansas.