Huntingdon journal. (Huntingdon, Pa.) 1843-1859, March 10, 1847, Image 2

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    THE JOURNAL.
Huntingdon, Wednesday, March 10, 1847,
a/' See Fourth Page ,
try- We are indebted to the Hon. Dan
iel Webster, for a pamphlet copy of his
speech delivered at Philadelphia, in De
cember last.
O Thanks to the following Congress
men for their favors : Messrs. Ramsey,
Pollock, Stewart, and Hudson, of the
House of Representatives, and Messrs.
Corwin, ‘‘ ebtter, and Cameron, of the
Senate.
[E7.- Messrs. Blair and Morrison will
accept our thanks for their attention.
Q:7- For Army News, see another col
umn.
RELIEF FOR IRELAND AND SCOTLAND.
A meeting was held on the evening of
the 6th inst. at the new Court House,
in this borough, for the purpose of adop
ting measures to raise contributions in
grain and money, for the destitue poor
of Ireland and Scotland. The meeting
was organized by appointing the Hon.
JAMES GWIN, President, and JntiN G.
MiLEs, Esq. Secretary. Resolutions were
offered, and adopted, recommending that
meetings be held in each township on
the 19th inst. preparatory to a general
County meeting to be held in this bor
ough, on the first Tuesday of April court
week. A committee was also appointed,
for the purpose of waiting upon the cit
izens of the borough, We hope that
none will refuse aid to this noble object
—and that all will give freely, to suc
cour these unfortunate people. Of all
the nations on earth, none are more wor
thy our charity than the sons of Erin,
and the bonnie people of the " land
o' cakes." See proceedings in another
column.
THE WEEKLY NORTH AMERICAN
comes to us greatly improved in appear
ance, and double the size of the old form,
at the rate of $2 per annum, in advance.
The number before us contains several
comical engravings, illustrating the do
ings of " the powers that be" at Wash
ington.
The gentlemanly editors of the North
American are not of that class of jour
nalists who are continually puffing them
selves into notoriety, by the most down
right falsehoods ;—their sheets—both
daily and weekly—speak for themselves,
and want no other recommendation to
commend them to patronage than a mere
perusal. A specimau copy can be seen
at this office.
TEA AND COFFEE.—The attempt, on
the part of the Administration, to im
pose a tax on tea and cotfe, was again
rejected, on the 27th ultimo, by a vote
of 91 to 83.
Q} The remains of Lieut. Woods
were interred on last Monday week, at
Lewistown, with military honors. A
committee of ten from our State Legis-
lature were present.
Us- In to-day's paper will be found
the Trial and Jury Lists for the April
Term of Court.
Uy- A collection was taken in the Rev.
Mr. FIELD'S church on Sunday last for
the starving Irish. We did not learn
the amount collected.
[1:)'.- Birmingham Lodge, No. 152, of
the I. 0. 0. F., was, on Thursday last,
dedicated to the service of the order.—
A strong delegation from this place was
in attendance.
0:7 - The Whig State Convention, to
nominate candidates for Governor and
Canal Commissioner, met at Harrisburg
yesterday. Whoever may be the choice
of that Convention will be triumphantly
elected. Stick a pin there!
8 : ) .- Thomas H. Benton has been ap
pointed a Major General of the army
after failing in hi Lieutenant General
project. Small favors thankfully re
ceived.
OD— See the advertisement of B. J.
Williams in to-day's paper. Air. W.
evidently sells his goods at reduced
rates—from the very fact that he adver
tises.
Q - The act authorizing the opening
of a certain alley in our borough has
been passed by the Legislature.
The State Legislature adjourns
on the 15th
THE THREE MILLION BILL-SLAVERY TRI.
OMANI!
The bill giving Polk $3,000,000 to
make peace with Mexico has finally been
passed, without the Wilmot Proviso, and
is now the law of the land. From re
cent indications it was made quite evi
dent that Polk would whip into its sup
port the Northern " dough-faces" who
proved recreant to their duty and
to their country. Not half the Locofo
cos who voted for the Proviso were sin
cere in doing so; but they understood
the voice of the North on the subject,
and were compelled to give it their sup
port to save themselves from utter dam
nation !
But what is the object of this $3,000,-
000 ? Is it to buy peace or to purchase
territory 't The constitutionality and
expediency of such an appropriation is
very doubtful ; but in God's name, we
say, give him the money—place at his
disposal anything that may tend to bring
about au honorable peace—to check this
unholy and unrighteous war. But we
ask that this money will not be used to
make Slave territory out of that which
is now Free. This is not asking too
much. The true friends of Freedom
cannot ask less.
But the Wilmot Proviso has been re
jected in both branches, and who knows
to what use this money may be pervert
ed? It cannot be understood otherwise
but that the view now is to purchase
territory, and place the chain of slavery
around it. The proviso was defeated
by nearly a party vote—and as the views
of the party in power arc so well known
on the subject, we can hardly look for
anything else. And all this in this en
lightened age! Freemen of the North,
how long, after the warnings you have
had, will you permit this accursed traffic
Ito exist ? It is in your power to check
its progress, if your representatives but
obey your commands; but no, they have
been unfaithful to their trust—recreant
to their duty—and are no longer worthy
the name of Freemen.
The President may purchase territo
ry, if he chooses ; but we will have
quite a different Congress from the one
just adjourned, to say to what uses it
jshall be appropriated. If peace be pur
-1 chased, the Senate must ratify the Trea
ty—and the territory acquired must be
organized by the concurrence of the
House. The next Congress must deter
mine whether or not Slavery shall cross
the Rio Grande. Friends of Liberty !
Be Ready!
" Ha, ha, ha, such a nominee."
As " Old Frank Shunk," of the Trappe !
Well, Shunk is again nominated, and
we may now expect to hear, through the
Locofoco press of his " noble qualities,"
his "honesty," his "integrity," and all
that, until the very day of his political
funeral, which will take place on the
l9.th day of October, in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and
forty-stven.
P. S. What does the Globe think of
the nomination
CLOSE OF TILE SESSION. --In allusion to
the close of the last session of the Twen
ty-Ninth Congress, the National Intelli
gencer says that " with the exception of
adding ten regiments to the Army, and
a provision for borrowing less money to
carry on the war than the Government
will want for that purpose before Con
gress meets again, the mass of the indis
pensible business of the session is yet
on the tables of the two Houses."
The following conondrum was
sent us through the post-office, with a
request that we answer it. We "come
down" to the request, and acknowledge
our incapacity to do so. We handed
the matter over to our devil, however,
who volunteered an answer, which will
be found below :
" Why is gun-cotton, in a modified form, called
pistol-cotton 1"
" Evidently because it can't be called
anything else !"
EXTRA SESSION.-A correspondent of
the Philadelphia Inquirer says : " The
supplemental revenue bill having failed,
the chances of an extra session are in
creased, as it is generally admitted that,
should the war go on, the Government
will be out of funds long before the first
regular session of the next Congress."
[D-- We acquit the Union Star man
of wilful plagiarism, on the ground of
his total ignorance of the courtesies that
are due, from one another, to the corps
editorial.
Oz:r Congress adjourned on the ld in.
stant, which was the best act of the ses-
LOCOFOCO STATE CONVENTION
We learn from the Pa. Telegraph that
this body assembled at the Court House
in Harrisburg, on Thursday last, and or
ganized by appointing Hon. WILLIAM
BEATTY, of Butler county, President,
with a large number of Vice Presidents
and Secretaries. After the credentials
were settled, a resolution was offered
that the nominee for Governor should
have two-thirds of the votes of the Con
vention. This raised a debate, during
which Gov. Shunk received some severe
admonitions, and the Convention was
told that he was not the candidate of
the people. The motion was laid upon
the table by a vote of 93 to 30. The Con
vention then proceeded to ballot for a
candidate for Governor, when Gov.
Shunk was re-nominated on the first bal
lot, receiving 106 votes, Judge Eldred
14, Henry 1). Foster 5, and 5 scattering.
For Canal Commissioner, the Conven
tion nominated, on the sth ballot, Mor
ris Longstreth, of Montgomery county,
a thorough-going friend of Gov. Shunk
—the administration thus having things
all their own way. •
Resolutions eulogizing Gov. Shunk
for " his long public services," (he hav
ing been in office about forty years) and
"his inflexible adherence to the cardi
nal principles of modern Democracy"—
rotating from one office to another—du
ring his "long public services," were
adopted, after some amusing speeches
from the minority delegates.
REMEMBER,
That Senator Turney, of Tennessee,
in a defence of the administration,
avows that the war with Mexico result
ed directly from the annexation of Texas.
That Senator Calhoun avowed the ob
ject of annexation to be the perpetuity of
the institution of SLAVERY.
That the same Senator Calhoun has
also expressed the opinion that the war
was entirely unnecessary, and provoked
by the President's secret order for the
advance of our army to the Rio Grande,
—a measure which he must have known
would lead to hostilities.
Therefore, by the admissions of the
various parties to the act of annexation,
it appears that the original cause of this
war, was a plot for the extension and
permanent establishment of human sla
very; and that the immediate cause was
the single, responsible act of James K.
Polk.
On whom, then, asks the U. S. Ga
zatte, rests the responsibility of the blood
treasure, and suffering, expended in this
protracted contest 1
From Washington.
The following is from the telegraphic
despatch of the North American of the
4th inst. :
WASHINGTON, March 4.
Major General Benton, it is said, will
either be assigned to the chief command
of the army, or else decline his appoint
ment.
MeFsrs. Houston and Rusk were both
offered appointments as Major Generals
at the last hour of the session, but decli
ned.
The intended renewal of the attempt
to impose a duty on tea and coffee was
given up, when the bill to admit books
imported by literary institutions free of
duty was defeated.
There are many members here yet,
including some from Pennsylvania, but
they will probably leave in the cars this
evening.
General Ramsey has been confirmed
as Colonel of the Pennsylvania and Vir
ginia Regiment ; Captain Johnson of the
Army, as Lieutenant Colonel ; Messrs.
Hunter of Carlisle, and Morgan of Brad
ford county, as Majors ; Lieut. Lewis
Carr promoted to a Captaincy, and as
signed to the command of a company.
DESERVED COMPLIMENT.—The North
American, of the Ist inst, contained a
card signed by a large number of the
Whig Senators and Representatives in
Congress, recommending that paper to
the Whig party throughout the country,
as the best advocate and exponent of
Whig principles extant. We are right
glad to see the North American properly
appreciated.
ffD- The New York Tribune has a
table showing the amount collected in
the United States for the Relief of Ire
land to be about two hundred and four
thousand dollars.
ID-Hon. MORRIS LONGSTRETII of Mont
gomery county, has been nominated by
the Locofocos as their candidate for Ca
nal Commissioner.
(D- Mr. Clay will be 70 yearsof age
on the 12th day of April next.
lla- It is expected that boats will com
mence running on the canal during the
present week.
LETTER FROM HARRISBURG,
Correspondence of the Huntingdon Journal,
HARRISBURG, March 6, 1847
JAMES CLARK, ESQ.-SIR :-A large
number of petitions have been presen-
ted the present session, praying that
some measure or measures may be adop
ted on the part of our Legislature, which
may induce Congress to abolish Slavery
in the District of Columbia. The com
mittee on Retrenchment and Reform
made a report on Monday on this sub
ject. It is as follows:
WHEREAS, By the constitution of the
United States no powers were conferred
upon the Federal Government to inter
fere with or to establish or sustain the
institution of slavery, but said institu
tion was left entirely with the States in
which it existed to be maintained or es
tablished in each State according to the
will of the people thereof : AND % HERE-
As, The people of the free States under
our Federal compact possess the same
unqualified right to be exempt from the
expense and guilt of upholding said in
stitution as the people of the Slave
States have to continue it ; AND WHERE-
As, Congress by law, approved 27th of
February, 1801, adopted the slave laws
of the State of Maryland and made the
law over the district of Columbia, by
which a portion of the human family i
are now held there as property, and by
force of which laws a commerce is now
carried on there in the bodies of men,
women and children, thereby involving
the people of the free States (whose rep
resentatives refuse to repeal said laws)
in the guilt of the traffic of human fled► ;
AND WHEREAS, The countenance of sla
very and the traffic in human flesh at
the seat of our general Government, is
a reproach on our free institutions, and
at war alike with the dictates of reason
and the principles of religion ; There
fore,
Resolved, That our Senators in Con
gress and our Representatives be re
quested to use their influence for the re
peal of such parts of any and all acts of
Congress which sustain slavery or the
slave trade in the District of Coltpnbia.
The bill creating the new county of
Lackawiinna out of parts of Luzerne
passed the Senate on Monday and it has
been signed by the Governor since. On
the same day the State Treasurer in
formed the Senate that the interest on
the State debt, which fell due on the
first of February, was paid, and there
remained on that day an available bal
ance in the Treasury of $53,586,89.
The bill incorporating the Cumber
land Valley Bank, and the Farmers and
Mechanics Bank of Erie, passed through
the House this week ; and the Reading
Savings' Bank was killed, as was also,
the bill creating the new counties of ;
Penn and Madison out of parts of Berks.
The bill providing for the repeal of that
part of the law relating to the sales of
unseated lands, as requires the County
Treasurers to advertise the sales of those
lands in two papers of the city of Phila.
was passed finally on Friday. These
sales, by this bill, will now be advertised.
in the counties in which the lands are
located, which will require the non-res
ident owners to subscribe for these pa
pers. This is an act of justice to the
country papers which has long been
withheld.
Judge Bell was yesterday confirmed
as an Associate Judge of the Supreme
Court. He was severely handled by Mr.
Gibbons, the Speaker of the Senate—
all of which he deserved, and a little
more. He was zealously defended by
Mr. Bigler. The act incorporating the
Pennsylvania Canal and Rail Road Com
pany, which provides a sinking fund for
the payment of the State debt, was up
several times in the Senate, during the
week, but no definite action had on it.
The most interesting occurrence ofl
the past week, that has transpired in
our goodly borough, was the convening i
and the business of the Democratic Con
vention which assembled on the 16.-1
You have doubtless heard of the labors
of that body. The Convention was full, 1
and respectable in appearance and tal-i
ents. It was pretty harmonious, and yet
infinitely boisterous. The President is
an odd character. These traits exhibit
ed themselves strongly during his occu
pancy of the chair, and in this exposed
position, they appeared very ridiculous,
and give rise to any quantity of turbu-i
lence and merriment. He is either to
tally ignorant of parliamentary rules or
entirely indifferent to them. His deci
sions were very erroneous, at least most
of them, but pertinaciously adhered to;
and by means of his resolute firmness,
compelled a compliance to them. They
were always lunglied at, but had to be
obeyed. Respected they were not. Not
withstanding all this, he made a tolera
ble President, and perhaps the best that
could be selected to manage the " upro
rious" democracy. The opposition to
Shunk was small in number, but the
most talented portion of the Convention.
McCauley of this county, introduced a
resolution which required the votes of
two-thirds of the Convention to nomi
, I nate. This motion ke supported in a
• speech not destitute of argument, and
full of fun. The Shunkites tried to put
him down, but lie was too many for
, them. H. B. Wright of Luzerne, made
' an able speech in favor of the resolution.
He was replied to by Reah Frasier of
Lancaster, in a very feeble way. J. F.
Cox, the CONSISTENT anti-mason of Sons
!lerset, used up poor Frasier, and then A.
Porter Wilson of your county, also give
him a number of sly stops in under
spots. But it would not do; the reso
lution was voted down, 30 to 93. Be
fore this debate occurred, a hard contest
had been settled between old Jeff Heck
man of Northampton, and Senator Over
field of Monroe. The latter claimed a
seat in the Convention as the delegate
from Monroe, and the former was spokes
man for another claimant. After saying
plenty of hard timings of each other, Mr.
Ovefmeld had to knock under.
The appropriation bill has been under
consideration in the Senate for several
days. Numerous amendments have been
proposed, but none have yet been adopt
ed, changing very materially the fea
tures of the bill. The debate on some
of these propositions occupied the ses
sion of this morning.
The Governor sent in a message this
mornin g , re-nominating John M. Fors‘
ter, Esq., as the President Judge of the
Chester and Delaware district. Some
think he will be confirmed. I hope so.
I have known many worse lawyers and
worse men placed upon the bench. He
has always stood fair in this community
both as a lawyer and a citizen. The re
monstrances sent in against him come
from disappointed applicants. At least
this inference is a natural deduction
from the information and intimations
which have been given to me on the
subject.
The bill to elect Prosecuting attor
flies and Deputy Surveyors finally pass
ed the House this morning. It was
strenuously opposed by the Democratic
members, which was only another evi
dence of the consistency of the mana
gers of that party. This is clearly a
democratic measure, and in some of the
other States is considered one of the
best evidences of Democracy, but that
democracy does not suit Pennsylvania.
In this State this measure does not mm
ister to the ambition and cupidity of the
leaders of the incorruptible democracy,
but in other States where it does, it is
the best kind of democracy. This mod
; ern democracy is a queer thing. It is
i suited to all circumstances when money
1 and honors can be made out of it.
The Senate, on yesterday, confirmed
Judge Bell as an Associate Judge of the
Supreme Court. J. Pringle Jones' nom
ination, to fill the place once held by
Judge Banks, will meet with some op
position, whether very serious or not, I
cannot tell. His want of experience is
objected to.
The delegates to the V big State Con
vention are coming in by degrees. The
Convention will be full, and its proceed
logs watched with deep interest. My
convictions as to the results have not
been changed since I intimated to you
some time ago that there could be no
doubt about the nomination of Gen. IR
VIN. On the contrary, I have since
seen numerous additional evidences to
confirm these convictions. SPY.
THE WILMOT PROVISO.
The Three Million Bill having passed
the Senate—the Wilmot Proviso strick
en out—we fear that the train bands of
the Administration will succeed in buy
ing or hectoring the lower house into
submission. This apprehension is war
ranted ; for although the convictions of
the House have been so repeatedly and
solemnly expressed, that an abandon
ment of them will be a treason to truth'
and honor, yet we have too many instan
ces of the subserviency of the majority
in that body to place the slightest
reli
ance upon it. The object of the bill is
to bribe the Mexican authorities into
granting a peace which the nation will
disown, and conceding to us new pas
ture fields for the cultivation of human
cattle. Such a peace will be worse than
the worst war, and may be the parent of
many wars. The bill as amended is a
distinct proclamation of the determina
tion of the government to effect the ex
tension of slavery and the multiplication
of slave States, to an extent that will
secure the subjugation of the freemen of
the land to the policy of the Locofocos
1 of the South.
We have already said that the North
would wall the rights of the South around
with warm and fraternal hearts, and
perish rather than permit the slightest
of their privileges to be invaded ; but
the conquest or acquisition, by a frau
dulent compact with the arch miscreant
of Mexico, of territory for the express
and sole object of extending slavery tin
der the auspices of the nation, cannot
and will not be submitted to. The Lo
cofocos of the country have, however,
determined upon the experiment. So be
it. We are ready for the issue before
the people. We dare them to meet us
at that tribunal. Let them not dream
that the question will be encountered in
the pulling and tremulous spirit hereto
fore manifested. The season of doubt
has passed, and the dominion of "dough
faces" is over forever. We declared,
long since, that were this outrage upon
the nation attempted, it would he met
with a determined, united and ceaseless
resistance. If the Locofocos are deter
mined to raise this issue, in the face of
all efforts on our part to avoid it, why
"let them come on ; we are armed."
P. S. Our apprehensions have already
been realized. It will be seen by our
Congressional report that the three mil
lion bill has been passed without the
proviso. We can scarcely regret it, for
it secures an early and overwhelming
rising of the freemen of the land against
the abominations of the party now in
power.—Norelt dmerican of Thursday.
IRELAND fir, SCOTLAND.
At a meeting of citizens of the Bor;
ough of Huntingdon held, on public no•
flee, at the Court House, on Saturday
etening the Gth March,lB4.7, for the pur•
pose of adopting measures to raise con
tributions for the relief of those who
are suffering for want of food, in Ireland
and Scotland, the Hon. JAMES G
being called to the Chair, and Jour; G.
MILES, Esq., appointed Secretary, the
following Preamble & Resolutions offer•
ed by Milliam Orbison, Esq. were adop
ted.
WHEREAS, authentic information has
been received in this country, that owing
to a failure of crops in Ireland and Scot.
land and partially in other countries of
Europe, a destitution of food particular
ly in Ireland and some parts of Scotland
prevails to such an extent that many—
men, women and children—are literally
starving to death.
__. . .
ANT). - WHEREAS, it becomes us as a
christian people in this land of plenty,
so highly favored by a kind and benefi
cent Providence, not only to sympathize
with our suffering brethren abroad, but
also to evince the sincerity of our sym
pathy by Contributing to their relief, so
far as we may be enabled through the
munificence of our bountiful Creator.—
Therefore ;
litsbrAitn, That in order to our acting
efficiently in this interesting matter, a
committee of six be appointed to solicit
contributions in grain, flour or money,
to be forwarded to such persons in the
city of Philadelphia, as may be author
ized to receive the same, and that donors
be requested tO designate to which of
the countries (Ireland or Scotland) they
wish their contributions to be sent—and
further, that said committee be and are
hereby authorized to transmit donations
in such manner as they may deem most
expedient, defraying the expenses of the
transmission of flour and grain contrib
uted, out of monies that may be recei
ved.
RESOLVED, That it be, and is hereby
recommended, to the citizens of the sev
eral townships throughout the county,
to meet on the 19th instant, or at such
other time as they may think proper at
their several places of holding township
meetings, for the purpose of adopting
measures to raise contributions for the
object herein before mentioned—and
that it be further recommended that a
Coulity meeting, be held at the Court
House on the Tuesday evening of the
first week of next April court, to adopt
further measures, if deemed necessary,
to facilitate the raising and transmission
of contributions for the object afore
said.
‘N hereupon, the following named gen ,
tlemen were appointed by the Chair, a
committee for the purposes mentioned,
viz : George Taylor, Thomas Burchinell f
James Saxton, David McMurtrie, Peter
Swoope, and David Snare, to which, on
motion, were added the officers of the
meeting, James Gwin, and John G. Miles:
On motion, ordered that the Editors
of public papers in the County, be re
quested to publish the proceedings of
this meeting in their respective papers.
JAMES G WIN, Chairman.
J. thio. MILES, Secretary.
GEN. TAYLOR.—We learn from a pri
vate source, worthy of credence, that
Gen. Taylor is far from being satisfied..
with the recent changes made in the dis
position of the forces in Mexico, and that,
although now busily engaged in prepa
rations for a march into Zacatecas, it is
probable he will soon quit the country,
or in other words, resign his command.
It is also said that the Department
having treated him with very little cere
mony, he has written to the Secretary a
letter, which, if published, would be a
curiosity. In it he has spoken his mind
freely and bluntly.
We do not know what credit to at
tach to these statements, but they come
directly and from a source which imparts
to them a strong degree of probability
the writer having many opportunities of
obtaining correct information.—Nortii
.1m erican.
fT- The Three Million Bill—the Wil
mot Proviso stricken ont—passed both
branches of Congress, on the 3d inst.
We have had beautiful Spring
weather for the last three or four days..
The alarkels.
PHILADELPHIA, March 6, 1847:
FLOUR AND MEAL—The export demand'
for Flour has been moderate; sales of
several parcels at $6, for standard and
fair brands ; scraped at $5,621. To ar
rive, sales of 5 a 6000 brls at 5,56 a 5,50
To-day, sales of 800 brls at $6 ; 1500
brls at $5,871, and 1000 brls supposed
at $5,94. Some Brandywine at $,6,12i
and 500 half brls at $8,371 per pair.--
Most holders ask $6 for present deliv
ery. Rye Flour—Sales at $4,75, and
to arrive at a fraction up. Corn Meal
--Considerable sales at 4,50 for present
and future delivery. GRAlN—Wheat is
more enquired for. Sales of 3000 bush
els at $1,25 a 1,30 for good and prime
Penn'a red, to arrive • sales of 10,000
bushels at $1,25. Rye—Sales of Pa.
at 80 a7B cts. Corn has slightly de
clined—Sales of Penn'a round yellow
at 90 cts, weight ; since flat yellow at
86 a 861 cts, delivered ; Jersey yellow
at 81 and Southern at 83 a 81 ets. all
measure. Oats—Sales of Southern at
40, and Penn'a at 44 cts. to arrive.