Indiana State Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 40, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 March 1850 — Page 1

INDIANAPOLIS, ITIAKCII 7, 18SO. CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM The Grand Jury System. We published a communicatiun, signed "P.," short time since, in favor of the abrogation of the Grand Jury system. The author of the communication is one of the ablest lawyers of this State. His proposition has been the subject of conversation among lawyers and other intelligent gentlemen of this

city, but we hear t f no formidable objection t it. nature to the extent of ascertaining whether there be "We observed a short time since, that the New Orleans probable grounds for tending the prisoner before a True Drlia had taken hold of the same subject with a jury, tcko shall hear the evidence on both sides and destroi.g hand, being stimulated to do so. by the action i'rmjne accnr dingy . The moat important or these JT . , - . o l n conditions would be that every investigation at which of the Grand Jury, in the case of the Spanish Consul a(y perso.,8 Cl,mrailted or uncharged by any police for the abduction of Key, and in which the Jury ig- magistrate or justice of Hie peace, hall lake place in nirred a bill of indictment in the face of almost posi- on open court, and it shall not be lawful for any mogtive proof of guilt. j istrate to hear and determine, so far at committing We consider no apology due to our readers, (aya ; and discharging, any charge whatever in private."

the True Delta,) with recent eveuts still fresh btfore j them, for publishing the annexed extracts from Eng- ! lisli journals on the pernicious influences frequently brought to bear upon grand juries, and the absence in the present state of the laws of that country and our own, of all necessity for their continuance. If there be one element of justice that appeals more strongly than another to a liberty loving people, it is ita open proceedings. Wherever there is secrecy, there is dishonesty some time or another, and it requires no witchcraft to foretell the quarter likely to be benefitted in such contingency. That inconvenience may Dot by possibility ame from a publication of testimony in preliminary investigations once in a century, perhaps, we will not contcud; but even so, the benefits derived by the public during the remainder of the period, will more than counterbalance the centennial irregularity or aberration, if it should occur. If criminals, whose guilt is as clear as the sun in the heavens, can strangle investigation in a room not accessible to public scrutiny, can poison justice at the fountain head, the laws are a farce, and the equality of the citizens before them, a delusion and a mock. We copy the following article and the extracts it contains from the Worcester (England) Herald : Tue Grand Jurv Svstem. The experiment of dispensing with the ceremony ' a Grand Jury, in the administration of justice, is about to he made by means of an act now passing through ita last stages in the last Parliament, which abolishes that tribunal in the metropolitan districts, including, of course, the Centra) Criminal Court.. We have called the grand jury a ceremony, because when it does no tniscliief.it is so, and nothing more; but it may become, either accidentally or designedly, exceedingly mischievous. For example, it is a cererony in ninety-nine cases out of one hundred, where true bills are found, as in these the accused parlies have been committed after a far more searching judicial investigation of the charge preferred against them, than ever takes place in the grand jury room. The intervention between the committing magistrate and the jury, who are to try the accused, of a tribunal. which simply inquires whether there be prima facie,. that is, a probable ground of suspicion, against theul. ' is at best, therefore, a useless ceremony ; but we shall also prove conclusively, that it may be rendered a te"1 ? I!.. ! a . JaV t it - - 1 nous evil. Accidentally it may ceieai justice, as where the witnesses against the accused fail,: from some fortuitous circumstance, to attend before" the grand jury; and, designedly, it may have the same effect, as where witnesses are kept out of the way on purpose. There are many other ways in which the noxious capabilities of this weed of our ancient jtidi cial system may re orougnt into pesuiem activity. . Two bills cannot be found a?ain.t any one for the j the same offence ; and, therefore, an accomplice or friend may, in many cases, prefer a bill of indictment, before the grand jury, against an individual in order to prevent a party really aggrieved from obtaining justice, n such a case, no evidence is offered before the petit jury, and they return a verdict of not guilty. This mode of cooking" grand jury bills, was formerly extensively practised to extort money from keepers of gambling houses, and probably is so still. The bill to abolish grand juries, above referred to, is founded upon abundant evidence of their plain evils. Mr. Hum'ureys, a solicitor in extensive criminal practice, says ; My objections to the grand jury system are, that it ii injurious frequently to innocent parties, and that il is a protection very often to guilty parties ; and that it assists the compromise of offences which have been investigated fully before the magistrates; for by means of its secret acting, there is no opportunity of i knowiniv what takes Dlace before it. and conseouentlv ! h pvidpnee which has been irivpn before the mairia. !

träte may be increased, repressed, or diminished be- .1 malM wouid undoubtedly have been realized, but for fore the grand jury. circumstances entirely beyond our control . indeed the .,., , . . t j t .l i- . t two leading ones may be regarded as dispensations Mr. Mirehouse. the assntint Judge of the Central Df Divjue Providence ." ! Criminal Court, has tried 25,000 cases, and he says : i . , ' , , . J ; The report then gives the reasons for the falling I do not know one single argument-in favor of offf vix . lhe cholera and the failure of the wheat the grand jury system. I hould be glad to hear any ... J(r e , e one put .,, queatio., . to any one p.int in favor of croP t,ld ,he difference f prices at various places of retaining theui in the Central Criminal Court. Inev-lhe hoff market, and conclusively shows, that rioter beard one argument in favor of it,' that liaa been ! withstanding these draw-backs, the operations of the conclusive in my mind." - . . j year are of the mont satisfactory character. The press is nearly unanimous in condemning! The expenses of the road have been extraordinarily grand juries. The Times, for example, says : ! increased for reasons given,' but which will not ne"The grand jury is a relic of another condition of j cessarily follow in future years.. Uesidea the repairs society, of a method of administering justice now en- of ol(1 engioeg and cat iad the purchase of new ti rely reformed. W hatever was originally valuable ' . j .i in such a jurisdiction baa pad iuto other hands. ones' lhe company have built, during .the year, and is exercised in a manner far more conducive to j wo fine baggage cars, six new freight cars, sixtiie general advantage. The police magistrate, who j teen new hug cars, ten new pi ne or lumber conducts his inquiry with open door; who confronts j carJit anj eleven four wheel dirt cars. All the the witnesses with the acused; who admits the legal j mxpen&llur for tj,eset including 400 new wheels, advisers of the snpposed criminal to his court, and , , . . ., . V . , , pi- 1 and li0 new axle, have gone to the charge of repermits tlem to argue against trie propriety of Lis ! ' , committal, either on grounds of law or fact ; and who.! Pr 'f d machinery. The permanent acabove all, must exercise his solemn and -important count of "New Cars and Machinery" was charged

functions without forgetting the reporters in bis court, and the great body of the nation out of doors, whom they represent ; such an officer, we say, exercising his jurisdiction in such a manner, oners tar more valuable guaranties to the public than any mystical tri' bunal such as the grand jury, whose proceedings are the very reverse of what we have juat described. , The natural results follow, from the existence of such nn abnormal jurisdiction in the modern system of administering criminal justice. Is it determined to extort money from persons moving in a respectable sphere of society, and who would rather suffer any pecuniary sacrifice than have jheir names brought before lhe public in connection with an odious charge! the extortioner prefers a bill of indictment before the grand jury. Against the innocent il remains a- terrible instrument of oppression. Is it the? öbjct of ai exn. rienced thief to get off afir committal ! it is to the grand jury he looks as hia sheet anchor. I consider,' said Mr. Mirehoose, who has fiil-d the office of com-

mon sergeant or the city or Loudon Tor the last hlteen VJ or sixteen years, tfiat a thief hau about twelve or! We have not space for further extracts at present ; fourteen chances to get off, and that (the grand jury) ; but to show, in addition to the paragraph above, the is the first and great chance. , Generally, a man of the i Ter r8pid increase of the business cf the road, we ewe.l-mob has pUnty of anoney, or h u ctuncld . .r.i i-l- ... . r. ' rr. . r : append a tatement of the present stock, which is with those who have. Then he buys off the witnesses, ' and gets then to stay away, and not to go before the , ty' at Kork all the time. grand jury. There are the two main and leading jv- Five 1st class engines; seven 2d class do.; two reasons for the abolition of the system, inasmuch as 4 class do. ; two 4th class do. Four 1st class pasthey point to the great evils which cannot be si ffered aenger cars; four 2d do.; four baggage cars; two to disgrace a modern system of jurisprudence when ; l0r,e car. Qny-seven horse freight cars; twenty the ha.e.bcen once pomtod o-it j Jumber carfl . njnet hoff caf . five houw frcight It is well urged by the Evex Herald : . , ..... 01 a n 11 r .- The grand jury system . in the present day bi t a car " Shelbyville road ; eleven four form, and in great cities, as it has been proved, fre- wheel band cars; eleven four wheel sand and gravel quently a miactiievous ic. lending often t lhe es- cars... 4 -

cape of the guilty, and sometimes being made an instrument of extortion. The duties which the grand iurv was oricrinally intended to discharge are 'now J e j u . ... - . ; . . k. .t....i. performed by the cotnmitiing inajistrate he stands Letween a party wrongfully accused, and a long in - ftrisonment before trial ; and we see no utility in another shifting of the eae before the priwrtier is called on to answer the charge sgain.-t birn. And lhe alteration would have this adrant. gothe class now summoned as special jurymen would be thrown into the general panel, and thus the standard of intelligence in the jury-box wonld be raised an improvement which those aecustomed to watch the administration f public jovlxe roast bsve often felt w be desirable." Under ceitain conditions we can see no danger in committing 1 1 one competent honest man the task of investigating and deciding iu charges of a criminal

Published every Thursday. Railroads. We have been so crowded with matters of various kinds, of a general political character, that we have had but small chance to notice such as have a more immediate bearing on our local and commercial interests. It is not too late, however, to give a bird's-eye view of rorae of the most prominent of the facilities in our possession as a State, and thereby to direct public attention to the same. We have before us the peventh annual report of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad Company for the year ending December 31, 1919. The Report says : "The time fixed for the annual meeting of the Board was, upon this occasion, followed so immediately upon the clone of the fiscal year, as to Bomewhat euibarras the officers of the Company, in presenting the business and condition of the Road. The actual receipts and expenditures in the Road Department proper, with the earnings of the Road, are readily arrived at, and will be accurately given ; but in the stock account for the improvement of the Road, there may be some uncertainty, owing to the fact that we have not been able to get our accounts current from New York, and New Orleans, and also from the fact, that at the close of the year we had a large amount of iron at New Orleans, at Lafayette, and on the rivers, for freights and duties upon which we have advanced funds, the specific appropriations of which have not been communicated to us in such form as to enter accurately into our accounts.' So far then as the receipts and disbursements can be brought up, they amount as follows : . Total receipts, - - $133,611 17 Total expenditures, - - 454.905 17 Leaving a balance of, - 8J3.706 00 'This balance, though nominally in the hands of the Treasurer, has, in fact, been transferred to New Orleans, for payment of freight and duties ou iron ; but the account current and vouchers have not been ;- returned so as to credit the Treasurer in due form. '. The receipts d disbursements of the Road fund proper,-showing its earnings during the year, are as fo.lu.ws-: . jj"CccVe-from transportation of freight, :.. psugTriind U. S. Mail, - $243,18 ptn,-.r ,',,i,er. source, as Old Metal sold, . ... . ISO 69 work doüe "at shops for other roads and persons &c., - - - 4.730 45 '- Making a total of, - $247,920 34 Amount paid legitimate expenses of Road, as per items irj general acrou.ir.rT J ftl 37.530 77 Amount paid State,' in et.ck, s rent, 7.''r -"" ' - 1,152 04 $138,68381 Net earnings. $109,237 53 From which deduct payment of July divi dend, - 50,737 60 Leaving a balance of, - - $59,499 93 Which gives to the stockholders a present dividend of four and one-half per cent, for the last six months, and eight snd one-half per cent, for the year; with a surplus of $1,246 73. ' In comparing results with the preceding report." it must bo borne in mind that the fiscal years of 1943, embraced but eleven months. . . - ' The .total receipts from transportation and mail eervice.'during the past year, it will be seen, are - $243.189 89 During the fiscal year of 1849, they were, 212,095 85 Showing an increase of, $31,094 U4 .Notwithstanding tins Notwithstanding this liberal increase, the receipts k fallen much below Our estimates. Thosa esti j i 143, with $3,767 02; in 1849, it is charged . wilh $30,30 7T,Bhuwing a reduction of $44,534 87; and the charge in 1S49 is almost-wholly made up of obligations incurred in 1848, and passed over to the next year for payment, charged upon the permanent funds. ' ' ', , . ' ' ''' ' ' ;" '". The report says , .. "So far as power is concerned, the road may be regarded as fully stocked, for two or three years, unless its running distance .should be extended. If negotiations now pending, for the running of two roada meeting ours at Indianapolis, should be consummated, we shall want by the first of October next, two first class freight engines. The cars thai may be requir ed are within our own building capacities ; and can he put up at much less cost, and in a better manner 1 than elsewhere. We have at preseut in process or construction two Passenger Cars, that are required - In alluding to the progress 6f railroads, it is interesjjng look bick to the commencement of the rail- ,., . 'ua enterprise in this commonweaUh, and examine . r , ' estimates of income and expenses then made on some of the leading roads, and compare them with the actual receipts and expenditures at the present Xim for in,tance, the Boston and Worcester d The faowj . f k Worcester Spy, of tJ' July 10, : 'Boston and Worcester Railroad. It is cheerhg to observe the spirit manifested by the capitalists of Roston in relation to a railroad between tho city and this town. The act of incorporation of the company provides that the capital stock shall consist of ten thousand shares, not to exceed one hundred dol-

INDIANAPOLIS, MARCH 7, 1850.

lars per share, and the price of shares has been fixed at that sum. In estimating the profits of the undertaking, the income from passengers to be conveyed by four locomotive engines is computed at $71,370 per year. Tlie average amount of travelling in the stages n..w running between Boston and Worcester, is &41,. 20, exclusive of the smaller lines, which, to.i .u .i iit. u . -ii petlier with the travel likely to be attracted by the mitrrtnt will 1. 1 tra ftits luttTA nmiiir.t HKtimntinff thp r . a Kn r u u . . ,u 1--fareat$l 50 tor each passage between the places. As to t!ie quantity of goods to be transported, it is computed that the amount of the present business which would be accommodated by the railroad, would require a lr naporlation equivalent to lö.tlUÜ tons, . for which, at $3 per ton, the receipts would be $54,000. The expenses for repairs of the road and of the locomotive engines, the cost of fuel, &&, the salaries of superintendents and workmen, are set at $33,570 per annum, so that a net income of $80,800 may be safely expected. Such is the estimate made by the very intelligent committee of the corporation,, and contained in llieir circular." It appears from the above that a very intelligent committee, in their circular to the public, estimate the total Income from ail sources to be $123,d7U. Say for passengers. - $71.370 " freight, - 51,000 $125.370 - 39,570 ExDense9. Net income, eighty-six thousand eight hundred dolars. Compare these figures with those in the report ust issued to the stockholders of the corporation, and the result shows an increase of net income the last year over the estimates made in 1331, of one hundred eighty-seten thousand one hundred seventeen dollars and eighty cents. It will be seen by the report referied to, that tho total receipts for the year ending the 3Uth of Novem ber, were - - . - - - $703,361 15 Expenses, . -. - - - - - . 429,513 3o Net income, . - : - . - . $273,917 90 The very intelligent committee say in their circuar that it will take four locomotive engines to do he business of the road. At the present time it re quires twenty-nine.- : . ; Terke Haute a.xd Richmond Railroad Com pany. Wefave before us the first annual report of tliis company. We extract the following, not hav ing room for the entire report. On the 20th day of December, ISIS, the claring, grubbing and grading of 32 miles of the road, on tliat part of the line between Tcrre Haute and Greencastle, and the build ing of a stone pier and abutments for a bridge across the Walnut fork of Eel River, was let to contractors at about 6 per cent, below the Engineer's estimate, and about 33 per cent, of the work payable in the st-jck of the company. Most of the work, excepting two light sections, has rapidly progressed. The bal ance of the road to this city has been permanently located, and ."was let to contractors last December, as was then noticed in this paper, at about 2i per cent below the Engineer's estimate, and 29 per cent, pay able in the stock of the company. There now re mains a little over 20 miles, including the two sec tions forfeited, to be put under contract, the Engi tiecr's estimate for clearing, grubbing, and grading of. which, amounts to a little upwards of fifty-three tbuusaud dollars, and we have every confidence to belie? that our stock subscription will be increased, in a. few months, so as to justify our putting that part of the line, and the building of the stone pier and abutments for a bridge across White River, un der contract, the coming spring, so ss to enable us to complete the grading of the whole line from Terre Haute to Indianapolis, ready for the superstructure in one year from this time, and thereby secure the completion of the road between these two points by tho first of December, 1951." Sites for depots at Terre Haute and Indianapolis have been secured, without any expense to the com paoy. Also five acres of land for machine shops nt Indianapolis, for one thousand dollars, payable. in two years with interest, and five seres at Terre Haute without charge. 'The cost of grading and bridging the road from Terre Haute to Indianapolis, ready for the super structure, according to the Engineer's estimate, will amount to 317,188 dollars. To meet which we have a subscription to stock, including the amount payable to contractors on their contracts, of 232,600 dollars to which add 30 per cent, on the balance of the grad ing and bridging, not under contract, payable in stock amounting to 34,156 dollars; and the commissioners of Vigo county will subscribe 50,000 dollars, payable in the bonds of the county, at any time when called upti by the company to do so making in al the sum of 316,756 dollars, which amount will about cover the expenses of preparing the road for the su perstructure." , The receipts of the company to the present time amount to 103,385 69-100 dollars, and the expendi tures to 102,911 12-100 dollars, leaving a balance in the treasury of 473 93-100 dollars. - The directors think that with exertion on the part of. all interested, with a liberal subscription to the stock, the ' road can be completed between Terre Haute and Indianapolis by December, 18.1 and con eludes thus: ' .y ' If we look at this road as a part of the main trunk which i ultimately to connect the East and West and. view its connection at Indianapolis with the Madison, Lawrenceburgh, Cincinnati, Bellefontaine, and Teru roads, and at Terre Haute with the Wabash and Erie canal, and the Evansville, St. Louis, Alton and Quincy roads also the immeuse local business from the rieb, agricultural country, and inexhaustible beds of coal through which it passes, we must all be convinced that there is no other road in the country that will pay a better dividend on its cost.' As sn investment of capital, we know of none more safe and certainly of noue which promises to pay so wel for all time to come. . . , . . . The Goshen Democrat concludes a notice of cer tain delinquent subscribers as follows : "We warn the public not to harbor or trust them any more on our account, as we will pay no more debts of their contracting. We shall serve more of 'uro in the same way, one of these times. It is shame and disgrace not to pay the Printer!" This may bring them up to taw," but not likely Best to adopt our system. We have not lost a dol lar on the State Sentinel subscription list since its existence, nearly nine years! But before that we loft thousands and were bankrupted under the credit system. . The kindness of our friends killed us! fjThe Democrats of Connecticut have made the following nominations: For Governor, Thomas II Seymour ; for Lieut. Governor, Charles II. Pond ; for Secretary, Hiram Weed ; for Treasurer, Henry D. Smith ; for Comptroller, Rufus G. Pinney. The whigs have made the following nominations: For Governor, L. F. S. Foster; for Lieut. Governor, G. Kendrick ; for Secretary, Roger H. Miles ; for Treasurer, Thos. B. Clark; for Comptroller, belah Strong. And the free soiters have nominated John Boyd for Governor, and Julius Clark for Lieut. Governor.

fiietttute

For the Statt Sentinel. The XeV Constitution. Wo. VI. The number of Senators might be forever fixed at 24, and of KeDrenentativea t 72. Hm in ihi. r.u it would take ihre. Representative districts to make one Seoato- . Tli. A .. . , . , rial. I Im would make another mall saving of einen, Al, . , , . , . . ... ...... . . . All special legislation should be abolihed, and local and private legislation be reduced to the narrowest posre r ,,bU "P". Tha power of the Legislature to grant divorces should be abolished ; and it hould be prohibited 'rom " instructing our Senators in Congress," or rquesting our Representative, to give or withhold their votes on any national question. Such instructions, or requests, if given or mads at all, should corns from the people of the Slate, io primary aancmblies; while the members of the Legislature, elected aolely for purposes of State business, should be confined to it. I would not, however, prohibit the members of the Legislature from expressing an opinion on a ay national quenlion, by yeas and nays, veithout debate, provided a majority of twothirds desired lo do so. " Resolved, that in the opinion of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana," &e.t would pass for its exact value at home and abroad; and as no speeches could be made for Buncombe, no harm, except a little waste of time, paper and ink, in calling the yaa and najs, could come of it. In regard tn the importance of a large or small number of Senators or Representative, so far aa the welfare of the State is concerned, it is oi no importance. Of the wo best governed and most prosperous Slates in the Union, both as it regards tbeir public finances and the individual prosperity of the citizens, one has lhe largest and the other the smallest number of inhabitants; these States are Massachusetts and New York. The question being mainly, if not wholly, one of economy, the smallest number should be fixed upon in the new Constitution for this State. SWITZERLAND. The "State Sentinel," is giving as some very in teresting leading articles upon the subject of the New Constitution, in which the editors seem fearful that the whigs are about to steal their thunder. The Sen tinel appears to be conducted with moro talent and zeal than usual. There is but little to interest, vet the editors are constantly laboring to make a para graph of interest. Iitokcille American. We don't care how m-ich the v!iig miy steal of our thunder, provided they- mike an honest ueof the stolen jroods ! But nevr mind : if thev are d:shonest in the commission of their hut wh Us-ile theft, they will be detected and punished, in good time : the ears will stick out, ss they did in the eise of a certain animal of olden time, who clothed his ugly carcass in a ion's hide ; or else they will be betrayed by the bray, such, for iu-tance, as in the following, from the Republican, a whig paper published at Warsaw, in this State. It thus spoke of the whig batch of reso lutions: , ' OCT" A series of resolution adopted at a Whig meeting at Indianapolis on the evening of the 16tli inst., we shall publish next week. They express the opinion of tho meeting, but we do not understand that they profess to speak for the Whigs of Indiana, though they may pretty correctly echo their sentiments, upon most subjects. Rather dubious, any how ! Evglisii Markets. Advices by the steamship America, recently received, represent that the Corn market is depressed. Flour is not much enquired after, and prices have fallen one shilling to one shilling and sixpence per barrel on good brands. Indian Corn has receded 6d per quarter. American Provisions. The market has removed for Bacon and good new Western has sdvanccd one shilling to two shillings per cwt. Lard has again de clined. Pork is in good demand, but there is no change in prices. There is a good demand for Shoul ders of low qualities, but no advances has yet been rntde. . Ireland. The intelligence from this unfortunate couutry is more heart-rending than ever. Cultivation is seemingly stagnant, and trade is more depressed than in the first of her sufferings. The tide of emi gration for the United States Ins again set in, but un fortunately for the people, the means is not now gen erally left to enable them to esctpe from local tyranny and destitution. Pass Round the Rascal. A pretended dentist, a Dr. Wm. Booth, has run away from Virginia, under the worst circumstances after contracting several debts and courting a lady, whom ho promised to marry. A borrowed horse he sold at Georgetown. His trunk was found to contain nothing but billets of wood. It has since been ascertained that, under the name of Dr. Frederick Preston, he married a lady in Wisconsinin October, 1847 ; left her in May following; subsequently be appeared in Howard county, Mo., as Dr. James L. Dunn; in November, 1818, married another lady at Indianapolis, la., converted all her property into money, end, in March Isst, deserted her at Fayette, Missouri. He next appeared in Philadelphia as Dr. Bume, and came to Waterford in May last. He is about forty years of age. Pursue the rascal - ' " ' ; 1 , 07-It is estimated that six thousand persons or nearly one-fifteenth of, the population of Cincinnati have had the small-pox or varioloid daring the last four months. It is spreading to a considerable extent in Covington and Newport, Ky Like the cholera, it bears a milder form now than it did in 1832-3, when it followed in the wake of that dreadful disease. . , J. 0. 0. F. in Indiana. By the report of the Grsnd Secretary to the January communication of 1850, it appears there were existing and chartered at the close of the preceding session of the Grand Lodge 66 subordinate : lodges; initiations during the preceding year 714; number of cpntributing members 2.657 number of P. Gs. 446; revenues for year ending June 30, 1S49, $30,312.79. The order is represented as enjoying great harmony and prosperity. The increase of its membership is very rapid. OCrThe following are the "Statistics of the Charity Hospital of .New Orleans" for the last nine years. During the year 1849 the expenses of the Hospital were $92,993.43 ; the number of patients admitted was 15,558, of whom 13,034 were foreigners, and 1,782 were native citizens. The Hospital has 37 wards containing 753 bedsteads. The benefits of the Institution have been dispensed to patients from almost every State, nation and kingdom of the globe. Jeftbrsom upon Homestead Exemption. The following is the language of Thomas JefTorson in relation to "Homestead Exemption." Let every democrat ponder upon it, and henceforth let no one, claiming to be a disciple of that illustrious man, raise his voice against so just and humane a reform : The JIomeslead.Mhea the war is over and our freedom won, the 'people must make a new declaration ; they muM declare the rights of man, the individual, sacred above all craft in priesthood or governments they must at one blow, put an end to all the trickeries of English law, garnered up in all the channels of agee, bind the heart and will with lies. Tbey must perpetuate republican truth by making tho Homestead of every man a holy things which no law can touch, no juggle can wrest from his wife and children this done, the Revolution will not haw been fughl in vaiu. Thomas Jffrsn. .

Volume lI:::::::::Jfunikr 40.

By Te'egraph. Couurosioiiul. Washington. Feb. 25, 1850. Senate After unimportant business, on motion of Mr. Foote the Senate took up his resolution, declaring that it is the duty of C ingress lo provide Territorial Governments for California, New Mexico and Deeret, which, after some debate was postponed for the present. The consideration of the President's California Message was postponed until to-morrow. The Senate took up Mr. Clay's compromise resolutions. Mr. Miller resumed and concluded his speech. He took broad grounds in favor of the admission of California. He denied that the President had interfered in the matter and said, that slavery does not by law exist there, and that the interest of the South had been fully represented in California. After Mr. Miller Imd concluded, the farther consideration of the subject was postponed until Thursday. A long discussion ensued on a resolution to refer the slavery and all other exciting questions, ton committee of thirteen, to be empowered tu submit a plan for the settlement of tue difficulties. The debate was continued until adjournment. House A number of memorials and petitions were presented, among which was one from William Smith, claiming to be a brother of Joe Smith, remonstrating against theidmiseiou of Deseret, c harging the people there with tretson and other hard things Laid over. Mr. Giddings presented a memorial from citizens of Pennsylvania and Delaware, asking the peaceable dissolution of the Union. Several gentlemen sprung to their feet and murh excitcnu-ul fiiMied. Finally a vote was taken on its reception, which resulted yeas 9, nays 162. The Free Soilers voted in the affirmative. Mr. Schenck presented a memorial of the convention of New Mexico, together with a plan of a Civil Government and moved its reference to the Committee on Territories. After some further business of no special interest, the House adjourned. Washington, Feb. 26. Senate. After the reception of reports, and a personal explanation between Hale and Foote, a mo tion prevailed to adjourn to attend the funeral of Ueu. Mcrieil, a distinguished son of New Hampshire. House. After the presentation of reports, they went into committee of the whole ou the President's annual message. Mr. Wilson resumed and concluded. Mr. Toombs next obtained the floor, but gave way for a motion to adjourn to attend the funeral of Gen. XVlcINeil. Thre is a duel pending between Col. Bissel!, of Ills., and Jeff. Davis, of Miss., for remarks of the former in the Ilbuse in regard to the battle of Buena Vista. Both are good shots, and unless the affiir is stopped both may be killed, and efforts are making to reconcile the parties. Washington, Feb. 27, 1850. Senate. After the prexentation of petitions Mr. Clay's compromise resolutions were taken up. Mr. Benton took the floor and spoke at great length. He read from the Constitution of Mexico, adopted in 1843, which declared that slavery did not exist in the territory of the nation. He entered at some length into an argument to show that, had slavery not been abolished, no man would think of taking a slave there under the law governing slavery, unless for the purpose of freeing him, because that law favored the slave so much more than the master as to make slavery unsafe and unprofitable. He contended that nothing was to be gained and nothing lost by the pressure of the Wilmot proviso in connection with the territories of New Mexico and California. Mr. Rusk next took the floor and addressed the Senate in vindication of the rights of Texas to all the territory claimed by her, east of the Rio Grande, and opposing the third resolution of the series introduced by Mr. Clay. He reviewed the entire question, quoting from various documents for the purpose of proving the title of Texas to the territories claimed. Without concluding. Mr. Rusk gave way to a motion to adjourn. House. Mr. Johnson, of Tennessee, introduced a bill to give a homestead to every head of a family, or to any widow or mother of a minor child, who shall become permanent occupants of the soil thus granted. Referred to the committee on Agriculture. The House then went into committee of the whole on the President's California message. Mr. Doty gave notice of a bill which ho would introduce, admitting California with her present boundaries. Mr. Green gave notice that he would submit an amendment, establishing the Missouri boundary line. Mr. Toomb having the floor, spoke at length on the fie very question. It was the duty of the South to defend her rights here, and the duty of the people everywhere. When that fails, it was for the people to approve of a violated contract. When the Constitution fails to protect them, they will stand by their arms. " The discussion took a rambling turn, and continued till adjournment. . Congressional Disorderly Proceedings. We have the details of tho scenes in the House, upon the Cilifornit Resolutions, introduced by Mr. Doty. The Southern members, for twelve consecutive hours, resorted to all sorts of parliamentary artifices and trirks ; 5 First, a motion to adjourn ayes and noes called lost. - . ' Second, a motion to go into Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union. Third, a member asks to be excused from voting, and the ayes and noes called ou it. Fourth, a motion to adjourn ayes and noes called, .v Fifth, a question of order made. Appeal from the Speaker ayes and noes ordered.' . Sixth, a member asks to be excused from votingayes and noes called. Seventh, motion to adjourn ayes and noes ordered. Eighth, ; Southern members abstain from votingthen consultation." Ninth, question of privilege raised. , Speaker de.cides that it can't be made.' Appeal from his decision and so on during all day Monday until 12 o'clock, P. M., when the Speaker decides that "Resolution day is now over," and the question cannot again betaken up for two weeks. It is evident that a large portion of the Southern members have resolved to get up scenes like this as often as the California's Bill comes up. These events . and movements, indicate the desperation of Southern . fanatics and agitators. They show a fixed determination to prevent anything being done until the ' slavery issues are settled conformably to their wishes. They also give out that no appropriation bill tcill be patted, unless the slavery questions are determined according to their ultimatum. A repetition of these scenes will be likely to result in acts of violence, disgraceful to our National Legislation, and perilous to Republican Government. Tho Southern members offor to stop this sort of revolutionary action, ouly on one of three conditions. 1st. That 36, 30 be made the compromise line to the Pacific. . 2d. That slavery be admitted by tho consent of Congress into the Territories of New Mexico, Deseret, &.C. 3. That Texas be cut into two Slave States, to offset the free Stale of California. Cin. Gaz. Q3 Alluding to the management of Mr. Meredith, the Secretary of the U. S. Treasury, the N. V. Journal of Commerce says "Iu twenty-four years that we have been connected with the public press of this city, we have never . known the importing merchants, without distinction of party, so generally, and we may say unanimously, dissatisfied with the administration of the Customs Department as they are at present.' .-- t -' . HoGGtSH.A Paddy writing from the West, says , pork is so plenty that 'every third man you meet is a hog. . .

The English and Continental Revolutions.

Macauley, in his history of the Revolution of 16S9, which almost blood less ly expelled James and placed V illiam and Mary upon the throne of England, closes with the following remarks: Had Strafford succeeded in his favorite schema of Thorough; had he formed an army as numerous and as well disciplined as that which, a few years after. was iormea Dy Cromwell ; had a succession of judicial decisions, similar to that which was pronounced by the Exchequer Chamber in tho case of ship-money, transferred to the crown the riffht of tax-in the peopie ; iibu me sisr Miamner ana the nigh (Jotnmission continued to fin.-, mutilate and imprison every man uareu 10 raise ins voice against tlie government; had the press been as completely enslaved here as at Vienna or at IS a pies; had our kings gradually drawn to themselves the whole legRTative power; had six generations of Englishman passed away without a. single settfioii of Parliament; and had we then at length risen tip in some moment of wild excitement against our masters, what an outbreak would have txtjn ! With what a crash, heard and felt to the farthest ends of the world, would tr, whole vast fabric of society have fallen! How many thoueands of exiles, once the most prosperous and the roost refined members of this groat community, would have begged their bread in foreign cities, or have sheltered their heads under huts of bark in the uncleared forests ef America. How often should ve have seen the pavement of London piled up in barricades, the houses dented with bullets, the gutters foaming with blood ! How many times should we have rushed wildly from extreme to extreme, sought refuge from anarchy in despotism, and been again driven by despotism into anarchy ! How many years of blood and confusion would it have cost tis to learn the very rudiments of political science ! How many childish theories would have duped us! How many rude and ill-poised constitutions should we l.ave set up, only to see them tumble down ! Happy would it have been for us if a sharp discipline of half a century had sufficed to educate us into a capacity of enjoying true freedom. Southeen Sentiment. The Aational Intelligencer has lately published six or seven columns of extracts from the Southern press, all denouncing the movements of the Congressional disunioniste. The Washington Union presents the other side, and seems to be really alarmed at the threatening aspect of affairs. Virginia and Nashville Convention. In the Virginia Legislature, on Saturday week, a resolution was offered, instructing the Committee on Finance to report a bill providing for the pavmentof an adequate compensation to the delegates of Virginia attending the Southern Convention proposed to be held on the first Monday in June next, at Nashville, Tennessee. But on the call of the ayes snd noes, the resolution was indefinitely postponed 79 to 41. Gen. Jos. Lane: The Democratic papers are load in their hosannahs in praise of Gen. Lane. It is only since be has beeu talked of for the Presidency, that they have discovered him to be a remarkably Breat man. We are free to acknowledge, however, that of all Democrats we should prefer him the most for Pr S'dent he is a Western man. Decatur Clarion, uhig. Who knew anything about Taylor before he was talked of for the Presidency? The whig editors even did not know his given name, and a long time called him Zachariah instead of Zachary. The conclusion of our whig friend is rather sensible however. I i (7"The "People's Friend." noticing some recent j favorable letters from California adventurers, rej marks ! "They toil like slaves, live like hois, and have gold for their reward. Let those who envy them, toddle for California." But it is not necessary to "toddle to California" gold can be obtained any where upon the same conditions. Death or an Editob. George W. Weissinger one of the prpprietors and associate Editor of the Louisville Journal, died on the 25th Feb. after an i 11 nefs of 43 hour. His health had been previously good. For many years Mr. W. has been a valuable citizen, not only to Louisville, but to the whole of this section of country. We consider his decease a great public loss. The New York Tribune states that Messrs. McDuffie and Preston, of South Carolina, two of the most distinguished public men of that Stale, are now in utter and hopeless idiocy, caused by the softening of the brain. Some of the Southern ultras now in Congress seem to be affected by the tame disease ; but not to a dsn gerous extent we reckon. Well Done, Louisiana! The 3Iadison Courier states that a committee of the Louisiana Legislature has reported adversely to sending delegates to the Southern Convention at Nashville. The Louisianians are not to be found on the side of the Disunionists. Here thet come again ! Ju?t ss we ire going to press, we take occasion to acknowledge the receipt of a big club of subscribers, from our friend W. F. B., of Tipton county ; and to say that the premiums shall be forthcoming. Mr. B. will please accept our thanks. Concert. We have a Telegraphic dispatch, announcing that Mrs. Fogg will give a Concert in this city next week. The particulars, we presume, will be issued in season, so that none may be disappointed. O-We see it Hated tliat Bishop UrroLD has accepted the rectorship of St John's Church, Lafayette, Ind., and will take up bis residence shortly in that city. Maniacs in Congress. In the House of Representatives, on Thursday last, (says the New York Herald) Mr. Fitch said in his seat, that a greater number of maniacs, before the election of Speaker, were never outside of a madhouse, than were in that body. Mr. Fitch is perfectly right; but he might ha've gone farther, and said that there are a great many maniacs there still; for the fanatics af both sections in that booy are maniacs. Some persona would call them knaves. yew AS. Ledger. This is not the only compliment, by many, which Mr. Fitch has justly received. It only is requisite for Western members generally to manifest a spirit equal to his, to put down at once, the ebullitions of folly which he rebuked. . ' ' ' ' 0T"At the last dates the price of coffee was increasing in the London market. White corn was declining in price. Poor people in England might learn that burnt corn will make good substitute for coffee. Official Fkom the Custom-House at San Fa Cisco. Passengers arrived in San Francisco from April 12 to December 31 inclusive Amount of tonnage in port Nov. 10 29.063 129.317 Of above, American, 87,494 32,823 . Do foreign, Amount of tonnage from Nov. 11 to December 31, Aroericin, foreign EDWARD A. ..31.833 16,273 KING. Disgraceful scenes in Legislation. Two disgraceful scenes recently occurred in the Georgia Legislature. The two parties came to irreconcilable disagreement about a districting bill, and the Whigs withdrew in a body, two days in succession, leaving the Houe without a quorum. This is Whig lovu of "law and order !" There was also a wordy contest between two members, one of whom finally struck the other on the head with an umbrella on the floox of tlie House. r" The best friend you can use in courting, says the Albany Dutchman, is a flute. There is ao amorousness about the advice of this little instrument tliat calico finds irresistible. With the exception of doubloons and epaulettes, we know of nothing that sooner takes the sex down.