Semi-Weekly Journal, Volume 3, Number 239, Indianapolis, Marion County, 21 July 1841 — Page 2
V
I, 'J U A J
mainly from the fact that it is supreme and indisputable. In the existing condition of the country, wo could not have been asked to make this surrender up on a graver occasion than the present. Coming from the Northwest, I could not record even my humble vote against it in silence that Northwest which has been the sheet-anchor of the bank question, as it is orthodox upon most other great questions of public policy, now made triumphant, as we fondly hope, by the succession of a Whig Administration. In the elevated and honorable rank borne by the Northwestern States in the nmsoeution of that preat svstcm of re-
the high character of the Directors of that Institution, that it was as good as most Ohio paper passing among us. While I feel it due to myself to deny charges against me that are not true, I will not withhold from the public the fact that some nf my transactions as fund commissioner last fall and winter have turned out to be very unfortunate for Indiana, which will doubtless draw down upon me some censure. But when I look around mo and see the great number of failures that have taken place within the last few months, hnth stron? houses and weak homes, strong
form vindicated bvthe election fltLour.JatelamenM
Chief Magistrate and his virtuous anil honored coi- j together with the utter prostration mui annus., una u. league, we felt something like a personal pride added ! the whole country; it seems to me that I ought to be to those emotions of patriotism with which we con-! forgiven for not foreseeing that which no one else in templated a renovation of our institutions and a re- j the country foresaw. '' form of our policy. That sentiment attached itself to While I sincerely regret, and am wounded and morthe person of a venerated chief who had guided our tified at the position of our affairs. I have the consoinfant councils through half a century, and it gave to j lation to know that every act of mine as fund cornmisus of the West a kind of secure and domestic confi-! sioner of the State, has been performed in good ftsth dence in the auspices of a cause under which we had j to the country, and in the fullest confidence thaftit embarked. Grievous, indeed, will be the disappoint- j was the best that, could be done under the ctrcumstalr-
mentofour DeoDle if that, cause shall miscarry. Can ces with which 1 was surrounded.
it be that there is anv malformation of its elemental
parts that will cause" the political edifice so happily reared to totter to its fall? Can we, do we dare, who are the responsible agents of this constituency, to defeat the just expectations of the country'.' Let the Whig organization jn all its departments come to the support of Whig measures, sanctioned by the popular will, and demonstrated as with a sunbeam. I make this appeal in the most entire feeling of kindness and good will, confident that I am anticipated by the according sentiment of all our constitutional helpers. I have no distrust either of Legislature or of
People. It is the behest of our constituents, and a formal ratification only remains for us. Sir, I regard not as a feather that partial and extorted opinion of the press which has been revealed to us, in the face of the volume of testimony furnished by the People, and which comes to us echoing alorjg the mountain and sweeping over the plain. She Senator fram Massachusetts (Mr. Choate) would rejoice from the empyrean heights of power to shower down fecundity upon the land, but is unwilling with his thunderbolt to blast a single friend. Such generosity js produced in the school of a virtuous and smuggling minority. The scat of power is, however, more apt to be clothed with terrors. But, in the duty before us, no such disaster need overtake a single friend. That friend will doubtless count aright the obligations which, as the representative of one of these States, he owes to that State. Let him maintain his integrity according to his own enlightened conception of his duty and the dictates of his conscience. With that diminution, we have strength enough re
maining both to carrv our cause ana to save our
friend. I hope that I have mistaken the drift of certain arguments in supposing that they implied an invocation of influences which, later than all others, ought to control a free legislative assembly. Against such arguments, however delicately urged, I most solemnly protest. Beyond all question, there has been no attempt at exerting those influences, and I will do my friends here the justice to say That I believe their arguments have only in semblance, and not in reality, the quality to which I have alluded. In our various spheres, we all have dut ies to perform; and, conscious of our own rectitude of purpose, we freely allow the same integrity to all our collaborators in the cause of our country. We have a common duty, and one responsibility. Called by the same voice, our answers should be harmonious. To falter in the matter now submitted to our decision, and which is already so clearly settled in the public judgment, would be to jeopard the interests now in the ascendant, to turn backwards the tide of victory which bore this Admin- : istration into power, and to admit its incompetency to effect the purposes of its organization. If we reject the charts which experience and wisdom have provided for us, we have nothing to anticipate but shipwrecks and tempests on an unknown sea, with not one friendly port to which we can flee for refuge.
My lime, attention and energies, shall trom tins time forth be constantly employed, as they havo been for the last four months, in trying to avert as much as possible the eifects of the errors I have committed; and in the end I will faithfully report all my acts to the people's lepresentatives, and submit the honesty of my purpose to their scrutiny, judgment and action. Very respectfully. Your ob't. serv't. MILTON STAPP.
SItfll-lVEEKLY JOURNAL. I Jf.B I A N A 1' fl L I S ! WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1841. MARION COUNTY NOMINATIONS. The Whigs of this couutv held a Convention on Saturday, April 24, at which the following nominanations were mate: ' Representatives Isuael Haiiding and Austin W Mor.nis. Treasurer and Collector Jacob Land:s. Recorder Jajies Turner. Auditor John W. Hamilton. Assessor John M'Coi.t.um, , ; Commissioner, 1st district Haekis; Tyner. Election on first Monday, 2d of August next.
abroad; but so far as this city is concerned, it has failed to accomplish the malicious wishes of the Dowlings. Every one here who read it, saw at once, through the flimsy covering of devotion to the Whig cause, the petty spite that lurked beneath, and on enquiring into the causes, were soon informed of the circumstances that prompted it. Through Indiana, however, it can do no harm it carries its own, antidote along with it,, in the manywell-knowii falsehoods it a: serts as regards the Whig principles of Judge II.; and its publication is only to be regretted, because it will afford to the Loco-focos a fit opportunity to talk about dissatisfactions in the Whig ranks. Iundeistand, by the bye, the editors talk about joining the opposition; this however, leannot undertake to assert as true. M.
ANOTHER BANK ROBBERY. The Sangamon Journal states that the Branch of the State Bank of Illinois, at Jacksonville, was entered on the night of the 11th instant, and robbed of $90,000. About $12,000 was in gold and silver $47,000 in paper of parent Bank, and the remainder in notes of the different Branches. A reward of $5,000 is offered for the recovery of the money and the detection of the thieves.
GEN. STAPP. We would direct the attention of our readers to the following letter from our fellow-citizen, Gen. Milton Stapp, in relation to certain statements which appeared in the Evansville Sentinel in relation, to his acts as Fund Commissioner. We hope the Sentinel, and those of our own citizens, who, to compass their own most unworthy selfish objects, have been engaged in giving currency to the statements alluded to, will feel under obligations to take 1 he same trouble in refuting as they have in circulating them- That some of Gen. Stapp's contracts have turned out unfortunately for the State, is conceded by himself. But we envy not the feelings of those of his old friends and neighbours, who would seize upon an ex parte paragraph, from a notoriously prejudiced newspaper, to injure the fair fame of one who has received so repeatedly the testimonials of the confidence of our County and State. And for what object! Let their consciences answer this question to themselves. We are persuaded the motive would not bear the tst of public scrutiny. The loss which it was said ensued from the hypothecation of the bonds has not, and need not take 'place. . ' ' As to the Gallipolis money received and put in circulation by Gen. Stapp, all business men" know that such was the confidence reposed in the Directory of
the Bank; and such was the expose made ot the affairs of that institution but a short time previous to
its failure, that a citizen of high standing in Cincinnati, who had been at Gallipolis, published a statement insisting that it was not possible that the ru
mors of the failure could be true. But the letter
speaks for itself. New York, June 26th, 1341. To the Editors of the Republican Banner: Gentlemen: A few paragraphs taken from the Sen
tinel, (a paper published in Evansville, Indiana.) are going the rounds of the papers,, charging that I have hypothecated $900,000 of Indiana bonds for the loan
of gZOU.UUU, ana that this stocK nas Decome loneuea to the holders, and been sold for the payment of the
amount loaned; and that I have pledged $490,000 of
stock for Gallipolis paper, which paper is good lor nothing. In these matters the Editor of the Sentinel has been misinformed. The hypothecations I have made for loans, have beeD sanctioned by the Legislature, and if the bonds were forfeited and sold, it would be no fault of mine. But I am informed that these bonds are not forfeited and sold, but may yet be reclaimed by the State's paying the money borrowed. I have conversed with two gentlemen, who hold the principal part of our loans, and they both tell me that they can be held over the first of January next, if it should be the interest of the State to have it done. I have not pledged 490,000 of our stock, or any other amount, for Gallipolis paper. But the Gallipolis paper which has been put in circulation in Indiana by the fund commissioners since Nov. 1S39, and which is now on hand, was received and paid out in good faith for bonds absolutely sold believing from
Washington Correspondence. We have now a regular correspondent residing at Washington City. He is a gentleman of talents and general political information, and we doubt not his letters will be very acceptable to our readers, and add interest to the columns of the Journal. We will here take occasion to say that wel allow him the "largest liberty" in expressing his sentiments without adopting them as our own. He is responsible for all he says. TheNos. ofour correspondent "Backwoodsman," are beginning to attract attention throughout the state. No. V has been received and will appear in our next. .
Wit. P. Bryant, Esq. of Rockville, has been
appointed by the Governor, President Judge, to
fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of
the Hon. E. M
INDIANA STATE SENTINEL. A paper bearing the above title made its appearance in this town, yesterday. It is edited by Messrs. G. A. & A. P. Chapman, the former late eflitor of the Terre-IIaute Enquirer, and the latter, late editor of the Evansville Sentinel. It is indifferently printed on an extra-imperial sheet. It is Van Buren in its politics, and Fanny Wright in its religion. If crowing, bragging, and boasting, without knowledge and talent, are the only requisites in the management of a newspaper, we congratulate the Loco-focos of Indiana in obtaining at last an efficient organ at the Seat of Government.
Huntington.
Washington Correspondence. Washington, July 13, 1841. Gentlemen The Bank Bill is still under consideration in the Senate, and as no resolution to put an end to the debate has as yet been started, it is impossible to tell, when the final vote will be taken. On yesterday, Mr. Clay intimated that he thought the discussion was uselessly prolonged, and that it would be better, as the friends of the bill had nothing further to say, and its opponents had already had four days to make their attacks, and vent their spleen, that the question should be taken, and the matter disposed of.This called out the opposition one and all from Calhoun and Wright, down to Allen-in a series of remarks, ill-tempered and ill-timed against what they were pleased to term "a gag-law," Mr. Clay rejoined in the happiest manner, reminded them of former times, when they were in a majority told them that the subject, though important, was not a new one, and that the people wanted action. He did not however call the previous question, or make any motion to stop debate; and so the matter stands in statu quo. Business goes on in the House, with a laudable despatch, presenting quite a contrast to previous sessions, and indeed to the beginning of this. By
a rule which they have adopted, no member is allowed to speak more than one hour on any question. This curbs and checks the roving imaginations of the speakers, and to one, who has been
in the habit of hearing their discursive speeches, it is matter of surprise and pleasure to observe how closely they stick to the point. On yester
day they passed a bill providing for a loan of
twelve millions, to meet the deficit in the treasury for the present year, and to-day they are engaged on the bill restoring the Navy Pension Fund, amounting to about one million, which was, without either law or equity, taken by the former administration, and appropriated to other purposes. In the course of debate, MK Proffit made a short speech, which is said to have been one of his very best efforts, but which I was not so fortunate as to hear. Since I commenced this letter, I hear that the bill has passed. In the Wabash Courier of July 3d, I see a most
unprovoked and vindictive article against Judge Huntington. As the motives which prompted this effusion, are perfectly understood in Terre-IIaute,
and it can only heap coals on the head of its author there, it must have been intended for effect
THE BANK BILL. Late information from Washington induces the belief that the consummation of the great and important measures, that have been the guide and life of the Whig party, is in jeopardy. The Bank
question is involved in great uncertainty on the account of the ascertained determination of Messrs. Merrick and Preston to vote against it with the branching power as agreed to by the Senate. Messrs. Rives and Archer are said not to be bank men. This leaves but 25 Senators for the bill less than a majority. Trouble with the President was expected, but the defection of such true Whigs as Merrick, Preston, and Archer, must surprise every one. The majority of the people, that same majority that elevated Gen. Harrison to the Presidency, want a bank, such an one as the bill now before the Senate provides for. They wiir have no compromise in the matter. The mongrel affair of the President (for it is now understood that the Treasury plan was extorted in obedience to his qualms) will not suit them. They want a good one or none. It is not certain that the Land
bill will pass the Senate. If it fails a tariff must also fail, as well as all the much needed measures for which the Whigs have been toiling. We greatly fear that Virginians and Virginia politics will prove the destruction of the Whig party, and a serious injury to the best interests of the Union.
A Singular Fact. Illinois promptly met the July interest on her bonds, and they have decreased in value. Indiana failed to meet her interest, and her bonds have increased in value.
Horse Stealing, Lynching, and Murder, in Illinois.- The Illinois papers are full of ac
counts of Lynching and murder in the Rock River country. Every one suspected of horse stealing that could be apprehended, have been punished according to the code of Judge Lynch. One individual received ninety-five lashes on his bare back. A letter of the 1st instant, published in the Chicago American, dated Belvidere, says: Judge Lynch on Rock River. In publishing two days since, the circumstances of the murder of Mr. Campbell on Rock River, by a suspected horse thief Driskill, we prepared our readers to hear of the summary vengeance of Judge Lynch on some of the horse thieves and scoundrels that infest that region. A letter from Belvidere, dated June 30th, gives the following startling particulars. Belvidere, 30th June, '41. "Since Sunday last, the good people have been under a most violent excitement, on account of the repetition of the Belvidere tragedy, rumors of which, doubtless, have reached you ere this time. However, that you may know what to rely upon ,as truth, I will give you a summary of what I have been able to gather from eye witnesses and participators in these most high handed and alarming atrocities. For let the emergencies be what they may, all lawless violence resulting in bloodshed and death, are alarming .... in any community, particularly in one comprised of eastern and northern men. The facts in this case are these. The country below this and north of the Illinois river, has been for a long time and is now infested with a gang of black legs, counterfeiters, horse thieves and land pirates, and the good people have
found our laws, or at least the administration of them eiuirely inadequate to the protection of their property; consequently they have been forced to form themselves into "volunteer companies, and anti-horse thieves societies." One was formed about 20 miles below this, at Washington grove. Mr. Campbell was actively engaged in setting it up. On Sunday night last two of the Driskills, notorious through this region as ringleaders and harborersof all sorts of villains rode up to Campbell's house and asked his son if his father was at home; he called his father to the door, when the Driskells shot him dead, and fled. The volunteer companies of De Kalb and Winnebago counties immediately collected and went in search of the Driskells. On Tuesday they caught the old man and one of his sons-tried them by Lynch law and was convinced that they were the cause if not the perpetrators of the atrocious murder of Mr. Campbell. They senteueed him to immediate death, then placed the Old man about ten rods off, and bid him prepare for death, giving him 5 minutes when the time was up about 50 balls went through him. The son was then served in the same manner both devils proving game neither making any disclosures, more than saying that another son of Driskell killed Campbell. The company are now pursuing this other Driskell, who has cut stick with a confederate; $300 reward is offered for his head. High handed and revolting as this summary mode Of procedure seems to bo, it is,, nevertheless, absolutely necessary, and receives the commendation of every individual who is at all acquainted with the facts. If a man refuses to join these companies, he is put down at once with the horse thieves. .
Commissioner of the Gen'l. Land Office.
The censure and condemnation by the press of
this state of the appointment of Judge Hunting
ton, with few exceptions, have been loud and deep; more so, in our opinion, than has been just and proper. We apprehend, also, that it has not entirely sprung from patriotic and correct motives.
A. few days after the Terre Haute Courier with
its severe and condemnatory comments appeared, we received a letter from a highly respectable gentleman, living in an adjoining county to Vigo, in which the writer approved of the appointment, and stated that the article in the Courier wa3
prompted by personal feelings. From other sources we learn the same thine If it be true that
o the article in the Courier originated in a spirit of
personal hostility, a great deal of allowance must be made, not only for what that paper has said,
but also for the language of strong disapprobation
used by the press generally; for we believe that
the opposition to the appointment was predicated,
in a great degree, on the positive and unqualified
animadversions of the Courier. As the public have been made pretty thoroughly acquainted with the opinions of editors, particularly of those of his own town, in relation to this matter, it 13 but justiee to Judge Huntington
that the estimation in which others of his near neighbors and intimate acquaintances hold him, should be made known. The following resolutions were adopted by a meeting of the members of the bar of Terre Haute, at which Amory Kinney presided and Win. D. Griswold acted as secretary: Resolved, That the dignified and intelligent manner in which Mr. Huntington has discharged his official duties as Judge of this Circuit; and his urbanity and kindness of deportment towards the members of the legal profession, have gained for him the lasting regard of the Bar of Vigo county. Resolved, That, as a gentleman and a citizen, we entertain for Mr. Huntington none but the most kind and friendly sentiments; and that if he shall ever agiin fix his residence among us, we shall be most happy to revive the cordial and friendly relations which have subsisted between him and ourselves.
The cackling Sentinel complains of being an
noyed with flies, and wishes to trade them off. It can't get t id of flies in that way. They would not stay traded off they pre too fond of filth and tainted chickens, consequently would soon return upon the State cackler. The noise of the State (cock) Sentinel resembles more the cackling and clucking of a sitting hen, than the lusty and strong crowing of a chanticleer.: '
A new way to put down the Banks. After trying argument, abuse, and lying, to put down chartered institutions, the anti-bank party are now trying what virtue there is in robbing. It is a fact, that the senior editor of this paper was indicted for perjury by a packed ar&nd jury, who with their abettors, being promptly met at the tbreshhold of their scheme to break down the paper which he then controlled, entirely failed. After appearing twice at court, the State's Attorney entered tt nolle prosequi. Indiana State Sentinel.
COMMISSIONER OF THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE. Judge Huntington, of Terra Haute; has been appointed to this important office, vice Hon. James Whitcomb removed. This appointment seems to be very badly received by several of our Whig Editors in this State. The Editor of the Terre Haute Courier, Mr. Dowling, says some very hard things of the Judge calling him a renal courtier, and place-hunter, a faithless politician, apolitical trimmer and intriguer for office &.c. and charges moreover, that in the dark and fearful period in the fortunes of the Whiffs, he was found in the camp cf the enemy, a protege of the
slanderer of Clay and Harrison. Ihe Editor oi me New' Albany Gazette also chimes in, and seems to think that Mr. Tyler owes it to himself to remove Mr. Huntington immediately, and place another in his stead who would be more acceptable to the people of Indiana. The Editors of the Indiana Journal and Brookville American, have also denounced it as a very had appointment. Indeed, we have not yet seen any Whig paper in the State, that has spoken of it in terms of commendation. We confess that we are somewhat surprised at this; for we had formed a very favorable opinion of the Judge, as a lawyer, a politician, and a gentleman; and this is the first time we have ever heard his political integrity called in question. We are therefore not inclined to join in the crusad? against him; while on the other hand it is not our purpose to become his eulogist. It was understood, some time since, that the office was tendered to another distinguished citizen of this State, who declined the honor, and at the same time recommended the appointment of Judge Huntington. We sinccrc-
