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MIIfe it only to bo valued as it U usefully employed.1.
" ' ' ' " ' A ; ? " IMo it only to bo valued aa it i usefully employed.1. ' JU;- I " 7',". , - ,J. V ' 'yCL ilZl
VOLUMf) ErUMBER 42.f
; PUB tl SHE 0 WEEKLY, IY -J.
II. CHRISTY Ac CO.,
mblisben of the Lawi of the United States.
Thta paper b publinhed wckly, t Two Doi,
.'. . r.iiTi tvp annum, in advances or
ir Hninx ifltnvmeBt ba dclavcd allet vufl
receipt of. Iho 10th N umber from lh time of sub.
crilin(f. - O i M wm em, nnu tHH,
ttrictly adhtrti t. ;
Ko tubgcription dmeonlinued (except at the op.
turn of the publisher") until au arrearage are jm
-SUSCELLANEOm
Tlio Teliow Serpent Discovery
ot IlieCuaco Plant.
ifjjXtlttnTOllTTItErtrSoll
Otie hundred and fifiy years since, a mu
latto slave followed tho current of the Oro.
noco, in the vicinity of Guayann, and not
far from tlio place where that river empties
into the Atlnntic ocean.
AVuiureringTby-cliahca rnanynSaysTn
these hot regions, the slave travelled vith
tlie uneasiness and caution of a man vho,
in the midst of savannahs abounding in poi.
sonous reptiles, believes he might rest . his
foot, when least expected, on tho scily bo.
dy of a serpent. lie examined with much
care every tree ; each thicket of brambles
appeared to him-as so many shelters for
wild beasts, where enemies, the color : of
which might bo confounded with the foilage,
lay in ambush.
Suddenly he pnused ; he cast himself
upon the ground, and pressed the earvh
even to the joints of his limbs. Without,
relying on an ndjn r!g trp na t1"
defence, he waited the result of what he
saw. Without tho convulsive trembling
which agitated his body, any one would
have believed lie was dead.
He bad just seen the most tcrriblo of all
Serpents, whose race is yet found in those
regions. It was not certainly a monstrous
animal one of those collosal reptiles which,
"wlien sleeping on tho banks of the river,
or in dense woods', presents to tho traveller
the aspect of a trunk of a tree, thrown to
tho ground by a tempest.
Neither did it possess the gigantic pro.
portions which tho European people so
I much
nkins i
ofOJii
It
much admirej-wherK-they contemplate the
kins stuffed with straw of some of the kings
of Ohio.
It was tho Yellow Serpent.
JtYhoevejrJiaAjCtliisJigh
amined its thin body, could not believe
that so weak a reptile could kill a par
tridge; although its bite will kill a man in
such a manner thnt the wound being made,
death ensues in less than three minutes..
The slave knew it, and trembled.
Ilia immobility was complete. For the
wholo American empire ho would not have
dared to raise his eyes. lie would have
given ten years of his lifo to have found
himself far from such a frightful ememy.
Neither did the serpent move. Raised up
in his coil, ho overlooked the grass of tho
savannah, with his head dotted with spots
ot the color of ochre, of yellow and orange,
his eyes, like velvet, and blue as the clouds
of thnt region, sparkled and appeared to
emit sparks of fire like a brilliant stone.
Ho breathed tho air with voluptuousness,
nnd oiiored, little by littlo, every part of his
body to the burning rays of the sun
J??.JDJ?Q.iirnLallie danger 1q stop
in the proximity ot this reptile, it would bo
a real pleasure to contemplate its delicate.
ness, the expression of its eyes, and the
grace of its movements, - 1 he serpent did
not delay Jong in beginning to leap, draw.
ins in tho air rapid circles, "proi
weak sound like silk coming in contact with
a wall. The slavo trembled more and
more, when ho heard a strange noise, which
ho believed came from the grass, which
shook with force. His imagination present,
cd an entire family of serpents, ready to
cast themselves upon him. rear obliged
him to enlarge his sight. What was his as
tonishment on seeing that tho serpent sns.
tained a terrific contest with a bird. He
thf"n knew that his lifo wos not threatened,
and blessodiicavcn in tho sequel disposing
him to flsoj when seeing the reptile had
lost a greater part of its vigor, ho wished
-4obo present nt the end of the combat
IKs post was not now dangerous, and
curiosity detained him.- r"
l he combat continued, with ferocity .-
The bird kept in constant motion his sharp
talons, and wounded tho serpent deeply
with his pointed beak.
Tho serpent being much exasperated,
dragged itself through tho grass, and divi.
ded the air in all directions, appealing to its
whole force and cunning, throwing himself
towards tho river to avoid the blows of the
enemy. But the bird followed him in the
air without stopping between the grass to
the brink ot the river and attacked him each
time with renewed rage.
. Only now and then the bird granted the
serpent a kiod of truco. It leu the place
of combat covered with blood; and flew
with rapidity to a shrub near by.- He pick,
ed some of the leaves, and swallowed with
haste some pieces ol the bark of the same
tree, and returned to the. attack will) the
greatest courage
Tho slave observed all, and could not
conceivo bow it was that the serpent was al.
mobt dead,' and the bird full of life in spite
of having his body covered with wounds.'
He asked himself which species of bird
was venimous enough to .kill the yellow
. serpent ; ho was fast in conjuncture',' and
believed himself to be in a dream. . ,
No doubt remained ; "the serpent hjl
without motion, being dead. .The bird was
also cast down, his wings hung down, and
his respiring was painfull he made an ef.
fort, flew towards th4 shrub, ate some of it
with singular verocity, slook his wings and
returned to the field of b tile ; he rested a
short time on the dead btly of the serpent,
cleaning his bloody beal -on his plumes,
and causing the air to rc oand with a shout
of joy, directed his ight toward tho
South. '.
': Some months aftrwa a a strange notice
put the city of Carnckas n commotion.
It was a beautiful tno ling in autumn ;
the people hurried with nuch confusion to
thf&bti& eou8rer--Thi was arrangedHn
the same manner uVfrw-t'soe ours to-day at
the bull baitinr : ti& nultilude occnoied
all the steps nnd.soivl military baind!
ecuted popular music before what might be
called tho stage of the Governor.
Tho Governor.did not cause them to
wait long. A profound silence riegnod.
A man approached a line, the centre of tho
square, pushing with tnsrhands acask,
which he rolled to the same place. This
"nan. likewise carried on his shoulder a
portmanteau. He was the mulatto slave
of the Oronoco. He saluted tho people,
opened the cask, and took out a Coluber.
It was an innocent reptile, a friend of the
birds, and frequently met with in the yards
and walks. . . 1 -
Tho people began to hiss, and it was only
after some trouble that order was restored.
Tho slave threw away the Coluber with dis.
dain, and made a gesture that he would
explain the circumstance.
" llils was an intrusive reptile, and was
hero without my knowledge.' "
He t u rncd to-opcrrhiypo rtma n tea aand
drew out a black serpent," whose bite occa.
sioncd cruel pains without causing death.
Tho public expected something more; they
were not disappointed.
-The slave bared his left arm, and drew it
totho head of the serpent, which immcdi.
atcly caused the blood to flow.
Tho slave placed the potmanteau which
was full of leaves, upon the ground. He
ate sme of tho leaves, and ., set himself
about continuing his exposition."'
Very soon they saw raised -above his
head a viper, tho sijjliL of which astonishod
the multitude. The bite of this reptile cau
ses a Blow death, but inevitable. r
The slave excited its rage by pressing its
neck Vith his fingers ; . he applied it to his
right arrri, and showed to tue spectators
two deep wounds;
He yet lacked the principal, tho last
proof. He made a sign to the people, and
they restrained their oppltise.
In that moment toe mulatto had arrived
at the height of his exultation. Ihe hum.
ble and despised slaie hadjust elevated him.
self by the force of encrgj and boldness to
a point which no man dartd : and by that
act had gained the ascendency over that
numerous peoplo who Contemplated his
looks with religioui silcrce.
But the admiration was complete when
the man exposed to the s'ghl of his specta.
tors the terrible yellow srpent of the coast
of tho Oronoco. He hdd tho reptile by
the back of its head, in sih a manner that it
could not wound him, unjil he was convinc.
cd that tho peoplo had recognized its na
turc: Ho exposed his beast, first swallow,
ing some of the leaves of tho portmanteau ;
he irritated tho reptile, yhich became furi
ousr andbit - him immediately -above his
heart. f
A general shout of horror responded
through the wholo squarf.
The slavo smotlieredjhe serpent between
his hands, and traoquiky went to scat him.
self upon a stone
-Tho exhibition vas concluded.
Oneiiour passed tyo hours and the
slave lived. . 1 I
They then asked him the secret, and he
pointed to tho portmanteau they wished
to know in what mannct he had made tho
discovery, and then bo ppened the cask by
the same side, and drevj out a black ser
pent, and from the other side a bird, whose
wings were shortened. )
The peoplo wincssed a", combat, which
the poor mulatto learned to explain, at the
risk of his lifo in the sav annahs of Guyana.
The bird killed the serpent, and finished
byonsumitigVeIeaycscf the -rtnian
teau. 7 r7
America from that time, has one scourge
less in its vast plains and interminable
woods. " ; "
Tho Govcrntfr approached the slave and
declared him free, in the name of the peo
pie, conccding-the title of citizen.' and as.
signing him an annual rent of Ave thousand
dollars arid gave the shrubs, whose mira
culous powers be had first witnessed, the
name of the bird which had revealed it to
fhe world calling it Guaco.
Thelcafofthe Guaco figures to this day
on all the tables of that country.
Many naturalists inoculate themselves
with this marvellous antidote, as tho only
means of preserving themselves from the
I. .... . tt- -r-
ones oi incse terriote reputes wnicu iniesi
that part of America?
Whiskey.
A most remarkable reduction has taken
place in the demand !or this article during
the last twelve months. Tbedemani was
much reduced a year ago ; but now it is not
half what it was then. The distillers, four
or nve years since, were running their
works night and day, pressed with the de.
mand for whiskey, and consuming rye and
corn in immense quantities ; at one time
four thousand hve hundred bushels daily.
Now the consuption is Jess thaa two thou.
ASIIEV1LLE, NORTH CAROLINA,'
and bushels doily, and is rapidly diminish
ing.- i-v-u ' - .
There ison hand here,a stock of 12,000
barrels of whiskey .and such is tho decreased
demand, that there is no diminution of stock
notwithstanding the great diminution of
supply. - 1 he distillers appear to be as
much pleased with the change as jheir fel
low-citizens generally. They are now re.
duciog their work as fast as possible, so that
tor the next crop of coarse grain we pre
sume the demand in this market from the
distillers will not exceed ono.fourth of what
it was at the highest point. : The falling off
cannot bo less than a million of bushels for
theytrr"ThisxhangecannotJ)ur1iavo'
some effect on the market. Yet on the
other hand the men who for years back
have been guzzling whiskey,- and leaving
their families half starved, will now cat
bread and meat, and keep their families well
fed. In a multitude of families, this happy
change has already taken place. . The na.
tion will not be made poor by the operation,
but rich business will - noubo stagnated ,
but stimulated by it No man is vicious
and wastclul without causing some mischief
to society, and no man u industrious and
virtuous without adding something to tho
common aggregate of general wealth and
happiness. Society docs not truly thrive
upon tho vices and dissipation of its mem
bers, but upon their morality and general
good habits. Vico will be made a mother
of trade as every thing else is; but those
who make money by it are likely to con
tract pollution, and to sink with those
whom they pamper or rob. Virtue makes
the man who practices it vigorous and com.
fortable, and generally gives him somero.
perty. As the wealthof a nation is the ag
gregate of its individual wealth, so the busi.
ness of a whole people is measured by the
aggregate of its industry: The loss of tho
whiskey business, therefore, will boa gain
to the general business and wealth of the
country. Journal of Commerce.
From Benlly'a Miscellany.
The glorious uncertainty of the
Law.
In a certain town in Normandy, tho au
thorities (for divers good reasons thereunto
moving) thought proper to issue a procla
mation to tho effect that none of the worthy
inhabitants, under a severe penalty, should.
stir abroad alter sunset Without a lantern.
Well, it chanced in tho very same evening
a man was seized and taken incontinently
befbf elhe "cfispenseFof" justice , t6bo"dcalf
with according to the new law.
am exceeding sorry- said -the chief
officer, recognizing tho individual, " that a
citizen of your respectability and station
should be the first to infringe the new regu
lation." " I would not willingly do so," said the
man coolly.
" Have you not read it?"
" Certainly," replied tho captured party,
" but many have unfortunately misunder
stood it. Will Monsieur oblige mo by read
ing it, that I may learn of what I am guilty?"
The "officer graciously complied, and af
ter glibingly running over the verbose pro
amble, came to the point "that no inhabi
tant shall stir abroad after sunset without a
lantern," which ho certainly delivered with
peculiar emphasis, to the admiration of the
fellow who had taken the man into custody,
and was twirling his fingers', impatient to
receive tils liidietyof tho fihb".'
"I have a lantern, Monsieur," firmly
contended tho man, holding it up to viow.
-" Yes but there is no candle in it," rc
plied the officer with a smile.
" The proclamation docs not mention a
candle, I believe, Monsieur," replied the
cunning fellow, most respectfully.
"A candle! but of courso " began
the informer,' trembling lest he should lose
th e fish he had hooked. .
" It does not mention a candle; and I
contend, Monsieur, I have not infringed the
law,'' -persisted the quibbler. ' Tho words
are, without a lantern, and hero it is?"
"Hem!" cried the officer, endeavoring
to conceal tho confusion occasioned by his
defeat by poring over the copy of tho pro.
clamation. " I must confess there is an
omission, and I am happy to givo you the
benefit of it. The case is dismissed." ,
e informer but
rather alarmed, when tho prisoner called to
mind a certain act which rendered him, the.
afcsaidrrmejJiablc
for false imprisonment, &c., and the poor
fellow was fain to avert the infliction ot an
action of the. law by disbursing a certain
sum in hard cash to the accused. '
But lo rh tlHf next evening ho again
encountered his " dear acquaintance," and
to his infinite delight, be beheld the same
unilluminated lantern in his hand; for. an
amended proclamation had been issued that
mourning, with the Words il that no inhabi
tant should stir abroad without a lantern
and a candle therein."
Tho former chuckled at the ignorance of
tho man who had so coolly victimized him
on the preceding night, and with a heart
beating with the desire of revenge, and a
certain prospect of the restitution of the
mulct which he had suffered, ho with a
sneering politeness requested the honor of
his company to the justice-room.
"Really, it is impossible to resist the
amiable importunity of a gentleman who
pays such delicate compliments and such
eood coin !" replied the man : and away
he walked chatting good-humoredly an&i
joking with his delightful captor, ; , ; .
What, again?" cried the officer.'.
"I hope Monsieur will do, me the honor
to remember that my former appearance
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL 22,
here was not only against my inclination,
but against the law, said the prisoner.
- ,4 Really,.. these proceedings are very
rexatious, and -j :.,
. " Have you read the proclamation?" in-
terrupted the officer.
" Monsieur did me the favor to read It
only lust tight, and"
, " I will retd again for your edification,"
repliod tho cficer, and ho looked furtively
at the informer, who could scarcely con
tain himselt for very joy.
The amcrded proclamation was read.
1 he ccusc4 stood placidly . smiling at the
rigmarole vu-biage; but when the officer
Tcadlhcmtlading" words TharHoThha.
bitant should, stir abroad without a lantern
and a candle," he started.
. ' IlaJ-cried tho informer, unable long
er to restrain his foelirtgs
" How very, very fortunate t" cried the
delinquent, and quickly opening his lantern,
continued, "Lo! hore is a candle. How
fortunate !" ---"But
it is not lighted," exclaimed the
informer with an uncontrolablo agitation.
" It is not lighted, nor has it been, as the
wick itself proves!"
" Lantern and candle! a lantern and a
candle?" repealed the man. " I appeal to
tho justice of Monsieur, thatthero was not
such a word oi lighted candle in any part of
that respectable document.
This wus a cleuchcr. The parties were
completely outwitted ; while to abate the
fever of tho informer's extraordinary ex.
citcmcnt, tho mnn charitably repeated the
" bleeding" wMchhc had so effectually pcr
formed on the former occasion. Of course,
tliaiawvLcraJost-nothwua-" amending- the
amended proclamation, and inserted lighted
before the word " candle."
Moou&Iilac.
. AVc ometime recur to tbo daya of oar c'lild.
hood with a pIcuHiiig recollection of eventa.wliicli
then transpired, and contrast them with the trou
bles, cares and perplexities and responsibilities
which after life brings upon us. When young, we
think all in to be fair weather. We can hardly
imagine tlmt clouds and storms can arise to dis
turb or tronh'ous; every thing is sunshine, but
there is no Mionshine. Every thing will turn out
just as wc expected. There will be no disappoint
ments, no liopcs uliglitcd, no disasters 10 interrupt
our cureer ol' prosperity. But these fond antici
pations are alas ! too often, proved to be all moon
ihine ! What wo confidently anticipated, in our
days of youthful buoyascy, would lead us on to
fortune, brings us nothing but sorrow, disappoint,
ment, and regret.
An anecdote mar serve to illustrato these ro.
Tnarttn. A lirtlct)ov wub walking ont-with hist
grandmother in no country, among a grove of
trees, one moonlight evening. lis' had not gone
far before the old lady TOrcelvrf"BTncthfnrrttrer
cround that appeared like a. white handkerchief,
and as she stooped, intent on nicking it up, he per-
ccivcd that it was but the light of tho moon sm.
ning througt an opening in the branches above
them, and cilK d out " 7a granma it' all moon,
thine .'" It is but moonrhine truly," said she,
rubbing her fingers in evident disappointment,
" but many peoplo grap at moonshine."
We have since often witnessed the truth of hor
remarks.
When wo see a young man pursuing a gtt) but
terfly of a girl because she is beautiful, though she
possesses noio of tho qualifications necessary to
make a good wife, a good house keeper or a good
mother ; it lrings to our mind the old story ; de
pond imon it ho is grasping at the old phantom ;
it in all moonshine
When we sec pleasure hunters and those who
arc seeking after happiness plunge into dissipa.
tion, or soek gay anil giuay company, wc Know
the disappointment that awaits them ; theso arc
not pearls of price that bring with them peace and
content ; they aro worthless ; they are nothing
Vtt BIlWTHnjne.'
When we see a gambler forever at the billiard
tablo with eager hopes of making money .thereby,
and carrying with him the means by which alone
his family can be supported, to squander it there,
we think, with a sigh, how sadly that poor man
mistakes the path of wisdom, and labors after that
.which is all moonshine.
lie is grasping at moonshine who strives to raise
his consequence in. the world by a suit of fine
clothes, or an unpaid side-board j and so is be who
ia nfmlnf. Knrll or fr.n rw! a tA II nnnn-fL'hi AK'tiT'tT.
vale himself in the estimation of the wor'.d, con
sisting of few thousand dollars ; for as Burns
says,
" 1 uc rank is but the guinea's stamp
Tho nan's Uie gold tor alt that."
And pone can ever become truly great but those
whom nature httcd to be so.
These aro plain cases. We have sometimes
thought mcn were grasping at moonshine, who
attempted to live by literature, or make money by
printing ncws.pupcra; or dreamed of collecting
their debts, or of receiving their legaciea in these
times ; vet as these may be doubtful, wc will not
The hicht Shrit.-Wo are gratified to see
from the various indications wc have met with,
that the- Whig party throughout the State arc prc-
tpftring thtttwelve forHhc contest liich is to come
off the ensuing hummer, in some counties they
hare already brought but their candidates for the
Legislature, and in many others nominations will
doubtless very soon be made. Candidates should
be brought out hi wry county. Because our op.
poncnts have a majority in any' one county should
be no excuse for not giving them a fair trial of
strength. .Remember the campaign of 1840.
Whig members were returned that year from
counties whete they scarce dared to hope for such
result ; and in others somo Democrats were re
turned only because the Whigs had failed to bring
out full tickets. We rcpct again, let full Whig
tickets be formed in even count y, and success is
certain. Fiyetteville Obteretr.
OCT Ex-Governor Bagb, of Alabama,
a thorough-going, bank-haling, bank-abus
ing Democrat, appears, from a tabU in an
Alabama paper, to be indebted to the State
Bank and Branches nearly leventeen thou
sand dollars ! A pretty pint, this, to enter
on a crusade against paper money
Niw rAFEB, Dr. Dyott, of Philadelphia.
has commenced publishing " The Oracle
of Health." - It is published monthly, on a
rery large sheet, at twenty.five cents per
annum; t he nrst.numocr promise wen.
Send the" old Doctor a psper, boy.; '
1842.
POLITICAL.
Tbe Whig Convention.
- The general committee of which wo made
mention last week, preceded the resolutions
which' have already been pubtished in the
Mcssenge?, with the folio wingjreport, which
wili be read with interest .
Soon after the adjournment of the Con.
ventlon, held in this place, in October 1840
the eflbrts of the Whig Party wer crown,
ed with success. WILLIAM HENRY
HARRISON, was elected to the Chief Ma-
gigtracyY ao overwhelming-, majority of
the rcople. lie entered upon the duties of
his high office, with a solemn and devout
appeal to Heaven,-for the sincerity and
zeal with which ho proposed to devote him
self to the great business of reforming iho
Government, and giving relief to the Peo
ple ; and selected a Cabinet believed by the
Public both willing and able to assist hm
in tho accomplishment of his patriotic pur
pose. The necessities of the Treasury and
tho Country being urgent, ho summoned
Congress to meet him in au Extra Session.
And the whole nation looked forward with
joy, and assured hope, to a certain restora
tion, both of public and private prosperity.
,The sudden death of HARRISON cov
crcd the Nation with gloom, nnd seemed
for a moment, to extinguish in evory pa.
triotic heart this expectation- But WhigS
by their very principles, are forbidden to
despair of tho Republic. And when the
first shock was over, light seemed again to
glow, and hope to spring up before them.
Mr. Tyler had been nominated as. a Whig
adnjccFpted hirnominatidfj WhTg
had professed himself a Whig and had
been elected as the associato of HARRI
SON. That ho Would provo recreant to
the great Party, and regardless of the great
principles to which ho owed his elevation,
even suspicious and disingenuous minds
could scarcely anticipate, and to nobleand
generous ones, such an event could appear
littlo less than impossible. His AdJrejs to
the People of the United States, his reten
tion of the Cabinet of HARRISON, ac
companied with expressions of respect and
confidence, gr vo assurance to our hopes.
And Congress assembled at the lato Extra
Session, in the confident expectation, that
the work of reforming tho Governmentjnnd
relieving the People, would be commenced
and prosecuted, with the sincere andjtho
roiih cojoperation of .the Presidents Tjhej r.
first examination into tho State of Public af.
fairs, showed that the Administration which
hard just been drfyeTrTroTrToweTyTftt
People, had left behind them, a debt, ex
rfveirltarToweTltoJT
ceeding by many millions, all tho usual re
sources of the Treasury, for its liquidation.
This debt had been carefully concealed from
Public observation, by tho artifice ofTrea
sury notes, issued from time lo time, to
cover deficiencies, created by the profliga
cy and extravagance of that Adininistru.
tion. In order to meet this debt, measures
were immediately set on foot, and among
others a bill was prepared nnd passed, au
thorizing a loan of $12,000,000. A bill
was also passed, and received the approba
tion of the President , directing the distribu
tion of the procecds of the Public Lands,
among the States : a measure of justice to
tho States, which had been often and incf.
fectually sought of tho former Adrninistra-
iron, and which the VV lugs seized, ttio. Ji rst
moment of coming into power to accom
plish. It then became necessary to provide for
tho safo keeping and disbursement of the
revenue, without danger of loss by faithless
or incompetent officers, and without charge
lo tho people. For this purposo a bill was
prepared and passed by both Houses of
fltniTrpa9 .-atnhlisliinT
"""o4""! " "'",
ion entitled a Fiscal Bank of the United
States, nnd in orderjo guard effectually
ojrainst the intrusion of its Branches into
any State against its will, it was expressly
pFOvid4 that no such jJranch jsaouul be es-
. i i l 1 ' . ...t T 1. ...... -
tablished in auy State whose Legislature,
in the time and manner specified in the act,
should declare its opposition thereto.. This
Bill was vetoed by the President. Con
gress immediately prepared another, sup.
posed upon "sufficient grounds to meet cx-
actly the President Vyiews of the constitur
tionality and expediency of such a measure.
This Bill proposed to create a riscal Insti.
tution. whoso operation should bo confined
to tbo safeicepmg ana transler ol the put4
- . 7 - . . - . I
he funds, and tbe collateral operation ot
dealing in bills of exchange between the
United States and foreign countries, and
between difierentStalcs, without the power
of making local discount in any State with
out its express consent. This measure,
nicely adjusted to meet the" President's de.
clared opinions,jmd to avoid tho .remotest
conflict with his conscientious scruples, waa
nevertheless rejected by him, as being to
tally at variance with the Constitution ; and
it became then apparent that no measure
would receive hisy approbation from which
there was a reasonable expectation of re
storing a sound currency insuring to the
people the just reward of their labor, and
preserving the public treasure from the pe
culation of dishonest agents, and of sepa
rating the power of the purse from the
control which the President by the Consti.
tution has over the military force of the
country.' It was thus made manifest that
tho President, if a Whig in profession, was
not one in" principle that if he regarded In
profession the will of the people, expressed
throuch their Representatives, after full and
careful consideration,- yet in, practice he
. . i .1 ... fjj i u
contemned it ana inai nouung k-h wouiu
satisfy hkn than an absolute dictation to the
WHOLE NUMBER 91;
Representatives of tho States and the neb. '
plo ol the substance and even tho vei jr form
of laws and that his own opinions of to. . .
day could hot bo relied upon to guide his
conduct or satisfy his conscience to-mor-
row. After such an exh:bition of wcak uess v
and presumption, what could bo expected '
but what followed 1 The IJarrison Cabinet 'k
was broken tip and dispersed, and the .
Whig Members of Congress, faithful to thrt
duty which they owed to themselves and to T
their constituents, assembled and issued an!
address, in whiclvtliey declared, in terms "
firm,- yet - temperate-indignant,' yet - not -i
wantonly disrcspectfuvtlicitscnsa oJLllia
President's conduct, and tho condition of
that great party whoso principles ho was "
bound to cherish and advance, rheevents
of the. present Session liavb removed all ; .
doubts, if any such before existed, of tho ,
propriety and ; necessity of this action on '
the part of tho Whigs of Congress. Wq
now see the President urging upon Con.
gress, under the dictation of his veto power, '
tho establishment of the Exchequer Board,
calculated not to relieve public distress, but
to enlarge Executive power, which already
threatens the liberties of the people- a
measure, tho tendency of which is to with
draw from circulation and from tho use of
tho peoplo all the specie of the country to
confine it in tho vaults of tho Treasury, or
accumulate it in the great commercial
cities, while it supplies no adequate substi
tuto in its room to build up the interest
and increase the wealth of those cities al -tho
expense of the great body of the pcpplo
and by withdra,wing""'fr6m our sound
banking institutions the basis pjaivhichthcir-
transactions ore founded, and iho only '
means by which they can ever resume cash -payments,
to compel them, however reluc
tantly, to call in suddenly tho debt duo them
from the people, and thus to overwhelm thd
debtor class and persons of moderate pro
perty in hopcles3 ruin. To complete the
proof of the PresidentV fixed resolution to
prevent, or undo every thing which the
Whiis desire ordiave accomplished, he has
just recommended to Congress tho repeal
of the law passed with his own approval
for distributing tho proceeds of tho Public -Lands
a law demanded by the people
guaranteed by all tho professions and pro.
mises of the Whig party in the canvass of
1840 which the State of North Carolina,
by repeated declarations of her Legisla
ture, has approved, and claimed as a right,
aa(Liiich.aLthia tinWrby-furnishiflg to- the
Slates a considcrablo amount of funds,
would cnablo them, besides accomplishing
some degree at least, the present deficiency .
of a sound circulation. Meantime, while
theso legislative proceedings ate in pro
gress, tho President has been distributing
the patronage of the Government not with
a view to the public service not to main,
tain tho ascendancy of any great party or
leading principles of the country, but to tho-
selfish end of procuring retainers to him
self, and of securing, by whatever moans, ,
a rc-eloction to office a result which he
cannot seek to produce, without disregard
ing the avowed principles of tho Whig
party and his own solemn professions a.
result, tho accomplishment of which, bap.
pily for tho country', is as impossible as its
pursuit is indefensible. Your Committco
are therefore of the opinion, that the Whig
parly-are iu-na sense justly f esporwible for
the present state of u flairs. They found
tho country incumbered with debt, dis-
graced by defalcations, infested by corrupt
and incompetent oTTico.holdcrs, and its en
ergies pressed down by the weight of unwise
legislation, and oppressive Executive usur.
potions, tho fruits of twclvo years misrulo
under selfish and profligate administrations.
Iheirtvepresentativesui Congresssctthe w
selves to work with steady dilirenec and
hearty devotion, to redress theso evils, and
restore the country. But this labor require d
both time and . energy. The dilapidations
which so many years had produced could
not. in a moment be reinstated, and even
had the lifo of the lamented ILarbisom been
spared , with his zealous co-operation , a year
would have been but a reasonable period to
demand for any effectual advance in tho
work of renovation ; but from his successor
S2lMrg has been met but a coldund insin
cere support or open thwarrtrigand bppo3l-
tion. While, thcrcforci the President js
allowed, by his 'czcrciso of tho vto, that
oxb MASLrowEii-of. our system, to arrest
the action and control tho will of the peo
ple, and the. States, speaking through thcir
proper Representatives, bow, in the present
posture of affairs, can responsibility justly
rest upon the Whigs in CongrcssT It should
ever bo borne in mind that tho Whig party
has been, in fact but one short month in
power, for since the death of IUaaisoM the
head of the Government has not acted un
der the influence" of Whig principles has
even disowned the name of Whig, and has
used and is using his constitutional power
to prevent the action of tlie Whigs, for tbo
relief of tho country. Io ono word then
for the public debt, the derangement of
the currency, and the distress of the people,
the Whigs are not responsible, becaoso
they did not produce them, but found them
on their accession to power, and they would
have removed them with the co-operation
of the President, which they could not ob
tain, and without which ybey could do no
thing. - . i - - ''-.' :
; Among the topics which have becn and
are most fruitful of declamation with our op
ponents, is the number of Bank, and tho '
amount of banking capital iothe United
State. They seek, to hold tbe Whigs re,
sponsible fox tho ucdue tocreise and mis-