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About The Oregon statesman. (Oregon City, O.T. [Or.]) 1851-1866 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 1858)
OREGON STATESMAN. TUESDAY, JANUARY, 5 1858. What mmym tHe Recttr4. We have heard a continual hullabaloo in Oregon on the part of the opposition press and party about the conduct of the democ racy, or the 'Saleni Clique." They have been unceasingly charged with every species of mismanagement and wrong. But ever since the organization of the Territory front 1849 its affairs hare been under the exclusive control of this democratic party, or "Salem Clique." The success of that party or "Clique, which mean ono and the same thing, has been unbroken. The confidence reposed in thrm by the people has never been shaken. That is something, at least, of which the "Salem Clique," alias, democratic party, can justly poiut to with pride.- They can also,after a seven or e'ght years administration, point to a Territory out of debt, with money in her Treasury. They can point to as economical an admin istration of affairs as can any State or Ter ritory in the Union. Financially, no Ter ritory or State in the Union is in a more prosperous condition than is Detnocratie- "Salem-Cliqne" governed Oregon. Surely, there must be some mistake in the represen tations and howlings against the party in power. Their agents, as public officers have certainly acted honestly, prudently, with judgment, and for the iest interests of the people. And the people, in tnrn, have wise ly committed the government to them, and passed, unheeded, the croakings of disaffection and the sptcXled falsehoods of all the pic bald opposition. And, as it has been, will it continue to be. Our whole mail for the country north of here was taken to Eugene City last week, by wustake. Mistakes and failures seem to be the rule with Oregon mails, and correct ness and regularity the exception. It is useless for a newspaper publisher iu Oregon to try to be a christain. It can't be done. We set out on Christmas to be one, but, Wednesday morning we found that our northern mail had gone to Lane county, to lie over there a week, if not longer, and we "fell from grace" "backslid," most emphat ically. We couldn't help it. Who could? After working like a pack mule all day and far into the night of Monday to get in the important Mormon and other news, and get the paper ready for the mail, congratulating yourself that yon were one week ahead of all the other papers, aud then a day or two after find that your papers bad gone in the wrong direction and would'ut be back for a week who could bear it with "Christian patience V We could'nt, and did'ot. Bro. Pearine would have sworn, if there had been nobody near, and prayed if there had. We pat it down as certain that nobody will ev er enter Paradise from an Oregon printing office at least until we have some postal reform. When we learned of the little mis tale, we sent duplicate packages of the Statesman to the Fairfield, Champoeg, Bntteville, Oregon City, and' Portland offices. Wox't Bite. Avery's Ox, and some of tbe other black republican papers, say that an effort is being made by the speckled gen try to start another of their kind of demo cratic papers in Oregon. If the amiable "duaflecteds " have any spare .funds, more than is needed to keep up the Standard and Ox, another of the same sort would be good place to sink them. Bat the next one is not going to draw dtmeratic funds ; take oar word for that. The democrats have been bitten by both the Standard and Ox, and they hare now got their eyes open. They can't be taken in, on that lay out "nary nother time." If the Ox had, at the start, thrown out its present colors, it could not have got one hundred subscribers in tbe Ter tory. .Not a democrat would have touched it, and the softs have all they can do to keep the wind in the Standard. Democrats were deceived into receiving it by its hypocritical professions of democrcy. The same was the case with the Standard. But they see now, and will be chary of that kind of fraud for tbe future. In the last presidential campaign a youngs ter in one of the western States was selling pups at a Fremont barbecue, lie had a basket full, and he said they were Fremont pnps. In a week or two afterwards he was recommending the same as Buchanan pups. "Ah! yon young rascal," said a Fremonter, "yoa told me before that they were Fre mont pups," "and they were", replied the boy; "bat these aint; these has got thriretjes "Ten." A good many of our democratic friends "has got their eyes open" npon this subject of being "token in and done for" by black republican papers in democratic dis guise. The Jtoicury. We observe that the Dept. Central Committe hare inadvertantly omitted to provide in any way for the nom ination of candidates for judges of the So preme Court. Times. We think no provision was accessary. The practice here, in the nomination of dis trict officers, has been for the delegates to the Territorial Convention, from the coun ties composing the district, to make them. The judges can be so Dominated, when the Stat Convention assembles Jiere, in March. Prosecuting Attornies, State and Territori al, wQI likewise have to be nominated. , . 19" Tbe two prisoners confined in onr jail for stealing, escaped last Wednesday night, and have not since been heard ofj They managed to tear np the iron from thd Boor, and dig out under the jail by "scratch uig graver- wun tbeir band3. . Tho Constitution of Kansas trivet the Governor $3,000 per year, and member or the Legislature $5 per day, for a lieutenant Governor. Ti -1 1 it provides 49" By reference to our advertising columns it will be noticed that our dear bro. Pea-rine is wiling out the delinquent in the church, at sheriff sale. . WT. Received by the last mail a note from Gen. Lane, dated N. Y. Nov. 20, an nouncing his safe arrival in that city. Terrible Dritttntlon In lit States. While here in Oregon, plenty abounds on every Bide while" there is probably not a man, woman, or child in our Territory with out an abnndauco of the necessaries or life, the most distressing destitution prevails in the large towns and cities on the Atlantic side. In the city of New York alone, fifty thousand mechanics have been thrown out of employ by the financial pressure. In New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Ac, large meetings of the destitute have been held. In N. Y, Reveral meetings of from 5,000 to 10,000 persons, a large majority of Irish and Herman birth, have assembled iu the Parks and marched in long procession, through the streets, carrying banners In scribed with "He want trorA" We are hungry" " ll'vrk or DenthP A committee or the starving petitioned Mayor Wood for relief, in the shape of employment upon the public works. The mayor replied that he deeply sympathized with them, and should unfluggingly urge nn extensive system of pnblic improvement, as a means of relief, and would hand in their petition to the Common Council next week. To this, the chairman, .Mr. Becler, replied as follows : Mr. Mayor, I understand you to ar that you propose not to communicate imr memorial to the Common Council before next week, njrain.st which silage jtiim we l'ejr leave most respi-et fully but earnestly to protest. Tho people outside of tins kail, in the Park, sir, are hungry ns well as myself, who am the only protector of my family of six children, bcinjj now six weeks without work. And sir I tell you on behalf of those hungry men and famishing families, that we cannot wait so lonft a time in our present misery. ThP pep' cannot wait and starve any lonjjer, because their sufferings are cruel, and wo cannot warrant that they will longer remain passive, because their pa tience has become exhausted, and if some provis ions are not made before lonfr they will be com- relied, through mere necessity, to help themselves y employing physical power.with it unnvoidnhje brutalities. A for his part, he said lie aud hi comrades of the committee had done all in their power to keep the pence thus far, but now the people ask for work or death." In Wall street they mustered around the Kx-ehan-re steps, and were addressed by their leader brivfly. The speaker said, nmonfr other thine, that while they were starving fr want of work, there were twenty millions of dollars in that street! lie coueludod by exhorting them to form strain into procession, orderly aud without disturbance, walkinjr like men .who asked what they wanted and meant to have what tlv-v ask At the rerjtiest of the collector, sub treasurer, marshal, !ic, several companies of U. S. Marines were s?nt into Wall street to protect the U. S. customhouse nnd gov ernment property from attack. At Treiton, New Jersey, a large meeting of mechauics and laboring men assembled. Several speeches were made, and resolu tions passed, strongly nrging upon the city authorities to take immediate steps to pre vent from two to three thousand pcopl from actual starvation. A large banner was displayed, on which was written th following inscription 'We ask not alms, but to keen onr wives nnd children from starvation." Such things as these have been known. in the cities of Kuropc, but never before in America. And while white men, willing to wcrk arc famishing and dying for want of food on the Atlantic side, government is lavish ing abundance upon improvident, idle, lazy. worthless Indians on the lacmc. it is pretty hard, to say the least. BGi. James O. Breyman, one of the as sociate editors of IiOngJohn Went wort It's black republican Chicago Democrat, ha just becu sentenced to tour years imprison meet iu the Illinois penitentiary for stealing money from letters. The proof was so plain that ho field gvtity. Wentworth, in speaking of him, s.iys he was a deacon, in one of the churches, and adds: He was naturally of a religious turn of mind, and passed most of bis leisure in reading religious papers and writing there for. One of our Assistants, as a counter part to Mr. Breynian' sectarian seal, effect ed and exchange with the Boston Invest! gator, an iufidel paper. We have a distinct rememberance on two several occasions, in the absence of our Assistant, that this pa per fell into Mr. B.'s hands, and that he manifested his indignation at it and its con tents by stamping it indignantly under his feet. The drawers and shelves iu his ed.to rial room were always crowded with turns, citing the whereabouts of different clergymen, revivals in their churches, &c V e bad entire confidence! in Mr. Breyrnau s innocence aud supposed he would have an examination. To our great surprise, the examination was waved, and he plead guilty. And this, while this hypocrite was carry insr on an extensive system of robbery. He had better have read the Investigator in stead of stamping upon it. Infidel, as it is, its teachings would never have led him to theft, or to the penitentiary, had he .followed them. Bs.Mr. Henry Buckingham, of Oregon, formerly a printer iu the Statesman office, returned to Ohio via. the plains, last year. He gives the following memorandum of the number of emigrants, cattle, horses, sheep and wagons that had passed the Devil's Gate this season, as kept at the Mormou mail station: Emigrants , 12,500 Wagons 950 Cattle ..." 67,000 Horses and mules about 2,600 Sheep 10,000 Mr. Buckingham met two handcart trains one of 30 and the other of 50 carts. The carts were generally drawn by one man and three women each, though some carts were drawn by women alone. For a mile or two behind tbe trains, the road was lined with the lame, the halt, sick and needy. Tbe anatomists say that the skull of An derson, the highway robber and murderer who was shot here, exhibits a rery bad or der of "bumps", phrenologically considered. The animal organs were all developed to an unnatural degree, while the main part of the sknll was back of his ears. Upon tbe forepart of his sknll, the flesh was very thick. His bead is thought to hare been muehike that of tbe Airgoose man. V- The Enterprise run on a rock at Rock Island last week, and "bored" a hole in her. Her inability to return disappointed a large number of party-goers who had set their hearts Corvallis ward. Official Account of the Mormon fclUW nittcs. Below we give the ofllcinl nccount of the Mormon intelligence published by us lust week, not differing in the facts from the ac counts then published. RKIGHAM YOfNO TO COL. JOHNSON. (lovERNon's Ofhce, Utah Tkr., ) ti re at Salt Lake Citv, Sept. 20, '51. J 2b the Officer Commanding the forces now Invading Utah Territory: Sir By reference to tha act of Congress passed Sept. !, 1850, organizing the Terri tory of Utah, you will I'nnl the following: Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the executive power and authority in nnd over said Territory of Utah sliull be vested in a Governor, who shall hold his office for Tour years, and until his successor shall be appointed nnd tpinlificd, unless sooner re moved by the President of the United States. The Governor shall reside within said Terri tory, shall be Commander-in-chief of the mi litia thereof, &e., Ac. I nin still the Governor nnd Superintend ent of Indian Affairs for the Territory, no successor having been appointed and quali fied, as provided by law, nor have I been re moved by the President of the United States. By virtue of the uuthority thus vested in me, I have issued nnd forwarded to you n copy of my proclamation, The proclamation referred to was published in the Statesman last week. Ed. forbidding the entrance or armed forces in the lei ry. This you have disregarded, 1''- ther direct that von retire forthwith i?6in the Ten 5 tory, by the same route you enter ed. Should you deem this impracticable, and prefer to remain nntil spring, in the vi cinity of your present encampment Black pork on Green River you can do so in peace aud unmolested, on condition that you deposit you anus and ammunition with Lewis ltobin?on, Juurternioster General of the Territory, and leave iu the spring as soon ns the condition of the roads will per mit you to march; and should you fall short of provisions, they cnti be furnis-hed you upon making tho proper application there for. Gen. D. II. Wells will forward this, nnd receive any communication you may have to make. Very respectfully, 15IUGIIAM YOUNG, cot., ai.kxanof.r to rkmiiau VOl'Ml. Ukau )rs. Tkxih Rku't. of Infantry-,) Camp Wixfiflp, ox Ham's I'orx, October ', Ib5.. J Jiriham Young, L g , Governor rf L'tuh Terri'ory: Sin I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of Sept. 20, 1S5T, with two copies of a proclamation uud one of the laws of Uluh, and have given it au attentive consideration. I am at present the senior and commanding officer of the troops of the United States at this point, aud 1 will submit your letter to the General commanding as sooii as he arrives here. In the meantime, I have only to say that these troops are here by the order of the President of the United States, and their further movements nnd operations will de pend entirely opou orders issued by compe tent military authority. Very respect full v, K. B. ALEXANDER. COL. ALEXAM'Ml TO THE ADJUTANT fctXfcltAI, Head Qas. Army for Utah, I Camp i.xmfld, 1 . 1., Get. v, oi.) C'vl. S. Cofiptr, Adjutant General U. S'. .1 Sir I have the honor to report that have assumed command of the troops of th Uuited States, consisting of part of the armv for Utah, which nre now encamped o this point. These troops are the Fifth Beg iinenl of Infautrv, eight companies of tl Tenth Infantry, and the batteries of Artil Ury (six and twelve pounders) commander bv Cant. Phtli. Fourth Artillery, and Re no, Orduauce Department, respectively. This camp is situated ou Hani .s r oik, a tributary of Black's Fork, which is iu turn a tributary of Green river, about lo milei above the junction of the two Forks. Fort Bridger in distant, in a southeast direction about 30 miles. The Tenth Infantry reach ed here on the 28th of September Phelps' battery on the following dav. The Firth Infantry arrived on the 4th of October, and Reno a battery on the same uay. Un llie 5th inst., I assumed ccuinianrt, for reasons which 1 conceive to be of the utmost im portauce to the troops and their supplies and of which 1 shall have the honor to make a Till report when a safe and more certain opportuuity of sending despatches presents tself. At present I can give only a state ment of what has occurred since my arrival aud report tbe dispo.-ition I hare determined to make of the troops. -On the day after reaching Ham's rork, and at the first camp I made on it, 1 rccciv ed the enclostd letters f:om Gov. Young and Lieut. General Wells. The proposi tions they contain, however absurd they nre, showed conclusively that a determined oppo sltion to the power of the Government was intcuded. 1 had met Capt. Van Vliet on the 21st September, returning- from bait Lake City, and was niformed oy mm i.iai although the Mormons, or rather Governor loumr. were determined to oppose an cu trance iuto the city, yet he was assured that no armed resistance would bo attempted if we went no further than I- ort Bndger and Fort Supply. I was still further convinced of this by the circumstance that a train of more than one hundred contractors' wagous had been parked for nearly three weeks ou Ham's Fork without defence, aud had been unmolested, although they contained provi sions and supplies which would have becu of great use to tlic Moruious. Upon receiving these letters, I prepared for defence, aud to guard the supplies near us until the nearest troops came up. X re plied to Gov. Youug's letter, a copy of which I enclose, and have not had any fur thcr correspondence with him. On the morning of the 5th of October, the Mor mons burnt two trains of government stores on Greeu river and ou the Big Sandy, and u few wagous belonging to Mr. Perry, .sutler of the 10th Iulnntry, which were a few miles behind the latter train. Col. aite, of tbe Fifth, though uot anticipating any act of the' kind, was preparing to send back a detachment to these trains, from his camp ou Black's Fork, wheu ho received from some teamsters who came in, the intelligence of their being burned. No doubt now ex isted that the most determined hostility might be expected on the part of the Mor mons, aud it became necessary, from the ex treme lateness of the season, to adopt some immediate course for wintering the troops, and preserving the supply trains with us. After much deliberation, aud assisted by the counsel of the senior officers, I have deter mined to move the troops by the following route: Up Ham's Fork about 18 miles, to a road called Sublette's Cut-off; along that road to Bear river and boda bpnng; on arriving at Soda Spring, two routes will be open one down Bear river valley, towards the Salt Lake, and one to tbe north-east, toward tbe Wind river mountains, .where good valleys for wiutering the troops and stock can be found. The adoption of one of these will be decided by the following "circumstances: If the force under my command is sufficient to overcome the resistance which I expect to meet at Soda Spring, I shall endeavor to force my way into the valley of Bear river, nnd occupy some of the Mormon villages, because 1 am under the impression that the Mormons, nfier a defeat, will be willing to treat, and bring provisions for stile. The supplies on hand will last six mouths, nnd if I can get possession of a town in Bear river valley, 1 can easily fortify and' hold it all winter. There are also several supply trains in the rear, to which I have communicated, and if they receive my letter in time, they will be saved nnd can join ns. If the Mor mons nre too Strong for us, which I do not anticipate, the other rond will be adopted, and I will make the best of my way to the mountains, and tent for the whiter.. I desire to impress npon you the fact that I, though not the commnuder Appointed to this army, have adopted this course because the safety cf the troops absolutely depends upon nn immediate effort, and having infor mation which makes it certain that the com mander will not reach here before the 20th inst, nnd if wo wail until that time, we cannot leiivo the vulfry. The information I allude to is to the effect that Col. Johnston had relieved Gen. Harney, nnd had not left Fcrt Leaven worth on the 10th of Septem ber, nnd 30 davs is tho least possible time in which he can arrive here I cannot, for fear of this being irf jjrer-pted, tell you the etigth of my cjri.iu, or send returns of n'. It is strong If" to defend itself and its supplies; whet3t is able to assume a wj., sustain au offensive position remains lo be seen; but should the command which I have heard ore in the rear come up in time, I think we will have sufficient force to carry out nn active invasion. If we are obliged to winter in the mountains, you can perceive by a reference to Slaudbury's maps, that we will have an opeu road to bait Lake City in the spring, and one wliieb 1 am told is open early. By this oue attack can be made und ntteution called from the main road (that by Foit Bridger,) which may thtu be trav ersed by troops. The Bear river route is. however, said to be the best one iu the vul ley The other passes through canons that can be defended by a handful against thou sands and it is moreover so easily obstructed that in a week it could be made utterly im passable. The want cf cavalry is severely felt, and we are powerless on account of this deficiency to effect any chastisement of the marauding bands that are constantly hover ing about us. On the ith iust., 1 detached Cupt. Marey, 5th Infantry, witli four com panies lo Greeu river, to collect what he could Dud serviceable from the burnt trains, and to disperse any bodies of Mormons he found. In conclusion, permit me to express the hope that my acts will meet the approv al of the government and on Ihc first op portunity 1 will make a fuller and more de tailed rep'jrt. It is unquestionably the duty of the government to quell by overwhelm ing force this treasonable rebellion of the Governor and people of Utah, and I must most urgently impress upon the ar De partment the fact that the small body of troops here will need reinforcements aud supplies as soou as they can possibly be got here net spring. I would further resptct fullv suzirest that troops should be sent from California nnd Orcgan. It is said that tli9 road from California to Salt Lake is passable tHl winter, and it is certainly so much earlier iu the fpring than that trom the States. Your obedient servant. E. 15. ALEXANDER, Colonel 10th Itifautry, commanding. eoi.oxr.i. johsstox to the assistant adju tant a enf.ua l. II EAHQUAKTER3 ARMY OF UTAH, Cvtr os the Three Crossings of -Sweet Water, Oct. 13, lfoT. ) Major To-night two men who left at Fort Laramie, and who had been seut on express to Colonel Alexander, arrived at our Camp pn their way back. From them I learu that the Mormons, having iuterposed a force iu rear of our troops then encamped at Ham's Fork of Green River, succeeded in burning three supply trains, with their contents. A message from Colonel C. F. Smith, instructing him to protect the trains in the rear, which contain the clothing, Sibley tents, subsistence, &c. The orders with regard to the march of the cavalry and companies of the Sixth having been countermanded, leaves Colonel Smith with only twenty-two men. Forty-seven men of his command were left nt Laramie ns the Governor's escort. Lt. Smith, of the Dra goons, is four days' march behind us, with two compauics of dragoons, the forty-seven men of Col. Smith's command and tweuty Ovc dragoons of my escort who were left at Larimie to come on with Lieut. Smith ; his eo tq ma nd win uiiinoer about zoo men. i have ordered him to hasten forward and ioiu Colonel Smith's command. Wc will march in the morning, and expect to cu ... camp wun iOi cinnn tomorrow iiigiii. .i i . . . i . The express man says Col. Alexander would attempt to reach the valley of Salt Lako by the Bear river; it is inucli lurliier tlian by the usual route, and why he selects it 1 could uot learn, unless from the probability of the grass being burnt by the Mormons on the direct route. These men say that it is certain thut they will buru the grass ou the route they are about to. pursue. Under these circumstances, if I could communicate with Col. Alexander I would direct him to take np.argoou position lor the winter nt Ham's Fork. -The road is beset between this and Ham's Fork with companies ol Mormons, so that it is doubtful whether 1 shall be able to communicate with Col. Al exander. With great respect, your obedient servant, A. S. JOHNSTON, Col. 2d Cavalry, commanding Army of L tab. Major Iavi.v McDowell, Assistant Ad jutant General, Headquarters of tho Army, New loi k city. : From the Nebraska News, Oct. 54. We learn by the arrival of the Salt Lake mail that the advance party of some thirty or more Uuited States troops sent out dur ing the summer, have been driven out from Salt Lako City. Brigham is preparing to receive tho whole posse of - the United States troops. He declares vengeance upon all heretics. Our informant tells us that robberies nnd murders aie frequent on the plains by the Mormons and Indians. The child that was stolen by the Chey enne Iudians, last summer, from Fort Kear ney, has been rescued by some friendly Chey enncs. its xatner, Air. i;icks, stayed a night or two since, at the house of our friend, Mr. Gideon Bennet, of Otoe City. Mr. Bennet describes the child as remarka bly sprightly and active, speaking readily in Cheyenne ilnd Sioux, but having forgotten entirely the English language. t - i,THE MORMONS AXO TUB WAGON TRAINS. ' Leavenworth City, K.T., ) . Nov. 7, 1857. ) A courier has just arrived from Fort Lar- mie, bringing tho startling intelligence that three trains of seventy-five wagons, belong ing to Major RuBsell of this city, containing government stores for the army, en ronte for Salt Lake City, had been captured and burned by 500 mormons at Hand's i-orK oi Greeu River, on Saturday October 10. Five wngons with provisions to reach Fort Lara mie, were allowed the drivers and men con nected with the train, nnd ten minutes given them to leave. The Mormons made no at tempt to injure any one connected With the train, 'saying they (lid not wish to spill blood unless one of the Saints should be killed, in which event they would demolish the whole United States Army.' They have taken posession of all the pusses in the mountains, burnt u!l the grass within two hundred miles of Salt Lake City, for the purpose of starv ing the slock with the government trains. The grnss this season is extraordinarily short, nnd this move will compel the gov ernment forces to return nnd winter at Fort Lnrainie. Maj. Russell's train was sent four weeks in ndvntice of Gov. dimming arid his army, in order to have their cattle recruited upon the arrival of the army ut the Passes.' They were feeding nt the time the Moruioi came upon them. Gen. Harney is now at this fort with three thousand men, already in winter quarters, and he says it will take an army of twenty thousand men to conquer the Mormons next Fpring. Judge Kinney formerly Chief-Justice of Utah, who is well informed in regard to the resources and pow er of Brigham Vounf,says the United States cannot conquer a peace in less than three years. The Mormons, during the last three or four years, have been making prepara tions for a long continued siege with the gov ernment, and are iu n condition to sustain themselves for several years. There was probably never before any por ( tion of ojjr army subjected to such privations aii?nrJa'hom the future presents such a gloomy picture ns in the case nt present with the "army Tor Utah." And it can be said without disparagement to others that no portion of our army rotil J have been betler selected to battle with the hardships of a campaign, which more than all others proves the soldier, than the "army for Utah." No one faniilliar with the operations of our army for the last twenty years will fear that any of these officers will prove recreant to the important trusts confided to them. We may rest assured thut if, upou Colonel Johnston's arrival on the verge of the Salt Lake valley, circumstances urge the propri ety of immediate action, cffensivc-Iv, towards the Mormons, it will bs done with a bold and decisive hand. Certainly no act is bet ter calculated to hasten the inevitable doom of Mormoiiism than this attempt, on their part, to destroy the army supplies. Noth ing should shield them from the just retri bution of an outraged government. AVe doubt if Col. Johnston will be able, when his whole force is concentrated, to mus ter'over one thousand men for duty. Such an army, so far from the base line, is too smrll to cope long with vigorous resistance. HSU Forney's Press, Philadelphia, bit terly deuotinces the conduct of the Kansas Constitutional Convention, iu refusing to submit the constitution to the people. It says: " We give in another column some of the doings of this Convention; and hive only to say that if the Constitution fabricated by this body is sent to Congress, we trust that short work will be made of it. It deserves nothing bnt contempt. If it has a single merit, it is its consistency with the fraud nnd wrong which it is intended to perpetu ate, and from which in great part it has growu. The idea of a set of men chosen ns delegates to this Convention, attempting to bind posterity to their work, and daring to nullify in advance tho will of the majority, is f o monstrous that we wonder the outrage d'd not excite the whole cop!e to civil war The usurpation becomes the more amazing when we reflect that thse very men who are trying to hx upon the lerntoiy the rule of aviuinority were vociferous in denouncing the Toptka constriction, which set ont with asserting a similar principle, and was repu diated by Congress and the country. In speaking of doings like the?", wc feel that it is idle to mince phrases, and we sin cerely hope that the Constitution of Kansas will, when presented to the Congress of the United btatcs, be thrown out of both branch es by a nnanimons vote. At any rate, we trust that the Senators aud Representatives from Pennsylvania will boldly and at once put their feet upon it, ond spurn it os it de serves to be spurned." We think a better way to dispose of it, would be to incorporate a provision submit ting the Constitution to the people of Kan sas, and send it back to them. No people should have a constitution forced upon them without nn opportuuity of declaring wheth er or not they wauted it. Rrpovtetl Mnmtrre un the Plains. five nr.vnr.ED Tiioors killed by the Indians. The following is a letter from the Rev. Thomas Williamson, published in the St. Paul Times: Pajutazee, Oct. 26, 1857. A report reached this neighborhood on day before yesterday that live hundred American soldiers have been cut ofiT by a large party of Teetonwnn, near the Missouri river. Tho news was brought here by a man from near tho tipper end of Big Stone Lake, whose sou-iu-law had just returned from a camp of the Ihnnktonwan, ou the Missouri river, where ho had the news. He reports that while he was there a number of Teetonwan came to the camp of the Ihauktonwau to dance the scalp dance, and that he saw them mouued on the dra groon horses, with the holsters and pistols which they hud taken. They said that the Long Knives were going to war, aud uot very far from some fort on the Missouri, and as they proceeded westward they camped near a large body of the Teetonwan, who, hear ing their drums, in the night surrounded the camp, and while they were ncariy all asleep, rushed upon then, and killed them with their knives and warclubs before the Long Knives could get their guns and horses, and not one escaped. It is common for , warriors to magnify their exploits, and we hope there is much exaggeration in this report: but if two or eveu one hundred of onr soldiers have thus been cut off, it is a sad case. I fear there is truth iu it. It is very improbable that not one should have escaped, and likely you will have some account of it from other sources not far from the time this reaches you. Y'ou doubtless remember that persons acquainted with the Sionx, almost without exception, apprehended that trouble would grow out of the neglect of onr govern ment to send a detachment of our army to punish those who perpetrated the murders at Spirit Lake. I have confidence in my informant that ho gave me the above news as lie received it from' the father-indaw of the man who brought it from Missouri, and he believes it true; but as he is not acquainted on the Missouri river I could uot learn from him on what part of the river the fort is situatea from which the soldiers-were goiu&, um was probably some detacUment oi iue army marching to Utah. He says tlie place ot the battle is ouly five or six days' travel ( between two and three hundred miles; irom Big Stone Lake. i A Trip to tlio Slate. " (Correcponilence of the Stitcnutn.) O.v Board Steamer Golden Gate, ) ; November 17, 1857. j Mr. Bush While I am enjoying a sie.tta on deck, I will write to inform you of our whereubouts, &c. We sailed from fcun Francisco on the 5th inst., with about 700 passengers, nnd expect to arrive nt Panama to-morrow night. The health on board is good, nnd we have had fair sailing most of the way. On the gulf of Tehuantepec, we had some rough' sea, and a few very pleasant showers. On the 11th, we stopped nt a Mexican town called Manezinnelh), and took on board a large amount of specie, which is to be transferred to au English steamer at the Isthmus, for shipment to Europe. On the morning of the 13th, we entered the harbor of Accupulco, and all hands went ashore. The passengers enjoyed it remarkably well, indeed it was a regular jubilee. Most of them partook too freely of the fruits found in the market, in consequence of which we had a sick cargo for a day or two after, which brought some of them to the very wise conclnsioii that something a little more ""tropical would better agree. with their physical organizations. I had the pleasure, while here, of visiting the American Consul, aud found a very pleasant old gentleman, who seemed much pleased to meet a ISoslnn I also went to see the old church, which is quite a curiosity to one who never visited a ' ke institution. I was struck with the so lemnity which pervaded throughout our company as we approached the sanctuary. Every fellow doffed his hat and forked over a dime to a little black boy who sat on the floor with his hand in a position to receive it. I visited the Fort, but saw nothing very striking abont it except that a majority of the soldiers belonged to the chain-gang, probably to prevent desertions, or, this state of things might have been brought about by the Iqte effort to separate church and State. After I had seen the town, I found an old lady who kept an eating-shop, where I found eggs, chickens and other edibles, which 1 relished exceedingly, and if uny of my friends in future wish to find a pood cook in Accapulco, I would recommend them to an old woman, who claims to be Mcxicnna, but has a very greaser like nppenrance. The natives seemed to enjoy our presence" very much. I should think from their gyrations, that events were rather scarce commodities about there. We have "nil sorts" of a company on board. There hai beeii sercral quarrels or differences, and we have the promise of be ing refreshed with tno or three affairs of honor, wheu we arrive at Panama, but as we draw near that consecrated spot, the less we hear about hostile demonstrations, and by the timo we arrive, all such thoughts will have vanished from the aggrieved parties ss tbe "baseless fabric of a vision." We met the Golden Age on the 11th inst., nnd she seemed to be loaded down to the gqards with citizens and soldiers. We expect to meet the Sonora to day or to-morrow. Passengers from Oregon all well. Yours, urtder a tropical sun, RALPH. .ASMS WALL, .Ov, 21, 1j A. Rush We arrived at ilie anchorage in the bay vtnr Pnnaira ou the morning o the. HKli tnt. nt to clock, but in conic uueuce of the tide being ?,, we were wo ab'e to get ashore until 3 o'clock in the after noon; when we were shipped on board the cars and consigned to this place, rau ten miles out end found the treasure and bag gage train, which went in advance rf n up side down by the way sida, a total wrptk i he embankment, track and nil had gon with it. and we were brought to a deal halt. Here we remained till S o'clock, r. m.. when the passenger train assumed a retro grade movement, and after stopping to re pair several new breaches in our rear, sue ceeuea in oaaang into l anaiua ct one o'clock on the next morning; and being unable to get access within the city limits at that hour we were compelled to spend a most uneomiortable n;ght. u e remained m the suburbs until 10 o'clock on yesterday morning, when wc agiiin started and reoched the scene of our mUfortones, where- wc were detained in the Lfgs until 12 o'clock at night. Tho work was finally patched . np and we proceeded on our course towards this town where we arrived nt half past 3 o clock this morning, nt which time I am writing. It is unnecessary for me lo at tempt a description of all the scenes which attended the little portion of our journey Sufiiee it to say, that taking it altogether, it was enough to disgust any man who has a soul, with the nnngation ( ?) of the isth mus. It rained on us almost continually the ground is saturated with water, and our terra Jirma was liable to slip from under us at anv moment. However, the trip across was not withont its consolations. The na tives very kindly furnished us with eggs and miserable water ou the route; the former at ten ccuts each and the latter at one bit a glass. So yoa see we fared sumptuously, so far as you tan apply that expression to the style. One of our lady passengers by the Golden Gate died on board (of consumption,) tbe morning we reached Panama. With that exception, we have had no serious sickness amongst our passengers. llie Northern Light is here, and will take the passengers of the Golden Gate ns far as Havana, where she will leave the JNcw Or leans passengers, and proceed with the lest to New York. She sails at ten o clock to-day. As near as I can learn, she takes three millions of dollars iu specie for New York. Y'ours, almost asleep, RALril. J&af The Postmaster General has re cently decided that if postmasters do not give publishers of newspapers notice when their papers remain in the Post Office with out being taken out by the subscribers with- iu hve weeks, they are liable for the pay. Will Orcgou postmasters, bear this in mind ? BSS-Tlic N. Yr. Legislature stands as follows: - SENATE. ASSEMBLY. Democrats fil Democrats 15 Republicans ....... J . 14 Independent . .... 1 Republicans 53 Americans. . Americans 2 To .ir.-. P. Hall, editor aFOim Occidental Messf- -.-" Sir, 1 have recently had mv attention called to several of the late issues of your paper in which yta have without any provocation on my part taken sion to parade mr name "TivS J cter bv innJendo.; .ml - ewm reeona le such coa- l!-t bin "'um"ot dishonorable action, and J ,a " , -..Vnr,.luce affidavits to the fact, vou owe it ns a duty to society to make them public. 1 have there fore to request that you publish any and all affidavits that yoa can procure (including your own) in relation to me. I court the controversy iind will either fastea perjury upon your affiants by the most direct, positive and incontrovertible evidence, or patiently submit to their charges. . You most publish your affidavits, sir. and make good your charges, or submit to the odium that all honorable men will attach to your base, craven and awcardly con duct. I am, sir, at all times, your humble serv't, J. W.XESJHTH. -. - For tlie Statesman. Alder Springs, ! Yamhill Co., Dec. 24, 1854. f Friend Bcfh The editor of the Mes senger, -Mr. Hall takes the positien that no man can be a trne Democrat, unless he votes for shivery locally. The reason which h? has given through tin columns of his paper, is this : that ilia Constitution of the Uni ted States recognizes property in slaves, and therefore no State has a right to prohibit slavery within its jurisdiction. , .Now if this doctrine be true, then the people of the free States have the same reason to demand of thepeople-of the, slave States, that the slaves of the south have a right to rote nnd hold office, independent of the laws of those States, as the sama Constitution reco"Hiz?s the right of representation to the slave. If tho reasoning of Mr. Hall be correct, then the negro slave has a right to vote and hold office in the slave States, independent of their laws, and the Constitution of the United States must protect them in that right. The" democratic doctrine is -that both of these positions, nre wrong; nnd if carried out, wonld undermine the Constitution, and lay our fair form of government in ruins, which" has baen the boast of most of the great men of the worlJ. There are some men in this country who pretend to call themselves democrats, who are using every effort in their power to organize a pro-slavery party. If they should succeed ! which they never can do, ) their, doctrine nnd position would be equally as fatal to the Constitution of the United States, ns the most rabid repub licans, if fully earned out as suggested by the editor of the Messenger. I would ask the editor of the Messenger and other editors of papers, how far the Constitution of the United States protects slave property, -aud when such protection ceases under the State or local laws? Those questions I would argue, if the Statesman was not so crowded" by Legislative proceedings. One word of encouragement to the editor of the Statesman. Go on, neither turning to the right or left. There is a great mis sion intrusted to your hands by the demo cratic party of thi-s Territory, whose colC dence at this moment ' you have; and I feel confident from the past, that that confidence will never be betrayed as long as vou live. Yours, F.D. MARTIN. t'orrtj)ncdc-at; of the Str.tnian. Olympia, Dec. 18th, J;7. Dear Ucfii Onr legislature is now ia full blat, awl is a very respectable body. There is not Jikeiy to arise this winter (as there did lat) any questions over which a large amount of wrangling, fary and confn siou is to bs spent. The Governor's messnn-e fan fvpllpnt document J has occupied considerable atten tion of the legislature. It contains many wholesome suggestions, and bears the genu ine democratic impres?. Oar tifir Governor is all over a democrat, and his examp'e and counsels will da much in aid of the cleansing proce?s that bas at last been inaugurated in this land of weak jointed, seif-styled democrats. A little bu siness has . Ijeen performed in the way of "reading out," and it is understood that the goml woik h i!l g3 cu. Impositions have In-en played oS" ia the nsnaa of democracy quite loa-r enough.- That thos who wiff hull regular nominations, should not be per mitted to s:;:I nnder the flag tbej Lave dis honored, is a proposition that none.bat the bacst tatmis of the democracy will at tempt to extrovert. The temporising policy has proved a fail ure, and "ihs c.e is now beirg laid at the root of ti.e tree." Hereafter,"" in Washing ton .? in Oregon, t!;n?e who?e professions of democracy are simply "mouthful! of spoken wind," a$J who ero never democrats on the day of election, will End themselves placed where their own votes have p'aced thew outside of t:ie democratic party. Let the good work bat go on, here aud in Oregon, and our triumphs will gloriotis indeed, btin the success of truth and priucrple. There is no news 6f a local character worth communicating. The Indian Lest-hi, who you saw ia con finement at Fort Steilacoom, when here last samtner, was to-day sentenced to Le hnng on the 221 of January. Some fears are entertained for the safety of the Republic, as shb has not yet arrived in the Souad. ' Ia baste, ic, FLINT. Correspondence of tbe Statesman. ' Olvspia, Dec. 11, 1857 Our legislature organized this week. In the House the organization was effected tho second dav. Tue Council Wed suay. Both elected democrats to ev err office. In the Council. C. C. Pa-rrrpftf.r Lewis, President, J. T. Turner, of Island, 1st clerk; Daufel, assistant; Wright of Clark, sergeant-at-arms, and Morrow, of Sawamish, doorkeeper. Ia the Nonse', 1. S. M. Vau Cleave, of Pacific, speaker;'.! J. Cain, of Ciarfc, 1st clerk: Rnfn Wifl.rl of this place, assistant; Carpenter, of King-, sergeant-at-arms; Wsi. Rutlege, sen., of this county, door-keeper. Each bouse obeyed the decision of" a caucus. It is to be hoped tue party will adhere strictlv to this correct system in future. The Council cau cus ruled out one hombre, whose antece dents have been decidedly know-nothing. tie uaa ueen a nuisance politically for the past two years. Now be is where he "ouzht- er iro." The supreme court is in session, with two importaut murder trials before it, brought up from the court below. One of thenT is the case of Leschi, tLe Indian wh6 killed Moses, in our late war. The argument ou this case closes to-dav. Business continues Iivelv eons!.ier?ncr tt. tiara times, 'lo be so hard run for funds cm to. i o to nara run lor tunas '. nr people do certainly progress in Improve--uents more rapidly than anv other on earth. c me rapiu.y than any other on earth. lours, DURHAM. Matters at the SiLirrra Reservation. "Bob" Mctcalf, Indian Agent at the Si- letts, writes as follows, under date of Dec.. 2G, 1S5T. . " "Every thing is distressingly quiet Lert.-, except occasional fights amoogst tbe Indians, . in itliii-li thpvlrill about one a wp. t- X'or aud then they amuse themselves by shooting ' arrows iuto our stoc. This taoruinir. ono- cf mv cotvs had two arrows Sticking in her side, about three- inches deep. Burning ny ardeo lence ar,0ut twice a week, is & favor ite amusement with them. Bnt thes are small annoyances which. I Lave learned to look over, not being able to help myself. There should bo cimihla thn snmher of soldiers, stationed at this point; there are barelj enough here to protect tbe block house ia the event of trouble, without being : Gule to render the agency any assistance outsida of the block-house. Onr crops are looking well, and every thing pertaining to. the ageucy, is in a better condition than ifc Las been since I have been here." A Vkby Ux-"kkcessary Bcsxxess Xear ly all the round houses abt tQMnj werc npset new year's eve.
