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SALEM, OREGON, TUESDAY.feScF
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VOL. 8. NO, 42.
WHOLE NO. 40(5;
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Tfc Way r Ue Wbria.
A votilh woold marry a maiden,
; v tor fair and fond was she;
But she whs rich nd he was poor,
And so it mifrht not be.
A lady never could wear -:
. . . Her mother held it firm
A gown that came of an India plant,
-And not of an India worm !
- And so the cruel vord was spoken,
And so it was two. hearts, were broken.
.
A youth would marry a maiden,
' , For fair and fond was she ; -Bnt
he was high and she was low,
And so it might not be. -
A man who had worn a spar
. . ia ancient battle won.
Had sent it down, with great renown,
To goad his future son !
. And so the cruel word was spoken.
And so it was two hearts were broken.
" A yooth would marry a maiden, '
For fair and fond was she ; . '
But their sires disputed about the Mass,
. And so it might not be. T
A couple of wicked kings, .
Three hundred years agone, t
' Had played a royal game of chess.
And the Church had been a pawn !
And so the erne! word was spoken.
And so it was two hearts were broken.
Drtkr oh the Witness Staxd.; Dryer
earned a little unenviable fame in a fruitless
attempt to swear the physician who cured
his blind eyes, out of his fee. He was also
a witness in the Dall riot case at Portland.
A correspondent of the San Francisco Bul
letin speaks of him as follows :
The case was admitted 16 the jnry in the
after part of the day, and nearly twenty-four
hours were consumed, - before they returned
into court and rendered their rerdict. The
subject-matter of their disagreement resulted
from misunderstanding some of the testimo-
' ny, which, upon their being recalled, easily
led them to agree upon a verdict of " not
guilty." Some of the jurymen, however, re
marked that had one of the witnesses who
testified against the accused been a reliable
man, tbey would hare agreed upon a rerdict
of 'guilty" immediately on going into the
jury-room; but the disreputable character
of the witness referred to, although unim
peached, caused his testimony to be wholly
rejected by the jury. At the examining
court he testified that be- "was in company
with Capt. Dall when the assault was com
mitted," and that he (witness) " was hit on
the hat with a brick," nod that he " was hit
ia the side with a rock." But on the trial
he swore positively that he was not hit on
the bat with a brick, nor did he have a brick
in kis hat ! The conflicting statement thus
made by the witness rendered his testimony
u worthy of confidence, and hence its rejec
tion by the jary." Had this testimony been
givcn with that .ree of candor and good
judgment, which characterizes a good citi
zen, I have no doubt that the accused would
hare been fonnd guilty -of the charge pre-
- ferre dagainst them. But, in consequence of
a disreputable witness being placed upon the
stand to testify, when the character and repu
tation of our city was at stake, it most be
coweteVd that en injury - has been cwHsiaeri,
which it wi!I require years to amend and
place again in its former good repute.
The same correspondent speaks of Gen.
Adair, as follows-:
The little political world of Oregon is
"now under the influence of enlightenment by
a somewhat angry discussion going on be
tween General John Adair, U. S. Collec
tor at Astoria, the Hon. . Chief Justice Wil
liams of Portland, and A. Bosh, E-q , Ter
ritorial printer, and editor of the Oregon
Slalesman, at Salem. Notwithstanding the
knowledge wbich the people may gain from
this discussion, I have no donbt bnt that it
will prove deleterious, not only to the De
mocratic party, but to some of the officials
of this Territory, who are depeudnet upon
the present Administration for the honora
ble position which they now occupy. As
regards who may be right, or who may be
wrong in this discussion, it is impossible to
determine; bnt I can safely vent ore an opi
nion, that some startling facts have been
developed, and I fear that President Bucha
nan will make himself interested in the wel
fare of some of the parties before the mat
ter meets with a final disposition.
Mr. Bash, it is conceived, occupies a pro
. ninent position in the rank and wishes of
the Democratic party, and at a recent elec
tion he was the regular Democratic nominee
for State printer. Mr. Adair, having some
personal objection, to him, erased his name
from the Deniocatic ticket, thereby violating
the most binding obligation of the party,
and by so doing,- giving aid and comfort to
the enemy. In this breach of a Democratic
principle on the part of Mr. Adair, Mr.
Bush as editor of the. leading Democratic
paper of this territory, conceived it to be
his daty to expose Mr. Adair as a bolter
and disorganizcr of the Democratic party.
Mr. Adair took offence at an exposition of
facts as they appeared on paper, and for
this commenced an attack on Mr. Bash,
snd also at the same time burled a missile of
Tiaegar at Judge Williams. The reply of
both Judge Williams and Mr. Bush,, was
nlaia aod decisive, and at the same time
- firmly adhering to the pure Democratic prin
ciple of the party, while Geo. Adair labors
bard to prove the validity of his position,
' aod also asserts . that he (General Adair)
- was born between " Ashland and the II er-
J ' aitage." I am at a loss what the General
has reference to in his allusion, nnless it is
to illustrate his political career for the few
years last past. One thing is certain, be
v '-' has, since his appointment to the Collector-
ship at Astoria, occupied a very favorable
. V. position in the eyes of the political parties;
i .for, daring each successive Presidential con
. test, he was not, by residing in a Territory,
. compelled to declare openly bis political sen
' ", timents, bat wisely withheld them until the
' contest was over, and when there was no
danger of committing an error, which might
prove deleterious to kis position. - ' -
A young woman :f the tribe of the
' Oldtown Indians the other day in the cars,
was asked by a rowdy if she wonld not like
to marry a white man. " No," was her re
ply, because good white men do not want
. to marry me, and poor scamps like yon 1
won't bare! ' The Towdy left at the next
station.
I9 A woman in New Orleans ran away
from her husband, taking with her three
v. children. She left a note for her husband J
; oa bis arrival home, to the effect that be
: needn't concern himself about the- children,
M none of them were his. ......
The Salt Mines mt C rorgir.
BY BAYARD TAYLOR.
After descending 210 feet we saw the
first re hs of rock salt, in a bod of clay and
crumbled sandstone. Thirty feet more and
we were in a world of Fait. Level galleries
branched off from the foot to the staircase;
overhead a ceiling of solid salt, under foot
a floor of salt, and on either side dark gray
walls of salt, sparkling here and there with
mi nnte crystals. Lights glimmered ahead,
and on taming the corner we came upon a
gang of workmen, some hacking away at the
solid floor, others trnnding wheelbarrows
full of the precious cubes. Here was th
chapel of St Anthony, the oldest in the
mines a byzantiuc excavation, supported
by columns with altar, crucifix, and life size
statue of saints, apparently in black marble,
but all as salt as Lot's wife, as I discovered
by putting my tongue to the nose of John
the Baptist. The hnmid air of this pppcr
story of the mines has damaged some of the
saints. Francis, especially, .is running away
like a dip candle, all of his head is gone ex
cept his chin.
The limbs of Joseph are dropping off as
if he had the Norwegian leprosy, aud Law
rence had deeper scars than his gridiron
could have made, running np and down his
back. A Bengal light bnrncd at the alrar,
brought iiito sudden life this strange temple,
which presently vanished into darkness, as
if it had never been seen.
I cannot follow, step by step, onr journey
of two hours through the labyrinths of this
wonderful mine. It is a bewildering maze of
galleries, grand halls, staircases and vaulted
chambers, where one loses all 'sense of dis
tance or direction, and drifts along blindly;
in the wake of his conductor. .Everything
was solid salt, except where great piers of
hewn logs had been bnilt np to support
some threatening roof, or vast chasmsh left
in quarrying, had been bridged across. As
we descended to lower regions, the air be
came more dry and agreeable, and the saline
walls more pure and brilliant. One hall, 103
feet in hight, resembled a Grecian theater,
the traces of block taken ontin regular layers
representing the seats for the spectators.
Out of the single hall 1,000,000 cwt of sail
bad been taken, or enough to supply the
40,000,000 inhabitants in Austria one year.
Two obcliks of salt commemorated the
visit of Francis I and his Empress in ano
ther spacious irregular vault, through which
we passed by means of a wooden bridge
resting on piers of the crystaline rock. Af
ter we had descended to the bottom of this
chamber, a boy ran along the bridge above
with a burning Bengal liglit.Jlhrowing flashes
of bine lustre on the obelisks, on the scarred
walls, vast arches, the entrance to deeper
halls, and the far roof, fretted with the picks
of the workmen. The t flVct was magical
wonderful. Even the old Prussian, who had
the faee of an exchange broker, exclaimed,
as he pointed upwards : 'It is like a sky full
of cloud lamkins:' Presently we entered
another and loftier chamber, yawning down
ward Uke the month of hell, with cavernous
Cii riiES ' fj "e r. n g cot of the further end. "In
these tunnels the workmen, half naked, with
torches" in their hands, wild cries, fireworks,
and the Dring of guns (which litre so rever
berate in the imprisoned air that one can
feel every wave of sound,) gave a rough re
presentation of the infernal regions, for the
benefit of the crowned beads who visit the
mines. The effect must indeed be diabolical.
Even we, unexceptionable , characters as we
were, looked truly unearthly in our ghostly
garments, amid the Iivid glare of the fire
works. A little farther, we (truck npon a lake
four fathoms deep, upon which we embarked
in a heavy square boat and eutered a gloomy
tunnel, over the eutrance of which was in
scribed (in salt letter) 'good luck to you ! '
In such a place the motto seemed ironical.
'Abandon hope, all ye who enter here,'
would have been more appropriate. Mid
way in the tunnel, the halls at either eud
were suddenly illuminated, and a crash, as of
a hundred caunon bellowing through the
hollow vaults, shook the air and water in
such wise that onr boat had not ceased trem
bling when we landed in the further hall.
Bead Tasso :
" T reman le spazloee atre eaverne.
CI dor eieco in qiut rumor t imbpmba. "
if yon waut to hear the sound of it. A
tablet inscribed ' heartily welcome!' sainted
us on landing, finally, at the depth of 450
feet , oar joarney ceased, although we were
but half way to the bottom. The remainder
is a wilderness of shafts, galleries aod small
er chambers, the extent of which we could
only conjecture. We then returned through
scores of tortuous passages to soma vaults
where a lot of gnomes, naked to the hips,
were bnsy with pick, mallet and wede,
blocking out aud seperating the solid pave
ment. The process is quite primitive, scarcely
differing from that of the ancient Egyptians
in quarrying granite. The blocks are first
marked out ou the surface by a series of
grooves. One fide is then deepened to the
required thickness, and wedges beiug inser
ted under the block, it is soon split off. It
is then split transversely into pcicea of 1 cwt
each, in wbich form it is ready for sale.
Those iutended for Russia are rounded on
the edges and corners until they acquire the
shape of large cocoons, for the convenience
of transportation iuto the interior of the
country.
The number of workmen employed in the
mine is 1500, all of whom belong to the
oppcr crost' that is, they live on the out
side of the world. They are divided into
gangs, and relieve each other every six hours.
Each gang quarries out, on an average, a
little more thau 1,000 cwt of salt in that
space of time, making the aunual yield
4,500,000 cwt! The men we saw were fine
muscular, healthy looking fellows, and the
officer, in answer to. ray questions, stated
that their sanitary conditiou was quite equal
to that of the. field laborers. Scurvy docs
not occur among them, and the equality of
the temperature of the mines which stands
at 54 deg., of Fahrenheit all the year
around has a favorable effect upon such as
are predisposed to diseases of the lungs. He
was not aware of any peculiar form of dis
ease induced by the substance in which they
work. The wood I may here remark never
rots, and where untouched, retains its quali
ty for centuries. The officer explicitly de
nied tue story of men having been born in
these mines, and having gone through life
without ever mounting to the upper world.
So there goes another interesting fiction of
onr youth.
It requires a stretch of imagination to
conceive the extent of this salt bed. As
far as explored, its length is two and a half
iiOglisu miles, its breadth a little over, half
a mile, and its solid depth 690 feet! It
commences 200 feet below the surface, and
is then uninterrupted to sandstone, such as
forms the peaks of the Carpathian moun
tains. . Below this there is no probability
that it again re-appears, The general direc
tion is east and west, dipping rapidly at its
western extremity, so that it may no doubt
be pushed much further in that direction.
Notwithstanding the immense amount al
ready quarried and it will be better under
stood when I state that the aggregate
length of the shafts and galleries amount to
four hnvdred and forty miles it is estimat
ed that at the present rate cf exploration,
the known supply cannot be exhausted under
300 years:" The tripartite treaty, - on the
partition of Poland, limits Austria to the
full amount 4,500,000 cwt annually of
which she is bound to furnish 30,000 cwt to
Prussia, and 800,000 to Russia, leaving
4,000,000 cwt i.to herself. This sum yields
her a net revenue from the mines, of two
millions of floi-ius, $1,000,000, annually.
It is not known how this wouderful depos
it more precious than gold itself was ori
ginally discovered. We know that it was
worked in the 12lh ceutury, and perhaps
much earlier. The popular faith has inven
ted several miracles to account for it, giving
the merit to favorite saints. One, which is
gravely published in ' The history of Cra
cow,' states 84 Polish King, who wooed a
princess Elizabeth cf Hungary ( not the
saint of Wartburg) in the teuth century,
asked what she would choose as a -bridal
gift from him. Something that would most
benefit his people. . The marriage ceremony
was performed in a chnpel in one of the
satt ruiues of Transylvania. Soon after
being transferred to Cracow, Elizabeth went
out to Wielieska, surveyed the ground, aud
after choosiiig a spot, commanded the peo
ple to dig. In the course of a few days
they fonud a salt crystal, which the Quern
cansed to be set in ber wedding ring, and
wore nutil the day of her death. She mnst
have been a wonderful geologist, for those
days. The bed actually follows the Carpa
thians, appearing at intervals in small de
posits, into Transylvannia, where there are
extensive mines. It is believed, also, that
it stretches northward into Russian Poland.
Some years ego the bank of Warsaw expen
ded large sums in boring for salt near the
Austrian frontier. There wns much excite
ment and peculation for a time; but al
though the mineral was found, the cost of
quarrying it was too great, and the enter
prise was dropped.
Not a Washington. A friend of ours
tells the following story of himsi If : Wheu
young, he had read the well known story of
George Washington's love of trnih, Rnd the
father's love of the noble principle of his
son, so well manifested on the occasion re
ferred to of his cutting down the cherry
tree, acknowledging his transgression, and
receiving a full and f free pardon, . betides
praises and caresses, from his father. So
Jim, actuated by so noble and example,
thought he wonld try the experiment on.
He supplied himself with a hatchet, ami,
going into his father's orchard, cut down
some choice frnit trees. He then cooly sat
down to await the old man's coiuiug, and,
as soon ns he made his appearance, marched
np to him with a very important air, and.
acknowledged the deed, expecting the next
tiling on the programme to be in tear?, ben
edictious and embraces from the offended
pirent. But, fnd to relate, instead of this,
the old gentleman caught up a hickory, nnd
gave his son an " all fired lamming, " Jim
was not a Washington.
Old Mains. The editor of a country pa
per, having been taken to task by n female
correspondent for noticing a receipt to pre
vent ladies from takiug cold, viz : " to keep
the mouth shut r hits back as follows :
We could never make ourselves popular
with the old maids. Do what we could
sqnccz'5 'eui behind the door, which they
dearly love flatter 'cm on the sofa dance
with 'em at partieB take 'em to pic nie, and
treat 'em to icecream, soda water, 'kisses'
in short, attend ever so gallently to their
wants, save making them a direct offer and
the moment our back was turned they would
turn to and show their teeth (false ones of
courife). Well, hope deferred maketh the
heart sick, aud we never blame 'cm.
Editor ix the Country. The editor of
the Ciuciuituli Times has been in the country.
He says :
" The robins sang sweetly from the tree
tops: the cattle lowed to each other as they
luxuriated among the dew clover; the fiel.ls
had On their gayest robes of emerald; the
brooks danced away in joy; the bob-o-links
chattered in the shrubbery; the geese wad
dled sedately towards their bathing places;
the old oaks waved their arms in concious
strength; the hills held np their beads in
pride; the world blushed in beauty. Sclah!''
How touchinglj rural.
At a Virginia prayer meeting, the
chorister being absent, the presiding elder,
whose name was Jeter, called upon one of
the deacons and said, after reading a hymn,
" Brother Moon, .
Will jou raise a t-unef " -The
deacon lifted np his voice, but instead
of singing at once, he inquired,
" Brother Jeter, .
What's the metre 1"
This being satisfactorily answered. Dea
con Moon pitched the tnne.
Edward Colo committed suicide near
St. Peter, Minnesota, under singular circum
stances.. He took down his gun, when by
some accidcut it went off and killed bis
wife. He wrote to his son informing him of
the circumstance, and telling him what dis
position to make of his property. He said
that himself and wife had not lived on good
terms, md that as the accident might bo
attributed to design on his part, he wcnld
prevent any further trouble by leaving tho
world.
A Fable. " 1 have something to ask
you," said a young eagle to a learned mel
ancholy owl; " men say there is a bird nam
ed Merops, who, when he rises. in the air,
flies with his tail upwards, head towards the
ground; is that true?"
" Certainly notl " answered the owl, "it's
only a foolish tradition of man. He is him
self a Merops; for ho would fly to heaven
without for a moment losing sight of earth."
Oregon Legislature.
Council, Mmday, Dec. 20, A. M. Mr:
WAIT presented tho petition of Geo. H.
Flanders and others, praying that a charter
be granted to Henry I). Green aud his asso
ciate?, to establish a. gat manufactory in the
city of Portlaud. Referred to committee
on corporations. . '
Mr. MACK presented a petition: of Ben
jamin Taylor and others, praying for a char
ter for a wagon road across the Cascade
mountains, from Philip Foster's, ui Clacka
mas comity, to the Dalles, in Wasco county,
for the term of five years. Referred to the
committee on corporations. i :
Mr. CORNELIUS introduced a bill to
amend an act relating to estrays. r Adj.
Covscil, AfU'ttoon. Mr." WAJT-iutro
duced the following joint resolution: lie
solved by the Conucii. the House Howcarring,
That the interests of the town of Dalles,
aud tho long residence of American citizens
in portions of the country, cast of the Cas
cade mountains, together with the recent
rapid settlement of that country, require
the earliest possible extension of the gov
ernment 6nrveys over that portion of Ore
gon Territory; aud therefore, and for other
good reasons, our delegation in Congress is
hereby requested to nrge a liberal appropri
ation by Congress, at ns early a day as pos
sible, to enable the Surveyor General of
Oregon Territory to extend the government
surveys over that pcrtion of the Territory
lying cast of said mountains. The resolu
tion was adopted. '
Sir. CORNELIUS, from committee 00
corporations, reported a bill to authorize
Henry I). Green, to establish a gas manu
factory in the city of Portland. The rules
were suspended and the bill pasaeiL Adj.
HovsE, Monday, Dec. 20, i4, BL Mr.
CHAPMAN moved to snspead; the rules,
nnd take np the unfinished business of Sat
urday. After debat?, Mr. Chapman with
drew, his motion, which was immediately re
newed by Mr. Dryer. Motion lost yeas
10; r.oys 16. - ' '
Mr. SLATER called for the unfinished
bnsiness of Saturday. Ruled out of order.
Mr. Slater took an appeal to the House.
The Speaker's decision was sustained yeas
15; nays 10.
Mr. McIXINCII presented the petition
of Lydia Casney for divorce referred to
committee on enrolled bills.
Mr. NEWCOMB.frotn committee on cor
porations, reported a bill to incorporate the
Williams Creek Water Ditch Company. On
motion, the rules were suspended, and bill
read a second time by title, and ordered en
grossed and rend a third time to-morrow.
Mr. CHAPMAN moved to proceed to
unfinished business agreed to yeas 17;
navs 8. - -
The SPEAK ER stated tliat the question
pendi:ig-nt the adjounfroeut on Saturday
last, was the amendment offered by .Mr.
Shattnck to Mr. Chnpm.-in's substitute to the
location bill, to Rlrike out Sec 2 of the sub
stitute, and iuseit the following: "That the
sent of government shall be . removed from
t-alem, and relocated at , in the comity
of ; nnd that each and every session of
the Legislature shall be held at the said
place, until a suitable place shall be other
wise provided by law. The question being
upon the adoption of the ameudmcnt.
Mr. D It YE II did not want-to seethe
question submitted without debate. He was
in favor of the amendment. From the sub
stitute, he thought there was an evident (J is-7
position oif the part of certain members of
the Honse to avoid the responsibility of re
moving the Feat of government from Salem,
aud to leave the question of removal and
relocation entirely in the discretion of the
governor. The section proposed to be strict
en out, left it entirely to the governor to
designate the place for the seat of govern
ment; to a man who had no legislative au
thority, and no connection with this Legis
lature. In former times, the governor wns
kicked out of this legislature, sir, and his
message ordered to bo carried one by the
doorkeeper on two chips. That's the way
the governor used to be treated, sir. The
governor was not the law-making power,
and it is not right to place the disposal of
this question in his bands. We have no as
surance that in case the State is not admit
ted, Gcv. Curry will not convtne the State
legislature here, at Salem. There was uoth
ing in the substitute to prevent it. . The
amendment proposed to locate the capitol at
blank. Wasn't thut fair? wasn't that open!
wasn't that honorable? It seemed there
was a disposition to head off Portland as
seat of government. He didn't know wheth
er the gentleman from Lauo was concerned
in it or not, but from his substitute thought
he was. He was in favor of removing the
scat of government from Salem, and setting
it down at Portland. He took the ground
that we are not a State, and are not likely
to be. Look at the Democratic Bible, plac
ed on your desks this morning for nit to
read, aud you will see that all confidence in
our admission is scattered to the four winds,
and that all Gen. Lnue has said in regard
to our admission is false. He wouldn't agree
to leave the question of location to Gov.
Carry, who wouldn't dare to fttco tho imnic,
and net in opposition to the will of the Sa
lem clique. When Bush issued an order for
removal of officers in the Indinn war, Gov.
Curry surrendered, and he was afraid be
would surrrender ogain. The organic net
gave the legislature power to locate the scat
of government, and gentlemen wanted to
shift the responsibility upon the shoulders of
tho governor. The governor's message con
tained strango and revolutionary doctrines,
aud he wouldn't trust a man who would ut
ter, such nonsense. Believed leaving the
matter to the people was all humbug. Ho
would favor the ameudmcnt. (Mr. Dryer
had a good deal to say about the Salem
clique, &c.)
Mr. SLATER proposed to give some
plain common sense reasons for rupporting
the amendment. Ben ton county was becom
ing somewhat disentangled from this ques
tion. The substitute proposed to submit
the question of location to tho people. If
gentlemen were s anxious to submit this
question to the people, why was not the
proposition made before the motion to strike
out Portland and insert Eugene City? We
had two governors ouo governor de facto,
the other would be governor when the State
was admitted; Tho member from Lane
could well afford to vote for Mr. Shattnck'a
ameudmcnt, for if Oregon, was v admitted,
the governor of the State, who was a citi
zen of Lane county, would doubtless con
vene the legislature at Eugene City, wbich
was just what the me'rober desired. If the
gentlemen propose to do a tiling,; why do
they not put their, bill in a shape to do it?
There is upon our statute book a law passed
in 1855, locating the Capital at Salem. The
substitute of the gentleman from Lane pro
poses to repeal the statute of 1851, bn
leaves the statute of 1855 in full force aud
validity.- No act of the Legislature, sub
mitting this question to the people, can have
any binding force. The net of 1855, sub
mitting this question, was extorted from the
legislature who should have taken this mat
ter in their owu bands. - Ha was opposed to
making this question of submissiou a sub
terfuge behind wbich members can skulk
from responsibility. When the capitol was
burned, and we were without public build
ings, and without a public library, then was
the tiro wheM the legislature should have
provided for the permanent location of the
seat of government. A suitable place sho'd
have beeu provided for the location of the
capitol, and the general government should
have been petitioned for funds to construct
permanent buildings. That this was not
done, the fault laynt the door of the Salem
clique and the federal officers in Salem. Mr.
Slater adverted to the loss of the Jackson
connty returns in 1S5G, the blame of which
he attributed to the persons who had con
trol of the military express. We were on
the point cf entering npon a State organi
zation. .We have nothing we want, nor
nothing we ought to have. Who is respon
sible? Those in power, who have withheld
from the people their just dues The people
demand that the capitol shall be removed
from Salem ; but they do not desire the
submission of the question at this time.
Let us meet'the question fairly and squarely.
Let us take up the seat of government
and set it down again at some suitable point.
Mr. BONHAM rose to reply to some re
marks of the gentleman from Benton, (Mr.
Slater) of which he did not clearly nnder
stend the consistency. The gentleman tells
us of the trouble and expense of former re
movals, and he "is now advocating another
removal, which is untimely and must cause
additional trouble and expense, ne agreed
with the gentleman that these removals of
the capital were tronbleome and expensive.
They had caused more ill-feeling than any
other question which had arisen npon the
floor of this nonse. The gentlemau has the
honor to represent a constituency, one of
whom, it is generally believed, removed one
of the strongest arguments in favor of let
ting the capitol remain at Salem. He did
not know certainly which of the gentleman's
constituents it was, or that it was any of
them; but it was his belief, and it wa the
settled public conviction, that some resident
of Corvallis applied the torch of thf incen
diary to that bnUding. The burning was
not accidental. The testimony of the inves
tigating committee clearly proved that it
could not have been arcidental. The incen
diary torch was applied by some one villain
ous nnd reckless enongh to perpetrate any
! - in th catalogue of criine. The act
was done for the pnrpose cf opening the
question of the seat of government, and giv
ing all places like chances in it. It was this
act that caused the trouble and expense
which the gentleman fro.-n Benton talks
about. The people do not desire that this
question shall be disturbed now. They wish
it left alone until it can be finally and per-
wtieiitlj fettled. V hen the time comes
wtien the question can be properly submitted.
every Representative of Marion county will
vote for such submission. The people of
Marion county are disgusted with the agita
tion of this question, and are ready aod
anxious for its settlement.
Mr SLATER replied with some warmth
to the charge that any of his constituents
had burned the capitol. Adj.
IIorsE,' Aflernor.n. The question still
pending upon Mr. Shattnck's amendment,
Mr. SHATTCCK said that the public
voice demauded the removal of the seat of
government from Salem, and further de
manded that the question of relocation
should be submitted to the people, that they
may decide where they want the capitol.
Were there any certainty that we would be
admitted into the Union ns a State before
the adjournment of Congress, he would be
inclined to waive the matter for the present
but there was no certainty abont'our admis
sion, and he was not disposed to proceed
further in legislation, on the supposition that
we would be admitted. He had no confi
dence in the influence or ability of two or
three geutlemen from this Territory, that
their presence at Washington will increase
the probability of our admission. Other
States have sent men there, asking for the
some thing, and they have been sent home
again, and it is not certain that our3 will be
received. Some portions of the Territory
are clamorous upon this question of remov
ing the seat of government; lot ns then ac
cede to their request. In regard to public
feeling, gentlemen deny that ony exists in
regard to this matter ; bnt the vote indi
cates that it did exist, and public sentiment
has increased rather than diminished since
that vote was taken. (Mr, Shnttuck here
branched off into a learned disquisition upon
democracy, and tho history of the capital
question and the Salem clique, evidently col
lated from the columns of the Oreganian.
The only thing original about, it was the
style, which was a very slight improvement
upon Dryer's corduroy.)
Mr. HOLMES thought the subject under
consideration had been so far departed from,
that it was hardly necessary to refer to it.
He would inform the gentleman (Mr. Shnt
tuck) that ho was laboring under a mistake
in regard to the former history of the capi
tol question, and had evidently been keep
ing very bad company of late. It was true
that at the time the capitol was located at
Salem, there were uo party Hues drawn in
the Territory, and consequently no political
parties no wbigs, no democrats, and, thank
God, no knownothings! He was a member
of the Legislative Assembly which located
the public buildings. They weut on and
located the Capitol, and the University, -and
the Penitentiary. Tho little faction to
which the gentleman belongs, took issue
with the majority upon the location of the
seat of government at Salem. Then it was
that party Hues were first drawa ia the Ter
ritory. The people took up the matter, and
rebuked the political ' tricksters, with the
gentleman from Multnomah at their head,
who were making a fuss about the location
of the seat of government at Salem,' by re
turning to the Legislature every member
who had voted for the- measure. i3 (Mr.'
Holmes replied at some length to the politi
cal portion of Mr. Shattdbk's speech.)
Mr. PARKER said, that as members
were talking about the Democratic party,
he would like to tell what be knew about it.
Leave, being granted, he proceeded ; to tell
what he knew, which was very little. - ., -
Mr. LASSATER thought as the House
had to be bored to death by this question,
he might as well help bore it. 1 He did not
intend to discuss politics at this time. He
had had bis turu at that; aud he bow pro
posed to discuss the merits of the amend
ment.' The gentleman from Clatsop wished
to insert Portland in the amendment. ' He
supposed the gentleman from ' Washington
aud Multnomah would have inserted it bat
that be knew it. rouldu't be. done. He op
posed the, amendment altogether. He
would favor the proposition of the gentle
man from Iisue, for the reason that it salt
ed him best.- He held his seat by favor of
the voters of Marion county, and be intend
ed to do the very best he could for the in
terests of his coustiueuts; and he thought
that, uow the best he could do for those In
terests wasr to vote for the substitute propo
sed by the gentleman from Lane.' The sec
ond section declares that if there is an extra
session - of the Legislature called the Gov
ernor shall call it here, unless some place
shall provide a suitable hall ' and accommo
dations for the Legislature for four years,
and also furnish transportation for the pub
lic property free of. charge.. This will save
expense to my constituents, and also to the
yonng State; aod if any place wants the cap
ital bad enough to incur the -expense, let
them take it. The question is to be sub
mitted to the people in Jane. .That is all
my constituents wwl ask. - They did not de
sire the question disturbed at this time, and
I did not distnrbe it; it was agitated by ah
unruly member, who threw it as a firebrand
into the House, to divide and distract the
Democratic party. I wiH vote for the sub
stitute of the gentlemau from Lane, because
I believe it is the best thing that can be
done for the country at this time, to quiet
the agitation ou this question. '
. Speeches were made by other members,
which we were unable to report. Mr. Shat
tnck's amendment was lost yeas 11; navs
1G.
Mr. TVAULT offered the following
amendment: Amend sectiou 1, by inserting
after "1851," and before "be the following
"Also an act of the Legislative Assembly
relocating and establishing the seat of gov
ernment at Salem, in the county of Marion,
passed the House 7th December, 1855, aud
passed the Council 12th December, 1855."
Adopted yeas 21; nays 6. Adj.
Uocse, jErruin. The substitute of Mr.
Chapman to the bill relocating the seat of
government still pending,
Mr. BOXHAM offered the following
amendment: Amend section 0, by striking
out the words "calling a special election to
be held 011 the first Monday of October, A.
D. 1S59, in the several precincts of Oregan,"
and inserting "It shall be submitted to the
people at the next general election." Adopt
ed yeas 18; nays 10. "
Mr. DRYER moved the previous ques
tion. Agreed to. The question being upon
the substitute to the bill, the yeas and nays
were called, and resulted as follows:
1m Messrs. Chapman, Crooks, Han
nab, Uolton, Holmes, Jones, Lassatter, Me
Gee, Newcomb, Stevens, Smith of Yamhill,
Smith of Polk, TVault, Ziebar 14. . . .
JSays Messrs." Bonhatu, BowSby, Craner,
Dryer, Hedges, Jennings, Mcluiueb, Nich
ols, Parker, Slater, Shattuck, "Watson and
Mr. Speaker 13: - So the substitute was
adopted. . .. f ;
Mr: CHAPMAN moved that the bill be
engrossed, and read a third time to-morrow.
Mr. Holmes moved to amend by ordering
the bill engrossed,-' and made - the spee'al
order of the day for Jan. 5 tb, 1859. Agreed
to yeas 15; nays 12. Adj. : s ' '
Cop?gil, Tuesday, Dec., 21, A. M.
Bill to ameud an act relating to estrays read
second time, and referred to committee on
ways and means. Anj.
' Cocxciiv Apernoon. On motion of Mr.
WAIT, the Council coucurred in the House
joint resolution, providing for adjournment
this evening, until Jauuary 3d, was concur
red in. ' Adj. - - ; (
Housk, Tucid'jyl Dec. 21, A. M. Mr.
CROOKS "offered a joiat resolution, that
whoa this Legislative "Asein'ly ' adjourn,
this evening,' it adjourn uu til Monday, Jan
uary 3rd, 1S59. Adopted. ' 4 . - ;
Mr. HANNAH moved to suspend the
rules, and take up Alio Council Judiciary
Bill. After discussion, the motion wus
withdrawn. C . . , , :, .
Mr. JENNINGS presented the- peti
tion of Dr. Geo. Kel!bgg for divorce. Re
ferred to select committee,- consisting " of
Messrs. Stevens, Jennings and Slater. : - ?
Mr. HOLMES presented the petition of
R. P. Olds for divorce. Referred to Commit
tee on Counties.
Mr. TVAULT presented the petition of
James R. Peters, R. F. Maury aud others,
for a charter for a water-ditch. - Referred
to a select committee of three, consisting of
Messrs. TVault, Chapman and Newcomb.
Mr. ZIEBER presented a petition for the
relocation of a part of the Territorial road
from Salem to Dayton, by wayof Matheny's
Ferry. Referred to . a select committee,
consisting of Messrs. Zieber, Holmes and
Jennings. . -
Mr. -McININCH.- from committee on En
rolled Bills, to whom was referred the peti
tion of Lydia Casney for divorce, reported
by bill, granting divorce. ., . ;; ; fi
Mr. WATSON moved a reconsideration
of the vote, ordering the bill to incorporate
William's Creek Water' Ditch Company to
be engrossed and read a third time to-day.
Lost.
Mr. PARKER introduced 1 a bUI lo ex
empt lands of homesteads from attachment
and forced sale. 'i! ; :
Bills to divorce Mary E. Dennis, to di
vorce Kaucy B. Walling, to divorce Nathan
aud Fanny Cohen, to relocate Territorial
road Trom Oregon Ctty to Pleasant Hill in
Lime coanty, to incorporate Illinois Valley
Wagon Road company for relief of N. A.
Ccrnoyer, Sheriff of Marion county, to
ameud aa act to regulate the fees of certain
officers and other persons, to amend sectiou
one,-title one, chapter two of Oregon Stat
utes, to divorce 1 biles ter Lee,.- to divorce
Lucy Smith, to divorce Buel Howard, to di
vorce Mahala Card, to change 4 Territorial
road from Albany. In .Linn county to, Drift.
Creek in Marion county, ordered engrossed.,
and read third time on subsequent day of
the Bession. 'Bill -to' ' incorporate -North'
Umpqaa River Bridge company, referred to
committee on corporations. . Bill for. relief;
of J. H. Lewis, Treasurer of Polk county.,
referred to committee 6f the Whole. . Bill
to ' legalize informal vote;, locating county
seat of Curry county referred to'cofnmittee '
on counties. Bill for the relief of Philip
Geerbart referred to committee on Claims.:
Adj. .. . . . . - .
Hocsk, Af7rroYn. CanncTl bill to incor-,
porate Tamhifl Water Lock and Transpor-r
tatioa company read first time. - '
Mr-HOLMES moved to- reconsider the?
vote on Mr. Chapman's strbstitnte for the lo-;
j cation bill.' , Mr. Bonbam moved to lay the.
j motion dn the table. Agreed to, . . -
I -' Bills to incorporate the - Wniiam-t Creekf
Water Ditch Company, to extend the char-'
I ter of ihe Illinois Valley Wagon- Road
Company, and to authorize the Coanty Com-
j raissioners of Jackson county to levy a spe-.
! cial tax and create a redemption fnnd to pay.
j the county indebtedness,' were passed. '
Mr. HANNAH moved to reconsider tHe
bill to charter Willamette , Falls Railroad.
Agreed to. The bill was .then ordered en
grossed, and read a third time to-morrow.
" Conncil bill granting a charter to Henry
D. Green to establish a'gas mannfactory in"'
the city of Portland taken up and read first
time. Council bill to change practice and
fix times of holding courts read. Raies sus
pended, read second . time and referred to
committee on Judiciary. Council bill to di
vorce Miriam Martin, read. Conncil Joint
Resolution, to memorialize Congress for ap
propriation for surveys east of Cascade
Mountains concurred in. Adj. . .
.The Ouest Mas v America. The last
number of Ba! Ion's . Pictorial, contains an
interesting description of a colored man nam'
ed Peter Nassau, a resident of Woodstock,
i Vermont, who has reaebed the extraordina
ry age of one hundred and twety,-six years?
This fact has been established by the town
clerk of Woodstock, who has taken great
pains in order to correctly to trace oat Pe
ter's history. When quite yonng, he came
as a gentleman's servant ' from) Martinqne,
his native, place, to Boston, but. for many
years past, oodstock lias oeen his home
Peter Nassau is as well known in Vermont
as the Green Mountains themselves. He is
a thin, spare frame and nearly bald, but his
skin is remarkably smooth and unwrinkled.
He has no son, but two daughters, both of
whom yet live ia "the viflisge of i Woodstock,
by which place he is supported. Go, how
ever, where he will, and he. is very fond of
wandering about, he always finds friends
who are glad to give him food and shelter.
His eyesight is still good, and his teeth re-
: marsaoiy souuu tor a man 01 uis age. iio-
converses freely, bnt, unlike most old menr
is not garrulous. While he was sitting in
the office of the Windsor Hou, lately,,
some one asked him bow maBy more winters
he expected to see. "Ah!" said Peter,. "ifT
this yere house was offered to me full of
gold, I wouldn't 'cept" it to live my days
over again." :" It is almost certain that Peter
Nassau is the oldest living roan in America.
Rates of taxation: -The tax rates "ort
$1,000 in several cities and towns are as fol
low i Boston $S,C0, ; Cambridge $3,10,
Roxbury S8.50, Lawrence $3,40, New Bed
ford $S,50, Lowell, $3,40, Newburyporf
$3,30, Salem ""7,40, Lynn 7, WaJtham$5,90,
Newport R. I.; $4,30 Portland, Me., $3,60
Bangorv Me, $14,30. --A table prepared iri
the interior department.- at - Washington
shows the rates of tax&an in IS states, ia
1850 : North Carolina pays less tax, per
capita, than either of her sister?, it being
! only fifty-two cents for each individual an-
nually ; while the tax of Maine, the highest
; ia iue list, uuiu'iuts lu per ueau. eit
. - 1 r. - x- tt t -
in oruer siier Aiauie, comes jew nampsnirea
Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. The aver
age rate prevailing in tho whole eighteen
states is $1 -52f? - ' - i -" !
Joh Jacob Astor, says" the Philadel
phia Iftquirer, visited Philadelphia in early
life, and consulted some of the oldest hatters
as to the policy of his settling here and es
tablishing himself in .bnsiness. Considera
ble attention was given to the matter, bnt it
was determined that the trade was overdone,
and that in fact there was" no opening. The
enterprising stranger immediately directed
his footsteps to New York, and in the course
of years, as is well known became the great
millionaire of the commercial metropolis.
Many years ago when a bill for the
relief of an aged officer was under considera
tion in the senate, a member who wished it
set aside suggested - that it could be well
nostnoned " Congress sits ctwt vpstr
Mr, Fromentin, , a Frenchman, a senator
from Louisiana, who advocated the bl','
pointed energetically to the venerable peti
tioner, conspicuoBS in the lobby, and ex--
claicned " s, Mr. speaker. Congress sits
every year, but Deaik silt ecery dag Look."
1 1SS A - Kinkerhook slioemsk r once
promised to have a pair of boots fiuished on
a, specific day for Ex-President Van Buren,
but failed to , have them done when called
for. - In the meantime the ex-president start
ed for Europe, and was gooo three years.
Upon his retura be called for bis boots, ant
was told they were finished, vi'i tJic txerp-,
tion of treeing tiU! - . . w . - - , - .
ST" The Methodist of this city are en
joying a spirited revival just at this' time..
They now hava been engaged in the work,
some two weeks, and we learn that they
have already added materially to their haaa
ben. Tltw. . -
" Billy Bowlegs has shown his grati
tude to Mr. Mix, Commissioner of Indian
Affairs, for kindness received, by presenting
that gentleman with a gold headed, cana
taken from the Florida everglades. , . .-
BL. It has recently been published that
Benedict Arnold was the only. Amcricaia
general of the revolution who waa not a
mason.' It now' appears that he also was a
masoa. :"' - " : '
A noted physician says that one of
the best things to appease hanger i ia opi
um piil. ;. We wonder if the doctor eveV
tried a bcafsleak flanked with several diebea
of "mashed taters." We doubt it. .,
- Right as Wboxg. Alphonse Karr says
very keenly: " 'He ia wrong means 'ho does
not think as I do. 'Us la right' signifies.
he is of my opinioB."r -