The Oregon statesman., March 01, 1859, Page 2, Image 2

OREGON STATESMAN.
TUESDAY, MARCH 1. 1859.
U'.'jjJl'H.'l 1 , .. . ,
t7 Postmasters in trgtm and Washington
Territoriea are respectfully requested' to receive
and receipt for moneys on account of the States
man, and to remit the same.
Popular Sovereign!)-.
.On onr first page will be found an article
from the Washington Union, on the subject
of "Absolute Popular Government in the
Territories,,, in which strong ground is taken
agaipst the measure lately introduced in the
TJ. 8. Honse of Representatives, to author
Ire the people of the Territories to elect
their own civil officers. Upon this subject
we are compelled to take issue with the Un
to. We before the measure to be founded
ia sound reason and constitutional right;
that it is a measure demanded by the pro
gressive spirit of onr institutions; and that
it will be found, on experiment, to conduce to
the best interests of the Territories and of
the nation. We fail to perceive in it either
the "proposition of mere idealism," or the
''canning artifice of demagogism." Ou
the contrary, we recognize in it only the
amplification and extension of that funda
mental principle of Democracy, that the
people hare both the right aud the capacity
to govern themselves. It only concedes to
the people of the Territories the right which
ia exercised by the citizens of sovereign
States the right to select their own pub
lie officers, and to regulate their own do
mestic institutions. In all this we can find
nothing at variance with the principles of
oar government, or with the "experience of
nankiod ia practical life."
It is perhaps true that "our system of
'popular government is an experiment;" and
it has thas far been a most successful one.
Sotsithstanding the warnings and predic
tions of old fogy alarmists, who hare sound
ed the knell of the constitution and the
Union every time it has been proposed to
take a step forward, or to remove any of the
old barriers which custom and prejudice are
ever throwing in the way of progress, our
glorious confederation of States is at this
day more prosperous, and is more firmly
knit together by ties of patriotism, and af
fection, and common interest, than at any
former period of our history. Ours is the
best form of government which human skill
las ever yet devised. Its founders were not
distinguished by any extraordinary qualities
cf intellect or statesmanship. They wore
not wiser than the men of the present gene
ration. But they brought to their task a
stern integrity and an earnest zeal which
are rarely exhibited (we grieve to say it)
in public affairs at the present day. They
bad sacrificed their possessions and perilled
their lives in the arduous struggle for the
liberty and independecce of their country,
and they came out of that struggle deeply
imbued with the spirit of a pure aud noble
patriotism. The memory of their mutual
sufferings and privations in the cause of free
dom and right was yet too fresh in their
hearts, to permit any considerations of sel
fishness to interfere with the sacred duty
which they were called to perform. TLey
were to found a system of government
which would preserve to themselves and to
their children to the remotest generations,
those rights and liberties for which they
ao nobly and sucessfully contended. "The
xperieoe of mankind in practical life" was
against them. Hitherto, popular govern
meats had resnlted in failures, utter, misera
ble. Jfor were there wanting croakers
enough, to declare that the proposed sys
tem of government was "the suggestion of
tnere theory, regardless of experience, and
reckless of practical consequence," and to
predict for it the fate of its predecessors.
But our fathers heeded not these ominous
-croakiegs. They were not so easily to be
deterred from their vast undertaking. They
called to their aid the wisdom of former
generations, aud the experience of mankind
.ia self-government in every age and country.
They profited by the examples of the repub
lics which had risen and fallen in former
days. They sought for the causes of their
failure, and carefully avoided the rocks
upon which they had split. As the result
of their earnest and patriotic labors, we
tave that glorious constitution, which the
wisdom of three quarters of a century has
failed to supersede or improve, and which
at this day commands the admiration and
respect of the whole world; an instrument
co nicely balanced in all its parts, so com
prehensive and complete in all its provis
ions, that it has been rightly considered
the highest perfection of human wisdom.
That constitution is based upon the very
broadest construction cf the doctrine of
popular sovereignty. It proceeds upon the
principle that all power is inherent in the
people, that all governments derive their
just powers from the consent of the govern
ed; and in all its provisions this principle
has been carefully kept ia sight. The whole
condact of the government is preserved in
the hands of the people, to be exercised by
officers and representatives selected cither
mediately or immediately by themselves.
Between the people and their officers and
representatives, there can be no intervention,
either by the federal government or any
other power, except by the consent of the
former. Nor does the constitution contem
plate any state of affairs wherein such in
tervention would be just, or could be exer
cised without infringing upon the liberties
of the people. This characteristic of the
constitution is not sectional in its nature or
design. It does not guaranty to the citizens
of one section any rights or privileges which
are withheld from those of another; and it
places do special restrictions upon any one
section or locality. This applies equally to
the Territories as to the States. The most
rigid interpretation of the constitution gives
to Congress no power to interfere in any
manner with the domestic economy of the
Territories, any more than with that of the
States. There is nothing whatever in it to
warrant the idea, that a citizen of any State
of the Uuion, by becoming a resident of a
Territory, rt-liuquisbes a single constitution
al right which he enjoyed under the protec
tion of a State government, or, by the mere
act of changing his residence, yet remaining
a citizen of the United States, places in the
hands of Congress the power to mako his
laws and select bis officers. The only power
hieh Congress possesses over tho Territo
ries, by virtue of the constitution, is based
upon the "power to dispose of and mako oil
needful rules and regulations resprcting the
territory or other property belonging to the
United Estates." Mark tho langnngo. It
does not confer the power to legislate for
the people of the Territories, or to appoint
officers over them: it confers no governing
powers whatever. It simply vests in Con
gress, as agent for the States, the authority
to dispose of the toil, as cf any other public
property. It was deemed necessary to in
sert a special clause in the constitution, to
authorize Congress to legislate for the Dis
trict of Columbia, which would have been
entirely unnecessary if the power had been
conferred in any other way.
Coneress has therefore no warrant what
ever for tho present system of Territorial
government, a system which is not only
contrary to the letter and spirit of the Con
stitution, but which works great injustice to
a large number or citizens of the United
States. And yet, the people of the Terri
tories have long in silence submitted to
many of the same grievances for which onr
forefathers threw off the British yoke !
This may seem strong language, but it is
nevertheless true. Officers have been im
posed upon ns without our consent, and in
many cases in direct violation of our known
will ; onr judges have been made dependent
upon the will of the President and the Sen
ate alone for the tenure of their offices and
for the amount and payment of their sala
ries ; the administration of justice has been
obstructed by the passage of unjnst and
unwholesome laws ; we have been repeated
ly annoyed and insulted by the insolence of
officials not or our choosing ; and all this
has been done without even the semblance
of constitutional authority. Is it true, then,
that no evils have resulted from this system,
which demand an abandonment of it ? Such
a declaration is worthy of Hon. Humphrey
Marshall, the knownothing member of Con
gress from Kentucky, who introduced the
judiciary bill which has almost overturned
the administration of justice in this Territo
ry, and very likely in every Territory of the
United States, and who declared that Con
srress ought to rule the Territories as Great
Britain ruled her provinces ; but we were
not prepared to find it in the columns of the
Washington Lmcn, a Democratic paper.
it, tneo, tins system has produced no
evils of sufficient magnitude to attract pub
lie attention to it, it is not from any merit
which it possesses ; but it is due to the ex
tent and intensity of that very spirit of
conservatism in the Territories, the want of
which the Union so much deplores. Socie
ty in the Territories, instead of being "itn
mature, rickety and unstable," is generally
as firmly established as in older comnmni
ties. It is as proportionally as moral and
intelligent, and is held together by the
same community of interests. The "hand
of federal conservatism" contributes nothing
to the strength or safety of this society
Ou the contrary, its influence is blighting
and corrupting. itness Kansas. Will
any one pretend to eay that many of the
evils which beset that unfortunate Territory
might not have been avoided, if she had
been left from the first to regulate her own
affairs and to choose her own officers ? We
think no one will deny that the repeated
appointments of federal officers, who were
feuown to be distasteful to the people of
that Territory, were fruitful sources of
trouble and turmoil in "bleeding Kansas."
It .is impossible within the limits of a
newspaper article to discuss this subject as
it deserves ; to enumerate all the evils and
injustice cf the present system, and to point
out i ne soua aavautages which win un
doubtedly arise from the proposed innova
tion, which the Lmon is pressed to term
"the quintessence of French red-republicau
ism." Aside from the fact that justice and
right are involved in this measure, we have
no doubt of its beneficial results ; aud a!
though the passage of Mr. Morris bill, at
last dates before the U. S. House of Rep
resentatives, may give a somewhat violent
shock to old fogyism, we bt-licve it will be
bailed with gratification by every citizen of
the 1 cm tones.
The Oregon War Claims. The report
that the committee had reported a $2,000,
000 bill proves to have been a mistake. It
was founded upon reports that the claim
was thus to be cut down. "Ion-," the Wash
ington correspondent of the Baltimore Sun,
under date of Jan. IS, writes to that paper
as follows :
The Oregon admission bill will be reported as
soon as the committee on Territories shall be able
to make reports, aud will no doubt be passed.
llie military committee of the House has under
consideration the subject of the Oregon war debt,
and they will, probably, reduce the amount from
six to one or two millions. They are startled at
the prices for articles which are charged by
claimants, and allowed by the government agents.
In transmitting this letter, Mr. Grover
writes :
Washijcctox, January 19, 1859.
Editor of ?he Statesman. 1 send the cor
respondence of the Baltimore Sun, referring to
our State Kill and our war debt. We will have
hard work with the military committee, but will
not come out as badly as the correspondent
thinks. There probably never was so unfortu
nate a period for claimants to obtain appropria
tions as now. e may possibly eet our State
Bill up this week. We all think it will go
through. Truly,
L. F. GROVER.
The correspondent of the San Francisco Herald
says: "The Committee oh Military Affairs have
under consideration the subject of the Oregon
war debt. The Secretary of War desired Con
gress to come to a conclusion on that subject.
1 be committee have the report of the Oovern
ment agents, and are surprised at the extrava
gance of the charges allowed. They will cut
down the amount from six millions to ouo or two.
"lou" is one of the oldest and most reliable
of the Washington letter writers. lie has
the correct amount of onr debt, and seems
to understand about it. We think the in
dications foreshadow a cutting down of the
figures, to some extent. Another letter
from Mr. Grover, on this subject says :
"We can do nothing to further the war bill
until action on the State bill."
Scrip. Since the receipt of the intelli
gence by the last mail all transfers of scrip,
so far as we know, have ceased. There are
no sales. Purchasers are not willing to give
very much for it, and holders are unwilling
to part with it for the merely nominal sum
they can now obtain.
The Sax Fbancisco Branch Mint. The
coinage at this mint, for the month of Jan
uary, amounted to $600,000, all . in double
eagles. The deposits amounted to 36,244
ounces of gold, worth $665,364, and 42S5
ounces of silver, worth $6696.
High Pew Rents. The aggregate amount
of the pew rents in Henry Ward Beecher's
church, Brooklyn N. Y., for the present
year, reaches the sum of $24,642,50.
Another Change In the Line or Dctens.
From the lust number of the Jackson
ville Sentinel we copy the following letter,
entire ; that it may not bo said we have
garbled. Some letters published over the
signature of our Delogato were not written
by him, but the subjoined one was :
House of Representatives, 1
Washington, Dec. 17, 13T3. J
Editor Sentinel : Herewith. I send you a copv
of the Sonnto admission bill, and also a copy of
LSingham's amendment. Upon tins amendment,
Me entire or ntarlg the entire Republican party irere
organize to make battle at the last session, ana are
name prepared to oppose us ; and he who has been
saying in Oregon that he had a letter from a dis-
tiiiguisncu senator stating mm lucre wcro noi
forty members of tho Honse opposed to the admis
sion, has been guilty of circulating erroneous in
formation. If the Senator wrote such a letter,
he was guilty of falsehood. The probability,
however, is that the letter was fabricated in Ore
gon : another forgery.
The committee on territories have this moment
agreed in favor of reporting onr admission bill,
with a recommendation that it pass. The Black
Republican members of the committeo voted
against as, as they, almost in mass, will do in tho
House. They object to the free negro clause,
contend for negro equality, and are determined
that we shall have negroes as our fellow citizens.
As odious as this doctrine is. a nor t ion of thn
press of Oregon are ploying into tho hands of
these negro worshippers by opposing our admis
sion, either directly or indirectly. The Demo
crats will generally vote for admission, and, as I
have heretofore said, my opinion is Mint we will
be admitted Black Republicans and the above
named press to the contrary notwithstanding.
Your obedient servant.
JOSEPH LAKE.
Our Delegate in Congress is ever chang
ing the line of defense respecting the mat
ter of the non-action of the House upon
the Oregon admission bill. Every letter
brings a new explanation and a new defense.
But, we will let him speak for himself.
Immediately after the adjournment of
Congress, Gen. Lane wrote to the Portland
f 21m es as follows :
"Congress has adjourned and the Oregon State
bill remains not acted upon in the House. Ybu
will not, however, attribute the failure to any in-
dinercnee or opposition upon the part ot the ma
jority in the House to pur admission, but to a want
of time. 1 hero is no reason'
hie doubt entertained here of the ultimate admis
sion of Oregon. The hill as it passed the Senate,
trill be taken up earls in December, and our members
trill take their stats trithin the Jirst or second teetk of
the session."
Later, under date of November 1st, he
wrote to the Times .-
"And here I mnst be allowed to say that it would
have been well if our State organization had
taken place last winter, in irhirh erent Oregon trould
in rtjr opinion hare been admitted, and the two Sena
tors and Member would have made full and com
plete preparations for the coming session. When
ever I urged onr friends of the committee on Ter
ritories to whom the Bill for our admission had
been referred to report it, I wis met with the re
ply : you hare no State organization."
Ou the 17th of December, as will be
seen above, he wrote :
"Upon this (Bingham's) amendment, the entire
Republican party were organized to make battle
at the last session, and are now prepared to op
pose us.
Why these every varying reason?, and
every varying defenses ? Here are three
direct aud irreconcilable grounds of defense.
The first want of time. The second
want of organization. The third combi
nation of the Republican party on Ding
ham's amendment.
We think we can show that these letters
conflict one with another, and that they do
not argue straight-forward action. Is it
uot siugular that so maoy aud differ in
reason are given ? The facts do uot change,
and the real reasons cannot.
In the first place, the Republicans do not
at this session ground their opposition ou
Bingham's amendmeut ; that amendmeut
was simply an enabling act for Oregon
Kansas was not named in it. Now the
Republicans resist on the ground that Kan
sas ought to be placed on an equal footing
with Oregon that if the latter is admitted
with less than 93,000 population, provision
ought to be made for the former on the
same terms. The N. Y. Times says ou the
7th of January "the republicans iu Con
gross held a caucus to consider their course
relative to the admission of Oregon. It
resulted in a general understanding- that
Ihey would oppose it while the English bill of
prohibition stands in reference to Kansas.
The Congressional reports, for the 18th of
January, also say :
'The majority and minority reports of tho
Committee unoti the Oregon bill were prcseuted
The latter, otiered by Mr. Grow, contends that
Oregon Mould not be admitted on conditions, as re
gards population, more favorable than those allotced to
Aansus.
Nothing is said about Bingham's amend
ment, and it very evident that the republi
can party is not "organized to make battle
upon" that.
December 17ih, our Delegate writes that
the Republican party was organized at the
last session to make battle against us. Yet,
immediately after the adjournment, he wrote
that the biil would be taken up and passed
early in December, and that the Setiators
would be in their seats the first or second
week of the session. If the "Republican
party were organized to make battle agaiust
us," how could he have expected to go in
the first or secoud week f If he then ex
pected such an organized opposition, how
could he have expected us to go in without
delay ? He could not have expected it, and
his earlier letters corroborate the general
evidence that there was at the last session
no organized opposition to our admission
that the plau has siuce been formed. It
has since been formed, aud the consequence
is we did not go in cither the first, or the
fifth week of the session. On the 17th of
December, when an organized opposition
had been developed, Gen. Lane writes about
it. If it existed before, why did he remain
silent about it, when giving the reasons ?
It would have been an important reason,
and a much stronger one than any he gave.
And, if there was such an organized opposi
tion at the last session, was our Delegate
warranted in repeatedly writing back here
that we were certain to go in that there
were no obstacles in the way all right iu
the House, Slc 1 And was be warranted
in expecting our admission, if he knew of
such combination, the first or second week of
this session ? Would any man familiar with
legislation, and aware of such fact, have so
written? ,
.- A large class of democrats in the Senate
bad voted aga'mst the bill there, and there
was reasou to suppose that some democrats
in the House would likewise oppose it ; and
if there was a union of the republicans in
that body against it, instead of there being
no obstacles to its passage, as our Delegate's
letters represented, there was certainly some
danger of its defeat.
It is manifest from his own Utters that
our Delegate was not at the last Fession,
nor oti the 1st of November, nwnrc of the
general republican opposition to tho admis
sion which tho present session developed.
And to snv that there was such an under
standing at the last session and that our
Delegate was wholly ignorant of it, is not
to compliment bis intelligence. That such
an understanding on the part of the repub
can members could exist and he not know it,
is improbable to say the very least. They
would have no occasion for making tneir
letermination a secret, and would not have
done it. At this session they formed such
determination, aud it was announced by the
republican members, the party ana its press
es. To soy that our Delegate did know of
it, and etill wrote here that there were no
obstacles in the way of our success, is to
reflect upon his candor.
And, too, Gen. Lane advised the people of
Oregon to proceed with its State ! govern-
nient. If he had been aware of the organ
ization of the quliro republican party against
our admission, ho must have been aware
that there were, in that House doubts of our
success at all. Under such circumstances
would ho have been warranted in advising
the people of Oregon to incor a heavy ex
pense in going on with a State government,
to sny nothing of the embarrassment and
trouble which would have succeeded such a
movement, in case of the final rejection of
the State ? We" think not.
We think the general evidence tends to
the conclusion that there was no organized
Republican opposition to the admission of
Oregon at the last session, and that the de
termination to oppose was formed after the
Kansas election on the English proposition,
and consummated after the meeting of Con
gress last December ; and our Delegate's let
ters corroborate this conclusion.
Bnt, admitting, for the sake of argument,
that any or alt of these reasons existed ; does
it excuse our Delegate's utter nonaction
respecting the admission bill ? If it is said
that he knew of the existence of these ob
stacles and knew" that they could not be
overcome, and therefore is excusable in not
try iiisr to get the bill passed in the House,
was be then excusable in writing here on
the eve of the Senatorial election that we
were sure to go in, and that there was no
trouble in the House ? If he did not know
of the existence of formidable obstacles, he
ought certainly to have urged the passage
of the biil. If he did know of their exist
ence, ho ongbt not to have concluded and
written that "we were all right iu the
Honse."
The reference to a letter from a distin
guished Senator, in the letter of December
17, we do not understand. We never before
heard of any such letter. "Another for
gery" is likewise inexplicable to us. Our
Delegate has perhaps had an erroneous story
oi" that kind written him bv some tattler.
A New Idea. O. O. Woodman, a New
Orleans liquor dealer, advertises iu the pa
pers of that city "The whisky that res
ident Buchanan drinks." The advertisement
proceeds to say that this whisky is distilled
by Smith & Wells, Fittsburg, Pa., aud 6old
at $1,25 per gallon. A package of ten gal
lons was presented to PresideLt Buchanan,
aud he replied : '-Your rye whisky excels
in mildness and rich flavor, any spirits 1
ever drat.k." Woodman also says, ''Smith
& Wells' rye whisky was highly praised by
Gen. Jackson." Down to 1S30 they forwar
ded to t!e bertntage one package annually.
Through a period of twenty years, from
Gen. Jackson to Judge Douglas, we have
supplied the wealthiest and most prominent
families of this laud with the products of
our distillery."
"Amalcamatiosists." A writer in the
Engene Press, who subscribes himself "Oue
of the People," disposes very summarily of
Abolitionism, and says "In our next we
design looking a little after amalgamation-
ists." That's right! We've been for some
time of the opinion that they needed look.
ing after; aud we are heartily rejoiced that
some one has volunteered to undertake the
task. Should he be in want of subjects for
his supervision, we would commend to his
attention the case cf Miss Story and the
negro Murray, which we mentioned two or
three weeks ago; and also the following,
which we clip from an exchange:
Sarah Jndson, a handsome girl, eighteen years
of age, of 1 'out inc. Michigan, eloped with a uegro
man who has been employed un her wealthy
papa's farm, and they were married in Canada.
Her family occupies a good position in society, is
wealthy, ic. Ller father is a "red hot abolition
ist," and taught his childreu to look favorably
upon colored people. The young lady was not
disobedient.
Tub Late Indian Wau. A correspon
dent of the Marysvillc (Cal.) Democrat,
writing from Fort Vaucouver, W. T., has
the following very truthful and appropriate
remarks iu relation to the lato Iudian war,
wherein so much iuk uud so little blood was
spilled:
"Our Iudian war concerning which so much
has beeu w ritten, and in which so precious little
was done, is supposed to be at au end; at any
rate, our galiaut soldiery, after a protracted cam
paign of a few months, iu which the- captured
eome cold meat aud a few squaws, with an intre
pidity that comers immortal honor ou the Ameri
can tlag, and after our gallant officers, contrary
to commands from headquarters, had bespattered
themselves with the highest praiso iu very indif
ferent grammar, through the newspapers, have
withdrawn tj tiie Uitlureut pusts, and are now pa
triotically engaged iu drawing their regular pay
aud rations. 1 his is, therefore, a closed source
of interesting matter to me. I am credibly in
formed that ben Lien, llainey arrived here, he
expressed the opinion that nothing had been done,
and that the lighting accomplished was scarcely
enough to put the Indians iu a fret. Thero will
no doubt bo another cumpaigu this summer, with
more important results.
Don't Believe It. Although we find
the followiug paragraph ia the Cincinnati
Gazelle, a newspaper of average reputation
for veracity, we are constrained to say that
we dou't believe a word of it :
A landlord stepped into the store of ono of his
tenants, aud said that he didu't think the business
douo thero was enough for the rent he had been
taking. Ho therefore voluntarily reduced the
rent oue hundred dollars ! Tho tenant was sur
prised looked at the landlord aud questioned
his sanity. Hut tho Jaudtord declared that " ho
was in earnest, aud "tho papers'' were uiado out.
The tenuut is almost insane himself with wonder
at this strange act.
Republican Support of the Oregon Bill.
The N. Y. 2iM,'"bpposition, says:
Tho Republican members of Congress held a
caucus ou thdvtn, to consider their course rela
tive to the bill for the admission of Oregon. It
resulted in a general understanding that they
would oppose it while the English bid of prohibi
tion stauds in reference to Kansas. Thayer, of
Massachusetts, expressed a disposition to vote
for the admission oi Slave States. At least twelve
or fourteen Republicans in the House, however,
will sustain tao bill, and oppose all efforts to
trammel its passage.
Trial Hud Sentence or not.
On Thursday, Chorles I. Roe was ar
raigned before the District Court in this
place, judge Boise presiding, on an indict
ment charging him with the murder of his
wife, Angelica Hoe. The indictment was
read to him by the Court, and he was in
formed that if he was unprepared to plead
to the same, that he could have until the
following day to do so. The prisoner an
swered: "I am" prepared to plead now I
am guilty of the crime before God and man,
and deserve to suffer. I deserve the pun
ishment the laws of God and man provide.".
The court informed him that the penalty af
fixed to this crime was death; that he could
have until to-morrow to consider the mat
ter, and change his plea if desired; that if
he wished it, he would assign him counsel.
The prisoner answered that he did not wish
counsel. The court was then adjourned un
til Friday morning at 9 o'clock. The at
tendance of spectators was quite large.
Friday morning, the prisoner was again
brought into court, and asked if be desired
to change his plea of yesterday; he answer
ed: "I do not not desire to change I am
guilty." The court then examined several
witnesses of the murder, after which an ad
journment until 1 o'clock, P. M., was de
clared. When the court again convened,
judge Boise stated that he had examined the
witnesses for the purpose of determining
upon the degree of guilt whether the killing
constitnted murder in the first or second de
gree; that the conclusion of the court was
that the crime was murder in the first degree.
The prisoner was then directed to stand up,
and sentence (moved for by I. N. Smith,
Lsq., prosecuting attorney,) was prouounc
ed, 8S follows:
Charles I. KoE. Von have been indicted
of tho crime of murder in tte first degree and ar
raigned, aud after being solemnly warned, and
given time to consider, you have plead guilty to
that indictment, and the court alter hearing testi
mony touching the degree of your guilt, has found
yon guilty ot murder in the first degree.
What have yon now to say why this court
should not now pronounce sentence of death
airainst vou I
l he prisoner answered that be bad nothing
to say.
Thu law in its indulgence allows von at least
thirty days after your sentence in which to pre
pare for death; and the penalty of the crime of
which you stand convicted is nxed hv statute,
and leaves nothing to the discretion of the court;
and it simply becomes my duty to pronounce the
sentence ot the law. nut, Uetore pronouncing
that sentence, I would say, with reference to the
plea you have seen tit to interpose that, if niHu
euecd by a sense of your guilt, and sorrow for
your awful crime, you have thus plead guilty,
then your voluntary confession is commendable,
but, if recklessness of life, hardened indifference
to votir fate, and a determination to brave and
defy the peualties of the law have nerved yon to
perpetrate, and now boldly confess a most unnat
ural and horrid crime, then you are not only lost
to the ties of kindred and the common feelings cf
humanity, lint destitute ot that penitence lor your
guilt w hieh should now influence and oppress you,
as vou stand upon the very verge of eternity.
liut whatever may be your feelings, if those
who have kindly ministered to 3ou, during your
confinement, have failed to impress yoa with the
enormity of vour guilt, and awaken your cou
science to the ftarful sin that rests upon you, you
would hardly heed what 1 may say.
You have murdered vour wife, in cold blood,
and sent her without munition to her final account,
bereaved your children of their mother, and de
prived them of her protection and care and anal
ly you have disgraced them by the commission of
a crime the most unnatural, and awful, which will
forever stain your memory.
You will soon be summoned to a higher tribu
nal than this; and let me admonish you to use with
diligeuce the short time that now remains to you
of lite, to prepare for the fearful doom that awaits
you! It becomes you at once to prepare to meet
your final Judtre!
All that now remains for me to do, as vour
earthlv judge, is to declare, and pronounce upon
you, tne sentence ot the law w hich sentence is,
that yon, Charles I. Koe. bo taken from this
place to the place of your confinement, and there
be kept in close custody until Saturday, the sec
oud day of April neit and then that vou be taken
from thence to the place of execution, and there
be hanged by the neck till yon are dead. And
may uuu uave mercy on your soul.
Quite Atropos. A correspondent of the
S. I. Pacific Altthodtst, writing of Oregon
aud the Oregouians, says: "Mr. T. J. Dryer
is the editor of the Weekly Oregonian.
think it may be set down as republican,
though I am not quite snre. It is signifi
cant, that in painting the sign over the
office door, au effort has been made to dis
play all the colors of the rainbow." It is a
pretty good "sigu" of Dryer's character, no
litical nod moral, which is as niany-hued as
Joseph's coat. We are sorry to say, how
ever, that the similarity between Dryer aud
josepu extends uo lurther.
A jew cent. lbey are now coining
quite a respectable looking cent, for circula
tion in the Atlantic States (we of the Pa
ciuc have no use for such petty coin). It
bears the design of a graceful Indian girl,
with a circlet of feathers radiatiug from a
bandeau arouud her head, inscribed with the
word "Liberty." The head is surrounded
with the inscription "'Uuited States of
America, 1S59." On the reverse side is
the denominational term "Oue cent," encir
cled by a wreath.
As Unhealtht Place. We wouldn't
like to live in Hartford, Ct. It must be
wonderfully sickly there. During the past
year, the towu agent has sold 3333 gallons
of spirituous liquors, solely for medicinal
purposes! Ihe law prohibits its sale for
any other uses or purposes, under a severe
pe unity,
"Made Land." The Commissioners of
the New York Quarantine propose to build
an island in the harbor of New York, for
Quarantine grounds and building. It will
be constructed on Old Orchard Shoals, and
the cost for five acres of this "made land"
is estimated ut $135,000, or $27,000 pe
acre.
Yocso America. The N. Y. Herald says
the city of New York can now produce a
more plentiful crop of juveuile rowdies,
scamps and scoundrels, than any other me
tropolis iu Christendom. We have no doubt
it's true, every word of it.
Colona. The proposed new Territory of
Colon a embraces the western half of Kan
8.i s Territory, with portions of Nebraska,
Utah and New Mexico, and including the
newly discovered gold region around Pike's
Peak. It now contains 2000 settlers.
Suicide. Judson J Hutchinson, a mem
ber of the celebrated "Hutchinson Family"
of minstrels, committed suicide at Lynn,
Mass., on the 11th of January, by hanging
himself. He was insane.
.The Kanakas and Mt. Vernon. The
ladies of Honolulu hare caught the Wash
ington fever, aud are raising a fund to assist
iu the purchase of Mount Vernon. They
have already raised over $200.
Letter from Portland.
Phbti akd. Feb. 23. IS59.
Editor Statesman The only item of "local"
I know of is the FlrenWa Ball at the "Metrop
olis" last evening or rather nigm, ir B
literally '.,.
. tinne d an oigu,
"Till broad daylight.
And went homo with tho
Girls ia the morning."
It was a nleasant and creditable affair, both to
the Firemen and "mine hosts" of the "Metropo
lis." ...... .,.",;,
I forcot one other item that migui do pinccu
under the head of "local," very appropriately,
for unless I chronicle it, it will probably never be
heard of out of the city. 1 refer to the opposi
tion meeting held here last Saturday night.
We omit the account, as another Portland
correspondent has fnrnished one of it. Ed.J
Tlin editor of the limes, who is Mr. , of
California, is very sure Gen. Lane deserves no
censure for bis coquetry with tne Knownotiiins
the canvass of J665. Wonderful, is nt it I
The editor himself, was at that time a knownoth
inir ttiwl wa that same Tear elected to the Cali
fornia legislature on the knownothing ticket. He
was a zealous member of the wigwam and party,
and remained such, until both were disbanded.
If it was ever possible to revive that proscnptive
order, I doubt not he would again return to it.
Considering these facts, (ana they are jaai
which the gentleman and quite a clever gentle
man he is, personally will not pretend to dis
pute) he is not exactly the kind of a judge to pass
in review the charge that Gen. Lane courted
knownothing votes, and consequently did not
do battle against the knownothing party, as be
ootno n Bfainlnrd.bearer of the democracy. And,
this respect, the Times is a fair specimen ot
that paper s corresponuents, wun one eirepuuu,
and that exception a member of Get. Lane's
family. I think its correspondents are all "na
tionals," and all rank opponents ot the aemocrai-
ic party ; men who call themselves oemocraw um
can get a nomination on it, and vote it whether
or no, if they can't get nominated on the demo
cratic ticket. These are the kind of men who are
snTiniii to saddle the democracy with a burden
rim in rttifl nn IllPi nnnOSlUOIl UCKCb UCU
they know must sooner or later break them down,
lioth of the publishers of the 7"init were like
wise know nothmgs m Itoo.
Kxceiit in the matter ot the admission, l oooui
Tint tiin Ijine has dene his utmost for Oretron.
And in that matter, I apprehend he thought he
was running no risk, lie tlououess mougnt, as
he wrote, that we could go in with ease at the
rnnimenrenient of the present session, and would
he in within ten days after the meeting oi on-
"ress. tie diu not anticipate tne rauiuiiiaiwu
which has mnce been formed Sffainst as. nai, J
imrcr trim rrbt fif-n. Lane was capable of render
ing Oregon" the service in the capacity of dele
gate, that many other democrats would have been
with a tenth part of his experience; it is non
sense to call him a statesman, and I have never
swallowed the constant stories of his "great in-
fliinnre at Washington." which have been mann
fur-tnrerl pxnrenslT for home consumption. Hat,
aside from all this, I think the welfare, and con
tinual success of the democratic party require
that Gen. Lane should give way to a new man.
Ifrt hi been at Washington lonjr enough, even
if he had been as successful as others can be, and
as long as the democratic party ought to keep any
man there. Let ns be warned by the fate of the
IJcmocrncy of Missouri and Iowa. Benton role
the democracy of Missouri to death, and Llodge
and Jones rode that of Iowa into an irretrievable
minority. Iowa ought to be a reliable democratic
State this day, and would be, if af:er a reasona
ble term in Congress, Dodge and Jones had given
way to other men. But they would not they
gradually made the democratic party a Dodge
and Jones party, through the bestowal of the
offices, the exercise of the franking privilege, the
distribution of patent otnee seeds, &c, and tee
consequence was many of the best democrats in
the State became tired and disgusted, and it was
not lung before Iowa slid into the ranks of the
opposition, and it is now a hopelessly black re
publican State. Matters are taking the same
course in Oregon; there are some men who insist
that Gen. Lane shall ride the democratic partv
of Oregon to death. I can bnt hope that we
shall not pass through the experience of Missouri
and Iowa, and some other fctates I could men
tion. Kotation will give vigor aud strength to
our party, while the conferment of lite otiC3 is
certain to carry it to decay and defeat.
LXFEKLLNCE. .
Some Plain Trntl.
Sll-VERTOjt, Feb. 2I.IS50.
Friend Bcsn No one deprecates a useless
controversy more than I, but when principles and
matters of vital policy are at stake, I am ready to
take tip the war club as many a braver or more
pugilistic man. It is no part of my nature to
submit peaceably to aggressions upon my inhe
rent rijrhtj aud privileges. As a member of the
democratic partv, I conceive that the rhrht be
longs to me, to decide for myself as for choice of
agents to carry into effect the will of the party,
after submitting to the decisions of onr regular
organizations, as respects partv resruiations and
po.icv. Kvery other man has the same right. If
A prefers Jo. Lane, he may very properly advo
cate his claims, until snch time as the democratic
organization has regularly placed some other hud
at the head of the column, as the standard bearer
of the campaign then A as a democrat should
submit for the sake of the principles sought to be
secured by such organization. If I prefer Gro
ver, llarding, Williams, or any other man, lean
not conceive of any circumstances, prior to a reg
ular nomination of somebody else, that should de
ter me from expressing that preference, whenev
er, aud wherever I might thiuk proper and that
without violating aj faith, or obligation due to
OBJ man or organization. For this 1 will always
contend, let the consequences be what they may.
If the democratic organization is such that it is
unsafe to pursue such an independent course, let
it perish. If the party is now or ever shall be
come attached to the coat-tail of an individual, it
ought not to succeed. After premising this much,
I will enter mv earnest protest azainst the prac
tice of those Lane men, within and without the
organization, who denounce me as a disorganizer
because I cannot and will not place Gen. Lane
first and foremost ia my affections, as embodying
the chief worthiness, iu the party, for official sta
tion. There is worthiness and ability in other
men, and perhaps as much honesty and sincerity.
There is not any good reason for continuing hiin,
or any other man in place, because he has served
long and well. And when he has unmistakably
and uudeniably betrayed an important trust of
the people, justice to other men, and to the integ
rity of the party, demands that a consideration of
former services, fancied or real, shall not be plead
ed and adjudged a complete defense of such be
trayal. The fears of Lane men, that h:3 demise as a
politician will sound the death knell of the demo
cratic party, or She Bush party, can have no
weight with me, to deter me from denouncing
such betrayal, and asking his displacement. For
if success hang upon such a contingency, defeat
will be a thousand times more glorious. Xow, if
Lane's friends wish his renomination or re elec
tion, let them work with legitimate means to ac
complish that result, and 1 wili not complain if
they suceeed ; but I will admit no man's right to
set np an idol and coerce my worship, upon pain
of excommunication. Denunciation for mere dif
ference in estimation of men is neither tolerant or
democratic it is much more Napoleonic. But it
is a legitimate weapon against malfeasance in of
fice. If it is distasteful to Gen. Lane, I can only
say, he should have avoided giving occasion for
its use.
The accusation against those who prefer some
other man. of disorganizing and dividing the dem
ocratic party, ia simply the cry of " wolf, wolf,"
w hen there js no wolf and is neither fair, manlv,
or honest. Gen. Lane has noright to title of au
tocrat, or his friends to that of imperial body
guard. He is not the commander-in-chief of the
democracy, and has no right of government more
than another man. There is no "treason in deny
ing his infallibility, and no merit in claiming for
hiin an exemption from the responsibilities of his
position, as a democrat, and servant of the people.
The same is true of each man in the party.
Loyalty to the principles of democracy cannot be
brought in question when the matter is simply
one of personal preferences. Then we claim the
right to advocate the claims of onr personal choice
and grant the same to others.
If Gen. Lane gets a fair and regular nomina
tion, we will yield him our support if some other
man gets it, Lane's friends must do the same, or
they become disorganizes. CRAXDALL.
Douglas and the Presidency. The Chi
cago Times, the home organ of Air. Doug
las, says: Mr. Douglas will not ask a nomi
nation at the hands of the Charleston Con
vention. If iu that body his friends should
present his name, and he be nominated he
will not feel at liberty to decline it- if his
friends should not present his name then the
nominee of the Convention will receive his
support. The use of his name by any man
or any body of men for the Presidency or
any other office, independent of and "hostile
to the nominations of the Democratic partv
is altogether unauthorized by Mr. Douglas'
will never receive his sanction, and ia wholly
repugnant to his desires.
IrCtter from Portland.
PORTUXD. O.T.. FeV 19 io
EniTOtt Statesman; A mn " "t
vened in thi city this evening, fur the pnrpoo '
of-deviMnjr means, and adopting such measures
ns would tend to overthrew lha present political
"Dttnaz'g," fR. Dryer calls it) of this Territory,
all of wlrrh is preparatory to the formation of
a new patjorm, the name of which is yet in em
bryo. From the strong developments of elocution
displayed on the occasion, one could not possibly
form an opinion concerning the precise course
which they mtenu to purnue, in order to accom
nlish the object of their exalted and would ba
patriotic ambition, so that they may be styled tha
great I"s and the people the little n'a, thereby
securing to themselves a coveted share of the
public pap that inures to a portion of community,
whom it is conceived are justly and honorably
entitled to the favors that are now bestowed upon
them by the constituted authority of the land.
The meeting was called to order by Mr. Jotialt
Failing, by nominating Stephen Coffin, Chair
man, and after the organization had been per
fected, Mr. Shattuck addressed the meeting in a
kind of "I don't know, I guess so ana x inini
kind of style, but in the course of his remark,
he finally arrived at the conclusion that he could
better form an opinion after hearing other gentle
men express their opinions upon the subject. Mr.
T. J. Dryer was then called for, and like a dutiful
son promptlv answered to nis name,
forward to call of "his fellow citizens," being th
first opportunity that he had enjoyed, to give vent
to the hatred which he cherished towards what
he termed the "ruling dynasty" of Oregon, sine
his tra"'xal event at Salem. To those who ar
acquainted with Dryer's style of bombastic elo
cution, it is unnecessary to say that none, say
those who are well versed in comic "-
tic skill and variety, could properly represent bU
powerful gestures while reviewing his past labor
in the legislative halls of Oregon, and he tbea
added, that had the friends that he was thenl
speaking to been at Salem at the fight, Ire wif
confident that he would not have been so tinHJr
cifully beaten. Mr. Dryer gives it as bis opimoir
that it is a horrible ana outrageous siiair k ww
sn old man that is over fifty years ofage,
biai down, beat him and gouge out hi eS Sbr"
do we think as a general rale, and under aU
most any circumstances we would respect mm
age," but when old age passes beyond all rale.
aTl precedent and all bounds of respeet, and ail
of which are couched in language of a gross and
insulting character, then we would cease to bava
respect for him who had no respect for himself.
After Mr. Dryer closed his elaborate discassion.
Mr. King was called out, and after giving a few
sarcastic cnttings here and there, in regard to
this official and that official, and subsequently
closed his remarks by giving the Lane men
small blast by way of compliment as at Bsmea
to of "past favors."
Th-; meeting was precipitately gotten np by
Me. T. J. Dryer, by H. YV. Corbitt, agent. Mr,
Corbitt, it is well known, is the authorized agent
of the old and avowed abolition party of th
Northern Atlantic States, and it is well conceived
that he is the prime mover of ail the rank abou .
tion movements of the Territory. The projector
of this organization has been assisted by such men
as Josiatt Failinr. H. W. Davis and Jtepbe
Coibn. Ever since the first developments of
Bicck Republican principles in Oregon, theaa
men have composed the head and front of all tha
schemes appertaining to an organization of that
faction, with the avowed object of destruction to
the democratic party. In the present schema
tbev have set on foot another organization for tho
purpose of entrapping the unsuspecting, and at -the
same time they iutend to hnrl an irrestibla
missile of destruction at the now ruling party of
this Territory. As a theme by which they intend
to accomplish their avowed object, they broaclk
through their speakers the recent fiifficalty be
tween Mr. Lasaler and the member from Mnlrne- 4
man, ana also some tew Dreacnes wnicn inoy
affirm have occurred in the financial department
of certain office holders in the Territory. On th
whole, the meeting presented tke appearnnee of
a funeral, for ibe people sat gazing at the Coffin
the principles promulgated were those pertaining
to despotism, for tbev were pronounced by a
King the interest of the meeting was decidedly .
dry, with the sssorasn of beinff Drvev, and tbo -
finale some predict will result in a Failing.
The. "Weather. During the past month
the weather has been unusually severe.
Throughout February, which ia Oregon has
usaaily been characterized by mild and pleas
ant weather, there has been a continual aae
cession f violent storm?, of wind, goamr
and rain, and, in some localities, severe
hail. Per consequence the roads have t
came almost impassible, and the farnta
have been prevented froa geltisg in their
wheat crops. - Some weather-wiseacres refer "
these extraordinary meteorological phenom
ena to the eclipse of tlte moon, which occur
red on the 17th ; but ia oar opiuioa that's
all moonshine.
JtZexttcst. Deriah Magoffin, was nosi
nated by the" Democratic Convention for
Governor, and Linn Boyd, for Lieut., Grant
Green, for auditor, James H. Gonard, for
treasurer, Kobt. Richardson, for superinten
dent of poblic instruction, Thomas J. Fra
zer. Register of land offiee, James P. Bate.
for board of improvement, and A. J. James
for Attorney General. Boyd was a candi
date for Governor and failed. The princi
pal feature of the Coaveution was the tri
umph of the Breckinridge interest over thw
Boyd.
Takixg Uim at Ills Word. Prayer Meet
ings have been lately instituted in the Ul
ster connty (N. T.) jail with a view to th
conversion of the prisoners. The leader in
prayer exhorted the prisoners "to ffae froaa
the wrath to come," and the same night six
of them, giving a somewhat literal inter
pretation to his advice, broke jail and fled.
Gfs. Wool Tho N. Y. Herald is advocating-
the claims f Gen. Wool for the next
Presidency. The Troy Bwdgtl, which is ia
fa vor of Wool, says;
The Herald's hug of George Law was as fatal
as that of a boa-constrictor. We have regard for
Gen. Wool, and therefore hope that he will sao
ceed in loosening that paper's embrace.
say jx-tiovwnor tiade, of V L, died re
cently, in that State. Daring the late
years of his life, be devoted the most of hia
time to the removal of female school teaea
ers from Xew England, to the new settle
ments of the West.
Senator Broderick. of California.
, w
in discussing the Pacific Railroad bill, t&
other day, said "the Territories of Orfoa
and Washington together have from fifty
to sixty thousand population." About cor
rect. A Slight Variation. The Babylonian,
nsed to sleep on skins filled with water,, dte
ring the hot days of summer. Dryer sfcep
oa a skin filled with whisky the year rooodv
-Rev. Henry Ward Beecher kept
open house on 2iew Year's day, and had
1001 calls. How many "called passoos
there were among the number, is not slated.
Little Rhody's. Last Sultk. James
nowland, the last of tbe Rhode Island
slaves, died Jan. 3, at Jamestown, R. 1, at
the age of 1Q& jears.
Ocr Adjussios. Letters rejived from
Mr. Grover by last mail express mors eos
fideuce of the passage of oar admission bill,
than those of prior dates.
TJ. S. Senators Wm. Pitt Fessendes,
of Maine, Ex Got. Bingham, of Michigan,
and ilenry Wilson, of Massachusetts, kav
recently been elected U. S. Senators. .
-The Oregou admission bill (ths &
ate bill of last session) was reported to tb
Uoase on the 18th of January.
Stats Debts. The State debt of Pea
sylvania is about $40,0t)0,000. That
New York is about $31,000,000.