The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-12-27
tn. sorrurRs Mrxprn, OF Cosenrss

The SouIHERN MEMBERS OF CoNsREss.
The Commercial Advertiser of Friday
contains the following account ofthe meet
ing Of the Southern members, referred to in
our Congress news.
All the Senators from the slave holding
States, except Mr.. Henry Clay, aud Mr..
Benton; and most Of the representatives,
were present.
Several propositions were made, and
discussed with comparative calmness and
moderation. Able and animated speeches
were made by Messrs. Calhoun, Preston,
Rives and Crittenden, from the Senate. aud
Messrs. Wise, Menifee, Calhoon Of Ken
lucky, and others.
The result of the deliberations was the
appoiutmsn Of Mr. John NJ. Patton Of
Virginia, to offer a resolution this morning
for disposing of the petition aud memorials
relating to slavery and the. slave trade, in
effect the same as that adopted at the ses-
sion before last. and called Mr. Pnckney's
resolution.
There was proposition TO appoint a
member from each slave holding State,
whose particular duty it shonld be to take
care that no irfraction should be made on
the rights of the South, by the action in
either House-but no decision was come
to.
An address to the people of the United
States was also talked of; and it is proba-
bic that such paper will be prepared aud
published.
Some ofthe " scenes" were quite excl
tirg towards the close.
Mr.. Patton presided as chairman, The
meeting did rot adjourn till after eleven o.
clock.
GALvANIc EXPERIMENT ON THE DEAD
BODY OF CRIMINAL Louisville
Journal gives the particulars of an experi-
ment in the Laboratory of the Louisville
Medical Institute, by professor YandeIl, on
the body of man who had been executed
for Murder un hour aud ten minutes before,
aud while the body wns still warm.
"Thc Positive pole of the battery was
applied to the Spinal Cord or phrenic
nerve, and the negative pole to the dia-
phragm, by which all the muscles of respl-
ration were thrown into prompt aud vigor-
Gus action, producing the appearance of a
violent effort to breathe. The neck was
bent, and the head partly raised from the
,able-ihe arms were quietly thrown up,
and the chest at the same time hcaving and
sinking, the subject seemed to cough, and
nothing was wanting but the sound, and the
lustre of the living eye, to render the illu-
sion complete.
u'ha v,nIa of the ~
touching. the nerve Of the great toe, while
the positive pole was in contact will, the
spinal cord, the fluid thus traversing the
whole length of the body, general iremor
of the muscular system ensued--ihe arms
were elevated aud the fingers forcihly
clenched-ille legs were suddenly drawn
up, md again extended-the head shook,
aud the respiratory muscles were convul-
sed.
"On passing the galvanic fluid through
The nerves Of the face, every strong passion
which the human countenance can express
was exhibited in quick succession and fear
'ful intensity. Rage, Indignation, scorn,
horror, remorse, by turns distorted The fea-
lures of the face rs the contract of the poles
Of the battery were renewed ar broken.
The subject as hc lay convulsed seemed tn
lc under the dominion Of II terrific dream
"a prey to intense anguish or remorse--
or engaged in some desperate mental con-
test, and unable to speak. The movements
of life were mmicked with trdh which
rendered the effect not only striking but
horrible-and the spectator, while he look
ed upon the contracted and ngonized brow
the lip turned up MS if in scorn or deris-
ion--lhe upIifted arm and heaving chest,
might almost have fsncied the subject to be
in a deep, disturbed sleep, and glared upon
by the ghost of The unhappy victim. u
was a study for the painter, or the trngc-
actor, and might have suggested to poet,
passage as thrilling as the ghost scene in
Macbeth, in which the murdered Banquo
rises and "shakes his gory locks" at the
affIrighted king.
MAINE ELEcTIoN.--The official canvass
of votes for the Senators have been publish
ed, and it turns out that Notwithstanding
the great hue and cry that has been raised
about a whig vic,ory-the " hundred gun"
snIu,es. illuminations, publications., bulle-
tines Of great, good and gi1rious" &c.
&c.--that there is Van Buren, majority
on The Senitorial vote 74l4, and n large
majority of the Senators are Democratic.
Gloucester Democrat.
A MAMMOTH CAKE.-Pe,er Ameli, Con-
feciioncr, Broadway, near Howard street,
is preparing something in the shape Of an
Imperial Plum Cake, Of such extraordinary
diminions, that it becomes part Of history,
and nssurredly one Of the lions Of the com-
ing holidays. The cake will not be far
off from 5000 pounds in weight, and is
composed of,h following articles, without