Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-06-14
IMPORTANT DECISION.

IMPORTANT DECISION.
The Circuit Court Of The United States has decided
thu, The late law Of Congress- concerning steamboats, IS
applicable 10 boats navigating the Mississippi river
There nearly hundred and fifty suits, TO which
this decision is applicable The before the court
that Of the U. Stulesrs Capt Price, on an nofmn-
ton that The said captain had not complied with the
act Of Congress in procuring iron er ropes Tor The use
ui his boat ~. o. Bee.
This decision was founded on the following
The L. States VS. The Captains Of sercral Steamboats,
The suit against Captains Price, Gilbert, Reid, and
other Captains of Steamboats, were by consent OF par
ties transferred from the Louisiana District Court 10 this
tribunal on the understanding that The decision OF the
u s. Circuit Court in these cases. should The
several suits pending on the same question
A case agreed upon by the counsel Tor the several
parties admitted The facts that boats engaged
in the navigation Of The Mississippi but that some were
merely running within The boundaries OF the Siale, and
that they had wheel ter ropes in place Of iron rods
or chains
The law points, therefore, arising from The above case,
were:-
LIST The cons,i u,ioEali;y of this law and
Cd The applicability Of the law TO the waters Of The
Mississippi.
Mr. Sdel attorney for the U S. on the first question,
namely, the constiiutionay Of the law, contended al
length and cited authorities support Ct his argument,
that Congress had right to regulate the foreign and
international commerce Of The U. S That commerce
means only the buy ing and selling of goods bui the
intercourse of countries; that the waters of the Mssis
sippi are waters Of The u s. and be acted by
Congress wherever they found; that vessels which
have taken their license TO navigate, and are enrolled
as coasters strictly under The hority of the IT, S
when sailing under that license. hat by the law of
the 18th February, 1893, coastng is held 10 inter-
course only between different States by sea- but by
navgabe rivers running through several States 10 mean
different districts in the State, but dirren, points in
the Stale nasmuch il has been deer ed BY the
Supreme Court of ~ Y that voyage from y TO Al
bany by the Hudson was much coas,ing voyage as
fr,, RadF hys INIT hes pla hovsn
taken out coastng license and enrolled themselves pur
suent 10 the U. s. laws, under The control OF the
General Government, and if they accept Of The pvi
eges conferred by this license, cannot dpest themselves
Of the restrictions
On The second question: TO the applicability Of the
law the Mississippi river, counsel remarked. that in
this Congress had two objects in view, the safety Of
passengers, and preservation Of property; and tina,
though The lille Of the act nameIy pdsserg merely
deficient, vet that this deficiency cured by the
body Of the act which related passengers, navigation
commerce, &c and that il would be ridiculous
tend that this defective title would swallow up the en-
tire act In referring the laws Of the last session
passed by our State Legislature, counsel conended they
were incompatible with the rights Of Tie Federal Go
vernment, who alone had control over the commerce
of the country, and that any other surprising would be
absurd inasurch had the several States bordering
on the Mississippi right 10 make laws this subject;
that from the difference al views parties aud local in.
tcrests the laws Of each State would be al variance
with thuse OF the others.
sci commended lha, though section related merely 10
vessels at sea the lakes, ycl that section o.
tanning the word all vessels. showed Congress meant
universally aud 10 include all vessels and 10 extend its
euactment5 10 the Southern whirrs.
New ORLEANS, June 4.
Steamboat Erpl0sioR.- steamer Dnnapare epurts
haveng passed The wreck Of The steamer Buckeye in
chute No "a, on the ath ut The liuIp steamer Nlad
was alongside The Bunnpare hailed Ter and asked
if she wanted assistance, and Ronc tznned
The accident occurred. on the 2.n at o'clock night
while the boat woodng. All the boilers were blow
overheard and one Of them lodged in the bank The
boiler and hurricane decks completely swept away
and torn 10 pieces The captain of the Bonapa was
informed that only or persons were kcd-bu, could
not learn their ascertain further particulars
.7n0thcr Explosion The brig Good Hope, from Mata
gorda brings normaun that the steamer Ponlcharlrain
Captain Hughes, from this port for Iampco, burst he
boilers few days previous TO the 2Sth ult and
PEELED TO rig jury mast and stand for the Texas
She discovered the morning Of the nbnve date
anchor about eight miles OF Passo Cabrllo with
her flag, union down. at the jury mast mead Just The
Good Hope getting under weigh, two arrived
al The pilot station al the head Of haiag rda Bay, who
stated that no one killed by The explosion but he
machinery considerably injured The pilot al The
bay Immediately started in company with the Two mer
and others for The unfortunate boa,.-LouiSianiaa
CHARLESTON June T.
From ST. augustine. By The schr. Sephcn y Francis
Capt. Magee, arrived yesterday, received the ne,o
Of the lSt instant to which Office indebted for The
following in,elligence
An old man named Geo. Brackenberry was killed By
the Indians at Plcolaa, the landing, Thursda,
last. his house rihed, and burned down.
On Wednesday night last party Of Indians attacked
the house of Mr.. OSein, at Alligator on The road Il
Newnansville killing Mr.. Osein, and wounding Mr. S
Dill and Miss Ostein.
On Saturday afternoon, detachment of Dragoon,
brought in from Picolala, free negro named Morris
taken up under circumstances of suspicion con
rected with the recent murder Of Blockenbetry al ri
coata Ii is however satisfactorily ascerlaned luy
been the work Of Indians, as the command which wen
in pursuit followed the trail for several miles
The situation Of the people u this Territory is now in
fnitey worse than it has ever BEEN nominal treat,
of peace is proclaimed and citizens murdered viii
impunity.
On Saturday last alteration occurred al New Smvr
ma between two privates Of Capt. Bryants Company
I'd Dragons, resulting in the death OF private Kearns
Mercury.
TRUE CHARITY "A poor old woman had orders from
butcher to come 10 his sall every market doy for
portion Of meat which a benevolent individual ivbc
desired be unknown) gave regularly several ind
gent industrious persons One day she was receiving
1t usual, and CHANGED TO Mr.. b (reputed 10 be
equally rich and coveons standing near and observing
The distribution of the in burst OF grateful eo
quence and virluous Indignation, she exclaimed "Ah
now long will be before you do as much for The poor
God bless the piver," r
Mf. and the butcher exchanged furtiye glance
ana the aler was interested afterwards 10 hear The fn
mef declare 'hat he then reaped the full reward of his
gifts when he found that he could so well be,r be,
proaches. lie was the upk NOUN b.n.c..,.- " =