The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-03-12
TREATING AT ELECTIONS.

TREATING AT ELECTIONS.
Thh citizens cf Richland District are tired OF
tbs Practice, as may be seen by reference to the
sprocfedings of meeting he'd in Columbia on
Monday the 4lh instant, "to devise some plan TO
SUPPRESS tie odious and delnoralzing practice of
t5fatng at elections" Well may the people rise
up en- masse to put dowr this abomnable CUSTOM
suited better to barbarian age than to that o' SCI
ence and civilization. Apart from oul predictions
in the Temperance cause, we are opposed t" the
practice on pri.cipl of morality, sound poll y,
and economy; believing that treating at elections
tends to corlunl our people, and to destroy the
pnrv and blessings Of our Curious bal!ot-b' xpr-
,ileges, more than all other causes comb'ned.-
The very thing itself is opposed 10 law and "Fde''
a ID ought to be stopped by the strong arm OF law
il nothing else can effect the object AT the baIi"
box all men are equal: the vote. de?osIte|i there
. bv The rich man will count the same as the ror'
mans vote. But how many men are led up to
va,e, and cheated out of that vote. Eestroy
mans faculties BY drenching him with liquor, and
is he fit and proper one to exercise this right !
lie has 70 capacity to discriminate, and is unit to
decide in the choice Of men for ,ffice. The to
lowing preamble and resolution were unanimously
adopted at the meeting in Columbia, having heen
advocated by col. D. ]. McTord, in the sr"nges
terms: also BY other gentlemen of the bar.
Whereas. The elections in Richland have as
sumed such character that some action is re-
unred on tine part of the citizens to preserve the
morals of the District and restore the purity OF TIN
elective franchise. Therefore,
Resnlred, That committee Of thirty he Up
pointed to consider Of and recommend sutabl'
measures TO reform the conduct Of our elections
and promote the peace and character of our Dis
trict, the said committee to report through tn
newspapers of Columbia, within the space Of ono
month.
Upon this committee, gentlemen Of the highes
character and responsibility were appointed We
hope they NAV "devse some plan by which tlr
morals Of the District may be preserved, and thu
purity Of the elective franchise restored. "her
will Kershaw do likewise!
THE BURNING OF THE ST. JOHN.
We have received from the hands of a fiien'
n copy of the Alabama Journal, containing Al
account of the burning of the Steamer Oilint
ST. John, about miles above Bridgeport, on
tie Alabama River, having left Mobile on the
evening of the 4th, containing the melancholy
j s.llipcice of the loss of many of her passen-
gers, and among others, of our fellow.towns
man, James r. McKain and his mother:
.'"'- TuE Sr. JouS.-The burning of the St. JOIN
with the accompanying loss Of life, is the mos
disastrous casualty which has occurred on ou
waters since the bursting Of the boilers of the
Zen. franklin. The scenes, say the passengers,
were terrific The ladies and children, tits also
sid, might have been saved from the sterI Of
tie boat, except from the hasty and insudordI-
n,te conduct of some of the crew, in taking o.
the yawl some distance down the stream, where
t..ey landed. As in their haste, they had neg.
lccted to take the oars, the Captain when he
found the yawl, had much difficulty in reaching
the boat, and could not do so in time to save the
Indies. He, however, rescued six persons VIII
were clingins to the rudder. The engineer re-
n,ai:,ed at his post in the midst of the fire, al
though severely burned, until the boat strucI
tie shore !; he then had the precaution to rails.
tie safety valve and stop the engine, whicl
saved many whowere floating, from being sweep
into the current and drowned. Mr.. Carson wa
lOSt L.! enueaVOrlilS tO Save HIS SUI. '"uSe
lev was not seen after the boat landed. Tho
ladies remained ut the stern OF the l'oat unti
t..,eir clothing was nearly consumed, and wen
then forced to spring into the river.
A passenger described to us the instantanc-
ors spread of the fame, as rapid as fire in !
dy shuck.pen or dry grass prairie e"-in three
l..inutes the cabin had fallen in.
The register of passengers was lost. We art
furnished, however, by the Clerk Of the boat
with list of the casualties, as far as ascertain
ed
Losr.-Mrs. Hall, and daughter, (supposed
of Augusta, Ga; Mrs. Vaughan, Miss Vaugl'a
Mrs. McKain, Mrs. Haley, Mrs. Wright, and
one or two others Messrs. Mckan, of South
Carolina, r. B. Carson and son, Of Dallas CO.,
Judge Lindsay, Of Mobile; Thomas Stephens
(printer,) of Camden Ala, foar others names un-
known; Hugh Hughs, I'd Mate; Peter, (stew:
ard;) Easter, (Chambermaid; J I'd Cook; and
eight negroes.
All the crew with the exception of the I'd
Mate.
Correspondence of the Baltimore Sun.
WAsmINGroH, March 7, 1850.
The interest felt in Mr. Websters course Oil
the great question of the day drew to the capi.
,o Lour fl,is u1orninU n VAST crowd