Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-08-26

rate Harpers Ferry at its next session.
[Wa,hington Nears
! MIcH1GAN CONSTITUTIONAL CONTENTION
This body adjourned on Thursday lsst its ses
sion commenced on the first Monday in June
| No doubt the members were greatly aided by
the result of Constitutional Conventions in othz
err States. They have rather revised the old
Constitution than made new one:
! Homestead Exemption and an Elective Judi
ciary are among the new features. There is to
be no Independent Supreme Court, but eight
Circuits with one Judge elected in each. Every
county of 10000 inhabitants has tour terms OF
court a year. The question OF negro suffrage is
to be submitted to the people; Indians may be-
come citizens. A proposition to refer to popu-
lar vote the question of licensing not licensing
the sale of ardent spirits was rejected. The
legislature is required within five years to estab-
lish free common schools to be kept open three
months in each year, and also soon as practl
cable to establish State Agricultural School,
setting apart the twenty-five sections OF all
spring lands for its support.
The convention provided that every newspa-
per publishing the Constitution should have S25
for it. A good quarrel attended the close OF the
session. Mr. McClelland, ex-M. C. and csndi-
ldtG lot tIlC w. % E6lulG pietSC VI AIl' ASi';
chairman of the committee on phraseology, was
accused of changing the Homestead Exemption
provision, by making it the duty Of the leglsla.
ure to exempt not more than forty acres instead
of not less, and was Justly chastsed for the
trick. How this point was finally settled we
are not informed.
The Constitution, as finished, was adopted by
a vote of So to II 1t is to be accepted or re-
ected by the people in November next.
TOTAL OF THE OVERLAND CAL1roRN1Ass-
Al about Fort Laranie-1heir character Go
A correspondent Of the St. Louis Republicans
writing from Fort Laramie, July 8, says:
The great California emigration has at length
swept past this point, and the pralries begin to
assume their wonted air of solitude and dreary
monotony. The few stragglers, some one thou
sand in number, are still behind, on this side of
the South Fork and will be here in few days.
The final result of this years emigration, as re-
oistered at this point, is follows: 81 $40 men,
s25 women. 1,126 children, 9,1o1 wagons, a.
s7s horses, 1850 mules, 81; SOP oSens, and 1914
COWS
Making liberal allowance of 2,47o persons
and GIG wagons for those which have passed
without registering, and those still behind, we
should have az, 600 souls and $3.50 wagons on
the trail at this moment-of this number from
5000 to 10000 are on their way to Oregon with
the intention of settling that country and visit
Ing the gold mine. next season.
Tile character of the emigration this year Is
most decidedly inferior to that of last. The
number OF difficulties robberies, &C. on the trail,
have far out numbered those of last season.
Not only have they relieved themselves Of their
property, but they paid particular regard to the
public and private property in this vicinity.
The sickness has been severe between this
point and the frontier, but beyond here there
has been but little mortality.
Several detachments of troops have passed a
long the same road this season, and during the
most sickly portion, and not a man was lost
This shows concusively the advantage OF ctrlct
attention to diet, and WATER and camp regula-
tons
party of emigrants will pitch their camps
along side of pond, or an old well dug in the
sand and drink their stagnant waters in prefer
ence to the running water of the Platte, because
the former may be cooler and clearer than the
latter. The graves encircling these pools show
the consequence.
An express from Fort Hall has just reached
here with the news that Col. Porter has aban-
toned that post and is OH his march to the Dal-
les. When last heard from he was on Snake
river, 1856 miles beyond Fort Hail.