The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1851-01-10
FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, Drc. 26.

of his string Of Wesu projects; to Wit:
in the Louisville and Portland Canal Com
pnny, and making the canal free. AT press
cnt, boats passing through the canal pay
their cost, in tolls, once every two years.
This is q very great tax on several of the
Western States. The canal is now under
the jurisdiction, and lies within the limits
of the State Of Kentucky. One of the OBJ
irctions to Mr.. Bentons scheme is, that it
will render the work government property.
and subject it to the supern,endence OF
government officers.
Congress is apparently very favorable to
projects for granting away the public lands
in aid Of State improvements. Bills are
now before the Committee for granting lands
to Virginia in aid of the cons,ruclon of the
Virginia and Tennessee Rail Road; ais"
granting lands to Pennsylvania in aid Of her
improvements. The public lands, as
source of revenue, nre abandoned.
WAsHlNGToN, Dec. 27.
Congress again met yesterday, but the
attendance was thin. and no disposition was
manifested to attend TO business. Therefore
the sitting was brief, and both Houses took
another recess TIL Monday.
DR.. Gwin brought up his bill 20 establish
Il Board Of Commissioners L" examine and
| ADJUST private land claims in California;
The claims are important as to value, in.
volving, as Dr. Gwin says, hundred mil
lions; estimated, | suppose, at petitioners
prices. The bill. as now modified BY Dr..
Gwin, allows Ct an appeal, by the claimant,
or by the United States. to the Supreme
Court. The bill brought in by Col. Fre-
mont, at the last session, gave the Board
exclusive jurisdiction, and, on that score,
the bill was severely handled by some Sena'
tors. Mr.. Benton yesterday gave notice
that he should oppose the new bill, and Mr.
Foote, who had denounced the other, came
forward TO sustain this. Mr.. Benton do
cIared that this bill uould deprive of their
rig4F!Aa' 'bss:s e ps-ba'd lands rsasI
Spanish titles.
The spondeuce between this govern
ment and that of Austria, relative TO the
affairs Of Hungary, will soon be communi.
Gated to Congress. Diplomatic intercourse
with Austria has not been suspended, as has
been rumored. As Charge Of Atii'rs, MIR.
McCurdy, is commissioned, and about to 60
! to Vienna.
WAR.-We confess ourselves moderate
"peace men," We think that the world
has been cursed long enough with war and
bIoodshed. We have no sympathes with
lha, martial sentiment which seeks to gain
distinction by the strong hand of might
The noise OF artillery and of groans, Of
widows tears. and orphans cries. is not
music in our ears. We see no beauty IN
sacked towns, and burning villages, and
ruined hamlets, and the ravages caused by
the march OF an army. Joyfully, there
fore, we hail every improvement in science
and art which tends to bring distant nations
closer together, and bind mankind with the
bond of universal brotherhood. We are
even lanatical enough to wish heartily for
the time when "lhe wolf shall lie down
with the lamb; the leopard shall lie with
the kid; the OK, and young Ii N. and failing
together, and a Irlle child shall lead them"
Yet we cannot justify The principle Of
"non resistance" While there are evil
and vicious men who seek 10 invade the
rights OF others, it appears TO US to be the
duty of every honest end good man to stand
up for the defence of truth and recttude.
The pure will make no aggression, and, If
possible, should suffer none.
The calender Of the Aztecs gave an equal
number Of days and weeks to each month, n
far more convenient arrangement than our
own; and such was the extreme accuracy Of
their astronomical observations, that no
appreciabe error has been. discovered in
their reckoning by subsequent calculations;
while the Europeans who landed in Mexico.
in 1919. were, by the Julian calender. nearly
eleven days in advance Of the exact time.
Il is remarka BILE. and by no means flattering
to our self love, Cor il is one Of many proofs
of our ignorance Of the past. thot an exam
pie of a more perfect method of computing
time Than has been adopted by any other
nation in the world. should have been found
among the subjects Of Mon,ezuma.
VERY TRUE.-To-make people smart, all
that's necessary is to throw them on their
own resources. A wild turkey knows more
| in a moment than tame one would dream
of in year. and all because he has to de-
pend for safety on his own ingenuity rather
shan the ingenuity Of "a farmer. Safety and
plenty are the worst friends that genius
ever associated with.