davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16
A CURIOUS CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION

The senate ,ssi voes bad under considera-
ton Constitutional Question, rather new
though at present of little practical import
ance.
Mr.. Clay, disqualified by illness for the dis.
charge of his Senatorial duties, some time last
spring transmitted to the Legislature of Ken
lucky, then in session, his resignation, to take
effect on the first day of September The resig-
nation was accepted and MIR. Dixon was elect
ed to fill the unexpired portion of the term,
ending in 1855.
Soon after, Mr.. Clay died, and the Legsla-
ture having adjourned Mr.. Merriwether was
appointed by the Governor to supply the va
cancy, the appointment extending no further
than the first Of September, the day when MIR
Dixon's term of service was to commence,
On the first day Of the present session, Mr.
Dixon sppsared, end his credentials were pre-
sented but MIR. Gwin raised the question Of
his admission as Senator, on the ground that
the only vacancy in the Kentucky delegation
had been occasoned by the death Of Henry
Clay and that vacancy was filled by the APP
pointment of the Governor, which, by the Con-
Dtitution continued in force till the next meet
ing Of the Legislature
The provision of the Constitution is us fol-
lows:
4" If vacancies happen, by resignation Or 9TH
erwise, during the recess Of the Legislature of
any State, the Executive thereof may make
temporary appointments till the next meeting
of the Legislature, which shall then fill such
vacancies"
This provision, it will be observed, is confined
to vacancies happening during the recess Of a
Legislature. If they occur while it is in ses-
sion, they are Of course filled by its act 1t was
intended to prevent an interruption in the rep
resentation Of sovereign State, but to do this
in such way as to preserve the authority of
the Legislature. Hence, the appointing power
Of the Executive is but temporary and can be
exercised only during the recess of the Legisla-
ture and until its neat meeting
Had Mr. Clay died, or had his resignation,
to take effect instantly, been rendered and ac-
cepted during the session Of the Legislature,
Executive action would have been precluded--
the vacancy would have been filed by that
body.
The question arises, Can q vacancy in ad.
vance be created by the resignation Of Sepa-
ator and its acceptance by the Legslature-
that resignation to take place on future day ;
II it can, there can be no doubt Of the power
Of the Legislature to fill it, for its Senatorial
elections are generally in advance; and by tho
Constitution, the times places, and manner
of holding elections for Senators and Repre-
sentatives shall be prescribed in each State by
the Legislature thereof although Congress
may at any time "by law, make or alter such
regulations except as to the place OF chooslng
Senstors' As matter Of fact, Congress mas
not interiered with the regulations Of the Legs
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16
NATURAL HISTORY AND poETkY IN 4HE sEa
ATE

The debate on the question of MIR. Dixon's
admission as Senator has given rise to a
most verbose and tedious debate. What an
innnits faculty Of talk honorable members
have The question can be stato9 clearly, in
single sentence, and the whole argument pro
and con, DO presented in half column; but
tho debate already has filled several pages of
the newspapers 70 the profit of no one but the
reporters.
Senators now and then have endeayored to
relieve their long-drawn speeches, by what
they doubtless considered pleasant digrcssions
Mr. Mangum for example, favored the country
with a specimen of Natural History, gathered,
fresh from Stansbury's late report:
g he states, sir that in his travels in the
Southwest and the great West, with q scientific
corps, for the exploration of Salt Lake, they
fell upon region in which the prairie dog, the
rattesnake and even the owl, all sought shell
ter ip the same nest, and lived lovingly togeth-
err whilo the fang of the snake was never
stricken upon either of his good friends. Well,
sir, that seems to be perfectly parallel to the
case we have seen in our political eonvulsions.
As shall not have occasion 10 speak here in
future, desire now 10 make prediction-and
may possibly arise to the dignity Of prophet
in this vespect-though this union and harmo-
ny is very like that apparently unnatural one
in tho prairie diggings, undertake to predict
that in less Ethan twenty months the rattlesnake
of the South will strike his fangs upon the
prairie dog of the North and the blind owl OF
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16
mas NATIONAL ERA WASHINGTON d. C, DECEMBER l6, 1852

some portions of the West will also receive
similar blow. Laughter. That prediction
may 90 for what it is worth and II attain
the reputation of prophet it may at all
events console me in my retirement"
The prairie dog imagines that as the tail OF
the rattlesnake is apparently motionless J1S'
now, he has corrected that bad habit he hss,
Of striking with his fangs.
Mr.. Weller, of Ohio, appearing to under
stand the allusion to the blind owl OF the west
AS personal, was sorry that his friend from
North Carolina had not come to the Senate IN
more amiable mood-he ought to have taken
defeat in better temper.
:" trust that in his retirement he may hnd
ample time to repent of his past political sins
and iniquities. There is still hope, MIR. Presl-
dent, even for him; for We know, in the IAN
guage of the Psalmist that
While the lamp holds'Out to burn,
The yilest sinner may return. lLaughter'l
An edition of the Psalmist by Mr. Weller
would be highly edifying
We believe this is the nearest approach to
wit the Senate has been guilty OF during Its
nresent session
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16
l.Ll Ann I8 10 s9g 33l ss34l6 ~ !
agriculture.

we thiak no apology is required for the ex-
0ended royieS of the agriculture of the Union,
which forms nse,ly half Of the report We
quite agree with NJ, kennedy, that 40 intelIi-
gent syn opsis of the facts elected by the inves-
tigalons pursued under hs direction during
the pass two years Illustrated by appropriate
remurks are lar preferable to long columns of
figures representing nero dollars bushels, or
pound. We shall briefly notice each division
of the subject as given in the report
JUprored Land The statement under this
mead ~ the agricultural table shows that the
average quantity OF improved land, by which
as meant only such as produce crops, or in
some manner add to the productions of the
GARNER, ~ about 4 acres to each mhabitant (;
but ~ perhaps two,hlths of the population
live IN towns and villages, and are engaged in
other pursuits than those Of agriculture the
proportion of improved land h. he assigned to
each person occupying or working it may be
assumed to be not less than twelve acres In
The New England States, the average of the
wbole population is n little more than 4 acres
so cueh person in New York and Pennsyva-
mia 9-IG acres in the other Middle States
she same. Ia Virginia the proportion is about
acres: in South Carolina acres in Ken.
lucky ~ acres; and IN Tennessee acre9 The
cash value OF the farms ia the United States is
set down at 80 27O 1873 093.
GaimpyOrcd nd-This return is to be IN.
ierstOOd as including the unimproved land
conneetsd with or belonging to those farms
from whieE productions are returned In the
present unsettled state OF large portions of the
country this class6 cation is of less practical
utility than it will become at future day
when similar returns will ensble us to form
calculations respecting the quantity Of land
brought into requisitiOn annually Tor agrisul
turai purposes The following table will ex.
hibit the quantity and value Of the improved
aud unmprovcd land belonging to the farm,
and plantations OF the several States, and OF
course it includes the value of the building,
thereon
Statement Snoring tie nuntLsr Of acres Of In
proued and J,nmprowd Land, in Farms
Cash raiue hcrGoL and Average Cash Yalut
per acre. an Caeh State, 5c.
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16
VOL. VI.

latures, respecting the times or manner Of ala,
ing Senators. The single question, then in a.
case of Mr. Dixon, is, Can resignation. to t.l'
effect on a day fixed in the future, tendero1 =
Senator and accepted by the LegisIot.
create a vacancy in advanced The Quest.
we presume would be decided with great una
nimity in the affirmative, were no party int
ests involved; but, Mr.. Merriwether is D,n,
ocrat, and Mr., Dixon Wing. Party cop.ido,
atoms, therefore, will probably determine n.
answer.
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16
2O2

value of slaves is According to the corrected
estimate the amount attributed to the free
States il 81 2q2 600 600: and TO the slave
States 80 Sal 600 600. But we observe that
the slaves of the South are included among It's
nronertv. If it be a correct rule Of political
economy that any part of the laboring popula-
ton Of a country should have price set upon
the heads Of the individuals composing it, and
that the aggregate of such price should be
stated in money, and added to the appraised
value of the property OF that country, then 1t IL
obvious that to get at correct results IN figures
the rule must be applied to the whole labOring
OF employed class. We suppose the average
price of slaves in 1850 was $3.50, which gives 4
total of 1901 600 0OO If this sum be deducted
from the aggregate wealth Of that part OF the
country the value of its property by these re-
turns must I've stated at S2040 100000. But,
if that item be retained then we must add the
value in money of the free producing classes OF
that section. and of the North also, to get at
the aggregate wealth Of the Union. If we sup
pose three .fourths Of the free inhabitants to he
producers of wealth in some shape, and assume
the value Of a free person to be double that Of
slave, we shall find it necessary to make the
following corrections in the results of the above
table:
Aggregate, according to the
table S7l33, 100000
To be added, as the price or
value Of q of all iae persons
in the United States, at $500
per head, being double the
value Of the slaves az in
oluded above 1922, 100000
Total value OF real and person
al property in the U. States Sl4655,OOOOOO
But in truth, political economists in other
countries viii laugh at this constructive item
Of our national wealth, and the next generation
of our descendants will laugh at it also.
Churches and Church Property.
From the returns under this, condensed into
the following tables it appears that there is
one church on place Of stated worship to each
557 free inhabitants, or for every $40 of the
entire population. The average number Of
worshippors which each church will accommC-
date is 3S4 and the average ratio Of each
church edifce is S2l 900 We insert the TIA
bles
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16
STANDING TERMS.


Voluntary agents are entitled to retain 90
cents commission on each new yearly and rs
cents on each new semi-yearly, subscriber,
except in the case of clubs. TrcentyJfue cents Is
the commission on the renelodi of an old sub
scrber.
A club of three subscribers lone of whom
may be an old one) at IS, will entitle the per-
son making it up to u copy of the Era three
months club of fUe (two of whom may be
old ones) at S. to a copy for sir months; club
Of ten fue of whom may be old ones) at sl5,
to a copy for one gear.
Money TO be forwarded by mail, at our risk.
Large amounts may BIO reunited in drafts or
certificates of deposlte.
1t will be seen that the price of the paper,
single copy, is still 50 a year. Agents some
times allow subscriber, whom they obtain or
renew, the benefit of their commission, so that
the subscriber by their kindness gets his paper
for 81 so or Sl.75, as the case may be.
ann Hpot lcra
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16
WASHINGTON, ID. &.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1852.
TO BALTIMORE PLATFoRM,MONGERs.

We take great pleasure in announcing to
these gentlemen that their Anti Free Discus
sion resolutions, passed at Baltimore few
months since, have had no other effect than to
quicken the circulation of Anti.Slavery papers.
1t may crafty them specially to learn that the
list Of the National Era has increased, within
the last six months, from $4,000 to $4,000, and
is still increasing 1t would seem that the
more they resolve TO gag the People, the more
the People won't be gagged
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16

returns of sheep and wool proves not only that
our breeds are capable of such improvement,
but that it has actually taken place.
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16
THE TARIFF QUESTION DISPOSED OF.

The House disposed of the Tariff Question
quite summarily on the second day Of the SEES
sion, on motion Of Mr.. Brooks, OF New forF'
to refer so much of the Presidents message as
relates to that subject, to select committee
The aim Of Mr.. Brooks was, first, to show sns'
at this time, just at the close Of Mr. F'llmores
Administration, there is surplus in the Treas
urv Of ftom fourteen to twenty millions OF dol
lara fact which may be used hereafter :"
party purposes secondly, to bring before Con
srress the whole subject of revision OF the
tariff Of is4s; thirdly to resuscitsts the wing
party; and fourthly, We presume, to advances
certain interests Of his own at home Inc
House, by vote Of 80 to 70, demonstrated '''
purpose not to take up the subject
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16

STORIES FOR CHILDREN on our first page
are from the pen of Eliza l.. Sproat, Of Phila-
delphia
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16

Ils.l51G29 ill62l 3ls a09@s.NO s,2rC,733OOa
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16

AN ESSAY ON THE TRIAL BY JURY. by Lysahuo'
spoonor Boston John p Jewett 2 W
This work is divided into twelve chapters, IN
which the author discusses the rights and du-
ties Of Juries, and aims to give satisfactory
evidence of what the Common Law Trial by
Jury really is He takes the ground that the
Juries Of the present day are Illegal, and that
the Legislatures have never been invested with
authority to impair the powers change the
oaths or with few exceptionsl a5ridge the ~
risdiction, of juries, or select juriea on any
other than Common Law principles.
The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-16


a ground of Wing prescription, then, you see,
the case is bravely altered, and we show fight"
The Troy lYt,g will not even grant this
humble boon. IL says e"
"Now if Mr.. Greeley and his crew will but
stick to these declarations, and get out of the
Wing party IA soon as possible and then keep
out for all time to come the Wing party will
come up again Go where you please. Take
, natural refuge in swine, and make precipi-
tate retreat I. lhs sea--go anywhere, so that
you never come back again Neyer again say
you are Whigs-claim to be anything else you
please Join the Mormons, if they will let
you. Do anything, be anything; but for Gods
sake and your country's, do not again claim to
speak or act as Whigs,'
The Tribune retorts
Just call your Wing State Convention,
then, as soon ~ you please, and let 1t declare
that il recognises none a. Wings who do not
subscribe to the doctrines os those resolves,
and We are cut of from communion, and will
act accordingly
How it would act it does not say; but we
are left to infer this from another paragraph
in the same editorial:
we Snail steauily Note ~ every eicctuh
and vote for such candidates as are best fitted
for the Offices to be flled-and il may DO that
We can do no better than support such men
as, protesting to be Wings, have Just killed off
General Scott because Governor Seward and
his friends ardently favored his nomination
But what good such Wing party can do, or
what chance there is Of its ever attaining
power in the Nation, We do not see, and can
hardly imagine
Mark this The Tribune is the most thor
oughly Anti-Slavery of the papers which up TO
The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1852-11-04

~We publish below such election re-
turns as have come to us by Telegraph
We cannot vouch for the correctness of anv
of them except our own, and the city OF
New Orleans. 1t pleases us to see that not
outstanding the effort made against the
New Constitution, that majority of Seven
teen Hundred votes were cast in favor of
it.
Maine, large majority for Pierce.
Connecticut $500 majority for Pierce.
Massachusetts 5000 plurality for Scott
New Hampshire $4,000 for Pierce.
Louisville 10 tor Pierce.
New York, $4,000 for Pierce.
Penn, Philadelphia Co. & City 1000 for
Pierce.
Baltimore $500 for Pierce.
Maryland for Pierce
New Orleans 1873 for Pierce.
Ascension 81 for Pierce.
- 1berville 100 for Pierce
w. B. Rouge 1O2 for Scott.
East Feliciana for Pierce.
West Felicians 100 for Pierce
Point Coupee 14O for Pierce.
Constitution adopted 100 in NJ Orleans
Hamilton Co (Ohio) 1000 for Pierce.
Sandusky 1000 for Pierce.
The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1852-11-04
Groceries and Liquors.

WYE WOULD call the attention Of our
w friends-and buyers generally-to
our recently received STOCK Of Groceries and
Liquors, comprising the following articles:
10 barrels Mackerel, 10 quarter barrels
do, 6 kits do, 6 barrels Loaf. Crushed and
Powdered sugar; 10 boxes Claret Wine, 10
boxes Herrings, 10 small chests Imperial
and Gunpowder Teas, do black Tea, 10
Gross Matches, 10 boxes chinese fire crack
.ers. 10 boxes Foxes starch, boxes quarts
and half gallons Pickles, 2 boxes each To-
matte and pepper catsup, $50 lbs black pep
per, 2 bags old Java coffee, 10 boxes Hollis
Buckwheat, 10 kegs table butter, 10 boxes
cheese, 10 half barrels extra St. Louis Flour,
20 barrels do. baskets Olive Oil, 10 boxes
II lbs each, Gilmons S Lump Tobacco, 6
halt barrels saleratus, Is boxes Macoroni and
Vermicella. Is whole, half and quarter kegs
powder, $500 percussion caps, 40 barrels ex-
ira Whiskey;s, Brandles and Gin, and bar
rels Louisiana Rice. The above articles
will be sold by single packagd or quantity.
oct soy. JOSHUA BEAL.
The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1852-11-04
Signs Of tho Times.

Certainly there are growing evidences
of degeneracy in the public mind. Each
Presidential election is more disgracefuI
than the last. There is more bulldog
rowdyis,o, purjury, and drunkenness at the
poles each succeeding election, than the
last, until it has become necessary that a
man shall arm himself to protect his life
where he goes to deposit his vote as a
peaceful citizen of the republic. Accounts
come to us from every direction of disgrace
full proceedings within the presence of the
very Judges themselves. Drunken and be-
sotted dogs are pushed up to vote, as they
come relling from the fumes of the doggery;
and honest meIi-good patriots support them
whilst they take an oath blasphemous to
Heaven. Such condition speaks little
for the stability of Republican Institutions
and if there be any honesty in the commu-
nifty it should set its face against these
things before the hour is too late. No
drunken man should be permitted to vote,
and some method be resorted to, toskeep
bctters away, from the poles, with the
baneful influence they carry with them
What are the clubs for? The patriotic
clubs, with patriotic leaders, and patriotic
songs, the barrel organs of Whiggery and
Locofocoism? 1t is to foster and encourage
these things under the guise of disinterest-
ed'love for the unionse Through off the
mask and behold what they are made of
a mere mockery, with thin covering to
hide its deformity.
The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1852-11-04

The BATON CoMEI.-A little paper,
glorying in this cratic title, is published
in Baton Rouge, and appears to be doing
fair business in abusing the True Delta
We have no objections to the little fellows
doing this if he finds it profitable; but we
do most positively protest against his doing
SO in execrable photography, and villainous
bad grammar. Don't do this, little man.
1t grieves us to think that our friends
of the True Delta against whom we have
never Willingly sinne1 will rap us over
the hea. in the above fashion. 1t is TO
say the least of it, very generous mode of
attack. 1t is objectionable in the Comet to
commit errors, the blame of which should
all rest on the shoulders of its editor 1t is
a very light task to get up matter for
daily paper in the country, there is such
variety of local incident to Gull from; then
we have so many experienced compositors
proof-readers, and reporters; why we should
never fail to get out an interesting sheet
unblemished with error in photography or
tautology. 1t is but due the True Delta and
the public generally to let the world know
the standard books upon which the Comet
builds its language. We have discarded
both johnson and Walker from our office.
because they never agree, and are conse-
quently both wrong Dillworth is our au-
thority for orthography-our grammar is
out own manufacture. We have made it of |
very flexible materials, and generally
stretch its rules, to suit our own ideas, when
its rules oppose us in solid phalanx, We
throw it under the table. When we desire
a very forccable, and new expression of
abuse, we turn at once to file of the True
Delta which lays as tamely by our side as
a dead lion. In any column of that excel
lent paper we can find coined expressions
Of honorable indignation as strong as though
hey had been forged by Vulcan himself, at
he instigation of Pluto.
The fault of being small is great fault
n the Comet, and the only one of which
We feel ashamed We ha! much rather be
mall and light-frivolous, and foolish and
kip about over the tops of houses and
hings, and be blown away after moments
Existence into air-thin air, than to be large
nd heavy, and disgorge the Mississippi or
he Amazon, The smallness of the Comet
s not its own fault. We do not aspire to
re larger.
The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1852-11-04
Mr.. F. A Y,

Italian Professor Of N u sic,
HAVING permanently settled himself
Ill with his family, in the City OF Baton
Rouge, where he has resided since eighteen
months, offers his respectful thanks to those
persons who have already honored him with
their confidence, and tenders anew his pro-
fessional services to all those wishing to be
fought on the Piano, Violin, Guitar or in
Vocal Music
Convinced by long experience, that in
the study of music specially pedantly is
disgusting, and that general routine Of in
struction will only produce Indifferent per-
formers, he will use all his endeavours to
place himself on level with the intelli-
gence of his pupils,-encouraging, rather
than disheartening their efforts, while adj
herring strictly to the precepts laid down by
the best masters; he will continue as here
tofore to tune Pianos. His prices will be-
SO for twelve lessons of one hour each, and
Sc ortwelve lessons of half hour each.
Apply at his residence on Convention be-
tween Main and st. Charles SITS, or at Mr..
Neirey's variety store, on Laurel st. o27-y
The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1852-11-04
BATON ROUGE. ::::::::::::::":NOV. 4, 1852.

10 We had in our hand this NOR
ming a petition to the Town Council
recommending an appropriation for an
Artesian Well of which we shall take
occasion to speak at more leasure. A
very interesting communication on the
subject may be found in todays paper.