Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-06-01

Irors They stand convicted by their own verdict
NOV Mead guilty to the charge and the judgment OF
IN community is rendered accordingly
There can no longer be any doubt also, that men,
bors of the American party, on entering the know
Thing lodges assume oaths obligations in the l.
,ro If oaths, which it is alike forbidden by law, Ell
baT to administer TO take. The fact is proved con-
sivply by an official act of the senator's representa-
lives. and Governor of that party; which act IS al
lost the only distinctive feature which the party has
boon able to impress upon Legislation of the session
The digent reader of the reports OF legislative
nrocpedings must have observed that at an early
Iprod in the session an order was introduced by one
IF the clergymen having seats In the House. contem
Mating inquiry by some committee INTO the expe-
88oncy Of aboshing the laws prohibiting the admin
istaring of illegal oaths. The order was adopted,
Dn5 Immediately the public entirely lost sight of the
IN examination of the laws passed within the last
ton DAYS, and not yet printed, discloses something
hearing on the subject, viz
Chapter 35I.
Commonwealth Of Massachusetts,.
the Year One thousand Eight Hundred and tiftyfve
Statutes.
Be it enacted &c as foIoeos
The oath 25th and Both sections Of the 2Sth chapter
me Revised Statutes are hereby repealed.
House of Representatives. May ii, 1856.
In Senate, May ID, 1855.
Passed to be enacted. HENRY w BENcHLEY, Pres't.
May To- 1855. Approved HENRY J. GARDNER
whoever possesses copy VI IHC lNCF'9O" pldIuLeS
r find by reference TO page 1876, that the sections
thus anonymously repealed are those which provide
that if any person shall administer, or assume to
administer 10 another any oath, or obligation in the
nature of an OATH which is not required or authorized
Lv law or # any person shall voluntarily suffer any
s1ch oath or obligation 10 be administered to him, or
ebau voluntarily take the same he shall be punished
bv fine not exceeding two hundred dollars nor less
than five dollars" There is prOvsO excepting aft
davits, &C. which may be administered Oithou anten-
00L Secyegv in certain cases. by persons authorized
IN administer oahs The sections now repealed tur-
Their provide that it shall not be necessary in indict-
mens for this offence 10 set forth the form or tenor
Of the oath obligation and further, that the par
ties administering and taking the oaths may testify
either against the other if they are otherwise compe.
tent witnesses.
No. sane man of course will believe that the Ie
gisIature would have repealed these provisions of
law especially in this anonymous and silent man
Der unless il certainly true, has been gen.
orally supposed that all know nothings are obliged
10 assume oaths or obligations in the nature of oaths
which are administered of course by other know
nolhngs, without authority of law. The whole
State government accordingly both in the executive
and legislative departments being with the excep-
ton of three or four representatives. composed of
knOW-nohngs, and all having united in repeating
these sections of the Revised Statues they all stand
convicted by their evidence of the offence which
is set forth therein.
me act uOeS not lake eueCL DAYS; UQaL
the 18th of June, three weeks hence. The weight
Of guilt accordingly still hangs on the law breakers
nor will it be removed that day, for the repeang-
act IS not and could not be, retrospective in its OPP
Grafton, and the sections repeated in full
force at the time that the nothing legislators
wIItully violated their provisions.
The number Of offenders somewhat exceeds four
hundred and as the law provides that the penalty
for the offence shall be g not exceeding 5000 nor
ess than $5' would suggest that the exact aver
age between these sums, say SlO2 so be paid by
each ogender into the State Treasury forthwith and
IN case any gentleman exhibits q reluctance 10 pay
his just fine, that the proper prosecuting officer of the
Commonwealth he instructed to institute proceedings
against him, 10 be finished within the next three
weeks, for the recovery of the amounts. Having
paid their fines, and repealed the law, the legislators
would be relieved in their minds and could stand fair
and square on the 18th of June. The payment of
these fines would yield to the Treasury Sal ,0O0
which would be a sum precisely sufficient to cover
The amount which appears to have been paid out for
services rendered. according to the payroll of
the House, members having sworn falsely 10 their
attendance; another kind of illegal oaths =" that
ought not TO be permitted.
TIE CALoR1c ENGINE.-Captain Ericsson writes TO
the New York Times that he has not abandoned the
Caorc Engine-that while mechanical difficulties
have prevented the satisfactory application of the
principle his faith in the principle itself remains
shaken, and that he is still engaged with unweared
assduiy and with unfinching courage, in the prose-
CutOn of experiments for its perfection. The first
engine of the CalOric ship, he states removed,
notwithstanding its economy, because it proved too
cumbrOus for the amount of available power it exert
ed-n other words, because the dferentia force of
the working and supplying piston did not prove in
practice to realize what calculation prOmised-osses
by Ieaks friction Sc, being much greater than rea-
soning could anticipate. The second engine was APP
Piled to remedy this deficiency of power by en-
! - al a.
onts of the pipes of the heaters could not be made
sufficiently tight to carry than nethird of the
intended requisite pressure. Accordingly this modl-
ned engine proved inadequate to give speed of more
than seven miles an hour to the ship.
Apart from the imperfections connected with the
leaks alluded TO, the machine worked to the admira
uOn OF all who witnessed its operations. But al
though AR thus escaped through the joints, steam, i
was found, could easily be retained in the heate
PIPES, and was, therefore, employed in Il surcnargeC
state, in place of air. 1t under the agency O
unchanged or overheaed steam that the machinery
operated on the day of the sad accident of sinking
The ship. The sudden immersion and cooling of tn
furnace pipes, &c, unfortunately destroyed vita
part of the continuance, and after fruitless attempt
TO repair and patch, no alternative was left b@t Il
apply ordinary hoilers
The engines however are now without alteration
NE same when compressed air employed
me statement that :" new steam engines planned
ana constructed for the purpose, have not been pu
INTO the ship, is pure fiction. Mr.. Ericsson furthe
says
The positive assertion, that have altogether aban
uOheu the calorlc engine, is a base calumny. III
rGgeet has been by me increasingly prosecuted
experiment. has succeeded experiment. and continue
eSeIuons have been made to devise and perfect tn
useful mechanical expediens for rendering the ncon
IoVerhhle physical laws involved in the principle c
IuS machine subservient in producing cheap an
harmless motor How far | have succeeded in III
naI practical solution of the great problem will 500
oecome known, as am engaged in building
s't engine of considerable magnitude.
A GREAT AMERICAN WAR STEAMER.-lt will b
snlemOered that during the recent session of Cor