The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-03-27

GUS mcnber in reference to every measure
ofpraetical Importance before the House.
He Is a-freei trader, a State Rights Southern
Democrat, but by no means secessionist.
Mr.. Thompson was one of the candidates
for Congress on the State ticket in Missis-
sippi in the contest between the compromise
and anti-compromise parties of 1850, which
Immediately succeeded that agitation. On
that Mr.. Thompson was defeated, has never
since been candidate for public position.
He is a man of some eloqueuce, good prac-
teal abilities, and is between forty and forty
five years Of age.
Postmaster General-Aaron Venable
Bropn, of 7snmessec.-The Postmaster
General WAS born in Brunswick county, Vir-
ginia. in the year 1895. His father was
an old revolutionary soldier, havinge nlisted
At a very early age in the continental army.
lle participated in the battle Of Trenton,
an.i encountered the hardship Of tho en-
rampment Mt Valley Forge. Governor
Brown wasseducatcd in North Carolina, and
graduated at Chapel Hill, in 1914, in the
same class with Senator Mangum and ex
Gov. Manly, ofthat State.
He sat in the Tennessee Legislature un-
ill 1889, when he was elected to Congress
and held that position until ls45, when he.
declined II reelection, and ran n successful
race for Governor against f. II. Foster, a
man ofgreat popularity. Since ls47, Gov.
Brown has held no public office, but was
a Presidential Elector in lS49 and 1852.
He was also chairman of the committee on
resolutions in Baltimore Convention of
1852, and he had the honor to report the
platform then and there adopted. He is
a fine stump orator, and State Rights
man of the strict constructionist school. In
character, he is said to resemble Mr.. Mason,
who was Secretary of the Navy nnder Mr..
Polk. lie combines suavity of manner with
unblemished character, great industry and
talent. During the last campaign he la
bored very zealously for the success of the
Democratic nominees. 1t was to Gov.
Brown, when member of Congress, some
twelve or thirteen years ago, that Gen.
Jackson addressed his celebrated letter in
favor Of the annexation Of Texas. Gov.
Brown is in his 62d year, but owing to his
active and temperate habits, is generally
| taken to the ten years younger.
attorney Gcnerat-Jeremiuh S. Black,
Of Pennsylvania.-The Attorney General
ship has fallen into able hauds Judge Black
is considered to be among one of the most
accomplished and able jurists in Pennsyl-
vania- he Was formerly one of the Dis
irict Judges of that State, but on the law
requiring all judges to be elected by the
people going into effect, he was chosen one
Of the State Supreme Court Judges. He is
in the prime OF life, not over As years of
age, and universally esteemed for the pur-
| ty of his public and private character.
Music IN ScHooLs.-At the recent
meetings of the Board of Education of
| New York city, William Cullen Bryant, of
the New York Evening Posts, made q
speech upon tue subject. of "Music in
Schools, " from which we made the follow
ing extract:
In making music branch Of common
education, we give new attraction to ouI
common schools. Music is not merely a
study, it is an entertainment; Wherever
there is music there is crowd Of listeners.
We complain that our common schools are
not attended rs they should be. What is
to be done 2 Shall we compel the attend
ancc of children RatheElet us, if we can,
so order things that clldTen shall attend
'o'ohS"'"J o"oh oS Sf'Set ~ C'o"u u tnC
schools, and for this purpose nothing can be
more effectual, it seems to me, than the art
de which the ancients ascribed such power
that, according to the fables of their poets,
it drew the very stones Of the earth from
their beds and piled them ina wall around.
the city Of Thebcs,
| It shouliSbe considered, moreover, that
music in schools is useful as an incentive to
study. After weary. hour of poring over
books, with perhaps some Encouragement
on the part Of the learner, if not despair at
the hardness Of his task, "a song puts him
into more cheerful snd, hopeful mode
the play Of the lungs ffeshens the circulation
of the blood; and he sits down again to
his task in better spirits and with an invsg-
Grated mind. Almost all occupations are
cheered and lightened by music I remem-
Der once being in tobacco .manufactory
in Virginia, where the work was. perform
ed by slaves, who enliveped their tasks
with outbursts Of psalmedy.. "We eneour-
age their singing said oneof the psaprie-
tors; "they work the better for it" ESai-
1ors pull more vigorously at the rope for
their "Yo, heave ho !" which is a kind Of
song. l have heard the vine-dressrs. lin
Tuscany, on the hill-sidcs, responding to
each other in songs, with which the whole
region resounded, and which turned their
hard days work into pastimc.
CANRoDEar ON Hoops.-Caprobert'
BON mot upon the subject is recorded with