Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-06-19
African Emigration n-Reply of Messrs
Lafitte & Co

dignation, the letter addressed by the Hon
Howcl Cobb, Secretary of the Treasury, to
the Hon. VIM. f. Colcock, Collector of the
customs, at this port, in reply to our appl-
cation tor a clearance for the ship Richard
Golden. We think the proper bounds of
oihcial duty and dccorum have been trans
gressed, and no little violence done to can
dor, in the manner in which this applica-
tion has been discussed by the Secretary
coming as it did, from private citizens and
constituting simple question for official
| discussion and decision.
We had prepared an elaborate reply to
Mr.. Cobb's letter, but, after mature consid
Grafton, we have decided to avoid discus
sion, fraught with elements of passion and
OF dlscord, and shall confino ourselves to a
simple statement ofour connexion with this
application. The facts arc simply these
We received instructions from Mr.. G.. A,
H. Lamar, of Savannah, to make application
| for clearance for his ship, "for the coast of
Africa, for the purpose of taking on board
African elnigrants, in accordance with the
laws of the United States" There was no.
thing IN the letter of our correspondent,
well known asa highly respectable merchant
otSavannah, which could lead us to suppose
that any violation or evasion of the law was
intended and as we could perceive no i'm
proprlety in the mere act ofapplying to GOV
| ernment for permission to perform VOYAGE
which permission they could either grant
OF refuse, we did not hesitate to make the
application. We do not in fact consider
that we had a right to refuse compliance
with his instructions. Mr.. Collector Col
cock informed us that, as our application
was OF novel character, and Intimately
connected with the grave issues now aeita-
ting the country, he deemed it his duty, as
a subordinate officer of government to refer
thcmatter to the authorities at Washington.
for their consideration and decision, and
that he would refuse the clearance, until he
should receive instructions from the Score
tary OF the Treasury. The answer of the
Secretary not having been received within
a reasonable time, Mr.. Lamar wrote to him
IN his official capacity, urging prompt re-
ply to our application, made for his vessel
and IN his behalf, and informing him of the
"hole scope una ueoiSu or Vire .',I,~-..l--,
age.
Our application was made in proper form,
and we had right to expect, if deemed
contormable to law, that it would be gran
ted, and if deemed otherwise and refused,
that the refusal would be couched in respect
fnl terms. In the latter case we expected
that Mr.. Cobb would have stated the points
Of law upon which his decision was based,
as it was his right, and perhaps his duty to
do. We insist, however, that he should
have confined his remarks toan exposition
of the law, and its application to this case.
We utterly deny his right to go beyond the
record, and suggest designs and intentions
ON our part, not declared in the application
before him. But if it had been the PROV
ince of an executive officer thus situated, to
inform himself of the possibility of conceal
ed designs, orultcrior aims at variance with
Lw-7Mr. Cobb already possessed every in
formation on those points, from Mr.. Lamar
He was aware that we were acting as mere
agents for the real applicant, one of his own
constituents, with whom he was we'll ac-
quainted, who had addressed himself in his
official capacity, avowing himself as the
principal in this transactions, and giving him
full information of his intentions and de.
signs. This being the .case, we cannot por-
eeiye how. the Secretary of the Treasury can
defend himself from the charge of disinge-
niousness, IN seeming to discover, by
searching scrutiny into our motives :; the
real objects of the proposed voyage, or of
charging either ourselves or our principal
With improper motives and concealed de-
signs. .oe
/ He processes to have arrived at his con
clusions by q train of reasoning, when in
fact he was in the possession of a full ayow.
al, which obviated the necessity of looking.
beyond it to arrive at a decision upon the
merits Of the application.
With the points oflaw raised by the Sec.
retaryy and with the application of them to
this case, We have nothing to do tits for
our principal to judge how far they serve
to debar him from the prosecution of his
proposed enterprise, and it is for him to take
such steps as he may deem proper to testthe
legal question affecting his right All that
we desire is TO defend ourselves from the i'm
putatlon ofmeditating designs contrary to
the laws of oui. country; and of the effort to
accomplish them by resort to concealment
and subterfuge; ; and we believe the mere
explanation ofour connection with the af- |
fair will suffice to exonerate us from all |
such imputations,
-. LAFIgTE & Co.
MARRTAaH MApy EasY.-The Column
bus (Ga) San snyss Atthe recent term,
of the Superior Court of Bibb county, it is
said, five bills Of diyorcement were granted,
Bibb county is certainly very easy on the
institution of marriage, OF tho institution
has certainly proved lctteryin that county