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h1 1 ? * ? m Domestic. NKW-YORK, NOV. 11. The Seminole War. ? On the 16th ult. the Legislature of Tennessee (recollectiug, probably, the old 5 ad age ? Better late than never ? ) pas * sexl* string of resolutions in relation to tile Seminole war. Among other things, they unanimously resolve, that, "In the prosecution and ter mination of the Seminole War, there is nothing for censure ? every thing lot approval." They compliment, in till: strongest terms, the entire con duct of Major General Andrew Jackson, and brevet Major General JLdmond P. ' Gaines ; and voted to ' each " a Sword, with suitable en gravings thereon, as a testimonial of the high respect entertained by the Slate of Tennessee for their public services." i hey conclude the series of Resolutions with the following " Resolved , That the Senators in Congress from this state are hereby instructed, and our Representatives are requested, to Use their best exer-! thms to prevent the adoption t)f any toeaanres in the Congress t>f the United States, calculated to tarnish thegrcputation of said officers in rela tion to the manner in which the Sem- j iaole War was conducted." A late Jamaica paper nfentions, ' tliat one of the heaviest rain*, ever' remembered, fell in the town of Fal-' mouth, Jam* on the 10th of Sep tember. It was ascertained tyy !a rain-guage, that the quantity w liich Jel) In My -jive minutes , was no leas lhari eleven inches and three quarters. High handed Itobbery.-*: It is stat ed in fh v Merchant's Hall Books in. Morton, that " The American brig Macedonian . of Boston, ?5 ape Eli phalet Smith, while at anchor in the port of GuernieZgJBcar Lima, -bound for Qanton, paving tin -shore one t E LI f It ,bHm iffl i Y'tWO |||(j|ISHn^r ClOt*' lavs, the proceeds of her cargo taken fVom Boston, "Was robbed of the; whole amount by Lord Cochrane, 5n the hegining of April last." In mentioning this fact, the Boston Daily Advertiser adds the following remark : ? This appears to be the money which Lord Cochrane carried into Valparaiso ton the $lst of June last. His share of the plunder he 6frers io the Chilian government, in i\ letter whieli we published a few days ago, on condition that it should be applied to the manufacture of Tockets, and that the account should bfc placed to his credit on the books of the treasury, to be paid when the iadependence of the country is estab $ Jbhed." r , AUGUSTA, HOVEMBfcU 17* We hail bill a few minutes risen front the sail narrative of the terri ble conflagration at Wilmington; out imagination still broodering over her ruiifei ami the sufferings of .* : unfoYtunate inhabitants, when, on Monday nij;ht last, tne shrill ciy of Fire burnt upon our ears, and brought won sensibly home to our feelings the dangers anil distress e* conse quent upon such awful visitations. The fire originated in the Cabinet shop of Messrs. Dimona'-, on Cen tre-street, in the lower ranger of II id*e How ? all of which, (consist* ing of six tenements with their out houses) belonging to Messrs. Slaugh ter, Labuznn, and James L. Oliver, was soon reduced to ashes. ? The flumes crossed Reynold-street and communicated to the store of AJkssra. Cray ton & Sloan, on the lower cor-; nrr of jhe U|>per range of Bridge How, and ? the destruction of this, range also, at one time, appeared inevitable ? but by animated and well directed exertions, the progress of the devouring element was here arretted. A breeze from the E*st now - drove the tUmes across the street, and the whole from west range, belonging to Messrs. Leigh & Cantelou, was destroyed, except Uieir counting house on the cornet next, the river. Here, family, the fire stopped, by the united and ac tive co-operation of the citizens and tlie different companies ; and the en tire square, which a moment before . appeared to be menaced, with certain ruin, v%as saved. The amount of property K^t is estimated at 850,000, 130,000 of which it is stated wer$ in jured: Never before did we sea the ?exertions of ou* ci tizens better direc-j ted or more determined. : Indeed, in more than one instauee, a ftpirit of desperate daring was manifested, which however rash, demands our admiratioi\ became it was wholly disinterested. . Last evening an attempt was made to Are the upper range of Bridge How, by placing some combustible materials nnder one of the tenements ? it was discovered in t*^e to pre vent the least injury, all i tough one of the sills of tlie building was par tially burnt. This cii*ju instance renders it almost certain, that the fire on Monday night was the work of some vHe incendafry. let our Police and Citizens then be .upon the alert, and linnt from their debs those midnight pvowders. rAs we have no regular watch* we would suggest (he necessity of rigidly^ftnc ing the Patrol Law#. We have been too )a&' ii| this regard? indeed so much ao, that the torch oT the incen diary might glare in ourcitytfith im Inmity. It ? not mr irffeution to give offence, *r to question iTle zeal and activity of the municipal officers ?they, doubtless do their duty; but their number is idtoge^her insufficient for the safety] of the city. ? 1 fcfcW-OKLEANS, OCT. 23. E&tratt qf ji letter to the editor of ihe Or leans (gazette , from an officer in the ar my {dated Camp fti/itey, ( on the Sabine ,) 8/A October* ' '<.*? _ > r v * v ?Xf 2 A ?*. * * ? Since 1 left you in Orleans* I have seen the papers filled foth false im ports of a grand expedition under General Long, in Texas. Tfie im propriety of such publications T sus-j pect Is severely felt by tftdse poor de luded men, who have been induced to leave a comfortable living in quest of tnterprize and conquest ; but none feel its effects so severely aa the in. habitants of Texas, wliose crops have been taken to supply the army, and the only recompense they have now is General Long's due bills, which are in no very great credit; 1 have been", encamped here for some time past, and have watclied the fall of this grand army : it h^s met the fate I anticipated* I can authorise you to nay that the whole are dispersed or broken up* General Long has gpry! to Galvestown to Lafitte : his wife is landing her fcourse towards the Sa bine. ? The officers and men are every dfcy passing in, many of them' without money or food. Nacogdo ches is evacuated by them ; only four or five sick men are left there. A party of twenty men lock's time ag*i went towards the Yh-asos ? they are in a state of starvation and will soon be in. * '&f * : Thus ha* ended an expedition, which was cried up by some persons as being of much importance, but netfer exceeded 70 men, officers and all. It has ended ah I wish all schemes may end, which are in vio lation rtf the laws of our country, and 4he laws of nations. COLUMBIA, NOVEMBER ?&. The Legislature of this State inet in this place yesterday, agreeable to their ad % irnnicttt in December last. The oenate forme J a quorum and proceeded to business; the Hon. James P. Prin&le, late President of that body, having accepted a dis qualifying office during the recess, the Hon. John Taylor was called to the Chair, ami they ? proceeded to the election ^>f'a President, when the Hon. Benjamin Huger was duly elected. The House of Representatives formed a quorum, and proceeded to hnsiness; nnd at a quarter before two o'clock, received a Message, (No. 1.) from Hi* Kxcellenccy the Governor, by the Secretary of State, which will I >c found in our pnper ot this morning. GOVERNORS MESSAGE. His Excellency the Gwrefnor, delivered the following Message to the Legislature of this Htefet Tk the Senate and Jfousc of Befiresenta ,/ tivt* *f the State of South-Carolina, Felxjow-Citizens,? Since your last session, nothing has incurred to impafar the relations of amity sub sisting between the United States and any of the powers of Europe, except With Spain. >Vith her we have differences, as she has refused id ratify the Treaty which ceded to us the Floridas for a fair equivalent. This country, which neither yields tier revenue, nor^dds to lier power, woekl be to us a valuable acquisition, from its relative situation ; while in the possession of Spain, it must he a scource of perpetual collisions with oor neighbouring states, threatening sooner or later to eventuate in war. Public opinion is unequivocally in fkvor of a pacific system on the part of the United States, as comporting best #ith our interests, ns long as it can lie maintained consistently with i the rights and honor of the Nation ; but when thefce become implicated, j there, cat) be no doubt that there will always be found in the .breast of our countrymen, a manly spivit ready to act iu their vindication. What may be the result of these differences with Spain we know fiot, but should an appeal to arms become necessary, there is every reason to believe that the |>eople, mindful of the wrongs they have received from that power, Will rally round their government, and maintain the dignity nnd inde pendence of the Nation. The United States present an in teresting spectacle. _We are exempt from the religious dissentions, which iu some countries so often embitter the initvds of men, and disturb the peace of sbciety, and iu the interest which each feels in the liberty he en joys? ou_ the subject of religion, 4s found a motive sufficient to preserve ? it Jo all. It would be pleasant to dilate 6n these topics of common in terest y. but I must leave them for the purpose of briiigiog to your view some matters ora domestic nature, involving highly important cousider^ at ions. Your Judiciary system, gentlemen, wants revision; allow me to point out to'you some of its defects, and of ihe evils resulting from tbera, and to suggest a remedy. Our Su perior Courts of Law and Equity being co-equal and independent, the determinations of each are final and conclusive. If the decisions of these tribunals be discordant, as they are said to he in some cases of limitations | ill wills, involving the const rurt inn of particular expressions, and the force and authority of technical rules, it is evident that the law is unsettled and uncertain. Should two differ ent and inconsistent meanings he given lo an Act of the legislature, one of them must be erroneous, and he who suffer? from it, may justly find fault wit?the construction of the Courts, and his compliant is equal ly well founded, who, rimming pro perly under a will or deed, shall bo considered in a Court of Law, as haying only a life interest in it ; upon the construction of words, which ill la Court of Equity, have been bold en to craat an alraolute one. It is [proper to observe here, that the con Itradictory determinations of the Courts, if there be any, reflect no I discredit ou the Judges; the evil grows oui of the system. Our Courts too, may encroach on the authority 1 of each other, and having ltt> com I mon Superior, they cannot be brought 1 back within the limits of their respec tive jurisdictions. These are serious mischiefs, W they are not all we labour under. The Judges, hut this is more particularly applicable t6 the common law Judged, behi^s obliged at the conclusion of the Cir cuits to hold the Courts of appeal, enter on this important branch of their duty, fatigued both in mind and body, and under other circum stances unfavorable to research, dis cussion and deliberation. Besides the Judges sit on the eases decided by ^helfifelvs on the Circuits, and it the consequence be to dispose them to affirm each others decisions, or if from jealously or rivalry a con trary effect be produced, in either case the interests of tArth and justice must suffer. The remedy I suggest for "these evils, is the establishment of a Court of Errors and appeals, to l>e com posed of Judges, distinct from the Judges of the Courts of I*aw aud - Equity, who shall exercise the ap ellate jurisdiction, iumv exercised by these sitting in the Constitutional Court of appeals, and the Court of ap(>eals in Equity. This Court to be superior to all other CiKirls, to have, a superintending and controul ing j>o\ver over theiUj and to he of I . dernier resort. With a r view to preserve i?i its full* ness, llie separate responsibility of the Jaulges, and to secure in favor I of its Judgments the attention, pa- I tience nnd calm deliberation necessa- I ry in judicial investigations, thenum* I ber of the Judges should be few-? I four or five, it is believed, would be | sufficient* U|)ou the preference oft an even to an odd number, a po|>u- I lar writer makes thjs observation 1 | ? 1 shotdd prefer, says he, an | j even to an odd numlrer of Judges^ I ! and four to almost any oilier : for in I this number, besides that it suffl- 1 I ciently consults the idea of separate I ! responsibility, nothing can be decided I but by a majority of three to one ; I and when we consider that every J decision establislies a perpetual pre- | | cedent, >ve shall allow that it ought 1 to proceed from an authority not less I I than this. If the Court he equal- 1 | ly divided* nothing is dune : things 1 i remain as they weue ; with some I i^onvenience indeed to the parties, 1 but without t!>e danger to the public, I of a hasty precedent." I The erecting of Hiis new tribunal 1 wilt be attended with but little addi- 1 tioual expence to? the public, for as 1 the Judges under tfie present system I t will be released from au arduous I part of the duties they have now to I perform, their number may be di- I I miuished, 6s soon as it can be done 1 consistently with the constitution. ? I j.- Aud as there are two vacancies on I the Common <Law bench to be filled, I a favorable opportunity is present- I ed for cairyiog into execution the | proposed object. The manner of disposing by will of real and personal estate, is also a subject meriting consideration. To dispose of the former by will, three witnesses are necessary ; the latter may be disposed of without a wit ness. The reason for this distinction has ceased long since, and I do not see the policy of retaining it. A man's personal estate is often larger than iiis real, and the same distribution is made of both when he dies intestate. Considering the great powers exer cised by our Ordinaries, knowing' as we do the incompetency of many of them for the duties of their station, and believing as we must, that this will continue to be the case, so long as the compensation for their services shall not bo sufficient to induce fit men to accept the office. Tt appears to me, it would be expedient to de clare, that personal property shall not pass by will, unless the same lie signed by tlie testator in the presence of at least one credible witness, and that real estate sfiall pass by will in the same manner as personal. Put ting the two in this, as they are in other respects, on the same footing. Our Penal Code, it is honed, \till not escape your notice. The expe* rience which has been had of the Penetealiary system, is not so satis factory as to justify me in recommen ding its adoption, and as our sister state Georgia is tvying it, 1 think we shall act wisely hi waiting the result of her experiment. In the mean time, it is proper tlrnt we should give to our present system, all the im provement of which it is susceptible, taking care to presejve always a just. proportion fotwfcen crimes and punishments/ I know erf no law in which this proportion has been so | mucn tUsregardeO, as iij that for tbq killing of a slave Iiy a white man. ? lis inflictions for this offence are so very inadequate to the demands of justice, that our state has suffered in its reputation for humanity. The rules of justice require that the pun ishment for murder should he the same in all cases, and it i ? lo be ob served, that a slave being deprived of his na*iral right of self defence, against a white man, the killing of * him by the latter, receives from this circumstance* additional aggravation ; if, however, from considerations I arising out of the situation of our country, it should be deemed inex pedient to apply these Vules to the | case of a slave, it is confidently l>e lieved there can l>e no well grouuded * objection to t*ie annexing of other severe penalties to the commission of this barbarous deed. The exten- ! tion of the benefit of trial by a jury, U to consist of citizens, to this class of ^ persms, for offences affecting life or limb, seems practicable, and hs con ' formahle to the dictates of ^justice, a* ( it is ju unison with the feelings ofj humanity. The act for the relief of insolvent debtors, has lately received a con struction different from that which prevailed in our courts for many years } and by which unfortunate persons imprisoned for debt, and willing to surrender fairly their pro* perty (o tlieir creditors, must not withstanding remain in confinement^ at least three months ; a time much more than sufficient for the purpose of giving notice, of their intention to .take the benefit gf the act. While the late construction is attended with consequences distressful to the unfor- . tunate dSbtor, it produces not the least advantage to (he creditor* It is confidently hoped, therefore, that the rigor which it has introduced into the law upon this pofot, will be found to he inconsistent with its object, and that it may be softened,* It is with pleasure I inform you that the work of Interim! improve- < ment is progressing, under a fair pro spect of being completed within the time originally contemplated ; and ? that it promises to realize the benefi-jf j cial'objects anticipated by the public* The report of the Civil and Military Engineer, marked (A.) will > give you full information on ibis Import ant subject. "I- '4LL*' In order to facilitate still farther the intercourse between the different parts of the State, the propriety of keeping in repair our old roads, and of making new ones where they are wanted, is obvious* And if the opinion entertained by many, be well founded, that a more direct road,^ shortening the distance from fifteen" * to twenty miles between Charleston and this place, ma}' be opened through land favorable to the under- , taking, there are too many consider ations of public utility that press the subject upon you, to allow me to suppose tnat you trill not act on it promptly. It is presumped tliat nothing need be said to invite your attention to the Militia, as the subject presents claims of too high concernment to be pass ed over. Among other advantages to be derived mm I rendering the militia as respectable as possibly, may be reckoned the tendency ft will have to weaken, in some measure, the unreasonable jealousy too general ly entertained against the army or the United States f a body of m<ta cenainly the most efficient, least ex pensive, and best calculated for the success of military operations. Our ( liberties can be in no danger from this quarter, as long as our militia shall lie held in just estimation, and be composed, as tjhey are at preseat, of freemen, animated by a becoming spirit* As Congress, undev the Constitu tion, have the power to provide for organizing, arming and disciplining; the niilitia, it is submitted whether it would not be proper to adopt die. same rule in regard to the promotion M ; officers, and the formation oi Rifle Corps into battalions and regi mehts, that prevails in the army the United Htatca : in order to ad vnqoa the general discipline, whq