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THE TELESCOPE. CV0I"M COLUMBIA, (S.C.^TUi^ ir, 1810. [No. 39.] rl'ltLlkUKII WEEKLY BY THOMAS W. LOHKAIX. 'J'rrim ?S SutocripthH.?lfhrcfl Dollar* per &nmim, pay able III mlvaijce. No paper to be <li*roiitinnetl, hut at the option ot the Kriitor, until till arrcangvt nre paUI. Jldvcrnitmnlt not ctccolinff fourteen line*, intcrtctl the funt time Tor seventy?ftvu rent*, aixt Ibrty cents for c.ich ?nhwpicnt iim rtion. Filter* to the Kalitor intmt hcpoitpaWl.nr thei?o*tage wUlbccharged to the writer. MORAL ITY. NR Tllk TKLKACOrK. MORAL 80CIP.TY, OF PKXDUISTOX. l'ursutmt to notice a very respectable meet iiitc?l" tl'f Citizens of Pendleton District was vvMtvrtliiv enlivened at the Court House, for the I'yijMise of forming nn Association for the suppression of Vice and the encouragement of Virtue?a* constitution was adopted, and the following ofllcers elected for one year, agreea ble to its provisions t MnJ ior General Andrew Pickens, President t Kev. James lleinbree, Vict-'President t John T. Lewis, Ksq. tiecretaru i Joseph Grislmm, K?t|. Treasurer. Committee of Council. Rev. Henry Gaines, John Pickens, Joseph Reed, Esquire, George Reese, senior, and Win. Ilillhouse. Committee of Correspondence. ,v:. JWO Nov. James Ilillhouse, Samuel II. Dick son, and J6hn T. Lewis, Ksquires. lly order of the society. JOHN T. LKWI8, Sec'y. August 29,18IG. $ZJ* An Kxtra Meeting of the Society will | be held nt the Court House, on Thursday the 10th of Sentumber, next?at which time and place, the llev. Htchard U. Cater will deliver a discourse on Its objects and uses. The |public arc invited to attend. .??T. JOHN T. LEWIS. August 29, 1810. CONSTITUTION OF TIIB MOltAt, ROCIF.TY. IN republicks, virtue in the only thing which c?n uphold and perpetuate the existence of the State. It requires no investigation to make it manifest, that without the magistrates entrusted with the execution of tln? l^?w? possess virtue, morality, energy and unanimity, the people will soon be prepared to become slaves, and the flagitious to usurp the government, and rule them with a rod of iron. No compact in more unhallowed or pernicious than the tacit agree ment between the ruler* and people to dispense with the laws and tolerate crimen.' When irre ligion and vice shall have contaminated tho mans of the people ; when the minority, emancipated from civil,?mU moral restraint, shall lie disposed to *et Mlae the laws and institutions of Hie couu try, then we may dread that we arc Iti a dangerous c. rial*/^?Wm.nujana or preser vation putting into.other hands, will become the means of destruction : talents and official in flucncc, and the power of legislation, and all ft* resources of Htato may bo per verted to de inolish our institutions, laws and usages, until every vestige of ancient wisdom, virtue ana morality be forever gone. To secure the exe cution of the laws against immorality in a time of moral declension, an influence is needed distinct from that of the government, inde|>eu dent of popular suflrage, superior in potency to individual efforts, and competent to enlist and preserve the public opinion on the side of law and order. This most desiiable influence' we hope and lielieve may be found in local vo-| luntary associations of the Wibk and Goon, to aid the civil magistrate iti the due execution of his official functions. They awaken the pub lic attention, and by the sermons, the reports, and the conversation tliuv occasion, diffuse much moral instruction. Societies of this kind com bine the wisdom and influence of all who desire to prevent crimes and uphold pence and good or der. They will have great influence in forming correctly the public opinion, and rendering the violation of the laws disgraceful as welt as dnn Srous. By their numbers they will emlndden e timid and iniimidnte the enemy. The hands of the magistrate will he strengthened aud the laws rescued from contempt. In all governments the orimary obligations of tho ci tizen are to his Uod aud his couuti v. Deeply impressed with these considerations, and ob serving the great declension of morality in our country, and the necessity of our uniting to put a stop to vice and immorality, we do voluntari ly associate ourselves, in perfect consonance with the municipal law * of tlm land, for the pro motion of morality. Wo make no innovation s we embark in no novel experiment t we set up no new standard of utfffMb* i ?e encroach upon no man's liberty \ w?i$w it over no man's con science?-our object i* merelv to stand on the defensive. We assume to oiir?el\o? tho title of 44TIIK MORAL SM'IK'n/'aml ordain and establish this t'on-titotion lor the govern ment of the said Sonet v. And also. we do pledge our?elve* to u-e every honorable and le gal mean.* in our power to uirrv the ('on?tit?i tion, l?;?vs and Rule* of llie >o? i?*tv into ellett. Ahtici.k I. The Society shall meet annually on the fourth Thursday of August, in every )'i*ar, at the village of I'endleion.aud nuatterly on the fourth Thur?dav of Noyndier, February ft?ul May, at the same |?la< ?* m ?'n< I: and every yesr. | |,e Society shall at each annual meet* ing elect all the Oflicept of tNinety, for one vesr ensuing such meeting, y\hi<li shall bo done by ballot| in all ca?es a inapniiy shall elect. A meeting of the Society shall i oimst of at least ten members to form a quorum. , II. T|?at we will uso every reasonable exer tion to suppress all kinds of vice and Immorali ty, and will always aid aud assist, the civil .??: thority of the country in executing their official duties. And that we will correspond and cheer fully co-operate with all individuals, bodies or Hocieties in thi? l)btti ict, State, or any of our Hister States, who have the name laudable inten tion* in view. III. Tho Officers of the Society shall bo Pre sident, Vico.President, Secretary, Treasurer, a lionrd of Council to consist of Ave members, anil a Committee of Correspondence to consist of three members. I IV. The duty of the President shall be to preside at all meetings of the Society* keep or-1 der, regulate debates, and put questions to vote and decide thereon. V. In absence of tho President, the Vice* President shall act us vented with all the pow* ors and oxercise the functions of the President. VI. The duty of Secretary shall be to Jtcep at all times a true record of the proceedings of the Society, make such orders aiid publish such' rules as the Society shall from' time to time or der and nppoint. VII. '1 ne duty of the Treasurer shall be toi keep a truo and just account of all monies re ceived, on what account, and how the same has been applied. He shall report at each quarter* ly meeting to tho Hoard of ynuncil, and his ac counts shall at all times be subjcct to the exam ination of any member of the Society. | VIII. Tho duty of tho Jloard of Council shall J bo to collect, combine and enquire into facti, | and general information relating to the purposes of the Society, to devise ways and means for | | the purpose of furthering the view* of the Ho* | cicty, and apply the Society's funds according to directions. And they are to report to the. Society at each annual and iiuarteiiy meeting what they have done. Any tlireo members of the Committee may form a quorum, and shall st^ each stated meeting elect a Chairman from s*| mong themselves who shall preside in their Committee of Council. \ IX. Tho duty of the Committee of Covroa* pondence shall f>e to correspond with any indi vidual or society instituted with Hiiuilar views, and to report at each stated meeting of the N>. ciety, what communications they have received, as well as what they have made, with such ob servations thereon as they may deem necessary or proper for the .Society to act on. a. No money sliull be paid out of the Trea sury, except the Society order the same at a sta ted meeting. XI. Any person wishing to become a Member of the Society shall be proposed and balloted for in the absence of the candidate for member ship. A majority, at any stated meeting, may elect by a plurality of votes of the members present. XII. The Society shall have power to impcach, and by a vote of two thirds of the member* <iun on tho Constitution or Laws of the Socie ty, and shall linve power to expel any Member Iroin the Society who shall be convicted by two thirds of tlio Members present of having vio lated tliu Constitution, Law* or Rules of tlio Society j but for an oflence which the Society may deem insufficient to expel a member the member convicted shall be reprimanded by tlic Chairman of the Committee of Council, in com mittee, and for (lie second offence shall bo repri manded from the Presidential chair, in open So ciety. No member ex|?ellcd shall be elected a member of the Society a second time within one year after expulsion. XIII. The Officer* of the Society shall be compelled to attend at each stated meeting of the Society, or for default, without sufficient excuse, each of them shall forfeit the following sums, to-wit; the President, the kuiii of one dol lar ; the Vice-President, seventy-five cents, and all the other Officers the sum of lil'ty cents each, to be collected and applied to the use of the Society. XIV. 'I ho members of the Society shall con tribute annually the sum of one dollar, which sum shall be paid at each annual meeting, and every person elected a resident member shall also pay the same sum on his heinn elected, and any person is at liberty to contribute what he pleases towards the support of the Society. XV. The society shall have power to impose fines on its members for any disorderly behavi or, and have power to collect the same. XVI. The .Society shall have power to elect any person an honorary loemlier of the society, who lives out of the Distnrt ol Pendleton. XV||. The Society shall be competent to make such fhws and rule* as they ina i deem ne cessary ur expedient to adopt, pass or enter in to for the promotion ?r furtherance ol the. inten tions of tlic societv. provided tlie name -lull nut lie repugnant to, or inconsistent with the Con stitution. XVIII. This Constitution mav i?e altered or amended at any annual meeting bv :? majmitv of two thirds of the members pie?eut r??nclu ring i provided the alteration or amendment proposed or intended to l?o mad<*, shall have passed a vote of two thirds of the members pre sent, at one of the previous i|i,aiterl v meetin.*. Done at Pendleton, in the district of IVu illeton, in the State ol aioliua. this twenty-ninth day of \nuus|. in the ve.u <?l <mr l.ord one thousand eijihl hundred and sixteen, and in the foitv-fit*t \ eai ol Siiieric.iu Inde* pendeiK e. In testimony where.?f, w -iiive heteiinto and hereon tinned our own names. Jw/mr /'icAe//.?, Untrtj fining Ihifid llmn/ilnies, .In/in 17/rwr, John .ViW?, lOihtt'l (iiiint, (it'orx? I 'tintrr, SumU II. IHch ton. Jmnrs U bhitiH, J bite r J. NtcU, II i Ilium Ihvit, fas. it HI house. William Hlllhouse, James H. Ikndy, John Harris, Joseph Held, John T. Lewis, Jonathan Smith, John I I Mho Hie. William Walker, Jludrew llrown, Win. V. Ilaxkin, John H. Hammond, Arthur JV Dow, George Reese, John Pickens, Josiah Houston, James Hemhree, Wfn. Leadbttter, Joseph (irishain, David Humphries,jr. John Simpson, JohnH. Willst/n, /tartly liar rye, JShthanicl Harris, Wm. t'lanahan, Jl. Patterson, Wm. Carson, Jl. J. Uddell, Jas. Houthit. GEOGRAPHICAL. TIIRTOMIIKillY. { This river in one of the great branches, or ra ther the principal branch of (lie river Mobile, ?nil is itself indeed designated by the name of Mobile by the older geographers. The Indians Ctltcd it simply llacne, the river} and the name of Tombigby. or rather Ktomeigoby, or the Box niakv'rV creek, was confined to a yreek, which discharges itself into the llache about 224 miles above its confluence with the Alabama, 'file ^Tombigby has two main branches. The west* era branch, which is now Usually called th? Tombigby, has its sources in the Chickasaw na tion ) but the eastern branch, called tlio Tuska loosa or Hlack Warrior, takes its rise in the Cherokee cou. *y, above the Muscle shoalH of the Tennessee river. Doth branches must in a future dnv become great channels of commerce, and will by good roads or canals be connected with the Tennessee. The distance from thfto \ tlUjL O cian to the state of Tennessee and tlhi ri of Virginia is so irtuch shorter by way of Mobile and Tombigby, than by way of the 'Mississippi, and the current of the Tombigby is SO much more gentle than that of the Missis sippi, that it is highly probable it will be employ ed to a considerable extent for the purposes' both of importation and exportation. '1 he junc tion of the Alabama with tnc Tombigbv is about 4:1 miles above the mouth of thu Mobile river. From thence to St. Stephens it is between (JO and 70 miles by water, though not 40 by land ; and this place is rcgardud as the head of schoon er navigation. The water is generally deep but there are two places near Hansen's Hand bar where, in the dry season of the year, the wa ter is not more than seven feet deep. For nine months in the year, however, it is &t leant ten or eleven feet even in those placen. Any ves sel which can come from NewOrleans into Mo bile bily by the usual route, find* no difficulty in proceeding to St. Stephens, except what is oc casioned'Dy the want of wind in u river where the wind la so much obstructed by tU thick woods adjacent. |i_ri?- ?' -IU ? ? "ii DUMinari the mouth of tlio Alabama) to St. Stephens in three days, unless the water be very high. Just above St. Stephens is a rapid, formerly called Walker's shoals, which though affording some obstruction in low water, is passable with a to lerable fresh, and might proliably with a small expense be rendered navigable a* all times. As to the navigation above St. Stephens, there is nothing like a rock shoal in the river from the rapid just spoken of to the Cotton Clin Port, .which is at present considered as at the head of Navigation, and is only between Co and 70 miles from the navigable part of Hear creek, w hich fallsihtp tlio Tennessee below the Muscle shoals. The shallowest places in the river are generally at the heads of islands, where the river spreads out to an unusual width. It in believed that large* drawing not more than four feet of water, may ascend (lie Tomhig> liy an far an the Cotton Ciin I'ort for eight or nine months in tho year* Through the greater part of the remaining months (say Jul v, August, September anil October) it woulu be difficult to ascend with Itoats lira wing more than eighteen or twenty inches of water. The country is well nettled an far as where (ho ChoctnW line atrikes (lie west hank of the. river, thirty nriletf above Ht. Stephens. Should tho Choctaw claim to the land on the east ?i<|e of the river, which was h\? way* contested by the Creeks, prove unfounded) the I'nitcd States will then, under (he late trea ty with the Creek*, he entitled to all the land between the Tombighy and tlie Alabama, and in that ruse tho country will in less than a year he settled almost as high up as the Cotton Dill I'ort. The following statement of distances on the river may be considered pretty nearly accurate: Mobile to Foil Stoddert bv the nearest way, 44 Forks of the Tombighy and Alabama, .1 Mackintosh'* HI nil", Hi Hassett'.* Creek, 33 Jackson, a new town on the ea>t hank, G St. Stephen*, a town on tin* i\e?tl>ank, 10 Siutee-liomie. or ."stake creek, I.1 Oko-Tuppa. or Cold W ater creek. 2l Kaluck'tc-bunna. "r Cedar fork old fields, Hi rhicka?.iw Itogue. -II Tuska-l.oosa, or lll.u k Warrior river, tit' Ktomeijjabv. or |lo\Maker's creek, near to which stood Km i Confederation. II Okc-Noxabv, Co 'I'il^A creek. K8 < 'Olffln (Jin Poi t, "il 111. The onsforn In audi of (In* Toinhi-ihy. \\Inch (ailed the Tu?ikn-l.oo?a, or lllnrk NVarri??r, nl-! IokU. it in prolicide. n coimiiiiiiicatinu wi'li (l>?* Ti'imcimoci ns convenient at k<a<( ns the uvktern ' brain h. The distance of ith unviable water* front the TemtPMeo river ih lem, (lie intervcn? ins country in mute level* nnd it uill hate the uuvnntnge* of pa mid# entirely through a nettle mem of white people, provided the United States should maintain their claim to the wholo country cast of the Tombigby. The distance* by thi? route are computed to bo as follows :? From Kuoxville,down tho llolston ami Tcnucj scc rivers, to tho mouth of Thompson's creel., 03 or 70 mile* in a direct lino above the Musclo shoals, the distance is 300 miles. Thoncc by lutnl to thu highest navigable part of tho Hlac.L Warrior, through a level, firm valley of excel lent white oak and poplar land, well watered, and settled by Chcnikce chiefs?23 miles. (Th>? liver is here between forty and fifty yards wide, and not easily forded at a common time. It is ;i gentle stream.) Down the Hlack Warrior t?? tne end of the shoals?100 miles. (The ShoaU are about 32 miles through, but there are only 4 miles of rough water, floats find no difficulty when there U a moderate swell in the river.) From the end of the Hhoals to the Tombigby? 123 utiles. ? Wt. Stephens, 122 miles. Total? 072 miles. Hut to retarn to the channel usually known by the name of tuo Tombigby. This'was well explored, in the year 1808, by Captain K. IV Gnine^ (now aaeneral in our army) who after descending the I'eniicsscc totlic Miiscle Shoals, 4 pyerta Jicar creek, one of it* iu% ig.iblu ;y.?Jrcami, which falls into the rivt r Ik . ) and from Hear creek went a cross t?th?. Tombigby, where he built boaU and dd^ehdaaWFo.t otoddert. lie left tho Ten nessee atTMetyon's, near tin*, head of thu dioals, ftmltproceeding ?otuh-wehtwardly, struck Hear creeK at'the distance of 43 miles from Mr. Mel ton'n. lie fouud Hear creek VI yards wide and knee deep at the ford, it was in the month of January. At 38 miles from Hear creek ln> came, to the Lunecisto, llio main branch of th? Tombigby, where descending in a peroguc, In* commenced his survey of the river. From Hear creek to the dividing ridge be tween the waters of that cicck and those of tint ftTombigby, the distance is about seven mile*, over rather a hilly country. The last of tha waters of Hear creek is live yards wide. Two miles from that stream you come to <me of the waters of the Tombigby, which limls tin; Gulf of Mexico within the mstauce of 3(H) miles, whilst its neighbor, by throwing itself into Ileal creek and running with it into the Tennes?< and the Mississippi, traverses a space of 12" miles before it becomes united with the sume gulph. From the dividing ridge between these water* to the Luuecisto, or Toiuhighy, it is neither a dead flat nor a broken country, but consists in a great degree of low ridges, covercd with pine, intermixed with oak and hickory. Five and twenty blanches at least (one of "which, about midway, in 10 yards wide) arc crossed in the space of thirty miles. Sonic of them run to tho fl^ht and some to the left : faHitjg, eUher, i^o or into one of the brandies of the Tuska-loosa, its eastern folk, which the Chickasaw hunter* call the Sipsj, and which runs for several miles in a south-ea^twurdly direction. The Cliicka saws ow n the country between Hear crcck and Lunecifito. General Gaines found the Lunccia to, in Junuury 1808, to be three feet and a half deep at a ford a few miles below tho place where his survey met its low-grounds*. Toe bottom watt gravelly and the current at the rate of two miles anil three-quarters in an hour. Almut <25 miles from this place, in a N. N. \V. course, in the mouth of Twenty Mile crcck, which i? about ?13 miles from Colbert's ferry on the Tennessee river, and about '23 miles from the highest point of navigation on Dear crcck. This is the nigh- 4 est navigable branch of the {Tombigby, ana is the head of what the Indians call Lunccisto, or AII-.Swamp. The Lunecisto is about 28 yard* w ide where it receives Twenty Mile crock, and increases in width to tho moutli, where it ij 50 or 53 yards wide. It receives two large creeks and several small ones below the moutli of 20 [mile creek. The navigation of the river, how ever, is considerably obstructed by fallen ami drifted timber, which in many places extends nearly across the stream. It might however b j easily removed. The low grounds of Lunecisto ore Irom one mile to three miles wide. If tho river were cleared of fallen timber it would not otilv atlbrd a safe and easy navigation for boats, but give a free passage to the water, and rendei thousands of acres, now much incommoded by the freshes, extremely valuable. The distant ?s to Cotton (iiu Port from (hat part <?( the low grounds of Lunecisto which (Jen. Gainps's sur vcy met, is about six miles, linking the whole distance, from the ford of Hear creek to tho Cotton Gin Port, 44 miles. . Rich lands ami open woods arc found on both aidctfof the river at the Gin Port rendering it a very eligible crossing plum for a road, as well m a suitable scat tor a commercial establish ment : and until the Lunecisto is cleared out this may be regarded as the highest point of ifa vigation of the waters of the Tommtrby river. The river at this place is fe2 yards wide, and at low water H feet ileep; the current running nt the rate of two miles an hour, and entirely frco > from obstruction. There is u beautiful blufV on | the east side of the river, nearly opposite hut a few chains above, the Cotton Gin blurt". Gen. (iaines and his party loft the. Ciiu Port in two I large perogues, lashed together, side by siiU , with poles extending across them. The river. iii coiiKttquoiirp ot'raiim which ti.nl Inlnlv iallcti. had risun four feet ahov<? uhat i* <le?in?d low water mark. Tim avcravto tleplii ?il" ?ln? wiN'r from tins <??r? Port to Okrii'tv.tliv, a iii?laiiCt* of I ."A \uh about eleven In ?pl.cv-. houiv/r, it wan not more than m <?r ? ??.??? f??? t opoj?; l>u*; in other |>Uc?h it win ?i\i' . eiuhtvcii <tnu ovc;i twenty. Tin; liver is jjo.ixmuIIv hounded hy I rich 4'*?*v gi'?"inJ.<; lv.it L'.'uftj ur f?:#li lands frr