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