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- fFrom the Palmetto State Banner. Elcctioii of Electors. We this morning present our readers with another important Report? that of the Committee on Privileges and Elections, on "A Bill to provide for the Election of Electors of President and Vice President of the United States by the people of South Carolina." This report was made at the session ot iw-ity. it is very auiy drawn, and signed by four gentlemen of distinction in the sections they represented. Mr. Witherspoon was from Lancaster; Mr. Moorman from Newberry; Mr. Taylor from Pendleton, and Mr. Giles from Union. The first, second and fourth named are now candidates for the Senate in their respective Districts. We were not able to obtain a copy of this report until Saturday last, otherwise we should have pubh-h. b ;t< nan earlier day. It is w. il worthy < f a careful consideration. Its pu<i*-iits are iinpteoiiable; its argument arc unanswerable. Let the. people whose cause it si. ably advocates read and rellect. If they will but d thi<, we know they will arrive at jtist conclusions: REPORT. Of the Minority of the Committee on Privileges and Elections^ on u ^-1 Bill to provide for the Election of Electors of President and Vice President of the. United States, by the Peonleof South Carolina." 1849. The undersigned, a Minority of the Committee on Privileges and Elections, to whom was referred A bill to provide for the Election of Electors of President and Vice President of the United States by the People of South Carolina, beg leave to make a COUNTER REPORT To that of the Majority of the said Committee, and to recommend the Bill favorably for the consideration of the House. Your Committee believe that the Election of Electors of President and Vice President of the United States by the People would be more in accordance with the provisions and spirit of the Constitution of the United States and the principles of the Government. The Government of the United States is a mixed Government, partly popular and partly federative, and these features are manifested in the Constitution for the Election of President and Vice President. In voting for President and Vice President, each State votes according to her representation in Congress, South Carolina nine and New York thirty-six. A majority of all the votes so cast is necessary to a choice, and this represents the popular feature of the Government. It is only after the popular branch fails to elect, that the election assumes a federative character, and the States vote as States, each counting one. This last mode of election is the result of the failure to elect, and a provision for siifh enntinrrenev. The Constitution provides that "each State shall appoint as the Legislature thereof may direct, a number of Electors equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State shall be entitled in Congress." From which it is clear that the Legislature would have the power todireet as to the appointment, or in other words, to direct the mode by which the appointment shall be made. But in prescribing the mode, regard should be had, not only to the provisions of the Constitution regulating the Election of Electors, but also to the principle by which votes are cast for President and Vice President. The election upon the first casting of the votes being a popular one, the mode of appointment should conform to that principle. And it is submitted, that the Election of Electors by the People, would be more in accordance with the Constitution of the United States, and the popular principle by which the votes are cast, than the Election of Electors by the Legislature which partakes more of the federative character. Your Committee would also recommend the passage of the bill, from its expediency as demanded by the position in which the State if placed by the act of Congress of 1840. Congress has bv that law prescribed that the Election of Electors throughout the United State# shall take place on the Tuesday after the tir-1 Monday in November, at a day anterior to the meeting of the Legislature of this State. A necessity then e\i<ts, that the Constitution of tlii; S'.ate shall be so amended, that the legislature will be in se-sion at the time, or that the Cover nor shall call an extra session of the Legislator# every four years, or that the Election shall Ik given to the people. The two first proposition* are objectionable. Constitutions long oxistini and understood by the people, should not bo al tered for slight causes. A great and absolute necessity alone should exist to justify a change in that instrument, which is the exponent o Government itself. The Constitution of tlii; state has not been altered or amended more than five or six times since its adoption; and your Committee cannot see, in this case, any necessity for alteration or amendment. The whole difli culty may do provided tor ova simple legislative enactment, giving the Election of Electors to tin people. As to tlic other proposition, for the Oovehioi to call an extra session of the Legislature even four years, there are objections to it. It is .1 question of doubt whether the Governor can con stitutionallv convene the Legislature for the pur pose of voting for Electors. " He may on extraordinary occasions convene the General Assembly," but it is submitted, that the Legislature having met since the passage of the act bv Con gress, the occasion is 110 longer an extraordinary one within the meaning of t lie Constitution, bii becomes an ordinary one and capable of beiti" provided for by ordinary legislation. Even, too, if there were no doubts as to tin power of the Governor to call an extra sessioi of the Legislature for that purpose, still then are objections to a call session, on account of tin inconvenience and expanse. It is true, howeve that the expense would not be very great, only about ton or twelve thousand dollars every fou years, but it is tho principle. If the principle i wrong, it is unnecessary, and therefore uncallcc for. Will this bill interfere with the Parish repre sentation and the Compromises of the Constitu tion of the State? Your Committee believi ' that it willjnot, and they are|indisposed to inter fere with that Compromise. The principle re cognized in the Constitution of this State is, tha not onlv population, but taxation also shouk have represents! ion ; but it is only in the Stat< legislature, where laws are made, and taxes im posed, that that principle obtains, and in the relation which the Districts and Parishes bear to the State Government in the Legislature there,of and not in the Election of Electors?a relation altogether different. The principle of representation in this State is a domestic settlement, applicable alone to the legislative action of the State. The election of President and Vice President grows out of our Federal Relations, and is provided for by the Constitution of the United States. Your Committee would also rpromtnptid flip passage of tlio Bill, because the Election of Electors by the people, will prevent the mingling of State and National politics in the Election of members of the Legislature, and give to the people an opportunity of calling into the Council of State, tit and suitable representatives to serve :li?-in in the Legislature, and who. at the same time, might dilLr with them in the Presidential . Lotion. In conclusion your committee would allude to the fact that South Carolina is the only State in the Union in which the Election of Elector is made by the Legislature. This is a circumstance well worthy of consideration, and furnishes at least, a presumption in favor of the Election by the people. They are satisfied that the people of South Carolina possesses the same intelligence and integrity of purpose with the people of the other Saates, and are as capable of mahjug a ! proper selection for Pn-sidct and ViceVresi| dent, as they are capable of making a proper selection of members of the Legislature. Fntnrtimmiir v'i.*\vc vmir f would respectfully submit the Bill for the consideration of the House. George McC. Witherspoon, K. Moorman, D. S. Taylor, Wit. Giles. Tlie Furiiiau University. The annual meeting of the Board of Trustees) Examination of the Students and Commencement exercises of this institution have transpired during the. past week. The attendance of the Board was quite full, and the business transacted was of an important and interesting character. The University was organized, and its plan of future operations determined upon. The plan of organization we shall publish so soon as we have room. The present Professors were elected to positions under the new organization, and an arrangement made for the early appointment of an English teacher in the Academical department. The election of a presiding officer and other Professors was postponed until the meeting in June next. The. report of the Committee on Examination, consisting of Drs. Johnson and Curtis and Judge O'Noall is highly creditable to the Professors and students, and shows that the system of instruction pursued is through and judicious. The Commencement exercise took place in the Baptist Church <?n Mon lay, when a theological essay was read by Profosor Minis, graduating addresses r|<-liveivd by Messrs. Alexander, Coben and Humphrey, and the annual oration be tore tue .-Vi-ipniau aim riiilosoplican Societies delivered by Judge O'Neill. The prompts of the University are highly flattering. It numbers over sixty students with a fair pro-poet th .t the nuntber will Ik? increased next session to one hundred and fifty. The centre building of the. College is rapidly being completed, and will be ready for occupancy by first of January next, and the chemical and 1 philosophical departments shortly afterwards. A handsome appropriation lias been made for the purchase of philosophical, chemical and other apparatus, and arrangements entered into for the establishment of the library.?Southern Patriot, 20th ult. ? Origin of Newspapers. In the reign of the first James or rather to1 wards its close, when Shakspcavc had just left the stage of life?Cromwell having not y< t enlarged from the brew house at Huntingdon; Milton at college pursuing his studies; and many of the - eo patriots of these men yet undistinguished? ' the fir-t English newspaper appeared in London. I'rior to that time a man named Nathaniel But ' ter hail been employed to write letters, contain ing the news of the city, to country gentlemen. Several of these news-writers made their living * in this way, each endeavoring to obtain as many ' "liatrons" as lie Could. Butter, however, coii1 cived the idea of niiiiii?] ??lizii)if, or at least of r extending the business, so as to render it more lucrative, and on the 'J.'td of May. 1G12, printed * his weekly letter, and despatched it to his coun1 try "patrons" under the name of "Weekly News" f lie endeavored to sell copies of it in London, * but met with poor success; was ridiculed by the i wits, even as the ''penny press" has been in our ' day; and soon afterwards Ben Johnson produced r a comedy called''The Staple of News," in which -1 his cutting satire is levelled at the new enterprise, i Butter bravely contended against the storm, but i with a success that was only profitable, as is frcquentlv the case, to his sueeessors. A. i ? .1 l?.i A .1 1 UH> Uii\, l"?'ir no UUUUI IIIUI lilt' UOIlOr of the enterprise lx-longs to Mutter. Irregular pamphlets were issued before his time, contain ing news, but his was tlic first systematic attempt to establish a periodical juihlication. Ill the life of Jluddiman, Mr. Chalmers states that the first newspaper was "The Engli>h Murcurie," published in 10S8, and ascribed "to the sagacity of Elizabeth and wisdom of Murleigh," the honor due to Nathaniel alone. The careful biographer, Mr. Watts, subsequently proved the "English Mercuries" to be a glaring forgery and sustained the evidence derived from research, by "thecomparative modernness of the paper and type of the "Mcrcurie." The honor of the first newspaper has been ascribed to the Romans; but the 'Aetesdiurna' which were referred to in support of the proposition, are understood to have been common to all r nnfiniis in tbn iir<icr>ss nfi-ivilivufimi on.l Iv.im tl.A s character of public proclamations-?sometimes imI parting news, and at others new enactments.? The tyranny of Nero,, it is said induced him oc casionally to suspend them so high that they - could not be read, and then he would gratify his 3 brutality bv punishing their infraction; and thus give the first publicity to them. Venice has also - enjoyed the honor of originating newspapers, bct i cause the name "Gazette," now common to the II press, litis been adopted from the name of a coin, b ! called "gazetta," paid for admission to the place -1 in which the Venetian reports, still preserved in Florence were read daring the long Turkish wars in which Venice was ultimately shorn of her pow er and glory. The writers for the "Weekly News" in its bes days were under rigid censorship, and were onl) permitted to publish gossip, and such foreign in telligence as they could gain from travellers, o: correspondence. And thus with the first papei originated that system of'correspondence, whicl now ramifies the world. -We cannot pursue thi: history in detail. It must suffice that from th< time the Star Chamber was abolished, in 1641 which was >ldeath on newspapers," till the Kes toration, some 30,000 journals, pamphlets anc papers were published, often with large editions, Tne Long Parliament had itself published dailj reports of its proceedings, which were continued until Charles the Second put a step to a custom so incompatible with the policy of the crown.? A. Mr. Thomasson, who lived during the parlia mentary wars made a collection of the publica tions of the time, which was finally purchased by George the Third, after it passed through va rious hands, and was lodged in the Baptist Museum. During the civil wars both the contending armies carried printing apparatus in theii baggage; so that the press on the battle field ino modern incident. During the time of the Long Parliament, the press had a severe and desperate struggle for the maintenance of that partial freedom, without which it must become the degenerate and contemptible thing it is now in France. Private printing presses sent fourth innumerable publi cations, which were denounced as "scandalous seditious;" and the most strenuous efforts wen made to detect the sources from which they is sued. Milton at this time came to the support of the press, and in the "Areopagitica" buldh addressed the commons, and put forth sentiments so much more honorable to him, as they wcr< superior to the age in which he lived. The influence of this address was never tested, for il was followed by the civil wars, and the press en joyed freedom enough until the end of the Pro tectorate. and the succession of Charles the Sc cond. Then succeeded a period of severe censor ship; and L1 Estrange, a staunch friend of the roy al cause, was appointed licenser, and authorize< to publish a journal called 'The Intelligencer.'? But we must defer our subject until anoth r ->p portunity; when some incidents of the ; -riowill aflbrd a striking contrast with the state < the nress in this, or d:iv of "liberty and indi i en dence."?Bait. Sun. The Ages of IIisband and Wife.?Thewri tcr of the following argues in favor of a euston which we fear will be unpopular in this region There is, however, sufficient truth in the para graph to entitle it to a pcsural: 'There ought to be a dispioportion bctweei the ages of husband and wife; for allowing th years to be equal, and they too frequently arc the lady is virtually many years in advance. 1 woman, all the world over, is as old at twenty a a man is at thirty; that is to say, she has a much judgement, as much tact, as much finesse as much judgement of character, as much self possession, as much cunning, we were going t add, but gallantry forbids. Now this want u disproportion gives rise to many serious evils.? The young women undervalue the young met with whom they associate, as inferior to them selves in tact,manners, and conversational powei Hence they form a low opinion of men, as mer and are tempted to value them only for their ex ternal advantages?personal beauty, skill in dan cing, and, above all, wealth. Again, where the ages are equal, or the mai is only a year or so older than the woman, in i mere external and physical point of view, th first consequence is, that she is an old womar while he is in the prime of life; for the womar naturally fades first. The inconveniences, mis takes, mortifications, and jealousies that constant Iv arise from such a discrepancy, are too evidon to require more than being hinted at. Again, ii nine cases out of ten, the lady rules the roast.? That cardinal duty of a wife, respect for her lias baud, is utterly ignored by her. He is regardoi as little more than an upper servant. Now th main cause of this is undoubtedly the origin;] inequality of ages. As the bride, we repeat it is substantially five years older in world know! edge than the bridegroom, she soon gets lb upper hand of him. If he is a man ofsome chai acter, the fight may last two or three years; oc casionnlly lie is drawn by his domestic trouble into evil courses, and goes to work with sue earnestness and rapidity as to kill himself oft'i twelve months, and leaves his widow more tri umphant than disconsolate The wife in noensi then, should be less than ten years younger tha the husband. When she is too near him ii that respect, she flies far from him in others, ate the union is broken in upon." The Mas Who Visits the Watering Pla cks.? 1 'ickens introduces in the character of M lleavydrop, tie1 man who may be found at an of the fashionable wateiing place* in the sum iikt, and in the winter in a conspicuous box a the opera, or at the corners of the most fashion able streets, when the most fashionable peopl arc abroad. Dickons has found him, and take a note of it in the following description; ' lie was a fat old gentleman, with a fals complcclion, false teeth, false whiskers, and wig. He had a fur collar,"and lie had a paddei breast to bis coat, which only wanted a star, o a broad blue ribbon, to be complete. He wa pinched in and swelled out, and got up an strapped down as much as ho could possibl bear. He had such a neck-cloth on (nutting hi very eyes out of their natural shape,) and hi chin and even bis cars so sunk into it. that i seemed as though it. must inevitably <1<>nl>1<3 uj if it wore cast loose. He hail under his arm hat of great size and weight, shelving down wan from the crown to the brim; and in his hand pair of white gloves, with which he tlapped ii as he stood poised on one leg, in a high-shoul dered, round.elbowed state of elegance, not t be surpassed. lie had a cane, he had an eye glass, lie had a snuft-box, he had rings, he lia< wristbands, lie had every thing but a'touch c nature; he was like nothing in the world but model of deportment." Heading Off the Rum Drinkers.?It is pre posed by a correspondent of the Providence Join nal that the alcohol used for mechanical purpc ses should be doctored with tarter emetic, to pre vent its use as an intoxicating bevorage. Th Journal thinks this is a little too bad. ; THE SEMLWEEKLY JOURNAL ; t FRIDAY EVENTING, SEPTEMBER 3, 1852, THO. J. WARREN, Editor. Meteorological Jouraal for August. j BAROMETER. . Greatest height 30.200 in. 5 Attached Thermometer, same time, 73 dg. Least height, 29.548 in. Tliormrtnint/ir camo timP 71 fl(T. [ Monthly mean height, 29.978 in. THERMOMETER. r Greatest height, (9th) 95 dg. [ Least do (2d and 15th) 63 dg. i Monthly mean height, 78.01 dg. Cloudy days, 21. Fair do 10 Rain, 8.027 in. The Result of the Freshet. There is a trite, but true, adage, that "things are never so bad but that they might be worse." On Mon, day last when we wrote concerning the heavy freshet J in our river, our worst apprehensions were excited, and i | we feared i hat the crops would prove total losses to our j planters. We haver reason now to hope that matters ' I will not be quite so bad, altho' things are'very gloomyt ; Yet hope may beam through our deepest gloom. We have heard that a good deal of corn may yet be saved, ' and altho' the loss of the planters is immense, the over whelming crops in all sections of the country will, it is hoped, bring the price of corn down the ensuing year. } This freshet has proved the most disastrous of any " which ho have had for twenty years. The plantations ' | along our river have sustained great injury; the washing up of the Lands, the falling of trees, destruction of ' ! fences, the ruin of the crops, is a mournful spectacle to ' behold. These are things against which no human foresight can provide, and wo should regard them not with bitter feelings of complaint, but as sent from him who doeth all things well, and in whose hands are the destinies of all men. Our Excuse. j Our readers must excuse our want of news and va ricty in to-day's paper. We have had no mail from I Charleston or Columbia for several days; and as most , of our northern and western papers are brought by this : route, we are at a great loss for matter for our paper. We hope, however, these things are to lie short in their duration, and that soon we will be under full sail again Hoping for the best, we trust our leaders will appreciate our situation, and excuse us accordingly. Our Rail Road Bridge. We learned yesterday evening, that the Rail Road Bridge was still standing, and that all fears for its safe^ ty had ceased. The water had commenced falling, but 0 the trussel work was still covered ^ Z3T Every day's experience teaches us the consums mate folly of trusting too much to ourselves. We are s apt (the error is universal) to receive and enjoy the , blessings of life, too much as a matter of course, without properly considering the source from whence they j, are derived, or appreciating their importance, as neces,f sary to our comfort and happiness. We never appre _ oate tnc goou tilings 01 me, until we are aeprivcu 01 ^ them, and learn by experience how important they i. have been to our comfort and well-being. Thus we r. are forced to learn from the severe lessons of experii, cnec, truths which are only to be learned in this way Man, from the very nature of his being, distinguished i- in the sealo of creation, aslie should be, far above every other creature, lie is said by one to be a I Dim minature of greatness absolute a An heir of glory. Ac," e And yet after all man even a "distinguished link in i. being's endless chain," is sometimes in his thoughts and ' actions little above a mere animal, governed by its own wild instincts, and unconscious of the existence of a divine being. Man, receiving the blessings of his maker, t without being thankful, is liko unto the animal which II feeds upon the fruit falling from the tree abovo him, never looking up to see from whence the blessing comes Our troubles are sometimes sent upon us, to warn us of danger. They may prove blessings in disguise, for ' verily is the proverb, " Prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue." j' " Virtue the strength and beauty of the soul, is me uesi gin. 01 ncaven,?a Happiness, That even above the smiles, and frowns of fate, Exalts great natures favorites, a wealth s That neu'r encumbers, nor can be transferred.'' I' Fur the Journal ^ Mr. Editor: Among others I am interrogated, i- though your paper, as follows: ?, 1st. "Are you in favor of the Bank of the State?" n '3d. ' Of giving the election of President and n Vict; President lo the people." I 3d ' Of changing the present free-school system in order to make it answer a better purpose." 1st. I believe that great mischief is dune to the governed by Legislatures governing too much: '* that such laws and such administration of them r- 'as shall effectually protect each individual of the y community in life, persona! liberty, freedom in lai oor, and he acquisitions of his labor, comprise, in t, general, uie proper luneuons 01 an governments. , llence the result, that the less government inter0 Teres with all enterprises Tor which private, or in' dividual associated industry, capital and skill are 11 competent and sufficient, the better Tor all who are governed. I believe the Legislature of South c Carolina would not be eminently successful in a growing cotton or in converting it into cloth; in L1 keeping a dry goods store or apothecary shop; in ,r growing sheep or hogs, and so on ; and tor the s same reasons, I believe that the Legislature is , not eminently qualified to manage a Bank ot* pa1 per circulation. This, like the other mailers I have -v alluded to, is belter done by private enterpri.-e, 8 skill and vigilance under the restraints of law. 8 With Mr. Calhoun and Mr F. II. Elmore himself, it I believe in the doctrine of a separation between ), Bank and Slate as well as between Church and a State. " No State*' (says t ie constitution of the j United States) " shall emit bills of credit; make anything hut gold and silver coin a tender in pay' inent of debts." I believe the original scope and design of this fundamental restriction, would em'* brace a paper circulation, through a Bank or otlift lit' n\rl An tint o nf Iwiritf nl'n SStQlu v n\VIJ?r? lonutu yjj aiiu un uiu aituiuuvi \jt utntw , and the only ground on which the Supreme Court d of the United States lias ventured to place the ,f constitutionality of a State Bank circulation is, a that for more than a half a century some States had exercised thw power, and it had not been annulled ; yet it cannot be said that it had been unquestioned. It is undeniable, that there is a proclivity in governments to contract debts by loans: all governments among civilized men, are guilty K of it. A State Bank furnishes the utmost facility >- to do this mischief to the governed, indirectly and e unobserved by the people. We need not travel be yond our own State for proof of this. That on I I 4 own State Bank is thus implicated, and has be- jj^ come thus instrumental, in accumulating public burthens, is the very argument that has persuaded a majority (I think) of the people of this State to acquiesce in the suuposed necessity of prolonging ' ??? its operations by a re-charter. Its late President ' Elmore, while admitting the impolicy of the es- Jw tabhshment as a new question, thought the pledge v;m of the Bank to foreign creditors obliged us to keep 2S it in existence. It is a strong argument,! admit, fir the individual case; but the stronger it may be, so much the more does it support the theoret- I : ical doctrines which I have advanced. twO I think it has led the judgment of the Slate; and JH-V supposing that to be true, I have entertained and Jt\ now entertain, no expectation that any resistances,-'-1,? will be made (I have contemplated none myself} to the re-charter of the Bank of the State of i South Carolina. It is not for such a purpose that 4l?8;" I have asked a seat in the Legislature While I , expect no practical issue upon the naked question of re-chartsring the Bank, and will acquiesce in -jlvj what 1 conceive to be the wish of the people in' .yjajLI its favor, I shall not promise to swallow any and\&j?J every sort of detail in 6uch a measure which may appear to me to be injurious to the people of South Caroina. For instance, I shall not agree to make the State the exclusive Banker among us; nor tof jjk <1 any provision calculated to shield its direct managers from the most rigid scrutiny and accountability to the public authority,?nor any that shall exempt them from restraints which may serve to i secure the public money and the State credit in their custody from spoliation, partial or selfish appropriation and abuse. With all possible appli- |3|. ances of this sort I do not expect that the public j?' rights and interests will be too secure. 12d. Tho' not in fa^or of sudden, frequent and ^9 r, whimsical changes in our fundamental structure of State Government, yet I am in favor of giving ?j the election of Presidential Electors to the people; S-'C and have accordingly heretofore so recorded a j?;J 3d. Every body admits, and sees with regret, j|' that Free Schools, in a general sense, do not an- . i swer the wishes and hopes of those who founded v.f and have sustained the benevolent scheme. A. '/? very enlarged inquiry was directed, some years " : ago, by the Legislature on this subject, and volu- ? ' minous reports were procured from every part of . &V: the State. Frequently and anxiously has the subject been considered and discussed by the publie authorities and in private circles. The matter is full of difficulty. The fund is too small at best \ The greatest portion is not directed to points of the greeter need. In general tlje families who vjf need it are too far apart, to congregate a sufficient ,[?. number of pupils with convenience, to make a good schoo. Many need the services of their -J j 1 children at home during a season Teacher&are 9- J too few and too incompetent. Parents are too in- Xv\ different, no matter from what cause, The su- ??^ . pervision over the expenditure of the fund and the conduct of teachers is quite too lax?accoun- " tability is nominal rather than real. These are serious difficulties. The) are more easily pointed \ out and discussed in newspapers, than removed. { I will join, very heartily, whether in or out of the >' Legislature, in means to remove any or all of them... 1 am not able to show how this is to be done, and should be happy to hear the fortunate statesman who can. In this, as in other things, let us not' vj depend too much on government. Private reso- aJ lution, energy and sagacity are required?parents must be duly impressed with the great importance / j of educating their children, or nothing adequate will ever be done, by government or otherwise. I cannot but feel a deep coucer i in this subject, since I rest my hopes of sustaining all political * I and social organization, which is worth preserving y ! not merely on the wisdom1 patriotism, or honesty, of Legislators, but on the sound sense, intelli- ,-<]/j gence, morality and intrepid resolution to do right ?the sagacity to detect trickery and scout decep: , tion?of the mass of the people, on whom, andS|l\i r on which qualities our whole sunerstructure rests ' Respectfully submitted, AY: A. H. BOYKIN. y,} Education. -v.. During the short space of a few months, we f have noticed with much satisfaction and plea- | 1 sure, the attention given to this important sub ject, by various Journals in our State. As it fSP< applies with equal force to every people and jt. community, we have been induced to thiuk, that" hi by saving a few words more, it might possibly be like unto "seed cast into good ground*'1? . Many good and wise men of our State, haveob-' served with much regret, the repeated failuresr .vjj: ,>f the various schemes and plans, adopted by -.^-! Legislative authority, for the spread of educa-. tion through the land, and especially, for car- .^ rying knowledge to the darkened minds of the^humble poor. The wisdom, (would that we f" /.r. 111.1 civ fhr? pnprnrv t/w^ nf mir T/inriclahirft. ? lias been of none effect in devising a feasible plan M for the attainment of this desirable object. The f. M number of persons in the State who can neither I read or write, is truly astonishing; and it does I ' strike our mind? very forcibly, that the welfare, | -I prosperity, dignity, safety, and pride of the StateyM are involved in putting the means of information within the reach of the truly destitute portion J of our fellow-citizens. Ilcre, then, are reasons off \K expediency, sufficiently potent to bring every lever in to play, which can have any effect in re* moving"this incubus which rests upon our peo- j jH pie, to say nothing of moral obligations, which a V portion are tenfold more weighty and strong.?M An enlightened public mind, and consequently, high national moral tone, is the surest foundation^ H upon which can rest the pillars of any govern-^?fl inent. Republics like ours, are more especially, H based upon the integrity of the people, the source $ 9 of ail their vitality and energy. fl Purify the fountain, and from thence wall issued fl streams "that will gladden and fertilise the land." fl That nation which pays a proper regard to the mental culture of her citizens will stand firm, and-^H immovable?when others pursuing a different "^9 course, will have been buried in the rubbish of B the past. If all efforts to extend the blessings ' 9 of education have failed so far, this is no reason V why another, and still another, should not be 9 made. Wo are not prepared to suggest any plan. rB Hut our object in penning this article, will be to }B some extent accomplished?if it should have any JJM effect iii stimulating, to renewed exertion, those who, under a view of its importance are now etw>"? gaged in studying this subject with an eye to aj practical results. While our Legislature is JB doavoring to throw more elections into thehan^ ifl of the people, let them remember that portion*'* M of the people, who cannot, from the very nature s jfl of things, vote understandWlv. hut are the wib fl ling du])cs of ambitious mon^' Lot no portion of^r. any district then act as a continual drag upon** the other; but let all things move on harmonious * ly and orderly working together for good. Slack River Watchman. Ellen Craft the Fuottive Slave.?The Ms/ con Messenger of Wednesday says: "We under* stand ttytf the celebrated Ellen Craft, the Fugk v ' . .U*