Congressman Horace Mann, March 10, 1850

March 10.

I have read Mr. Webster's speech carefully. It has all the marks of his mind, clearness of style, weight of statement, power of language; but nothing can, to my mind, atone for the abandonment of the Territories to what he calls the law of Nature for the exclusion of slavery. When so much of Delaware, Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri, lies far north of a great part of New Mexico, how can a man say that a law of Nature will keep slavery out of the latter, when it has not kept it out of the former? The existence or non-existence of slavery depends more upon conscience than climate. Why should all the South be so anxious to pass this law, if Nature has already passed one? Who knows but mines may yet be discovered in New Mexico?— and mining is the very kind of labor on which slaves can be most profitably employed.

I wish I had not made my speech. I should like to take up these topics, and set forth what seems to be the merit or the demerit of them. There is a very strong feeling here that Mr. Webster has played false to the North. Many of our men will speak, and we shall have an exhibition of Northern feeling yet.

SOURCE: Mary Tyler Peabody Mann, Life of Horace Mann, p. 288

From St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, May 14.

The steamer Emilie left this port to-day with 250 passengers, bound for the Bitter-Root Valley gold regions in Washington and Oregon Territories.

Among the passengers were the Treasurer and Directors of the American Mining and Exploring Company, who propose to commence mining operations in that region immediately on their arrival.

Andrew J. Vallandigham, a brother it is said, of the belligerent member of Congress from Ohio, is in custody of Col. Fitz Henry Warren, of Clinton, charged with horse-stealing, robbing and driving out Union Men, and marauding, Bushwhacking and jawhawking generally.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, May 17, 1862, p. 1

Pottsville, May 8 [1862].

The difficulty with the miners is settled and the military return to Philadelphia in the morning.  The employers agree to pay the advance.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, May 10, 1862, p. 2

Come to Terms

POTTSVILLE, May 8.

The [difficulty] with the minors is all settled, and the military return to Philadelphia in the morning.  The employers agree to pay the advance.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, May 10, 1862, p. 1

Strike among Miners

PHILADELPHIA, May 7.

The strike among the miners near Pottsville is becoming serious.  The employers not complying with the demands made, the miners stopped the pumps, causing serious damage to property from flooding of the mines.  Those of the Forest Improvement Co. are rapidly filling with water.

Several companies of home guards heave here this P. M. to prevent further damage.  The Reserve Greys of this city leave soon for the scene of difficulties at Pottsville.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 8, 1862, p. 1

From California

SAN FRANCISCO, April 26.

The ship Joseph Peabody has been forfeited to the Government for smuggling.

Trade has recently revived, to supply the demand for goods suitable to the Oregon and British Columbia mines, in advance of anticipated large emigration business with the interior.

Gen. Wright has issued an order requiring the arrest of persons charged with aiding and abetting, by words or acts, the rebellion.  Such persons are to be confined, unless they subscribe the oath of allegiance.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 28.

The Steamer Panama has arrived from Mazatlan.  The Confederates in New Mexico and Arizona are making efforts to bring the Boarder States into sympathy with them.

Gen. Sibley, commanding the Rebels [sic] forces, had sent Col. Reiley to open negotiations with the Governor of Sonora.  Reiley tendered troops to enter Sonora, and chastise the Apache Indians, for whose service he asked the right of way overland from Guaymas to Arizona, and also the privilege of purchasing supplies at Mazatlan.  The Governor entered into a long correspondence with Reiley, and sent a special messenger to the Governor of Cinalva, on the subject of his mission.  No definite arrangements appear to be agreed upon, but Reiley received courteous treatment from the Government officials, and at last accounts had arrived at Guaymas, where he boasted that he had been far more successful than he had hoped for.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 1, 1862, p. 2

The mints of the United States have . . .

. . . coined since they commenced operations – a period of less than twenty years – the large amount of $800,000,000 – about one fifth of the whole metallic currency of the world.  Of this amount $520,000,000 were derived from the mines of the United states.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 4

First Session – 37th Congress

WASHINGTON, March 21. – SENATE. – After discussion, the bills were referred to a special committee.

The bill for the Abolition of Slavery in the District of Columbia, was taken up, and as the senat chamber was full of smoke from the bakeries under the Capitol –

Mr. GRIMES moved to adjourn.  They could not sit there in the smoke.

Mr. FESSENDEN asked what had become of the bill to remove the bakeries from the capitol.

Mr. FOOTE said the bill was passed by the Senate, but voted down by the House.

Mr. ANTHONY suggested that the House be informed that the Senate was obliged to adjourn on account to the smoke.

Mr. FESSENDEDN thought it would be better to request the House to have the bakeries moved to their side of the capitol.

The motion [to] adjourn was lost, 18 to 19.

A message was received from the President recommending a vote of thanks to Com. Dupont.

On motion of Mr. WILSON, the Senate went into Executive session.

WASHINGTON, March 24. – HOUSE. – Mr. BLAIR of Virginia presented the certificate of the election of James S. Segur as representative from the 1st District of that State.

Mr. BINGHAM said that no election in the exact form of law could have been held on the day stated, namely the fifteenth isn’t., the election was extemporary.  He moved to refer the paper to the Committee on Elections.  The papers were referred.

Mr. DUNN offered a resolution, which was adopted, instructing the Ways and Means Committee to inquire into the expedience of organizing a large force of miners with the necessary machinery to proceed to the Gold Mines of the West, and work the same for the benefit of the Government, as a means of defraying the expenses of the war.

Mr. HOLMAN offered a resolution, which was adopted, requesting the Secretary of war to inform the House why he has not responded to the resolution of December last, calling for a list of the paymasters, and that he now be directed to furnish the same, and to what extent they can be dispensed with.

Mr. RICE of Massachusetts submitted a resolution, which was referred, authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to expend a sum not exceeding fifty thousand dollars, for the purpose of testing the plans of rendering ships and floating the batteries invulnerable.

Mr. _____ introduced a resolution requesting the Secretary of War to inform the House of the cause, if any, of the protracted delay in the release of Col. Corcoran, a prisoner of war since July, and that the Secretary be directed and requested to stop all exchange of prisoners until Col. Corcoran is released.  The resolution lies over.

Mr. WICKLIFFE introduced a bill to provide funds in part to pay the interest and principle on the public debt.

WASHINGTON, March 24. – HOUSE. – Mr. ASHLEY, from the Committee on Territories, reported a bill to organize the Territory of Arizona, with the Wilmot Proviso applicable to all Territories.

Mr. CRAVEN moved to lay it on the table.

The motion was lost, ayes 49, nays 70.

The consideration of the bill was postponed until next Monday.

The Tax bill was then taken up in Committee of the whole.

Mr. ASHLEY, from the Committee on Territories, reported a bill to provide a temporary Government for Arizona.  One of the sections prohibits Slavery therein as well as in all the Territories now organized.  Mr. Ashley said if any gentleman desired to discuss the measure he would be satisfied with its postponement to-day.  If this was not agreed to, he desired to put the bill on its passage now.

Mr. WICKLIFFE remarked if he understood the facts the Texan rebels were forcing the people there to flee elsewhere for safety.  How could the government, under these circumstances, be organized?  Why attempt it when civil officers could not proceed thither?

Mr. ASHLEY replied, as far as the Committee was advised there are no enemies in Arizona except Indians; no organized white men.

Mr. COX said he would vote for postponing the consideration of the bill indefinitely.  It contained the famous Wilmot Proviso which had occasioned so much trouble in the country.

SENATE. – Mr. TEN EYCK presented a joint resolution from the Legislature from New Jersey asking Congress to take immediate action for the defense of the coast of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, resolving that the several States loan the Government funds for this purpose.

Mr. POWELL presented resolutions from the Legislature of Kentucky relating to the tax on tobacco, asking that it be reduced.  Referred.

Mr. SHERMAN of Ohio presented resolutions from the Legislature of Ohio against any proposition for a settlement of the rebellion except an unconditional surrender and punishment of traitors.  Referred.

Mr. MORRILL presented resolutions from the Legislature of Maine endorsing the administration in favor of the confiscation of the property of rebels.  Referred.

Mr. POMEROY introduced a bill for the removal and consolidation of the Indian tribes. – Referred.

On motion of Mr. TRUMBULL the joint resolution in regard to affording aid to the States in favor of emancipation was taken up.

Mr. SAULSBURY said this was a most extraordinary resolution in its purpose and in the source from whence it came.  It was mischievous in its tendency and he was not sure that it was at all patriotic in design.  It was ignoring all the principles of the party in power – it was an interference with the subject of slavery in the States.

Mr. SAULSBURY said it was an attempt to raise a controversy in the slave States.  None of the slave holding states asked aid.  He believed that the President had had this thing in contemplation for some time.

The Legislature of his State (Delaware,) had been in session lately.  The bill had found its way there, and the offering of $800,000 for the emancipation of her slaves, and the Legislature rejected it.  The object of the bill is simply to renew the agitation of the slavery question in the border States, and to raise an abolition party there.  He (Saulsbury) called on the Judiciary Committee to show him any authority in the Constitution for us applying money to the States.  This bill also presents the Government in the light of going into the wholesale negro trading business.  The State of Delaware will never accept of this bill, but the true Union people of the State will go before the people upon ti, and there will not a vestige be left of the Republican party there.

Mr. DAWES offered an amendment as a substituted for the resolution:

Resolved, That although the subject of Slavery in the States is exclusively in the jurisdiction and cognizance of the Government and the people of the States and cannot be interfered with directly or indirectly by the government of the United States.  Yet when any of those States or people may decree the emancipation of their slaves, the U. S. to pay a reasonable price for the slaves so emancipated, and the cost of colonizing them in some other country.

Pending the consideration of the resolution, the morning hour expired, and the bill for the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia was taken up.  The question was upon the amendment offered by Mr. Doolittle, to the amendment of Mr. Davis, for colonization, that only such persons shall be colonized as desires to go to some other country, at a cost not exceeding $1,000 per man.

Mr. Morrill and others explained that they should vote against the amendment because they preferred the bill as it was.

The question was then taken on Mr. Davis’ amendment with the following result:

Ayes – Messrs. Anthony, Browning, Collamar, Cowan, Davis, Doolittle, Harlan, Harris, Henderson, Howe, Lane of Indiana, Lane of Kansas, Latham, Powell, Sherman, Ten Eyck, Wilson of Missouri, and Wright – 19.

Nays – Messrs. Carlisle, Chandler, Clark, Dixon, Fessenden, Foote, Grimes, Hale, Howard, Dewey, King, Kennedy, Morrill, Starke, Skinner, Wade, Wilkinson, Wilmot, and Wilson of Massachusetts – 19.

This being a tie vote the Vice President voted in the negative.  Adjourned.

WASHINGTON, March 25. – HOUSE. – On motion of Mr. Campbell in view of the pending of the tax bill, the consideration of the Pacific Railroad bill was postponed, and made the special order for Tuesday next.  The House then in Committee on the Whole, resumed the consideration of the tax bill.

SENATE. – On the motion of Mr. FOOTE the resolution to refer the superintendency of the capitol extension and on the dome from the War Department to the Department of the Interior was taken up.

The bill for the abolition of slavery was taken up.  Mr. Wilson of Mass., spoke in favor of the bill.  Mr. King spoke against it.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 29, 1862, p. 4

The Last Sleep of the Miners

We have already published the particulars of the terrible accident in England from the stoppage of the shaft of the Hartley Pit, by which two hundred and fifteen miners lost their lives.  Additional details reveal some of the most heart-breaking incidents recorded in any age.  Up to Jan. 25^th, the workmen had succeeded in getting up 199 bodies.  As they were received the bodies were wrapped in cotton sheets and placed in coffins, and if identified, the name was inscribed on the coffin.  Widows and children, parents, brothers and sisters, were present to recognize and receive their dead.  The scene was indescribably touching:

“As soon as the men got into the yard seam they came upon a body, that of a fine, stout fellow, who was sitting apparently sleeping, on a seat mad into the side of the coal, only a few feet from the shaft.  His name was Galligar.  His flannel trousers were doubled up, and he just looked as if he was resting after a hard day’s toil.  Five or ten yards within the seam were found a large number of bodies – men and lads – lying in rows.  They were lying in three rows on each side, all quiet and placid, as if sleeping of a heavy day’s work.  Boys were lying with their heads on the shoulders of their fathers, and one poor fellow had his arm tenderly clasped around the neck of his brother; brothers were lying locked in each other’s arms; but all lay as if death had crept quietly upon them, [and stole away their lives while they might have been dreaming of home and liberty.  None appeared to have died in mortal agony, and most, if not all, death appeared to have come as a relief.  Beyond this company of sleepers a man lay propping] open a door, as if he had resisted the insidious poison of the mine longer than the rest, and had risen to open one of the doors in the hope of obtaining fresh air.”

The following entry [read] in the time book of one of the men speaks of a prayer meeting held by the suffocating miners, and is the only memorial left by the dead men:

“Friday afternoon, half past two o’clock, Edward Armstrong, Thos. Gledstone, John Hardy, Thos. Bell, and others took seriously ill.  We all had a prayer meeting at a quarter to two o’clock, when Tibbs, Henry Sharp, H. Gibson, and W. Palmer (here is a blank) exhorted us again, and Sharp also.”

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, March 12, 1862, p. 2

Iowa Items

Some citizens of Des Moines, it will be remembered, in order to secure the location of the State capitol at their village, agreed to furnish capitol grounds and building free of charge to the State.  They borrowed the money from the school-fund for the purpose, and now, being unable or unwilling to pay, come forward, and ask that they be released from the payment of some $44,000, on the ground that they have furnished the State with a capitol!  If they succeed in this effort, we suggest that these “responsible” citizens of Des Moines had better try to get the different State asylums to their city, on the same terms, and wind up with the State Prison, so that said “responsibles” can finish their career as near home as possible.

At the municipal election in Muscatine last Monday, about 800 votes were polled.  George Mason was elected Mayor for the third time, John Wiley re-elected Treasurer, and Marx Block chosen wharfmaster.  No party lines were drawn.

Dr. Thompson, of Muscatine, on Monday last, extracted from the hip of Mr. Newton Brown, a ball, or rather the piece of one, which he received at the battle of Wilson’s Creek.  The ball entered the leg a little above the knee.

A soldier died very suddenly in Dubuque last Friday, from, it is supposed, congestion of the lungs.  A person thought he recognized him as one John Garon, formerly a resident near Dubuque; he is supposed to have been one of the regiment of Mechanic Fusiliers, recently disbanded at Chicago.

The Dubuque Herald says that Messrs. J. Throp, Wm. Canfield, and another miner, after laboring in the lead region for five weeks, have at last truck a lead at the depth of twelve feet from the ground.  They took out in three days, 3,000 bounds of mineral, which they sold at $34.50 per thousand – being $11.50 a day for each man.

It has been proposed in our Legislature to change the names of Floyd and Jones counties respectively to Baker and Lyon.  It was ascertained, in the course of debate, that Floyd county was named in honor of a sergeant in Lewis and Clark’s expedition, and consequently is not intended to perpetuate the name of the traitor secretary.  The Anamosa Eureka says that George W. Jones, then surveyor-general, gave his own name to Jones county, which then contained about two hundred inhabitants.  The Eureka is anxious that the county should be purged of the traitor’s name, and something more honorable be given it.

MORMONS IN LEE COUNTY. – The Keokuk Constitution says there is now a Mormon church in Des Moines township, in that county, which numbers thirty members, who have a preacher and hold regular meetings every Sunday, and have preaching and prayer meetings one a week.  They are followers of young Joseph Smith.

WOLVES. – During the first two weeks of February, twelve wolves and one wild cat were killed in this vicinity.  It was not much of a time for wolves either. – Montezuma Rep.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, March 10, 1862, p. 2

Strike among the Miners

PHILADELPHIA, May 7. – The strike among the miners at Pottsville is becoming serious, the employers not complying with their demands. The miners stopped the pumps, causing serious damage to property from the flooding of the mines. The mines of the finest improvement companies are rapidly filling up with water.

Several infantry companies of Home Guards leave here this afternoon to prevent further damage.

The Reserve Grays of this city leave soon for the scene of difficulties in Pottsville.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 3

The Colliery Accident in England

We have already announced the fact of a fearful accident at the mine know as the “Hartley New Pit,” near Newcastle, England. The arrival of the mails of the Nova Scotian places us in possession of the details of the affair – one of the most appalling catastrophes that the annals of accidents record, involving a loss of probably two hundred lives or more. The accident occurred on the 16th of January, at ten o’clock in the morning.

By this catastrophe no less than two hundred men were entombed in the bowels of the earth. Of course people flocked from miles and miles around, and instant efforts were made to relieve the unfortunates, but the labor of clearing away the debris was immense, and only half a dozen men could work in the choked up shaft at a time. A week passed before an entrance to the fearful tomb could be effected. It was too late. The following telegram, published in the London papers of Thursday the 23d, gives the sad result of the calamity:


NORTH SHIELDS, 10 P. M.

The sad tragedy at Hartley Colliery has been revealed to us in its horrors this evening. The cloth battice [sic] was completed this afternoon and cleared the shaft to some extent of gas. Three pitmen (volunteers) went down, penetrated the obstruction, got into the yard seam by the engine drift, and found men lying dead at the furnace. They pushed their way through. The air was bad. Within this door they found a large body of men sleeping the sleep of death. They retreated, and came to the bank with appalling intelligence.

Mr. Humble, viewer of colliery, and Mr. Hall immediately went down, and returned in an hour and a half. Both had to be taken off the sling, seriously affected by gas. They have been all through the works, and found no living man, but a hecatomb of dead bodies. The bulk of the bodies are lying in the gallery near the shaft. An affecting report, has been made by them. Families are lying in groups; children in the arms of their fathers; brothers with brothers. Most of them looked placid as if asleep, but higher up near the furnace, some tall stout men seemed to have died hard. The cornbins were all cleared. Some few of the men had a little corn in their pockets. A pony was lying dead among the men, but untouched. Several volunteers have since penetrated the workings and confirm this statement. Nearly all of them, however, have been brought back seriously affected by the gas. There was great danger of more men loosing their lives. Medical men, of whom there were large numbers at the colliery, held a council at eight o’clock, and by their advice no more men will be allowed to go down until the ventilation is improved. It will be some time before the bodies can be brought to bank.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, February 12, 1862, p. 2


See Also: The Last Sleep Of The Miners.

Arrival of the America

HALIFAX, Feb. 10.

The America, from Liverpool 25th ult., via Queenstown 26th, has arrived.

Sales of cotton Saturday, 5,000 bales; market closing quiet. Breadstuffs dull. – Provisions heavy. Consols 92 3-4a92 7-8.

There are vague rumors that the Emperor Napoleon has notified that he will shortly officially demand joint action in raising the blockade of the Southern ports of the U. S. If England refuses to take part, he will take the initiative alone.

The London Times continues to urge England not to interfere, and says, the nation can afford to wait.

The pirate Sumter is reported Cruising off Genoa.

FRANCE. – The Emperor’s speech to the Corps Legislatif, on the 25th, was expected with great interest, under the belief that he will say something important on American affairs.

The London Times in another editorial says, we need not be eager to meddle with American affairs. This is the time for waiting and we can afford to wait quite easily as the North and South can afford to be looking across the Potomac, at a cost of two million pounds a week each of them. – If there does come any real cause of complaint, it will tell all the more our present patience and forbearance.

The London Globe editorially remarks that the maritime powers cannot be expected to respect Federal blockades unless really effective. The commerce of the world cannot suffer itself to be despoiled for an indefinite period under a mere paper blockade.

As to intervention, says the Globe, We may be invited or offered to intervene, but our great aim must be to preserve consistency with our principles.

In a letter from Mr. Seward to Smith O’Brien, in response to the latter’s recently proffered advice, Mr. Seward urges Mr. O’Brien, if he would promote the cause of America, of Great Britain and humanity at large, to speak and act in every case and without qualification for the American Union. Mr. Seward’s tone is highly patriotic for Union, and friendly towards European powers, in regard to whom he is determined to stand always not only in the right, but upon the defensive.

Geo. Thompson had been lecturing again at Manchester on American affairs. His remarks were mainly in response to a late speech of Mr. Massy at Salford, whose statements he branded as absolutely false, and a great injustice to the North. The lecturer said the breaking of the blockade would be a wicked and fiendish act, and no greater crime could be created against any country. He had faith, however, in the pacific and neutral policy of Earl Russell.

The Times, in an editorial on Mr. Sumner’s speech, protests against any suggestion that England has budged one step from her former position with respect to her rights, either neutral or belligerent. What she agreed to at the Congress of Paris, she still stands by, and what she had before limited only by those concessions she has still. The case of the Trent has made no new phase whatever.

A telegram of the 22d ult., from Algiers, says, on Monday a prolonged cannonading was heard here, proceeding, apparently from a distance about six miles form shore.

A vessel was sighted this morning which is supposed to be the Sumter. It is presumed she sank her adversary.

The above is considered doubtful, as an Algiers telegram of the 24th ult. says the Sumter has been seen in the Genoese waters, a few leagues off the port of Genoa.

The Gibraltar Chronicle says the United States Consul at Cadiz protested against the assistance given the Sumter at that port. The authorities, however, considered themselves bound to afford such aid as was indispensable. The Sumter having sprung a leak near the screw she was permitted to effect the necessary repairs in the arsenal.

Worst fears were realized relative to the accident at the Hartley Coal Mines. Not one of the buried miners was found alive.

The has been very stormy weather on the Irish Chanel. There were several vessels wrecked and some loss of life.

FRANCE. – The dissatisfaction with M. Fould’s Budget was apparently giving way.

The Paris Bourse on the 24th ult. was buoyant. Rentes advanced 1-2 per cent. and closed 70/75c.

SPAIN. – The Minister of State has declared in Congress that Spain would demand reparation from Mexico on account of the war of independence. It was also stated that Spain had received an official communication respecting any further resolution of France and England in reference to Mexico. He concluded by saying that Spain would fittingly support the interests of Mexico.

PRUSSIA. – A rupture was anticipated between the Prussian Government and the Archbishop of Posen, who in a letter to the minister of Public Worship, defends the national attitude assumed by his countrymen.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, February 11, 1862, p. 1