Friday, May 7, 1852.] RICHMOND COLLEGE. Feeling a deep interest in the welfare of old Ray, and knowing that the location of a college here must be a matter of the utmost importance and earnestly desired by every one who has the interest of his county at heart, we shall present a few more considerations to the minds of our readers. On Monday, the 3d inst., a college meeting was held according to notice, and, considering the unfavorableness of the weather, there was a very good turn out. The meeting was addressed by the Honorable G. W. Dunn, whose arguments cannot fail to make a deep impression, and to excite a lively interest in this matter of such vital importance to the county. We shall give a synopsis of the speech, together with a few suggestions of our own, desiring that the subject may be fairly laid before our people, who, seeing their interests, may act accordingly. It is a matter of complaint among the people that they cannot obtain competent teachers to fill their schools. Why is it so? The reason is plain and obvious. Persons of moderate circumstances are deterred from sending their children to a distance on account of the enormous expense that must necessarily be incurred, while such as are wealthy enough to incur these expenses wish their sons to become professional characters. We are, therefore, compelled to get such teachers as we can, who are, as often as otherwise, of more injury than benefit to the cause of education. Let us then rear up an institution among us, so that the man of moderate means, as well as the man of wealth, may be enabled to educate his children. We will then be able to send forth a corps of teachers into our county, of whose intelligence we may justly be proud; who will give a new tone to society, inculcate new love of literature, and in a short time place us on a par with the most intelligent communities of the country. The importance of having competent teachers to train the minds of youth, is a matter that is too frequently unappreciated and too lowly rated. The warrior, with a thousand victories inscribed upon his banner, or the statesman, encircled with all the glories he may possibly achieve, does not exercise greater influence than the teacher, who, unsurrounded by the paraphernalia of war or the pageantry of state, trains the youth either to become a terror to the society in which he moves, or makes him an honor to himself and a benefit to society and the country at large. The very nature of our government requires that every man should think and decide for himself upon the most momentous questions-and not that a few minds should do all the thinking and deciding. But how can the people think rationally and clearly upon subjects they know nothing about? Suffer the masses to remain in ignorance, and they will be led by fanatics and demagogues, and our government must fall a victim to the very principles upon which it is founded, to-wit: the right of suffrage; the right of every one to decide upon all questions of government through the ballot-box. Let us, then, rear up this institution among us, where our teachers can be instructed, who will teach our children wisdom and virtue. The love you hold for your children and your country appeals to you; and shall you turn a deaf ear to the call, and permit the golden opportu nity to pass unheeded and unnoticed? Should a college be located here, men of wealth and enterprise will flock into and around it. Thousands of dollars will be added to the wealth of the place, and every species of business will receive new impetus and vigor. This place would spring into new existence, and from other examples it may be safely asserted that our population would be doubled in five years. Look at Liberty. What was she a few years ago? It would have been hard to decide if it or this place was ahead. But how is it now? No sooner was a college located there, than hundreds flocked to the place, adding vastly to its wealth and enterprise; land increased fifty per cent; new spirit was infused into every branch of business, and in a few years Liberty has becom flourishing city. But the same opportunity is presented to us, and all we have to do is to embrace it, and our county seat will likewise become a wealthy, populous and thriving place. THE AMERICAN EAGLE. "O, let the bird of freedom soar, Till all shall own his heavenly birth; The bird that freemen love to view. And though his severed wings might seem Our foes would spurn such toys, and deem Then pluck not from this glorious bird- Proud bird! though marred by ruthless hands, For well he knows in other lands Before thy glance the despot quails; From tyrant hands-till time expires." OUR COUNTY. Richmond Mirror, of Friday, March 11, 1853.] G. W. DUNN. In the early settlement of the county, the only road leading to Clay county, (which was then regarded as the "Eldorado" of Missouri by most Kentuckians) passed up through the Missouri bottom the entire breadth of the county; and as fever and ague was then quite prevalent, an impression prevailed that Ray was a "sickly county," when nothing could be farther from the truth. Even our bottom lands have become healthy from cultivation, and the upland part of the county is as favorable to health and longevity as any portion of the state. The position, geograph ically, of Ray county, is such as to give it every advantage possessed by any county in upper Missouri, and its soil is fully equal to the best. Indeed, it is the opinion of many persons, who know the county and the state well, that there is more rich land in Ray than in any other county in Missouri. It is finely watered, well diversified with prairie and timbered lands; and for the growing of hemp, tobacco, wheat and corn, as well as for purposes of stock raising, it cannot be surpassed, and time will show it to be the "Bourbon" of Missouri. The town of Richmond, situated on a high dividing ridge, nearly in the center of the county, seven miles from the Missouri river at Camden, and ten miles from Lexington, is proverbial for health. It is on the main state road from St. Louis to Liberty, Weston and St. Joseph, and all the Platte country; has a tri-weekly mail coach passing through it, and is on the main road from the Grand River country to Lexington, southwest Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. build If the people of Ray county are true to their own interests, and will up and endow the proposed college; if they will foster their own mechanics and merchants, and their own printer; if they will have good schools at home, and not send their children away to be educated; and if the people of Richmond will go to work and beautify the natural advantages which the town possesses, and its merchants and mechanics deal liberally with the farmers; the day is not far off when a residence in Richmond, and a farm in Ray county will be sought after with eagerness. We shall say more in future numbers of the Mirror in regard to the duties of our citizens and the future of our county. The Conservator March 24, 1866.] JOHNSON MEETING. Pursuant to a call of the friends of President Johnson, a very large meeting of the citizens was held during the sitting of the circuit court at Richmond, Missouri, March 10, 1866, for the purpose of endorsing the president in his reconstruction policy, and the veto of the Freedmen's Bureau Bill. At one o'clock, the meeting was called to order and on motion of Hon. W. A. Donaldson, George Warren was called to the chair, and on motion of Hon. G. W. Eunn, Col. A. A. King was appointed secretary. The chairman, taking the stand, announced the object of the meeting, when, on motion of Honorable G. W. Dunn, the chair appointed the following committee men to draft resolutions expressive of the feelings and political opinions of those in the meeting, viz: Honorable George W. Dunn, Governor A. A. King, Honorable W. A. Donaldson, Doctor A. B. Ralph, and Honorable H. P. Settle. While the committee was retiring, Governor King was called back by the audience, and responded in an able speech, which was the fruitful source of much good, by showing to those that opposed the administration, the danger into which they would take our liberties, if successful. At the conclusion of his speech, the committee reported the following resolutions, which were read and unanimously adopted: Resolved, That we have undiminished confidence in the ability, integ-. rity, and patriotism of President Johnson, and we will continue to give a cordial support to his administration. Resolved, That President Johnson's inflexible devotion to the constitu tion and the Union, now, as in all times past, entitles him to the earnest support of the friends of civil and religious liberty throughout the Union. Resolved, That we cordially approve President Johnson's veto of the freedmen's bureau bill, his policy of reconstruction, and his defiant opposition to the policy of Sumner, Stevens, and others, who persist in declaring that the Union has been dissolved. Resolved, That the Union has not been dissolved, nor can it be dissolved; it was not dissolved by secession, because secession was unconstitutional and void. It was not dissolved by the armed attempt to take some of the states out of the Union, because the rebellion has been completely overthrown by our gallant armies; and it cannot be dissolved by those who assert that the Union has been dissolved, while President Johnson and his friends, constituting a large majority of the people of the United States, continue true to the Union and the constitution. Resolved, That we are in favor of repealing the provisions of the new constitution of the state, that conflict with the wise policy of President Johnson's administration, and with the principles of civil and religious liberty transmitted to us by our ancestors, the establishment and preservation of which cost so much blood and treasure. Resolved, That the friends of President Johnson's administration will organize in accordance with the suggestions of the state central committee, contained in a circular signed by General E. B. Brown, chairman of the committee, by formation of liberty clubs, composed of all who agree with the policy of the national administration. Resolved, That we regard it as our imperative duty to support the civil authorities of the state in the enforcement of the laws; and we propose to get rid of obnoxious laws whether contained in the new constitution or in the statutes, by having them repealed, and not by violating them, and that we will to the extent of our power, promote peace and order, and a love of the federal constitution and the union of the states among our fellow citizens. Resolved, That while we claim the right to assemble and express our views of public policy, we accord to our political opponents the same unquestionable right. Resolved, That we invite the co-operation of all persons, regardless of former political differences, who agree with us in sentiment, in the good work of upholding the constitution and Union, and the principles of civil and religious liberty. Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be published in the Missouri Republican, Lexington Express, and in the Richmond papers, and that all papers friendly to our cause be requested to copy them. After the reading of the resolutions, which were unanimously adopted, Judge Ryland, of Lexington, was called upon, and ably defended the president in his usual terse, eloquent and logical reasonings, at the conclusion of which, court hour having arrived, the meeting was adjourned. GEO. WARREN, Chairman. AUSTIN A. KING, JR., Secretary. The Conservator, June 16, 1866.] CRIMINAL CAUSES. On the 12th instant, Isaac Odell and James Duvall were brought before David H. Quesenberry, Esq., a justice of the peace of Richmond township, in this county, under a warrant issued by Elisha Riggs, a justice of the peace of Fishing River township. The warrant simply charged the defendants with preaching, and commanded the constable to bring the defendants before the justice of the peace who issued the warrants, or some other justice of the peace of the county of Ray. Judge Dunn and C. T. Garner, Esq., appeared as counsel for the defendants, and the state was represented by Elijah F. Esteb, Esq., the circuit attorney. The defendants moved the court to dismiss the cases, for the reason that the warrants charged no criminal offense against the defendants. The cases were ably argued before the justice, the counsel for the defendants taking the position that even if the section in the constitution, upon which the prosecutions were founded, possessed any validity after the decision of the supreme court of the United States (not yet published), holding it null and void, three things were necessary to constitute the offense charged, to-wit: That the party charged was a bishop, priest, elder, minister or clergyman, as required by the constitution; 2d, that as such bishop, priest, elder, minister or clergyman, he preached; and, 3d, that the party so charged preached without taking the oath of loyalty required by the constitution. The warrants in the cases under consideration only charged the parties with preaching, without charging that they preached as bishop, priest, . elder, minister or clergyman, and without charging that they had failed to take the oath of loyalty. They maintained that preaching was not of itself an offense against the constitution and laws of the state; that to constitute the offense punishable under the constitution, the party charged must preach as bishop, priest, elder, minister or clergyman, and must so preach without having taken the oath of loyalty. Mr. Esteb, the circuit attorney, replied, in his usual able, fair, and gentlemanly style. The circuit attorney represents the state, and not any political party or religious sect. Justice Quesenberry sustained the motions, dismissed the cases, and discharged the defendants, holding that preaching, instead of being a criminal offense, is in the highest degree commendable. This decision does honor to the head and heart of the justice, who is a worthy member of a different religious denomination from that of the parties accused. Messrs. Odell and Duvall are elders of the regular Baptist denomination, commonly called "Old Iron-side Baptist.' This result may be mortifying to Drake, Strong, Fletcher, and Babcocke, but the best way to avoid similar mortification in the future, is for them to join the friends of civil and religious liberty in repealing this relic of bigotry and barbarism, which ought never to have been placed in the constitution of a free people. |