opponents. In his death, the party to which he was attached, lost one of the most powerful representatives and advo

cates.

Constantine Perkins was for a long time attorney general of the State, but most distinguished for his bravery in the Indian wars. He was born in Knox county, Tenn., in August, 1792, and graduated in Cumberland college, Nashville. In 1813, he joined Deaderick's volunteer artillery company, the Life Guards, and fought with distinction at Talladega, Emuckfau, and Enotichopco. From want of supplies, Gen. Jackson had been forced to retire just before this fearful contest. The main body of the army, with the wounded and baggage waggons, had passed to the north side of Enotichopco creek. Perkins, with seven men, in charge of a piece of artillery, had just gained the middle of the ford, when a large body of Indians rushed from a reed-brake, and, raising the war-whoop, poured a sudden and destructive fire upon the rear guard. The horse became unmanageable, and all was confusion and dismay. In the meantine Perkins, and his little guard of seven, made every effort, but in vain, to turn the cannon team in the ford. As a last resort, they cut lose the team, lightened the carriage of luggage and implements, and dragged the piece of artillery backwards to the south bank. There they took post on a knoll intending to play upon the enemy, but found, to their mortification, that the rammer, swab, matches, &c., had been left in the creek. Perkins immediately fired off his musket into a bunch of tow, and deliberately taking off the bayonet loaded the cannon with the musket, and fired with fatal precision upon the Indians. By this time, all his companions, except a youth named Jackson, had been shot down; but these two intrepid young men, continued to.load and fire, until they checked and routed the savages; and were left, with the remnant of the Life Guards, in full possession of the field. The valor thus displayed enabled the commander to rally the troops; and the route and destruction of the Indians followed. Mr. Perkins was of a large, fine, manly person-a man of uncommon generosity of heart, and of great benevolence of disposition. He was an efficient, but at the same time, a fair prosecuting officer; and died at the early age of fortyfour.

As one leaves Tuscaloosa, travelling east, he enters a

valley, once the most flourishing portion of the State. A forced system of cultivation has exhausted the soil partially, but it yet contains the elements of great wealth. Through Jefferson and St. Clair, the scene is more inviting and prosperous. Here the people have directed their efforts to a more legitimate plan of agriculture, and land covered with wheat, stock in great abundance, and comfortable homes, attest the wisdom of the mode of culture pursued. Corresponding with the route of the Black Warrior, the coal and iron of Alabama present themselves in great abundance. Large beds of the former, of excellent quality crop out in inexhaustible fields from the town of Tuscaloosa to the upper end of Jefferson. In immediate connection are displayed mountains of iron ore of finest quality, lime-stone and endless forests of pine, as if benevolent nature knew no limit to her bounties in a favorite neighborhood. Some impulse has been given to the development of these resources. Some years ago Mr. Ninian Tannahill began the manufacture of iron about thirty miles from Tuscaloosa, upon a small scale, and with economical fixtures; and, more recently, Messrs. McClannahan and Ware, have erected buildings for this purpose in Shelby county, on a more extensive plan. The latter establishment is situated five miles from the Coosa river, and bids fair, if not stifled by cold and injudicious legislation, to encourage various similar enterprises. They have, at an expense of thirteen thousand dollars, put up a blast iron furnace, the operations of which are conducted by steam: and their boiler is so placed, that the waste heat of the furnaces supplies it in lieu of fuel. The success of this experiment proves that steam can be used for the manufacture of iron, and thus persons embarking in the business may plant themselves at the ore bed. The ore at this establishment yields sixty per cent. in pig, and forty per cent. in bar iron; and eight or ten thousand pounds of pig iron are turned out daily. The proprietors are expecting soon to begin the fabrication of every variety of wares and machinery. Their ore is inexhaustible, and they possess all the requisite prudence and energy necessary to success.

East of this region, lie the counties of Talladega and Benton, both containing a numerous, well ordered, and prosperous people; the lands fertile, and the scenery beautiful. The country about Talladega is full of interesting

associations connected with the war with the Indians in the early settlement of the State. Here, at every step, may be found records mingling the history of our own people's sufferings and valor, with that of the heroism and self-sacrifice of the Talladegas. This tribe were, in manliness of person, and in courage, exceeded by none; and it was in the midst of this region that the Tennessee troops encountered and had those bloody contests with them, which ended in their extinction. When the last of the warriors had fallen, the women within their wigwams maintained the battle, refusing to yield, and fighting to the last, over the dead bodies of their husbands, in defence of their cherished homes.

As we leave this country we emerge into an older, and more improved part of the State, the counties bordering on the river Alabama. These contain a population of wealthy planters, chiefly South-Carolinians. Here are homes of grace and sentiment, hospitality and intelligence, worthy of their place of origin-homes that tenaciously preserve the traditions and the virtues, which make the South-Carolian honestly boastful of a society, the character of which may well challenge the respect and admiration of all younger communities.

Some years since, Mr. Pratt began the nucleus of a factory in Autauga county, which has been gradually extended, until it now exhibits an establishment, honorable to the State and its proprietor. The entire community reaped largely of its benefits. It embraces manufactures of various descriptions; and good morals, and well paid industry, distinguish the operatives. The labor which, a few years ago, was wasted on small cotton farms, is here directed to a more useful employment. No man in Alabama has contributed, practically, more than Mr. Pratt, to its prosperity; none has done more to bring the loom, the plough, and the anvil, in closer proximity. His views on the currency, lately advanced, are deserving of general study and recognition.

Montgomery is now, and must remain, the most prosperous city in the interior. Situated in the centre of a rich cotton growing country, on the route of travel between the east and south, the capital of Alabama, she unites all the resources of a rich and populous city. Her situation is extremely beautiful, and her people active, enterprising

and highly refined. Among the proofs of the energy and capacities of the place, must be ranked the complete and capacious factory, recently put into operation there, by Messrs. Gindrat and Winter. This is without doubt, by far the most perfect, and extensive establishment in the south. The buildings are substantial, and most tastefully built; and unite ornament with usefulness. The proprietors have not been sparing in expenditures, but have lavished an enormous amount of money upon the structures and machinery of this factory, which is a noble evidence of the liberality and good faith of the owners. They have evidently had in view, not only their own interest, but the character of the State. Almost every article is manufactured here, from the most trivial matter of domestic use, to the most complex machinery. Here, during the past winter, portions of the machinery of steamers have been forged,--which previously had never been obtained, this side of Pennsylvania. This effort is only the guarantee of works of still greater usefulness. It remains to be seen whether Alabama will suffer industry and capital, thus wisely enterprising, to be marred or lost, by imprudent legislation; and whether the jealousies which have but too commonly followed every attempt to combine capital, and to concentrate it upon manufactures, will wither the efforts of the adventurous citizens to whose exertions already is so much due. The energies thus displayed, the investments thus made, have done more in encouraging industry, in creating a demand for produce, for coal, iron and timber, and in making Alabama independent of other States, than has been done by all her politicians in twenty years; and in a comparison of its results, with those of cotton planting, the contrast is equally great in favor of the manufacturers. To prove this, let one calculate the sums of money realized for the cotton crops of the last twenty years, and look round for their benefits. He will not see it in the advancement of the State in national wealth, nor in the conditions of the people. It has gone to swell the tide of riches in the mother States-to increase their insolence and power, and to enslave our energies in a bondage to a foreign people, whose gratitude and sympathies are sadly shown, in the constant endeavor to destroy our institutions and overturn our securities.

Excited by the progress of railway improvements in

Georgia and South-Carolina, a number of far-sighted citizens of Montgomery, some years ago, projected and commenced the construction of a railway, connecting that city with West Point, on the Chattahoochee river, with little or no encouragement from the State, but rather under the chilling hostility of legislators. This work has been completed some seventy miles. The road is well built; and every interest of the country demands an early completion of the link, which shall join it with the Georgia railways. The citizens of Georgia, under the generous and unstinted encouragement of the government of that State, will effect a junction, no doubt, in a very short period, with the Alabama line.

A noble navigable stream, connects Montgomery with Mobile and New-Orleans. Between the cities of NewOrleans and Montgomery, a daily intercourse exists by steamers. What may be the effect of this communication upon Mobile, we may not predict, but trust it may not be as disadvantageous as is apprehended. Mobile, owing to causes of trifling character, when viewed in respect to the great interests of the country, has evidently declined within a few years. Jealous controversies between its citizens and those of the interior, have been carried into the Legislature; and a series of enactments, evidently rather dictated by animosity towards individuals, than justice to commerce, have been passed, of most unfair and prejudicial tendency. Had Mobile been a city of a nation at war with Alabama, a system of laws more destructive to her commercial prosperity could not have been conceived. It is indeed surprising that, while the ground of complaint has been individual disputes between a few planters, and one or two cotton brokers, revenge has been sought against the whole society of Mobile: all merchants have been proscribed, severest restrictions have been placed upon trade; every species of denunciation indulged; and every discouragement interposed, to every effort to advance the prosperity of the city, increase her trade, and open intercourse with the interior. The project of the Mobile and Ohio railway, which is designed to connect that city with Columbus, on the Ohio river, will effect, we trust, a new era in the affairs of Mobile. If the map is examined, and this contemplated rail-way traced upon it, one will be immediately convinced of its practicability, and of its powerful