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"the CONSTITIT'fIO-NALJST. 1
" JAMES GARDNER, JR. !
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From a book called “The Handful us llouey
nu kies,” by William Ilunnis, printed m 1585,
we extract the followingTelic, uliich lias been re
peatedly ascribed to later authors :
Meditation ou Retiring >t.. n.
01, Lord, my God, I wandered have
As one that runs astray.
And have in thought, in word and deed,
In idleness and ulay.
Offended sore thy Majesty, j.
In heaping sin to sin,
And yet thy mercy hath me spared,
So gracious hast thou been!
O Lord my faults i no' - confess,
And sorry am therefor;
llu'l not so much as fuiti I would :
O Lord what vvililhoamore ?
It is thy grace must bring that spiiil
l*oF«w’iiirh I humbly pray*
And that this night thou me defend.
As thou has done this day,
And grant when these mine eyes and tongue
Shall Tail through nature’s might,
That then the powers of my poor soul
31 ay praise thee day and uiglit.
[ From the N. O. Della 31 si all.]
Interesting AlexicauDocument.
'l'ke battle of Cerro Gordo—Santa Anna's \
Defence —Mexican Acknowledgment of the
Splendor of our Victory.
The victory of Cerro Gordo appears to have
produced a more powerful effect in the City
of Mexico than any which we have yet gain
ed. Theeneffiy had never before fought under
such favorable circumstances—Mexican cun
ning was never before so embarrassed and
contused for an apology. iSanta Anna was
never so completely stumped in his whole life.
The strongest evidence ol the exhaustion and
poverty ot ISanta Anna’s imagination on this
subject, is to be found in the severe and free
expressions of the press, not only discredit
ing his explanation of the Cerro Gordo ass air,
but also impugning all ills former statements
in relation to his battles. The papers are
loaded with these sceptical and satirical ef
fusions. The curent against him is rising
higher and stronger. “Why,” say 1 1 ie=e
writers, “are Gens. Arista, Ampudia, Here
dia, Canalizo, dtc., so roughly handled by
Gaula Anna’s friends on account of their
‘misfortunes,’ when a much greater ‘misfor
tune’ of the General-in-Chief is praised rather
us an act of patriotism than a disgraceful
route?”
The excuses given heretofore by Santa
Anna’s friends are not satisfactory to the un
reasonable scribblers of the Capital. The
pretence that tiie National Guard did not un
derstand the use of arms and behaved badly
in the action, is well met with the reply that
the National Guards were al! captured at their
posts, bravely fighting, whilst the veteran re
gulars were escaping under Ampudia, Can
alizo, and the General-in-Chief. This is a
good hit. Other disposed of
with like ease and pungency.
Seeing that his case was badly presented
by his friends, the General hasseized his pen,
and in the name of one of his satellites, tries
a new tack, and presents his late “misfor
tune” in the following ingenious exposition.
The reader will recognise in this article the
characteristic style of Jdanta Anna. The
allusion to Napoleon is decidedly Santa
Anuaish. To keep tip that pleasant conceit
which manifested itselt rather ridiculously in
the lent of Gen. Houston, when the Mexican
chief “sofl-savvdered” the Texan hero, by in
forming him that he was the “conqueror ol
tie Napoleon of the West,’ it has been the
lubit of Santa Anna, in all his military em
. ergeucies, to draw liberally for excuses and
causes upon the copious annals of the great
Napoleon. His search, however, after anal
ogies between his situation and that oi Napo
leon, has introduced him to other great Gen
erals, who, like himself, have been caught
napping, and in his distress, he eagerly a
dopts the excuse which could not save the
Austrian General from disgrace and a court
martial, lie calculates, wisely that what
could not satisfy the stubborn good sense of
the Austrians, may easily content the im
aginative and windy Mexicans. But.
JVon nos tantas componere hies.
Let the Mexicans settle their own disputes.
It is comforting, however, to us to see so fine
an exemplification of the old proverb, that
when “rogues fall out, honest men get their
due.” It was only when the Mexican chiefs
got by the ears —when their military reputa
tion demanded the admission, that they be
came willing to acquiesce in our clains to
some consideration for prowess and military
capacity. The truth has at last worked its
way into 3h ex i can confessions.
Pallia Anna, in order to justify his rout at
Cerro Gordo, bestows upon Gen. Scott and
his gallant army, higher praise, and confers
upon this achievement a more brilliant re
nown, than our own warm imaginations and j
proud hearts ever conceived of.
Here follows the vindication of the milita
ry conduct of Gen. Santa Anna in the battle
of Cerro Gordo, published in the Diario del
Gobierno, at the City of Mexico, on the 30llr I
April;
Tiadicatiou of Sautii Anna.
The internal enemies of the country, the :
secret agents of our external enemies, those |
who are laboring to open to them the gates
of the Capital, neglect no means, however
criminal, of fomenting dissentions and dis
trust among us, as more favorable to the de
eigns of the invader is our own disunion,
tnan all the disasters that we can suffer in
combat. Hence the zeal and the bad faith
with which they present to the public their j
accounts of the events of the war, disfiguring j
them in such a manner that the disasters ot j
our arras, as well in the North as in the East,
may be attributed r.ot to involuntary errors,
bulio treason.
With a like motive do they endeavor to de
preciate Gen. Santa Anna, knowing, as they
do, that he is the enemy whom the North
Americans most fear, and that lie once out
of the way, they will have removed the prin
cipal obstacle that they have met with up to
the present time, in their career of destruction
and conquest.
This idea predominating, these internal
- -r a-mm —~ ti n ii —g , narmm nwaa—urn ■ r m<‘ f ■ MfM
enemies of the country have published, vari- j
ous pamphlets, representing the triumph ob- i
laiued by our arms al the Angostura as a
loss. At the present moment they are doing
the same tiling in relation to the actions ot j
the Teiegrafo and Cerro Gordo, in both of
which they censure the General-in-Chief, in ;
terms so severe that it only remains to uc- .
cuse him clearly and expressly of treason.
The editorial*of the 38th number of the ;
Bulletin of Democracy, (whose authors are
well known.) is full of this kind of charges
a<jai nst Santa Anna, who is there accused of
the loss ol Cerro Gordo; the article saying
that all trie said misfortune proceeded from a
want of foresight in the preparations, and 1
frotn a like want of judgment at the time of ;
the attack, and from bad arrangements. We i
are given to understand, that he sacrificed
uselessly a large portion oi’ his force. And j
he is even blamed for not performing a mira
cle by raising, in a moment,-a new army, just
as if we were in France in the time of the
National Convention. We need only read,
with a little attention, the said editorial, to i
penetrate the depth end the w ickedness of the
design of its authors. Unjust men ! your
calumnies suffice to detect your partiality and I
your insane intention-,
i Without calling the attention of our read
ers to the documents published in the Diario ,
r del Gobierno, and in other papers, the Re
! publtcu.no, (which certainly cannot be taxed
| with partiality to Santa Anna.) in its num- .
j ber oflhe 23d hist., gives a clear idea of what
took place in this action—dissipates the rash |
imputations of our enemies—and depicting j
! the conduct of the invader, his tactics, his j
numerical superiority, the advantages of his
! artillery, and all that contributed to facilitate i
i his triumphs, demonstates, most completely,
■ that our loss was the result ol inevitable mis- :
j fortune.
I in fact our position was well chosen: it j
1 \vas tonified as well as circumstances permit- i
! led: its Hanks were covered; and all was fur- j
seen that was to have been forseen in regular
order, and in usual ladies of war. True it \
itiiat no expectation was en'ertained of the
; rare, bold and desperate operation of enemy,
■ who, in the night between the 17th and IBth, I
broke through the woods, crossed a ravine
up to that time never crossed, and taking in
reverse the position which the main body of
army occupied, surprised it in the time of ac
tion, made a general attack on all parts at
: once, and cut offTiie retreat of the infantry 4
the artillery, and even a part of the cavalry.
| Uis pretended that the General ought to have
forseen this risk; but to this argument two
sufficient replies maybe made: First —that
, notwithstanding the old opinion, confirmed
by the experience of the whole war front 1810
to 1821, that the road by which the enemy
| flanked os was impraclicabled, the General
j iFd not neglect if, since lie stationed, in or
der to cover it, the greater part of his cavalry
; in the mouth of lbs gorge; and if this force
did not fulfil the object of its mission, the
i fault should not be imputed to the General
in-Chief. We do not intend here to examine
and quality the conduct of the chief of the
j cavalry; the fact is, that the point which this
force should have guarded was left uncover
ed, and that is more than sufficient of justify
Gen. Santa Anna.
Secondly—A recent historial fact my
serve fur the second solution of the question.
We refer to the passage of Bonaparte over
the great St. Bernard, executed likewise at
night, with such silence and despatch, that
the Austrain general, deceived by thedexteri
j ty of the operation, said on the following day,
before lie learned Uie result, ••that he answer
ed with his life, that the French artillery
had nut passed that way.” And if this hap
• pened in Europe, in the midst of a war that
j had formed so many expert commanders, it
I need not astonish us that like events transpire
among ourselves! Men are not goda!
* * * * *
After enlarging upon the particular in
stances of partriolisrn displayed by ISanta
Anna, from the beginning of his career down
to the present time, his apologist concludes
by the following peroration:
Mexicans, be just! Du not suffer yourselves
to be deceived by perverse and evil-intentioned
men! Reflect that some of these writers,
who to-day are so earger to lead astray your
opinions, to the prejudice of our well-deserv
ing President, have sold themselves to him
for friends—have flattered him in the season
of his prosperly, and now declare themselves
his enemies, when fortune is against him.—
1 Examine well the fac^s —compare, judge with
j attention and impartiality; and it is sure that
; your conclusion must be, that gratitude is
due to Gen. Santa Anna, as one of the best
servants of the Republic, botli before and
since its independence. [Signed]
Manuel Maria Jimenez,
| [Correspondence of the Journal of Commerce.]
Boston, .May 28, 1817. j
j -For the satisfaction of such of your j
readers, as are interested in the operation
oflhe new Commercial system lately es- ;
lablished, I inclose the results of the com
mercial warehousing at this port for the
quarter ending March 31st. The gencr- ;
j al statements of the receipts al this port, i
< published by you some time since, shows
j a slight decrease in amount. The num- :
i ber of arrivals, however, for the last quar
: tor, and in fact up to this time, has been
i nearly one third greater tkan fur the cor
! responding months ot last year. The
rapid increase of commerce, will, at the
present rate, very soon pay to the govern
ment a larger sum than had been receiv- 1
| ed under the tariff of 1842.
j The accommodation offered the mer
chants here by the warehousing system, j
j and the extent to which they have avail- j
! ed themselves of its facilities, have led to
I f
I the leasing of several stores on India and |
j Broad streets, by the government, for j
j storage. On Broad street, a spacious i
I granite block is to he erected for the use
oflhe government, which is leased, how
ever, for a term ofyears, not purchased.
in the schedule below you will notice ;
that in a list of ten enumerated species of I
merchandise,two—lron and Coal, in value |
i make nearly the whole amount of goods |
i w arehoused. The value of merchandise j
| remaining in the warehouses at the com- j
I mencement of the quarter ending March
81st, was §>305,761. I hat remaining al |
the commencement of the present quar- I
ter, is valued at §439,753, —nearly one
third less. For the present quarter, up
to this time, the amount of goods deposit
ed in the warehouses show an increase
|of 100 per cent. Every effort has been
made by the collector of this port, Gov.
Morton, and Mr. Wellman, w'ho is at the
head of the warehouse department, to re-
ducetho complicated operations of this
branch of commerce to a system, and
1 believe theie indefatigable exertions
have met with the approval of the great
body of the merchants. X.
Warehousing Statement. District of Dcston and
Charlestown, fur the Quarter ending March
1,1347.
Value of merchandise remaining in
Warehouse at the cunitneuceaumt of
the quarter. $G03,71» t
IX-poeiiod during the quarter, 430,323
$1,023,034 |
Wiilidrawn and duties there
on paid, $193,069
Exported to foreign countries
and transported to oilier
district will.in tlies Lulled
States, . 92,637
Balance remaining in AN are
hucse March 31,1317, viz ;
Iron. 141,314
Wool, 41.4 23
Sugar, 3.0*3
Molasses, f4),:3J |
Spirits,
\\ iue, 3,270 j
Hemp manufacture* _ 4-1,752
Fi.:h, 31,0'5
Raisins, '■* .058
Dry Goods 514,470
Utbar merchandise, 3?.262 $139,758 $1,027,081
Duties collected on amounts withdrawn during the
quarter, $143,753
Duties chargeable on amounts retraining
in Warehouse, $139,343
. A CC V BTA. tiKu..
SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE 5, 1817.
lLTArchibald Boggs, Esq., was yesterday
re-elected Book-keeper of the Branch of the
j Dank of the Slate of Georgia, located in litis
I °hy.
fpV E. IT. Holliday, a membi r oft he Riclunond
Dlues, returned to this city yesterday morning.
We have not had the pleasure of seeing him
since his return. Ail of the b’hoys, noduubt will
he home in a day or two, when we hope to see a
1 warm reception given them.
Another Nomination.
The Macon Messenger and Journal of 2d
insl., comes out with another nomination, in
| the shape of Gen. Taylor for President, and
George W. Crawford for Vice President.
The Crop
The Clieraw Gazette ofthe Ist instant, says.—
“Daring last week we had several warm days,
and a beautiful season on Thursday and Friday
last; which, together, have considerably changed
; the appearance of the crops for the better. ”
Cotton Wq’iin ex,
Theodllor ofthe Abbeville Banner was shown
on thc2Gth ult., two stalks of Cotton, grown on
, the plantation of Mr. James Fair, upon which
j were several squares.
The Steamboat I face.
'i he New York Journal of Commerce of
j Ist hist. P. M., says—“ The Oregon beat the
| Vanderbilt in a race this morning to Croton
| Point and back, a distance of 72 miles, two
j and a half minutes, running time, three hours
j and nineteen minutes/’
|
Resignation ol Professor Hare*
At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of
|
the University of Pennsylvania, held on ilie
| 14th inst., Dr. Robert Hare resigned the
: situation of Professor of Chemistry in that
j institution, which he has tilled with so much
ability thirty years. The Board
j conferrecfwpon him the appointment of Erae
. ritus Professor of Chemistry.
It is stated on official data that there are
125 vessels engaged in the whale fisheries
| which belong to Connecticut. These em
ploy 5000 seamen acd a capital of about five
! millions of dollars.
The Norfolk Beacon says that Com. Kear
ney has been ordered to the command of the
| Gosport Navy Yard, in place of Com. Skin
ner, appointed Chief of the Bureau of Con
struction, Equipment and Repairs.
The citizens of Newburgh, N. Y., have
caused to be made an elegant sword, which
they intend to present to Col. Belknap, of the
U. S. Army, as a testimonial of their admira
tion of his gfllantry as a soldier. Col. B. is
a native of Newburgh,
; The citizens of Alexandria are about to
present a splendid sword to Lieut. Col. Child*,
of the U. S. Army, as a testimonial of their
admiration of his gallant conduct in Mexico.
Col. C. was formerly a citizen of Alexandria,
The three steam-propellers built at Phila-
I delphia for the U. S. Government, made trial
trips on Saturday afternoon, and proved them
selves fine vessels in point of speed.
Extraordinary Number of Clearances.
The New Orleans Picayune of the 30th
ult. says—“ The largest number of clear
ances, we believe, that has ever been made
at this port, was made yesterday. No less
! than thirty vessels were cleared, of which
four were ships, two barks, seven brigs,
twelve schooners, four steamers, and one
steamship. They had on board the following
merchandize: 3,303 bales cotton, 5,095 bar
rels flour; 22,122 bushels corn; 12,937 bush
els wheat; 251 bales hemp; 35 hogsheads to
bacco; 8,300 pigs lead, and 37 barrels of
whisky.”
The Baltimore Sun ofthe 2d ult. says—Hen-
Richard Hush, Minister to France, did not depart
yesterday in the Washington as was intended,
from New York, in consequence of sickness in
his family. Ho will depart in a few days.
The Boston Journal of Saturday afternoon
says—“We learn by a private letter from
Washington, that the U. S, ship Jamestown
is soon to be placed in commission, under
Comm’r Bolton, who has his orders for the
coast of Africa;and that the Plymouth,Comm’r
Gessioger, and the Fairfield, Comra’r Gednoy,
are ordered to the East Indies, and the St.
Louis to the Brazils. The squadron in the
Mediterranean is to be increased as soon as
the war with Mexico shall have been brought
t#a close—two frigates, probably, being at
tached to that squadron,
[ From the Chronicle Sentinel of ilk inst ]
l>c:itb of IC. It. Ringgold.
The following letter brings us the unwel
come and painful intelligence ofthe death of
a gallant young man, whose ardent enthusi
asm fur the service of his country induced
him to seek the theatre of war, where he has
fallen, in early manhood, an untimely victim
to lhe climate. With a mind which gave
I high promise of usefulness in maturer age,
j he lias been suddenly cut ofi'—sundered for
ever from the kind offices of a devoted mother,
and an affectionate sister, whose spirits were
but yesterday buoyed up with the high hope
of welcoming him in a few days—such a
! welcome as none but a mother and sister can
i give—to the enjoyments and sweets of home;
| —But alas, these bright hopes are forever
blasted, and instead ot meeting him in life
and clasping him to their bosoms to impress
upon his bronzed, war-worn cheeks, affec
tion’s sweetest kiss,lheir’s will be the melan
choly duty to consign his remains to the cold
! embraces of the tomb.
New Orleans, May 29th, 1847.
i Mr. Junes- —We are thus far on our way
I home; you may expect us about the middle of
i June. J would write you a long letter, but
I really have not the time. Capt. Dill is
sick, and we lost on }'esterdav, R. H. Ring
gold, a young man universally beloved and
respected. I shall endeavor to have his re
mains carried home, as the only offering we
can make his afflicted mother and sjster.
Truly yours, John Ph'ikezy, Jr.
[We are informed that tiic remains of Mr.
Ringgold, are expected by the cars this raoru
[communicated.]
V ou remember the time when 1 first sought yotlr home,
When a smile, not a word, was the summons to come.
When you culled me your frtcud, till I found with sur
-1 pßs«,
; I hat our friendship turned oul to be love in disguise.
You remember it don’t you ? You will think of it won’t
you 7
Yes, yes,of all this the remembrance will lu; l
Long after the present fades into the past
You remember the grief which grew brighter when
. shared
, With the bliss, you remember, could ought be c; in pared 7
i You remember how food was my earliest vow !
N ot louder than that which 1 breathe to thee now .
You remember it don't you 2 You will think of it won’t
> ou 7
Yes, yes, of all tins the remembrance will inst
; Long after the p escut fades into the past.
Arrival of Troops.
The steamer Jamestown, Gapt. Whitten,
■ from Cincinnati, which arrived yesterday,
j brought down Capt. E. Bogardus, and Lieuts.
f Smith, Murray and Martin, with company
E. 14th Regiment, numbering 85 men. The
steamer Die Vernon, Capt. JStaiiey, also ar
i rived yesterday from Cincinnati, wilh two
> companies of the 15th Regiment, under the
. command of Col. Howard, and one company
ofthe 2d Regiment, under the Command of
Capt. Cosey—numbering in ail 331 rank and
* file. The steamer Star-Spangled Banner,
r Capt. Pierce, from Cincinnati, brought down
I Capt. Chase, and Lieuts. Goodlove and Wilie,
’ wi ll 90 men of the 15th Regiment—and the
■ steamer Caroline, from Cincinnati, with 250
recruits for the new regiments—arrived last
night- —JV. O. Delia, 30lh nil.
| Depat Hire of Troops.
The ship Russia, Capt. llantiford, and the
ship Southport, Capt. Griffith,sailed last night
from Vera Cruz. They lake dowu Col.
Joshua Howard and Capfs. Yandewentor,
Jones, lloagland, Quarles, Chase and Towl,
1 with GOO mem The steamship Mary Knigs
• land, Capt. Davis, with Lieut* Scull ofthe
. 7th Infantry; W. Hammond and G. VV. Arm
strong, Paymaster’s clerk. Lam m Gill, Esq.,
who goes for the remains of Lieut. Gill, of
Tennessee, who fell at Cerro Gordo, and
160 teamsters and a like number of horses
on board, also sailed for Vera Cruz.
Tiie bark Jubilee, Capt, Harman, sailed
for the Brazos, having on board Capt. C. P.
Smith, 200 men of the 19. h Infantry and a
detachment of the 3d Dragoons.— Ju.
[From the Album/ Atlas of Saturday ,]
A Slave Case in Albany,
This morning the New York boats brought
to the Delevan House a Mr. Duchong of
New Orleans, accompanied by two colored
children, one 14 the oilier IG. who had been
slaves in ths possession of Mr. D. There
t was great commotion and excitement among
those who felt it a duty to rescue these children
; from servitude, which resulted in the issuing
of a writof habeas corpus to bring the chil
dren before a Judge, and show what cause
there was for detention. The case came on
at 11 A. M. before Judge Bramhall. Mr.
Duchong declared that lie did not claim the
boy and girl as slaves (though they belonged
to him in that capacity) but that they volun
tarily accompanied him as servants,and were
to go with him to France, and that, he was
willing it should be left to their option to go
with him as such, or not. Under these cir
cumstances Judge B. instructed the children
j as to their rights, and told them that they
must make their own election, whether to
accompany their master, or remain here.—
| Both the boy and girl decided to continue
i wilh Mr. Duchong; and the case was dis
| charged.
More Military Heroes.
Our anti-war Whigs have a furious taste for
| military candidates. Not only must they have
a “wholesale murderer of Mexican women and
children” for a President; but the Governor of
Georgia also run to the music ofthe drum
and fife, and the shrieks of butchered, Indian,
I squaw and papooses. \V ithlacoochee must come
into the field political, says the Savannah Repub
lican. “What say you Georgians I—“(quoth
the editor) will Taylor and Clinch—“Okechobee
and Withiacoocheedo for you?”
Here is “.war, pestilence and famine” of Whig
origin with a vengeance! Cannot Scott and
Worth, Capt. Walker and Charley May, be
roped in to advantage, somew here? There a “lit
tle more grape Capt. Bragg!” what a ery “cry”
that would make for a canvass, eh! Old Twiggs,
too, who says little, but is always on band when
fighting is to be done, could not the Whigs do
something with him? A door-keeper to the
blouse of Representatives, or private Secretary to
Cor. Clinch? Think of it, Messrs. Editors, you
have not half exhausted the prlitico military box
yet —Columbus Times, Is/, inst.
Col. Doniphan’s Expedition,
In the history of the present war, there
has not been a more impudent underta
king than that so successfully accom
plished by Col. Doniphan. With a force
11 ■ I««r T’*'*’*".~* r r~~*Y747* > * J *“ l um,mm
not exceeding 1000 men, nearly all volun
teers. he marched between 400 and 500
miles through a hostile country, defeated
a vastly superior force of the enemy in
two engagements, (at Bi acilo and Sacra
mento) capturing eleven pieces of artille
ry, and finally capturing ihe Capital of
ihe State of Chihuahua in triumph. More
recent reports, through the Mexican chan- |
nels, represent him to have proceeded 200
miles further South to a place called Fa
ral, whither the. Slate government had
fled; and it was feared hy the Mexicans
tiiat he was about to penetrate the Stale
of Durango! The probability is, that he .
was on his way to Saltillo, to join Gen. j
Taylor—the term of service of his men |
being about to expire. Should they lake
ihat loute home, they w ill have travelled
more than 4000 miles, viz :
Miles.
From St. Louis, Missouri, to Santa Fe 990
“ p Santa Fe to Chihuahua o'U
“ Caihual.ua to Saltillo
“ Saltillo to Mouth of Ilio Grande 490
“ Mouth of the Rio Grande to New
Orleans, say - 800
“ New Orleans to St. Louis HBO
4180
(V. V. Jour. Com.
Asi aiuiisiiig ia tlic.Acw York
1 .legislature.
By far the richset and most graphic scene
which has taken place in any legislative body,
was that in which Mike Walsh and Bub
Watson figured as principal actors.
Bob Watson, who is a lawyer, represented
ihe city of Albany in the Legislature. He is
somewhat vain of his abilities and personal
appearance, though withal a pretty clever sort
of fellow. His hair being, as lie a leges,
rather thin, he concluded, some two weeks
since, to get his head shaved, and enscouse |
himself in a wig until a new and more ;
-yigoro is c op J weloped itself, J hat this was
his sole object, however, has been rende ed
>o u ea ha dt uhlful, notwithstanding his pro
fera oils to the contrary, by the form and
co or of the artificial covering which he lias
selected as a temporary shield to preserve
his bald knob from the inclemency of the
weather and the rude gaze ot the thoughtless,
vulgar, and quizzing rabble. His own hair
was light, sandy, and perfectly straight; and
the wig % which flows in a luxuriant profusion
i of glossy ringlets, is as black as the plume ot
I a raven* By this you can judge how great
| was the alteration produced in his personal
appearance. The House having resolved it
self into committee of the whole, Mr. Blod
gett, of Genesee, in the chair, the suspense
in which all the members had set during the
whole morning was suddenly broken by Bob s
rising in his seat, which is some distance
fromlhat of Mike, and bawling out at the lop
jof his voice—“ Mr. Chairman, 1 rise, sir, with
| the vi-i-ew of making a few remarks upon
this-——.” Here tie was brought to a dead
| stand still by Mike, who jumping up, exclaim
! ed with the most imperturable gravity, “ Mr.
; Chairman, I rise to a question oi order.”
; Chairman- -(Scarcely able to suppress hie
; laughter)—The gentleman from New * ork.
1 j Mike —(Looking over at Bub, whom he
i wildly scrutinized from head tc foot, vrith
, j great seeming amazement, and considerable
I indignation)—l would like to know, sir, by
i what right individuals who are not members
| ot this House can be permitted to take part in
j its debate; where, sir, are we to slop if the
i floor of this House, with all the rights of
j membership, is to be thus thrown open to the
public at large?
At this the whole House, galleries, mem
bers, officers, rep inters, Chairman, and, in
short, afl but Mke and Bob, were absolutely
convulsed with laughter—many laughing
until tears rolled down their cheeks. Not the
shadow of a smile, however, was to be seen
on the counfenan«e of either of the two actors
in this most admirable force.
Mike’s eye, as he leaned over, rested
steadily on Bob, and the latter gentleman
seemed perfectly paraliyzed by the unexpect
ed, and, to him, inexplicable course matters
had taken. He seemed riveted to the spot,
and remained perfectly speechless. At length
the chairman became sufficiently composed
to dra wl out, in a very indistinct manner,l.hat
lie was “rather inclined to the belief that the
gentleman was a number.”
Mike —Not having before had the plcasare
of seeing the gentleman, sir, I would inquire
of the chairman at what time he has present
ed his credentials, and what particular sec
tion of the Stale he has the honor to repre
sent?
A second roar of laughter, if possible more
bosilerous than the first, succeeded this in
quiry, and Bob,who is notorious for his cheek
and selfcomplacency, seemed on the verge
fainting, when tiie chairman announced that
“he believed the gentleman was from Alba
ny.”
Mike —(with increased surprise)— Albany?
I thought Mr. Watson represented Albany.
It is utterly impossible to give even a Hint
idea of what followed, and the whole House
roared until they almost fell under their desks,
from the exhaustion produced by excessive
mirth.
Oil of Stones.
Under fliis title we find in a recent Paris
journal an account of a singular substance
manufactured in France, of peculiar proper
ties. It was discovered several years since,
and an interesting paper upon it was reab
before the Institute. Since then its manu
facture, far from being abandoned, as many
supposed, has been silently undergoing im
provements, and recently a company has
been formed for its manufacture. It is now
termed mineral oil. By means of a new and
very ingenious instrument and machinery,
they obtain an oil as transparent as the pu
rest water. This remarkable liquid is said
to have this great advantage, of notstaining
by contact, and of giving an admirable light
by the fixedness and clearness of the tUme.
The company possesses in Autunnois, inex
haustible beds of the mineral from which
this oil is extracted, as well as several other
productions, as paraffine, mineral tar, a new
kind of manure, invaluable for exhausted
land, and many others. However much we
may be surprised, adds ihe journal from
which we derive this information, at seeing
a vile and despised rock thus yielding a vari
ty of precious matters, there is no room for
us to doubt the fact. It only proves that the
science ofChemistry is in its infancy, and
that no one can assign limits to its progress.
When the first attempts were made to burn
bituminous coal, who then would have believ
ed in such results as gaslight, its application
to the generation of steam,or the bright future
in reserve for so humble a mineral? And
yet, are not the mines of Auzin more valua
ble to their proprietors, than the silver mines
of both the Indies?
Exhaustion of Talk*
How long the lump of conversation holds
out to burn, between two persons only, is cu
riously set clown in the following passage
from Count Gunlallonicr’s account ot his im
prisonment: .
‘•I am an old man now; yet by fifteen years
my soul is younger than my body! i ilteeu
i years I existed, lor I did not live it was nut
life—in the self same dungeon ten feet
i square! During six years 1 had a compan
ion; during nine 1 was alone! I never could
, rightlv dial inguisb the face of him who shared
my captivity in tire eternal twilight of our
cell. The first year we talked incessantly
together! we related our past lives, our joys
j forever gone, over and over again. The next
I year we communicated to each other our
j thoughts and ideas on ail subjects. 1 iie thiid
! year, we had no ideas to communicate; wo
were beginning to lose the power of reflec
tion! The fourth, at Jhe interval of a month
or so, we would open our lips to a.T each
oilier if it were indeed possible that the wor d
went on as gay and bustling as w hen we
formed a portion of mankind. Tne fifth we
were silent. The sixth, be was taken away,
1 never knew where, to execution or to liber
ty; but I wa s glad when he was gone; even
solitude was better than the dim vision of
l that pale vacant face. After that 1 was
alone, only one event broke in upon nine
year’s vacancy. One day, it must have been
a year or two after my companion left me,
liu* dungeon door was opened, and a voice—
whence proceeding I knew not—uttered these
words; ‘l3y orders of his imperial majesty, I
intimate to you that your wife died a year
ago.’ Then the door was shut, and J heard
no more; they had but flung this great agony
j in upon me. and left me alone wrlli it again.
Eloquence mid Ducks.
The advocate who is truly eloquent
wants but a pin’s point on which to rest
the fulcrum of his imaginative (lowers. —
I The force of this conclusion was yester
-1 dav fully fell in a case that came befme
the Recorder. An honest Dutchman a< -
Sensed a laboring man, named Jack
i Wrong, with having stolen three ducks
from him, and afterwards for having as
saulted and struck him.
‘•Now, sir,” said the counsel for Wrong,
tothe astounded prosecutor, --stale your
, case, and remember, state it in a clear
j and perspicuous manner.”
‘•Well, den, I shall stdate it. Yt u s e
mine ducks wash trove out of mine yaid
mil proom-haridles and sthones : deie
wash tree of dem ducks wat wash trove
out, and dere wash one of It; ducks dat
i would not he trove out, and’
“Stop, sir!” said the counsellor, rising
in the majesty of five feet one inch—
“stop sir! Can you identify those
ducks?”
) *• What ish dal?”
“1 mean, sir, are there any marks
about them by which, iftiiey were now
presented to his honor, the Judge, you
, could point out as having observed before?
Remember you are ou your oath, sir!”
, “Yesh, 1 knows mine duck>; I hatched
dem mineself; dat ish dey wash hatched
Iby mins wife’s prown hen-chicken,
and’
“Don’t speak of what was dene by oth
ers, sir—speak of what you personally
know.”
“Well, den, de ducks wash a gabblin'
and eatin' in mine yard, when Mishter
\V rong’s wife come out rnit a proom han
dle in her hand, andchasfes dem into her
yard, and”—-
“Slop, sir—i am done with you. Now,
may it please the Court, I have a few
words to say in this case. Thanks be to
Heaven, 1 have established the innocence
of my client beyond the shadow of a
do ibt. This illiterate German comes be
fire this honorable court, and accuses my
client with having stolen three ducks.--
Did he identify tfio.se ducks? No, st r .
They might have been teal, sir, that de
licious bird that old Epicurus himself
would have delighted in; they might have
been the glorious canvass-back, or the
martial red-head—aye, sir, they might
have been the Muscovy.duck, for all the
prosecutor knows! And then again, lie
says they were warmed into life by a
brown ben! Was there any tiling so pre
posterous?—was there any tiling so en
tirely opposed to the sublime laws of na
ture? And, sir, to clap the climax, after
having taken his solemn oath that my cli
ent stole from him three ducks, he has the
brazen effrontery to charge my client’s
estimable lady with this audacious rob
bery. I call upon the Court, not as a
man, hulas an advocate—aye, sir, as the
oracle of the law—to frown down this
charge, and allow my client to walk forth
from this frail of justice without a stain
upon his character—without a cloud upon
his honest brow!”
The Recorder sa*d he would pass over
the ducks, but the deduction he made was,
that Mr. Wrong was guilty of the assault
and battery, and he required him to give
8500 security to keep the peace.—JV. O.
Delta.
IHr A morose looking rnon was yesterday
brought before the Recorder for beating hi* wife,
J who has, or rather has had, the verv tongue of
j a termigant. The watchman described the wo
i man as unable to speak at the time he arrested
the prisoner, so severe was the beating she had
Just received. “E twards,” said the Recorder—
the prisoner’s name was John Edwards— “ I shall
fine you ten dollars and oblige you to give bail to
keep the peace.”
“This is the sentence of the Court, is it?” said
Edwards.
“Is it,” said the Recorder.
•• Then I protest against it,” said Edwards.
‘ O i what ground?” sail! the Recorder.
On the ground,” said Edwards, “that it is con
trary to the spirit of our institutions, and a viola
tion of my personal rights as a citizen,”
“flow sol” said the Recorder.
“How so! said Edwards. “Why, sir, its out
rageous. How! for making an attempt to do
what 1 succeeded in accomplishing, you dub Gen.
1 aylor a hero—and a hero he no doubt is— you
throw up your caps and say he shall be every
body’s President, or the President of ail parties,
which is about the same, and—”
“Well. sir,” said the Recorder, “where lies the
analogy between your conduct and that of Gen.
Taylor?”
“ VV hy , in this, sir,” said Edwards, “he has at
tempted to conquer a peace, and, so far, has fail
ed; I attempted to conquer a peace, and, accord
ing toy our own testimony--the testimony of your
watchman—/ succeeded.