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Somarnbulism. —We have many stri
king: instances that the mental facul
ties are by no means torpid during the ,
time of sleep, hut in the following cir-.
umstances, fully authenticated, there
is ample proof that the powers ot the
mind may at that period sustain grea
ter labor than during our waking mo
ments. The subject is one well de
serving of attention, both in a medical
and philosophical point of \iew.—
About three months ago, John liuck-
Cdge, the son of a wealthy and re
s| we table fanitcr, residing near Leeds,
in Yorkshire, was placed at a grammar
school within a few miles of that town,
kept by the Rev. Mr. Dunne. Young
.Muck-ridge, who was entered as a boar
der, displayed very litttle inclination
lor learning during the month of his
probation, lie talked incessantly of the
plough and harrow,the dairy and farm
yard, the hogs and horses,and heartily
wished that he was among them, and
free from the tedious and irksome
task of poring over honks, the contents
of which he neither knew or seemed
to wish to know—he thought
“ Where ignorance was bliss,
’Two* folly to he wise.”
However, the Principal of the estab
lishment neglected no means in en
deavoring to call forth whatever in
tellect the boy might have: still lie
evinced no thirst for improvement,
and his retentive faculties being ex-‘
tremely defective, he seldom remem
bered in the morning any part of the
lesson committed to their keeping on
the proceeding evening. In this man
ner the boy continued to plod on wea
rily with his studies until the the ex
piration of another month, when a vis
ible change was remarked in the man
tier he .performed tne various school
business allotted him; he that was
before only remarkable lor dullness
and stupidity became the most correct
and generally perfect student in the
entire academy'; but the cause of this
most singular change still remained a
mystery. During the usual hours for
business, he was, as before, listless and
inattentive —neither did he relax in
|,is amusements, so that lie did not
m m to devote one hour more to <-tu
dv. It happened, however, that one
oi’the ushers who occupied an apart
ment contiguous to the school-room,
hearing a noise in the passage betwixt
the hours of twelve and one, w hen the
family had all retired to rest, was in
duced to watch, on the supposition of
thieve having broken into the house.
On partly opening the door, all was
dark and silent; hot in a few minutes
after, young Buckridge ascended bom
the kitchen with a lamp alight in his
hand, which he had brought troin it.—
The usher’s fears now gave way to cu
riosity, and lie determined to watch
the movements of the hoy, who was
evidently enjoying a profound sleep.
Buckridge passed on with a rapid,
though cautious step, to the door of
the school room, which he unlocked,
and proceeded directly to the place
that he generally occupied, opened a
desk in which Ins books were depos
ited took them out and arranged them
in due order before him, and instantly
fell to study. The astonished usher
imagining that it might be a trick of
the boy, pinched him repeatedly, hut
to no purpose; he seemed insensible
to every thing save only the pursuit of
learning, and after having successive-:
lv perused the di He rent lessons mark
ed for his business on the following
morning, he arose from the seat and
repeated them to the Principal’s desk,
as if lie had been there for examina
tion, in the most perfect and satisfac
tory manner. The usher having faith
fully reported this singular discovery,
Mr.‘D. i csolved to watch the follow ing j
night, uud be enabled to question the !’
I;ul ; lie a:cordingly did so, and about J
the same hour as on the preceding,
night, young B. arose from his bed and
went through the same ceremony w ith
the addition of writing his Knglisli Ex
ercise, which were not included in the
business of the former day. Having
completed his important ulfairs, he
‘proceeded its before to Mr. JVs desk,
whqve that gentleman now stood, to
gether with the usher, and here lie re
■jh ;’.! and in regular succession, his vari
ous U*>soiis, replied to ntany (juestinns
potto him by Mr. I). and Anally hav
ing delivered hi hu exercises for exa
mination, returned to the kitchen with
die lunii>, which he carefully extin
guished ami went hack to bed. Being
< lonely questioned in the morning, as
how he had come so perfect in his
school business, he could &3stgn no
icasnti whatever, ior being so, and de
clam} that it had surprised himself.—
One thing is ciriain, that the sleep is bv
no .means} counterfeit*, tin* lad still
knows nothing ol it,but almost invaria
ble quits bis bed at the same hour and
goes through Ids school business with
thy same unremitting regularity.
L'nului/ Vnncr.
jferet'SH JrWttUtOCHCa.
London, March 17.
In the House of Lords on the 16th
Lord Bathurst presented the papers
relative to the measures which had
been taken to ameliorate the condi
i tion of the slaves in the West Indies,
and which have been adopted in con
formity with the resolutions of the
House of Commons in May, 18*23.
These measures consist in giving them
religious instruction, in abolishing
.Sunday markets, and the practice of
punishing the female negroes by
stripes; in preventing in the sale ot
slaves the separation of the wife from
the husband, or the mother from her
children; in promoting facilities to
emancipation, and in admitting under
certain restrictions the testimony ot
slaves in courts of justice. These
measures, said th minister,have been
generally approved of by the slave-hol
ders of the West Indies. Jamaica
altine has received with dissatisfaction
the propositions of government on the
subject of slaves, and he regretted that
this colony which had formerly ex
ptessed such a great desire to amelio
rate the condition of the negroes,should
now present so perverse an example ;
but he still thought that when the le
gislature of the island should recon
sider the matter and discuss it with
moderation they w ill arrive at the de
sired conclusion.
In the House of Commons, Mr. Can
ning detailed the orders which had
been si veil for establishing in one of
the colonies, a plan fw* progressively
improving the situation of the slaves,
to serve as an example to the others.
The Minister resisted the proposition
for enfranchising the generation that
should he born after a certain period
and preferred the means that had been
adopted for a gradual ami genera
emancipation.
By letters received from the British
squadron before Algiers, dated 2<-
Vlarcii, it is stated that the Dev hat
renewed lus engagements with Admi
ral Sir Harry Neale, not to make Chris
tian captives, ami to abide by the trea
ty made with Lord Kxmouth. Sir 11.
Neale was in consequence about to
rqturti to Malta with his licet.
Flie Queen ami Prince Miguel, are
accused of having perpetrated the as
sassination of the Marquis Lore la, one
of the Chamberlains of the King of
Portugal. That nation is said to be in
a very disturbed state.
Tlaly. —Letters from Rome of the
6th ult. state that great mortality pre
vails there in consequence of the in
tense cold. The mountains in the
■neighborhood are covered with snow,
and the Argentina Theatre had been
closed for several days, owing to the
illness of the principal singers, caused
by cold taken at the Theatre. The
accounts from .Switzerland speak of
the winter there, as one of the most
severe that has been known for several
years : at a short distance from Berne,
an avalanche had carried away a
a building and animals tojthe distance
id’ nearly 500 yards.
AFFAIRS OF GREF.CF..
All the advices from Greece and
its neighborhood, continue to be of the
most cheering character. It is sta
ted in the Augsburg Gazette, that a
vessel had arrived at ‘Trieste from
Smyrna, in twelve days, bringing in
telligence that Cavysto, the capture of
which had been so often announced,
has at length surrendered to Odysseus.
According to the capitulation conclu
ded between the Chiefs of the two
parties, the Turkish garrison are to
be conducted to Nogropont. Letters
from Darra/./.0, in Albania, state that
a corps of the Greeks, consisting
two thousand men, has arrived in the
environs of Arta. J'atras was ex
pected to surrender shortly. Lord
Byron had adopted a Greek dress,
and had marched with a corps agai.ist
Lapnnto. He was appointed a mem
ber ofthe council of Western Greece.
It was reported that the Pacha of
Scutari, had raised the standard of
rebellion against'Turkey, and declar
ed his intention of making common
cause with the Albanians and Hellen
es. Several English officers of merit
had recently arrived in Greece, and
several cargoes of munitions of war.
A letter from Odessa, dated Feb.
25, says—“ The solemn promise made
by the Senate of Hydra to the Euro
pean Consuls, to respect the Gulf of
Smyrna has produced a strong sensa
tion here. The French Consul, who
offered his intervention to prevent an
attack upon Smyrna, has received
from the Hydriot Senate, a gold sword
valued at 10,000 piastres bearing the
inscription, “ Dieu et la Foi.”
Accounts from Constantinople, to
Feb. 12th. contradict the report of
Peace having been ratified with Per
sia, and state that the Turkish army
had recently been completely defeat
ed in the neighborhood of Bagdad.
Tans, February 23.
The birth day of Washington was
celebrated by the Americans in Paris,
on the 21st, the 22d being Sunday. —-
They met to the number of about for
ty, at the Quadrant Bleu, and partook
of a dinner served up in tiie greatest
style of elegance. Mr. Barnet, our
Consul, presided, with the Marquis
do La Favctte on his lett. and Mr.
Sheldon, our Charge-des-Aflair, on
his right. The flags of France and
the United States were displayed be
hind the President’s chair, and two
wreaths were suspended, one on the
right, enclosing the name ot Wash
ington, and the other on the lett en
closing that of La Fayette. Those only
who have seen the table of a fashiona
ble French restorateur, arrayed for a
public dinner, can imagine the taste
and fancy which were displayed on
this occasion.
Nothing is calculated to make an
American esteem his country so much
as a visit to Europe, “ Home, sweet
the land of “ virtue, liberty,
and independence,” is never so
dear, as when viewed in contrast with
the vice and despotism which reign
over these lands. So we all thought,
or seemed to think, when we came
together to celebrate one of the most
animating American anniversaries.—
The set toasts wcre’necessarily rircum
speot on account of the modified kind
of liberty which prevails here ; and the
volunteer sentiments sent to the chair
were very judiciously called by the
President who is a careful man.
On reading a toast complimentary
to La Fayette, he rose, and made a
short address, of which the following
is the substance. You see it alludes
to the subject of his going to America
which it is thought he will do, if lie
should fail of being elected to the
Chamber of Deputies. The Ameri
cans would he astonished to see him
look so young as he doss.
“ I request you gentlemen to ac
cept my affectionate thanks for these
new testimonies of your friendship.—
While every generous mind, on this
side of the Atlantic has applauded the
late noble and timely declaration of
the United States, it could not but
excite the pride of a heart glowing
with all the feelings of an old patriot
and soldier—engaged as 1 have been
here from the beginning, and as I
now am, in great contest between the
rights of mankind and the pretensions
of European despotism and aristocra
cy. There are motives of duty and
honor that must direct the time w hen
it shall be my happy lot to revisit the
shore of freedom, hut that moment will
be the most delightful I can ever en
joy” .
By the arrival of the ship Sachem,
at Boston on the 18th ult. from St.
Lucas, North West Coast, we learn
that a Russian sloop of war, was sur
veying the port of St. Francisco, (lu
ring the months ol February and
March, 1823,and sailed thence to the
North West Coast, iu search of our
vessels engaged in trading there. The
captain of the sloop of war, informed
the commandant of St. Francisco, that
he should capture all vessels found
breaking the imperial Ukase. When
the Sachem left, every thing was
peaceable there, but the inhabitants
were much alarmed for tear the Rus
sians meant to possess themselves of
the country. They adhere to the
Mexican government, but tlio commu
nication between that and California
was tardy, and at times intercepted.
The Russians still continue their set
tlement about 30 miles to the north
ward of Port Bodega, and have taken
possession of that place, where they
have lately built two vessels.
The New-York Evening Post
mentions a letter received in that
city from Laguira, of the 26th
March, containing intelligence of
the arrival there on the day pre
ceeding of a French man of war
brig, despatched by the com’dt.
General of Martinique, by express
order of hi 9 King, to the govern
ment, to assure it that the French
nation entertained the most perfect
friendship towards Colombia, and
that the whole of the reports so
generally circulated in England
and the United States relative to
this country, are without founda
tion.
From the Albany Argfiv
New Justices’ Act. —The bill
“ for the further and more speedy
recovery of debts of the value of
one hundred dollars was read a
third time on Friday, and passed,
by a vote of 72 to 40. The bill
abolishes all the proceedings by
certiorari to the supreme court;
and substitutes an appeal in all cas
es to the court of common pleas.
The system of appeals is so alter
ed as to allow all evidence in the
common pleas without restricting
the parties to the evidence im
proved before the justice.
WetUtesiUis, ♦Man VI.
H r A communication by “We the People”
has been received, und but for the personaMty
coutained in it, should find a place in our pa
. per. We have said that our columns were
open for an answer to Cracker, und we now
reprut it. But we did not, nor do we consider
, ourselves bound by that invitation to publish
pieces containing such strong personal allu
sions as “We the People.” Wherever, or by
whomsoever ** Cracker” may have been writ
i ten, if we understood it right, its object was
; to strike at the principle of electioneering;—
, and we have no doubt but it may be applied
i iu a greater or less degree to one hall of the
counties in the State. “We the People is ot
i a very different cast; and we take this oppor
> trinity to give notice, not only to him, but to
: all who may feel disposed to write tor the
• press, that we cannot have our paper made the
■ vehicle for conveying private invective* from
one individual to another. In truth, we would
■ rather be excused from interfering at all with
the local politicks of the county. Communi
cations that embrace general principles, and
exempt from personality, will be thanktullv
received.
•This remark is not intended for “ We the
. people,” or any other individual. We do not
charge him with invective.
We are glad to sec that the President lies in
structed Mr. Minian Edwards not to proceed
on his mission as Minister to Mexico, but to
hold himself subject to the special committee
appointed to investigate the charges preferred
by the said Edwards against Mr. Crawford. If
Mr. Crawford is guilty of the offences with
which Mr. Edwards lias charged him, let it he
made publick, and let him share the fate due
to his crimes. But if, on the other bund, he
should, on this third investigation, (as he has
on the two former) be found innocent of those
charges, then let Mr. E’s. malice recoil upon
his own head.
After the charges have been publicly read iu
the House of Representatives, at this particular
juncture of time it would bean act of the most
consuinate injustice to let them remain unin
vestigated till the setting ofthe next Congress.
A select committee appointed by
Congress to inquire into the expedien
cy of occupying llie mouth of Colum
bia Riyer, report —“ That they have
considered the subject referred to them
and are persuaded that both in a mili
tary and commercial point of view,
the occupation of that territory is of
great importance to the Republic.”
The Tariff Bill was taken up in the
Senate on the 28th ult. In committee
of the whole, the duties on several un
important articles, were either redu
ced or stricken out. After considera
ble discussion, the article imposing a
duty on Iron, was stricken from the
bill, by a vote of 24 to 23.
Teas.’ — M essrs. Barbour, Branch,
Clayton, Edwards, Elliot, Gaiilard,
Hayne, Holmes of Me. Holmes of
Miss. H. Johnson of Lou. J. S. Johnston
of Lou. Kelly, King of Ala. King of N.
Y. Lloyd of Md. Lloyd of Mass. Ma
con, Mills, Parrott, Smith, Taylor of
Va. Van Dyke, Ware, Williams.
Nays. —Messrs. Barton, Bell, Brea
ton, Brown, Chandler, D’VVolf, Dick
erson, Eaton, Findlay, Jackson, John
son of Ky. Knight, Lanman, Lowrie,
Mcllvaine, Noble, Palmer, Ruggles,
Seymour,Talbot, Taylor, of In. Tho
mas, Van Buren.
The following liberal remarks are
from the Charleston Courier, a paper
decidedly opposed to Mr. Crawford.
Impartial journalists, whatever mav
be their opinion of the Secretary of the
Treasury, cannot but observe with
pain, the mode and the time of prefer
ring against him the accusation of Mr.
Edwards. That gentleman, as Sena
tor of the United States, descended
from his official station as adviser of
the President, and scattered his opin
ions anonymously, without character
or responsibility.—What he knew it
became him manfully to have promul
gated, and have left nothing which lie
knew dependant lor belief upon an ano
nymous signature, Mi. Edwards, how
ever, was last year examined before
a committee ol Congress, whose enqui
ry resulted in exhonerating Mr. Craw
ford from blame.
Now, appointed minister to Mexico
he employs the interval previous to
his departure—his relaxation from the
duties ol Senator—in framing an ela
borate attack upon Mr. Crawford,
which lie presents to the House of Rep
resentatives, at the close of a most la
borious session ; within a few months
of the time when that very same House
of Representatives, may be called to
decide whether Mr. Crawford shall be
I resident. And where is he, the pro
secutor of these charges— at Wash,
ton ? No—at New Orleans— one tt
sand miles from the tribunal at wl, m
he has preferred these serious char*
Now. whether these charges are trC
or false, the time for preferring tin.!’
is positively injurious to the nation
and cruelly injurious to Mr. Cra\v|’< m i’
Congress cannot, without Mr. p,|
wards’ presence, decide, satisfactorily
on these charges, or any of them. If
attendance cannot be procured wif*
out expense incident to the lon* n ro *
tracted sitting of Congress, the costs
of sending a national vessel to an ]
from New Orleans to Washing
and the delay,whatever effect thatVj
have on our relations with Mexico,f.
The nation, then, may well ask \|
Edwards why he delayed so lon*
communicate these important secret,
which appear to have been buried!
his bosom, only to be revealed in
absence—as the artillerists who i n
flame a mine, retire from its exn| u ..
sion.
If Congress shall adjourn, without
concluding this inquiry, the nation
will escape the evils we have alluded
to, but will not Mr. Crawford,in that
case, be the victim of a most cruel ac
cusation which many will find it their
interest to believe and to circulate
and which may ruin him before liecai,
be heard ?
We have thus candidly stated our
views of this subject. Mr. Edward*
however correct in his opinions and
statements, is indefensible in the time
and manner of his bringing them for
ward.
Nor, until they shall be proved,
ought they, in justice, to weigh an?
thing. Why should a lamp bun,,
from which the oil to feed it is with,
held r—How can an accusation pros
per, when the witness is a runaway:
The following letter from the Sec
retary of the Treasury, is given in the
National Intelligencer, “as having
been made the ground work of the fu
rious manifesto of Mr. Edwarils, ,: ~
We have copied a summary of Mr. Ed
wards’ charges, but are obliged to
omit his address to the Speaker of:he
llou se of Representatives, in support
of them, owing to its extreme len^h.
Treasury Department, )
March 22, 1824.)
In further compliance with a
resolution of the House of Repre
sentatives of the Bth of May, 1&22
the Secretary of the Treasury has
now the honor to transmit copies
of all the official correspondence be
tween the Secretary and the banks
in which the public moneys were
deposited, from the lst of Januarv,
1817, to the Bth of May, 1822, tfat
is considered as included, either
directly or indirectly, in the terms
ofthe resolution,and that has n
been heretofore communicated to
the House.
The Hon. Mr. Edwards, late a
Senator from Illinois, having sta
ted, on his examination before a
Committee of the House, on the
13th ol February, 1823, that the
late Receiver of public moneys at
Edwardsvillej had, on his advice
and in his presence, written a let
ter to the Secretary, enclosini; a
copy of a publication which Mr.
Edwards represents himself to have
made sometime in the year 18fa
announcing his intention of retir
ing from tiie directorship of the
Bank of EdwardsviUe ; and that
he had advised the Receiver to
withhold his deposites from the
ban k, until he could receive fa
ther orders from the Secretary di
recting him to continue the depos
ties; the Secretary deems it pro*
per to state that no such letter,
from the Receiver is to be f° u[U
on the files of the Department that
the officers employed in it have t>°
recollection of the receipt of such 3
letter ; and that, on an examiatt •’
of the records of the Department
it appears that no answer to
such letter, directing the Kcc el ' el
to continue the deposites, was e' tr
written to him by the Secretary ot
the ‘Treasury.
The Hon. the Speaker
Os the House of He [/rest ntath ,( *‘
MR. EDWARDS’ MEMORIAL-
We promised, in our last to g l ' e
to day some further account of m*
“ Defensive Accusati c>n” of
Edwards, late senator from I^ in ‘
ois,now on his way to Mexico* in
the capacity of Mini ster from m s
United States. The memorial n°j
having been ordered to be prin fßt
and being in the hands of a com
mittee, we are glad to avail oui
selvcs of so much of it as was p u °
lished in the “ Washington R e P. u ’‘
lican” on Monday evening to g |Vl
the reader an idea of its obje ct *
temper and spirit. The whole ®
the memorial we shall P ro^; 11 *