Newspaper Page Text
BATTLE OF JENA.
From a he (< i . :a Publication,
Whoever is acquainted with tiic Prussian
r.t,.?c., will certainly see with vexation an cc.i
i’ic <; nnilci joined, that once contained so nun h
t vceilcijcc, and wlii'Ji might so easily one e
more have tentered i.s ancient dignity and
consistency, if the heads of the empire had un
derstood the prognostics of die time.., and had
l>ecn willing to s'tbmit to t few necessary re
-1 >rnis. A reform was particularly requisite
in that part of the military t:y stein, wheli ex
cluded h'om all promotion in tk<- auny the
most learned and enlightened member:. of so
ciety, cu. the higher classes of the < iii/c:.;-,
not o! ti; rur.it oi nobility ; and it is rcnsar'ai
l>io, tli.it ui• order issued in France, similar to
that which appeared in Prussia some years ago,
pci milling the nobility'alone to la: promoted,
preeded the disturbances in the at my which
coded m the Iwcaking out ol the revolution.
1 ho c: who ;ue well informed on the subject,
assure us, that prince Lewis Ferdinand, of
l’ru-. .it, the night la lore the buttleoi Sa-lfcldt,
in w hi* ii he Fell, foretold to several of his con
fide) iti i friends the fate of die Prussian army.
The counsels of colonel Vo.i Pitihl were never
list; ned to from the beginning.
l'Jirce, principal errors probably hurled the
Prussi:ui army into the gulpli of destruction.
The first was an iuconceivahie disregard of
any thing like a regular plan, and a heedless
security. Only a few lnosurs were stationed
in the Thuringer wood and hills, the passes
jc.id fastnesses ol which could have been insur
mountably defended against the most superior
I .-ice in the worid, by a few cannon and siiai p
shooters. It is incredible, but nevertheless
true, that the Prussian generals left all the most
important passes on the Saul unoccupied ; and
when this was remarked by some Saxon digi
tizers, they were laughed at as if no enemy
. aid come there.. The Prussians had almost no
reconnoitring parties, :j:d they never suspect
ed that the French emperor, with his main ho
lly, had advanced within a few miles ol them.
I low differently was the emperor Napoleon
supplied in this respect ; and how far superior
was he in point of vigilance and activity ? When
he had fixed his head-quarters at Auiaa, early
in the morning two prisoners were brought in
wlm lud been seized as spies. It soon appear
ed, however, that they were very honest men,
ns in their answers they completely coincided
wiili each other. One of them was a son of
the celebrated Scottish baronet, sir John Sin
clair, who was studying at the university of
Gottingen, and having been on a visit to Go
tha, tin: road by which he was returning was
cut oif, and he was travelling through the
Pros .ian main army to Leipzig. I lis compan
ion was a garrison preacher of Gotha. The
viung Scot iman had a plan of study drawn up
by hi., tilthvi i:i his pocket-book, and soon pro
ved liis innocence. The emperor himself con
versed with him so early as two o’clock in the
morning, and when he learned from them that
tii.: Prus .iai.s had no wuspirion of his being so
near, he exclaimed,turning to the byc-standcrs,
“//. vr tromficront lurieu.ament ecu / irrru/ue
(How tin v vi.e-acies will be deceived 1)
Lull, were kindly dismissed with passports.
The Prussian patrolcs allowed themselves
to be t heated by the most trilling appearances.
An officer commanding a body of horse, which
w .s sent out from the royal camp towards Vi
umhurg to reconnoitre, returned without go
i . ; to Nattiuburg, because when half way he
learned from a traveller that they knew no
thing ui the French at Naumburg. From such
extraordinary sect!lily no other consequences
could loilew.
I lie s.-cond grand error was the unaccount
able neglect of every means for securing sub
si letica for an army of 140,000 men.
The barren country of Weimar was in no
condition, neither v.as it by unv means prepar
ed, to subsist this army, along with its append
ages. There was no bread, no brondv, no beer,
for the soldiers, and no fodder for the horses.
i he third atul most decisive crroi lay in the <
false c..lcu!utions that were made respecting
the moxementh of the enemy, atul the unfortu
nate choice of po.-fition.
I lu: ancient fortresses and bulwarks of the
Prussian monarchy, which would have greatly
obstructed the progress of the French artnv,
v ere in an untenable condition, and without
provisions ; and in the event that the battle was
to h..ve been lost, there was no place of assem
bling made known—no rally ing point fixed.
The discomfited troops thciefore retired in
qoi.o different directions, and were almost all
made prisoners.
On the decisive day, the 14th of October,
the left wing was not formed in the same line,
nor united with tlu* centre. This want of unity
hi 1 this effect—that two separate and distinct
battles were fought at one and the same nto
l i.-.it, and that upon ground not very exten
sive. Alter the duke of Brunswick was woun
ded, there was no commander in chief to direct
the Prussian army. The corps fought singly,
without plan, and without concern, and many
regiments did nut engage at all. Very little of
the. strong li or position of the enemy was
known. The Saxons, who fought on the left
wing, generally assert, that on the day of battle,
they either received no orders at all from the
officers under whose command they were, or
that Hie orders they did receive were such as
could not have been executed. They were
* -on obliged to deliver up their remaining am
munition to thr Prussians ; and they lost their
cannon, when the. retreat began,inconsequence
of having no cuv,ih v to cover them. Lastly,
the Prussian army was detained and hindered
in its flight by the crowd of waggons .aid
her®' - ", and thfir unusually great quantity of
bagi-ugc. ‘lbis complete overthrow anddes
tiv.cti.'.u was not owing, however, to any want
ofbruvety That the Prussians, unciei aii these
difficulties, fought with courage and oersevei
auce, is testified by the French then.selves.
‘1 lie victoiious cmpeior Napoleon conduct
ed the events ol the 14th of October wiili
dines and the keenest prudence, lie lodged
the night before this eventful day in the castle
of Jena ; and on the following rooming, as is
as cried at Jena, he reconnoitred from the
top of the old observatory, (commonly called
the Fox Tower) the opposite heights on the
load to Weimar, arid witnessed the bloody bat
tle that took place between the French that
were marching through the Muhlcutliul, and
the Saxons and Prussians posted on the Sneck
enberg. Not far from this spot is the chain of
sandy hillocks, which present as it were a steep
wall on the heights of the Sard. There is here
a coppice, known through the whole neighbor
hood by the name of the Rauhthales, a place
celebrated in the annals of the Jena muses, on
account of the combats that used formerly to
take place between the students at that spot.
This is the pass which the emperor Napoleon
furtified so strongly, and in such a masterly
manner, with heavy cannon, and which is spok
en so highly of in all the official accounts of the
battle. Besides this, the rapidity of the evolu
tions of the French army astonished the Prus
sian generals. In every manoeuvre attempted
by the latter they were anticipated. \\ hat,
however, most surprised these officers, was
the French artillery. The most courageous
soldiers could not approach the showers of balls
which preceded the march of the columns
without trembling. The regiment of juarish,
fur example, was 2000 men strong, and in a
few minutes only 150 men were left standing,
having been stationed opposite to a battery of
tight field pieces.
The diseases which are said to afflict the
French, are either of them, in the circum
stances in which the French stand, enough to
cut and discomfit them. In such a climate,
and with such a destitution of necessary com*
fotr., the andy sentry itself would effect more
than ten dreadful fields; and, as for the other
disease, the bare description of it, which
we give from a medical work of celebrity,
printed at Edinburgh, will suffice to shew what
horrors the poor wretches must experience.
The Plica Polonica or Plaited Hair, is know n
only in Poland and Lithuania, and consists of
several blood vessels running from the head
into the ends of the hairs; which cling to
gether and hang from the head in broad fiat
pieces, generally an ell in length, but some
times they are much longer. They arc pain
ful to the wearer, and odious to the spectator.
At the approach of winter, an eruptive fever
happens in these countries; the eruptions prin
cipally infest the head, and when at the height,
an ichorous humour flows from them. In this
state, they are too tender to admit of being
touched, and the matter running down the hair,
mats them together; the skin by degrees break
ing the ramifications of the capillary vessels,
following the course of the hair, or prolonged
out of the skin, air increased to a vast length.
,\o method oi relief is vet known ; for if
the discharge be checked, or the vessels
cut off, the consequence is an increase of
more miserable symptoms, and in the end,
death.— Profile's Priend.
FROM THE WITNESS.
Mr. Printer — l met the other day, a man
who is not so much noted for wisdom or folly
as for l * lerahsm. He always calls me injidel
when we meet; so he accosted me with
“good morning, infidel.” I returned the com
pliment by calling him saint. The fact is, that
neither ol us Las half religion enough for a week
day, much less lor a Sunday ; it would be bet
ter for us, and our families, and the world, if
both ol us would practise more religion and talk
less ..bout it.
Bui this man lx'gan in his old wav to fling at
the democrats for want of religion, and morals,
and all tl o,< 0 ,< and every ten words he • ripped
out an oat^i; whereupon I questioned him of
what swearing sect of Christians he was. No
tongue can tell the fcderal-ehristian rage, into
w hich he was thrown. I begged him to be
qt iet and to compose himself; but it only en
raged him the more—so, to avoid strife, I left
him ; but the incident led me to some reflec
tions, such a these—
That man and I arc both mechanics; we
work hard for our living; each of us lias a
great family to support; wc have no prospect
ol public office ; then what is this or that form
of government to'us, more or less than this,
“ the government which does the most good and
the least harm , and which e.if lends no more mo
r.ey than is necessary to do good, is the best go
vernment for a floor man.”
To me the present government of the U.S.
appears to be such a kind of government; w e
have no house and land tax, no tax on retailers
or vendues, and on stamp duties; our national
debt is becoming less and less every month ;
my employers get good prices for all they hav e
to part with, and they pay me well. This go
vernment is good enough for me.
Now, mv neighbor feels and thinks other
wise, let him go to proxies and vote for the en
emiesofthis government to go tocongress, and
to have all power and dominion in this state. I
shall certainly vote the other way; why should
we meet every few days and quarrel about reli
g-,!, because we defer in fiolirics ? I know some
of the federal leaders in this state; and if the o
thers are like them, I know their religion may
help them along for a few months, and perhaps
yeltry but it is a dreadful religion for another
wtjwTl And further saith not P. Anvil, i
CONGRESS OF TIIE UNITED STATES.
IIOESE OF Ki.l KESESTATIVF.S,
Saturday, February 23.
On reading the journal this morning, it ap
pealed, that before the house adjourned last
night an oider passed the house that the ret:
should be called over, when it was found that
seventy-three members were absent (some
with leave) whose names weie accordingly en
tered on the journal.
Mr. F.ppes moved to amend the journal by
inserting the hour of adjournment. 1 his v. as
agreed to, and it was mentioned kl half after se
ven o’clock.”
The speaker laid on the table a letter from
the secretary cf the treasury, transmitting a
statement of the public debt, and of the pay
ments made thereon for the last live y eats. Gi
dcred to lie on the table.
‘1 he house went into committee of the whole
on th • bill making compensation to Messrs.
Lewis and Clark and their companions.
Mr. Hastings moved to insert the names of
Win. Eaton, y’Bar.non, andG. WQMann
(so as to allow them the same quantity of land
as is granted to captains Lewis and Clark, viz.
1000 acres.) Carried, ayes 47, noes 42.
Mr. Hastings moved to insert several other
names, which was lost.
The committee rose and reported the bill
with amendments, which the house proceeded
immediately to consider.
Mr. Nelson hoped tlx house would not agree
to the first amendment (respecting general
Laton, O’Bunnon and G. \V. Mann). It
would be recollected, he said, that a proposition
had been brought forward last session, to re
munerate these men ; why it had not been act
ed upon, he did not know ; but if it was again
brought forward he should vote for it, if he
thought their services deserved remuneration;
at present he had no documents to enable him
to judge. He hoped, however, their names
would not be inserted in this bill ; there might
the many members in the house who thought
that tlie sendees of general Eaton and his asso
ciates deserved a handsome compensation, and
that those of captains Lewis and Clark and
their companions did not ; and so vice versa.
Ile wished their respective merits to stand on
its own ground. He therefore hoped they
would be separated.
The question was then taken by ayes and
noes, and the amendment was disagreed to
(that is, the names of the abovementioned per
sons were struck out) —ayes 47 —noes 61. The
bill was then ordered to be read a third time.
The house then went into a committee of
the whole on the bill for the relief of invalid
pensioners.
Mr. Randolph offered anew section, (pro
viding that the old soldiers of the revolution
shonitl receive a pension from the time they
had received their wounds) and spoke at length
on the subject.
This occasioned considerable debate ; and
before the question was taken, Mr. Randolph
(at about five o’clock) moved that the house
adjourn for one hour.
Mr. Gregg moved that the house adjourn for
two hours.
Mr. Thomas moved that a cull of the house
should take place at seven o’clock, on the sup
position, that it the house adjourned till that
hour, there would not be a quorum.
Mr. R. Nelson moved that the call of the
house should take place at 12 o’clock !
Several motions were then made that the
house adjourn till “Monday morning, till to
morrow morning, Lc. all of which were lost ;
when, on motion of Mr. Findley, the house ad
journed for two hours.
The house again met a little before eight
o’clock, and continued sitting until after twelve ;
they were principally occupied with the bill
this day brought in by Mr. Fisk, to repeal the
duty on salt and to continue in force for a fur
ther time the Mediterranean fund, which, how
ever, was at length passed.
Monday , March 2.
At 10 o’clock the chaplain appeared, and
prayers were offered. During the session
the chaplains have officiated generally once
or twice a week, and from fifteen to thirty
members have usually been present on the
occasion.
A little before 11 o’clock, the speaker called
the house to order. Fifty-seven members pre
sent —no quorum. He requested those w ithout
the bar, to take their seals, and sent the officers
of the house to collect members from the com
mittee rooms.
Some time iftcr.it appeared on a count, that
sixty-seven members were present —no quorum.
Soon after, five or six came in, and the journal
for Saturday was read.
Mr. Dana (Conn.) inquired if it was not
usual, when the house sat after midnight, to
make a corresponding entry on the journal.
He referred to a similar case in the second
session of the sixth congress. The bill tq con
tinue the Mediterranean tax, certainly passed
on Sunday morning. Mr. D. left the house
alter midnight, and the bill had not then oass
cd.
Mr. Alston (N. C.) asked if it was notified
to the house at the time, that it was after 12.
li it were not, he supposed it improper to make
any entry.
The speaker said he did not know exactly
at what hour the bill passed.
Mr. Dana inquired if he did not send
the sergeant at arms, into the committee
room after some of the members, who refin
ed to come, and if he did not report that it was
Sunday?
The Speaker said, a member according to
the officer’s report, stated it was Sunday.
Mr. bid - ,veil (Mass.) called for the order of
1 the day on the bill, relative to contested dec
.bns.
Mr. Clin (Yt.) moved to postpone it indefi
nitely.
Mr. Bidwell objected. The bill would
take lithe time, it had been lully c'.Lcussed,
anti mtr. Lets weie ready, he piesunxd, to
det, ide.
Mr. Dana said, if the business was ai! arane ; „
cd and too mujoti.y vvcic ready to vcic wt-hont
discuss ion, through thick and thin, as cn t..c
midnight tax bin, which they had passed on Sun
day morning, it might be well to take up the
bill. Otherwise, he should vote for the {•>■ r
ponement, in order to make room for other
more important business.
The postponement was further supported by
Mr.Olm, and opco.ed by Mr. Smiiie; and car
tied—aye . 3'J, trues 23.
Mr. Davcnpoi t (Con.) called for the order
of tire day on tire bill winch had been received
from the senate, ior the tefiel cl John Chester
ayes 2:. Ihe speaker dee.meal himself in
tire affirmative, whereupon
r I he house went ir.'oa committee on the bill.
Mr. Varnum in the chair.
Mr. .Holmes (Va.) moved to strike out
o: thebi.l so much respected was compensation
for extra services done by the supervisor of
Connecticut.
‘1 his motion was supported by Messrs.
Holmes and D. R. Williams; and’opposed by
Messrs. Bedinger, Tqimadgg end Bidwell ; and
lost; ayes 20. it appear eel, from a report of
the secretary of the treasury, which was ic cl
at the instance of Mr. Holmes, that Connecti
cut L the on;y suite vvlucti has vet paid up ti.c?
Full amount of the direct tax, and closed its ac
counts with the treasury.
On motion cf Mr. Talmcdge, the committee
rose and reported the bill, in which the h u e
concurred ; and tire bill being engrossed, was
read a third time and passed.
X he house resumed the consideration of the
bill relative to invalid pensioners.
1 he question was taken by yeas and nays on
Mr. Randolph’s motion, made on Saturday, to
allow ali the pensioners of the U. S. a pension
it orn the date of their respective disabilities, and
lost; yeas 45, nays 52.
On motion of Mr. Eppes, the house proceed
ed to consider the bill received from the senate
to chive settlers by force from the public lands,
aves 52.
Mr. Quincy (Mass.) moved that the bill be
postponed indefinitely, and supported his no
tion in a speech of some length, urging, that
the bill involved great constitutional princi
ples, and there was hot, this session, sufficient
time to consider the subject according to its
importance.
Fix motion was supported by Messrs. Quin
cy, Olin, Hastings, N. Williams, and Lyon ;
and opposed by Messrs. Gregg, D. R Willi
ams, Eppes and Alexander ; and lost—ayes 43
noes 68.
Mr. Eppes declared the main object of the
bill to be to drive off from the Yazoo lands, by
military force, intruders, who might settle un
der the Yazcx) claim.
After a debate on some amendments, Mr.
Quincy moved to strike out part of the Ist sec
tion, to try the principle of the bill. The mo
tion was suported by Messrs. Quincy, Hast,
ings, Holland and Lyon ; and opposed by Mr.
Dawson.
Mr. Sloan said he did rot rise to add any
words : but barely to observe, that he hoped
the friends of the resolution would lbilcvv he
example of Saturday night, which the geiule
’ man (Mr. Quincy) seemed to explode,and pass
a silent vote. There was not time to discuss
constitutional questions. The motion of Mr.
Quincy was lost—ayes 35. nays 54.
Mr. Quincy then offered” a proviso to the
bill, so that it should not prejudice or affect any
Haim or right to land lying in the territories
ol the United States. The motion was lost •
nays 64. * *
Mr. Fisk spoke against the bilk- H c was
opposed to deciding rights at the point- of the
bayonet, and asked if this was the land of liber
ty ? He had rather see all the Yazoo lands in
the Red Sea, than prostrate the judiciary, and
violate the fundamenta principles of freedom by
agreeing to a bill with such provisions. 1
The bill having been engrossed, was read a
third time.
. Mr. Lyon delivered a written speech of
fot,}-five minutes, against the bill; when the
question, shall the bill pass, was taken by yeas
and nays and carried; yeas 57, noes 44. ’
While Mr. Lyon was reading his speech,
Mr. l .ppes interrupted him, arid moved that the
reading of the paper be dispensed with, arid
that it he printed for the use of the house.
Mr. Lyon said he v.as not to be diverted
irotn his purpose by any sneers or jestir.qsst—
,lc should u e glad to har e has speech laid on
the tables of members, for he was confident
it contained arguments which would make the
friends of the bill” blush for their conduct.
. The engrossed bill respecting invalid pen
sioners, was read a third time rnd passed ,-
It places a large number of persons on the
pension list.
5 o’clock, adjourned to half past 6.
Union Society.
HpHF. members of the Union Society are dec,red t
1 meet at the Cfiy-Hall, cn Monday the Uth .hv r ,f
-4rr:: next, at 10 o’clock in the forenoon, it being the
quarterly meeting preparatory to the Anniverfarv.
PETER S. I.AIFITTE, Secr’y.
. :'T t iiofe persons who are Jefirou-t of joining this
munition, will take notice, that yrceabb ‘to rho ri.i--,
uff.-U application is mad, at the above period, taev will
not he •-•Xro.ttiJ at the annual nieetin.-.
-March Xt)..."4...
M.\NTFESTS~
For sale at this office.