Newspaper Page Text
From the Savannah Republican.
INTERESTING TO PLANTERS.
By advices frequently received from our
friends in Florida, we have been given to
understand that the time was not far dis- i
tant, when that fair territory, released from
the thraldom of savage hostility, would be
come a popular arena for enterprising ex
ertion. We have been told of the rich lands
in that country of flowers, which would be
given as a reward to the adventurous pio
neer, until our fancy almost has been chea
ted into the belief that Florida was actuully
the land, which, hitherto, only had been
presented to us, through the medium of our
“golden dreams.” However much we
have lent ourselves to the sanguine antici
pations of others in this regard, we musta
vow that we were totally unprepared to re
ceive, bona fide, such an assurance as is ex
hibited belotv, that the visions of the specu
lator in Florida lands are in a fair way of
being realized.
The kindness of a friend has furnished
us with the subjoined characteristic letter
from Col. D. M. Stew art, the first man, who,
since the commencement of the war had
raised the standard of the Georgia planter,
upon fields hitherto claimed, and possessed
by the refractory Seminole.
Let the armed occupation go Into full o
peration, and we will undertake to announce
on our own responsibility that the war is
positively “ dosed for the last time.”
“ Cajip Defiance, (E. F.) May 10, 1842.
My Dear Sir :—I wrote several weeks
ago a lengthy (long?) epistle, stating a- j
mong other matters that 1 had received a j
commission from Lieut. M. 11. Patrick, Su
perintendent of settlements in Florida, au
thorising me to raise a colony and take pos- j
session of tho fine lands bordering Lake
Jesup, &c. &c.
Since said letter “ I liavn seen sights,”
as the crackers frequently observe, when
they mean to say, that they have been much
engaged and deeply interested. 1 soon suc
ceeded in obtaining one hundred and sixty
persons of all ages, sexes, and occupations
to join me, after letting them know of the
facilities afforded by government of trans
portation, rations, arms, amunition, protec
tion, &c. I then informed them that by an
armed occupancy of the country now, they
would secure a pre-emption right to one
hundred and sixty acres of land in this rich
and beautiful country abounding in game,
&c. The inducements held out could not
be resisted in these hard times, and they
concluded that they could not be worsted.
1 thought so too, and on the tenth day of A
pril, I and my adventurous party embarked
on board of the steamboat commanded by
C'apt. Peck, (who by the way is an excel
lent Captain and obliging gentleman.)—
After much perplexity and hurry, we got
every thing on board, and long shall I re
member the day, for I assure you a greater
variety’ of matters and things thrown to
gether higgledy-piggledy I think could
scarsely have been found in Noah’s ark.
Steam was got up at last, and we fairly off
from Trader s Hill, when the eternal sere
nade commenced that lasted day and night
until we were all safely landed on the wharf
of Fort Melon. Just imagine children cry
ing, dogs fighting, nigs squealing, geese
quacking, turkeys gobbling, negroes snor
ing, some of the old women scolding, two or
three fiddles screaking at intervals, occa
sionally steam blowing off, and you may
form some little idea of the music along the
way. Well, here we are, in despite of eve
ry thing, and here we are determined to
remain, unless the Indians are more nume
rous than they are represented to be, and
better soldiers than we are, for truly’ this is
a country not to be abandoned if possession
can be maintained. Many of the colonists
have already succeeded in finding Indian
fields of many acres ready with little labor
to produce heavy crops, and all have plant
ed more or less. I will not pretend to give
a minute description of the best lands, you
would think me romancing. I will only
remark, that in my travels through nearly
every State in the Union, although I have
never seen any soil equal to this we now
occupy.
The River St. John is a magnificent
stream. It and its numerous lakes abound
with fish. The swamps and highlands are
well stocked with game. On high situa
tions good water is to be obtained. Depend
on it, here is the country for riches and plea
sure, and the day is rapidly approaching
when thousands will be seen (locking to it,
for ’tis here the orange blooms from year to
year, and the sugarcane will tassel. The
marsh lands around the lakes and sides of
the river excel all other, ami there are tens
of thousands of acres in bodies, with not a
tree or stump to retard them from being put
in ample order for the reception of cotton,
corn, sugar, rice, or any thing else. Say
to all my old fiends who live by cultiva
ting the soil, that 1 advise them to lose no
time, but come on here and judge for them- •
selves. No accident as yet has befallen j
ar.y of my colony. On yesterday, as j
Messrs. Crane, Gardiner and Sullivan were j
coining home to camp, late in the evening, j
after toiling all day with axe and hoe, a ;
huge tiger attempted to carry off Mr. Sulli
van, but failed in doing so by missing his
spring by about three feet. Messrs. Crane
and Gardiner were ready in a moment to
assist Sullivan ; the savage animal, how
ever, seeing he was outnumbered, fled, and
was pursued by Mr. Crane's fine dog, who
also rushed to Sullivan’s aid.
In our difficulties, of every sort, wc have
been most kindly aided and encouraged by
all the officers of the Army. To Capt. E.
K. Barrium and his command, we are under
weighty obligations, especially to Lieut. G.
W. Patten and Dr. J. Walker. As Com
mander of the Colony, my house was finish
ed first. It is ten feet feet wide and four
teen long, built of palmetto logs and cover- ;
-'d with cypress bark. Few cabins, how- 1
ever, are better stored with beef, pork, flour, !
rice, &c. &e. 1 have just room to eat and ]
slpep, but nothing more. This is my home I
for tho balance of my life. Come, do as l |
have done, the country is worth taking u
little trouble for ; and us to Indians, wo I
value them not a rush. With my gun and j
tw’o dogs, Blackstone and Archbold, 1 ride J
for many miles away from our catnps, alone j
[ and fearless.
I had nearly forgotten to inform you of j
my individual great good fortune. All the j
valuable buildings at Fort Mellon have been
turned over to me by order of our bravo
Col. W.J. Worth. I am well fixed: my
plantation and twenty-nine of my negroes
are within four miles of this Post. I shall,
of course, locate my pre-emption and reside
here. Your sincere friend,
DANIEL M. STEWART.
To .
From the Ithaca. Journal.
A Fearful Ride. —The Ithaca iV Owcgo
rail road as it comes into this vilingo de
scends in less than half a mile nearly 500
feet by means oftwo inclined planes. The ]
cars on their arrival at the upper engine
house are detached from the locomotive and
permitted to descend to the lower engine
house under the conduct of brakes. From
the lower engine house which is at the top
of the first inclined plane the passengers are
brought to this village by stage. This is
done because of the great steepness of the
lower inclined plane; it descends 450 feet in
the distance of 1750, or, nearly at an angle
of 45 degrees to the horizon. No person of
sane mind would venture his nefck by going
down this inclined plane, as in case of the
car becoming detached in descending, it
would inevitably he dashed to atoms.
On Saturday last the car containing ele
ven passengers was detached as usual at
| the upper engine house, but it was found
: that the brakes did not operate, and that the
; car was hastening with constantly accele
rated rapidity towards the brink of the low
er inclined plane. The forward brakeman
leaped from the car for the purpose of throw
ing it off the track by means of a beam but
he stumbled and failed in his object. The
other brakeman sat at his post like a hero
calling to the passengers to jump and save
themselves. On went the car with dread
ful rapidity, and one by one the passengers
threm themselves out. The Hon. Amasa
Dana leaped from the car as it passed
through the lower engine-house, and there
also the brakeman sprang for his life. One
man alone was unable to escape before the
j car which was already outstripping the
I wind made the plunge down the longer
plane.
Tite whole length of this was traversed
almost in an instant. About 100 feet from
the bottom the car left the track, dashed to
pieces the iron wheels on which the engine
rope plays, and splintering the beams which
bound the tracks togeter, until it reached the
foot of the plane, where it was dashed into
a thousand fragments. One of the car
wheels was shivered to pieces, the heavy
iron axletree broken, and scarcely anyone
piece ol the body left entire. We saw the
wreck, and if a bomb shell had burst in the
car it could not have more completely de
molished it. In the midst of the fragments
the man who descended with the car was
found, his arm broken above and beloiv the
elbow, and his head severely fractured.—
Medical assistence was at once rendered,
and there is some hope of his recovery.—
His name is Babcock, and he is a relative
of Mr. Eber Babcock, of this village. Du
ring the delirium occasioned by the blow,
the wounded man kept constantly repeating
words as if endeavoring to stop a team of
horses. Judge Dana was but slightly hurt
although several of the passengers who
sprang from the car were severely but not
dangerously injured.
Mr. 8., whose escape with life is little
short of a miracle, was at the time our pa
per went to press, gradually improving,
and confident hopes are entertained of his
recovery.
A Fact. — The ready wit of a true-born
Irishman, however humble his station, is
exceeded only by his gallantry. A few
days since we observed a case in point.—
A sudden gust of wind took a parasol out
of the hands of its owner, and before we had
a chance to recollect whether it would be
etiquette to catcli the parasol of a lady to
whom we had never been introduced, a live
ly Emeralder dropped his hod of bricks,
caught the parachute in the midst of its
Elssler gyrations, and presented it to the
loser with a bow which reminded us ofpoor
Power. “Faith ma’am,” said he as he did
so, “if you were as strong as you arc hand
some it wouldn’t have got away from you.”
“Which shall I thank you for first, the
service or your compliment?” asked tile la
dy smiling. “Troth ma’am” said Pat a
gain touching the place where once stood
the brim of what once was a beaver, “that
look of your own beautiful eyes thanks me
for both!’ If that hod carrier will issue
proposals to “teach the jontale,” we’ll do j
his advertising gratis and head his list of
pupils. He has a genius for the thing.
Brother Jonathan.
Fish without Eyes. — Mr. J. F. Hanks, in
j describing the Mammoth Cave in Edmon-
I son County, Ky., mentions the fact that ma
j uy fishes, without eyes, have been taken in
the river Styx which runs through the cave.
“We were not fortunate enough to see one,”
says he, “as none had been caught for se
veral weeks. I conversed with Dr. Porter,
of Bowling Green, on the subject, who in
formed me that he had one of them in his
possession ; that he had dissected the head
and examined every part of it with a micro
scope, and no trace of any organs of vision
could be dectccted. They are called blind
fish, are about four or five inches long, and
are white and transparent. The bones,
circulation, &c. are readily discerned bv
the naked eye through their whole sub
stance.” Doubt not, reader ! for “there j
are more wonders in heaven and earth than j
i were ever dreamed of in your philosophy.” |
IVashville Whig;.
From tl\c Charleston Mercury.
. TEXAS, &c.
J Gen. Hamilton’s true and hearty devo
! tion to any cause he espouses, needs not,
| we suppose, any vindication ; but there ts
| matter in his communication to-day, which
| the people both of the United States and
: Texas would do well to consider and digest.
\ It may bo that the Texians can conquer
: Mexico ; that they can re-enact the roman
tic exploit of Cortez and his 900 followers.
But it were well to consider some great
points of difference. 1. The Spanish con
querors were veteran heroes, every man of
them ; they were cased in impenetrable de
fensive armour; their weapons of attack
were wholly new to the natives, and such
as at once filled them with amazement and j
1 terror ; the only way to get rid of the inva- I
j dels was to smother or starve them. 2.
The invasion of Cortez was a complete sur
| prise, and ho was at the Mexican capitol
! almost before his landing was known. 3.
| The Government of Mexico was so simple
I and absolute a despotism that the capture of
the Emperor paralyzed the whole country.
With all these advantages too it was a des
perate struggle, and nothing but the veloci
ty of movement, the quick decision, admi
rable tact and consummate military con
duct of the leader gave success to the expe
dition. The conquest of Mexico by Cortez
must ever rank among the most marvellous
feats of war.
To the Editor of the. Mercury :
Sir.—Whilst I can take no sort of ex
ception to the very friendly and respectful
criticism of your correspondent (who sub
scribes himself a citizen of Texas,) on the
remarks which I made at a public meeting
of the citizens of Lee and Baker counties,
at Palmyra, Georgia, 1 should nevertheless
regret, if any thing I did say, or could have
said on the occasion in question, should
damp, in the slightest degree, the ardor of
those who may feel disposed to adventure,
either their blood or treasure, in the cause
of our young and closely related sister Re
public.
Those who were present at that meeting,
will, I am sure, do justice to the earnest
ness and zeal with which I pressed the ne
cessity of being prepared to afford timely
succor to our friends in that quarter, whilst
I suggested, with great deference, the im
; policy of sending forces and expeditions in- ;
] to the country, so totally unprovided as to
be a source of embarrassment, rather than
assistance, to those for whose aid they might
be designed. From the most authentic ad
vices then received from Texas, it was as
certained that the forces Gen. Arista had
sent to San Antonio had fallen back on the
western bank of the Rio Grande, and hence
1 did not believe that a serious concentra
tion of the troops of Mexico would take
place until the autumn, when, I thought, a
serious invasion of the country icould lake
place. Considerations of delicacy which
belong to my relations as a citizen of the
United States, forbid my narrating what I
said in regard to the duties and obligations
! which such a crisis would impose on those
j who had pledged themselves to emigrate to
| Texas and to sustain the cause.
J I confess, sir, that Ido not desire to see
the ardor of the friends of Texas either im
paired or destroyed by abortive expeditions
sent into the country probably before they
! are wanted, and unprovided with the means
i of being useful, because when they are re
. ally needed, the effort to procure succor may
;be entirely ineffectual. The flame of pop
j ular enthusiasm is difficult to re-kindle,
when once extinguished by suffering, re
verses and defeat.
I must likewise confess that my opinions
remain unchanged, of the true policy of
Texas; a policy which l believe may be
comprehended in a very brief summary.—
To sustain herself vigorously in a defen
sive, rather than to be weakened by inade
quate efforts in an offensive war. To let
the sword protect the ploughshare. To give
such an organization to her militia as shall
make every freeman a thorough soldier,
throughout the Republic. To meet, re
pulse and defeat, any invading force that
may cross the Rio Grande, and to devote
her whole pecuniary resources, whatever
they may be, to the munitions of war, ne
cessary to accomplish this result, and to
keep her squadron afloat in the Gulf, in the
undisputed mastery of which her safety so
essentially depends. When, in every sense
of the word, she makes good her present
foothold and can realize the means to strike
a certain and effectual blow at the heart of
Mexico, as the only one of securing an hon
orable peace, her efforts may then, effect
ively, take the direction towards a vigorous
war of invasion—a “ helium ad internecio
nem.”
It has long been an approved maxim,
“ that it is dangerous to despise your enemy
too much.” Whilst I admit that this is a
hard admonition to observe in relation to
the Mexicans, yet the intrinsic difficulties
ofa successful invasion of Mexico, are not
i to be unacknowledged or overlooked. They
are so be found either in a tedious and op
pressive march, longer than that of Napo
leon from the frontiers of France to Mos
cow, or an expensive and hazardous trans
port of troops on the gulph, to say nothing
of the task of subjugating eight millions of
people irrevocably separated from our race
by a difference of language, complexion
and religion, fortified by the strongest na
tional prejudices and antipathies. Con
quest under these circumstances, it must be
admitted, would require money, copious
magazines of provisions and ammunition, a
large baggage train and occupation of a
succession of posts protecting and covering
your advance into the heart of an enemy’s
country, presenting many geographical as
well as statistical features of perplexity and
j annoyance.
If it is treason to the cause of Texas not
to desire a second Santa Fe expedition on a
larger scale then I am willing to plead guil
tv to the charge, and to admit that I prefer
tiic more useful and simple epic of the bat
tle ofSan Jacinto on her own territory.—
Her true policy in her present position, is
to hazard nothing, to stand fast and meet
the invaders, (if they come,) with the liner
ini’ certainly with which an American rifle
sends forth its messenger of death.
I am also free to confess, that I do not
desire to see the cause of Texas weakened
in the United States, or in Europe, by an ab
surd and abortive effort to secure her
i annexation to this Union. What man, in
| his senses, can believe, when the Constitu
tion of the United States requires, underthe
1 treaty-making power, the concurrence of
| two thirds of the States in the Confederacy
to such a measure, that it can be accom
plished? or that the effort in Congress would
be attended by any other consequence than
| a convulsive agitation throughout this coun
! try of a most painful and portentous char
acter ? An agitation, however disastrous
to ourselves, yet more prejudicial to Tex
as? In the mean time, the standing she
holds would be impaired in the estimation
of the great powers of Europe who have re
cognized her independence, and the admi
ration so recently entertained for her valor
and enterprise would be turned into con
tempt for her imbecility and weakness.
The only probable effect of such an act of
fatuity would be to drive Great Britain into
an alliance with Mexico, for which , 1 know
she has no natural or desired sympathy what
soever.
No, Texas has commenced her destiny
as an independent power and she must
work out her salvation by the plougshare
and the sword.
Her Territory, for its superficial extent,
comprehends the finest, most fertile and
most beautiful portion of the habitableglobe.
On this territory, her people, small as may
be their numbers, are invincible. They
are growing in their infancy like Hercules
apace, and like him, will strangle ere long
the serpents that coil around their cradle.
Whilst I regret tho undeserved promin
ence that has been given to my opinions in
relation to the present crisis in Texas,yet
I cannot but fearlessly avow them, altho’in
opposition to those 6f my best friends, and
perhaps of the public sentiment in the coun
try itself. But what is the use of a firm
conviction of what we conscientiously be
lieve to be true, if it is not thus honestly ex
pressed ? For the sincerity of my convic
tions no garantee can be required. I have
a deep stake in the country. Independent
ly of the pecuniary claims which I have on
her Government, (and which I know will
; be ultimately discharged with the utmost
j fidelity and honor) I have a territorial and
active agricultural interest in her soil, the
safety of which depends on her security.—
But w hat is far more deeply interesting to
me, I have staked my reputation with the
four principle powers of Europe, that she
is not only defacto independent, but is ca
pabie and worthy of being so.
May 1 therefore respectfully, and cer
tainly in no unfriendly spirit, ask yourcor
respondent to believe, “that I am incapable
of injuring a cause which my sympathies
would lead me to promote,” or that my ca
veat has any other extent but this : Do not.
strike before you are ready, and then strike
home.
I remain sir with great esteem,
Respectfully you obedient ser’vt,
JAMES HAMILTON.
Breach of Promise Case. —At the recent
term of the Court of Common Pleas for this
County an action brought by Lyma S.
Smith against Samuel Blanchard, both of
Unity, to recover damages for the breach
of a promise of marriage, was tried. The
plaintiff proved distinctly that the defendant
had promised to marry her ; but as it takes
tw'o to make a bargain, the defendant insis
ted by way of defence, that the promise was
all on his side—that he had for a longtime
been desirous of marrying the plaintiff, and
had frequently made proposals matrimoni
al to her which she rejected or did not ac
cede to, and that she, at most never inten
ded (warning girls!) to marry him if she
could do better, but designed merely to
keep him “in tow.” Until he, at length,
unwilling to be any longer jilted and trifled
with, had made a proposal of marriage to
one who, regarding him more kindly than
the fair Lyma, at once accepted it. The
jury found a verdict of S3OO, for the plain
tiff—whether upon the prettiness of the
plaintiff, the rusticity of the defendant, or
the merits of the case, we shall not under
take to say.— Claremont, (N. II.) Eagle.
A Ludicrous Mistake. —Passengers by
rail-road should be careful and get into the
right cars. A ludicrous mistake occurred
at the depot in this town one morning last
week by a neglect of such caution. A gen
tleman and his wife wishing to go west
took seats in separate cars, the gentle
man waited until the train was about start
ing, to transact some business. Before he
had proceeded far, he found himself minus
a wife, and on inquiry ascertained that he
had placed her in one of the cars of the east
ern train, and the distance between them
was increasing as rapidly as the wings of
steam could accomplish it. He got out at
the W. Springfield depot, and the last we
saw of him he was trudging baggage in
hand, back to Springfield. —Springfield Ga
zelle.
Repudiation and its Victims.—Words
worth, the Poet, writes to Bishop Doane,
that his daughter has lost a sum, though
small, to her large for her means, by the
stocks of the State of Mississippi, and that
his brother if Pennsylvania should fail,
would lose almost all the savings of a long
life. “ A great portion of my most valua
ble friends (he says) have to lament their
misplaced confidence.”
Such details from a Poet so pure, and so
poor too, we may add, may, perhaps, strike
the eyes of someofthe repudiators, andar
rest them in their knavish and reckless ca
reor. Such are “the British Aristocracy,”
who have trusted “ Democracy,” and such
is the example of what tho so called “ De
mocracy, ” practically unfolds itself to he.
From the Baltimore American, of 20 th insl.
RHODE ISLAND.
Tho Providence Journal of Tuesday has
the following paragraph:
A few seccdors from the Cadet company
joined by about fifteen recruits, assumed the
name and uniform of that corps, and para
ded in Dorr’s procession yesterday.
A meeting of the company was held last
evening and we understand it was contem
plated to adopt anew uniform, and never
again to appear in that which lias been dis
graced hy treason.
The N. Y. Courier notices the fact that
two Colonels of the New York Regiments
have promised to send on their troops at the
request of “Governor” Dorr, and that Levi
D. Slamtn has proclaimed the fact, that lie
lias chartered a steamboat to carry on one
thousand fighting men.
From the N. Y. American, Wednesday Af
ternoon.
THE OVERT ACT!!
We have just been favored with the fol
lowing letter, written in pencil, at the mo
ment of the departure ofthe cars last eve
ning from Providence. Before this sheet,
therefore, reaches our readers, blood may
have flowed.
Cadet Armory, Providence,
May 17—6 J o’clock, P. M.
Dear Sir—We are in open rebellion here
an outbreak is expected every moment. I
am drafted in the Cadet Company ; I shall
leave here for N. York to-morrow, if I can.
The Suffrage military have just taken pos
session of this Slate’s cannon ; they are now
going to take the Arsenal. The crisis has
come. We are all in arms.
Yours, &c.
No time to write.
lam at the cars—they are ofFin a mo
ment. Just before writing this 1 was in the
private council of Governor King; there is
a list of one thousand men who have pled
ged themselves to come out a moment’s no
tice—they are now issuing the orders.—
The military are coming in from all parts
of the State. The Dorr troops are collec
ting, and in less than 48 hours the question
will be settled.
As to the rumored attack on the arsenal
we are sceptical.—because that is a stone
building of thick walls, under charge of a
man who is both cool and brave, Col. Leon
ard Blodget, with force enough at hand to
maintain his post.
There are some 5000 muskets, four
pieces of artillery, and an abundant supply
of amunition in the arsenal.
The insurgents possessed themselves,
undoubtedly, of two brass four pounders,
yesterday afternoon, but against stone walls
of two feet thickness, as we understand
those of the Arsenal to be, this would be
light artillery indeed. Whatever other de
monstration therefore may be made, that a
gainstthe Arsenal will not be.
It Works Well. —The peace movement
which we alluded to yesterday, bids fair to
be splendidly successful. Already have
a large number of both parties signed the
petitions circulating about the streets.—
We were shown a paper this morning,
which contained the names of many sub
stantial men, both in the Landholders’ and
Suffrage ranks.— Providence Chronicle, of
Tuesday evening.
The following are the resolutions which
were adopted at the meeting of the “sympa
thisers” with the suffrage Party, which was
held in the city of New York on Tuesday
evening:
Resolved, That we have viewed with as
tonishment and the deepest sorrow, the de
nial of the Federal Executive of these fun
damental principles which are expressly as
serted in most of our State Constitutions,
sanctioned by our highest judicial tribunals
and on which all our governments are foun
ded.
Resolved, That we most solemnly and
earnestly protest against the menaced in
tervention of the Federal Executive by mil
itary force in the political controversy in
Rhode Island ; we protest against it as a
practical denial of the great truth on which
our governments rest; and as utterly sub
versive of the popular sovreignty ; as lovers
of peace and as friends oforder, we protest
against it as tending inevitably to convert
a contest hitherto peaceful into a bloody
feud.
Resolved, That even if the domestic dis
sention in Rhode Island were clearly of a
character to justify the interference of the
Federal Government, we should still de
plore the infatuated haste of the Executive
to apply to the case ideas of government
wholly foreign to our political system, and
to give a practical triumph to the party
which is confessedly wrong as to the essen
tial merits of the controversy, and which is
believed by a large portion of the commu
nity to be wrong, even as to legal forms ;
that it should interpose in such a case, not
with “the impartiality of Judges” and “the
affection of friends, to heal by its medita
tion,” but the spirit of a partisan, and with
a rash menace of military force, which, by
increasing the arrogance of one party, and
inflaming the sense of wrong of the other,
is eminently calculated to exasperate these
unhappy dissensions to open violence.
Resolved, That the policy which it was
the desire of Connecticut to preserve, as in
dicated by the action of her legislature, was
highly creditable to that State, and contras
ted most favorably with the rash and impo
litic course which has been taken by the
Federal Executive, and that tiie spirit in
which the Connecticut movements was met
by the organs of the Charter Government in
Rhode Island, evinced a distrust of the jus
tice of their cause, and a determination to
admit of no counsels from abroad save those
which came in the shape of lead and steel
from the Federal standing army.
Resolved, That in a republican govern
ment the arm of power is comparatively
impotent unless backed by popular senti
ment, and that the Federal Executive has
fearfully lost sight of this important truth
in the policy which lie has pursued in the
Rhode Island controversy.
Resolved, That we respect full v but most
solemnly call upon the Executive of tho
United States to pause, to beware how ho
treats the great popular movement in Rhode
Island as an instance of insubordination to
just authority ; and we most emphatically
declare, that we cannot and will not see our
fellow citizens of Rhode Island shot down
hy the soldiers of the General Government,
for seeking, in a manner which all our in
stitutions recognize, rights which we our
selves enjoy.
Resolved, That this meeting deem it de
sirable that the sentiments ofthe great mass*”
of the people of this city should be known
to the President of the United States and
others in authority ; that the people of tho
rest of tiie Union should be awakened to a
like sensibility relative to any interference
hy the armed power of the Central Govern
ment to crush the people, and overthrow the
right of a sovereign State, and that full
knowledge should be acquired and dissemi
nated in the present fearful crisis, of the
views, wishes and proceedings of the con
tending parties in Rhode Island, and that a
corresponding committee of twelve persons
be therefore appointed by the President of
this meeting for and on behalf of the city of
New York.
SHOCKING OCCURRENCE!—HORRI
BLE ATTEMPT AT MURDER!
Late on last Wednesday evening, our ci
tizens in the neighborhood of the corner of
Water and Jackson-street, were startled
from their slumbers by the most frightful
shrieks for help, accompanied with appal
ling cries of murder !—Several persons,
hastily armed with bludgeons, hurried in
stantly to an old out-building in the vicinity
whence the alarm proceeded. One of those
who had repaired to the scene of terror, was
for rushing at once to the rescue of the suf
fering individual, but was forcibly res
trained by his companions, as in their haste
they had forgotten a light, and were appre
hensive that the murderer was armed with
pistols, dirks and other deadly instruments
which in the dark, might be turned against
themselves ! In the meantime, tho shrieks
fearfully increased, now accompanied by
the agonizing entreary. “Oh! come quick!!
HE’S EATING ME UP!!!” A light
was at length procured, and all rushed for
ward to the scene of action, and, oh, horror!
what a spectacle presented itself! The
unfortunate victim lay stretched upon the
earth, with pallid countenance, teeth chat-
tering.and eyeballs starting from their sock
ets. One side of his face was covered with
slaver. His only companions were found
to be a pair of black and white twin calves
one of which was engaged in sucking his
car, while the other was very quietly in
specting the operation, probably wondering
which of the twain was most badly sucked.
Upon inquiry, it appealed that the individ
ual in question is a loafer who had been han
ging about the place for sometime—had
gone into the building in search of quar
ters for the night, and had composed him
self to rest, from whicii he was awakened
by the tugging at bis ear, when he com
menced the uproar above noticed.—San
dusky Clarion.
THE TEMPERANCE PLEDGE.
A pamphlet containing the proceedings
of the Congressional Total Abstinence So
ciety at a meeting held in the Hall of the
House of Representatives, February 25,
1842, has been lately published containing
several very able speeches, worthy of the
perusal of every citizen of our Republic.
The following is the conclusion of the elo
quent speech of Hon. T. F. Marshall, of
Kentucky :
Sir, if there be within this Hall an indi
vidual man who thinks that his vast digni
ty and importance would be lowered, the
laurels which he has heretofore won be
tranished, bis glowing and allconquering
popularity at home be lessened, by an act
designed to redeem any portion of his col
leagues or fellow-men from ruin and shame
all I can say is, that he and I put a very
different estimate upon the matter. I should
say, sir, that the act was not only the more
benevolent, but in the present state of opin
ion, the most politic, the most popular, (look
ing down at Mr. Wise, who sat just under
tiie Clerk’s stand, Mr. M. added with a
smile,) the very Wisest thing he ever did
in his life. Think not, sir, (said Mr. M.,
still regarding Mr. W. with great earnest
ness,) think not that I feel myself in a very
ridiculous situation, and, like the fox in the
fable, wish to divide it with others by con
verting deformity into fashion. Not so; by
my honor as a gentleman, not so. I was
not what I was represented to be. I had,
and I have shown that I had, full power
over myself. But the pledge I have taken
renders me secure forever from a fate inevi
tably following habits like mine—a
more terrible than death. That pledge—
though confined to myself alone, and with
reference to its only effect upon me, my
mind, my heart, my body,—l would not
exchange for all the earth holds of bright
est and of best.—No, no, sir ; let the ban
ner of this temperance cause go forward or
backward—let the world be rescued from
its degrading and ruinous bondage to alco
hol or not —I for one shall never, never re
pent what I have done. I have often said
this, and I feel it every moment of my exis
tence, waking or sleeping.
Sir, I would not exchange the physical
sensation—the mere sense of animal being
which belongs to man who totally refrains
from all that can intoxicate his brain or de
range his nervous structure—the elasticity
with which he bounds from his couch in the
morning—the sweet repose it yields him at
night; the feeling with which he drinks in
through his clear eyes the beauties and the
grandeur of surrounding nature ; I say
sir, I would not exchange my conscious I~
ing, as a strictly temperance man—the
sense of renovated youth—the glad play
with which my pulses now beat healthful
music—the bounding vivacity with which
the life blood courses its exulting way
! through every fibre of my frame ; the com
munion high which my healthful ear and
