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About News & planters' gazette. (Washington, Wilkes County [sic], Ga.) 1840-1844 | View Entire Issue (May 26, 1842)
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
