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Siege and Capture of Jerusalem. FROM WASHINGTON IBVINg’s “MAHOMET AND HIS SUCCESSORS.” The Moslem invaders reposed for a month at Damascus, from the toil of conquest, du ring which time Abu Obeidah sent to the Caliph to know whether he should undertake the siege of Ca'sarea or Jerusalem. Ali was with Omar at the time, and advised the in stant siege of the latter : for such, he said, had been the intention of the prophet. The enterprise against Jerusalem was as a holy war to the Moslems, for they reverenced it as an ancient seat of prophecy and revelation, connected with the histories of Moses, Jesus and Mahomet, and sanctified by containing the tombs of several of the ancient prophets. The Caliph adopted the advice of Ali, and ordered Abu Obeidah to lead his army into : Palestine, and lay siege to Jerusalem. On receiving these orders, Abu Obeidah sent forward Yezed Abu Sofian, with five thousand men, to commence the siege, and for five successive days detached after him considerable reinforcements. The people of Jerusalem saw the approach of these porten tous invaders, who were spreading such con- 1 sternation throughout the East, but they made no sally to oppose them, nor sent out any one to parley, but planted engines on their walls, and prepared for vigorous de fence. Yezed approached the city, and sum moned it by sound of trumpet, propounding the customary terms, profession of the faith or tribute; both were rejected with disdain. The Moslems would have made instant as sault, but Y ezed had no such instructions; he encamped, therefore, and waited until or ders arrived from Abu Obeidah to attack the city, when lie made the necessary prepara tions. At cock-crow in the morning, the Moslem host was marshalled, the leaders repeated the matin prayer each at the head of his battal ion, and all, as if by one consent, with a loud voice, gave the verse from the Koran : “En ter ye, oh, people! into the holy land which Allah hath destined for you.” For ten days they made repeated hut una vailing attacks; on the eleventh day Abu Obeidah brought the whole army to their aid. He immediately sent a written summons, re quiring the inhabitants to believe in the unity of God, the divine mission of Mahomet, the resurrection and final judgment; or else to acknowledge allegiance and pay tribute to the Caliph ; “otherwise,” concluded the let ter, “I w ill bring men against you who love death better than you love wine or swine’s (lush ; nor w ill I leave you, God willing, until I have destroyed your fighting men, and made slaves of your children.” The summons was addressed to the magis trates and ’principal inhabitants of /Elia, for so Jerusalem was named after the Emperor /Elius Adrian, when he rebuilt that city. Sophronius, the Christian patriarch or bish op of Jerusalem, replied that this was the ho- i ly city, and the holy land, and that whoever entered either for a hostile purpose, was an offender in the eyes of God. He felt some confidence in setting the invaders at defiance, for the walls and towers of the city had been diligently strengthened, and the garrison had been reinforced by fugitives from Yermouk, and from various parts of Syria. The city, j too, w r as strong in its situation, being sur- ; rounded by deep ravines and a broken coun try ; and above all there was a pious incen tive to courage and perseverance in defend ing the sepulchre of Chi ist. Four wintry months elapsed ; every day there were sharp skirmishings ; the besiegers were assailed by sallying parties, annoyed by the engines on the walls, and harassed by the inclement weather , still they carried on the siege with undiminished spirit. At length the Patriarch Sophronius held a par ley from the walls with Abu Obeidah. “Do j you not know,” said he, “that this city is ho ly; and that whoever offers violence to it draws upon his head the vengeance of heaven?” “We know it,” replied Abu Obeidah, “to he the house of the prophets, where their bod ies lie interred; we know it to be the place w hence our prophet Mahomet made his noc turnal ascent to heaven; and we know that we are more worthy of possessing it than you are, nor will we raise the siege until Allah 9 has delivered it into our hands, as he has done many other places.” Seeing there was no further hope, the pa triarch consented to give up the city, on con dition that the Caliph would come in person to take possession and sign the articles of surrender. When this unusual stipulation was made known to the Caliph, he held a council with his friend. Otham despised the people of Jerusalem, and was for refusing their terms, but Ali represented the sanctity and impor tance of the place in the eyes of the Chris tians, which might prompt them to reinforce it, and to make a desperate defence if treated with indignity. Besides, he added, the pres ence of the Caliph would cheer and inspirit the army in their long absence, and after the hardships of a wintry campaign. The words of Ali had their weight w ith the Caliph: though certain Arabi an writers pre tend that he was chiefly moved by a tradition handed down in Jerusalem from days of yore, which said, that a man of his name, religion, and personal appearance, should conquer the holy city. Whatever may have been his in ducements, the Caliph resolved to receive in person the surrender of Jerusalem. He ac cordingly appointed Ali to officiate in his place during his absence from Medina—then, having prayed at the mosque, and paid a pi ous visit to the tomb of the prophet, he set out on his journey. The progress of this formidable potentate, who already held the destinies of empires in his grasp, and had the plunder of the Orient at his command, is characteristic of the prim itive days of Mahometanism, and reveals, in some measure, the secret of its success. He travelled on a red or sorrel camel, across which was slung an alforja, or wallot, with a huge sack or pocket at each end, something like the modern saddle-bags. One pocket contained dates and dried fruits, and the ofli er a provision called cawik, which was noth ing more than barley, rice, or wheat, parched or sodden. Before him. hung a leathern bot tle, or sack, for water, and behind him a wooden platter. His eamnamons, without distinction of rank, out of the same dish, using thenMupm according to Oriental usage. He nfcrlit on a mat spread out under a common Bedouin tent of hair-cloth, and never resumed his march until he had offered up the morn ing prayer. As he journeyed through Arabia in this simple way, he listened to the complaints of the people, redressed their grievances, and ad ministered justice with sound judgment and a rigid hand. Information was brought to him of au Arab who was married to two sisters a practice not unusual among idolaters, but the man was now a Mahometan. Omar ci ted the culprit and his two wives into his presence, and taxed him roundly w ith his of- fence ; but he declared his ignorance that it ! ; was contrary to the law of the prophet. “Thou best!” said Omar, “thou shalt part ; with one of them instantly, or lose thy head. ’ “Evil was the day that I embraced such a | religion,” muttered the culprit. “Os what ; advantage has it been to me ?” | “Come nearer to me,” said Ornar : and on his approaching, the Caliph bestowed two wholesome blows on his head with liis walk ing-staff. “Enemv of God and of thyself,’ cried he, “let these” blows reform thy manners, and j teach thee to speak “ ith more reverence of a ! religion ordained by Allah, and acknowledg- j cd bv the best of his creatures.” He then ordered the offender to choose be- ; tween his wives, and finding him at a loss i which to prefer, the matter was determined by lot, and he was dismissed by the Caliph i with this parting admonition : “Whoever pro- j fesses Islam, and afterwards renounces it, is | punishable with death ; therefore take heed j to your faith. And as to your wife’s sister, ; whom you have put away, if ever I hear that ; you have meddled with her you shall be i , stoned.” At another place he beheld a number of i men exposed to the burning heat of the sun ‘ by their Moslem conquerors, as a punishment i for failing to pay their tribute. Finding, on j I inquiry, that they were entirely destitute of j means, he ordered them to he released; and j turning reproachfully to their oppressors, ! “Compel no men,” said he, “to more than ! they can bear; for I heard the apostle of j (tod say, he who afflicts his fellow-man in ‘ this world, will be punished with the fire of ’ Jehcnnam.” While within a day’s journey of Jerusa- ! lem, Aim Obeidah came to meet him, and j conduct him to the camp. The Caliph pro- j ceeded with due deliberation, never forgetting | his duties as a priest, and teacher of Islam. | In the morning he said the usual prayers, and j preached a sermon, in which he spoke of the j security of tlio.se whom God should lead in the right way; but added, that there was no Help for such as God should lead into error. A gray-headed Christian priest, who sat lie fore him, could not resist the opportunity to criticise the language of the Caliph preacher. “God leads no man into error,” said he, aloud. Omar deigned no direct reply, but, turning to those around, “Strike off that old man’s i head,” said he, “if he repeats his words.” The old man was discreet, and held his I peace. There was no arguing against the | sword of Islam. On his way to the camp Omar beheld a ‘ number of Arabs, who had thrown by the j simple garb of their country, and arrayed themselves in the silken spoils of Syria. He j saw the danger of this luxury and effeminacy, j and ordered that they should be dragged with ‘ their faces in the dirt, and their silken gowns torn from their backs. When he came in sight of Jerusalem he lifted up his voice and exclaimed, “Allah Achbar! God is mighty! God grant us an easy conquest!” Then commanding his tent to be pitched, he dismounted from his camel and sat down within it on the ground. The ! Christians thronged to see the sovereign of this new and irresistible people, who were : overrunning and subduing the earth. The j Moslems, fearful of an attempt at assassina- ; tion, would have kept them at a distance, but Omar rebuked their fears. “Nothing will ; befall us but what God hath decreed. Let I the faithful trust in Him.” The arrival of the Caliph was followed by \ immediate capitulation. When the deputies j from Jerusalem were admitted to a parley,’ they were astonished to find this dreaded po-! tentate a bald-headed man, simply clad, and ! seated on the ground in a tent of hair-cloth, j The articles of surrender were drawn up ! in writing by Omar, and served afterwards ! as a model for the Moslem leaders in other j conquests. The Christians were to build no | new churches in the surrendered territory. ! The church-doors were to be set open to j travellers, and free ingress permitted to Ma- ■ hometans by day and night. The bells ’ should only toll, and not ring, and no cross- i os should he erected on the churches, nor ! shown publicly in the streets. The Chris- j tians should not teach the Koran to their j children ; nor speak openly of their religion ; ‘ nor attempt to make prosetytes; nor hinder j their kinsfolk from embracing Islam. They ; should not assume the Moslem dress, either j caps, slippers, or turbans, nor part their hair j like Moslems, but should always be distin- j guished by girdles. They should not use the ‘ Arabian language in inscriptions on their sig- j nets, nor salute after the Moslem manner, ‘ nor be called by Moslem surnames. They j should rise on the entrance of a Moslem, and i remain standing until he should be seated. They should entertain every Moslem travel ler three days gratis. They should sell no wine, bear no arms, and use no saddle in ri ding ; neither should they have any domes tic who had been in Moslem service. Such were the degrading conditions imposed upon the proud city of Jerusalem, once the glory and terror of the East, by the leader of a host of wandering Arabs. They were the conditions generally imposed by the Moslems in their career of conquest. Utter scorn and abhorrence of their religious ad versaries formed ono of the main pillars of . their faith. The Christians having agreed to surrender on these terms, the Caliph gave them, under his own hand, an assurance of protection in their lives and fortunes, the use of their churches, and the exercise of their children. Omar entered the once splendid city of Solomon on foot, in his simple Arab garb, with his walking-staff in his hand, and ac companied by the venerable Sophronius, with whom he talked familiarly, inquiring about the antiquities and public edifices. The worthy patriarch treated the conqueror with all outward deference, but, if we may trust the words of a Christian historian, he loath ed the dirty Arab in his heart, and was par ticularly disgusted w ith his garb of coarse woolen, patched with sheep-skin. His dis gust was almost irrepressible when thov en tered the Church of the Resurrection, and Sophronius beheld the Caliph in his filthy at tire, seated in the mid/t of the sacred edifice. “Thi , of a truth,” exclaimed he, “is the abomination of desolation predicted by Dan iel the prophet, standing in the holy place.” It is added that, to pacify the cleanly scru ples of the patriarch, Omar consented to put on clean raiment which he offered him, until his own garments were washed. An instance of the strict good faith of Omar is related as occurring on this visit to the Christian temples. While lie was stand ing with the patriarch in the Church of the Resurrection, one of the stated hours for Moslem worship arrived, and he demanded where he might pray. “Where you now are,” replied the patriarch. Omar, however, refused, and went forth. The patriarch con ducted him to the Church of Constantine, and spread a mat for Iqm to pray there; but again he refused. On going forth, he knelt, and prayed on the flight of steps leading down from the east gate of the church. This done, he turned to the patriarch, and gave I him a generous reason for his conduct. I ! “Had I prayed in either of the churches,” said he, “the Moslems would have taken possession of it, and consecrated it as a I mosque.” So scrupulous was he in observing his ca pitulations respecting the churches, that he gave the patriarch a writing, forbidding the Moslems to pray upon the steps where he had prayed, except one person at a time. The zeal of the faithful, however, outstripped their respect for his commands, and one-half ; of the steps and porch was afterwards inclu ded in a mosque built over the spot which he had accidentally sanctified. The Caliph next sought the place where | the temple of Solomon had stood, where he i founded a mosque; which, in after times, be ing enlarged and enriched by succeeding | Caliphs, became of the noblest edifices of Is lam worship, and second only to the magnifi • cent mosque of Cordova. * j The surrender of Jerusalem took place in the seventeenth year of the Hegira, and the | six hundred and thirty-seventh year of the Christian Era. Thß Farmer’s Life. Wm. Gilmore Simms, in his “Father Ab bott, or the Home Tourist,” thus beautifully represents the life of the farmer: | “The principles of agriculture were sim l pie exceedingly. That they might be made ! so, God himself was the great first planter. He wrote its laws visibly in the brightest and | loveliest and mast intelligible characters, ev- I ery where, upon the broad bosom of the lib ! eral earth ; in greenest leaves, in delicate ! fruits, in beguiling and balmy flowers. But | he does not content himself with this alone. ; Ho bestows the heritage along with the ex | ample. He prepares the garden and the j home, before he creates the being who is to j possess them. He fills them with all those ! | objects of sense and sentiment which are to I supply his moral and physical necessities. Birds sing in the boughs above him, odors blossom in the air, and flowers cover the earth m ith a glory to which that of Solomon in all his magnificence was vain and value less. To his hand we owe these fair groves, these tall ranks of majestic trees, these deep forests, these broad plains covered with verdure, these mighty arteries of flood and river, which wind among them, beautifying them with the loveliest inequalities, and irri gating them with seasonable fertilization. Thus did the Almighty Planter dedicate the great plantation to the uses of that various and wondrous family which was to follow. His home prepared—supplied with all resour | ces, adorned with every variety of fruit and flower, and checkered with abundance—man | is conducted within its pleasant limits, and | ordained its cultivator under the very eye 1 and sanction of Heaven. The angels of Heaven descended upon its hills ; God him- I self appears within its valleys at noonday— its groves are instinct with life and purity, and the blessed stars rise at night above the celestial mountains, to keep watch over its consecrated interests. Its gorgeous forests, its broad savannas, its levels of flood and : prairie, are surrendered into the hands of the wondrously favored, the new created heir of j Heaven! The bird and the beast are made i | his tributaries, and taught to obey him. The i fowl summons him at morning to his labors, j and the evening chant of the night-bird ; warns him to repose. The ox submits his I neck to the yoke ; the horse moves at his | bidding in the plough; and the toils of all | rendered sacred and successful by the gentle j i shower and the genial sunshine which de- j : scend from Heaven, to ripen the grain in its | season, and to make the earth pleasant with ! its fruits.” The Bible. i Its moral and intellectual benefits. ! Wo are not afraid to ascribe to the prev- I alonce of true religion, that unmeasured su- : i periority in all the dignities and decencies of : life, which distinguish a Christian nation, as ; compared with a heathen. We ascribe it to ! nothing but acquaintance with the revealed will of God, that those kingdoms of the earth | which bow at the name of Jesus, have vastly outstripped in civilization every other, wheth er ancient or modern, which may be desig nated Pagan or idolatrous. If you search for the full development of the principles of civil liberty, for the security of property, for an even-handed justice, for the rebuke of gross vices, for the cultivation of social vir | tues, for the diffusion of a generous care of | the suffering, you may turn to lands where j the cross has been erected—as though Chris- I tianity were identified with what is fine in i policy, lofty in morals, and permanent in i i greatness. Y'ea, as though the Bible were j a mighty volume, containing whatever is re quisite for correcting the disorders of states, and cementing the happiness of families, you find the causing of it to be received and read by a people is tantamount to the producing of a thorough revolution —a revolution induc ing equally the palace and the cottage—so that every rank in society is mysteriously j elevated and furnished with new elements of | dignity and comfort: who, then, will refuse to s confess, that, even if regard were had to | nothing beyond the present scene, there is no gift comparable to that of the Bible ? We stand indebted to the Bible for many intellectual as well as moral advantages. Indeed, the two go together. Where there is great moral, there will commonly be great mental degradation ; and the intellect has no fair play while the man is under the domin ion of vice. It is certainly observable, that ; in becoming a religious man, an individual | seems to gain a wider comprehension and a | sounder judgment; as though in turning to j God, he had sprung to a higher grade in in telligence. It marks a weak, or at least an ; uninformed mind to look with contempt on j the’Bible, as beneath the notice of a man of S high power and pursuit. He who is not spir j itually, will be intellectually benefited by the i study of scripture; the understanding will be ! strengthened by contact with lofty truth, and ! the taste refined by acquaintance with ex | quisite beauty. And what is true of an in dividual, is true in its degree, of a nation; the diffusion of Christian knowledge being al ways attended by the diffusion of correct 1 views in other departments of truth; so that in proportion as a people are Christianized, we find them more enquiring and intelligent* [Rev. Henry Melville. A New Plan for Plank Roads.— Mr. Grunise, of this State, has applied for a pa tent upon improvements in the construction of Plank roads, which he has invented. Mr. |G. gives an arch form to this road; places his sleepers across instead of lengthwise; his planks were sawed in strips and laid edge i wise and lengthwise, and are spiked togeth er. This mode of construction involves addi tional expense; but the inventor claims that, j by enabling the water to pass off freely from ! the surface, and placing the sleepers so as | not to dam the water underneath the plank, ! the road will last twice as long as those built after the usual plan, and may be kept in re pair for less than one quarter of the amount expended upon others.—JV. Y. Farmer. Curious Disclosures. “The Parkman Murder —More of the Texas Letter. —A gentleman from Boston, who has lately been on a visit to the western part of Texas, called at our office yesterday to examine the letter of ‘Oronoka’ published sometime ago, in the Delta, in which the wri ter declares that he was the murderer of Dr. Parkman. This gentleman informs us that he made diligent inquiries, during his visit to Texas, to discover some clue to the author ship of this letter, and the result of his re searches contributes greatly to heighten the mystery which hangs over this affair. The letter signed ‘Oronoka,’ is dated Washington, Texas, 28th of Dec., 1849. Our informant has ascertained, beyond all doubt, that an unknown and suspicious looking individual arrived in Washington about that time, who came from Boston, via Galveston and Hous ton. He remained at Washington but a few days. During that time he conversed with several persons, to whom he stated that he had been a blacksmith by trade, that he had lost his wife, and having saved a few hundred dollars, wished to invest it in Texas lands, i After remaining here a few days he departed for Austin, where he entered his name in the register of the Orleans House as ‘John Weeks, Boston.’ The appearance of the stranger was calculated to excite suspicion. He was reserved and nervous. He did not remain long in Austin. Our informant, while in Austin, having read the letter of‘Oro noka,’ in the Della, made inquiries into all the movements of this individual. He also cut out of the registry the entry of his name, which was compared, yesterday, with the handwriting of the letter of‘Oronoka,’ and al though the entry in the registry is written hur riedly and nervously, yet it contains points of resemblance to that of ‘Oronoka,’ which are very palpable and striking. We give these i facts as they are detailed to us, by our infor mant, w'ho is a respectable citizen of Boston. They are certainly deserving of consideration and investigation.— N. O. Delta, 3 d.” We have some curious revelations to make, touching the subject treated of in the above paragraph, that are derived from an authentic source, and which appear to throw light on this whole matter. On the 9th of November, 1849, one Benja min F. Cannon, a resident of Wendell, Frank lin County, Mass., disappeared, just after re ceiving, at one of the banks in Greenfield, five hundred dollars, borrowed on his own note and those of substantial sureties. Three or four weeks after this, he was seen, and talked with, by a neighbor, in New York city; but on further inquiry in that city lie could not be found again. In January, application in insolvency was made by his creditors, alleging that he had absconded, in pursuance of which, on the Ist of February, he was declared insolvent. Soon after that time, his daughter, Mrs. Allen, residing in one of the towns of Worcester County, received letters purporting to be from passengers and officers on board a steamer plying somewhere in Texas, stating that a man, calling himself John Weeks, died of cholera on board the boat on the 2d of | February, 1850. This was the steamer Gal- I veston, and the occurrence took place on her ! passage from Galveston, Texas, to New Or ■ leans. Before dying, he stilted that lie be j longed in Greenwich, Hampshire County, Mass. ‘Flic accounts represented that he died after a few 7 hours’ illness, and that the body was thrown overboard the same day, after the : performance of funeral services. Also, that he spoke of Mrs. Allen as his daughter, and ! directed that his money and trunk should be sent to her, giving them her address, and that his effects had been entrusted to Mr. and Mrs. Vance, of Vermont, who were on board the boat, and then on their way home to Vermont. Some two or three weeks since, Mr. and Mrs. Vance actually arrived, bringing with them one hundred and thirty-six dollars in money, said to have been taken from the dead man’s belt, and a trunk in which w ere a pock et-book and shirt, which Mr. Cannon’s family recognized as belonging to Mr. Cannon. In the meantime, the proceedings in insol vency had gone on, and an assignee had been appointed. On Tuesday last, at Greenfield, Mrs. Cannon applied for administration on the estate of her husband, alleging his death, and her application was opposed by the credi tors who had proved their claims in insolven cy, and whose interests might be affected by the establishment of the fact of death. Mr. and M rs. Vance were present and testified to the facts we have above stated, in part. They also testified that the person whom they had known as John Weeks, bore a striking ; personal resemblance to a Daguerreotype : likeness which had been taken of Mr. Can non before Ids departure, and which was in possession of his family. It also appeared that the name of John Weeks was one which had been in Mr. Can non’s family, and a favorite one with him. But, though the appearance of Mr. and Mrs. Vance was such as to command confidence, and though their evidence could leave little doubt that John Weeks and Benjamin F. Cannon were one and the same person, neith er of them was able to swear that they had seen John Weeks die, or had seen him after death. As the evidence of death failed at this point, the Judge of Probate, Hon. George Grenncll, directed the case to be continued, stating that the administration could not be granted without further proof of the fact of death. The letters and certificates of the passen gers show that, according to John YVeeks’ own statement, he had bought land in Texas, and had been in Washington, (in that State) and in other places referred to in the article which wc have copied above. It will be seen that the questions which arise in this matter are somewhat curious: first, whether John Weeks and Benjamin F. Cannon are identical; second, whether B. F. Cannon is dead; third, whether, if dead, his property remains to be distributed in the Pro bate Court, or vests in the Assignee, by virtue ol the proceedings instituted in insolvency be fore his death. The possible connection of John Weeks with the authorship of the letter in relation to the murder of Dr. Parkman f3 another feature of this affair which adds to its interest. The details we have given would seem to leave lit tle doubt that John YVeeks was none other ; than B. F. Cannon. Mr. Cannon left this part of the country, or rather New York, about the ! time of Dr. Parkman’s death. If the writing of the “Oronoka” letter is attributable to John j YY eeks, a presumptive clue is furnished by j which the statements of the letter can be estab- i lislied or refuted. Our readers are in posses- : sion of all the tacts we can give, and will draw their own conclusions. Should any persons to whom these facts be come known have any information tending to throw further light on the subject of John YY'eeks’ death and his identity with B. F. Can non, they can communicate either with us, or the counsel in the case pending before the Franklin County Judge of Probate. These arc Geo. T. Davis, Esq. for the supposed wid- OW, and David Aiken, Esq. for the creditors in insolvency. Both are of Greenfield. There is one other circumstance going to show that John Weeks and B. F. Cannon were one and the same, which we have not al luded to above,because we have not clear par ticulars concerning it. It is in substance, however, that Weeks while in Texas, said he had a brother, a minister named Frederick E., which was true of Mr. Cannon. ’I his cir cumstance came out in consequence ol some one in Texas writing to Franklin County for j information about such a brother as Weeks described. The facts about Mr. Cannon’s disappear ance and of the death on board the Galveston of John Weeks of Greenwich, Hampshire County, Mass., have been previously an nounced in the Republican. We do not know j whether an inquiry has been made in Green- j wich to learn whether a person named John i Weeks belonged there or not. A negative j answer to this would strengthen the supposi- j tion that the name was assumed by Mr. Can- j non, while an affirmative one would throw a new mystery over the whole affair. Aside from its connection with the anony mous letter about the Parkman murder, this statement of facts is curious and interesting enough ; but that circumstance lends it a more deep and general interest, and will un doubtedly be the means of bringing out new developements by inviting the attention of parties more seriously interested in the whole truth than even those in Franklin County. [Springfield Republican. The Mormons of Deseret or Salt Lake.—The brother and successor of Jo seph Smith has published the following letter: “I am in possession of proofs to show that bands of Salt Lake Mormons, clothed and armed as Indians and in perfect disguise, with their bodies and faces painted like Indians, have taken positions on the high road from Oregon and California, in order to plunder the companies of emigrants. Many murders and robberies have already been committed by these devils in human shape, which are all published to the world as if committed by In dians. “The Mormon church on Salt Lake is un der the government of a secret lodge. In this lodge Arighom Young has been crowned as king and sits there upon a throne erected for him. (Signed.) William Smith. Cholera.—We learn that this dreadful disease is prevailing to some extent on the plantations of Deer Creek. It has been lin gering for months in the country 7 between here and New Orleans—mostly on the rivers and bayous back from the Mississippi—and at some points on the Ouachita and Red riv ers has assumed an unusually malignant type. We do not think there is any reason to dread a second visitation here; but it is not out of place to remind our town authorities of the wisdom of guarding against it by proper san atory regulations, as the warm weather ap proaches. There are filthy alleys and sinks about town sufficient to engender disease, and we know it would be gratifying to many tax-payers to see the health committees abroad again. —Vicksburg Sentinel, Mar. 14. The latest Intelligence of the Sea- Serpent.—The supposed Sea-Serpent, seen by Capt. Blankenship of the Wm. Seabrook, and his passengers, turns out to be four Whales, one large one and three small ones. An expedition of flat boats was fitted out at Beaufort with cannon, harpoons and cables, and the party succeeded in striking one with a cannon ball and harpooning two others ; but the harpoons tore out, and the whale wounded by the cannon shot also escaped. A correspondent writing from Beaufort to the Charleston Courier, signing himself “Mat ter of Fad,” says: “After this I must be hold a sea-serpent with my own eyes, and must hear him hiss before I will believe in his existence.” Further.—Passengers by the Metamora state that the Serpent has been really caught, for true. He is a species of the whale family with several protuberances on his back. The head of a whale and a snake’s body. His captors have drawn him on the beach, and covered him over for security. Smoking Chimney.—Col. William Mason of London, in a letter to the builder, says: I have built many chimneys, in all possible situations, and have found one simple rule always succeeded, the secret being to con struct the throat of the chimney, or that part of it just above the fire place, so small that a man or boy can hardly pass through it. Sec ondly : Immediately above this, the chim ney should be enlarged to double its width, to the extent of about two feet in height, and then diminish again to its usual proportions. No chimney that I ever constructed thus, smoked. The Fat Jury.—Much amusement and quite a commotion was excited at the Court House, on Friday last, by a rather curious coincidence. A jury was summoned to take an inquisition of lunacy, and never were men of greater weight impanneled to act in the weightier matter of the law. A portly gen tleman, aldermanic in his proportions, arriv ed first and took his seat; and soon another and yet another came, until the ponderous complement was complete. As the goodly company increased in number, smiles and winks began to be interchanged; broad grins next followed, and finally, inextinguish able laughter shook the room, in which a considerable number of spectators, attracted by the odd fellowship, merrily participated. The respective weights of fifteen of the ju rors were ascertained, and the aggregate was 3354 lbs., an average of 223 9-15, the min imum being 200 and the maximum 280 lbs. Whether this assemblage was the result of malice prepense on the part of the clerk or other officer, who drew the jury, or was merely a fortuitous concurrence of portly gentlemen, is a problem yet to be solved. [ Charleston Courier. Fruits of Courtship. Ned Grimes wore a sad face, lie was often asked what was the matter; but no satisfactory answer was forthcoming. At length a particular friend obtained the particulars of him, “You know,” says Ned, “I have been courting Sally W. a long while; and so we had a great notion of getting married, when that darned old Col. ” “Go on, Ned, don’t be a boy; what about Col. ?” “Why, you see, Sally said I had better ask him; j and so I did, as perlite as I knowed how.” | “Well, what reply did he make ?” “Why, I he kinder hinted round as if I wern’t wanted there!” “Well, Ned, let’s know what they were; what the Colonel said to disturb your mind so.” “Why, he said ” “Said what:” j “Why, he said if he catched me there agin, ! he’d cowhide me till I hadn’t an inch of rine ! i left on my back: darn his old pictur.” What a glorious world this would be, if j all its inhabitants could say with Shakspeare’s shepherd: “Sir, I am a true laborer; I earn that I get; get that I wear; owe no man hate; envy no man’s happiness; glad of oth er men’s good; content with my farm.” Shady Side of Twenty-Five.—l am not one of those persons who make a butt of old maids; on the contrary, I know more estima ble women belonging to their class than I do out of it. Nevertheless, k cannot help scolding a little at 3 r oung ladies on the shady side of twenty-five, who have not been able to find husbands, and all from their own fault. And how so ? Why, just this way. They I spend days, weeks, months— yea, years in i total intellectual idleness. They never think there is anything for them to do except wash and mend their clothes, clean house, and look out of the parlor window. They have tried again to get a beau—and when they have got some likely young gentleman, they have lost him just as they have become ac quainted with one another, and for no other : reason than that said young gentleman has | found out that his lady has no ideas in her l head except other people’s ideas, and of these | the poorest assortment. She has no opinions about things, and likes or dislikes according ! to the freak of the moment. Now she is all ! fun—now as cross and crabbed as the wife |of Beelzebub. He cannot understand her j humors. She is afraid to express her igno ! ranee and endeavors to conceal it from his ’ searching glance. She cannot do it, try ever jso hard. In his walks, in his visits to exhibi i tions, in her deportment at home, he sees that i she is suffering from a mental torpor, and | what is worse, that she is making no effort :to throw it off. She never thinks that a man j wants a companion in a wife—not a block — j not a doll. He reads, studies, observes; she | doesn’t take the hint. She never thinks of ei ! ther reading, study or observation. She , knows there was an American Revolution j some time ago— when, she dobs not know, I nor whether it happened in this country or jin some other. She is aware there is such j a city as London and such a place as Cali j fornia, but whether they are in Asia, Africa ! or the East Indies she does not know and never thinks of inquiring. She has heard of the name of Bonaparte—possibly of that of Washington—but does not know whether the former was a Frenchman, Italian or Turk, nor whether the latter was President of these United States or not. She reads only the love stories in the papers, perhaps the gossip and scandal—but ask her if she saw the in teresting scientific discovery—the narrative of high daring and noble enterprise—the me moir of a Howard, a Fry, a Dix—Oh, no! she did not sec these. So you see, Mr. Edi tor, the young lady won’t do for the young gentleman. Now she does not think of im proving her opportunities, so as to be ready | lor another suit—not she. Thinking has never formed a part of her intellectual action, and no doubt, Mr. Editor, there is intellectu al action without thought. The next beau soon finds her out. Off he goes. She sits down and mopes, and never thinks it is all her own fault. How can she, indeed ? The j poor creature never thought at all—she went I by her feelings. Now, young ladies, take my advice. Tm i prove your leisure moments. Read the his ! tory of your own country at least. Study arithmetic enough to be able to help the lit tle “responsibilities” that will come, in their lessons. Learn something of the duty which is incumbent on all prospective mothers—to teach and bring up their little ones in the way they should go—not the way you went. Don’t delegate to others the duty of teaching the first lessons, the first prayers, the first ideas, which the little ones should get from you. Remember, too, that you are a member of society, and that if you are not of some use in it —if you cannot by your example help in any, the smallest degree, to improve that ! society—you are no better than a rotten limb on a huge tree. You had better not be, than be. The Banter. It was a cold winter night in the west, many years ago, and a small party were sit ting around the bright blazing fire in a little country tavern, the only one the town boast ed of, when the landlord was suddenly arous ed by a knocking at the door, and a loud “hallo! here.” As soon as the door was un barred, a stout young man entered, buttoned up in a brown overcoat, with a fur cap, boot ed and spurred, with a riding whip in his hand. “Lodgings for the night,” said he to the landlord, “and have my horse well fed.” Then approaching the fire, he spread himself and tapping his boot with his whip, gave a suspicious look upon the little knot of men around, who had made way for him. “Devilish cold night,” said he, unbuttoning his coat; “why don’t you have more wood on here?” “That was a great shot of Billy Robinson’s yesterday,” said an old man in the corner, peering over his spectacles at the stranger; “he shot an Indian at two hundred and thirty yards.” “That was pretty fair,” said the stranger; “but I’ll bet ten dollars that I can out shoot, out ride, out wrestle, out run, or whip any i body about your diggins.” No one replied to his banter, and at last the old man, who stood about six feet hinh, said: “We don’t fight much about here, stranger, except with Indians; but as you appear keen for a bet, I’ll bet you ten dollars that I can beat you spitting at a mark at the distance of six feet.” “Done,” said the stranger, “I’ll take tire bet.” And the money was forthwith put up, the distance measured off, and a cross made on the floor, with a piece of chalk for a target. “Well, go on,” said the old man; “your first spit.” The stranger took his position, and calcu lating the distance with his eye to the mark, spit within an inch of the chalk* cross. “Well, beat that,” said he, with a look of triumph. “That’s just what I’m going to do,” said the old man; and taking his place, fixed his eyes firmly on his nose, knelt upon his knees, and stretching out his hand as far as he could, he leaned over and spit plump on the cross, i “I rather think I drove the centre that time,” said the old man, resuming his feet, while the ; party round, who had been watching the sport, I now roared with laughter. The old man quietly pocketed (he stakes ! while the stranger, with a graveyard counte nance, simply remarked, “Is that the way you do things here ?” and retired to his lodgings. [*Y. O. Picayune. The National Washington Monument. The Council of the Chickasaw tribe ofln j dians has appropriated 8200 towards the 1 erection of the National Washington Monu ment. During the discussion of the subject, the declaration was made that the people of the nation had never spilt the blood of white men in war; and that they entertained the same veneration for Washington as their white brethren. “I admire your wife,” said one man to an other. “Very likely,” was the answer, “but I have only three buttons to my pantaloons.” Before you praise a woman, examine her husband’s buttons. The French West Indies. The following curious exhibit of the work ing of emancipation in one of the most valu able of the French colonies, we copy from the New York Journal of Commerce. Os course, sensible people knew these results as surely ; before they happened as since. They were ; inevitable, and we do not belieae that even the French • statesmen who brought them : about, are disappointed at the fruits ol their j labors. Emancipation was a bit of domestic theatricals, for the amusement ol Paris, so important at that moment to the safety of the Provisional Government. The industrial re sult so far is, that the colonies have fur nished France during the past year, one half the amount of produce they furnished in 1847. This v the beginning. — Mercury. Guadaloupe—Negroes elected to the French National Assembly.—As wo an ticipated, the election in this Island for mem bers of the French National Assembly, re | suited in the return of Perinon and Schoclcher,. by an immense majority; and these negro* Representatives have gone to Paris, to in crease the groupe of Socialists who occupy the summit of the mountain. Perinon was ; Governor of Martinique, under the Provision al Government established on the ruins of the French throne, and he is accused of having, while administering that office,- sought to arm the whole black population, with a view to the extermination of the whites. Schoclcher is well known for his Socialist ideas, and for the opinion strenu ously maintained in his writings, and which he aims to realize in practice, that the inter tropical regions are designed by nature for the exclusive habitation of the African race. Strongly objecting to be represented by men of such extreme views, the whites of Guada loupe, in a spirit of compromise, proposed as candidates, Alexander Dumas, the eminent author, equally estimable for his talents and the moderation of his sentiments, who, by his origin, gives ample guaranties to the col ored class, and a respectable Priest of Pointe a Petre, who, by a conciliatory spirit and a uniform manifestation of evangelical virtues, : lias won the esteem of all classes. But uni -1 versal suffrage in Guadaloupe rejected this combination. The municipal election also resulted de plorably. The very lees and dregs of the colonial society were exalted and elevated to the head of the various communes. The town of Pointe a Petre, first in population and commerce, has for its chief magistrate a man called Jean Joseph, surnamed tele a clou, (English, Nail-head,) a black carman, once a slave; and its municipal council is composed wholly of colored men of about the same condition and calibre. Basseterre, the seat of government, has for its Mayor, a black fellow named Macaque, (English, Monkey) who has been once at the galleys lor his ex ploits; and the counsellors associated with him in the government, are described as “ birds of the same feather. ” The other twenty-eight communes of Guadaloupe have met with no better experience of universal suffrage. It is true, that to some of the mu nicipal councils, a sufficient number of whites were elected to instruct their associates in the art of government; but these, almost to a man, have since resigned. Such is the inca pacity of the parties chosen, that it is believed the Colonial Government will be under the necessity of suspending the effect of the elec tions, and of committing the administration of municipal affaire to provisional commit tees, pending the result of representations to the National Assembly, and of the application to that body for such a modification of the electoral law, in view of the composition of colonial society, and of the bad passions which have been engendered by the too sud den elevation of an ignorant and degraded race, who are permitted to exercise political domination over their former masters; as will exclude unworthy person s'from office, qt least during the brief period requisite to im part to the newly affranchised the first ele ments of political knowledge. We have depicted the state of affairs in this unhappy island, more minutely than its own intrinsic importance may seem to re quire ; because, during the excitement which prevails among ourselves in reference to the slavery question, it presents an instructive field of contemplation to those who occupy j themselves with that grave matter, and fore | shadows, perhaps, in some degree, that future I which emancipation may provide for our fel low-citizens of the South; and hence, it may ! legitimate the unyielding attitude of resis | tance, which possibly the instinct of self-pre -1 servation has caused the South to assume. Guadaloupe is gradually deserted by the j whites. So rapid is the emigration, chiefly i to the United States, that it is believed, that | before any distribution is made of the paltry sum voted by the National Assembly to in demnify the former proprietors for the loss of their slaves, there will be none left to receive it, except those who are forced to remain for | want of means to get away—forced thus to I endure the yoke of ignorance and stupidity, I perhaps to consent to conditions still more : revolting. Many whites have already, through | bi-colored marriages, commenced the degra- I dation ol their race. History teaches that the | subduers have ever given to the vanquished | their manners and their usages. So, while the blacks were in servitude, under the influ ence of tiie whites they were gradually mak | ing such advances in civilization as their con | dition and capacities admitted of; but now, | that by institutions and numerical preponder ance, they have become rulers in the French ; Colonies, the white race who remain in their i midst, will ol necessity undergo, in process :of time, a moral and physical absorption, which will cause it to lose alike the fair type and the beauty of intelligence which God has assigned to t he Caucasian family. ; “No you don’t, Judge ‘.’’--Scene in Court of | Justice — Boy, witness in case of Mr. Brown Judge, (with dignity) Young man, da j you know this Brown ? Boy. (looking roguishly at his Honor and shaking his head.) No yer don’t, Judge. Judge, (indignantly) What do you mean* by that, sir? Answer my question. Do you know this Brown? I Boy. (with a peculiar wink) No yer don’t, | Judge. Judge, (in rage) Answer me, you young j villain, or I’ll commit you for conpumpt of j Court. Do you know this Brown ? j Boy. (placing his thumb to the tip of his nose and wriggling mysteriously his elonga ted finger) Yer can’t come it, Judge ; I know what yer want—yer want me to ask what Brown ? and then yer goin’ to say Brown Stout ! No yer don’t, J udge! Experimental philosophy is defined ta he asking a young lady to inarry*Vou ; natu | ral philosophy is looking indifferently, and saying you wore only in fun, when she re fuses you. Sidney Smith, in Bpeaking of the prosy na ture of certain sermons, said, “They are writ ten as if sin was to be taken out of man like Eve out of Adam, by putting him to sleep.”