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Chapter V.
The Withlacoochec— The first fight—John’s peculiar
sensation on that occasion—The second enccunter —
Attack in the breast-works-The music of a rifle-ball
an exception to the i ule—Seminole dentistry—Battle
at eight —John is wounded —Short rations and hard
fighting—Desperate onset-Thc armistic—The coun
cil—A dainty morsel—-The surprise—The relief— Re
turn to camp Smith.
It was early, on the second day after our
departure from Fort King, that our advance
guard reached the batik of the Withlacoo
chee. As we approached to the bank of
that wild stream, whose tawpy waters glide
with a lazy current, amid cypress swamps
and sleepy lagoons, on to the ocean, as still
and calm as if its glassy surface had never
been ruffled by human power —suddenly the
sharp crack of the rifle peeled upon our
startled ears, and from a thousand throats
came the terrific war-whoop of the savages,
who lay concealed upon the opposite hank.
I felt a thrill of excitement run through eve
ry nerve. It was the first time that I had
ever heard that blood-curdling yell, and I
was soon to participate for the first time in
mortal combat. I cannot describe my feel
ings at that moment. It was not fear—it
was not anger made me tremble —but my
mind was oppressed with a strange com
pound of mingled emotions. There was a
sort of indefinite, indescribable sense of im
minent peril—a feeling of suspence, the
more painful because of its uncertain brevi
ty. Perhaps my last breath was in my nos
trils! It was hut for a moment —hut in that
brief moment a life-time of thought ran
through my brain. And the unfinished bus
iness of an ill spent life pressed itself upon
me. ******** One vol
ley—a shout of defianco—and my agony
was over—and the next moment when a
riderless horse came dashing past, his flank
all stained with blood, I felt at ease amid the
danger and din of battle, and snuffed the
sulphory atmosphere with as much compo
sure as a veteran. A sharp fire was kept
up on both sides for near an hour, when
finding it impossible to cross the stream at
that point without the aid of boats, the army
fell back to a little distance from the river,
and (passed the night in the breastworks
thrown up by Gen. Clinch, on the night
previous to the battle of the Withlacoochee.
At sunrise qn the following morning, we
were again in line, and moved down the
river, a distance of about two miles, where
it was understood there were less natural ob
stahles to prevent our crossing the stream.
On again approaching the bank, which we
did about nine o’clock, we met with a recep
tion similar to our first greeting, which we
returned with a free good will; and the
spirited interchange of compliments was
kept up without intermission, until near one
- o’clock in the afternoon, when the red ras
cals, for reasons best known to themselves,
declined the sport. During this spirited
affair, many of our men were killed or
wounded. Amongthose mortally wounded,
was the gallant Lieut. Izard, a gentleman
and soldier, deserving a better fate. Retir-
ing a short distance from the river, we threw
up breast-works, and passed the night with
out interruption. About 10 o’clock on the
following morning, the enemy paid us a call
on our own side of the river, and for the
space of two hours, their rifles kept up as
enlivening a tete a tete with our vugurs and
muskets,“as one might wish to hear.” For
a time the rifle-balls whistled about us like
hail, and many of our men were obliged to
acknowledge, some with a groan, others with
a curse, the receipt of those “ leaden mes
sengers of death.” But to me there is no
“ charm to soothe,” in the music of a rifle
ball, and in spite of all my philosophy, I
found it difficult to bear in mind, at the mo
ment, the well attested fact that “ they are
harmless so long as one can hear them whis
tle.” Another name or two was added to our
listof killed and wounded. Among the latter
was that of our brave old General himself,
who was indebted to the enemy on this oc
casion, for the performance of a novel den
tal operation—a rifle-ball having passed
through his nether lip removing one of his
front teeth. The old gentleman is not in
command of more than a corporal’s guard
of this class of troops, and, as a matter of
course, was rather vexed at the rascals for
thus depriving him of one of his veteran
front rank men.
It was night—the merry notes of the tat
too had but just ceased to send back their
faint echoes from the surrounding gloom,
when, as if by appointed signal, the whole
woods, on every side, was lit up by the blaze
of their rifles, while the welkin rang with
the rattling report, mingled with that horrid
Indian yell, to mo more terrible than their
weapons. For a time the blaze of fire-arms
almost illumined the dark scene, while the
solemn woods for miles around reverberated
with the deafening peels of our musketry,
or the sullen ioar of our single field piece,
which, like the hoarse voice of the mastiff
amid tho yelping kennel of lesser throats,
towered above the din at intervals. I was
in the act of raising from my knee, in which
position we had been ordered to fire, when
I felt a sudden twinge in the left arm.
“ I wish you’d keep your ram-rod to your
self,” 1 remarked to my tile-leader, who was
loading as if he had a covy of partridges in
his eye.
** Take that, and be d—d to ye,” said he,
as he discharged his piece and commenced
re-loading, too much engaged to hear rne.
“ I’ll bet that cut some o’ your fur, you d—d
yelling panters ye.”
“ Zip,” exclaimed one, as a hall whistled
past his head—“ a miss is as good as a
mile—”
“ I wish I had a pair of cast iron hoots
that came up to my shoulders,” cooly re
marked the third man on my right, as he
bent upon his knees.
“ Stand up to your rack, Boh, and never
mind the length of your hoots,” replied his
file-leader.
“Oh, my God!” groaned one, and the
next moment two men were seen dragging
a poor fellow towards the surgeon’s quar
ters.
“There’s a man got an Indian’s commis
sion in his pocket, pat,” said a wreckless fel
low in my nearing.
“ Come, boys—it's no time to be indulgin’
in levity; load and fire in quickest time’s
the order,” replied our old Irish corporal.
“ They’re coming closer —see ! the flash
of that rifle was not thirty paces off.”
“ Here goes the lead-colic in that fellow’s
neighborhood,” said another, as he let fly
the contents of his piece in that direction.
1 had paused foi a moment, not seeing
any thing to shoot at; hut as the enemy were
evidently advancing, and their fire seemed
to take more effect, I attempted to seize my
nun, hut my left arm refused to perform its
office, and my hand hung benumbed and
useless at my side. Upon examination, I
found the blood streaming profusely from a
wound in the fleshy part of the arm just be
low the elbow. It was a rifle-hall instead
of my friend’s ram-rod, that had attracted
my attention hut a few moments before. —
Though the wound was slight, it incapacita
ted me for service, and I was ordered to the
centre of the enclosure, where I was com
pelled, much against my will, to remain in
active amid surrounding strife and confusion.
It was late when the enemy tetired.
Daybreak was their signal for renewing
the onset. Owing to the great disparity of
force and the scarcity of ammunition, it was
not deemed prudent to make a soitie, espe
cially when it was evident tltt such an ex
pedient could only result in dispersing the
enemy, whom, we were too well assured,
was concentrated at this point, and whom,
it was the object of onr general to entertain
and keep together until reinforcement, and
a concerted action with Gen. Clinch would
enable him to make a decisive movement.
An express had been despatched to Fort
Drane, and while a part of oui force kept
the enemy at hay, numbers were employed
in constructing boats, with which to cross the
river when we should receive the necessary
supplies. But no succour came—our pro
visions were soon exhausted, and after a
few days, a more formidable enemy than
the savage foe stared us in the face. Fam
ine, with its lean and haggard aspect and
sunken eye, stalked through the camp, dis
spiriting the brave and unnerving the strong.
Another express was despatched, and yet
no telief. Still was Gaines the same reso
lute and intrepid leader that he had been in
younger land more glorious days, and his
noble example cheered and encouraged his
suffering soldiers when precept would have
failed. The wily savages were not ignorant
of our condition, and at the time when
we were reduced to the extremity of eating
our poor horses, who reeled as they walked,
many of them suffering from wounds, and
all perishing for food—they renewed the
fight with redoubled energy and the most
determined desperation. They had grown
holder—they set the tall grass and leaves on
fire, and while the volumes of flame and
smoke curled over our heads, they rrtade one
desperate effort, as if they would scale our
works, which we could not repel only in the
last extremity, owing to the scarcity of our
ammunition. When they approached near
enough, under cover of the smoke, to bring
them almost within pistol shot, the Louisian
ians gave them a reception that mad* them
recoil like vipers from the file. During the
night of the sth of March, the seventh since
our encampment in the hi east-works, a voice
hailed our sentinels from the opposite side
of the river, and informed us that, (to use
the speaker’s own words) “de Injun say
birr, done tired fight, and want to make tra
tyand on the following morning, their
delegates, under the protection of a dirty
white flag, made their appearance, and were
met with a corresponding number of our
own officers at some distance from the breast
works, where a palaver ensued. While
this sage council was sitting cross-legged
upon a log, engaged in their efforts to effect
a diplomatic adjustment of the difficulties
which had embroiled the two nations in war,
a respectable showing of the bulwark of the
nation was paraded iu full view of the camp.
I sat upon a log with my wounded arm
in a sling, devouring a dog’s heart roasteu
without salt, while the treaty was going on.
I was meditating upon the probable result
of the armistic, when 1 observed a sudden
commotion among the red gentry, and im
mediately a loud volley of musketry broke
upon my ear. The next moment the woods
were red with flying Indians, shouting
“ Clinch ! Clinch !” as they dashed head
long in the direction of the river. The gen
tlemen of the council stood not upon theNr
der of their going, but went, abruptly de
ferrinsall further deliberation until “ to-mor
row. 19 The whole camp was in commotion
—joy lit up the smoked and haggard coun
tenances of the men—and 1 dashed my dog’s
heart to the dogs, and threw up my cap with
joy, as I saw through the smoky woods the
blue jacket of the gallant Clinch, approach
ing at the head of his brave Georgians, and
kuew that relief had come at last.
After delaying a few days—during which
time it rained incessantly—in order to give
the Indians an opportunity of renewing the
negotiations which his van-guard had so sud
denly interrupted, hut which they did not
do—Gen. Clinch, who no longer enjoyed
supreme command in Florida, obeyed the
instructions of the Commander-in-chief, by
withdrawing the army from the Withla
coochee to Fort Drane. Arrived at this
post, our own General, having resigned his
command into the hauds of Gen. Clinch,
took his leave of those who had been his as
sociates in his brief but arduous campaign.
( To be continued.)
The Drunkard not the worst Man. —A
gentleman stepped into a tavern, and saw a
filthy drunkard, once a respetable man,
waiting for his liquor. lie thus accosted
him:
“G — , why do you make yourself
the vilest of men ?”
“ I ain’t the vilest,” said the drunkard.
“ Yes you are,” said the gentleman:
“ See how you look—drink that
you vvill be in the gutter.”
“ I deny your poz-zi-tion,” said the drunk
ard. Who—who is the vi-vilest the temp
tempted, or the tempter ! VVho—who was
wor-worst, Sa-Satan or Eve?”
“ Why, Satan,” said the gentleman.
“ Well—well, be-behold the temp-temp
ter!” said he, pointing to the bar. The
argument was irresistible. The barkeeper
j flew into a passion, and turned the poor i'el
j low out of Ins house without his dram.—
I Magnolia.
3 CD Iff *l* Ji ISi IE It
SS3 o§©l LL A Y „
An Indian Juggler. —To those who have
never witnessed the extraordinary feats of
this singular class of beings, what we are
going to relate will doubtless appear too
marvellous even for the pages of romance ;
but experience has sufficiently demonstrated
the practicability of things which by the un
initated can he referred only to the opera
tion of magic. Indeed so singular and ex
traordinary have some of these performances
appeared, that even the mighty Haber, the
conqueror of Hitidoostan, has dedicated a
portion of his interesting memoirs to a des
cription of them, without, however, attempt
ing their elucidation.
The juggler who now had the honor of
entertaining the Maha Rajah and his party,
was evidently a master of his art ;* and
proceeded at once, assoon as his distinguish
ed audience were seated, to astonish them
with his dexterity. He first handed an egg
round the circle, and then placed it in his
bosom itt order to hatch if. He requested
the Ranee to signify the bird she wished to
see produced, and the gentle Meena having
named a dove, the symbol of her own inno
cent heart, it accordingly flew forth from the
broken shell; and fluttering around for an
instant,soared into the sky with rapid pinion.
This trick was frequantly repeated, a differ
ent bird appealing at every successive trial,
by desire of one or other of the spectators;
and a shower of Rupees, by order of the
Ranee, repaid the ingenuity of the juggler,
who, thus encouraged, prepared for fresh
efforts.
Having desired one of his attendants to
bring him a branch from a noble Mango tree
which stood at a short distance, the juggler
took it in his hand, and held it forth, all
green and blossomless as it was; uttering
certain incantations, and making a variety of
grimaces indicative of the internal workings
of a powerfully agitated spirit. Gradually,
to the astonished eyes of the spectators, one
blossom appeared sprouting forth, then an
other and another, till the amputated branch
was nearly covered. Wonderful as this
feat appeared, it was totally eclipsed by that
which followed : for as the juggler still held
the branch extended in his hand, and con
tinued his incantations, the blossoms fell one
by one; and in the place of each appeared
an incipient Mango, which gtadualy swelled
out to the largest and richest size of that
delicious ft uit. These having beer, gather
ed by the juggler’s attendants, were present
ed in a golden salver to the Ranee and her
party, though none could he prevailed on to
taste a fruit which they verily believed to
he the production of magic alone.
Tremendous applause and a Royal lar
gesse followed this extraordinary feat, and
thi*j uggler once more addressed himself to
his singular exhibition. Taking in his hand
a coil of rope which lay on the stage he
flung it up with considerable force in the air;
when, strange to say, one end remained fix
ed above, the other falling down on the
stage of the mountebank. Taking hold of
this he kept it firmly extended in a sloping
direction from the summit -, when, wonder
upon wonders, a tiger appeared on the top
in the act of decending the rope, which he
actually did with great caution and preci
sion, while many of the spectators fled
screaming from the claws of the monster.
Their panic, however, was very much in
creased when they beheld a lion following
the tiger down the rope ; and then a buffa
lo, an elephant, and sundry other annimals,
which were fortunately taken possession of
by ihe attendants of the juggler and con
veyed behind the scenes, without causing
any other mischief than the needless fright
their first appearance had occasioned.
•Sonic of the jugglers will tell any person their
thoughts, cause the branch of a tree to blossom and to
bear fruit within an hour, hatch an egg in their bosom
in less than fifteen minutes, producing whatever bird
may be demanded, and make it fly about the room,
etc. etc.—Beksier.
Almost, an awful Suicide. —The Philadel
phia Spirit of the times states that a strange
scene occurred in one of the courts of that
city on Tuesday. A good looking Irishman
was in the dock, arraigned on a charge of
participating in the late riots. His wife, a
pretty English woman, was sitting on a set
tee near the clerk’s desk. He keeps a small
grocery and liquor shop in St. Mary street,
and she attends it. Both love to “ drink.”
All at once, about two o’clock in the after
noon, the court was electrified by what ap
peared to he the sudden discharge of a pis
tol, and at the same moment the woman al
luded to gave a slight shriek, clapped her
hands to her breast, and fell hack, while a
torrent, apparently’ of blood, was gushing
forth from her bosom. The officers gather
ed around her. All believed that an awful
suicide hud been committed in the presence
of the law, and as a shudder pervaded every
frame, the woman was lifted up and examin
ed. To the consternation of all, it appeared
that she had secreted a bottle of porter, in
her bosom, and that the heat had occasioned
the cork to fly out from its imprisonment.
She had thrust her fingers into the bottle in
vain. The red stream still poured out. No
wonder it had been mistaken, not for a tor
rent of beer, but for a torrent of blood.
Queer Auction. —We were much struck—
we can scarcely say amused—a few morn
ings ago, while passing a ready-made coffin
establishment, which was being sold out un
der the hammer. “ There’s a fine, large
sized article now,” said the auctioneer, lay
ing his hand with professional carelessness
upon a black walnut dead-man’s box ; “how
much shall 1 say for you, sir? Just your
size—fit you exactly ! Shall I say three dol
lars ?—only three! Three—ee—ee—ee—
an —a —assi—an-aff—aff—aft’—does any bo
dy say ? Fit you precisely ; looks as if it
was made for you ; just the height; going—
going—.” “ your coffin,” exclaimed
the gentleman —a tall, portly, red-faced fig
ure —as he bolted out of the shop and strode
up the street witli the speed of a locomotive.
We had no disposition to bid, and so walk
ed on.— New- York Aurora.
Pretty fair. —“ Bill, I’ve been trying a
bout town all day to borrow five dollars, and
have come to you as a ‘dernier resort.’ ”
“ Yes, and dern your resort /” said Bill,
“ I’un opt of soap!”
The straight Way to Heaven. —An itene
rant preacher, of more zeal than discretion,
was in the habit of accorsing those he met
in the walks, and inquiring into their spirit
ual welfare. Passing along a country road
that led through a small settlement, he met a
simple-looking country fellow driving a cart
loaded with corn. “ Do you believe in God,
sir?” said he to the country man. “Yes,
sir,” was the instant reply. “Do you read
your Bible, pray to your maker, and attend
divine worship regularly ?” and this string
of questions was also answered in the affir
mative. “Go on your way rejoicing, my
lad,” continued he, “ you are in the high
way to heaven.” Clodpole flourished his
whip, and drove on, much delighted, no
doubt, with the pleasing intelligence. An
other person came up at this time, and he
also was interrogated with an uncetemoni
ous “ Do you believe in God, sir? “What
have you to do, sir, with what I believe?”
replied the person accosted, with a look of
surprise. “ You are in the gall of bitter
ness, and the bond of iniquity,” cried the of
fended preacher. “ Look at that poor lad
whistling along the road, and driving his
cart before him, he is in the straight way to
heaven.” “It may be so, sir,” said the per
son interrogated, “ hut to my certain knowl
edge, if he’s going there, lie’s going with a
cart load of stolen corn.”
The old Lady and the Cobler over the
Way. —Some years ago the husband of an
old lady, residing in a country village, hap
pened to die suddenly without making a
will, for the want of which very necessary
precaution, his estate would have passed
away’ from his widow, had she not resorted
to the following remarkable expedient to
avert the loss of her property : She con
cealed the death of her husband, and pre
vailed upon an old colder, her neighbor,
who was in person somewhat like the de
ceased, to go to bed at her house, and per
sonate him, in which character it was agreed
he should dictate a will, leaving the widow
the estate in question. An attorney was
accordingly sent for to prepare the required
document, and the widow, on his arrival,
appeared to be realizing the greatest afflic
tion at her good man’s danger, but forthwith
proceeded to ask questions of her pretend
ed husband, calculated to elicit the answers
she expected and desired. The old cobler,
groaning aloud, and looking as much like
a person going to give up the ghost as pos
sible, feebly answered, “ I intend to leave
you half my estate ; and I do think the poor
old shoemaker, who lives over the way, is
deserving of the other half, for he lias al
ways been a jrood neighbor.” The widow
was thunderstruck at receiving a reply so
different to that which she expected, but
dated not negative the collier’s will, for fear
of losing the whole of the property, while
the cunning old rogue in bed, who was him
self the poor old shoemaker living over the
way, laughed in Iris sleeve, and divided with
her the fruits of a pioject which the widow
had intended for her sole benefit.— English
Taper.
MfisooHaumyo
I'UIILISHED EVERY SATURDAY MORNING AT
THE VERY LOW PRICE OF TWO DOLLARS
AND FIFTY CENTS PER ANNUM —ONE DOL
LAR AND FIFTY CENTS FOR SIX MONTHS
ALWAYS IN ADVANCE.
MADISON, GEO t
Saturday, September 24, 1542.
A WORD TO OUR PATRONS.
With the present number we conclude the
first half-volume of the “Southern Miscel
lany”—and it occurs to us that there could
be no more appropriate time to indulge a
few words of familiar chat with our numer
ous readers. First, we would speak to those
good friends, and true, who, in the infancy
of our undertaking, came manfully and gen
erously forward to our aid, and, with their
cash payments in advance, enabled us to
make the “Miscellany” whati/iis: we need
not define it. To you we return our most
grateful thanks; may your shadows never
grow shorter, your numbers fewer, or your
purses lighter—but may you live long in the
land you have aided to enlighten !
Next we would have a word with that
still larger division of our friends who we
may call subscribers, hut who yet lack only
two dollars and fifty cents of being patrons.
To such we would say, that there is a dif
ference between us ; a difference which we
would never so willingly settle as now—
which never could be more opportunely set
tled than now —and which, like all other
diffeienccs, increases as it grows older. In
downright earnest though, we appeal to all
such as are in arrears to avail themselves of
the present time to liquidate our little claim.
We have not been troublesome or importu
nate ; we have given you six month’s cred
it, without grumbling, and now all we ask is,
that you should comply with the terms to
which you subscribed; we have broken none
of our promises to you, and we ask you to
make good yours to us. We know that it
is but too common an opinion, that printers
and editors are etherial beings—that they
can live on air, public opinion,or almost any
thing as intangible, hut we can assure you,
dear reader, it is a very great error; they
can no more live on nothiug than can com
mon people—nor will their creditors be con-
tented with nothing a bit sooner than yours
would. We beg you will take these things
into serious consideration ; and now, w r hile
you are filling your long pockets with the
proceeds of your year’s labor, do not forget
that we have labored for you, and that our
bill is unpaid. Seriously and soberly—and
such is our aversion to dunning that we can
not do it in a serious tone, whatever our ex
tremity—but seriously and soberly, dear
reader, we are in want of money—immi
nently in want —and we appeal to you in
the hope that you vvill, by the discharge of
the small debts you owe us, enable us to pay
others of greater magnitude, and of great
importance to our future well-being. We
wait to see who will and who vvill not —if
any such there be—respond to our call.
Now, last hut not least, we would exhort
the borrowers of the “ Miscellany.” We
can’t feel ill towards you, for your very fault
proves your taste and good discrimination.
We can’t feel ill towards you, dear readers
of the borrowed “Miscellany,” but we would
feel a much higher degree of individual res
pect for you, if we could see your names on
our subscription book, with “ Paid, $2 50”
opposite. Avery great heresy has got into
your heads, dear borrowers. You think,
because the loan of the “ Miscellany” costs
us nothing,because it is already’ printed, that
you are doing us no harm to read it, week
ly, in this way. Now, so far as the equity
of the thing is concerned, you might as well
ask the Conductor to let you ride in the
cars to Greensboro’ every Saturday, free of
charge ; your passage would cost the Com
pany nothing—the cars are bound to go, and
it does not take a single additional puff of
steam to carry you A half-dozen of you
would not think of borrowing another pas
senger’s ticket and passing it round till you
all got a ride with it. Then, why will as
many of you read the good things in a neigh
bor’s “Miscellany?” You should abhor to
do so, as much as you would to borrow his
dinner, “ or his horse, or bis ass, or his man
servant,” or— —anything that is his. We
trust you will he admonished by the above
persuasive arguments to discontinue the
practice, and come forward and subscribe
like high-minded,honorable men, and hence
forth read your own “ Miscellany.”
COTTON MARKET.
Madison, Sc2>tcmbcr 23. —Business during
the past week has been animated. 789
bales of Cotton have been received since
our last, 41G of which were purchased by
our Merchants, at 7 to 7.1 for square hales,
6f to 7 for round.
Below we give - tho quotations of the
principal Cotton markets in the country.
By comparing those of Augusta, Savannah
and Charleston with our own, it vvill be
seen that taking freight into consideration—
our market offers as fair ju ices to the planter
as any other.
Charleston, September 17.—247 hales of
the new crop sold at prices ranging from
71 to SJ.
Augusta, September 21. —New Crop com
ing in brisk—7 to 8 cents, quoted as the ex
tremes of the market.
Macon, September 15.—We quote for the
week to 7 cents.
Savannah, September 17.—We quote
midling to midling fair 7 to 7^ —fair to fully
fair, 71 to 7f —good fair 8 cents.
New Orleans, Scptem/ftr 10. — Extreme
quotations from G to 10 cents.
Mobile, September 10.—Sales range from
8 to 10 for good midling to fair.
Columbia, ( S. C.) September 15. —5 toSJ
extreme quotations.
New York, September 14.—Uplands and
Florida sold at Gl to Sl —Mobile and New
Orleans 61 to 9.
{tT 53 Produce is beginning to come in
rapidly from the surrounding country. —
During the past week 17234 lbs. prime Ba
con have been received. Did you ever sec
so much hog meat, Mr. Whig ? *
THE WEATHER.
For the past few days the weather has
been quite cool, even chilly in the mornings
and evenings. The sky lias been overcast
and heavy, and the fitful gusts of September
wind rustle as they pass the first fallen leaves
that lie curled and blackening upon the side
walk. The shrubbery and trees have as
sumed a sickly yellow-green, and the once
bright mantle of earth looks sombre and
old. The year is in the fall—and all nature
proclaims
“ The melancholy days are come,
The saddest of the year.”
Aye, the saddest of the year, when all we
behold reminds us of our own ultimate des
tiny—when every fallen leaf, every wither
ed flower recalls to our memory some dear de
parted one, now no more. How few can
look back to the gay springtime of life, and
not remember with a sigh the buds of pro
mise or the blooms of hope which they have
cherished in their hearts, only to see them
wither and drop “ like leaves in wintry
weather!” The season is a sober one;
would that we might learn wisdom from its
teachings.
The Virginia Banks resumed specie
payments on the 15th instant. The “Lynch
burgh Virginian” expresses its confidence
in their ability to maintain their ground.
THE “SOUTHERN WHIG,” OUK PAPER, AND
OUR TOWN.
In our paper of week before last we took
occasion to say that Congress had adjourned
after one of the longest and roost unprofit
able sessions since the organization of the
Government; and concluded oor brief par
agraph by expressing our belief that,all that
had been done for the good of the country
might have been effected in a session of one
month. This we believed, at the time, to be
the almost unanimous opinion of politicians
of both pat ties : indeed it was but the em
bodymeut of what wo had seen expressed in
the papers of both sides, as well as in those
which, like ourself, claim to be neutral in
politics. But what think you, reader ? The
editor of the “ Southern Whig”—a paper
printed in the town of Athens, in Clarke
County, in this State—has had the almost in
credible sagacity to discover in that little
paragraph, a most flagrant violation of our
professed neutrality ; and, for this, gives us
such a lampooning in his last paper as he
seldom deigns to bestow even upon his po
litical antagonists. His attack upon us re
minds us of one of Dickens’ characters, who,
according to that author, was wont, for the
sake of “ argyment,” to make strange is
sues with his friends. On one occasion, Sol
omon Daisey, a quiet little man—with no
more disposition to provoke a quarrel than
we felt when we penned the objectionable
paragraph—remarked that the moon was,
or soon would be, in the full ; upon which
the very wise John Wjllet looked the little
man full in the face, with a very significant
stare, and replied, “ you let the moon alone,
and—and—l’ll let you alone.” Now, the
editor is much more wordy, and no doubt
conceits himself vastly more witty than was
John Willet, on the occasion alluded to ; hut
the idea that he has the peculiar guardian
ship of Congress, is just about as modest and
sensible as John’s conceit that lie was the
guardian and defender of the moon ! Per
sonally, we do suffer beneath the caustic ire
of his first paragraph ; and the only conso
lation we have, is in the fact that the “ South
ern Whig” happens not to he the leading
paper in the South—and its circulation is,
we believe, confined within the limits of the
Union. But for this circumstance, we would
most certainly be “and dto everlasting
fame,” by the all-potent pen of this most
belly-potent editor. Asa tasteofliis quality—
as a specimen of his boyish, undignified and
unprovoked attack on us—we give the fol
lowing extract. We hope the reader vvill
observe the close relation between his text—
our paragraph about Congress—and the
general tenor of his rodomontade. After
duly announcing us, he says :
“ We think it advisable, after he has writ
ten one or two more literary periodicals and
family newspapers into general notoriety,
that his services should be engaged as a leg
islator. How the Whig and Democratic
party missed it, when they did not put his
name on one of their Congressional Tickets.
And how the country would he benefited if
we had many such men among us, men that
could do as much in one month, as it takes
such men as Calhoun, Buchanan, Wright,
Crittenden, Rives and Talmadgenine months
to do the same thing. If the editor cannot
leave the * Southern Miscellany’ for so tri
fling an object as benefifting his country, in
her councils, we trust that in future he vvill
throw aside his modesty, and letMr.Calhoun
and the great men of the nation have the ad
vantage of his advice. The nation can af
ford to loose vvliat the last Congress spent,
if the Editor of the ‘ Southern Miscellany’
will only let us know when Congress should
adjourn, and how long it ought to take them
to transact their business.”
There now—there’s a gore for you •. How
would you feel, reader, if you were in our
place ? Wouldn’t you begin to think there
was a tide in your affairs 1 Nominated to
Congress, simply for declaring our convic
tion that the last session was a rather unpro
pituous one for the country ! We doubt
not many have gone to Congress for telling
less truth; nevertheless, we consider that
there is just about as much provocation for
the gentleman’s irony as that churlish crea
ture had for his, when he told the boy to try
and see how loud he could thunder, because
the youngster would not admit a ceitain clap
to be the loudest he had ever heard. Now,
had this come from some more dignified and
influential source than the “Southern
Whig,” wecanuot promise exactly how we
would have borne it: we might have pined
to death with “ a green and yellow melan
choly,” or we might have indulged in am
bitious dreams, and, possibly, have thought
of abandoning the “ Miscellany” and taking
to the stump ; but as it is—considering the
source—in either sense, it is harmless—can
neither excite our chagrin, or vanity—and
we pass it by “ as the idle wind,” &c.
“ But,” says the sagacious editor, “ this
is not the only smalt thing in the ‘ Miscel
lany.’ It has one of Judge Cone’s able law
decisions, and is going to publish more of
them,” &c. “ The Judge will, no doubt,
tickle the * Miscellany,’ and the ‘ Miscella
ny’ will tickle the Judge.” Wonderful to
tell! Isn't that a thrust, now ? Wonder
if the Judge has been passing sentence upon
the “ long Congress” too 1 Be that as it
may, we are completely overwhelmed by
such arguments ; we have not one word to
say to such an accusation, so far as we are
concerned, and must avail ourself of the
“idle winds” again.
“ But the smartest thing in the 1 Miscel-