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THE REFLECTOR.
VOL. 1.
MILLEDGEVILLE, G. TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1818.
NO. 9.
MISCELLANY.
FROM JAMES'* TRAVELS Iff SWEDEN, I'lll'SSl A, &C.'
Tlio following narrative of an cxtraor-
|d inary vision of Charles XI. is taken from
l an account written with the king’s own hand.
attested by several of his ministers of state,
(and preserved in the royal library at Stock-
| jholin :
Charles XI. it seems, sitting in his chain-
J brr between the hours of eleven and twelve at
night, was surprised at the appearance of a
light in the window of the hall of the diet: he
[demanded of the grand chancellor, Bjelke,
[who was present, what it was that he saw,
I and was answered that it was only the reflec
tion of the -ion ; with this however he was
dissatisfied ; and the senator Bjelke, soon af
ter entering the room, he addressed the same
question to him, but received the same an
swer. Looking afterwards again through
the window, he thought he observed a crowd
qf persons in the hall; upon this, said he,
airs, all is not as it should be ; in the confi
dence that he who fears God needs dread no
thing. 1 wilt go and see what this may be.
Ordering the two noblemen before mention-
| «<1, as als i Oxenstiern and Brahe, to arrum-
I pany him, he sent for Grunsten the door-
I keeper, and descended the stair-case leading
[ to the hall.
‘ Here the party seem to have hern sensi
ble of a certain degree of trepidation, and n
fine else daring to open the door, the king
Hook the key, unlocked it, and entered first in-
f to the anti-chamber: to their infinite surpris
[ it was fitted up with black cloth : alarmed at
this extraordinary circumstance, a second
nauso occurred ; at length the king set his
foot within the hall, but leil back in astonish
ment at what he saw; again, however, taking
Courage, he made his companions promise to
follow him, and advanced. The hall was
lighted up and arrayed with the same mourn
ful hangings as the anti-chamber: in tin
centre was a round table, where sat sixteen
venerable men, each with large volumes ly
ing open before them : above was the king
a young man of 1G or 18 years of age, will
the crown on his head and sceptre in his
I hand. On his right sat a personage of about
I 40 years old, w hose face bore the strongest
|marks of integrity ; on his left an old man of
170, who seemed very urgent with the young
[king that he should make a certain sign wit!
Hiis head, which us often as lie did, tiie vene
■able men struck their hands on their books
vith violence.
Turning my eyes, says lie, a little further,
|I beheld a scaffold and executioners, and men
with their clothes tucked up, cutting otr heads
Iso fast, (hat the blood formed a deluge on the
■floor : those who suffered were all young men.
Vgain I looked up and perceived the throne
ehind the great table almost overturned ;
Inear to it stood a man of 40, that seemed tin
[protector of the kingdom. I trembled at tin
[sight of these things, and cried aloud—•* ft is
[tlio voire of God!—What ought 1 to under
stand ? When shall all this come to pass ?” A
[dead silence prevailed ; hut on my crying out
i second time, the young king answered me,
saving, “ This shall not happen in vour time,
hut in the days of the 6th sovereign after you.
pie shall he of fa 1 same age as I appear now
In have, and this personage sitting beside me
»ivcs you the aie of him that shall he the re
rent or protector of the realm. During the
[,vst year irf the regency, the country shall be
old bv certain young men, but lie shall then
take up the cause, and, acting in con junction
[with the young king, shall establish the
ihronc on a sure footing : and this in such a
say. that never was before, or ever after
wards shall be seen in Sweden so great a king.
Ill the Swedes shall be happy under him :
[lie publi" debts shall be paid ; he shall leave
any millions in the treasury, and shall not
ie but at a very advanced age : yet, before
a is firmly seated on bis throne, shall an ef
fusion ,r f blood take place unparalleled in his-
’V. You, added lie, who arc king of this
trot, o e that he is advertised of these mat
’s ; von have seen all: act acceding to
nr wisdom.”
1 Having th;issaid,the whole vanished, and
Ids he) we saw nothing but ourselves and
r flambeaus, while the anti-chamber thro’
i oYh we passed on returning was no longer
|lotir’d in black.
The whole story is curious, anil well worth
Ittemion ; hut unless the young king’s ghost-
representative made an error in his i liron-
llogjral calculation, it will be difficult to re-
Viru ile the time specified with that which is
|et to Come. I can offer no explanation, anil
bqnrath the whole, like the hieroglyphic in
[oore’s almanac, “ to the better ingenuity of
readers.” *
teen centuries in a deep grave, is again shone
upon by the sun, and stands amidst other ci
ties, as much a stranger as any one of its for
mer inhabitants would be among his posteri
ty of the present day ; such a town has not
its eqtial in the world. The feelings which
seized me at its gate may be very faintly ex
pressed by words, hut admit of no adequate
representation. My feet now step on the
same pavement as Was trodden on eighteen
hundred years ago ; the racks of the wheels
ire still visible which then rolled over it. An
elevated path runs by the side of the houses,
fur foot passengers; and that they might in
rainy weather pass rominudiously over to the
opposite side, large flat stones, three of which
take up the width of the road, were laid at a
distance from each other. As the carriages,
in order to avoid these stones, were obliged
to use the intermediate spaces, the tracks of
the wheels are the most visible. The whole
pavement is in good condition; it consists
merely of considerable pieces of lava, which
however, “ arc not cut (as at present) into
squares, and may have been on that account
the more durable.”
“ What must have been the feelings of the
Pompeians, when the roaring of the moun
tain and the quaking of the earth awakened
them from tSeir first sleep. They attempted al
so to escape the wrath of the gods ; and seizing
the most valuable things they could lay their
Hands upon in the darkness and confusion,
to seek tlieir safety by flight. Jr. this street
and before the house that is marked with the
friendly salutation of its threshold, seven ske
letons, were found : the first carried a lamn,
and the rest had still between the bones of their
lingers something that they wished to save.—
On a sudden they were overtaken by the
storm that descended from heaven, and sunk
into (lie grave thus made for them. Before
the abovementioned house was still a male
skeleton standing with a dish in his hand .
and as on Ins lingers lie wore those rings that
were allowed to bo worn only by Roman
knights, he is supposed to be the master of the
house, who had just opened the hack garden
gate with the intent of flying, when the show
er overwhelmed him. Several skeletons were
found in the very posture in which they had
breathed their last, without being forced by
the agonies of death to drop the things which
they held in their hands.”
speetablc butcher. M.lton delighted in con
templating his own person, and the engra
ver not having reached our sublime bard’s
• ideal grace,’ lie has pointed his indignation
in four iambics. Among the complaints ol
Pope, is that of < the pictured shape.’ Even
the strong minded Johnson would not be paint
ed ‘ blinking Sam.’ Mr. Boswell tells us
that Goldsmith attempted to show his agility
to be superior to the dancing of an ape, whose
praise had occasioned him a fit of jealousy,
hut he failed in imitating his rival. The in
scription under Boileau’s portrait, dveribing
his character with lavish panegyric, and a
preference to Juvenal and Horace, is unfor
tunately known to have been written by him_
self.—U'Israeli's Essuy on the literary char.
CONG HESS.
SOLOMON AND QUEEN SHEBA.
The following well-pointed story is taken
by D’lsraeli from the Talmud. “ The pow
er of Solomon had spread his wisdom to the
remotest parts of the known world. Queen
Sheba, attracted by the splendor of his repu
tation, visited this poetical king, at his own
court; there, one day to exercise the sagaci
ty of the monarch, Sheba presented herself at
the foot of the throne ; in eacii hand she held
a wreath of flowers, one composed of natural,
the other of artificial flowers. Art, in the la
bor of the mimic wreath, had cxquisilly emu
lated the lively hues of nature ; so that at the
distance it was held by the queen for the in
spection of the king, it was deemed impossi
ble for him to decide, as her question import
ed, which wreath was the production of na
ture, and which the wink of art. The saga
city of Solomon seemed perplexed ; yet to be
vanquished though in a trifle, by a trilling
woman, irritated his pride. The son of
David, he who had written ten treaties on
tlio vegetable productions “ from the cedar to
the hyssop,” to acknowledge himself outwit
ted by a woman, with shreds of paper and
glazed paintings ! The honor of the mo
narch’s reputation for divine sagacity seem
ed diminished ; and the whole Jewish court
looked solemn and melancholy. At length an
expedient presented itself to the king ; and it
must be confessed worthy of the natural phi-
losophcr : Observing a cluster of beer, hover
ing about a window, he commanded that it
should be opened ; it was opened —the bees
rushed into the court and alighted immedi
ately on one of the wreaths, while not a sin
gle one fixed on the other. The battled Shelia
Had one more reason to be astonisned at the
wisdom of Solomon.”
Such is the story. Mr. D’lsraeli thus turns
its moral: “ This would make a pretty poe
tical tale. It would yield an elegant descrip
tion, and a pleasing moral; that the bee oniy
rests on the natural beauties, and never fixes
on the painted flowers, however inimitably
the colors may be laid on. Applied to the la
dies, this would give it pungency.
SENATE.
The following are the standing committees
of the Senate :
On our Foreign Relations—Messrs. Bar
bour, Macon, Troup, King, Lacock.
On Finance.—Messrs. Campbell, Eppcs
King, Talbot, Macon.
On Commerce and Manufactures—Messrs.
Sanford, Horsey, Morril, Burrill, Dickerson.
On the Judiciary—Messrs. Crittenden,
Burrill, Otis, Smith, Leake.
On Military Affairs—Messrs. Troup, Wil
liams of Ten. Tichenor, Lacock, Taylor.
On Nava! Affairs—Messrs. Tait, Sanford,
Crittenden, Daggett, Williams of Mis.
On the Militia—Messrs. Sto'rcr, Noble,
Roberts, Macon, Ruggles.
On the Public Lands—Messrs. Morrow,
Fisk, Taylor, Williams of Mis. Hunter.
On Claims—Messrs.Roberts,Morrill,Rug
gles, Goldsborough, Wilson.
On Pensions—Messrs. Noble, Storer, La
cock, Van Dyke, Talbot.
On the Post-office—Messrs. Wilson, Ash
men, Fisk, Ruggles, Stokes.
On the District of Columbia—Messrs
Goldsborough, Daggett, Eppes, Barbour,
Stokes.
Friday, December 12.
Memorials were presented from certain
subaltern officers of the navy and marines
setting forth the grievances they labored un
der from their commanders on the Mediter
ranean station, and praying a revision of the
laws by which they are governed. On amotion
for ordering them to be printed, an interest
ing discussion arose on the propriety of giv
ing publicity to these memorials without fur
ther deliberation, as the character of com
Perry might be materially affected by it.
Mr. Barbour of Va. eloquently advocated
the necessity of laying them at once before
the public, and referred to the pamphlet con
laining the complaints of rapt. Heatli against
com. Perry, as having excited a considera
ble sensation in the country,
Mr. Tait of Geo, thought it would be more
judicious to refer them to the proper committee
and publish the memorial and report together
The memorials were, after some further
remarks from Messrs. Macon, Burrill, and
Smith of S. C. laid on the table for further
consideration on Monday next.
Friday, December 19.
Mr. Williams of Mis. called up the memo
rialoffhe general assembly of the state of
Louisiana relative to the land claims of Plo
rida, presented at the last session ; which
was referred on his motion to the committee
of public lands.
[The following from Kotzbuc’s travels in
sly, is a striking account, of the once fa-
jms city of Pompeii, which, not long pro
mts to the Christian era, was swallowed up
1 an earthquake, and overwhelmed by the
Iconic Java from Mount Vesuvious ; and the
jins of which were dug out at immense la
ir and expense, during the last century.
” A great rich town, that, after lying eigli-
TFeakness of Great. .Men.—Voiture was the
son of a vinter, and like our Prior, was so
mortified whenever reminded of his original
occupation, that it was said of him, that wine
which cheered the hearts of all men, sickened
that of Voiture. Rousseau, the poet, was the
son of a cobbler ; and when his honest parent
waited at the door of the theatre, to embrace
his son on the success of his first piece, the
inhuman poet repulsed the venerable father
with insult and contempt. Akensidc ever
considered his lameness as an insupportable
misfortune, since it continually reminded him
of his origin, being occasioned by the fall of a
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Friday, December 12.
Mr. Ilopkinsou af Pa. from the committee
on the Judiciary, reported a bill to establish
an uniform system of bankruptcy throughout
the United States ; whi :li was twice read and
committed.
Mr. Taylor of N. Y. at the instance of the
committee of elections, introduced the fid
lowing resolution, under the impression that
it proposed a course the most respectful to tli
House, if not the only manner in which the
committee could execute the duty required
of them : Resolved, that the President of the
United States be requested to communicate
to this House, whether any, and if any, which
of tlie Representatives named in the list here
unto annexed, have held any office under the
United States since the 4th day of March, in
the year 1817; designating the office or of
fices they have respectively held, the time of
appointment and acceptance of the said offi-
ces ; whether the same are now held, and,
if not, when the same were severally resign
ed. The resolution was agreed to, and a
committee appoiufcd to present the same to
the President.
Mr. Bloomfield, of N. J. from the com
mittee to whom was referred so much of the
President’s message as relates to the surviv
ing revolutionary patriots, reported, in part,
a bill concerning certain surviving officers
and soldiers of the late revolutionary army.
[This bill provides that every commissioned
.ind non-commissioned ofiiccr or soldier, who
had served in the army during the war
which terminated in the treaty of peace with
Great Britain in 1783, and reduced to indi
cause, may be unable to procure subsistence
by manual labor, shall receive half pay dur
ing life, equal to the half of the monthly pay-
allowed his grade of service during the revo
lutionary war—provided that ho pension thud
allowed to a commissioned officer shall exceed
the half pay of a lieut. colonel.]
Monday, December 15.
Internal Improvements.—Mr. Tucker of
Va. from the committee to whom was refer-
ed so much of the message of the President
>f the United States as relates to the subject
of internal improvements, made a long and e-
aborate report, concluding with the following
esolutioh: Resolved, that in order to promotu
and give security to the internal commerce
among the several states; to facilitate the
safe and expeditious transportation of the
nails by the improvement of post roads with
the it sent of the respective states ; to render
more easy and less expensive the means and
provisions necessary for the common defence,
by the construction of military roads, with
the like assent of the respecti ve states ; and
for such other internal improvements as may
be within the constitutional powers of the
general government, it is expedient that the
urn to be paid to the United States by the
:20th section of the act to incorporate the sub
scribers to the bank of tin*. United States, and
the dividends which shall arise from their
shares in its capital stock, be constituted as a
fund for internal improvement.—The report
was read and referred to a committee of the
whole,
Amelia-Island and Galvcxtoh,—The follow
ing message was received from the President
if the United States, by Mr. J. J. Monroe,
lis secretary:
To the House of Representatives.—In com*
piianec with the resolution of the House of
Representatives of the 8th of this month, I
transmit for the information of tiie House, a
report from the secretary of state* with tiie
documents referred to in it, containing all
the information of the executive, which it is
proper to disclose, relative to certain persons
,vho lately took possession of Amelia Island
and Galvezton. JAMES MONROE.
Washington, Dec. 15, 1817.
Expatriation.—Mr. Robertson of Lou. of
fered the following resolution to the House:
Resolved, that a committee be appointed to
enquire into the expediency of providing by
law for the exercise of the right of expatria
tion : and that they have leave to report by
bill or otherwise. Adopted.
On motion of Mr. Pindall of Va. it was Re
solved, that a committee be appointed to en
quire into the expediency of providing more
effectually by law for reclaiming servants or
slaves escaping from one state into another ;
and that they have leave to report by bill or
otherwise.
Pensions to sufferers in war.—Mr. Harri
son of 0. offered the following resolution.—
Resolved, that the committee on military af
fairs be, and they are hereby instructed to
enquire into the expediency of continuing tlio
pensions which now arc or have been hereto
fore allowed to the widows and orphans oT
the officers and soldic’rs who were kill i or
wounded in the service of the late war, lor a
term of live years beyond the periods when
they shall respectively cease tinder existing
laws. Adopted without opposition.
Commutation of soldiers’ pay.—The house
then resolved itself into a committee of the
whole, Mr. Bassett in the chair, on the hill
for the the commutation of soldiers’ pay.—
Mr. Johnson of K. as chairman of the milita
ry committee, stated a number of facts hear
ing on the subject of the bill. The number
of men in the service at the close of the war
was ascertained to have been 34,000 ; tlio
number who died in service or were killed in
battle was estimated at about 17,000 ; ma
king i:i the whole about 50,000 soldiers (and
heirs of soidiers) entitled to the bounty in
land. For this number eight millions of a*
cres would be required. But it was a num
ber overrated ; and be did not believe that
40,000 would come forward to claim the land
bounty. Of the whole number of 50,000, ho
calculated that not more than half would
commute for money, say 25,000 ; to jiay this
number the proposed commutation would re
quire five millions of dollors, or 1,250,000,
annually, for four years, which mode of pay
ment had been selected* as well with a view
to the benefit of the soldiers as to the relief
of the treasury. The committee, he said,
had no doubt but the annual proceeds from
the Very land commuted would he sufficient
to defray the whole amount; which would re
move all objections of.a financial nature—
and he was not aware of any other. Ti e
measure, he hoped, would have the effect of
rutting off all speculation, of which there was
so much complaint, and by which the soldier
was deprived of all his rights under the in
fluence of his necessities.
A debate of some length arose on this hill
and particularly on its details, which did not
however, result in any final decision.
On the suggestion of Mr. Livermore of N.
H. the subject having been opened, and opin*
ions interchanged on it, to give time to re-
clever from one of his father’s blocks, a re- goner, or by age. sickness, or any other fleet more upon them, the committee rose*
