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CHWBOKEK
jdvaFCKa.
PH4EN1X.
VOIj, I.
,DITED BY ELIAS’ BOUD1NOTT.
PRINTED WEEKLY BY
ISAAC II. HARRIS,
FOR TRE CHEROKEE NATION.
S| At $2 50 if paid in advance, $3 in six
jntlis, or $S 50 if paid at the end of the
ear. •
To subscribers who can read only the
[herokee language the price will be $2,00
advance, or $2,50 to be paid within the
ear.
Every subscription will be considered as
ontinued unless subscribers give notice to
lie contrary before the commencement ol a
lew year.
Any person procuring six subscribers,
Ind becoming responsible for the payment,
|iall receive a seventh gratis.
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tion, and thirty-seven and a half cents for
bach continuance; longer ones in propor
tion.
All letters addressed to the Editor,
[lost paid, will receive due attention.
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yEW ECU OTA, WEDNESDAY AUGUST 20, 1828,
AO. 25.
GENTS FOR THE CHEROKEE
PHCENIX.
The following persons are authorized to
eceive subscriptions and payments for the
Iherokee Phoenix.
Henry Hill, Esq. Treasurer of the A.
i. C. F. M. Boston, Mass.
George M. Tracy, Agent ofthe A. B.
. F, M. New York.
Rev. A. D. Eddy, Canandaigua, N. Y.
Thomas Hastings, Utica, N. Y.
Pollard &. Converse, Richmond, Va.
Rev. James Campbell, Beaufort, S. C.
William Moultrie Reid, Charleston,
S. C.
Col. George Smith, Statesville, W. T.
William M. Combs, Nashville Ten.
Rev. Bennet Roberts—Powal Me.
Mr. Tiros. R. Gold, (an itinerant Gen
tleman.)
From the Massachusetts Journal.
Remarkable, case.—A case of decep
tive circumstantial evidence lately
came to our knowledge, than which,
we believe a more remarkable cannot
be found on record. Our information
was communicated to us by one who
nvas personally engaged in the investi-
igations attending it.
i In a country town in the State of
[Maine, a few months since, the wife
[of a labouring man, who had lived for
a long time on very indifferent terms
[with her, suddenly died. As she was
in apparently perfect health on the
day of her death, and there had been
violent quarrels between them, the
man was regarded with a considerable
degree of suspicion. At the burial ol
the wife, her relations attended. To
these the husband had always cherish
ed a great hostility; but on this occa
sion he was particularly urgent that
they should return with him, after the
.funeral, to partake of a meal at his ta
ble. They were ill disposed to do
this, both on account of their recollec
tion of the treatment of his wife, his
uniform hostility to them, and the
very suspicious circumstances of the
wife’s death. He continued to urge
them to return to his house and par
take of the entertainment with so
much earnestness, that after resisting
for a long while, they found that they
could refuse no longer. The meal
was placed before them, at which a
dish of baked beans was abundantly
served, and of which they were urged
to partake liberally. Much time had
not elapsed after the meal before eve
ry individual of the party was taken
sick, some were so violently affected
that their lives were despaired of.—
These very suspicious circumstances
determined to have the man arrested,
and this was accordingly done. The
house was searched, and a quantity of
arsenic was found, of which it was af
terwards ascertained that he had
bought a considerable quantity of an
apothecary a short time before the
death of his wife. Another corrobo
rating circumstance was, that the ac
cused had, on the clay on which his
wife died, carried to her while at
work in the field a glass of liquor—an
act of courtesy which, such were the
terms on which they had lived, it was
quite out of his custom to proffer.—
The man was placed in custody, and
preparations were made for his trial.
The physician who attended the de
ceased was satisfied that the death
was from poison; and would give his
evidence to that effect. Public opin
ion was greatly excited on the subject,
and the conviction of the individual
was confidently anticipated at the ap-
pl uaCUlllg session of rtie tuui t.
Things being thus circumstanced,
the physician whose evidence as we
have related, was decided on the point
of the death being occasioned by poi
son, happened to be on a visit to the
town of B.—The circumstances being
generally known, Dr. M. who was a
personal fi iend of this physician, sought
an interview with him and inquired of
him if be examined the body internal
ly after death; and on being answered
in the negative, lie placed before him,
in a strong manner, the situation in
which he would find himself when
called on before a court and jury for
evidence of his assertion that the
death was by poison. It was soon de
cided that a disinterment and an ex-
amuiation of the body should be im
mediately made, and Dr. M. with an
other medical friend, accompanied the
first named physician to the place of
the presumed murder. The people
of the vicinity expressed great satis
faction at knowing of this intention,
and were eager to assist in the disin
terment, assured that it would only
add confirmation to their belief in the
guilt of the accused. The body was
quickly removed from the earth. A
question then arising where the exam-,
ination should take place—for as it
had been buried three weeks no one
was willing that it should he brought
into his dwelling-house; a neighbour
ing barn was first proposed; but to
this the physicians objected on account
of the want of sufficient light. The
meetinghouse was then named, and
thither the body was carried. It was
placed on a tabic in the centre aisle,
and the examination commenced in the
presence ofthe assembled and eager
multitude who filled the pews and gal
leries. Dr. M. prepared to open the
abdomen, and the gentleman who ac
companied him undertook in the mean
while, the examination of the head.—
To the former of course the attention
of all was chiefly directed. The ope
ration of opening of the head however,
advanced more rapidly than that ofthe
abdomen and the removal ofthe crani
um discovered to the surprise of the
operators and the spectators, a suffu
sion of blood in the organ and all the
unequivocal marks of apoplexy, while
the stomach and the other digestive
organs were found to exhibit not the
slightest indications of the presence
of any poisonous substance! The sur
prise, and probably in their excited
state of miml against the supposed
criminal,—the disappointment, of the
spectators were extreme. The re
sult of the examination was however
irresistible in proof that the death was
occasioned by apoplexy, and not by
poison, and the man’s life was saved,
—for it is scarce to be doubted that
a jury would have convicted him upon
the evidence of the circumstances
which W'e have enumerated.
It will be asked how is the circum
stance of the sickness of the w'ife’s
relatives, which was evidently caused
by the meal which the man urged
them so earnestly to take, to be ac
counted for? It is explained by a
singular fact, of which one or two
other instances are known to have oc
curred. The beans, of which the
meal was principally composed, had
been baken in earthen vessels, and
were allowed to grow coR; they had .
been kept long enough to nave turned )
acid to a slight degree, aid when they
were placed in the oven fo be reheat
ed, the action of the acic on the sides
of the jar, decomposed the glazing
with which the interior ol the jar was
coated, and of which su’phuret ol lead
is the chief ingredient; a poisonous
substance was tlitis developed, and in
fused into the contents of the jar, and
those eating of the beams were at
tacked with symptoms of illness mere
or less severe, according to the tort
of the jar from which the bums
were taken of which they ate. Aler
this, it was not dilficult to admit, tjiat
the arsenic found in the man’s posgis-
sion, might have been purchased tor
the destruction of rats, as lie had con-
aUUlllj avci^tl mio liiL oofco
We leave this statement, foe au
thenticity of which may be confdently
relied on, to the reflection <1 our
readers. They can have little loubt,
that had this individual been bought
to trial, (as he would have beei, but
for the interposition of the B. physi
cian,) without the examinationof the
body, his life would have beensaeri-
fiecd,—few juries would have hesitat
ed to convict him. it wouk have
been one instance added to tilt many
on record, of the danger of a nlianco
on mere circumstantial evidence, how
ever strong, and the importance ot
thoroughness in the investigatioi of all
question of medical jurisprudence.
The following letter from Wash
ington to Col. Arnold, on thedepar-
ture of the expedition to Quebec, wc
find in the New-York Daily Adverti
ser. Who can read it wdthout in
creased admiration for the character
of its great author?
To Col. Benedict Arnold, Commander of
the Detachment of the Continental Ar
my, destined against Quebec.
Sir—You are entrusted with a
Command of the utmost consequence
to the Interest and Liberties of Ame
rica: Upon your conduct and courage,
and that of the officers and Soldiers
detached on this expedition, not only
the Success ofthe present Enterprise,
and your own Honor, but the safety
and Welfare ofthe whole Continent,
may depend. I charge you, there
fore, and the officers and Soldiers un
der your Command, as you value your
own Safety and Honor, and the Favor
and Esteem of your Country, that you
consider yourselves as marching not
through an Enemy’s Country, but that
of our Friends and Brethren: for such
the Inhabitants of Canada and the In
dian Nations have approved them
selves in this unhappy contest between
Great Britain and America.
That you check, by every Motive of
Duty, and Fear of Punishment, every
attempt to plunder or insult any of
the Inhabitants of Canada. Should
any American Soldier be so base and
infamous as to injure any Canadian or
Indian, in his person or property, I do
most earnestly enjoin you to bring
him to such severe and exemplary
Punishment as the enormity of the
Crime may require—Should it ex
tend to Death itself, it will not be
disproportionable to its Guilt at such
a Time and in such a Cause. But I
hope and trust that the brave Men
who have voluntarily engaged in this
Expedition will he governed by differ
ent views—That order, Discipline,
and Regularity of Behaviour, will be
as conspicuous as their Crurage and
Valor. I also give it in Charge to
you to avoid all Disrespect or Con
tempt of the Religion of the Country
and its Ceremonies—Frudeuce, Poli
cy, and true Christian Spirit, will lead
us to look with Compassion upon their
Errors, without insulting them.—
While wc are contending for our Li
berty, wc should he very cautious of
violating the Right of Conscience in
others: ever considering that God a-
lonc is the Judge of the hearts of Men,
and to Him only in this Case they are
answerable*
Upon the whole, Sir, I beg you to
inculcate upon the officers the Neces
sity of preserving the Strictest Order
during their March through Canada;
to represent to them the biiaine, Dis
grace and Ruin, to themselves and
Country, if they should, by their Con
duct, turn the Hearts of our Breth
ren in Canada against us. And, on
the other Hand, the Honor and Re
wards which await them, if, by their
Prudence and good Behaviour, they
conciliate the Alfections ofthe Cana-
adians and Indians to the great Inte
rests of America, and convert those
favorable dispositions they have shown
into a lasting Union and Affection.
Thus wishing you and all Officers
and Soldiers under your Command,
all Honor, Safety and Success,
I remain, Sir, your most Obedient,
Humble Servant.
GEO. WASHINGTON.
Cambridge, Head Quarters, }
September 14, 1775. <j
THE GRAVE OF WASHING
TON’S MOTHER.
“And not a stone tells where she lies.”
A writer in the Richmond Visitor
and Telegraph, in speaking of the
grave of the mother of Washington,
near Fredericksburgh, says it is in a
dreary, deserted solitary field: that
the mound of earth that was originally
raised over her sacred lemains, is now
washed away and not a stone—not the
least fragment of human art “tells
where she lies.”
To erect a suitable monument over
the grave of Mrs. Washington belongs
to the Statt? of Virginia. But as most
of this commonwealth are. at this
time engaged in the discussion of ma
ny knotty, political questions—and as
the temper that is called forth in these
discussions is very foreign from the
refined and delicate feelings, that will
be called into action in the accom
plishment of this object, we can hard
ly expect it will be cordially entered
into by them. It must be done,
therefore, by the Ladies of Virginia,
to whom it properly belongs, and by
whom we believe it will be accom
plished. We rejoice to sec many of
them possessed of elevated minds and
liberal feelings, already engaged in
objects of piety and benevolence.—
But this enterprise would enlist the
feelings and the exertions of many who
have taken a less active part in reli
gious charities. Yes: we believe there
are thousands at tins moment in this
commonwealth, who would embrace
with eagerness, the opportunity of
thus gratifying their own feelings, in
doing something to perpetuate the
memory of their sister—their mother
—their benefactor. The expense
would be trifling—the trouble, noth
ing. Let then a few active ladies of
liberal feelings begin the work, by
forming in their neighbourhood asso
ciations for the purpose. Let it be
known that one such association is
formed; the flame will spread—and
the object will be accomplished.
George Jtf. Iiorion.—This is the
name of an extraordinary ydung slave,
the properly of Mr. James Horton,
who lives in Chatham county, about
half way between Chapel Hill and
Pittsborough, who has astonished all
who have witnessed his poetic talent.
He is about 25 years of age, and of a
mild and humble disposition and de
portment. The following account of
his beginning and progress in learning
was derived from himself, and has been
communicated to us by a friend, pro
verbial for bis philanthropic feelings.
He first learned the alphabet from
hearing the school children rehearsing
it. lie then took the spelling book
and became acquainted with the form
ofthe letters. Gratified with such
employment, he was soon able to spell
and read. At this period some per
son gave him a copy of Wesley’s
hymns, with which he was delighted,
spending most of his leisure hours in
reading it, and while at work endeav
oring to make verses in imitation of it.
Finding himself at a loss, in properly
constructing Ins verses, he studied
grammar and prosody. Being very
intimate with the students ofthe Uni
versity, who had discovered his extra
ordinary genius, he delighted to visit
them whenever Sunday or holyday
permitted. He received fiom them
a variety of poetic works, the reading
of which constitutes his greatest plea J
sure. They were in the habit 'of se
lecting topics upon which to exercise
his poetic muse; on the following Sun
day he would return and have them
transcribed. What is very astonish
ing, he has not only to make his vers
es but retain them in memory, until
he can meet with some one to copy
them; and though he may have three
or four sets of verses upon different
uumoiy is t>o ret unlive
that ho has no difficulty in recounting
them in turn to his scribe. When an
abbreviation is necessary to preserve
the metre, lie will point it cut. He
has no pleasure in associating with any
but those of intelligence, and is always
most delighted when he can get an
amanuensis to transcribe, his verses,
and for this purpose will walk every
Sunday eight or nine miles to visit the
students of college.*—Raleigh (.A”. C.)
Register.
Turkish skill in the use ofthe Sabre.
—The superiority of the Turks in the
use of the sabre is founded partly on
the quality of the weapon itself, and
partly on their, what may be termed,
national dexterity in handling it. The
Turkish sabre, which is wrought out
of line iron wire, in the hand of one of
our powerful laboreis, would, perhaps,
break to pieces like glass at the first
blow. The Turk, on the contrary,
who gives rather a cut than a blow,
makes it penetrate through licmlet,
cuirass, &.e. and separate in a moment
the head or the limbs from the body.
Ilcuce we seldom hear of slight wounds
in an action of cavalry with Turks.—
It is a well known fact in the Russian
army, that a colonel, who was in front
of the regiment, seeing the Spahis
make an unexpected attack upon
him, drew his sabre, and was going to
command his men to do the same, when
at the first word draw, his head was
severed from the body. The highly
tempered Turkish sabres will fetch a
price of from ten to a hundred ducats,
even when they are not of fine metal.
But, as Scandcnberg said, such a sa
bre only produces its effect when in
the hand of him who knows how to
use it. It is related that, at the storm
ing of Ismael, a bfavc foreigner, who
served as a volunteer in the Russian
army, and who was most actively en
gaged in the melee, broke in pieces
several Turkish sabres, and constant
ly armed himself with a fresh one tak
en from the Turks who were slain.—
The substance from which these valu
able sabres are wrought is called /a-
ban; and they are proved to be genu
ine, when they admit of being written
upon with a ducat or any other piece
of fine gold.— ValintinVs Military Re-
Jlectionsof Turkey.
The Jump.—On Saturday last*
Samuel Patch made another leap from
the highest point above the falls at
Patterson, into the chasm below, a dis
tance of ninety feet. Oar informant
states, (says the Elizabethtown Jour
nal,) that Patch is a mechanic con
nected with one of the factories in
Patterson—that he is perfectly sane,
and that his object in the hazardous
enterprise is gain. He received $13
for his feat of 4th inst. and $15 for that
of Saturday last.
Alabama Steamboats.—According to
a statement in a Montgomery paper,
the value of steamboats and barges
lost on the Alabama river since the
year 1821, amounts to $378,000, and
other losses are supposed to have beer,
sustained sufficient to swell the a
mount to $400,000. Frequently fo * 1 .-
6 months in the year the river is ne t
navigable.
