Newspaper Page Text
.
MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS.
Indian
War Dartre.— '.n Indian
dance is an important incident in the pas
sing events of a village, the whole popula
tion is assembled, and a feast is provided
for all. T'ne warriors are painted, and pre
pared as if for battle. A post is firmly
planted in the ground, and the singers, the
drummers, and the other instrumental musi
cians, are seated within the cirele formed by
the dancers and the spectatftfS. The mu
sic and the dance begin. The warriors ex
ert themselves with great energy. Every
muscle is in action, and there i3 the most
perfect concord between the music and their
movements. They brandish their weapous,
and with such apparent fury, that fatal ^efft-
dents seemed unavoidable. Presently *
warrior leaves the circle and with his t
hawk of cassetete strikes the post,
music and dancing ‘•sense, and prnfnun
lence ensues. He then recounts,
loud voice, his military achievements,
describes the battles he has fought, the pri
soners he has captured, the scalps he has
t aken. lie points to his wounds, and pro-
duces his trophies. He accompanies his,
narrative with the actual representation t>fh
exploits, and ihe mimic engagement,
advance and the retreat, are exhibited t
nation fjr'.they really occurred
Tfiercis no exaggeration, and no misre
presentation. - It would he infamous for a
warrioV'toboast of deeds lie never perform
ed. pt were made, some one
would apjp|f,^ach, and throw dirt in his face,
Saving, this to cover your shame :
forlhe -ftrst^me you see the enemy you
Jm^YremWei” But such an indignity is
rarelv rfe&Assarv, and as the war parties ge
nerally contain many individuals,the charac
teratul cofitfiUct of every warrior are well
knowri. Shouts of applause accompany
the-narration, proportioned in duration and
intensity to the interest it excites. His sta
tion Id the circle is then resumed bv the ac
tor, add tiki dance proceeds till it is inter
rupted in a similar manner.
Ia the pbem of Ontwa, a scene like this
is sfr-welt described, that we cannot resist
the temptation to transfer it to our pages.
Of nil who have attempted to embody in
adng the “ living manners” of ^the Indians,
the anopyuaOus author of that poem has
Jlis characters, and
descriptions, have the spirit
life, and the whole work is
i nature than to poetry :
pn«w'|Wvaace,t
. *«£****•
■& -; AnA poQw&gv
111 'H .
Po- ever wiphjariatb-tfie sound
The circling band moves round and round.
Now slowlv rise the swelling notes,
When every crest more lively floats.
Now tos?’<i on high with gestures proud,
Then 'owly ’mid the circle bow’d ;
While clanging arms grow louder still,
Ami every voice becomes more shrill,
Till fierce and st ong the clamor grows,
And the wild warboop bids it cl.ise.
Then starts Shunktonga forth, whose hand
Ca ne far, from Huron's storm-boat strand,
And thus recounts his battle feats.
While his dark club the measure beats.**
But this scenic representation must not be
confounded with the ordinary Indian war
songs, which are sung by the warriors when
leaving their villages upon a hostile excur- of-,
sion, and wheneverduring the march,the ex
citement of music is necessary to stimulate
the party to encounter the fatigues or dan
gers of the expedition. The chief warrior
commences the song, and after its termina
tion, he is greeted with the well known ex
clamation, yeh', yeh fro pi all the warriors.—
JV*. - Am. Review. \
■ v : .
mmm
to open his mouth to
old and tough he-deemed tne same precau
tion necessary for himself Again mounted,
war he wended his way to the market, but was
not unfrequently accosted by those whose
curiosity led them to .enquire the occasion
of his singular appearance about the face.—
His repeated answer was“ I recken I knows
what .kept myxoid mare from taking the stag
gers.”
He was seen oil the aft ernoon of the same
day, still bearing the anli-peslilential mark
and in good health.—Sat. Georgian.
ens, Sept. 28,1827.
friencta and patrons, generally, will confer a
favour by forwarding to us, as early as
de, the result of the polls at the ensuing
OCTOBER ELECTION.
For Governor—John Forsyth.
Congress—George R. Gilmer,
T. C. P. Charlton.
STATE LEGISLATURE.
CL\RK COUNTV.
Senate—Augustin S. Clayton.
Representatives—Thomas Moore,
Asbury Hull,
Charles Daugherty.
*CjP The Honourable Richard H. Wilde, whose
name has been before ihe public as a candidate for
Congress, has, in consequence of the announcement
of Mr. Gilmer, positively withdrawn it. His friends
will therefore unite in support of the latter gentle
man.
The Death of Mr. Canning predicted by
Nixon, the Astrologer.—In an old book en
titled the Prophecies of Robert Nixon, prin
ted 1701, is the following prophetic decla
ration, which appears to refer totho late me
lancholy event which has deprived the Eng
lish nation of one of her brightest orna
ments : “ In the year 1827, a man will raise
himself, by his wisdom, to one of the most
exalted offices in the state. His king will
invest him with great power as a reward for
his zeal. England will be greatly rejoiced.
A strong party will enter into a league a-
gainst him, hut their envy and hatred will
not prevail. The power of God, which
reignetb over all, will cut him off in his
prime, and the nation will bitterly bemoan
her loss. England, beware of thy enemies
A great friend thou wilt lose in this man.”
It is difficult to say which are the most ri
diculous, the many evils which fear creates
in our imagination, or the various means ta
ken to avert them.
It is known to you that two or three sud
den deaths in this place, have produced a
report in the country, that the Yellow Fever
.prevails ih Savannah.
On Wednesday morning, one of the stur
dy sons of the Forest who compose the
** bone and sinew” of this republic, astride
of bis Rosinantc, drawing an old crazy cart,
in whi£h was seated a boy M all in tatters,”
who clung to a gourd, of eggs, which was
the whole freight of the vehicle, and the
whole cause of the datingfenterprise, enter-;
ed thii city with awful ferehodfngs and
* doubts as to thd manner in which he si
lesive • fv
“ Caution” thought be “ is the parent of
snfetv” as he halted'his old mare at the
border of iho torrn^ ^
« we are going where folks
ustreet witfethe Black Wommitef
the horn which hung dangling fro
p daubed the nose
‘, so
The following remarks by, and extract of a letter
to the editor of the Savannah Republican will re
mind the reader of an effort made some short
time since to connect Col. Tattnall with the oppo-
sers of Mr. Forsyth,and will be regarded as a satisfac
tory refutation of another malignant report, design
edly put in circulation to injure his election.—They
have availed nothing—the eye of discernment has
scanned the motive—the heart of honesty reprobated;
the means, while Mr. Forsyth, ever foremost in vin
dicating the rights of the state, stands upon an emi
nence which neither malignity nor strife, malice or
revenge can longer injure. The hour of successful
competition is now past. Death has interposed to
expel the elements of discord. One of the objects
of public ambition now rests “where all resentment
is buried, all malice is extinguished, and all hatred
destroyed the other, with a name which patriotism
itself
while
shades
the warn
any thing
directing tlia storm,” there must be,rfcc v .
the anticipation of approaching peace, an emotibn
pleasure to which he has been a stranger for the
past four years. The helm of our political, bark,
gnided during the above period with a * steAdy
arm, and an unwavering purpose of so'd, amid con
ns at home and storms abroad hourly threaten-
ing-ita safety, has, by the skillfulness of a mariner
which danger could not appal nor persecution
overthrow, at length safely reached a harbour
ifety and repose.—Monday next will decide
she shall remain secure, or be again aban
doned to the tempest of party contention and am
bition.
“ We took cccasion a few weeks since to contradict
a report, then in circulation, that Col. Tattnall
and his friends, in the Eastern district,* had united
for Ihe purpose of opposing the election of Mr. For
syth, to the Government chair of his state—and that
their whole strength would be thrown in the scale of
his opponent, Matlhew Talbqt. Notwithstanding
this contradiction, this same story is again renewed in
the factious prints, for the sole purpose of leading
the uninformed and unsuspicious yeomanry astray.
But, gentlemen, the pistol will miss fire • Your false
hoods shall not take the rounds witbont denial. We
again say that Tattnall is not the advocate of Mr.
Talbot’s election, and for the proof of this declara
tion, we lay before our readers the following extract
of a letter from an esteemed friend of ours who is at
present in. the immediate .circle of the family of Col.
Tattnall, dated Middletown, (Con.) 7th September,
1827, and addressed to the Editor of this paper.”
- “ In one of Vopr late papers you contradicted a
statement (of I think the Patriot and Statesman)
that Col. Tattnall is friendly to the election of
Matthew Talbot. I am glad that you did—Tattnall
but this morning expressed, incidentally, to me his
conviction that ForSyth’s talents, standing, and pub
lic services gave him strong claims upon the office,
and that he ought to be elected. The improvement
in Col. T’s health, for some time, has been constant
and rapid ; and there is every reason for believing
that his health will be fully reinstated,”
COMMUNICATION.
I am no orator, ——
But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
That love my friend.
For V have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir men’s blood; I only-speak right on;
And tell you truths which you yourselves do know
Shakespear.
Mr. Editor,—In the previous communi
cation ion the subject of the Trail Creek
road, t^e writer, after stating what he knows
to he a fact, that the inhabitants of the dis
trict were, with a few exceptions, decidedly
opposed to the proposed alteratipn, pro
mised to adduce such reasons and argu
ments as appeared to him of sufficient weight
to justify that opposition. He now pro
poses, to fulfil that promise, and to avoid
prolixity, will only notice such as are more
he thinks, deservedly
of his sons going lo Imencement of his piece, that his sole object
place, daily for the festj is to discuss the subject, with the view of
Admitting this difference disseminating correct information: he being
“ a plain matter-of-fact man,” he states he
“ will confine his remarks to such as are
within the knowledge of the public general
ly, at least that part of it interested in the
proposed alteration;” and I would here pre
mise, that if I am not mistaken in my ap
prehension of the author of the Plain Citi
zen, I shall be enabled to show, without the
fear of contradiction, that he has not stuck
to ms text.—And first, that seven commis
sioners were appointed by the court to ex
amine and report on the expediency and
propriety of making the change in the above
mentioned road, and that they met, viewed
the ground, and all unanimously agreed that
it was very far superior to that over which
the road now runs. The next consideration,
I believe, was the distance : they then pro
ceeded to measure it, and found so little dif
ference between the two, that they believed
there would be none when the new road
came to be opened and straightened, and
were all of the opinion that it would be for
the public benefit to make the change : but
one of the commissioners, whom I believe
to be the author of the Plain C.;Izon, obser
ved that it would conflict with rr.vate inter
est, and he therefore should m l .ign the re
port: this he keeps behind the curtain, and
does not let you know the reason why the
seventh man did not sign the report. Then
he tries to plaster it over—that good men
wilLdiffer, and that they are liable to err:
and to show that they have erred, he goes
on and states that in opposition to their opi
nion, he would bring forward his own, and
the united voice of the whole district, with
three or four exceptions. Now 1 would
ask the Plain Citizen, How long since the
viewing of the ground with the other com
missioners, has it been since he changed
his mind, that he now puts it fonvard in op
position ? And as to the few exceptions, I
would ask him to say, upon the honour of a
man, and to be honest to this community,
whether one tenth man of the large majority
of the citizens of the district that he speaks
of, have viewed the ground or measured the
distance, (but of the distance more hereaf
ter) of the proposed alteration? or whether
they have any correct information where the
road is to run? for if I may judge from his
piece, (speaking of the distance in the close
of it, ho says, “ it is impossible correctly
to ascertain, until the precise spot is known
on which the contemplated new road is to
be placed,”) he is not capable to give the
correct information, even were he disposed
to do so. He states, as I before observed,
that he is a plain matter-of-fact man: I have
been always taught to believe that facts
were stubborn things; and if so, not liable
to be bent and twisted about: now I will
leave the public to judge whether or not he
has stuck to his text, or whether he be the
plain ma tter-of-fact man he styles himself,
when we see him bringing forward his own
opinion to prove that the old road would be
much the best for many years, when but a
short time since, his opinion on the same
subject, (to wit, the roads,) was that it would
be for the public benefit to make the change.
But setting aside even that, and taking his
own piece, he does not, or pretends he does
not know' where the precise spot for the
contemplated new road is to be : if he did
not know, why need he say any thing about
it? why all this newspaper essay? Does
this look like consistency, or does it look
like a matter-of-fact man ? if so, I would be
glad to be pointed to the matter-of-fact rule
Does his statement, that the united voice of
the inhabitants of the district, (with three of
of distance a half mile, (a few chains more
oi less is not important,) it would neces
sarily oblige those vouths, had the proposed
alteration previously taken place, to travel
say 250 annually, or 1000 miles in four
years, in addition to the present distance,
to obtain their education. Truly, if this is
not considered a sufficient reason, the wri
ter despa rs of being able to adduce any
other which, in his estimation, are of equal
importance to the rising generation.—Take
another instance of its effects on the inhabi
tants generally : it is known that the greater
part of them are in the habit of visiting
Athens two or three times a week for the
purpose /of transacting their mercantile
affairs, getting newspapers, and other neces
sary business, and tliat many of them send
the*r sons or servants to carry such artie’es
of provisions as they can spare and are
wanted by the citizens of that place, per
haps as often. The writer believes that it
is pot an unfair calculation to say that, taken
in this point of view, the inhabitants of the
District, takeu collectively, would, by the
proposed alteration, he subjected to the in
convenience of travelling upwards of three
thousand miles annually, in addition to the
present distance, and this at the risk of
break'ns their necks or dislocating their
bones, from the number of stumps, rocks,
&c. with which a great part of the propo
sed new road must unavoidably be obstruct-
e writer had next
to make soinp; observations on the
of distance and addi-
obstructioii in Inivell.ng the contem-
ted new road would have on the citizens
Ath£ns,'iand in what degree it might af
fect their interest. But reflecting -hat it is
an established truth, sanctioned by the ex
perienee of ages, that the interest of the in
habitants of towns or villages, are identified
with that of the surrounding country, and
that in proportion to the facility and free
dom of. intercourse and communication, so
are the reciprocal advantages. To attempt
to prove this well known truth, the writer
believes would only be considered a waste
of time, and perhaps an insult to their under
standings. We will therefore proceed to
notice a question which is often asked, ( Are
we to consider the great number of names
affixed to the petition, praying for the pro
posed alteration, as a decided proof that
those gentlemen are fully persuaded that
if carried into effect, it would be beneficial
to the citizens of the village of Athens ?’
Here let us pause and reflect. To those
ignorant, or at least imperfectly acquainted
with the circumstances of the case, the an
swer would naturally be in the affirmative :
the opinion of-the writer. He
veral years been acquainted with
of those gentlemen whose signa-
afftVTd to the petition, and he
il tb be honourable and just men
d scorn to lend the sanction of
eii to promote an act injurious in
its consequences to their offending neigh
bours, or the community at large, if well
understood or fairly represented; but he is
warranted is saying, that the interest and
opinions of the inhabitants of the district of
Trail Creek were not fairly represented;
that, on the contrary, it was said that they
would not he injured, nor were they opposed
to it; and that the inhabitants who would
sustain the greatest injury were also willing,
and had given their consent. Is it to be
wondered at that under these impressions,
uh<jj with these assurances, putting implicit
faith in their informant, these gentlemen
affixed their signatures to the pet tion ? It
is now known that the greater part, if hot
all of them, are sensible of the surreptitious
manner in which their signatures were ob
tained, and the writer believes feel as good
men ought to feel on the occasion. Here
a question naturally pr&sents^ itself; * Are
those gentlemen’s signatures to remain, ana
have their due tfefeht in deciding the ques
tion contrary to their judgments?’ The
writer thinks not :•* he is far from dictating
to those gentlemen what ought to be their
proper course ; iJut he maf, without wound
ing their feelings, say what he himself would
do in the like case :—-|re, if convinced that
an imposition had been practised on bis ere
dulity and good nature for the purpose of
inducing him to affix his signature to an act
fraught with so much injury to his neigh
bours, would, on being sensible of its con
sequences, indignantly erase his name from
the list of subscribers, and so far as de
pended on him, suffer the question to be
decided on its own merits by the proper tri
bunal, untrammelled by all extraneous mat
ter, and uninfluenced by imposing names,
the partiality of friendship, or other local
prejudices. This would not only be an act
honourable to themselves, as evincing a due
sense of the injury they were unintentionally
about to inflict on the community at large,
but an act imperiously called for in justice
to those inhabitants whose interests, as well
as the future well-being of their innocent
offspring are' involved in the eventual result
ett they would run together, and the fact
of' exchanging three hills on the old road,
for only one on the new; one of which, on
the old road, would be sufficient to induce a
man to ride or drive a quarter of a mile out
of the way to shun. Are these the reasons
that w ould induce him to make such a state
ment? or is it, as he has once stated, that it
would conflict with private interest? What
private interest should turn aside a good ci
tizen from doing what he believes to bo for
the good of the community, when appointed
for that purpose? Through wfflke fend is
the contemplated new road to run? Mr.
Carr’s, Col- Craig’s, Mr. Matthews’s, and
Mrs. King’s—and through whose land does
the old road now run? Mr. Carr’s, Mr.
Matthews’s, and Mrs. King’s. Who are
these, as individuals, that one of their pri
vate interests«should be set up in opposition
to the benefit of the community ? But still
this matter-of-fact man would say he could
not sign the report- because it would conflict
with private interest: is this “ spurning
with indignation the grovelling idea of seek
ing to promote his own interest at the ex
pence of his peaceable neighbours, or ti e
public good.”—I would here state for the
information of the public, according to the
report of respectable men, some of whom
have given a certificate to be subjoined to
this publication, that the actual distance
from the bridge at Athens to the two-mile
post on the old road, according to accurate
measuiement, is one mile, tb^ge quarters,
and a half chain, throwing in some odd links
that were over. The distance of the new
road, it being measured twice by one of the
same chain carriers, that certify that it mea
sured at one time 5 1-2 chains, and at the
other 7 1-2 chains over two miles : this road
being measured a part of the way through
the woods, over logs and brush—the old
road along an open way. Now who will
think for a moment it will require the engi
neering talent of Mr. Hamilton to say that
the new road, when it comes to be opened,
and straightened, will uot be shortened in
distance, the opinion of the matter-of-fact
man to the contrary notwithstanding ; for ho
tells you in the close of his piece, u he has
no hesitation m saying that the difference
will be still more in favour of the road now
in use, when the. ne,\v one comes to be open
ed.”—I will now show the d fft-rence made
in the distance by the Plain Citizen, from
the real distance, and let the public judge of
the matter of fact. He says “ it is half a
mile, 8 1-2 chains, in favour of the old
road that would make, were it true, 1067
yards; but the distance, as the two roads
now stand, one being measured along an
open way, and the other part of the way
through the woods, is in favour of the old
road only 550 yards, and that, it is believed,
will be greatly shortened when it comes to
be opened.—I will close this communica
tion with one other remark—that he who
comes forward to disseminate correct infor
mation, and is wiirulljf ignorant when he
has it in his power to inform himself, is guil- T
tv of an imposition on the public, and they
ought therefore to have th
GEORGIA, CLARK CCRtfPFY.
THIS is to certify, t<
that I, James L. Jones,
said, did assist Mr. Jai
ance of a piece in the
over the signature of “
the Trail creek read froiot the fifet
Athens to the two mile- po«t or
first measured the chain with an
according to our measurement;
upon him.
TRUTH*
four exceptions,) appearlilfe matter Of GEORGIA, CLARK COUNTY.
" lien theire are twenty, or upwards, of re-
spectahfe men in the district, who^ 1
pressed their wish that the road si
altered, and some gone so far as to seek for
a petition to sign that effect, and stating, at
the same time, that they had signed a dif
ferent one, but that they had been informed
when they signed it, that the new road was
to be a mile, or upwards, out of the way in
going to and returning from town. I would
now like to know by what instruments, and
by what mathematical rule, and by whom
the old road was measured, that it was only
made, according to A Plain Citizen’s own
words, “ one and a half miles sixteen chains,
making a difference of half a mile, less 8 1-2
chains, in favour of the old road now used
was it measured by a matter-of-fact man,
or did ho see it measured ? or was it not
__ THIS is to certify, to all whom it may concern,
vpVx- ’ 4 *f kt Ll JamP91 -aseter, ofthe county md state aforc-
Miil* ^ ass * 8t Mr.iJames L. Jones, since the ap-
'Md be pearance of a piece in the last number of the Athe
nian over the signature of “ A Plain Citizen,” in run
ning the Trail creek road from the foot of the bridge
at Athens to the two mile post on said road, having
first measured the chain with an English rule; and
according to our measurement, which I have no
hesitation, in saying was correct, we made the dis
tance one mile and three quarters, half a chain and -
ten links—I also measuted thetwo roads previously(r
and have measured the proposed alteration twice,
and made it 7 1-2 chains atone time and 5 1-2 at the
other over two miles, and the difference, as 1 believe,
correctly measured, between the two roads as they
now stand is 550 yards only.—This 27th September,
1827. JAMES LASETES.
ofthe decision.
A PLAIN CITIZEN.
ation. He, in the first
place, proposes to make a few observations
on the additional inconvenience which would
result to (he itfhabitftiti from the increase
of distance; in acquiring ah education for
in the chjrdren^and, egr
i from, facts, he will statefOne. tK
ilo,t only to the inhabitants of the
ct generally, but also to a numl
Athens.
well known that one of the i
y Jj..
rSI
~ COMMUNICATION.
Mi. Editor,—-If I may be so fortunate
as to undeceive a single individual in the
community, and place him in the possession
of correct information, the object for which
I appear before the public will then he an
swered : it is with that view I at this tgmej:
come forward, as also to endeai our to
measured with a cotton or twine string, or
rope, as 11 have been informed it was ? I
will now show he contradicts his own state
ment; foir it will be recollected he says,
speaking of the two-mile post,/* it is now
pretty correctly ascertained to be only one
and a half miles, 16 chains, making a dif
ference of half a mile, less 8 1-2 chains, in
favour of itbe old road now usednow, ac
cording to> his own calculation, One mile and
a half and 16 chains, would be 136 chains
in the distance from the two-mile post to the
bridge ; and 160 chains, according to arith
metical calculation, is two miles : now de
duct 136 from 160, and the reitminder is 24
chains, being 4 chains over a quarter of a
mile difference in distance in t^e two roads ;
but he would induce you to believe, ac
cording to his statement, that it was
mile, less S 1-2 chains.—1 woqld now like
to know, (as he states it is his opinion it
would,) how the new road could operate to
the injury of the inhabitants of Athens, or
the district in which Trail Creek meeting-
e is situated : does not the new rood go
butter ground than the old ? His own
the coi
inhabitants
very
}
it may concern,
^ and state afore-
sir>ce the appear-
of |he Athenian
in running
bridge at
oad, having
h rule ; and
ih I have no
hesitation in saying was correct, We made the dis
tance one mile and three quarters, half a chain and
tea links.—This 27th September, 1827.
JAMES L. JONES.
Col. Thomas M. Randolph.—We under
stand that this gentleman, thinking Mr. Clay
was the author of an offensive commentary
cn his late letter under the editorial head of
the National Journal, went to Washington
some days ago to ascertain the fact. On
calling upon Mr. Clay, he not only disclaim
ed being the author, but declared he had
never seen the article. The ostensible edi
tor asserted that the article was editorial. It
being asserted that Col. Randolph had losjf
the confidence of Mr. Jefferson, Col. Ran
dolph was induced to publish several letters
disproving that assertion. These letters wc
lay before our readers. Every thing that
comes from the pen ofthe SageofMonticello
is interesting to his country mett.-~Rich. Enq.
Some wag having written a letter to Mr.
Binns, ot the Democratic .Ptfess, informing
him that a conspiracy was/09 fr°t to d%vio
lence to his person, th
has offered a reward of
of his paper, for such
lead to the detect : on of the c
This is one of the best jokes
heard of for many years.
The first volume of Mr.
Rover (all that has been
vel) is calculated, i
the expectation of a
the whole to the
men and business
alderman
much superior otj-
The vehicles,