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®ri-tUcdi!| Clircnidc &oenttnel.
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J. W. & W. S. JONES.
THli CHKNOiULG AM) SE.XTIXKL
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CUIIoMCLK AND SENTINEL.
A Util S T A.
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL 3.
From a series of articles now in the course ot
publication in the National Intelligencer, we ex
tract the following sketch of a vote given in the
Senate of the United States, on a question of vi
tal interest, at that lime, to the citizens of this
cily, and of very considerable importance to a
great portion of Georgia.
Among the acts which passed during General
Harrison’s term ol service was one which seems
almost to have been contrived for the purpose of
defining the extent to which Congress has right
ful authority in regard to public works which are
within the jurisdiction of a Stale, and not beyond
the means of the Slate itself. The obvious rule
is, that the improvement proposed bo necessary
and proper for the regulation of commerce with
foreign powers or among the several States, for
the transportation of the mail, for the uses of the
Army and Navy, orfo. the execution of any oth
er of the substantive powers of Congress. In
the case before us, being the act for removing ob
structions to the navigation of the River Savan
nah, in Georgia, the power exercised was cons d
ered by some Senators as incidental to the war
power, the obstructions in question consisting of
old hulks sunk during the Revolutionary war,
round which the sand had accumulated. The
bill was supported, however, by the Chairman of
the Committee on Commerce (Mr. Lloyd, of Mas
sachusetts) on its true ground ; that of the ad
vantages which would result to the commerce of
the United Stales at large by the removal of these
obstructions, and upon thejuslice of granting to
Georgia that assistance, in this ease, which had "
been granted to so many other Stales on similar
or analogous ’.occasions.
This bill passed the Senate by 3.6 yeas to 3
nays. And the yeas, along with the name ol
General Harrison, we find the name of every
friend of the administration of Mr. Adams, in
company with the names of Mr. Benton, Mr.
Berrien, Mr. Branch, Mr. Chandler, Mr. Cobb,
Mr. Dickerson, Mr. Findlay, Mr. Harper, Mr.
Hayne, Mr. Johnson, (of Ky.) Mr. Kane, Mr.
King, Mr. Rowan, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Woodbury,
&c. The nays were Mr. Macon, Mr. Tazewell,
und Mr. Van Burcn.
For the information of that portion of the
Van Buren press in Georgia, who insist so per
tenaciouly that the Abolitionists are confined ex
clusively to the ranks of the Whig party at the
North, we copy the following letter, which we
obtained from the New York Times.
It is true we hove generally regarded this at
tempt of the Van Buren press to gull the peo
ple, as too contemptible to deserve serious notice.
This opinion we yet entertain, and feel confident
that the intelligent portion of their own party
have always looked upon such efforts, rather with
feelings of regret, for the disregard ol truth so
boldly exhibited by the conductors of their party
presses, than with pride even when anticipating
the results of a victory obtained by such misre
presentation. There arc, however, those whose
means of information are confined to u more nar
row sphere, and who might consequently be led
astray by such misrcprenlalion if it were not
corrected.
Van Buren Abolitionists.
The Globe, Richm >nd Enquirer, Albany Ar
gus. and the various locofoco (papers throughout
the country that adopt and circulate the state
ments manufactured for them in those prints,
have for a long period been eadcavoiing to fix
the taint of abolitionism upon the Democratic
Whig paity. How far they have succeeded, the
recantation of hundreds of Van Burcn’s old
supporters in Virginia and other parts of the
South will best show. If farther evidence of the
falsehood of these allegations is required, it will
be found in the following letter from a leading
abolitionist to the editor of the Emancipator, the
the grand central organ of abolitionism. It will
be seen that the letter contains a distinct and pos
itive declaration, that if seven Whig votes could
be obtained in the Assembly ot tins State, (a
thing which the writer acknowledges to be im
possible,) Mr. Talimadge could be defeated oltbc
hen pending election for United Stales Senator,
and Gerrit Smith, the abolition candidate for that
office, eec led by the Van Buren party ! Com
ment would be superfluous.
From the Emancipator.
LETTS II FROM ALVA S. STL WART*
To the Editor ;
Sm—An independent abolition political par
ti/ is the only hope, for the redemption of the
SLA VE ! !
If we had only seven abolition Whigs in the
Assembly ot this Stale, the other party would
enable those seven abolition members to elect
Gerrit Smith, James G. Burney, or any other tal
ented abolitionist to the Senate ol the United
States lor six years, to defeat Mr. Talimadge, the
Whig candidate. But wc have not those seven
men, and how can you expect we should, as
long as the lies of party are strong enough to
make leading abolitionists, yea, high olficcrs of
Anti-Slavery societies, consent to net in whig
meetings, commend the doings of the Harrisburg
Convention, nominating Harrison and Tyler ?
I beg and implore our brethren to t ike hold and
make and independent parly of abolitionists, and
unite Whig and Van Buren abolitionists heart
and hand. It can lie demonstrated, that the very
first year, wc should elect, at least, one-third of
the Congress men. Senators and Assembly men
from this State.
Unless we adopt the course of independent
nomination, the absurdity of abolitionists will
be so prominent in voting for Harrison and slave
holding Tyler, on one side, and Van Buren and
some fiaveholding Vice President on the other,
that we shall never he able to hold up our beads
again. Wc must nominate a President and Vice
President of our own, to pteservo our character
for consistency, as well as a matter of principle,
and when the nation sees that the votes which
wo have east for President und Vice President
have changed the apparent destiny of one of the
two great parties; it will astonish all men, and
make the enemies of the sla'c tremble.
Lastly, by placing our candidates before the
world two or three months, we give the old par
ties an opportunity to select from our ticket, in
stead of ours selecting from theirs, nominated on
the eve of an election, when it is too lute for the
abolitionists to compare opinions, and nominate
for themselves. Yours, &c.
Alva N. Stewart.
Utica, January, 1840.
The New-Yorker of Saturday says :—A great
meetings of tire friends of the Registry Bill in
this Cily was held at Masonic Hall last evening.
(Friday) and was disturbed by a riotous irrup
tion of the opponents of the bill. Much injury
was done to persons and properly.
The War Question. — The Charleston Cour
ier of yesterday says;—“ A gentleman of high in
telligence just from Washington, informs us that
there is less talk and less apprehension of war, in
Washington, than in Charleston.
An Improbable Rumor. —The Philadelphia
Inquirer of Monday says:—Wc heaid a rumour
on Saturday night that the President had deter
mined to issue a proclamation for 25,000 volun
teers, as a measure of precaution in relation to
apprehended trouble with Great Britain.
The Albany Evening Journal says :—“The
Pension Agency in this city is without funds.
Payments to Revolutionary Soldiers, therefore,
are suspended I The General Government is
squandering Millions in the Swamps of Florida,
while the venerable Patriots of’76 are denied the
small instalments which the Government is pled
ged to pay on the heavy debt due to them.
An Army. —lt is stated that the number of
Clergymen in the established church of England,
amounts to sixteen thousand.
From the New Orleans Picayune, of the 27th.
Late from Texas.
The steam packet Columbia, Capt. Windlc,
arrived yesterday morning from Galveston, bring
ing Houston dates to the 21st inst. and Galves
ton to the 23d. The Columbia had a large num
ber of passengers.
The papers do not say a word about the long
threatened invasion by the forces of Mexico, and
the much talked ofexpedilion has probably been
given up.
Matagorda is described to be an unusually
healthy place. For the last five months, out of a
population of upwards of 1,000, there had been
but four deaths.
The Galvestonian now comes out every day—
the first daily ever started at Galveston,
The steamer Correo has ascended the Trinity
as high up as Cincinnati, 500 miles. The cap
tain, Clark, says that the country all along is in
a thriving condition.
Corn was selling in Austin at sl4 per bushel;
beef at 25 cents, and pork at 75 cents per lb ; and
flour at tile moderate price of sllO per bbl. Gro
ceries would have commanded any price bad there
been any in the market.
The steamboat Brighton was snagged near
Houston on the 20th inst. and sunk immediate
ly- ,
There had been a great excitement at Austin
in consequence of the murder of two men, Win.
Ward and James Headley, by the Indians. It
was uncertain to what tribe the Indians belong
ed, but Col. Burleson bad set oft - in pursuit of
them. Tho inhabitants of Austin were highly
exasperated, and threatened to kill every Indian
they could find.
Madame Thielman is giving Musical Soirees
at Houston.
s __
Letter from the Hon. Edward J. Black
to Gov. McDonald.
Washington, February 17, 1810. 7
House of Representatives. 5
To his Exe'y. Charles J. McDonald,
Governor of the State of Georgia.
Snt—l have been for some time in receipt of
your communication, covering the preamble and
resolutions relative loourcontroversy with Maine,
introduced into the last Legislature by Mr. Jen
kins, and ultimately passed by that body; in lieu
of the more decided and appropriate measures
proposed to the Senate by the Hon. A. J. Law
son, of Burke, and to the House of Representa
tives, by George W. Crawford, Esq., of Rich
mond.
1 should not have suffered so much time to
elapse before I addressed your Excellency upon
the grave and important subject, submitted by
these Resolutions to my consideration, but that I
hoped something might transpire from the au
thorities of Maine, which would relieve me from
the necessity of speaking plainly on a subject on
which it was evident, my views and opinions
would cornu in diiect collision with those of oth
ers, who have heretofore been recognized as ad
vocates of State Rights, at least, us they were
connected with this absorbing question. My ex
pectation has not been realized; Maine still is
erect in her adverse position, and I am forced to
perform what I conceive to be a duly imperative
upon me in my representative capacity, lo return
to your Excellency the resolutions you enclosed,
anil with them, my reasons for declining lo pre
sent them to Congress.
How then stands thocascl Sometime in May.
1837, Daniel Philbrook and Edward Kelleian,
citizens of Maine, the former master, and the
latter iqate of the schooner Boston, trading to
Savannah, while in that port feloniously inveigled
from James Sagurs and Henry Sagurs, citizens of
Georgia, their negro slave. Alticus, whom they
clandestinely conveyed into the State of Maine,
and thus illegally deprived the owners of their
properly. On the 10th day of May following,
Philbrook and Kelleran were charged by James
Sagurs, mi bis oath, in the county of Chatham,
with having, "on or about the 4th of May- last,
feloniously inveigled, stolen, taken and carried
away without the limits of the Slate of Georgia,”
the slave Alticus; "that the said Daniel Phil
brook and Edward Kelleran, have been guilty as
deponent is informed, and believes of a felony
under the laws of this Stale,” and “that since
the commission of said felony, the said Philbrook
and Kelleran have fled from the Stale, and are, as
he believes, at this lime, within the limits of the
State of Maine in the United States.” On .the
same day, the magistrate, before whom this oath
was made, issued his warrant to arrest these
men, and the officer charged with the execution j
thereof relumed that they were not lo be found \
in the county of Chatham. A correspondence |
then lock place between His Excellency, William i
AUGUSTA, Ga. SATURDAY MORNING, APRIL 4, 1840.
i Schley, at that time Governor of Georgia, and
His Excellency, Robert J. Dunlap, Governor of
! Maine, in which the latter demanded of the for
mer that the said Philbrook and Kelleran should
be delivered up to Georgia ns fugitives from jus
tire, being charged of feloniously inveigling,
stealing, taking and carrying away the slave, At
ticus; and with the demand a duly authenticated
copy ot the affidavit, warrant, and the return
thereon was forwarded to the Executive of Maine.
On the Kith of August thereafter. Governor Dun
lap, in a forma! communication to the Executive
of Georgia, declined to comply with the demand
made on him.
Matters rested in this position until December,
1837, when the Legislature of Georgia prompted
by that high feeling of patriotism, which hud
ever characterized the State when the rights of
her humblest citizen were infringed, adopted reso
lutions declaring the refusal of the Executive of
Maine, to surrender Philbrook and Kelleran, dan
geious to the rights of the people of Georgia, and
directly and clearly in violation of the plain let
ter of the Constitution of the United States; that
the Slate of Georgia became a party to the fede
ral compact, no less for the better |ir..teclion of
hty- own, than the common rights and interests of
all—that when those ends arc defeated, she is
released from the obligations of that compart, and
it becomes her right and her duty to provide pro
tection for her people in her own way—that when
an indictment should he found against Philbrook
and Kelleran, the Executive be requested to re
new tho demand for their arrest, &e. Accord
ingly, on the 7th of February. 1838, an indict
ment was found by n grand jury of Chatham
county, charging Philbrook and Kelleran with
larceny in feloniously inveigling, stealing, taking
and carrying away the slave Alliens. On the
27th of April following. Governor Gilmer, then
in the Executive chair of Georgia, made a final
demand in pursuance of instructions from the
Legislature upon Governor Kent, the successor
of Governor Dunlap, accompanying the same
with an authenticated copy of the indictment
found, and the facts and ciicumstan es on which
it was based. Governor Kent refused on the
25th June, 1838, to comply with this reiterated
demand, and declined to arrest these fugitives from
justice.
The resolutions of the Georgia Legislature
abo»e referred to, had been laid before the Legisla
ture of Maine, doubtless with the pacific and pa
triotic purpose of presenting to that State, anoth
er and last opportunity of retrieving her character
by retracing her steps; that opportunity was not
accepted, and the Legislature of Maine, aware of
all the circumstances, declined to legislate on the
subject, referring it exclusively to the action of
the Executive.
This then is substantially the slate of the case
down to tho period of the adoption of tho resolu
tion you enclosed, and plainly stated, rends thus:
'I wo citizens of Maine go lo Georgia, feloniously
steal the property of two of the citizens of the
latter Stale, and with the stolen properly in their
possession, fly from Justice, and take refuge with
in the limits of their own State. The Executive
of Georgia demands them from tho State of
Maine and the Executive of that Slate backed by
the Legislature, refuses to deliver them up. To
remedy these grievances, the Legislature resolve
that the act of Congress of 1793, is inadequate to
effect the purpose for which it was enacted, that
it ought to be amended so as to authorize the de
mand lobe made on the Circuit Judge having ju
risdiction in the Slate wherein such fugitive may
be found, and to require said Judge, upon de
mand, to issue his warrant to the United States
Marshal, requiring him to arrest and deliver up
the fugitive, named in the warrant, lolhe person
authorized to receive him; and I am requested, as
one of the Representatives in Congress of the
State of Georgia, to endeavour to procure such
an amendment of the Statute in question, as in
my judgment, will he best calculated to ellectthc
desired object. If the 2d Sec. of the 4th Art. of
the Constitution of the United States was entire
ly stricken out of that Instrument—if the whole
frame and policy of our political structure could
he radically changed from n confederation of So
vereign Stales for snecific purposes, to a great
consolidated Government, the splendour and du
rability of which depended upon the unlimited
submission of all its parts to one central power :
—and if with this radical change of our Inslilu
lions, I and the political principles I have cher
ished from my youth upwards, could he thorough
ly, totally ami miraculously changed also, then,
and not until then, might I he free to make it a
question of expediency, whether 1 would submit
a matter involving the vital question ot slavery,
to the ultimate and absolute jurisdiction of Con
gress ;—lo a body wherein never until lately,
even the meagre majority of 6 could he found un
willing to disturb the relation of master and slave,
not because that majority favoured the domestic
Institutions of the South, nut because they feel
that their hands were tied up by the strong
chords of the Constitution, ■'nr, even if the Con
stitution warranted this legislation, coulu we hope
to succeed in appealing lo such men as John
Quincy Adams Francis Granger, Levi Lincoln,
and William Sladel Judging of the future from
the past, could wc rationally expect even for a
moment, that these men who are powerful ami
influential leaders of their parly in the House of
Representatives, would omit the opportunity, so
aptly presented by our submission of the rights
and interests of slave-holders lo their decision, to
strike a deadly blow at our domestic Inst tutions,
which would result in legalizing theft, in protec
ting fugidvc thieves, in liberating the slave, in
destroying this Union, and in desolating our
fair anil happy country! What fond hallucina
tion could have influenced the author of the.-e
Resolutions to hope, or to ask, at the hands of
Abolitionists justice by the enactment of a law
to the penalties ol which Philbrook and Kelleran
wodld he submitted, when these individuals were
but engaged in accomplishing the very object to
which the law makers themselves have been so
long and so entirely devoted 1 Could wc hope
that they would aid us in requiring a federal
judge to cause these practical emancipationists to
be delivered up when they themselves are bound
to the same cause as a part of their religion ? To
rny mind, these questions contain their own an
swers, and the bare probability of defeat on such
a question, should, in my judgment, restrain us
from voluntarily submitting our rights to the de
cision of those, woo declare slavery to be a hein
ous sin in the sight of God and man.
But suppose we could carry a majority of Con
gress to the passage of such a law, what would
we have accomplished I—Nothing, more or less,
than the enactment of another Force Bill, where
with wc in our short-sightedness, might please
ourselves in the fatal hope of coerc ng the Sover
eign State of Maine through the instrumentality
of the Federal Government, to recognize our
rights of domestic slavery. This done—the sub
mission and depredation of Maine accomplished,
the same potent leveller is in reserve for our
i selves, "when it shall please our country lo need
| our death,” and the same dagger wc sharpen for
1 the State of Maine, is still clutched in the federal i
1 grasp, ready to ho used for our humiliation. It |
is a well known fact, that Sagurs pursued these
lug lives ami recap.ured his property within the
jurisdiction ot Maine—if we pass this law, the
Abolitionists of that State, as they have threat
ened, would indict Sagurs in tbeii Court for kid
napping, a true Bill would be found, a demand
made on the "Circuit Judge, having jurisuietion
in the Stale,’ and Georgia, the I'overeign and In
dependent Slate of Georgia—one of the old
Thirteen, whose blood flowed like water in the
Revolution, would be coerced into a vile and hu
miliating submission to the Federal Authorities .
and that too, by virtue of a law which she hcr
scll had proposed to her confederates, and against
which, therefore, she could raise neither her arm,
nor her voice. Tho President might believe that
ho was “ hound by higher obligations than the
Constitution,” to "lake care that the law be exe
cuted, and the same scenes which were enacted
before Charleston in 1834, would be re-enacted
with variations, in the |>ort of Savannah. Caught
in her own trap, the State of Georgia would he
powerless for offence or defence. Helofore, our
strength and power have resulted from the evi
dent truth and consistency of our principles and
position; sweep these away from us, and you
strip us of all those moral fortifications which
alone give life and energy lo physical matter.—
We shall cease to be right, and although, for a
while wc might make a show of resistance, it
would be but the vain und infuriated ellbrts of
brute force uuai led, unclmstened, and uncon
trolled by the voice of reason, or the virtue of
principle. All that would bo left to us to do,
would lie to gather tip the shattered parts of our
Constitution, which, scattered around us by our
own act, would be like the fragments of n broken
mirror, present to us in multiplied reflections,
the revolting spectacle of self-humiliation produ
ced by our own unprincipled folly.
But, Bir, there are other considerations than
those of policy, which altogether precludes me
from moving these unfortunate Resolutions. I
allude to the obligations I owe lo the Constitu
tion of the United Stales, which I swore to sup
port when I took my seat in the House of Rep
resentatives. 1 will not refer your Excellency to
the 10th Art. of the amendments of that Instru
ment wherein it is declared “the powers not del
egated to the United tstates by the Constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the Slates, a-e reserved to
the States respectively,or to the people,” because
the power of the State of Georgia to act in this
matter so far from being "prohibited,” is express
ly reserved to, and enjoined on her by tho 2d
Sec. of the 4th Art. of the Constitution. That
section is in these words:—"A person charged
in any Stale with treason,felony, or other crime,
who shall flee from justice, and to he found in
another Stale, shall, on demand of the Executive
authority of the State from which be fled, be de
livered up, to be removed to die State, having ju
risdiction of the crime.
Here then is positive written proof, that the
right to demand a fugitive from justice, has not
been granted to the General Government, but ha»
been reserved to “the Stale from which be fled
which Stale js clearly recognized in the same sec
tion as" having jurisdiction of tho ciime.” If,
then, the Constitution which spoke into existence
the Federal Government, clearly yields up and
reserves to the Stale this important right not only
to " demand.” but to try the “ tugilives troiu jus
tice,” 1 ask by what process of reasoning do
you arrive at the contusion, that Congress has
the (Constitutional power “ to describe the forms
which would give authenticity to the demand.”
Tho form is contended for when the substance
is denied ! Sir, the language of the preamble
lo these Resolutions, “ tho past legislation on this
has been predicated upon” a “ presumption ”
which although it might find “ its warrant in the
mutual fidelity which promptly responded to all
executive demands,” finds no warrant in the
Constitution, cither by express grant or implica
tion. Any act of the General Government on
litis subject, must be unconstitutional, because
there is "no grant of power” in that Instrument
to our federal agent, to interfere cither substan
tially, or in the preserpition of forms. If any
thing is yet wanting to convince your Excellen
cy of the rectitude of my position, turn with me
to the Statute of 1793; there you will find that
Congress, while acting upon the “ presumption ”
of prescribing forms in a matter wholly foreign
lo its jurisdiction attached no sanetion, affixed no
penalty upon those who should refuse to abide
by the forms prescribed. Aware that this legis
lation was founded on a “ presumption" that
body set no punishment on those who should dis
regard it, but left it to find “ its guarantee” in
the "pledged faith” of those whom it might con
cern. Besides the penalty, if declared, would
necessarily have been inflicted on a “Stale” to
effect which other and more violent, but necessa
rily consequent “ presumptions ” must have
been resorted to, in order lo sustain the General
Government in her Quixotic attempt to casti
gate a Sovereign Slate. To the Stale of Geor
gia then, and not to the United States, we must
look lor the protection of her citizens in their
persons and properly. It is her “reserved,” nay
tier inalienable rights, ( and solemn duty, to protect
her own people, and when tho compact of the
Constitution is violated and broken, it is then
high lime she should take care that her citizens
receive no detriment. The mode and manner of
redress',lies within the depths of her legislative
wisdon). Let Georgia now do what her Legis
lature in 1837, resolved she ought to do.ifMaine
should neglect to redress the grievance complain- i
cd of”—let a convention of tho people be called I
by Executive Proclamation "lo lake into consid- |
oration, the state of tho commonwealth of Geor- (
gia, to devise the course of her future policy, and 1
to provide all necessary safeguards for the pro- 1
lection of the riglns of her people.” To such a {
< onvrntion.l am willing to submit all the deep j
interest, which I, in common with my fellow- I
citizens, feel m this most important and vital
question.
With considerations of high esteem,
I have the honor, lo be your Excellency’s
Obedient Hervant,
EDWARD J. BLACK.
I
Marriage between Mother and Son.—
Till following extraordinary story is related by
thoiParis Messenger:—“About twenty years ago j
a in one of the departments, although not
fifteen years of age, was delivered of a male child,
whirh she placed in the Foundling Hospital of
the ul.ice, after bavin ; first made an indelible
mark on its arm. She turn came lo Paris, and,
entered into service. Having, after some years,
accumulated almut 4 OOOf, her thoughts were
lurried towards her child, but, when she inquired
for (lint, he had left the hospital, and no t dings
cou(l be obtained of him. A young soldiered true
tedjirnbahly, by her little fortune, recently paid
bis addresses to her. and a few days ago they
were married. On retiring lo the nuptial chamber,
slut discovered on the arm of her husband the
mirk which she had made nppn the arm of her
child twenty years ago. The discovery led to an
immediate dc facto divorce, ami a demand of
nullity of marriage lielwcen mother and son has
bce» presented to the tribunals.
!e From the American Monthly Magazine.
,! A Night Adventure in the AUeghanies.
t- My horse had cast a slice, and stopping about
I- sunset at a blacksmith’s cabin, in one of the most
d savage passes of the Alleghanies, a smutty-faced
leather-aproned fellow was soon engaged in pul
i- ting his feet in order, lo encounter the flinty road
d we were travelling.
c “Pardon me, sir,” cried a middle-aged traveller,
riding up to the shantee und throwing himsell
■ from his horse, just ns the shaggy-headed vulcun,
h .ving taken the heels of my nag in his lap, w as
11 proceeding to pare off the hoof, preparatory to fit-
L ting the shoe, which lie had just hammered into
1 »hapo 11,1,1 thrown upon the black soil beside him.
* "Pardon me"— repeated tbc stranger, raising the
broad brimmed beaver from a head remarkable
J for nothing but what the phrenologist would call
1 the uncommon developeinent of "ideality,” re
-1 vealed by the short locks which part'd over a
“ pair ot Lii iancholy grey eyes—"matteis of mo
r merit”—continued he, moving towards me—
* "make it important for me to be a dozen miles
1 hence before nightfall, and you will place me,sir,
> under singular obligations, by allowing this good
* follow to attend to my lame beast instant ly. ,J
’ The confident, and not ungraceful manner in
t which the stranger threw himself upon my cotir
j. tesy, sufficiently marked him ns a man of breed
ing, and I, ot course, complied at once with his
j, request by giving the necessary order to the black
smith. His horse was soon put in travelling
’ Dim, and leaping actively into tho saddle, he re
| gained the highway at a bound; checking his
' courser then a moment, he turned in his stirrups
to thank me for the slight service I hud rendered
’ him, and giving an address, which I have now
forgotten, he added that, if ever I should enter
i ’« valley, I might bo sure of a cordial wel
come by the proprietor,
[ An hour afterwards I was pursuing the same
. road, amt rapidly approaching the end of my day’s
journey. The immediate district through which
. I was travelling, had been settled by Germans, in
, (be early days of Pennsylvania, a scattered com
. munity that bad been thrown somewhat in ad
. vanee of the more slowly extended settlements.
In populousness and fertility it did not compare
, with the regions on tho eastern side of the monn
, Inins; but the immense stone barns, which, though
, few and far between, occasionally met the eye,
not less than the language spoken around me,
I indicated that the inhabitants were of the same
i origin with the ignorant but industrious denizens
I of the lower country. One of these stone build
ings, an enormous and ungainly edifice, stood
upon a bill immediately back of tho Wolfswald
hotel—a miserable wooden hovel where I was to
pass the night—and while descending the hill in
the rear of the village, 1 had leisure to observe
that it presented a somewhat different appearance
from the other ag,(cultural establishments of the
kil d which I had met with during the day. The
, massive walla were pierced hero and there with
’ narrow windows, which looked like loopholes,
. and a clumsy chimney had been fitted up by
, some unskilful mechanic, against one of the ga
. bles.|wilh a prodigality of materials which made
I its jagged top show like some old turret, in the
crowing twilight. The history of this grotesque
mansion, as I subscqiienlty learned it, was that of
i a hundred others scattered over our country, ai.d
i known generally in the neighborhood os-SmilbV
or *i hornpson s tolly.” It bad been commenced
upon an ambitious scale, by a person whose
means were inadequate lo its completion, and had
been sacrificed at a public sale when half finish
ed, in order to liquidate the claim of the mechan
ics employed upon it. After that, it had been
used as a granary for a while, and subsequently,
being rudely completed without any reference to
the original plan, it had been occupied as a hotel
for a few years. It bad now, however, for a long
period been abandoned entirely, and enjoyed the
gene;al reputation in the neighborhood of being
haun.ed; ior gliosis and goblins aie always sure
to lake a big hou-*e oil* a landlord’s bands, when
ho can get no other tenant.
"We have no room for rnynbecr,” said mine
host, Peter Bcuelston, laying Itis hand on my bri
dle, as I rode up to the door of the only inn in
the place; while three or four wagoners, smo
king their pipes upon u lx>nch in front of the
house, gave a grunt of confirmation to tho frank
avowal of Peter. I was too old a stager, how
ever, to be thus summarily turned away at such
an hour; and throwing myself from toy horse
without further parley, 1 told the landlord to gel
me some supper, and wc would talk about lodg
ing afterwards.
It matters not bow I got through the evening
until the hour of bed time arrived. I had soon
ascertained that every bed in the hostelric was re
ally taken up, and that unless 1 choose to share
his straw with one of the wagoners, who are ac
customed to sleep in their lumbering vehicles,
there was no resource for me, except lo occupy
the lonely building, which had first caught rny
eye upon entering the hamlet. Upon inquiring
as to the accommodation it afforded, I learned
that, though long deserted by any permanent oc
cupants, it was still occasionally, notwithstanding
Its evil reputation, resorted to by the passing tra
veller, and that one or two rooms were yet in
good repair and partially furnished. The good
woman of the house, however, looked very por
tentous, when I expressed my determination to
lake up my abode tor the night in the haunted
ruin—though she tried, inelluclually, lo rouse her
I sleeping husband to guide me lliitbcr. Mine
j host had been luxuriating 100 freely in some old
I Monongahela, brought by a return wagon from
| Wheeling, to heel the jogging of his spouse,
and I was obliged to act us my own gentleman
j usher.
Tbc night was dark and gusty, as with my sad
! die bags in one hand, and a stable-lantern in the
other, I sallied from the door of the carbaret, and
; struggled up the broken hill in its rear, to gain
| my uninviting place of rest. A rude porch,
which seemed to have been long unconscious of
a door, admitted me into the building, and track
ing my way with s me difficulty through a long
! corridor, of which the floor appeared to have been
ripped open here and there, in order to apply the
, boards to some oilier purpose, I came to u sleep
j and narrow staircase without any balusters.—
I Cautiously ascending, I found myself in a large
ball which opened on the lull side, against which
, the house was built, it appeared lo be light-d
by a couple of windows only, which were par
tially glazed in some places, und closed up in olh
i ers by rough Isiards nailed anoss in lien of shut
ters. It had evidently, however, judging from
two or three pieces of ruined furniture, been in
habited. A heavy door, whoso oaken 1 itch and
binges, being incapable of rust, were still in good
repair, admitted me into on adjoining chamber.—
Tills bad evidently been tbc dormitory of the es
tablishment, win re the guests, after the gregari
ous and most disagreeable fashion of our coun
try were wont lo be huddled together in one
iarge room. Tim waning moon, whose bright
autumnal crescent was just lieginning to cast
above the bills, shone tbrough a high circular win
dow, full into this apartment, indicated a com
] fortuble looking trucklelsed at tho further end, be-
Yol. IV.—No. 40.
-) —l ii i-m kk
loro the rays of my miserable lantern, had ahot
beyond the threshold.
I pon approaching the pallet, I observed some
indications of that end of the apartment being
still occasionally occupied. The heavy beams
which traversed the ceiling appeared to have been
recently whitewashed. There was a small piece
ot carpet on the floor beside the bed, a decripit
table, and an arm-chair whose burly body was
precariously supported upon three legs, were
holding an innocent tete-a-tcte in the corner adia
cent. J
I’ve had a rougher roosting place than this,
thought I, as I placed my lantern upon the table,
i.nd deposited my saddle-hags beneath it, began
to prepare myself for rest.
My light having now burnt low, I was com
pelled to eipedile the operation of undressing,
which prevented me from examining the rest of
the apartment; and indeed, although I had, when
first welcoming with some pleasure the idea of
sleeping in a haunted house, determined fully to
explore it for mv own satisfaction before retiring
lor the night, yet, fatigue or caprice made mo
now ready to aln ndon the intention, just when
my means liir carrying it into execution, were be
ing withdrawn; for the candle expired, while I
was opening the door of the lantern, to throw its
light more fully upon a mass of drapey, which
seemed to he suspended across the farther end of
the chamber. The complete darkness that mo
mentarily ensued, of course, blinded me complete
ly; hut in the course of a few moments the shad
ows became more distinct, and gradually, by the
light of the moon, I was able la make out that
the object opposite to me, was only a large old
fashioned bedstead, prodigiously hung with tat
tered curtains. I gave no farther thought to the
subject, but turning over, composed myself to
rest.
Sleep however, whom Shakspeare alone has
had (he sense to personify as a woman, was coy
in coming to my conch. The stout old mansion
seemed to wheeze and groan, like a hale sexage
narian with (he asti.ma. The wind, which had
been high, became soon more boisterous than ev
er, and the clouds huddled so rapidly over tho
face of the moon, that her beams were as broken
as the crevii es of the mined budding through
which they fell. A sudden gust would every now
and then sweep through the long corrider below,
and make tho rirkelly staircase crock, as if it
yielded to the feet of some (airily passenger—
again, (hr blast would die away in a sullen moan
as if linflled on some wild night enand, while
anon, it would swell in monotonous surges, which
came booming upon the ear like the roar of a dis
tant ocean,
I am not easily discomposed, and perhaps none
of these uncouth sounds would have given an
noyance, it tho clanging of the window shutter
had not been added to the general chorus, and ef
fectually kept me from sleeping. My nerves
were at last becoming sensibly affected by its
ceaseless din, and wishing to cut short the fit of
restlessness which I found stealing upon me, I
determined to rise and descend the stairs at the
risk of my neck to try and secure the shutter so
as to put an end to the nuisance.
Hut now, ns I rose in my bed foi this purpose,
I found myself subjected to a new course of an
noyance. The mocking wind, which hod ap
peared tome more than once to syllable human
sounds, came at length upon my ear distinctly,
charged with tones which could not be mistaken.
It was the hard, suppressed breathing of a man. I
listened, nod it ceased with a light gasp, like that
of one lahming under sullbcaliun. I listened
still, and it came anew—stronger and more fully
upon my ear. It was like the thick aspirations
of an appopleclie. Whence it proceeded, I knew
not. Hut that it was not near me, I was certain.
A suspicion of rohherry—possibly, assassination
—Hashed upon me; hut were instantly discarded
as foreign to the character of the people among
whom I was travelling.
1 he moonlight now fell full upon the curtained
bed opposite to me, and I saw the tattered dra
pery move, as if the frame upon which it waa
suspended, were agitated. I watched, I confess,
with some peculiar feeling of interest, I was
not alarmed, but an unaccountable anxiety crept
over me. At length, the curtain parted, and a
naked human leg was protruded through its folds
—the foot came with a bump, dead-like sound to
the door—resting there, itsceined to meat least
hall a minute before (he body to which it belong
ed was discovered to my view. Slowly, then, a
pallid and unearthly looking figure emerged from
the couch, and stood with its startling lineaments
clearly drawn against the dingy curtain behind
it. It appeared to be balancing itself for a mo
ment, urn. then began to move along from the
bed. Hut there was something horribly unnatu
ral in its motions. Its feet came to the door with
a dull heavy round, as if there were no vitality in
them. Its arms hung, apparoi illy, paralyzed by
its side, and the only nerve of rigidity in its
frame appeared about its head ; —the hair, which
was thin and scattered, stood out in rigid tuifs
from its brow—the eyes were diluted and fixed
wilh an expression of ghastly horror, and tho
petrified lips moved not, as the hideo is moaning,
w hich came irom the bottom of its chest escaped
them.
It began to move across the floor in the direc
tion of my bed—its knees at every step having
drawn up wilh a sudden jerk nearly (oils body,
and its feet coming to the ground as if they moved
by some n.uchinical impulse, and were wholly
wanting in the elasticity of living members. It
approached my lied—and mingled horror and cu
riosity kept roe still. It came and stood beside
it, and child like I still clung to my couch, mov
ing only la the farllier side. Slowly, and with
tlni same unnatuial foot fulls it pursued me thith
er, and again I changed my position. It placed
• self then at the foot ot my bedstead and moved by
its (ileous groans, 1 tried to look calmly at it, 1
endeavored to rally my thoughts— to reason with
myself, and even to speculate upon the nature
ol the object before me. One idea that went
through my brain was too extravagant not to re
member. I thought among nth- r things, that the
phantom was a corpse, animated for the moment
by some galvanic process, in order to terrify rne.
Then, as I recollected that there was no one in the
village to carry such a trie k into effect—suppos
ing even the experiment possible—l rejected the
supposition. How, too, could those awful moan*
lie produced from an inanimate being - And yet,
it seemed as if every thing about it were dead,
except the mere capability of moving its feet, and
uttciing those unearthly expressions of suffering.
The sceptre, however, if so it may be called gave
me hut little opportunity for reflection. Its ghast
ly limbs ware raised anew wilh the same auto
mation movement, and placing one of its feet
upon the bottom of my bed, whilst its glassy eyes
were fixed steadfastly upon me,it began stalking
towards my pillow.
I confess that 1 was now in an agony of ter
ror.
I sprung from the couch and fled the apart
ment. The keen sighlcdness of fear enabled me
to discover an open closet upon the other side of
(he hull. .Springing through tho threshold, I
closed the door quickly after me. It had neither
lock nor bolt, but the closet was so narrow, that