Newspaper Page Text
EDITED BY THOMAS HAYNES.
VOL.. V. NO. 38.
of Bunion,
BY P. L. KOBIINSON, State Printer.
And Publisher (by authority) of the Laws of the United States
OFFICE SEAR THE CORNER OF WAYNE AND FRANKLIN STREETS.
ISSUED EVERT TUESDAY MORNING.
lET TERMS.—Three Dolhrs per annum. No subscription token for less than a
»e*r, and no paper discontinued, but at tlie option of the publisher, until all arrear
ages are paid.
CHANGE OF DIRECTION.—We desire such of our subscribers as may at any
tim. wish the direction of their papers changed from one Post Office to another, to
inform us, in all cases, of the place to which they had been previously sent; as the
mere order to forward them to a diderant office, places it almost out of our power to
comply, because we have no means of ascertaining the office from which they are
ordered to be changed, but by a search through our whole subscription book, con
taining several thousand names.
ADVERTISEMENTS inserted at the usual rates. Sales of LAND, by Admi
nistrators, Executors, or Guardians, are required by law to be held on the first Tues
day in the month, between the hours of ten in the forenoon and three in the after
noon, at the Court House in the county in which the property is situate. Notice of
these sales must l>« given in a public gar.clte SIXTY DAYS previous to the day of
sale.
Sales of NEGROES mast be at public auction, on the first Tuesday of the month
between the usual hours of sale, at the place of public sales in the county where the
letters testimentary, of Administration or Guardianship, may have been granted, first
giving SIXTY DAYS notice thereof, in one of the public gazettes of this State,
and at the door of the Court House where such sales are to be held.
Notice for the sale of Personal Property must be given in like manner, FORTY
DAYS previous to the day of sale.
Notice to the Debtors and Creditors of an Estate must be published FORTY
DAYS.
Notice that application will be made to the Ceurt of Ordinary for leave to sell
LAND, must be published for FOUR MONTHS.
Notice for leave to sell NEGROES, must be published for FOUR MONTHS
before any order absolute shall be made by the Court thereon.
Notice of Application for Letters of Administration must be published THIRTY
DAYS.
Notice of Application for Letters of Dismission from the Administration of an Es
ate, are required to be published monthly for SIX MONTHS.
PRESENTMENTS OF THE GRAND JURY OF MURRAY COUNTY.
GEORGIA, Murray County.
WE. the undersigned. Grand Jurors, selected for the Superior Court
of Murray, at the September Term, 1838, make the following
Preseutments:—
We having examined the County Treasurer’s books, kept by W. N.
Bishop, and find, to our entire satisfaction, that from the day he was ap
pointed County Treasurer, up to the present time, he has, both in the
receipts and disbursements of the funds of the county, most faithfully
discharged the resposihle duties of his office. And we further present,
that a former presentment made on the subject of the County funds, was
made under a very hasty and imperfect examination of the Treasurer’s
official acts, and have no doubt, that if any former Grand Jury were
fully apprised of the facts as we are, that they would, as we now do,
extend our unqualified approbation of the conduct of William N. Bishop,
as the Treasurer of Murray county.
We have examined the books of the Inferior Court, and books of Or
dinary, and the Poor School Funds, and fiud them neatly kept and cor
rectly managed.
At the last term of this Court, the Trustees of Murray County Acad
emy wete presented for a dereliction of duty; in consequence of which,
having the prosperity of our county at heart, minutely examined the
grounds of said charge, and without integrity and disrespect to former
Grand Juries, we are compelled to say, that after a most strict scrutiny
into the conduct of said Trustees, that we cannot find any cause against
them ; but on the contrary, they have not only ours, but should have
the approbation of every good citizen of the county, for their faithful
stewardship of the trust reposed in them.
We present Leander G. Caldwell, for a misdemeanor, in refusing to
aid rftephen Jones, Sheriff of Murray county, to secure two prisoners,
whom he had arrested, and one of whom had drawu a dirk and resisted
the officer.
We present Joshua Smith, for an attempt to rescue a prisonei in the
custody of John M. Reel, Constable.
We recommend to our Inferior Court, to levy an extra tax, to enable
them to build a Court House and Jail, and to proceed immediately there
after to build the same.
We recommend the Trustees of the Murray County Academy, to loan
out the funds now on hand, on good bonds and security, payable at any
time they may think prudent; provided it does not exceed twelve
mouths, aud due and payable at maturity, without any further indul
gence.
We recommend the Inferior Court, to notify all personsdue said coun
ty. any monies, by note orothern ise, to pay the same immediately ; and
any person failing to make said payments on, or by the I st day of Janu
ary next, proceed immediately thereafter to collect the same by suit.
Wo tender our thanks to the presiding Judge, Owen H. Kenan, for
the prompt and faithful manner in which he has discharged the duties
of his office. Also, to the Solicitor General, Henry Lightfoot Sims,
for his promptness and energy, and his courteous attention to this body.
We request our Presentments be published in all the Milledgeville pa
pers, and to forward their accounts for payment.
ROBERT BROWN. Foreman.
Israel Nations, John K. Meares,
James McGhee, John Burk,
George Rollins, John Slyger,
Henry Davis, Lewis Terry,
Robert Black. Russell Cackburn,
William F. McCoard, Greenville Davis,
James Sample, Bennet Springfield,
Jacob Shoopman, John Oates,
Denis Carroll, Andrew Cathy.
Samuel Miller,
We, the undersigned, dissent from that part of the Presentment re s ’
porting Leander G. Caldwell.
John Oates, Jacob Shoopman,
James McGhee, George Rollins.
October 2, 1838. 37—3 t. JOHN S. BEALL, Clerk.
MILLEDGEVILLE COURSE, GEORGIA.
TH E Annual Jockey Club
Fall meeting will commence
on Monday, the 12tb of No
vember next, and continue
six days. The following pur-
I.- ses will be given.
J (■I 1 . Ist- day.— A Post Stake
*" OUI n "' e heats, entrance five
WWfWfr linn.li < .1 dollars, tn o hundred
andfifty forfeit—3orniore to
make a race; to close the first of October, and name at the stand.
Iverson & Bonner, -..-... J
Lovel & Hammond, -------1
2d day—Mile heats, for a fine Silver Pitcher and Cup, worth S2OO,
lor colts and fillies, 2or 3 years old, $25 dollars entrance—3 or more to
make a race.
3rd day—Two mile heat, free for all, Purse, $ 300.
4lh day—Three Purse. 500.
sth day—Four “ “ •• •• Purse, 1000
6th day—One mile heats, best 3in 5. Purse, 400.
H. F. YOUNG, &. CO. Proprietors.
Milledgeville July 31st, 1838. 28 wilt.
NEW GOODS—The subscriber has the pleasure to inform his friends
and customers, that in addition to his former stock, he is now re
ceiving a new and general assortment of Fall and Winter, Fancy and
Staple Goods, which has been carefully selected by himself in the
Charleston, New-York, and Boston markets, from the latest arrivals
from Europe, which bo will dispose of at the lowest prices, to responsi
ble customers, at the usual credit. Thankful for the past patronage of
his friends and the public, he hopes to merit a continuation of the same
and respectfully invites them to call ami examine his stock, which will
be coiistaiitlo replenished by frequent and regular rernitances from his
friends in New-York and Charleston.
He also has on hand, a large lot of the best Cotton Bagging—Negro
Shoes—Blankets— Wool Hats, Ac. Ac. &c.
_ , , JAMES T. LANE.
September 11. 34—8 t
WAREHOUSE AND COMMISSION BUSINESS.—The un
dersigned having taken the Warehouse formerly occupied by Mr.
" a * r< L on Green-street, offers himself for the transaction of the
WAREHOUSE AND COMMISSION BUSINESS, and respectfully
solicits a share of public patronage. Arrangements have been made to
anord liberal advances on Cotton and goods in store. Insurance has
be «"effec ,e d t 0 cover all produce »t<»re. HENRY RIVES.
. Kj* I be Standard of Union and Recorder, will publish the above for
three mjtiths. Augusta, Aug. 16, 1838. 33—3 m.
of
jniLtL.EIMJEVIL.LtE, GEORGIA, TUESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 1838.
4k REWARD—For the apprehension and confinement (
V in jail, so that he may be brought to justice, of a man ,
sometimes calling himself WILLIAM HENDERSON, at other times,
WILLIAM MILES, and sometimes MILES HENDERSON ; and
also, for the apprehension of my negro man ANTHONY, whom I have
good reason to believe, was stolen by said Henderson more than two
years ago. Said negro has been missing from my possession since the
Spring of 1836. In the Fall of that year, he was carried to Bibb coun
ty, Alabama, and remained there until the middle of the present Sum
mer Henderson then left that county, as he pretended, for Georgia,
at Coosawda. in Alabama. The negro was taken f.om him by two
gentlemen, named Reeves and Mitchell, and carried and lodged in Mont
gomery jail, whence I got him, and brought him to this county. The
negro remained with me but a night after I brought him to Houston, aud
I have no doubt but that he has got with Henderson again, as Hender
son was, at the time of his escape, lurking in the neighborhood. The
said Henderson is 5 feet 9 or 10 inches in height, dark skin, with grey
eyes, high cheek bones, his jaws are somewhat sunken; he is stout built
and somewhat stoop-shouldered ; he speaks rather thick, and stutters
very much at times. I will give $l5O for the apprehension and safe
custody of Henderson alone, and SIOO for the delivery of my boy An
thony, or $250 for the apprehension of both, so that I may recover my
property, and bring the thief to justice.
ALLEN D. CHASTAIN.
Perry, Houston county, Ga. October 2, 1838. 37—3 t.
Augusta Seed Store.
Wholesale and Retail, Broad St. near the Lower Market.
rpHE Augusta Seed Store is reopened as above, where a new and
x complete assortment of Garden Seeds, most of which are obtain
ed from the Shakers, are for sale, and some of their articles of man
ufacture:
All orders from Country Dealers will have the discount allowed
as usual.
The Subscriber has taken special care that all bis Seed shall be
fresh and genuine, and they are warranted such.
J. H. J. SERVICE.
N. B.—An elegant assortment of double Dahlias, and a choice col
lection of Flower Seeds, &.C. &c.
Augusta, Dec. 5, 1837.
LAW. —The subscribers has removed from Clarksville to Cassville, and will prac
tice Law in all the Counties of the Cherokee Circuit, and in the Counties of
Cherokee and Benton, Alabama. His office is in the Wing of Dyer’s Store.
WM. H. STEELMAN.
April 24 , 14—ts
CAUTION. —Those persons who have been in the habit of trespass
ing upon the THEATRE, for some time past, are informed by
the proprietor that they will be visited with the penalties of the law,
should their offences be repeated. 20-ts
m B. W. FORCE & CO.
WHOLESALE SHOE DEALERS,
P”* Augusta, Georgia.
100O — One Thousand Packages Boots and Shoes, comprising
every article in the line, which can be sold as low as in the Northern cities—all ar
rangements being with manufactures direct. A full assortment of all kinds of
Leather.
Augusta, March 20. B. W. FORCE &. CO.
„ miscella n EOUS.
BLACK, WHITE, AND BROWN,
From Hood's Own.—Re-published by G. Dearborn 8$ Co. New- York.
All at once, Miss Morbid left off sugar.—She did not resign
it as some persons lay down their carriage, the full bodied fatn
ily-coach dwindling into a chariot, next into a fly, and then
into a sedan-chair. She did not shade it off artistically, like
certain household economists, from white to whitey brown,
brown, and so on, to none atall.—She left it off, as one might
leave off walking on the top of a house, or on a slide, or on a
plank with a further end to it; that is to say, slapdash, all at
once, without a moment's warning. She gave it up, to speak
appropriately, in the lump. She dropped it, —as Corporal
Trim let fall his hat.—dab. Il vanished, as the French say,
toot sweet. From the 30th of November, 1830, not an ounce
of sugar, to use Mr. Morbid’s expression, ever “ darkened her
doors.”
The truth was, she had been present the day before, at an
Anti-Slavery Meeting, and had listened to a lecturing Aboli
tionist, who had drawn her sweet tooth, root and branch, out of
her head. Thenceforth sugar, or as she called it “ shtigger,”
was no longer white, or brown, in her eyes, but red, blood-red
—an abomination, to indulge in which, would convert a pro
fessing Christian into a practical Cannibal. Accordingly, she
made a vow, under the influence of moist eyes and refined
feelings, that the sanguinary article should never more enter
her lips or her house ; and this pretty parody of the famous
Berlin Decree against our Colonial produce, was rigidly en
forced. However others might countenance the practice of
the Slave Owners, by consuming “shtigger,” she was resolved,
for her own part, that “ no suffering sable son of Africa should
ever rise up against her out of a cup of Tea !”
In the mean time, the cook and housemaid grumbled in con
cert, at the prohibition ; they naturally thought it very hard to
be deprived of a luxury which they enjoyed at their own pro
per cost; and at last only consented to remain in the service,
on condition that the privation should be handsomely considered
in their wages. With a hope of being similarly remembered
in her will, the poor relations of Miss Morbid continued to
drink the “ warm without,” which she administered to them
every Sunday, under the name of Tea ; and Hogarth would
have desired no better subject fora picture, than was presented
by their physiognomies. Some pursed up their lips, as if re*
solved that the nauseous beverage should never enter them ;
others compressed their mouths, as if to prevent it from rushing
out again. One took it mincingly, in sips,—another gulphed
it in desperation,—a third, in a fit of absence, continued to stir
very superfluously with his spoon; and there was one shrewd
old gentleman, who, by a little dexterous by-play, used to be
stow the favor of his small souchong on a sick geranium.—
Now and then an astonished stranger would retain a half cup
ful! of the black dose in his mouth, and stare round at his fel
low guests, as if tacitly putting to them the very question of
Matthew’s Yorkshireman in the mail coach—“ Coompany l—
oop or doon ?”
The greatest sufferers, however, were, Miss Miss Morbid’s
two nephews, still in the morning of their youth, and boy-like,
far more inclined “ to sip the sweets,” than to “ hail the
dawn.” They had formerly looked on their Aunt’s house pe
culiarly a Dulce Dornum. Prior to her sudden conversion,
she had been famous for the manufacture of a sort of hard
bake, commonly called Toffy or Taffy,—but now, alas! “ Taf
fy was not at home,” and there was nothing else to invite a
call. Currant tart indeed, without sugar, and as for the green
gooseberries, they always lasted, as the young gentlemen af
firmed, “ like a quart of berries sharpened to a pint.” In
short, it always required six penny worth of lollipops and bulls
eyes, a lick of honey, a dip of treacle, and a pick at a grocer’s
hogshead, to sweeten a visit at Aunt Morbid’s.
To tell the truth, her own temper soured a little under the
prohibition. She could not persuade the Sugar-eaters, that
they were Vampyres—instead of practising, or even admiring
her self-denial, they laughed at it, and one wicked wag even
compared her, in allusion to her acerbity and her privation, to
a crab without the nippers. She persevered, notwithstanding,
in her system ; and to the constancy of a martyr, added some
thing of the wilfulness of a bigot—indeed, it was hinted by
patrons and patronesses of white charities, that European ob
jects had not their fair share in her benevolence. She was pre
eminently the friend of the blacks. Howbeit, for all her sa
crifices, not a lash was averted from their s-able backs. She
had raised discontent in the kitchen, she had disgusted her ac
quaintance, sickened her friends, and given her own dear little
nephews the stomach-ache, without saving Quaslrby from one
Our Conscience— Our Country—Our Party.
cut of the driver’s whip, or diverting a single kick from the
shins of Sambo. Her grocer complained loudly of being called
a dealer in human gore, yet not one hogshead the less was im
ported from the Plantations. By an error common to all her
class, she mistook a negative for a positive principle ; and per
suaded herself, that by not preserving damsons, she preserved
the Niggers ; that by not sweetening her own cup, she was
dulcifying the lot of all her sable brethren in bondage. She
persevered accordingly in setting her face against sugar, in
stead of slavery ; against the plant, instead of the planter; and
had actually abstained for six months from the forbidden arti
cle, when a circumstance occurred that aroused her sympathies
into more active exertions. It pleased an American lady, to
import with her a black female servant, whom she rather ab
ruptly dismissed on her arrival in England. The case was
considered by the Hampshire Telegraph of that day, as one
of great hardship—the paragraph went the round of the pa
pers—and in due time attracted the notice of Miss Morbid.—
It was precisely addressed to her sensibilities, and there was a
“ Try Warren” tone about it that proved irresistible. She
read—and wrote, —and in the course of one little week, her
domestic establishment was maliciously, but truly described, as
consisting of “ two white slaves and a black Companion.”
The adopted protege was, in reality, a strapping club clum
sy negress, as ugly as sin, and with no other merit than that of
the sane colour as the crow. She was artful, sullen, glutton
ous, and above all, so intolerably indolent, that if she had been
literally “carved in ebony,” as old Fuller says, she could
scarcely have been of less service to her protectress. Her no
tion of free labor seemed to translate it into laziness, and
taking liberties; and, as she seriously added to the work of her
fedow servants, without at all contributing to their comfort,
tbey soon looked upon her as a complete nuisance. The
house-maid dubbed her“adivil”—the cook roundly compared
her to “ a mischievus beast, runs on a herd o’ black cattle”—
and both concurred in the policy of laying all household sins
tpon the sooty shoulders, just as slatterns select a colour that
tides the dirt. It is certain that shortly after the instalment of
lie negress in the family, a mortal disease broke out with con
siderable violence, and justly or not, the odium was attributed
io the new comer. Its name was theft. First, there was a slid
ing short in some loose change—next, a missing half crown
rom the mantel piece—then there was a stir with a tea-spoon
—anon, a piece of work about a thimble. Things went, no
□ody knew how—the “Divil” of course excepted. The cook
:ould, the housemaid, would, and Diana should and ought to
:ake an oath declaratory of innocence, before the mayor; but
is Dina did not volunteer an affidavit like the others, there was
jo doubt of her guilt in'the kitchen.
Miss Morbid, however, came to a very different conclusion.
She thought that whites who could eat sugar, were capable of
»ny atrocity, and had not forgotten the stand which had been
made by the “ pale faces” in favor of the obnoxious article.
The cook especially incurred suspicion—for she had been no
torious aforetime for a lavish hand in sweetening, and was ac
cordingly quite equal to the double turpitude for stealing and
bearing false witness. In fact, the mistress had arrived at the
determination of giving both her white hussies their month’s
warning, when unexpectedly the thief was taken, as the law
yers say, “in the manner,” and with the goods upon the per
son. In a word, the ungrateful black was detected in the very
act of levying what might be called the “ Black Mail.”
“ And now, you black wretch,” she concluded having just
given the finishing touch to a portrait of Satan himself; “ and
now, you black wretch, I insist on knowing what I was robbed
for. Come tell me what tempted you! I’m determined to
hear it? I insist, I say, on knowing what was to be done with
the wages of iniquity! ”
She insisted, however, in vain. The black wretch had seri
ously inclined her ear to the whole lecture, grinning and blub
bering by turns. The Judge with his black cap, the Council
and their wigs, the twelve men in a box, and Jack Ketch him
self—whom she associated with that pleasant West India per
sonage, John Canoe—had amused, nay tickled her fancy ; the
press room, the irons, the rope, and the Ordinary, whom she
mistook for an overseer, had raised her curiosity, and excited
her fears; but the spiritualities without any reference to Obcath
had simply mystified and disgusted her, and she was now in a
fit of the sulks. Her mistress, however presisted in her ques
tion; and not the less pertinaciously, perhaps, from expecting
a new peg whereon to hang a fresh lecture. She was deter
mined to learn the destination of the stolen money; and by dint
of insisting, cajoling, and, above all, threatning—for instance,
with the whole Posse Comitatus—she finally carried her point.
“Cushim money! Here’s fuss!” exclaimed the culprit,
quite worn out at last by the persecution. “ Cus him money !
here’s a fuss ! What me ’teal for ? What me do wid him ?
What any body ’teal him for? Why, for sure to BUY SUGAR.
The horror of Emilia, on discovering that the Moor had
murdered her mistress, was scarcely greater than that of
Miss Morbid! She hardly, she said, believed her own senses.
You might have knocked herdown with a feather! She
did not know whether she stood upon her head or her heels.
She was rooted to the spot! and her hair, if it had been her
own would have stood upright upon her head. There was no
doubt in the case. She saw the transfer of a portion of her
own bank stock, from her escritoire into the right hand pocket
of her protegee —she heard it chink as it dropped downwards,
—she was petrified!—dumbfounded!—thunderbolted !—“ an
nihilated !” She was as white as a sheet, but she felt as if all
the blacks in the world had just blown in her face.
Her first impulse was to rush upon the robber, and insist on
restitution—her second was to sit down and weep, and her
third was to talk. The opening as usual was a mere torrent
of ejaculations intermixed with vituperation—but she gradually
fell into a lecture with many heads. First, she described all
that she had done for the Blacks, and then, alas! all that they
had done to her. Next she insisted on the enormity of the
crime, ami, anon, she enlarged on the nature of its punishment.
It was here she was most eloquent. She traced the course of
human justice, from detection to conviction, and thence to ex
ecution, liberally throwing dissection into the bargain ; and
then descending with Dante into the unmentionable regions,
she painted its terrors and tortures with all the circumstantial
fidelity that cerlian very Old Masters, has displayed on the
same subject.
A GENTLE REPROOF.
BY S. SLEEPER.
Zachariah Hogdan was naturally an ill-natured man. It was
want of reflection, more than a corrupt and ungenerous heart
that led him to consider his w ife in the light of an inferior be
ing, and to treat her more like a slave than an equal. If he
met anything abroad to ruffle his temper, his wife was Jsure to
suffer when he came home. His meals were always ill-cocked,
and whatever the poor woman did to please him was sure to
have a contrary effect. She bore his ill-hnmor in silence for
a long time, but finding it to increase, she adopted a method
of reproving him for his unreasonable conduct, which had the
happiest effect.
One day as Zachariah was going to his daily avocation after
breakfast, he purchased a fine large codfish, and sent it home
with directions to his wife to have it cooked for dinner. As no
particular mode of cooking it was prescribed, the good woman
well knew that whether she boiled it or made it into a chow
der, her husband would scold her when he came home. But
JP. Li. ROBINSON, PROPRIETOR.
she resolved to please him once, if possible, and therefore cooked
portions of it in several different w ays. She also, with some little
difficulty, procured an amphibious ( animal from a brook back of
the house, and plumped it into the pot. In due time her. hus
band came home—some covered dishes were placed on the ta
ble, and with a frowning, fault-finding look, the moody man
commenced the conversation.
‘ Well, wife, did you get the fish I bought? ‘Yes, my
dear.’
‘ I should like to know how you have cooked it—l will het
any thing that you have spoiled it for my eating. (Taking off*
the cover.) I thought so. What in creation possessed you to
fry it? I would as leave eat a boiled frog.’
‘ Why my dear, I thought you loved it best fried.’
‘You did’nt think any such think. You knew better—l
never loved fried fish—why did’nt you b«il it?’
‘ My dear, the last time we had fresh fish, you know I boil
ed it, and you said you liked it best fried. But 1 have boiled
some also.’
So saying, she lifted a cover, and lo ! the shoulders of the
cod nicely boiled, were neatly deposited in a dish ; a sight
which would have made and epicure rejoice, but which only
added to the ill-nature of her husband.
‘ A pretty dish this !’ exclaimed he ‘ Boiled fish! chips and
porridge! If you had not been one of.the most stupid of
womankid you would have made it into a chowder!’
His patient wife, with a smile, immediately placed a tureert
before him containing an excellent chowder.
‘My dear,’ said she, ‘ I was resolved to please you. There
is your favorite dish.’
‘ Favorite dish indeed,’ grumbled the discomfiitted husband;
‘I dare say it is an unpalatable wishy-washy mess. I would
rather have a boiled frog than the whole.’
This was a common expression of his, and had been antici
pated bv his wife, who as soon as the preference was expressed,
uncovered a large dish near her husband, and there was a iargb
bull-frog, of portentous dimensions, and pugnacious aspect,
stretched out at full lengtn !—Zachariah sprung from his chair
not a little frightened at the unexpected apparition.
‘My dear,’ said his wife in a kind entreating tone, ‘ I hopfe
you will at length be able to make out your dinner.’
Zachariah could not stand this. His surly mood was finally
overcome, and he burst into a hearty laugh. He acknowledg
ed that his wife was right and that was wrong,—and declared
that she should never again have occasion to read him such
another lesson—and he was as good as his word.
From the Knickerbocker for July.
CLIMBING THE NATURAL BRIDGE.
By the only surviving witness of that extraordinary feat.
I have some reason to believe, that I am the only surviving
witness of that most adventurous exploit of climbing the Nalu
ral Bridge in Virginia ; and believing that the particulars
ought to be put upon record, I have selected the Knickerbocker
as the medium. I have often times, and for many years, with
stood repeated solicitations to do this, for the following rea
sons, which I give, lest it might be supposed by some suspi
cious persons, that I had waited for the death of other alledged
witnesses.
Immediately after the adventure had been accomplished, and
while all the circumstances were fresh in my memory, I record
ed them in a sort of jouraal, kept to record visiters’ names, by
poor Patrick Henry, a man of color, who kept the bridge.—
This record was referred to by Patrick, whenever a visiter be
came inquisitive about the circumstances. Some believed my
statement, and others disbelieved it; but by far the greater
number disbelieved it, as he informed me. This was far from
being pleasant to one who had never had his veracity doubted
before. But this was not all.
I happened to be at the Bridge, some time after the event,
when a large company of respectable looking ladies and gen
tlemen had just returned from under the bridge, and were
waiting dinner, like myself, at the house on the summit, to
which I have alluded. The conversation among this compa
ny, naturally turned upon the remarkable event, as it does td
this day ; and the book was referred to as usual, for the parti
culars. I immediately gave Patrick the hint, that I wished to
remain incog., in order that I might hear for myself the re
marks upon my testimony. It is an old saving, that a listener
never hears any good of himself, and so it turned out on this
occasion. The company were unanimous in discrediting my
testimony, ladies and all. Little did they think that the man
himself was ensconced in a corner of the same room with
themselves. 1 forthwith determined to volunteer no more tes
timony about things so out of the common current of events ;
at all events, 1 determined to hold my peace until the public
mind should settle down into the truth, as it generally does at
last.
That time seems to have arrived. The public, without an
exception, so far as I know, has yielded its credence to the uni
ted testimony of so many witnesses. Scarcely a periodical in
the country, or a book of travels, but mentions the subject.
But there is another reason for coming forward at this time.
Tradition has got hold of the story at the w rong end. In the
very last number of your Magazine, one of your contributors
misrepresents the matter—unintentionally no doubt; and Miss
Martineau, in her “Retrospect of Foreign Travel,” under
takes to detail the whole a flair, scarcely one circumstance of
which she does correctly. Under these circumstances, I think
a discerning public will readily appreciate my true motive in
coming out over my own signature, indeed unless I were to do
so, it would be useless to say any thing at all.
I think it was in the summer of 1818, that James H. Piper,
William Wallace, and myself, being then students at Washing
ton College, Virginia, determined to make a jaunt to the Nat
ural Bridge, fourteen miles off. Having obtained permission
from the President, we proceeded on our way rejoicing. When
we arrived at the Bridge, nearly all of us commenced climbing
up the precipitous sides, in order to immortalise our names, as
usual.
We had not long been thus employed, before we were joined
by Robert Penn, of Amherst, then a pupil of the Rev. Samuel
Houston’s grammar school, in the immediate neighborhood of
the Bridge. Mr. Piper, the hero of the occasion, commenced
climbing on the opposite side of the creek, from the one by
which the pathway ascends the ravine. He began down On the
banks of the brook, so far that we did not know where he was
gone, and were only apprised of his whereabout by his shouts
ing over our heads. When we looked up, he was standing;
apparently right under the arch, I suppose an hundred feet
from the bottom, and that on the smooth side, which is gene
rally considered inaccessible without a ladder. He was stand
ing far above the spot where Gen. Washington is said to have
inscribed his name when a youth.
The ledge of the rock by which he ascended to this perilous
height, does not appear from below, to be three inches wide;
and runs almost at right angles to the abutments of the Bridge ;
of course, its termination is far down the cliff on that side. —
Many of the written and traditional accounts, state this to be
the side of the Bridge up which he climbed. I believe Miss
Martineau so states ; but it is altogether a mistake, as any one
may see by casting an eye up the precipice on that side. The
story, no doubt, originated from this preliminary exploit.
The ledge of the rock on which he was standing, appeared
so*narrow to us below, as to make us believe his position a
very perilous one, and we earnestly entreated him to come
WHOLE 50. 246.