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About The Democrat. (Columbus, Ga.) 1830-18?? | View Entire Issue (March 5, 1831)
The halfpound of Snu/F. —Some timet since, in tne days of the “Fiy ig Dutch man” and t r* “Cataract of the Ganges,” a foreign artist was employed in giving new foliage to the trees a-ul brushing up sundry little cherubs among the faded clouds of.i li lt on the stage of Ohl Drnr\ assisted by the hand of a deputy; wh n finding Ins tabac on the decline lie intima ted a wish to the I itter to have his box re plenished, at the same tune requesting the purchase of a d-mi Hr re. The assistant set out, ‘out distrusting his memory and the accuracy of his construction, applied to a friend to put the mutter into gooil English, upon a piece of paper. “Demi hvre de tabac-” “Bo.i! Dlx mille livres detabac! voici !” Showing the paper with 10 OIK) pounds of snuif written upon it. Nothing could be more similar than the pronomiciution of the words significant of the amounts how ever dissimilar in quantity. But the ob sequious assistant took the paper without glancing at it; and with a bow and a “re mer :ie‘” took his way to I. . Entering the store, he presented the order to the lad at the counter, who stretching his eyes to the circumference oi extremes! wonder, exclaimed. “He! do you want all this?’ “''mi, deiiii livre de tabac, pour—pour —coniine ca,” imitating the aetof snuffing. ‘Do vm wont it rigid away f Mini—Oui —right way—tout de suite.’ * .ie lad rubbed bis eyes, and again ex amined tin* nr.l/.r Thera ennld be no mis take in it. The words were as plain as th** writing upon the wall of Belshazzar’s p and ice as mystical too. ’Twas a prodi gious pinch, and enough to stifle a dozen co'io.sse'urs at anew opera. And here was a little man with an order for ten thou sand pounds ot snuff. Spirits of Madame de "ted and f,qdv Mure Worfley Mon tague! The head clerk ivns called, and ah hough exhibiting a sensible expression surprise he had too much good sense a id knew too well that the house of 1,, was not unfreqiuntlv honored with orders of similar amounts. But there was some thing in the air of Monsieur that im pressed the clerk with the conviction that he was no snuff dealer, and less a snuff ta Her. He ran, with an enquiring eve orer the pendant extremities of his cravat, the ‘uiitons of his vest, and anxiotilv sought some convicting line of faded vel • lingering about his nostrils. Then fil meed at the nails of bis fingers as they were unpatiently thrumming upon the counter. II > was in despair, and thrust i :g a I‘ttle ‘tine cut’ between bis teeth, took fresh resolution, & invi f <1 Monsieur to i seat. So large a customer must ' e treated with some consi ?< ra-ion and fy me ms detained until the prin inal should return, a bottle ot pnie sh< rrv was ac cordingly cracked and a dozen II ivanna wrappers laid upon the table. This at least would put an end for the present, tii the perplexing inquiries of Monsieur. They were soon as happy as Jove in a cloud, drinking nectar from the fair hand oi II: ha. The colloquy was not soririted, bn ’lie gestures were. And moiiosvlla bles ni “bon,” —“e’estbeau!” ‘Here’s to yon !’ with tin occasional smack of the lips, alone interrupted the delightful oc Cupation, if we except now and then the preliminary note of a chanson a hoire. But these things could not lust forever: and not withstanding the deference thus shown to the customer, and the exorbi tant gratitude exhibited for the purchase o! a half pound of snuff, Monsier became impatient, so soon as the sherry was out, to close Ins bargain. As M o‘tsier was ri s:ng the principal came in. He explained, while Monsieur bowed. Could not the order be delayed for a week or two. He positively bad not that quantity on hand, but he would set his people at producing it with all possible exjiedition. Was the order imperative as to time ? Could the gentleman wait ? “Point de tout—je must have de tabac tout de suife D able !” Thu principal soon Lit upon an expedi ent that promised to solve the difficulty at once. He nailed Monsieur to the table again with another bottle of sherry, and introduced a French friend. “Voules voiis monsieur, dix milles liv res de tabac ?” “B h! non—non—non ! Detni livre !” “Voici l’enigme! He want von half pound of snuff and no ten tousand pound,’ ‘The devil! John give the gentleman a half pound of snuff, and place the balance against the wine and cigars to the ac count of profit and loss. Switzerland. —The London Morning Chronicle gives an interesting summary of what has been doing in the way of revo lution in the Swiss Cantons. The first movement was i a Friburg, where a petition was presented from the town of Morat, for a change ot the constitution, which meeting with insult the people assembled to the number of 3060, an in despite of a show of armed resistance made bv that body competed it to yield.—The example has been followed in Zurich, St. (J ill, Soleure Shaffhaliscn Arm Lucent, Thur- gaa, and Berne; so that in one half of the cantons the popular feeling lias been suc cessfully roused into action; and we may calculate w;th safety upon its extending over the whole. Nothing hut a promise indeed seems vet to have been obtained: but we cannot doubt that their reform will follow, for after the people have felt their strength as they have done, it will not lie possible to trifle with them. In this treatment of foreign* tates. Napoleon’s eh trader scarcely appears aitv where to so much advantage nsiu Switzerland. He encroached much less on tlvr independ ence than n • th > of manv other countries, and the alterations he introduced into the govertnents of the cantons were in general at the expence of the aristocracy and ben eficial to the people. The holy allies, however, thought fit, in the plenitude of their wisdom, to obliterate all his improve ments, and replace the petty aristocracies in the possesion of their old privileges. Uchoid the result. The mighty con vulsions now agitating Europe from side arc their work.— Balt.daz. From New Year’s day the salaries of the Prefects of France, the expenses for the adiuiiustrutou of Prefectures, andiiie salaries of the Secrctarics-General of Prefectures, will he reduced. According lo a statement published in the Mcnitcur, it appears that the salaries of the Pre fects in Frace amount to 1,6G1,000fr.; the expenses for the admintration of the Pre fectures to 2,"50,ft001r.. had the salaries of the >i cretanes-Gencral to 241,200 fr. The highest salary is that of the Pre fect of the Seine (sti,ooofr.)and the low est l,soot’r. Ten Prefects receive the | letter salary. The Seeretaries-Geeral re ceive troin’’2,4ttOfj, to (»,(KH)tr. The ex jlenses for the administration vary from 21,UiM)fr, to’JIOJMHIfr. per department. Fatal Rencontre. —We copy the following from the Port Gipson (Mo.) Correspondent of Jatiuiy 22: A rencontre took place at Rodney, on the 13rli mst. between John Rriscoe, Esq. or iliai place, i>, . Benjamin 11. Ma yle, ot Lake \l asliington, of which the circumstances were as follow^. The Doctor accosted Rriscoe in the evening of that day just as he, Bricoe, had dressed himself to attend a w edding. Briscoe endeavored to avoid any con test that evening; and observed that the dispute could be better settled at Lake W asington, were he could and would give full satisiaction. The doctor insis ted upon settling it on the spot, Mr. B. still desiring to put it oft', even till the next day, alter the wedding was over. The doctor claimed instant satisfac tion, spit in his face, at the same time at tempted to draw a lage duelling pistol from lus bosom, blit was prevented by the by-standers. Briscoe, being unarmed rim into a store, were be procured a shot gun, and coming out, cried to the compa ny to clear the way. At eleven paces ditanee, both raised their weapons, Bris- coe t s snapt, and Doctor Maylor’s shot Briscoe m the arm and abdomen, and he had drawn another pistol, and was in the act of tiring, when 15. had re-cocked Ins gun, and prepared, which tins time went oft'; the Doctor fell, mortality wound ed; he died the same night. B’s wounds were sight. An inquest was held, over the body; and the virdict on oath, was, that Bris coe had acted in self-defence, and was just liable in wliat lie had done. I.aioremevdle , leh. 17, 1813. Il( H’EWELL PRESBYTERY. The Hopewell Presbytery will hold its anual meeting in the presbyterian Church in Lexington, Oglethorpe Cos. Geo. on Thurday betore the Ist Sabbath in April next at 11 o’clok, A. M. It is earnestly hoped that all the church es under the care of the Presbytery, will be careful to forward Congregational Reports, embracing the following items viz: 1. Communicants added since last April, by profession of faith. 2. By Cer tificate. 3. Dismised. 4. Excluded. 5. To tal now in communion, (i. Adults babtised. 7. Infants baptised. 8, Total of baptisms. These facts are necessary to complete the annual report of the presbytery to the gen eral Asstinply. Every Church is required to send up its records for review, at least once in ev ery year. Great delinquency lias always prevailed in this Presbytery, in this matter, contrary to the express requirement of our Book of Discipline. (See Book of Dis cipline, Chap vii, See: 1.) It is expected that Church Sessions will do jheir duty at our ensuing meeting: By a resolution of the presbvtery at its sessions in Deca tur, DeKalb county, it is the duty of ev ery Minister belonging to the this body to present at its Spring Sesions. (and incase of absence to send) a written report on tiie state ofreligiou within the bounds of his preaching during the year. The Churches arc reminded that the presbytery require contributions from them at this season to enable it to defray the expenses of commissioners to the next General Assembly. JOHN 8. WILSON, Stated Clerk. We lay before our readers the follow ing interesting extract of a letter, just re ceived from a friend on board the U. S. Sloop of war Boston, dated N vpi.es, Oct. 'J'J, 1830. Since the date of the letter which ] wrote you by the Lexington, we have visited Algiers, Tunis and this port— all of which places l had repeatedly seen before, when on this station in the years 1810, l(j, 17. The first named city you must have heard long since has passed to the French. They have a strong force wihin its walls, and the largest fleet at an- chor in the Bay that 1 have ever seen col lected at one time. Owing to the rigid quarantine regulations, we were not per mitted to enter the gates of the city, and as no civilities passed between ourselves and the squadron, the most that we could hear relative to the investment and cap ture of that onee formidable robber haunt, may he considered vague and uncertain information. It is, however admittd bv j all, that the French manage their affairs admirably throughout, and that they were j rewarded for their gallantry by tli cap- j turc of countless booty; and more than this, that they are likely to lie masters of j by far the fairest portion of the continent of Africa.—lndeed, I have nevere seen n i more hsutiful country by natur, or one | apparently more highly improved, than is I that portion of tie Regency of Algiers, lying in the vicinty ot the city—and all travellers agree n stating that the interi or is no less desiiahle, liotli as to lertility of soil and salubrty of elimate. The city itself is execrable as in truth are all Turk ish cities that 1 lave ever seen : yet from the sea, Algiers las a most agrecabl ap pearance, became of its compactness; the extreme whiteness of the house and wails, the strength and extent of the fortifiea tions and the auphitlieatry like ctfeet ot the w hole. Whilst we were at Algiers, it was rum ored that the Dty of Titiry had threatened to march to the walk ot the city, With an army of 150,(KM) men. It seems, since the abdication ot the Dev, that Ins high ness of Titiry, (adej|:iideiicv of Algiers,) claims the right to til: Regency; but it is searceelv possible, tint the former propri etors will ever be aihwed to hold Algiers again. From Algiers we vent to Tunis, where we remained at anchor two week. Cur ship was now moored in full view ot the scite of ancient Carthage. 1 had rambled over the ruins of that ome opulent city fit teen years before, Imi still 1 derived much gratification from a second visit to the Cis terns and Aqueducts, ;v Inch are tiie most perfect of n't tiie ruins remaining—l must refer you‘° books of travellers ior a par ticular account of them, if 1 remember fight, Lady M. W. Montague describes them with great accuracy. They are of immense si/.', and the mason’s work, in many parts, still perfect, particularly of that cistern vliich supplied the city with rani water. The Aquaducts brought wa ter from the mountains, distant twenty or thirty miles from Carthage, and dis charged it in the other cistern or reservoir. I wished nucli to go to Utica, but the weather w as oo hot to make up a party.— It is distant 2* miles from Tunis. There is much mor: to he seen of “by gou£ times ” at Utca, than any where else on the coast, save at a place called Dejem, three days journey from Tunis, and on the rout to Tripoli. At Dejem there is still standiugan immense Roman Ampin theatre, built in all respects upon the same model as the CohsuMim at Rome, except it has but one story less—the bud ding at Rome having four and that at Dejem only three stories. 1 saw a line sketch of the Dejem Amphitheatre, in the pwssesion of the French Consul at Tunis, and from all that 1 can learn, it lias but very recently emerged from the oblivion of ages. There are said to be many Roman Ruins within one hundred miles of Tunis, and in almost any direc tion—they generally consist of Temples, Triumphal Arches &c. I remained two days in the city of Tu nis, and do assure you was glad enough to getoutofit. It is the most filthy place under the sun, and no wonder it is visited by the plague and other loathsome dis eases. The streets are barely wide enough to admit of two camels passing abreast, and they are the receptacles for all kinds of filth. Th* houses on the same side of the street, or in the same square, all unite; and even those on opposite sides or the streets touch tt their tops. The Dey is the only person who keeps any thing in he shape of a carriage. Some of the European, and other Consuls, on their first arriving, brought elegant equi pages with them for the use of their fam ilies,hut finding that they were prohibited, they made presents of them to his High ness, the Dey, who in this manner is well supplied with all sorts of vehicles. The Consuls and their families can at any time take an airing in the country, by sending to borrow carriages of the Dey, but not otherwise, The reigning Dey of Tunis is said to to be about 55 years old, has only two wives, but is accused of being two fond of “strong waters ” Some of the officers saw him at bis country seat, but I did not. His palace in the city is a building of considerable extent, but re mains unfinished and has no furniture. The Turks are a wretchedly superstitions people and 1 will give you one proof of it. If during the building of any edifiice, the head workman, or constructor should dje, the work is immediately stopped, and the unfinished part is either demolished or allowed to remain ever after incomplete. Such is the present condition of a part of the Dev’s City Palace and of the llall of Justice [!!] which is united to it. AVhilst in Tunis I submitted to the se vere operation of taking a Turkish Bath, and as l dont remember ever to have read an account of one, 1 will endeavor to give you some idea of the process. We were conducted in the first instance into a large square room each side having an elevated platform of stone two feet from the floor, which covered [the platform I mean] with matting pillows, &<•. This appropriated as thi' undressing and dressing apartment of the commonality, and is spacious c itough to hold twenty or thirty Turks.— The mattresses are for their accommoda tion, after they have bathed, for then they recline and drink coffee for an hour be fore thov dress and go into the open air. W e signified that we wished to he more private, and they accordingly carried us into a small anti-room similarly arranged as the one already described, that is to say with a platform having mattresses, sheets, ; coverletts, pillows, &c. all of which, how ever, had obvionsly been repeatedly used before, since they were in the hands of the laudress. Here we undressed after some hesitation, but we could not conceal ourd s gust at the want of cleanliness in whatev er we saw. Wh en w > had given our clothes and effect* in charge of a person appro priated to receive them, we were conduct ed into a paved room, heated from be neath, at a temperature 110* Far.—here we stood until our bodies shewed mois ture. We were next led into another a partment much warmer, where we were directed by our guides to lie down on an eivated platform of granite preparatory to the commencement of their cruel intiic tions. There were three of us in com pany, and each one of the party was as signed two turbaned rascals to rub, scrub, and scarrify our naked bodies. I can only compare the operation to what you must have repeatedly witnessed in the country just before Christinas times — the scalding and scraping of pork ! \\ e were stretched out precisly as hogs are, side by side, and mercilessly turned about and rubbed with the coarsest gloves, made of wool and hair, until not a particle of dead skin remained, nav, till the very blood seemed to ooze from our pores ! But this was not all; not satisfied with scarrifying my skin, my two torturers o bligcd me to submit to the additional pain of having my limbs pulled and stretched, and my chest pressed in by the weight of their knees and the working of tlieir arms until ! would stand it no longer. One of our party was a gentleman in feeble health and, therefore, not in a situation to undergo so severe a process as that through which we taken. But, although in great torment myself, I could not re frain from laughing heartly nt the ludi crous writhing and gesticulation of my companion; it would have been a fit sub ject tor Hogarth’s pencil. Poor fellow ! 1 think I see him now stretched upon his hod of granite with two bravvney fellows over him, nearly naked, rubbing, scrub bing, pulling, pressing him as though he was a pig which they were making ready for the market—for you must know by the time they finished with him he had no strength to resist Sc scarcely gave signs ot life. But the most unpleasant part of the bathing scene remains untold. The pespiration flowed in such streams from the bodies of the Turks, that we found it a hard matter to keep our mouths elear of it, our faces and eyes we could not. The scrubbing over, we were led to closets affording water of any tempera ture, where, after washing ourselves, we were supplied with a covering to protect as from cold, and re conducted to the a partment spread with mattresses* «fcc, here rested for half an hour and sipped a cup of coffee—and dressed ourselves and then returned to our lodgings. You will say this was severe and loath some work. Indeed it was, but then the delightful sensations which ensued, more than compensated me for what I suffered whilst in the bath. AVith some modifica tion 1 would like to see similar bathing establishments introduced into our count ry. The Turks ere u broad shouldered and brawny race, and I do verily believe their manner of bathing assists in making them so.—This place and its environs merit a separate letter. I will therefore put off saying any thing about them until my next, which will bewritten probably troni Marseiles.—A Vo hope to get hack to Port Mahon by the first of December. Political Arena. SIGNS OF THE TIMES. From the Southern Times $/■ State. Gazette. We publish the following letter from Washington at the request of the gen tlemen to whom it was addressed. It speaks for itself, and comment on our part is unnecessary. General Jackson mis takes the Carolinian character, if he be lieves that acts like this will not arouse a spirit that will crush him and his myrmid ons. South Carolina placed him where lie is, and her generous sons have refused to take office at his hands, lest it might be construed into compensation for services rendered to their country— as they thought They are not now to be coerced by his power—nor will she to be menaced and denounced longer than they can with be coming dignity smile at his imbecile threats &. treat his proscriptions with con tempt and scorn. “Washington, Feb. 4, 1831. “Dear Sir: —Hiave just learned from our friend, that Col. Drayton submitted the name of Mr. Findly, of Charleston, to the President, with a recommendation signed by Hayne, Nuekoll, Martin, Me. Duffie, Barnwell, and another or two, for the office vacated by the lamented death of John Gadsen, and that appointment was refused on the avowed ground ‘ that he had been in favor of a State Convention, and was a reputed Nullificr .’ This in formation, lie said, he received from Blair, and l believe he added, Judge Smith. You will see from this that ***** means, through the patronage of the Federal Gov ernment, to regulate your State elections.” According to the signs of the “ Times ” he who sustained, by citizen soldiers, met the enemy, the invincible® of AVellington upon the frontiers of freedom, and caused the rich harvest of laurels won in the fields of Waterloo to wither on the planes of N. Orleans—lie who is now first in the hearts of his eontrvmen—vea “Jackson with his myrmidons," is to fall beneath the mighty crush of Nullification! If such a fate a-< waits the second saviour of his country from the impetuous delugeof reform what is to become of “venemous insects?” Well may such Times he called hard!—Colum bia Free Press and Hive. Nashville, (Tenn.) Jan. 31.—A second lodger has been provided with accomoda tions in our penitentiary. John Dougan, convicted at Winchester of having killed his brother-in-law, Col. Peter Noah, on the 4th instant, took up his abode there on Thursday last for a term of ten years. This conviction, like the fist under the new code, was the result of ungovernable passion and the unlawful use of deadly weapons.— Banner * Til 14 I > iITKH' K\ TANARUS: HATniIHV, MARCH 5. IS3I. ADVERTISEMENT. Desirous of acknowledging the very flattering patronage which has already been extended towards our establish ment, and of rendering it still more wor thy of general support, we have been at the expense of procuring new type, and have put the Democrat in an en tire new dress. It is not our purpose to rest satisfied with this improvement, but we shall, early in the fall, procure a new Press, and enlarge our paper, so t hat it shall equal in size, any Gazette in the State, We hope that these steps towards “ Reform ” will be met with corres ponding spirit on the part of our pat rons; whose prompt remittance oftheir dues will enable us “to go on our way rejoicing, - ’ dispensing the blessings ofa free press, and to feel ourselves blessed in the approving smiles of oar friends. The Job Type annexed to the office oftbe Democrat has been selected with taste and care, ami will enable us to ex ecute all kinds of Job work with great neatness and despatch. March 1, 1831. Our friend of the Augusta Chronicle expresses great astonishment at our paragraph first noticing Air. Lumpkin’s Jotter. He cannot have been more as tonished at the paragraph than we were at the cause of it. The Chronicle asks “why, instead of so grossly misrepre senting Air. Lumpkin’s letter, we did not publish the letter itself.” We are not conscious of having grossly misrepresent ed Mr. Lumpkin; but it may be stated, as a sufficient reason for not publishing the letter itself along with the remarks, that on its reception, our paper had al ready been prepared for the press, and we had neither place nor’time to give it an insertion. It appeared however in a subsequent number of the Democrat. The Chronicle again asks, “Can the Editor of the Democrat possibly be serious in all this, after so warmly re commending Air. Lumpkin as a suitable candidate for the office of Governor?” To this it may be answered, that when we undertake to hold up an individual as a candidate for office, we do not a gree to take him “for better or for worse'' ns a very solemn ceremony expresses it; but we proffer him our support so long as we may deem him worthy of it; so long as bis own conduct shall merit it; and so long as he himself shall continue to aet in consistency with his professions and principles. In pro claiming our preference for any partic ular individual, we never considered ourselves bound to him, by any ties stronger than those which mere expedi ency might form circumstances might have rendered it expedient and proper for us to have supported an individual yesterday; and a change of circum stances may render it not only inexpedi ent, but improper, to support him to day. AVe profess to be governed by principles , in the selection of candidates for office. And if we conceived the posture of af fairs did not favor the election of a can didate for Governor, whose views on political subjects coincided entirely with our own, it might have been expedi ent for us to fix on an individual by whom we could have been most nearly represented in opinion and principle. But if after making choice it should ap pear from his own acts, that our can didate had either changed his princi ples, or that we had been mistaken in tbem, what astonishment need it excite that we should determine to withhold our support ? Ihe conspirators at Havana A late number of the Diario of Havana, con tains the sentence pronounced upon the conspirators whose case has so often been mentioned. The number tried was 16:—Mateo Semellan was condem ned to ten years imprisonment in the castle of Ceuta, Africa; Juan Neno munceno, Escovedo, Francisko Corde ro, and Jose Mechado, each to six years imprisonment in other places: Francis co Maceda, Pedro Muras, and .Manuel Palacios each to four years imprison ment; Diego de Araoz, to six years im prisonment in Spain, (since committed into banishment;) Manual Rojo, ten years banishment to some town in Spain. The others were either acquit ted or got off by paying the costs of court. The conspirators, it appears, were associated in a club called the Grand Legion of the Black Eagle.— Or, in the words of a government or der, they had been “initiated into the horrid society of the Black Eagle, a most secret and execrable conspiracy, which had for its object to abolish even the memory of our holy religion, to pro mote an insurrection of the country a gainst its legitimate King, to introduce liberty and independence, and for this end, to cut the throats of all who did not belong to tifeir party.—,Y. Y. Even ing Post. Extracts from Kerchera’s history of Shenan doah valley. The author fell in with Col. Barnett of Georgia, in the winter of 1816. The Col was one of the Commissioners for running the boundary line of the Indian cession of lands to the United States, about the close of of the lute war. Iu a
