Newspaper Page Text
(Tinws rnttr Sentinel.
“"COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.
FRIDAY MORNING, JAN. 12, 1855.
Is not the State the People ?
It is a very common opinion that the People are the I
State and the State the people. In one sense this is !
true. If hy “the people” we mean our ancestry and j
posteiityas well as the generation of the present hour, ‘
tho people are the State. But if we confine the mean
ing of the words “the people’’ to the ephemera of the I
day, we make a very great mistake if we suppose they j
are the State. There are certain heir-looms which j
belong to every distinct people which are committed to j
each successive generation in trust for posterity which j
no one generation has a right to abuse in the us;ng. ;
Trial by jury, for instance, is one of the heir-looms of ,
the English and their offspring; so is the Witenageniote,
or assembly of wise men, which the men of the present
day call Congress, Legislature, or General Assembly, j
And as of nations so it is of particular States, there are
certain things which attach to the State and constitute a
part of its body corporate which the people themselves (
have no right to change, alter or modify—national or !
State heir-looms which a glorious ancestry have won j
with the strong arm and bequeathed to all their posteri- !
ty and which it is sacrilegious to touch with the hand
of innovation. This idea is very prominently put forth j
in Southward 110, and we bring it now to the notice J
of our readers because we discover that public sentiment
in the United States begins to look on any diversity in ;
State organization and polity as a sort of treason to our
common Americanism, and demands that all such pe
culiarities shall be abolished and that every State in all
its internal organization and polity shall conform to tho
common model set up in New England. But to the
extract. On page 440 of Southward 110, occurs the
following passage :
“Ihe Alabamian did not heed the sneer, but proceed
ed—
“ South Carolina is the only state in which there is
anything like loyalty to the past remaining. She pre
serves her veneration. The state is protected from the
people.”
“How is that? Is not the state the people.”
“No! very far from it. The state is a th : ng of thou
sands of years, past and future, constituting a moral
which is to be saved from the caprices of the people.
People change daily, and in tluir daiiy change, filled
with novel hopes and expectations, and urged on by
eager passions and desires, would easily forgo a thou
sand absolute possessions which no people at one time
sufficiently values. In truth, it is only when we trem
ble at the onward and reckless courso of a majority,
that wo are awakened to the faot that there are some
things which they have no right to sacrifice. It is then
that we see that the possessions and accumulations of
tho past are not an inheritance, but a trust 5 and wo
who occupy only a moment of time, in tho general pro
gress of tho ag<?3, are taught by this fact that wo have
no absolute rights over possessions which belong to
generations yet untoid in the future, and but partially
recorded in the past. To guard the state from the peo
ple, we resort to a thousand devices, ouch as constitu
tions, bills of rights, &c., none of which is satisfac'ory
for the sufficient reason that the subjea. is one of singu
lar subtility which escapes practical definition. It is,
however, within our instincts, and these work in a
thousand ways, and in spite of us, for its preservation.
When these fail us, the state is gone, and the people
soon follow. They are then without God or country.
The French revolution was an instance of the sacrifice
of the state—that vague and vast idea, growing out of
the gradual acquisitions of thousands of years of a com
mon fortune in the family, or race—by a mere genera
tion just passing off the stage. Look at the summary
in France to-day. Where is the liberty, the equality,
the republicanism, which were all their avowed objects ?
What is left them of sacred tradition, of past loyalty
and acquisition, of moral security—which must precede
if it would maintain physical—of all that w T ns deemec
certain in the characteristics of the race? The guar
dian securities and virtues of a people lie in that social
ideal which is embodied in the notion of the state as a
thing permanent, contradistinguished from a mete gene
ration or government—things which contemplate only
passing necessities, and continual fluctuations, and are
required to contribute in pasiug only a certain portion
of capital to that grand stock which has been already
put away safely within the securities of the ideal state.
The state is a guardian ideal, and the conservative
check upon the caprices of time. The state represents
the eternity of a race—its whole duration whether long
or short. Cut the sinews of the state, in obed.ence to
tho caprices of a generation, and they must perish. All
this is very obscure, I know, and it can not well be
otherwise, with such a subject, and in a mere casual
conversation. It must necessarily elude all common
demonstrative analysis, particularly as it lies based on
great but mysterious secrets, in the general plan of
Providence, which it is scarcely permitted to us to ex
plore. The subject belongs to the spiritual nature iu
high degree and is not to be measured by the common
rules of argument. It constitutes a study for the meta
physician who is at the saino time, a religious man.
it is cne of those problems which the rulers of a peo
ple have need carefully to study, as it is upon the due
knowledge and appreciation of ‘the state,’ that every
people’s future must depend. Nations perish really
because of their simple failure to recognise this distinc
tion between state and people : and it is thus that a
capricious generation, perpetually bent on change,
restless and impatient because of its atrocious vanity,
still wrecks all the idea! morals of their ancestors, and
all the hopes, born of those ideals, which would conduct
tluir posterity to power.”
Accident on the Muscogee Railroad.— On Wed
desday evening last, a little after sunsent, just after the
freight tram had arrived at the Depot, and the engine
was backing to go under shelter for the night, a gen
tleman attempted to jump aboard, missed his footing,
was caught by the wheels and one his legs severed
from his body. His name is King, and he resides
near Station No. 3, on the Road. The constant oc
currence of such accidents ought to warn all prudent
persons never to attempt to mount a ear while the train
is in motion. It is better to stand still a day than to
go halting through life.
The Confession of a Cuban Prisoner. —Senor
I.eeoste, one of the men arrested on board an Ameri
can schooner at Baracoa and committed to prison at
Havana, has made a coufossion, implicating himself in
an attempt to create a revolution in Cuba. Ilis real
name is said to be Francisco Estrampes. He further
states that he was betrayed by a countryman of bis,
named Francisco llernandis, and has boldiy vowed to
the authorities that his object in visiting Baracoa was
to create a revolution. Having failed, he says he is
now willing to suffer the penalty of death.
Harper’s Magazine at the South.
We perceive that an effort is being made by South
ern newspapers to whitewash Harper’s Magazine.—
Among others, from whioh we expected nothing better,
we are sorry to number the Advertiser <J- Gazette, of
Montgomery. The Messrs. Harper now give special
assurances that special care will be taken to “exclude
everything that can give just cause of complaint to any ;
interest or to any section of the country.’’ All very
well, Messrs. Harper, but a burnt child dreads the fire.
You deceived us once ; that was your fault. If you
deceive us again, that will be our fault. If the South i
had no literature of her own, this peuchant for north- 1
ern publications would be excusable. But this is not
the ease. The South has a local periodical literature
which very far surpasses that of the North. For Pol
iticians and Philosophers there is the Southern Quar
terly ; for the Merchant there is Deßow’s Review
for tho Literati there is the Southern Literary Mes
senger. By the way, nine-tenths of our readers, we
venture to affirm, do not know that the Reveries of a
Bachelor by Ike Marvel, Tuckermm’s Characteristics
of Literature , and The Flush Times of Alabama by
Baldwin, which’ have had such wonderful success as
Books withthe imprimature of Northern Publishers up
on them, made their first appearance in the Southern
1 Literary Messenger, without eliciting even a passing
i notice from the Southern public. But Southern Pub
-1 lishers are to blame in part for this failure of the pub
lic to appreciate their good things. They not only re
i fuss to puff, but criminally neglect to advertise their
wares. Look at the press of the South. Every vil
j lage newspaper that will give monthly notices of the
works, and publish for the year a column advertisement
can get a copy of Harper, Putnam or any other North
ern Magazine. Similar enterprises on the part of South
] ern publishers would meet with a comparative success.
; Another error is that they send out their works on a
credit. Men appreciate what they get by the price they
! pay for it. There is no question about it. And we
: have no hesitation in saying that no paper, periodical,
j or Review ever obtained a circulation which was furnish
ied to subscribers on a credit. But it is useless to
multiply words. We close this article with the fol
lowing exti acts from the Editor's Table cd the Janu
ary number of the Southern Literary Messenger :
“Harper’s Magazine has probably five times as many
subscribers South of the Potomac , though articles of
very questionable character find ready admission to its
pages, and even Putnam’s Monthly, which lias recently
outraged the entire slaveholding portion of the Union
by lending itself to the extremest views of the Aboli
tionists, has a larger circulation among slaveholders,”
than the Messenger.”
“It is a proud consciousness for the Editor to know
that the stinted support the Messenger has receiv
ed, during his connection with it, is in no manner at
tributable to the character of its materiel, since many
of the most successful books which the press has put
forth of late were originally written for its pages. The
Reveries of a Bachelor , Tucker man’s Characteristics
of Literature, and the Flush Times of Alabama were
quite as pathetic, di riininative and witty when pub
lished in our columns as when issued in book form,
though the public unfortunately did not think so.”
Georgia Newspaper Changes.
M. Dwinnell, Esq., has become associated with S.
E. Coburn Esq., in the editorial department of the
Rome Courier. From Mr. D.’s salutatory, in the Cou
rier of the 2d, lie has evidently had some experienc as
a journalist, and will doubtless prove a valuable acquisi
tion to that paper. The Courier is a well conducted
journal.
O. A. Myres, Esq , offers for sale his interest in the
Rome Southerner, on good terms. A large part of the
office is nearly new, and the income is large. A desire
to change his location and business induces him to make
this announcement.
Muscogee Superior Court. —The trial of David
Wright occupied the attention of the Court on Wed
nesday and Thursday last. The evidence was closed
on Wednesday night. We forbear to publish it as we
believe tho practice of doing so is calculated to take
criminal causes from before the jury and transfer them
to the forum of public opinion, alias the mob—a body
altogether incompetent to decide questions involving
the life of a fellow being,
Tho prosecution was very ably conducted by Messrs.
Ramsay, Dawson, Denton and McDougald, assisted by
Messrs. Jones & Jones; and tbe defense by Messrs.
P. H. Colquitt, Plane, Holt and Wellborn.
At 1 o’clock the case was submitted to the jury af
ter the delivery by the Court of a lucid, impartial and
impressive charge. At 3 o’clock the jury brought in
a verdict of Guilty.
Rowdyism in Montgomery. —On Saturday the 6th
inat., tho B’hoys were out on a bender in Montgomery
and took occasion to remove signs, gates, fences and
window shutter in every part of tbe city. The Jour
nal thinks such wanton destruction of property is “an
outrage most disgraceful, unrelieved hy an ordinary at
j tempt at wit, unprovoked, unprincipled and shame
j less.”
New Engines on the Muscogee Road. —We were
1 pleased to find at the Depot of the Muscogee Railroad,
1 on a casual visit to the place, that the Directors had
; added to the rolling stock of the company two 20 ton
! Engines of the first class. They are called the Atlantic
and the Pacific , and are perfect specimens of mechani
cal skill, made, vve believe, at Patterson, N. J.
A Valuable Acre. —We learn through a friend that
! Mr. Woodson Wilcox, of Telfair county, made last year
eight barrels excellent Sugar, and 200 gallons Syrup
besides seed cane, from one acre of trodden pine land.—
Southern Recorder.
Split the Democrats. —The Talladega, Ala., Re
porter says it would be extremely glad to be able to sup
! port a Whig candidate for Governor if one il could be
found to enter the field with any reasonable chance
for success but as this is oat of the question it
adopts the policy of “Split the Democrats,” and does
Mr* Baker the honor to consider him the most facile and
available instrument to effect that amiable purpose.—
1 Really, Mr. Baker is beset by great temptations to
change his political surrroundings. The enemy seems
to be determined to steal him r i et armis and force
him to desert. We think better of him than to believe
he will do it.
Agricultural Professorship. —The Atlieus
man, says: We understand that Dr. Daniel L*e,
Professor of Agriculture in the University of Georgia,
has arrived in town ready to enter upon the duties of
his office at the beginning of the next- term—which
will be, we believe, the 15 of this month. Through
tho munificent liberality of Dr. Terrel, our time
honored institution now offers greater attractions than
at any time heretofore.
What next ? —We notice by the New Orleans pa
pers of Thursday, that the notorious rascal and pick
pocket, Dr. Hines, who has just served-out a year’s
j term in the Louisiana penitentiary, is delivering public
! lectures in New Orleans on tbe subject of “Penitentiary
Descipline” &e., tickets only fifty cents. This certain
! ly beats Barnum’s boldest strokes of impudent humbug.
I Speaking of Barnum, the Picayune says that Hines has
written a biography of himself, which he is disirous of
publishing and which, if a truthful record, must equal
1 in interest the recent literary work of tbe great show
man. What a pity it is that Murrel is dead I W ere
I he only “alive and kicking” in this fast age, the public
might be entertained with lectures on the science ol
highway robbery aod murder. These are progressive
times certainly.— Atlanta Examiner.
“Ramshackles.'’— Mr. Stephens, of Georgia, fur
nishes this appellation to the disciples of Know Nothing
ism Tiie term, says the Augusta Constitutionalist ,
originated in North Carolina. The council of the
secret conglomeration of factions opposed to the Ad>
ministration, give directions to the rank and file through
their officers, who to vote for, and they follow the lead
blind. This is like the habits of sheep, who implicitly
follow the old ram of the flock over a fence, or down a
well, without stopping to think for themselves. Inis
system effectually shackels tho minds and free will of
the voters. Hence the term Ramshackles —a name
significant and expressive.
IIo! for Columbus. —Wo learn, says tho Alabama
Journal of 10th, that the Opelika branch of the Mont
gomery and West Point Railroad, will be open to Co
lumbus by the 25th of this month. We trust by the
Ist of next month to bo able to take our Columbus
friends by the hand, with mutual withes that this union
of the Chattahoochee with the Alabama may be auspi
cious for both parties.
Some arrangements for a mutual exchange of hospi
talities would not, perhaps, on the part
of our citizens.
OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
Boundary Line between Georgia and Florida—
The Know Nothings—Messrs. Barry and Ste
phens.
Washington, D. C, Jan. 5, 1535.
Messrs. Editors: —l passed an hour this morning
very pleasantly in the Supreme Court. All the Justices
were in attendance, and the cause before the Court at
the time was one of some interest to the people of your
State.
It appeared, from wliat I could learn, that Florida had
instituted a suit against Georgia to settle the vexed
question of the Southern bouudary line of Georgia ; and,
in the progress of the cause, the Counsel for your State
had so managed as to obtain a very great advantage over
the Counsel for Florida, and, to get out of the difficulty,
the Florida Counsel persuaded the Attorney Genera
to come in with a collateral motion to obtain from the
Court leave for the United States to be heard as a party
in interest in the cause, stating, iu the motion, that the
United States had issued patents to the Florida people
for most of the land (amounting to a million of acres)
claimed by Georgia, and that therefore the Government
had a right to be heard. This motion was submitted
and explained by the Attorney General, Mr. Cushing,
in a speech of about forty minutes, when the hour for
adjournment arrived, and the Court announced that the
case would be taken up on Monday. If the Attorney
General shall succeed in his movement, this will place
the Florida Counsel on the ground which they former
ly occupied and which they lost by some difference be
tween the State and one of the Counsel. A part from
the magnitude of the interest involved in this cause, a
great deal of feeling is manifesting itself here among
gentlemen of the legal profession as to the various
questions which spring out of this tri-partite cause.—
Your State is represented by lion. J. McPherson
Berrien and lion. Geo. E. Badger, Florida by lion.
Reverdy Johnson and some other person unknown, and
the United States by Attorney General Cushing. I
shall watch the caso as it progresses and keep you
posted. Aside from this matter there is nothing of
interest to write about.
It is true the Know Nothing excitement has given
rise to some debate, but with the exception of the
speech of Mr. Barry, of Mississippi, nothing worthy of
remark. The speech of Mr. Barry was a great
effort. Philosophic, yet practical ; learned, yet sim
ple. and just the kind on a speech to make an impres
sion on the public mind. By the way Mississippi should
cherish Mr. 8., for he is a jewel to be proud of.
The speech of Mr. Stephens of your State delivered
before the holidays, is looked upon hero by Southern
men as taking tho true position. Ilis triumph over
Campbell and Mace, was a complete and glorious one,
and although I differ from Mr. Stephens in his polities
generally, I am proud of the position he has taken on
this question, and gratified that he ocoupies such an in
fluential position here as he does.
By tho way, the UIIM P&f this morning contains Bar
ry’s speech. Publish, and it will do good.
Yours J.
Pennsylvania Legislature.
Philadelphia, Jan. 5, 1855.
Wm. D. Heister, democrat, of Berks, was elected
Speaker of the Senate on the twenty-seventh ballot,
having fifteen votes. Skinner, (whig,) had eleven
votes 5 Frazer, (whig,) two. Dnrsie, (whig,) voted for
lloister. Price, (whig,) did not vote.
Michigan Legislature.
Detroit, Jan. 4, 1855.
Isaao W. Wilder has been elected Secretary of the
Senate of this State ; Cyrus Level Speaer, and Ilenry
Banner Clerk of the House. They are all republicans.
Maine Legislature.
Augusta (Me.) Jan. 5.
The Legislature of this State today elected Anson P.
Morrill tor Governor. In the House the vote stood as fol
lows: Morrill, 146; Reed, 116. In the Senate Mr. Mor
rill received the unanimous vote, thirty in all. The inaug
uration of Mr. Morrill will take place tomorrow.
Death of Hon. Ira Bellows.
Rochester, Jan. 5.
lion Ira Bellows, of Pittsford who has held p <sts of
honor in this State, died til's evening, while wailing in
the Railroad depot for the cars to couvey him home.
Accident to the Victoria Bridge over the St. Law
rence.
Boston, .Tan. 5.
The wood work of the Victoria Bridge, over the St.
Lawrence river, was carried away by the ice, but no injury
whatever, was done to stone abutment, or the stone abut
ment, or the stone piers, which remain firm as the solid
rojk, and prove the security a id stalilhy of the structure.
The newspaper reports of damage to the permanent
structure are entirely unfounded.
—The way to make a tall man “sbo.t” is to ask him to
lend you a thousand dollars.
The Mail Difficulty Settled.
We learn by a despatch from Charleston (says the Con
stititutionalist &. Republic ot the 10th inst.) that the mail
difficulty has been satisfactorily arranged. The Railroad
will resume carrying the mails on Friday. The Depart
ment cannot concentrate the Mail Agents beiore that day.
The cars will leave Augusta at half past six in the morn
ing and at six in the evening, and will arrive at Augusta
at four in the afternoon and at halfpastfourintho morning.
Southern Commercial Convention.
New Orleans, Jan. Bth.
The Southern Commercial Convention met to day.
Mayor Lewis temporarily presiding. A commitlee was
appointed to report permanent officers, after which the
convention adjourned. Only 69 delegates were in attend
. ance.
New Orleans, Jan. 9.
The Southern Commercial Convention has permanently
organized, by the election of Gen. Lamar, of Texas, Presi
dent, and two vice presidents from each State. Ten States
are represented. Number of delegates, 120, including 83
from Louisiana.
Resolutions were offered for the improvement of Galves
ton Harbor and Bar; likewise for the establishment of a
Marine Hospital at that port, whenjthe conventon adjourn
for the day.
From Washington.
Arrival °t General Houston—The Armstrong Claim, etc.
Washington, Jau.5,1855.
Gen. Sam. Houston reached here this evening, in fine
health, and took quarters at Willard’s. He pronounces
the rumor of his resignation, by your correspondent, en
tirely false. He reports Know Nothingism omnipotent in
Texas.
The General Armstrong claim, now beiore Congress,
will certainly pass.
The amount of Treasury notes outstanding on the Ist of
January was $112,061 64.
Washington, Jan. 8, 1855.
The old Soldier’s convention t met to-day. The attend
• ance was very large, and an imposing procession wasform
• ed by the delegates. Gen. B. Southerland was elected pre
sident of the Convention.
Arrival of tha Cahawba —Loss of the Albany.
The U. S. Mail Steamship Calmvba, R. W. Shufeldt,
commander, from New York 26th ult and Havana 2d
inst., arrived at N. O. on the s‘.h.
From Havana the news is unimportant. Business was
reported as very dull, and freights low.
The United States steamship Princeton, Captain Eagle,
was at Havana, having returned from an unsuccessful
cruise in search of tho missing ship of war Albany. The
report that she was at Carthagena on the 10th of Octo>
ber was untrue ; it had reference to her visit there, early
in September, prior to her sailing from Aspinwall for
New York. There is scarcely a hope now entertained of
over hearing from her again. She was, doubtless, lost
with all on board.
Destruction of a Church by Fire. —The Roger Wils
liams’ Church, on Burgess street, Providence, R. 1., wae
destroyed by lire on Friday morning, at 2 o’clock. Th
church was valued at $19,000, and had been recently im
proved. It was insured for $5,000 on the building, and
SI,OOO on the organ.
Charity. —During last week the different private so
eieties of New York, have, it is stated, raised the sum of
SIO,OOO for tho benefit of the poor.
New Orleans, Jan. 9.
The Howard Association has voted s2,ooo*to aid tho
poor of New York.
Georgia Sugar. —Dr. Dennis Williams, of Thomas
county, says the Watchman of the 27th ult., banded us
the other day a sample of sugar of his own raising, which,
for beauty and sweetness, surpasses any we have yet seen
raising in tho country, and is a superior article to most of
that which we see from Cuba. The sample before us is a
1 beautiful article. Talk abount Cuba productions ! why
Southern Georgia can beat it and not half try.
We have also in our office some samples of beautiful
sugar raised in Decatur county by Mr. Lester-. These
sugars can be bad at from 7 to 8 cents per lb. which is
much cheaper than the same or a more inferior article
can bo had from elsewhere.
The Earl of Cardigan. —This is the nobleman who
i led the famous charge of English cavalry recently ,before
| Sevastopol. He is doubtless a very brave fellow, but is
! also a most atrocious and shameless sensualist. One of
the papers states that some three years ago he carried away
from Dublin, where his regiment was then quartered,a lady
of singular beauty, the wife of the chamberlain of Dublin
castle, Sir William Beeson, whose outraged feelings were
subsequently soothed by a compensation of very large
amount. Taking her'to Scotland, a few months after
ward in his yacht, whether from remorse, or parting from
| her children, or some other cause, Ladv Beeson was sud
[\ denly seized with .illness, and died under very harrowing
| circumstances. Within a week after the spoiler was in his
! accustomed spot in the omnibus box, with his jewelled lorg
| nett planted on some new beauty, with a steady sensual
1 stare. Thoroughly heartless and selfish, he steps from ru
in to ruin without a pang, and when his passion palls, casts
aside his victim with the same graceful levity that he does
his lance. If a. Russ'an were to stick him in the midriff
perhaps there would be no loss to humanity.
The Immaculate Conception.— Our readers are aware
that there has been a convocation of the Roman Catholic
Bishops at Rome to decide definitely on the doctrtne of
the Church concerning the conception of the Virgin Mary.
It was decided ’almost in the affirmative.—
Thejiumber of ‘votes’ was 576, including proxies, and
about 120 Bishops who were actually present. Os these,
540 pronounced by acclamation for the new dogma; 32
voices questioned the appropriateness of such a discussion
at the present; while only four votes protested both against
the dogma and against the right of the Holy See to decide
a question of that importance without a regular council.—
Os these four votes, two it was rumored, were contributed
by French prelates, namely, Mr. Olivier, Bishop of Evereux,
and the other the Archbishop of Paris himself.
AGUE AND hEVER of three years standing
CURED. —Mr. John Longden, now living at Beaver Dam,
Hanover county, near Richmond, had ague and fever for
three years, most of the time he had chills twice a day,
and rarelv less than once; he was parched with fevers as
j soon as the chill left him; and alter trying physieans, qui
! nine, most of tha Tonics advertised, and everything re
commended to him, was about to give up in despaii, when
Carter's Spanish Mixture was spoken of: he got two bot
tles, but before he had used more than a single one, he was
perfectly cured, and nas not had a chill or fever since.
Mr. Longden is only one out of thousands who have
been benefitted bv this great tonic, alterative and blood
purifier. See Advertisemet. jan4.
Holloway's Ointment and Pills, a most Effectual
Remedy for Erysi; etas. — Mr. James Cravtn, of No. 1,
Brownlow Cottages, Stonehouse, Plymouth, was severely
afflicted for more than three years with that dreadful disease,
“Eiysipelas.” His sufferings were incredible ; and although
he received some of the best medical advice, he obtained lit
tle or no relief. Almost in desnair, he determined on giv
ing Holloway’s Ointment and Pills a trial; and, by a little
perseverance with them he w r as completely restored to
health and strongly recommends the : e medicines to others
similarly afflicted Mr. G. Williams, of 19, Edgecombe
street. Plymouth, can verify this ease.
INVALUABLE DISCOVERY.
The inventor of M’Lane’s Vermifuge having disposed of
his right to this great remedy, the proprietors, Messrs. Kidd
& Cos beg leave to offer it to the American public as the best
remedy tor W r orms ever offered. It has been tried in all
part- of the. country, and in cases which had defied the
exertions of the best physicians, and never without the
most complete success. We caulion parents against de
lay. If your children exhibit symptoms of being “troubled
with worms, lose nofca moment, but at once purchase a
bottle of JSl’Lane's Vermifuge, and thus save them pain
and perhaps their lives.
For sale by all the Druggists in Comnibu-, and by agents
throughout the South. j j a n4
From the Mobile Tritune.
TO MARY. —BY “HAROLD.”
In forming thy beauty the angels, I ween,
Must surely have taken a part;
I’or angelic charms in thy lace can be seen,
Reflecting the joys of thy heart.
And one must have stolen the last gilded band
From a cloud, which the sun had left there,
And,gaily returning withthe dyes in her hand,
Left the soft golden hue in thy hair.
And one on thy cheek Love’s signet did place,
And gave thee a dimple, for dower;
Another that smile that doth brighten thy face,
Asa sunbeam doth brighten a flower.
Another did give thee those soft beaming eyes,
So suited for smiling or weeping;
She was flitting one day through the bright azure skies,
And stole them from Psyche whilst sleeping.
Another resolved, as thy form was so fair,
Thy head to adorn with her arts:
So \V it’s quiver she stole and boldiy did dare
To embellish thy mind with his darts.
And now I am sure if the Graces could die,
And the search lor three others begun,
As soon as thou’st ceen, they'll declare iu thesky
Thou combines! the three Graces i:i one.
[From the Missouri Republican, December 25.1
Origin of Camp Meetings—Religicu3 Extravagances at
them in Tennessee—Tho Falling Exerciso —The Jerk
ing Exercise —The Barking Izcrciso, &c.,—Extrava
gances of the Females.
We hear now and then of the strange effects which
were produced upon persons and whole communities} in
olden time by religious excitement, and the peculiar phe
nomena which marked periods of religious lervor among
a simple people. In a recent lecture before the Mercantile
Library Association of Boston; Rev. Wm. H. Milbuvn
gave a general description of tho early preachers of the
West, particularly of Kentucky, and made a selection of a
lew characters to illustrate the prevailing traits of tbe whole.
No part of the country has witnessed such schisms in the
churches, and such wild and fanatical delusions in con
nection with religious teaching, as in the States of Ken
tucky and Tennessee. The statements made by Rev. Mr.
Milburn were doubtless correct, so far as they went; but
the selection of a few individuals as an index of the gener
al character of the western preachers of that time, gives a
very incorrect idea of the actual lacts.
Some years since, during a temporary residence of a
few mouths in tbe State of Kentucky, 1 chanced to have
an opportunity ot examining ..a historical work, which is
there acknowledged as the best authority, and in which I
noticed many of the incidents described in the lecture of
Mr. M. and in which also are found many interesting
statements with regard to that early time, which goto in
dicate that there was a vast amount of imperfection con
nected with many of those whose characters were delin
eated under tho heading of “Saddle Bags.” Some of tho
incidents of that day and region are scarcely credible on
account of the strange perversion of the human intellect
v, hioh they show. The churches were torn and wasted
for years by intestine fouds, and, in consequence pf the dis
sensions then existing among the churches, infidelity pre
vailed throughout that whole region, ihe writer to
whom I have referred says that “nearly half of the minis
ters of that period, were at one time and another subject
to church censure for various faults.”
. Camp meetings originated among the Presbyterians of
Kentucky. The first camp meeting was held near Goose
berry river, in July, 1800. r ihe ministers present were
Messrs. McGready, Wm. McGee, and a Mr. lloge.—
The author, whose language 1 quote, says : “Camp meet
ings being once introduced, the plan spread like wild-fire.
The laborer quitted his task, the youth forgot his pastimes,
the plough was left in the furrow, age snatched his crutch,
the deer enjoyed a respite upon the mountains, business
of all kinds was suspended, dwelling houses were deserted,
whole neighborhoods were emptied, bold hunters and so
ber matrons, young men and maidens and little children
flocked to the common centre of attraction ; every difii-.
cultv was encountered, every risk ventured to be present
at the camp meeting.
In connection with these camp meetings a great varie
ty of strange exercises grew up. Children, ten or twelve
years of age, were prominent actors. Under paroxysms
of feeling, persons foil down, and this was called “the fall
ing exercise.” There were also “the jerking exercise,” tho
“rolling” the “running” the “dancing,” and the “barking
exercises,” besides “visions” and “trances.” At Cabin
Creek camp meetmg, May 22, 1801, eo many fell on tbe
third night that, to prevent their being trod on, they were
laid out on one side of the mooting-house floor, like so
many corpses. At Boone Creek sacrament two hundred
fell ; at Pleasant Point three hundred, and at Cane ltidge
three thousand, August 0, ISOI. It is said that children,
eight months old, were affected by these strange influ
ences.
The first instance of the “jerking exercise” was at a
sacrament in E’ist Tennessee. Persons would be jerked
in ail directions and over whatever object happened to bo
in the way. They were always lett to themselves, be
cause the people said that to oppose them would be to re
sist the influences of the Spirit of God. Sometimes those
who had long hair, it is said, hid their heads jerked so
. swiftly that the hair snapped liko the crack of a whip. it
is said that none were injured except those who rebelled
against the operation of the Spirit and refused to comply
with the injunction it came to enforce. Some who went
to the meetings with whips in their hands to 11 >g others,
had their whips jerked out of their hands.
In the “rolling exercise” they doubled up and rolled
over and over ; and it made no difference whether there
was mud or filth of any kind in the way. In the “run
ning exercise” they would run over every obstacle and
keep running till quite exhausted.
In the “dancing exercise,” a writer of that time says
they had llie privilege of exhibiting, by a bold faith, what
olhers were moved to by a blind impulse. In one instance
a Mr. Thompson, a minister, commenced dancing after
meeting and danced an hour and a half; and said he,
“This is the Holy Ghost!” A girl danced for an hour
in an empty pew, and others danced in so viuh nt a man
ner that they could not be held by strong men.
The writer whom I quote says : “One might be temp**
ted to think that the climax had ; Iready been reached,
but there was a piece of extravagance to complete tho
degradation of human nature. The ‘barks’ frequently
accompanied the ‘jerke,’ though of later origin. This ex
ercise consisted ot the individuid taking the position of a
dog, moving abjjt on all fours, growling, snapping his
teeth, and barking with such exactness of imitation as to
deceive any cne whose eyes were not directed to the
spot.”
All classes became ’affected by this drgrading mania,
and the only method of securing relief was to engage iu
voluntary dance. It was supposed first to be inflicted as
a chastisement for remissness in duty. Such as resisted
the impulse and decliued the dancing continued to be
tormented for months and even years. From being re
gard t and as marks of guil', the barks at last came to be re
garded as fok< ns of divine favor and badges of special hon
or. “Ridiculous as it may seem to us at this distance of
time to hear such extraordinary sounds as bow, wow,
wow, interspersed with pious ejaculations and quotations
of Scripture, we.are not at liberty to doubt the truth of
the assertion that then the effect, or at least one of the
eff.e s was, to overawe the wicked and excite the minds of
the impious.”
In tho midst of these and sorders, those preachers who
labored to direct the minds of the people to the true marks
of grace were denounced as desical, and thus
tlieir influence was greatly diminished. Some
of the results were, the people would be singing half a
dozen hymns at the same time, very loud, with violent
motions of the body. Sometimes a dozen would be pray
ing at a time, for they s.id the Lord could hear even if
they all spoke at once. The preachers were often inter
rupted with singing in the midst of their sermons.—
Whoops, cries, hysterical laughter and the repetition of
the words of the preacher even louder than he utterod
them, constituted a combination of annoyances to which
ihe waves of the sea, harangued by the Athenian orator
must have been a trifle.
These cases are enough to show what a state of things
existed in* Kentucky in the beginning of this century.—
Oar author asks “ vriill it be easily credited that in 1803
the ffm Ijs from 14. to 40 years of age, got in the
habit of hugging and embracing every one in their vi un
ity, and that the men, especially the preachers cam: in
for a good share of their embraces ?”
Hint from Kossuth. —fn attacking the Russian bear
you will find no weapon effiexo.it unless you also emp'oy
a Pole.