Newspaper Page Text
As intimated two weeks ago, upon occa
sion of publishing its Introductory Letter, we
take this early opportunity of laying before our
readers portions of two other Letters from the
forth-coming work of Dr. P. Jones, for which
we have already invoked public attention. lYe
ought to have said that the book in question is
to be handsomely illustrated, and will soon be is
sued from the press of Messrs. J. B. Lippixcott
& Co., Philadelphia, extensive publishers for the
South.
THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD;
OR,
Billy Buck’s Visit witli lii» Master to
England.
LETTER 111.
Buck's greeting of the Queen and Royal Family —
Interview with an English Gentleman—Conver
sation as to Slavery.
London, August Ist, 1851.
Dear Major:—One day last week Iliad the
pleasure of seeing the Royal Family of this coun
try. Understanding that they were to visit the
Crystal Palace at or about a certain hour, and
that they would probably enter by one of the
private doors, which was pointed oat to me, I
determined to obtain a position from which I
could see them. I repaired to the spot, but
found myself preceded by quite a number of per
sons. I succeeded, however, in getting near
enough to see them, though the view was not
as satisfactory as I could have desired. The
Queen appeared to boa ladylike but most plain
person, with amiable features, and rather under
size in stature. The Prince, her husband, was
a very fine-looking geutleman, of about middle
stature, I thought, and rather intellectual in lus
appearance. Os the children I did not get a good
view.
I was much interested with the enthustasm
of the people around me. They were evidently
influenced not only by the sentiment of loyalty,
but by a feeling more tender—a sentiment of
affection for and sympathy with the good and
virtuous wife and mother. I confess that my
own heart warmed toward the august lady, as I
saw' her thus, not with the peculiar bearing of a
mighty sovereign, but as the gentle patroness of
industry and the arts, and with her husband and
children about her, affording to her subjects and
the world an example of those domestic virtues
which shed so sweet and soft a light upon the
hearthstono, as well of the humble homestead as
’of the royal palace; and, republican as I was, I
joined right heartily in the cheers which were
given her before she entered the building. As
for Buck, by dint of pushing and elbowing, he
managed to got nearer, and mounted on a curb
stone, or step of some sort, which rather raised
him above the heads ol most of the crowd. He
joined lustily in the cheering, and then, turning
toward me, and affecting tne droll, he said in
his African lingo,—
“God bress my soul, Massa, she nuttin but
buckra folks arter all! I been tink she engel
from hebbiu, only got petticoat stidy wing."
Some of those around him cheered this speech;
which observing, the rogue continued:
“Well, if she no bin engel, Massa, sliodesarve
to be engel; she good sem like engel, dat trute.
In my country, Massa,” (addressing a portly
gentleman, whose fine face, glowing with delight
was turned up to him,) “iu Ebo country, dem
queen de debbil.”
“ You had better be careful, Buck,” said I,
for want of something better to say, “ how you
declare that the Queen deserves to be an angel.
That is as much as to say that she deserves to
die; and some of these loyal Englishmen, hear
ing you say that, may charge you with compas
sing the death of her Majesty.”
Buck —“ No sir-ree, Massa! mo no cornpuss
nuttin—nairy time—mo only say dat Quoengood
sem like engel—dat what make her people lub
her so, Massa.”
“ So it is, my man,” said the same portly and
good-humored gentleman to whom I have refer
red; “ so it is ; and I honor you for appreciating
our Queen as you do."
The gentleman shook Buck warmly by the
hand. The latter returned the grasp with such
a right good will as to bring tears into the Eng
lishman’s handsome eyes.
“ What is your name, my man ?” said he.
“ Billy Buck,” said Buck, taking off his hat
and dropping his African dialect, “ sarvant to
Dr. Jones, of Georgy, sir: this gen’l’man. sir, my
Marster.”
“ Sir,” said the gentleman, turning to me with
a bow, “ I have been quite pleased with the hu
mor of your servant, and his liking for our
Queen."
Myself— ‘He has been bred, sir, in a country
where all classes honor those virtues which aro
so conspicuous in the Queen of England, and
where the sex of your sovereign is always trea
ted with respect by the opposite sex—even by
the slave.”
Stranger —“ You are from the United States,
I suppose; and this man is your slave."
Myself —“ Yes.”
. Stranger- Yours is a remarkable country,
sir; and certainly such respect for the gentler
sex is highly creditable to its people. I have
heard it said that there was a chivalric regard
for women in America. Does your observation
in Europe serve to strengthen tde belief that
your people are peculiar in this respect?”
Myself—' I have been impressed with the
conviction that a more delicate respect for wo
man, and tender regard for little children, is
common among my countrymen, erpecially in the
Southern States, than—if you will pardon me,
sir—than among Englishmen.”
Stranger —“ Why should this be so? And
can you assign a reason for such a state of
fucts ?”
Myself —“ Perhaps the subject, as a social
problem, should be closely studied, to be thor
oughly understood in all its aspects; but I like
to think of the fact of which I have spoken, as
a blessiug from the household and family gods
of our people—the Lares familiares, sir, as an
ancient people once called them. My country
men, especially in the South, as a general rule,
live very much in families. The necessaries of
life are sufficiently easy of acquisition to encour
age our young men and women in the ready for
mation of family ties. In a country like ours, it
is to the public interest that families should be
increased as much as possible; and therefore
these relations assume a very high importance
in the eyes of society. In a community where
the institution of slavery exists, the servants, as
slaves, become a permanent portion of, and are
completely identified with, the family circle, and
thus that circle is enlarged and widened in its
sphere and influences. Depend upon it, sir, it
was not without a foundation in true knowledge
of human nature, that those ancient Romans
chose the “Decurions of their Lares " in every
family from among its slaves, and appointed
slaves, not freemen, to assist the priests in their
sacrifices to these divinities, as Cicero and Ho
race both inform us was the custom. You may
remember that, in your schoolboy lessons, you
tm& istnai mem ue exeeexee.
found a very pleasant picture, drawn by the lat
ter, of the happy slaves sitting around the fami
ly Lares:
‘ Positos. quo vernas ditto examcn domus.
t'ircum renidentes Lares.’
It is in this way, sir, that I account, in part, for
a general prevalence among my countrymen,
white and black, of those affections, sympathies
and sentiments which cluster around the homes
of a people, and those who are identified with
those homes: viz., women and children.”
Stranger —“ Sir, you put the subject bofore me
in a striking and, to me, somewhat novel light.
I have not been iu the habit of thinking of your
slaves as living under the influence of such rela
tions between them and their owners.”
Myself— 14 In that, you and others have not
rightly comprehended this institution as it exists
among us. To a great extent, and as a general
rule, our slaves regard themselves as a part of
the family, and bound up with its interests. As
a race, they are good-humored and affectionate,
and they soon become attached to their owners,
unless the latter are cruel to them, which does
not as often happen as may be supposed: fur the
interest of the owner generally forbids it (as the
law does), when conscience does not. Your own
eloquent Burke, in his letters to Arthur Young,
has said that *lt is plainly more to the fanner’s
interest that his men should thrive than his
horses should be well fed, sleek, and plump, and
fit for use, or than his wagons and ploughs
should be strong, in good repair, and fit for ser
vice.’ If this be right when spoken of free la
borers. you will readily perceive how it must be
so of those who are the . property of the fanner.
The attachment of which I have spoken is very
often mutual, and strong and life-long friend
ships are thus formed. Here is my man, forex
ample, to whom I am indebted for tfie pleasure
of this interview with you, sir. Next to my wife
and child, I have no such living friend.” *
Stranger —“ Truly, sir, lam happy to have
met with you, and your man too. I shall be glad
to make your better acquaintance, and will ex
change cards with you with pleasure.”
I learned, during the day, that my newly-form
ed acquaintance was a Mr. A , a gentle
man of large landed estate and great wealth in
Yorkshire; and that, though now confining him
self very much to agriculture, he was highly res
pected, of considerable influence, and had a seat
in Parliament.
In the course of a few days, I received a visit
from Mr. A , and I think our respect for
each other was increased by the interview. Buck
and he, too, had along conversation, and he pro
tested that Buck was “quite a trump of a fellow.”
He invited me cordially to make him a visit at
his country seat, and by all means to bring Buck
with me. I think he was sincere, and we part
ed almost as old friends. He has less ®f that
unimpressable reservo which characterizes Eng
lishmen generally than I have ever before met
with in a gentleman of his nation, and more of
ready sympathy. I think I shall accept his in
vitation, and so learn somewhat of life in the
country among the gentry of England. If I do,
you may expect to hear something on the sub
ject from
Your friend and cousin,
P. Joxes.
To Maj. Joseph Joxes,
Pineville, Ga. U. S. of America.
LETTER XXXII.
Cruel Treatment of Children in this country —
Charge of administering Gin to a child of sev
en years—Mysterious Murder of a Boy near
Plymouth —A woman throws her son, aged six
years, from a third floor toindow — Buck's His
tory of this Transaction —He is solicited to leave
his Master — Refuses, and sets forth some of the
Advantages of Slavery in Georgia over Poverty
in England.
London, March 31st, 1854.
Dear Major :—lf I added nothing to what I
have already furnished, I think you would be
satisfied that I have fully proven all that I have
asserted in relation to the sanguinary character
of the British people. But if I paused here,
you would form but an imperfect idea of that
blood-lust, as I have termed it, awful as may be
the proportions of those developments in and
by which it now appears to you. To know it
in all its horrible aspects, you must be furnished
with proofs of the cruelty with which children
are treated by the men and women of this
country.
Such cruelty is altogether unexampled iu our
country, as the causes which there favor and
protect our women, also protect our children —
and I might add, indeed, all inferior dependents,
to a great extent. Such instances, then, as I
shall bring to your attention, from their novel
and extraordinary character to you, cannot fail
to interest; and when you have read them, you
will fully appreciate the truth of what my serv
ant said on this subject, in his peculiar way, to.
the lady whom he was addressing on the even
ing of the demonstration in favor of Mrs. Stowe,
made by the British and Foreign Anti slavery
Society, at Exeter Hall, and mentioned in my
letter of June Ist, 1853.
*****
A month or so after my arrival in London, my
servant obtained permission one day to go out
and see the “ curosities,” as he expressed it.
Guided by a lad who ran on errands for the
house where we were staying, he w r andered in
the direction of St. Paul’s, and into the heart of
the city. During their stroll they met with an
adventure, which you must have as Buck gave
it to me.
“We was gw’ine ’long, Marster,” said he,
“lookin at the curus sights, and the things in
the shops, an the boy he said, says he, ‘ Thar’s
the Post Iloffice, Mr. Buck,’ says he, ‘ whar peo
ple gits letters from,’ says he. Why, Marster,
that Post Office in Augusty can’t hold a candle
to them bildins, sir. You can almost put hit in
to ono o’ them big rooms.
‘ Well,’ says I, 1 Tom,’ says I, ‘to my notion,
hit must cost a power o’ money,’ says I, ‘to carry
the mail from one port o’ that big house to
nuther. I spose they must keep a railroad in
thar to do it with,’ says I.
The boy laffed at me, sir, he did, becase he
thought I didn’t know no better —all time I was
divartin myself with him, sir.
1 Como 'long, Mr. Buck,’ says he, l an I’ll show
you the Chart rus,’ says he.
So, arter we had seen the Chartrus—”
“Tho Charter-house, I suppose you mean,
Buck,” said I.
“ Well, I spose that was what the boy mean
ed, marster; for you know he can’t talk very
plain, sir, no how. He perposed then, sir, that
we should go to the—the —what-do-you-call-
um ?—the big-gun ground, sir ?”
“ The Artillery Ground,” said I.
“Adzackly so, Marster. ‘And to Bunhill
Fields,’ says he, ‘whar thar was a buryin
ground,’ says he, ‘ an hit wasn't far off,’ says he.
I thought it mighty curus, Marster, how thar
should be any fields right thar in London, an a
buryin-ground, too; for you know, sir, that in
Georgy wo allers has ’um on the outskearts of
the town. Howbeever, thinks I, I’ll go an see
* See Appendix, K, §2
them fields, and mayhe ’mong them all I’ll find
a patch of new ground, an we'll git a showin'
for Mnrster's plough’ jit, ’fore the great Exer
bishun’s over.” [Here the rogue turned his
head away, but I plainly saw that lie was grin
ning.] “ Well, Marster, as we was passin along,
an takin a nigh cut as the boy said, to them
fields, sir, we heerd a scream from the up-stars
winders of a house, but we couldn’t see whar it
was, adzackly, sir. Presently we seed people
running to the place, an we follered, au then we
seed a poor little boy lyin on the ground bleed
in. There was a mighty jabberin an gwinc on
over him, an I couldn't ’zackly larn how it was;
but, as well as I could tell, he was flung out of
a winder, an by his own mother, too, everybody
said, sir. Arter a while, I secs a woman 'mong
the crowd that they said was his mother an done
it. She was sorter drunk, an cavorted round
mightily, tell a pleeceman come an tuk her off
to jail, an had the child tuk away to a doctor.
‘ Marster,’ says I, to a gen’l’man that was tel
lin the crowd about it, ‘ hit aint true, now, that
the child's mother flung him out the winder, sir.
Hit must a been somebody else, musn’t it, sir ?’
says I.
‘No, blackamoor,’ says he, ‘ hit n uitn’t. Hit
was her, an nobody else,’ says he.
‘What could have made her gone an done it ?’’
says I.
‘ Gin,’ says lie; * gin an the devil.’
‘ Well raalyl’ says I, ‘I think the devil must
a had somethin to do with it; for all the gin in
the world, and knock-kneed whiskey to boot,’
says I, jest so, ‘couldn’t make a mother kill her
own child, ’thout the help o’ the devil—least
wise, that’s the way with the mothers whar I
comes from, Marster,’ says I.
‘Whar do you come from ?’ says he.
‘Georgy,’ saysl.
•What sort o’ Georgy ?' says he; not whar
they breeds gals for Turkey ?’ says he.
‘ Come, Marster,’ says I, ‘ for I wasn’t in a
humor for funnin with the gentleman, ‘ come,
Marster, you’re arter poking fun at this nigger.
They don’t breed no gals in my country for tur
keys, you know very well,’ says I, ‘but I must
say, Marster,’ says I, ‘ef they did, and cooked
one on ’um every day for dinner.’ says I, jest so,
‘thar would be more sense in hit, than the w r ay
the people has here, of killin thar children for
nutliin, and puttin ’um to no use at all,’ says I.
The genTman seemed to think what I said
was powerful funny, Marster, for he laffed
mightily.
‘ You goose,’ says he, ‘ who talked about tur
keys? I asked you es you was from Georgy in
Asia,’ says he, ‘whar gals are bred and trained
as wives for tho Turks,’ says he.
‘No sir-reel’ says I. ‘Ef tliar’s any sich
Georgy as that, Marster, I’m not from thar.
I’m from Georgy in Ameriky, sir,’ says I, * whar
we has as pretty gals, too,’ says I, ‘as any in
the world, sir,’ says I. ‘ But we takes mighty
good care, Marster, that they corniffles in the
breasts of our own men the dextority of their
charms,’ says I, jest so.
You see, Marster, I sorter talked what you
call hyferlutin at the genTman, becase I want
ed him to see that this nigger know’d a thing or
two hisself when he thunk about it, and becase
I was determined to stand up for my country
when it was insaulted.
‘ Oh, that’s hit, is it ?” says the genTman.
‘An so you are from Georgy in America,’ says
he, 1 whar they have slaves, don’t they ?”
‘ Yes, Marster,’ says I.
‘Why, es w r e bleevehalf we hecr,’says he, ‘ef
the slaveholders thar don’t fling thar children
out o’ winders, they makes nuthin o’ whippm
thar slaves to detli, any time. How ’bout that?’
says he. ‘Ain’t that so ?’
‘Nairy time, Marster,’ saysl. ‘Leastwise, I
hardly ever heerd o’sich a thing,’says I. ‘An
hit don’t staiid to reason, Marster,’ says I. ‘Peo
ple giner’ly don’t part with thar money so easy,’
says I. ‘Niggers is mighty high,’ says I; ‘an
es a man kills his nigger, he flings his money
away. Your people,’ says I, ‘can ’ford to fling
thar children out o’ winder,’ says I, ‘ becase
they ain’t worth much, es anything ; but they’s
mighty clar of doin thar money so,’ says I, jest
so. ‘ Fact is, Marster, to my notion, we ain’t
so sertugrous, no how, no wayyou can fix it,’
says I, jest so, ‘as you are in this country.’
‘ Were you a slave, old boy. whar you come
from ?’ says he.
‘Yes, Marster,' says 1.
‘An yit you call it your country, as es you
was free,’ says he. * How come it any country
of yourn,’ says he, ‘ es you was a slave ?’
* Marster,’ says I, * thar’s whar I was born an
raised, thar’s whar my wife an chil’n is,’ says I;
‘an we’s all mighty happy thar, and I think I
has a right to call it my country,’ says I. 1 Be
sides that,’ says I, ‘my grandaddy he fout for
the country in the Independence War; an for the
matter o’ that, I sorter done somethin o’ that
kind myself—leastwise, my Marster he went
out agin the Seminoles, an fit through the Flur
idas, and I went long with him as his sarvant.
It’s true, we didn’t git much chance to extin
guish ourselves, an killed more alligators than
Injuns; but we done the best we could, an you
know, Marster. nobody could do more,’ says I,
jest so.
* How did you git here ?’ says he.
‘ I come with my Marster, sir; who I left this
mornin at his lodgins in the Strand,’ says I.
‘ An you’re gwine back to him? ’ says he.
‘Sartain,’ says I, ‘ef I live.’
l You fool,’ says lie, ‘what! go back to slave
ry? You shouldn't think of it. Come’long
with me, an I’ll git you employment’
‘ What will you git me ?’ says I.
‘ Let me see—l will git you,’ says he, ‘ I will
git you ten pence a day,' says he ; ‘an that’s
big wages for ahod-man, for carry in brick,’ says
he: ‘but being you’re a slave,’ says he, ‘an
wish to git away from y'our Marster, I’ll do that
for you,’ says he.
‘ Marster,’says I, ‘ef hit was ten shillins,
hit wouldn’t begin to pay. I should be givin
up a sartainty for a onsartainty,’ says I, jest so.
‘ Why, hits as much as the workin people can
do here, Marster, to keep soul and body togeth
er—an a great many on ’um don’t do it; for I
meets ’um everywliar ’bout, sufferin for some
thin to eat,’ says I. ‘Us slaves, in Georgy,
Marster, has got a plenty, an to spar. An then
our marsters has to tote all our cares and trou
bles, and the troubles o’ our famblies,’ says I,
‘ they ain’t on our backs. Our marsters is
bound to do it; an es we git sick, we's nursed,
Marster, at our master’s expense. We’s his
money, and he wants to turn us over soon as
possible,’ says I, jest so. ‘ For the same reason,
sir, our marsters couldn’t ’ford to let thar sar
vauts drown their cares, es they ever has any—
which es they lias, is onbeknowns to me—in gin,
or any sich pisin, as your poor people do. And
so we is decent, an sober, an God-fearin people,
Marster,’ says I. ‘ When we gits old,’ says I,
‘an can’t do anything for ourselves,’says I,
‘ he’s obleeged to take care of and support us;
and he’ll love to do it, becase marsters ginerly,
in my country, gits to likin thar servants,’ says
I, jest so.f ‘An that ain't all, Marster,’ says I,
‘to tell you the truth, es I was sure of gittin
plenty to eat here in this country, an bein tuk
care of while I lived, an es I didn't like my
marster too well to desart him,’says I, ‘I
wouldn’t live in a country whar the women
flings thar children out o’ the winders,’ says I,
jest so. I think, ’bout this time, the genTman
didn’t like the way the argument was a gwine,
Marster, and so drapped it, and put out.”
On the next day, I attended the police court
at the Guildhall, where I was informed that the
woman who had maltreated her child in the
manner stated by Buck would be examined.—
Below you have au account of that examination:
• “ POLICE INTELLIGENCE — Saturday, August 23.
GuiklhaU. —Margaret Raymond, aged thirty,
was charged before Alderman Wilson, with
throwing her son. aged six, from the third-floor
window of a house in Sun court, Golden lane.
Policeman, 140 D, said he received information
on the previous evening that a child had been
thrown out of a window, and proceeded to No. 9,
Golden laue. The prisoner was coming out, and
she exclaimed, ‘ I have done it now 1’ The child
was sent to the hospital, and the prisoner taken
into custody. The child afterwards said that
his mother had thrown him out of the window
because he would not let her take off his boots.
The prisoner: ‘ I was very drunk, your worship.’
Alderman Wilson: ‘Do you think that to be a
justification of your conduct ?’ The public officer:
‘She knew very well what she wasdoing. The
child fell on his head on the shed below the
window, and rolled thence to the ground.’ The
surgeon's certificate was produced. It stated
that the child’s head was much injured, but the
skull was not fractured. Mary Ann Regan, an
intelligent girl, aged eleven, who said she never
read the Bible, but always told the truth, depos
ed that she lived in the house (No. 9), and was
looking through the seeond-flooj window Sho
saw the prisoner holding the child out of the up
per window; lie exclaimed, ‘Oh, mother, don't
chuck me out.!’ The mother then took him by
the heels and dropped him out of the window.
At the same time a little girl in the mother’s
room exclaimed, ‘ Oh, mother, don’t throw him
out!’ The prisoner was committed for trial. She
subsequently admitted that she had wanted the
boy’B boots in to sell them for gin.”—Oh
servor, August2oth, 1851.
The scene described in this report has remind
ed me somewhat of one of Hogarth’s famous pic
tures, known as “ Gin Lane,” and suggestive of
manners and morals in this metropolis more than
a century ago. The principal figure in that hor
rible picture is a loathsome woman, so drunk
that she lets her child fall from her arms into a
cellar, situated in the area, above which she is
seated. She is surpassed by hor modern suc
cessor in the gin lanes, however; for the latter
does not wait until her child falls by accident
from her arms, but throws it from the window,
that she may exchange its boots for gin. A ca
tastropne so shocking was not imagined by Ho
garth. I suppose he would have rejected it, as
too unnatural for probability—another illustra
tion of the hackneyed phrase that “truth is
strange—stranger than fiction."
I bring this letter to a close by assuring you
that I remain, dear Major,
Respectfully,
Your friend and cousin,
P. Joxes.
To Maj. Joxes, Pineville, Ga.,
U. S. States of America.
tSee Appendix, D.
While these pages have been passing through the
press, events have occurred at Harper's Ferry, which
have afforded a striking illustration of much thnt has
boen said by I)r. Jones and his sen ant in these letters,
ns to the relations of master and slave in the Southern
States.
As has been remarked by Gov. Wise, when speaking
of this Harper's Ferry affair, it seems impossible for
Xorthern men to understand the patriarchal character of
the relation between master and slave in onr country —
that is to say, the nature of the strong family tie which,
as a general rule, exists between them. It is to be hoped
that this affair has by this time taught them scmetliing
on this subject That it has at least satisfied the viper of
abolitionism, that in attempting to excite our contented
and comfortable slaves into rebellion against their mas
ters, it bites against a tile.
The author of these letters passed through a portion of
Virginia and Maryland, attended by a colored servant,
about the time of the occurrence to which he has just
referred, and had thus some opportunity of forming an
opinion as to the amount of sympathy with the move
ment on the part of slaves, and of the impression made
upon them by it. He was thus enabled to ascertain
(what is everywhere now well known) that even in the
1 (order States it met witli no encouragement from slaves,
and was, indeed, treated by them with contempt. This
fact is so well understood at the South, and our people
are so cousclous that there is no materiel of disaffection
among our slaves, out of which insubordination or insur
rection can arise, that, notwithstanding all the excite
ment which has been created by this affair, and the in
creased vigilance which has been exercised in looking
after strange visitors among us, little or no change has
been made in onr police regulations with reference to
our slaves, and the value of these slaves, as property, has
been in no wise affected. There can be no better tests
than these of security and confidence among our people,
on this subject.
When the circumstances to which I have referred first
occurred, the people of the South were disposed to regard
them as overt acts of the treason which fanatical Aboli
tionists of the North had been so long talking and writ
ing ; and we repented to ourselves tne trite but classic
sentiment, that “ Whom God wills to destroy, he first
makes mad"--almost rejoicing in the confident expecta
tion that tills outrage, w hieh was but the practical work
ing out of Abolition doctrines, was so dangerously and
shockingly evil, that the friends of our Constitution and
of the Union in the Northern States would now be ena
bled so to speak and act, as effectually to overwhelm all
who were concerned in, or responsible for the treason,
with infamy and disgrace. In this, great and general
disappointment has been exi>crienced and expressed.
And now, in the opinion of moderate and reflecting men,
of all parties in the South, of men who are by no means
mixed up with the manoeuvres of politicians, there lias
been so much of sympathy with the perpetrators of this
mad treason manifested at the North, without effective
rebuke or denunciation from those whom we have been
accustomed to regard as the conservative members of
society there, as greatly to lessen our confidence in these
persons, and very much to loosen tho hold of our affec
tions u[»n the union of these States. I see very plainly
what the result will be (and I know of none so
effectual as the ballot,) .unless tho remedy be applied
without delay. That remedy must be taken in hand by
the people (not the politicians) of the Northern States.
If these people desire a continuance of the Union with
us, they must bring to bear upon the crisis a power be
fore which politicians bow down and grovel, and fanatics
btand stricken w ith awe— thepotcer of well-dejined pub
lic opinion. Unless that opinion be speedily manifested in
some energetic and decisive form, another republic, in a
few years, will be added to the roll of nations upon the
North American continent,. I shrink from the contem
plation of its baptism.
—■
The Evening Post lias been shown a curious
book in Latin, printed in Germany in 1103, en
titled Nugas Venales, filled with jests, epigrams
and humorous poems. Among the poems is one
entitled Pugna Porcorum, per Publium Percium,
poetum, or, “ The Battle of the Pigs, by Publius
Porcus, poet,” consisting of about three hundred
lines, every word in which begins with the let-
The poem bears this motto:
Perlege pocorum pulcherrima praalia, potor;
Potando potcris placidam proferre poesin.
The Post can conceive of nothing but German
patience and labor capable of producing such a
prodigy of alliteration as the poem in question.
The Paris papers speak of a new industry
that has arisen in France. Government has or
dained the systemetie gathering of sea-weed
which is washed on to the rocks of the coast of
Normandy and Britanny, to serve as wadding
for artillery—it being found to answer the pur
pose admirably—keeping the iron cool, and not
being liable to ignition, like the cotton wad hith
erto in use. The material has already been dis
tributed to the Ordnance Department at Vincen
nes.
CHILDRENS’ COLUMN.
RIDDLES —(By Oonnasem.)
1. Simon had his aunts to dine,
For Simon was their only heir:
What Simon said, ere taking wine.
Is naming satirist most rare.
What satirist?
2. Baby sits'at mother's feet,
And importunes with childish diction.
Calling a name in tones so sweet.
Os a French author, prince of fiction.
What author?
ENIGMA NO. XVI.
I am composed of nineteen letters:
My 1,9, 15, 16 makes a coward.
My 6, 10, 18, 9 an evil passion.
My 2, 3,16 an essential to life.
My 9, 15, 16, 4, 5 our dwelling during life.
My 13, 14,10, 17, 11 a useful article.
My 8,7, 12 the pericarp of seeds.
My 19, 9,10, 16 a period of time.
My whole will indicate the three principal
Christian graces. J. E. W.
ENIGMA NO. XVII.
(For the Very Little Folks.
I am composed of three letters:
My 3,1, 2 the chief product of one of the
Southern States.
My 2,1, 3 a small quadruped.
My whole is “something” which is encour
aged by the Field and Fireside , and which is de
fined in Webster’s dictionary thus: “ The dispo
sition or modification of things by human skill,
to answer the purpose intended." What is it?
Bettie Guay.
CHARADE 11.
My first, when a Frenchman is learning Eng
lish, serves him to swear t>y. My second is a
stack of hay or grain. My whole, is the name
of one of the most distinguished comic actors
that has ever lived.
Solution- op Problem No. 4, (by James.)
Reduce the fractions to a common denomina
tor, and the question then may be thus stated :
What is that number of which 10-20 and 5-20
and 4-20 added to 20-20 will be 39 ? ‘ But the
proposition, as stated above, is equivalent to
this—39-20 equal to 39. But if 39 twentieths
of the number are equal to 39, 1 twentieth of
the number must be equal to 1, and 20 twenti
eths must be equal to 20, which is therefore the
number required.
ANSWERS TO RIDDLES, &C., OF LAST WEEK.
To Charade I—Pair.
To Metrical Riddle—The letter R.
To Problem No. 4, (by James) —The Number
20.
Answer to Enigma XIV. received from M. R.
P., of Mobile.
Answer to Problem No. 3 (by James) received
from M. R. P. of Mobile.
Enigmas received from Mary, of Albany, Ga.,
and E. E. M., of Tuskegee, Ala.
—> —in
Masonry jy tub U«th> States—From doc
uments entirely reliable, an exchange has com
piled the following statistical table of Masonry
in each State, showing the number of lodges in
each, and the number ofmembors:
State. Lodges. Members.
Alabama 230 7,260
Arkansas 116 2,048
California...* 129 4,474
Connecticut 54 4,884
Delaware 12 612
Dist. of Columbia 11 683
Florida 41 1,636
Georgia 226 13,256
Illinois 290 10,571
Indiana ....240 8,594
low-a 134 3,950
Kansas 16 280
Kentucky 300 10,309
Louisiana 106 4,324
Maine 80 4.391
Maryland 33 1,449
Massacusetts 103 5,927
Michigan 112 5,058
Minnesota 23 926
Mississippi 205 7,779
Missouri 6 150
Nebraska 6 140
New llamßhire 27 1,731
New Jersey 50 2,204
New York 412 26,192
North Carolina .132 4,994
Ohio 271 12,105
Oregon 24 602
Pennsylvania 161 11,500
Rhode Island 15 1,176
South Carolina 79 2,600
Tennessee 193 10,468
Texas 196 6,396
Vermont 48 2,401
Virginia 162 6,250
Wisconsin 86 3,907
Wisconsin Territory 4 75
Totals 4,854 211,538
In addition to the above, the total income of
the Grand Lodge is now $207,100, and the total
income of all the subordinate Lodges is not far
from $1,250,000.
——
Statistics of Population.—The directors of
the Statistical Bureau of Berlin furnish the
following curious statement:
The population of the whole earth is estima
ted to be 1,288,000,000, i^miely:
Europe, 272,000,000.
Asia, 755,000,000.
Africa, 200,000,000.
America, 59,000,000.
Australia, 2,000,000.
The population of Europe is thus distributed:
Russia, 62,000,000.
Austrian States, 36,398,620.
France, 35,039,354.
Great Britain and Ireland, 27,488,859.
Prussia, 17,089,406.
Turkey, 18,740,000.
Spain, 15,518,000.
The two Sicilies, 8,615,922.
Sweden and Norway, 5,072,820.
Sardinia, 4,976,034.
Belgium, 4,607,666.
Bavaria, 4,547,239.
Th"i Netherlands, 3,487,617.
Portugal, 3,741,199.
The Papal States, 3,100,000.
Switzerland, 2,494,500.
Denmark, 2,468,468.
In Asia, the population is thus distributed:
Chinese Empire, 400,000,000.
The East Indies, 171,000,000.
The Indian Archipelago, 80,000,000.
Japan, 35,000,000.
Hindostan, 15,000,000.
Asiatic Turkey, 15,000,000.
In America, the population is thus distributed:
United States, 23,191,876.
Brazil, 7,687,800.
Mexico, 7,661,520.
251