Erie observer. (Erie, Pa.) 1830-1853, June 23, 1849, Image 1

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    S. r. SLOAN', Editor.
VOLUME 20,
Deferrt (Eiturittl.
Ea' A friend requests us to publish the following or
ticle,•which origioally appeared in the 0 IfurriAleargli
Union" soon after the adjournment of the Legislature.
Wo comply with pleasure, inasmuch as we saw a n arti
cle in the "(lacland Herold" of a recent dale, which
spoke of the permission to construct a railroad through
this state to Buffalo, as yet to be obtained. The Herald,
and all others interested, will at-once see that the grant is
already obtained, in spite of tho,short-sighted policy of
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh:
True Eats, ASP 01110 Itsti.noto Aasts,—During the
last hour of the late session , a bill passed the Legislature
entitled "An act to authorise the Canal Coin inisoionare
to sell and convey certain real estate on the Franklin line
of the Pennsylvania Canal," It hick act obtained the rui
lowing sections:
SkItTION B.—That the company authorized by the act
of the GeneralAssenibly, entitled 'At act to authorize
the governor to incorporate the Fran lin canal Compa
ny," passed the 27th day of April, 184-1, be and the battle
is hereby authorised to elect officers at any time before
the first day of August next, upon notice ocen given by
any three stockholders agreeably to the provisions of
said act; and no failure heretolln e to elect Officers, or ally
other irregularity shall ho,taken or construed to work a
forfeiture of the charter of said company.
Szcries 9 —That the said company instead • of- eon
athicting a canal, or completing cud repairing the work
,(ono by the Commonwealth, h l ee the privilege of con
structing a railroad, if deemed the most expedient, and
to use the graded line or towing path of the said canal as
the bed of the said railroad.
SLCTION O. upon the said compatty!s increos-
Oa the stock thereof to the attic int of flee hundred thou
stand dollars, it shall hare the privilege of extending front
the north end thereof to I Ilse Erie. front 'the south end to
Pittsburg, by inch route aV the said e 0111 1 , d 11 :i "'hall cle"no
west expedient end advantageous. Tho said roe rood
shall be constructed subject to all the provisions and
restrictions of an act reutilatitt, railroad companies, pas
sed the 19th due of Ft.hittary. A. 1)1.1849: Prooi,tcd That
there is.,nothittv, in lltia act to prove to. the Legislature
front atitherkinz the sale of the real and personal pro•
petty st hich belongs to the quitettionwealth. on the said
Franklin line of the Penns; !yarnm canal, exception the
towing path, bet•tn bank and bed or canal along the afore
said lute.
•
Tho above three sections appear on their free merely to
nuthorise the nicking of n railroad fiom Franklin hi VC , .
11211120 county to the town of Erie, and also to Pittsburgh,
but the very general phrase is i n serted ilia this road is to
be made ..by such route as the said company slmll deem
most trpciliont and wirantageons," and the friends of
the conipan3 say that the most advantageous route is
from the town of Ede up the Lake pre -to within sit
inches ofthe Ohio State line in the owie.hip of Spring
field or Conneaut, and thence to Frnpltlin, but we doubt
whether the Franklin end of the road %V/ II ever ho - made.
Thus. after all the trouble and expel so of passing and
repealing Erie and Ohio railroad hull it seems the very
shrewd member, from Philadelphia, were entirely over
reached during the last hours of.the TiSioll, and an Erie .
and Ohio railroad hill has again been sprung upon them.
they permitting it to go throo g n all !its sta g es without
ever discovering the true object of th act.
The "union," let it he remembered,' is deeply inter
ested in tho Central Railroad, and ap posed to the con
uectin link between this city and Ito Ohio lino. Its
1 ,
statement in the main, is'true, ,then,g I not btrielly ‘ cor
rect, perhaps in the particular route, r the modo of ef
fecting the object. It is conceded ott all hands that t h e law
~'ices the power to make the road trot? hero to the Ohio
line—no doubt is entertained upon that subkct, and we
aro satisfied that when the work shall{be prosecuted, no
serious opposition will be made to it We understand
that a large trrtjerity of the stock in dli# original compa
twy is ownod hy the Messrs. G A (jut A . . I
.ots city, suit that ins remaining stor
ly to tho main Qbject of the act. Not
for the organization of the company m
when the company trill proceed to pr,
al stock required, and make the nee
paratory to putting under con(ract tlm
moil necessary to ho speedily eomple
Too B ty.—Dr B icon, the Etlitor o f
Book, the Mail that wrote, or rather r
fur's celebrated letter to the late Get
sending his bill to tho,President for pl
erol wont pity., wever—lie repudiate.
ly the doctor is d4•l_idcdly - wrathy at t
ing "them eight dollars." lln don' I
•'second WaAtington" a dose of phsij
particular goose quill ''jcssoe" as.folk .
dollars'
President 'Pat for wont pay "limn) eight dollar
that -he owes for the 'Day Hook, then 4 li he has owied
over his signature, that he took it (mem - the odietyand
read - it with great satisfaction and pletisure: and / though
ho multi it for wrapping paper to theigrocery ' a_ Baton
Hong Vat "four bits a hundred," as can be p r ve'd on le
gal evidence. When hie bill was . serit tun insteod of
p-. inf.! it like nn "honeq man," he r pljAd by a mere
letter of thanks; and by the way ofadd rig-m. 4 to injure,
sent the "Day Hook" the same 'kite ~ word for word,
which he addres,ed. at the time, to i i ho N. Y. Herald
nod the Mirror; thus intimating that he +considered the
Day 'Book to he on the same level with those papers." '
tuttdo Advertiser
several bops; cure
head ult wouldn't
r -ith all tho dignity
Ire hung in a min.
first." If the lit.
Ihe is pretty well
ipresent adminis-:
3 Ito dies.
A Jt.TVENILE Ortsuas.—The
tells of on earnest discussion between
asked "If one man was to cut another.:
he be hung right nway?" Another, N
of a judge, replied, "No. ho notildn't
ute; be would have three or four trials
tle fellow don't understand the theory,
versed in the 'medico of the law es et
tared, and will boa Chief Justice befo
ENERGY or AmEntc%N Cutintcrrat The following
from the St. Louis Union. immedinte y after the great
fire, is illustrative of the invincible enterprize of our peo
ple. Such men literally rise under,pressure:
"Yesterday. while we were lamenting the misfortunes
that had befallen our city. a French gel i ntlemen to whom
we had just been introduced. ebserved—•Ah store. do
Americaine ho ono mighty nation: yn t nerer make him
get np rery math. till you strike him ne great blow on
llic head to knock him down!"' k
4.71 strike him at
~.ock him down!"'
BRCTAI. INIURDER.-TllO Hager 9 sto la Herald says,
that tho body of a man named George Johnion„ late of
Easton Pa., was found on Saturday it ight, a short dis
tance above dam No. 6, on the Che.,npealte and Ohio
Canal, in that county, with his heal utmost literally
mashed to pieces. A fence rail, with which the deed
had been perpetrated, was lying by his side, besmeared
with blood and brains.
Miss EDGEWOitTII DY.AD.—Maria Edgeworth. the cele
brated Irish novelist, died recently et Edgesworthstown,
county of Longford, after a few hours' illness. Sho had
reached an advanced age, and tho lass years of her life
were passed in her native village in', traritiility and
peace,
TIE E SECOND WAsitutorott —A writer;for the Washing
ton Union enys:
We aro informed ht• a friend that thecoat of Watling
ton wns tried on by the junior during his visit to the' Pa
tent Office. and that the tails thereof dragged upon the
ground. When advised of the fact, he turned to his Ca
binet and remarked, with groat simplicity. "What a bads
shaped man Washington must hove been to hisve fitted
such a coat."
ltirxartr Wise.—Some writer talking of•inenners.
6 aP-'. "nobody ever lost anything by politeness." Our
experience doesn't quite confirm the truth of that obser
"lion." but if any person wants to ° test the question, lot
him "have the politeness" to lend his uMbrolla.
HrWING Immoven.--The editor of the N. York Jour
nal 61 Commerce has boon shown s'pecirnens of bags for
grain, buckwheat. hominy and salt, sewed by machin
ery, which exceed in strength and beauty any ever be
fore teen. They can be furnished eta Much lower price
than those formerly sewed by hand. The proprietors are
n " engaged on a count. of 15,000 per day. end have
tn . ohinery capable of' ern Ing , twice that imeunt.
r F ERIE OBSERVER
holders are friend
e has been given
rly in next month.
'cure the addition,
Rs3ty FIIITCytt pro
portion of the lino
ho Xeto York Day
-wrote, Gen Tay
, Gaines, has been
iiyruent—the Gen
—and consequent
the prospect ofloos
exactly give the
but he gives him
ovs!
sriert pa et rtj
TZCZI TRONSTOMS/TO OV TUX PAST.
CE=
Ys pUte.st whose very ruin overwhelms
Our senses with your vastness—whose dread forms,
Clad in the mail of centuries, shake the storms
Like dew-drops from their mouldering breasui—ye realms
Of shadow, where decay bath fixed hoe throne,
And hence foredooms the Present with the fate
Of all the Past— ye toupee of Toil! make known
The dread significance of your fallen state—
'Why do ye live In Dust? why thus for dust create?
Those Ratio answer us! They speak emir!
The shadotvy years, like Samuel unto Saul!
Each stone hath voice as if within the wall
A multitude of prisoned souls were hid:—
Behold! they cry—behold! these crumbling piles
Ate ertive-stoties of the People— if the slaves—
The masses—.through whose sweet and bloody tolls
All were uproar) bases, architraves—
These are the monuments of those st ho have no graves!
Those }Winn teach us: Kings have writ their names
Upon them crushed entablatures, and deemed
Their memory deathless as each coluron seemed!
Why In it, that nor king nor missal claims
The homage that their awful works Innidret
Why in tt that we gaze—perrhance ndinire—
Yet reek not for the long•forgotten builder,
Whom handicraft, even it, ruins, can beWildcrt
Is it Lee ,use the sonl, which was In him
Who bUiit, bath passed into his work. It is
Because the eternal life which had been his,
Was trodden out by kings from soul and Bulb,
That with it they might raise these monuments
To their own glory. Human soul and sense
Wacre sacrificed to matter—and stones became,
Instead of Men, the alters ofa nation's fame!
AI) rinds or nen were melted into brass
For Rhodes' Colossus—millions crushed lo elan
That Thebes might dazzle thro' her short lived day:
0! had these hecatombs of souls—this imps'
Of living Labor—been together welded—
Had one great mental monument been hullded—
'nen had titdt rescued and hatted Whole
Templed Creation watt a deathless human soul!
•
Nonage Bird
3 Aril
Lind $0
The Cully Boatman's Defeat.
An Incident in the Life of a Great Man
It was a cool, clear, moonshiny oveniug. early in the
autumn of 1807, when a large fleet of boats might be
seen riding at nochar in the fine eddy of tio harbor of
New Madrid, on the western shore of the
There were nearly q hundred in all, in whicti l every possi
ble imaginable variety of water craft seemed to be reali
zed in some visible fantastic form and structure. There
was the strong, gtately barge, huge in size as an Atlantic
schooner, whith is elevated and outlandish dock. Moor
ed close ki• it. side, one beheld the keel-boat, of a long
slender, and lovely shape, and yet capape of carrying its
forty tons hurdler). Next came the Kentucky flats, or, in
the backwoods patois, "broad horns," built after'the mo
del of Noah's ark. but very Much resembling pig-sties.
Many of these were family boats conveying emigrant.
to their new homes in the forest. Then' ovlu
ouridtve **covered sleds,',' Allegheny skiff's. pirogues hol
lowed out of gigantic trees, common=skiffe, "dog outs."
and several other monstrous anemolics utterly irreduciblia
to any specific class—its short, perfect Babel of Itetroge
nous boats.
Equally, or even more contradictory, was the charac
ter athe navigators. They had come from difForont regions
of the great valloy, thousands of miles apart—from the
Missouri, the falls of St. Anthony and Lake Michigan,
iron; tho Wabash, the Monongahely, the saline of Kan
firma, and fir blue mountains of the winding Tennes . see.
Therti were hunters and trappers, Canadian French, and
thefget "alligator breed of old KentOck." Their
hulin was also as dis4imiliar as their porstms. It was
ins e up of all sorts of animal—horses, cowsJ sheep. hogs.
rkovs, chickens—bound for.the market of Now Orleans.
tore were flats loaded with pine plank fro in the south
western woods of New York. In another place, landed
.together, yon might see tho "broad horns 4" with their
whiskey, hemp, bagging, and bale rope; i another still
"the Yankoe notions," of Ohio, hero, vast
from Tetsitessec, and there, cider, tools, a
of architecture and husbandry front Penn
was a minimum done in charcoal sketch
future magnificence of western CulTilriert:ol
That was the golden ago of the boattnan. Their bold,
bronzed hands had not yet come into unenneal competi
tion with 'army of iron., which, moved by the secret witch
eiy of fire, rise and full with the force of thunder—for not
until five yearn afterwards did the first steamboat cut
through 110 white foam of the great river's boiling ed
dies.
New Madrid was then the chief meridian of boats, both
in ascending and &Tending the Mississippi. An old
town, which had seen successively Spanish, French, and
then American rule; land having received a molly - mix
ture of outlaws from each nation, together with many re
spectable and even wealthy inhabitents, the riotous dispo
sition of its people suited exactly the taste of that boating
tribe, in their own vernacular slang, "half horse and half
alligator, with a small touch of tho snapping -turtle." and
accordingly. the smallest skiffin those days could not
pass "Sodom," as it Wag general] called, without tieing
a cable night or more. From causes obvious at a glance
the most desperate rows were of frequent occurcncc—
sometimes between the different clans of boatmen? but
more often between the boatmen on ones de and the citi
zens on the ether.
On this occasion first alluded to, unusual tranquility
prevailed till after nightfall. Fiddles might be heard
"scrag ,y
ing uwa' at every point in the fleet, while red , '
shirts wore seen dancing on deck—some to the sound oil
the violin, some to the wilder blast of the bugle, and I
others "to the louder intonations of their own throats and
windpipes. roaring their favorite soug-,"Row, boatmen,
row," and "Dance boatmen dance." Fiddles, too. were
going in every grocery on the shore; and there might
be counted twenty•tive-.-soine of them wore also open
for worse, purposes than retailing gin.
"'Spose we venture out and 'raise th I wind' a spell,", l
said Bill Coulter, a huge, massive, be y "six-footer,"
with sharp grey eyes, and hair as red as his flannel shirt.
"Good as grass to a hungry hog," s outed a .dozen
drunken voices. "We'll alters back Bill Coulter, because
he's king of the *wild eats,' whet nevot •as whipped."
And immediately the "wild cats." a d their honored
"king," leaped on shore for a "revere! d • set." Thoy
had not proceeded far. when Bill exclaiu ed, "A prizj by
thunder:" and instantly gave chase to a emale who hap
pened to be passing before them. The w• man fled with a
startled shriek, and ran some hundred yards before the
ruffian succeeded in overtaking her.
*Tufty as a young angil," cried King
tabor veil and discovered features, aid!
pale from excessive terror. beatiful as
neath a female ' s hood. Very little spat
allowed them to rejoice over their wicke
01M2M=111
whom neither entreaties nor threats eon
heerirova of half a sedTo of vocerlae
Foremost among the citizens rushing to aid their towns
woman, was a well dressed American, evidently of a
higher class thtui the common crowd of loafers aud gam
blers. As sooniis he'came near enough to discover who
the victim was, he uttered a cry of rage, and aiming a
four pound- weight stretched Mr. Coulter, his full length,
on the earth. The "wild cats" fully justified their name
by a desperation even surpassing that of the ferocious
animal after whiCh they were called. But the "Sotto
mitea."also 'brave as the bravest, had vastly the advan
tage in point of numbers, and quickly Compelled their
foes to seek safety , in the swiftness of their hoofs. '
"My beautiful Julia!" "Dearest John!" "Thank
God!" were the hasty ejaculations, as the young Amer
ican clasped his lovely wife to his bosom after the hard
won deliverance.il
.. •
..Do not stand Pottering there." said an old hunter.
who wept. he - wooer, in spite of himself, while he chided.
"The river-hive Will be swarming in a few minutes, and
we shall have the bloodiest sport ever seen in Now Mad"
rid." •
Even as he spelt., a numhtmof bugles wailed out to
gether—ominous warning that the boatmen were ' mus
tering for a general melee. Rapid runners then flew
over every part of the village, summoning the male in
habitants to collect for the common defence.
In about half hour from the inception
.of difficulty,.
the two parties wore arranged in opposing lines, with a
distance interveni l tig of not more than twenty paces.—
They might, per'- pa, amount to two hundred on each
side, and it was impossible to say which band presented
the most diabolical appearance—the,boatinen in their rod,
shirts and bareheaded, or the townsmen, swarthy Span
iards and lung beardedFronehmen, with a sprinkle or
American huntura l ,and a number of half-breed Indians.—
There were many guns and pistols, and more knives and
hatchets on either line. The silver rays of the moon
bright as day.' revealed it all. and caused both sides to
pause before colnitteneieg a battle so extremely dubious.
Suddenly, the red head of Bill Coulter might be seen
advancing half way into the open space betwixt the two
lines, as he cried out in a stentorian voice which would
have served a chai!ging host instead of a trumpit—
"l don't won't other folks to du my fightit.' no how.
Jist let the feller w , h at hit rue the jaw-jolter with the rock ,
walk out hero, andif lie can whop me, the 'wild cats' .
'nil treat, and if I whops him, 'Sodom' shall give me a
free night in her :inner shops. What d'yo awl?"
frh.
"That's fair. Hurrah for Bill King!" ahouted tho
boatmen.
"That's fair. Hurrah for John AValker!" echoed the
,Sodonutes.
A well-dressed young man, of a fine intelligent coati
toniince, then left the ranks of the citizens and moved
towards the "wild-cat-king;" but ho had scarcely made
four stops, when a female sprang after him, seized him,
both arms around the neck, crying in words of eart-ren
ding anguish—“Oh! do not fight that dreadful man,
who has already killed several with single blows of his
fist."
In vain the husband endeavored to shake'off the hold
of those affectionate arms. She would not let him go„—
At the instant, two richly-dressed gentlemen' arrived on
the ground, as spedtaters, from a keel-boat which had
just landed.
"If his 'ootnan won't let hint fight. Why let some 'un
else stand in his shoes—it's all one to Dill Coulter.
_But
a tight I'll have, or 'chew up the town and spit it out like
tobalter-juice," again shouted the ruffian.
"That's fair," roared the boatmen; but this tirno tlierte
came no echo froinkho lino of the "Sodomites." Coup
ter's prowess was too' well known.
"Sing out what yogi do, or else we'll have a general
rumpus," once more exclaimed Dill, champing his teeth
and foaming at the mouth ;ike u 1114 d wolf.
"John Walker shall fight," said several of the tick
zens, advancing to the young American's wife, who still
clung to him with the strength of despair, and shrieking
most piteously as the mon strove to loosen her grasp.-
At the moment, ono of the richly-dressed spectators
moved into the operi area. .Boatmen and citizens alike
were struck with hi s noble and commanding form, erect
and 'stately as a tower, and with the look of imperial
majesty that sat like a seal of authority. and kingship on
his brow, lofty as that given by sculptors to the stat
ues of Olympian Jove.
"1 ow always ready to do battle for any lady," said the
stranger, bowing IoW, with Mock courtesy, to the "wild
cat" chief.
ag3 of cotton
"Then you tako it up, do you?" asked Bill,ineasuring
the other with his oYe, end apparently not much pleased
with the exchange of antagonists: .
"I do," was the laconic reply.'
d implimont
ltv
-work of the
"Then strip off yiziur fino fixiiis, or they'll git bloody
as well as dirty—forlym going to pound you up .for sos
sago meat." I
"Never • d Ins,: put look out CO yourself," said the
stronger advancing-I
The wild cat king aimed soveral heavy over-hand
blows, which tho other coolly parried. The stranger
then watched his opportunity, and as the foo attempted,
to break through his4uard for the purpose of grapplingt
dealt a quick direct punch. which tnking effect in the pit
of Bill's stomach, sent him reeling to the earth.
"You can't do that again," cried the "wild cat," as
he arose to his feet and pitched towards his adversary.
furious with pain and mortification. But this time ho
received a gash abovi3 the right eye that again put him
on his back.
"That wasn't dorat fair," Bill remarked, as he once
more leaped up and Struck ut his enemy. A deep cut
of sharp knuckles over the left eye cost him another tum
ble in the dust..
At this, a universal burst of acclamation hailed the vic
tor—but even the boatmen were carried away by won
der at a degree of strength and skill that actually seemed
to their excited fancies mere than mortal. '
"Let's set to with knives," roared Bill, drawing his
own.
"Very well," ansWered the stranger, also unsheathing
a long glittering blade.
But the "wild cat' was loo• blind from his recent
wounds to do execution in the present rencounicr; and
after two or three ineffectual lunges, his weapon was
knocked from his hand and fell at the distance of 'a' rod.
"I'm whipped! The wild cats 'ull treig." cried Bill.
tte.stity, expecting ecei'y instant to feel the point of a dag
ger entering betwixt his ribs.
"No, treat," answered the stranger. "There."
and he thrust into tholwild cat's fingers a hundred dollar
noto, Then turned away, and amidst the loud cheers Of
h.rth parties, walked off majestically to his keel boat,
which immediately departed down the river.
e t . • , ♦ • • • • • ,
There was one minute during the magnificent battle
of New Orleans when'the American lino speared to be
in danger. One column of British soldiers. led by a col
onel who had shone ttOs guiding star of many a field of
blood where Welliugion himself commanded, moved
calmly on the centre with a desperation that nothing had
power to check. The 'artillery thundered, scattering a
shower of iron hail. Still, on came the - charging col
umns. diminished in numbers, but not in daring. Rifles
and muskets poured into their ranks an incessant stream
of fire; end yet still on they came; their colors torn into
ribbons, but flying. nevertheless, and their fearfessleader
waving on high his flashing sword. The American
genend felt's momentary' anxiety for the seedy of the
point assailed, especially as a new company, just arrived
Bill. ea he tore
•ugh at the time
•ver beamed be
. however. we.
achleftment.
igbted captive,
pacify. brought
to the 1011101.
rroNvrean..zi
SATURDAY MORN
NG, JUNK 23, 1849.
from Bayou Sara. ware stationed there, who bad never
till they seen the face of s. foe. The great hero. there
fore. - .watched every movement himself, approaching
nearer,: fie only the tuill-dog "red coats" dropping
away by hundreds, yetstill marching on. He saw the
fire of the "raw recruits" increase every second, till it
grew into a cataract of crimson name: and yet the storm
ing column did not falter—none save those who fell to
rise no more. He saw, and started as he saw. the for
lorn hope. a straggling haudful, leap the ditclrand mount
the parapet with a brief shout. and then all, without a
single exception, tumble buchwards Into the mud and
water,
•Brave militia of Louisiana, give me such in a crisis
foiliverl" exclaimed the commander-ln-ehief, with en
thusiastic emotion. - i .
After the litattle was over, the hero of the day sent for
the criptain'Of the now company from Bayou Sara to
thank him in person for his bravery, The gallant cap•
lain started with surprise as he camel into that lofty pres
ence, that always possessed a strange charm, both to fas
cinate and awe every beholder. A recognition followed,
and General Jackson promised to visit the other's house
on his return to Nashville.
A few weeks afrerwards, when the boat that bore the
hero to the city of his home, stopped at Bayou Sara,
amidst the roll of saluting fire-arms and the morn deaf.
fling Cheers of the populace and the tossing in the breeze
of gorgeous banners gleaming with stars, the first foot on
board to welcome the saviour of New Orleans, was John
Walker's the brave militia captain of the "raw recruits."
The hero accompanied the captain to his house, and
the beautiful Julia (they had removed from New Madrid
some years previously) entered the parlor to Ito intro
duced. She too recognized him at once—for who ever
saw General Jackson's noble form and imperial brow,
Could possibly forget them?
"Jt'is the stranger who saved the life of 'my husband,
on Shat awful night, from the murderous boStmen," cried
the grateful wife, seizing her guest's Iron fend, cud be-
dewing it with joyous tears.
"Ryon couletheee seen him in the centre of his circle
at you could, nova atgli u....... ..._
of fire, and covered with his canopy of volumed' smoke,
as I saw him at the lines of New Orleans on the great
day of the eighth of January, then you world trust him
forever to fight for this fair face and for hiMself, and for
his country," said the General, with a smile.
THE IIEAUHARNAIS FAMILY
A correspondent of the New York Commercial given
the following account of the 13ounharna:s and Bonaparte
fan?ilies;
"IJow wonderful are the ways of God: All Napo- :
Leon's schemes of personal aggrandizement were scat
tered to the wind. He divorced the good, the loving
wife of his youth, and married an Austrian Arch-duch
ess, in order to gratify his ambition to - leavo his throne
to ono who should be his son. That marriago was tho
cnuse of his ruin. The son whornito so much desired.
And to whom ho would leavo his crown, died white a
youth, in the palace of his Austrian grandfather. Not
(rem poison us sonic have asserted, but probably from
disease of which excessive indulgence. and care on tho
part of that grandfathers laid the foundation. Before the
birth of that son Napoleon had thought of making this
same , Louis Napoleon,—tho son of his brother Louis,
(then Kinn of Holland,) and of Hortense the daughter
of Josephine,—his heir. How wonderful! The grand
son ofJosephine is chosen the first President of the French
Republic, while the son of Napoleon sleeps .by the side
'of his grandfather in the Church of the Franciscans of
Vienna! - -
A singularlygood fortune seems io have followed the
family of Joseithine. Her son, Eugene Beutiharnais,
married' this Princess Amelia of Bavaria. a woman of ex
cellent character, who still lives at Islunich,lrespected by
all. And after having served in all the campaigns of his
atep-faiher, with distinguished reputation fer every vir
tue, as a general of the highest rank, and Wearing fora
tituo the' title of King of Italy. he ended his days in peace
iu Bavaria, while Napoleon, ProMetheus like, was chain
ed to the rock of St. Hilena, there to die.
Eugene Beauharnais left two eons and four daughters.
The eldest daughter (culled Josephine, after her grand
mother) is now Queen of Sweden. Nor is there a hap
pier Queen in Europe, or one more beloved. The se
cond was the last wife of Don Pedro, late Emperor ; of
Brazil. She still lives, and wears the' title of Duchess of
Bragenza. She is a beautiful women. The third is
married toe German Duke. whose name and title I do
not recall at this moment. The fourth was not married
when I saw her and her mother, with ono of her other
sisiere. when at Stockholm. on a visit, to the Crown-
Princess of Sweeden, (now its Queen.) in the summer
of 183 G.
The elder of the eons of Eugene Beaultarnais married
the present Queen of Portugal, but died a few days or
weeks afterward. The younger, the Duke of Lueeli.
tonberg. married the eldest daughter of the Emperor of
Russia, and is a great favorite with Nicholas.l And hero
we have tho son of Hortense elected the first President
of the Republic of France; This is wonderful. "God
is great." says the Mohammedan; God is jiist also, as
every page of the history of mankind would teach us if
we could or would but read it aright. Let us hope that
He will deign to guide and bless the grandkon of the
injured and good Josephine as the P r e s id e nt of p rance ,
and make him a blessing to that country."
GEOGRAPHIC AND HISTOR
Master: "John S. Stubbs, arise and loqu• te.".
John S. Stubbs (after preparing his - proboeis niore dis
grid- scholaslico:)' "Texas Is bounded on the North by
the North Pole. Mason and 'Dixon's line, nild the Cali
fornia gold-diggiuse; on the DiSt by Sun((tec, ou die
South by Moore's relent and Howland and
,Aspinwall's
Roil Road. when it is completed: and on the West by
the Pullybottomy Nuns; w'ich. athey won't keep quiet,
makes a very uncertain and disputed boundary indeed.
-"The principal towns is considerably disseminated,
and more remarkable for number than size. They are
generally built of mud, clam-shells and logs, and it takes
just a grocery to make one. •
•'The rivers Is supposed to be overflowitt' with whis-
key and writer, but some folks says it's only milk and
honey.
"The principal . perductions is Sweet i pertaters, young
nigger', tiger•cats, alligators, Comanche Injtme, horn
toads and fever-in'-ager.
"The sweet pertsters is used to' fatten the young nig
ger., on, who attain to such a 1121013111701311 size upon this
kind of feed, that they would outgrow their clothes Im
mediately if they had any. The skin's of the pertinent
is used by the natives for clothhi'. The alligater is a
polyfibious quadruped, live in mud, breathes in the water.
aud stoups on the land; their foods hogs. dogs and young
nigger, and they eat the last Without cookin'. The
tiger-cats is a very pugnashus animal, of the feeling
kind, and comes up to the scratch an all occasions. The
Cotnanches is hunted like deer for their skins and sad
dles. an 4 is sometimes used in the l menufaolue of Injun
bread. The fever . ' n' -ager is a greatblessire. as it Is all
the exercise tbe people take; and during the bearing sea
son the trait trees is innokilated With it. by mesas of
which their contents -is dlseherge 4 without farther no
tice."
Bins ♦ Non or u. The uplvensolly moralist!
whip doeirlas anis that "to As koSera More 1.4 spits."
Any thing to the contrary is homy. ] :
Original Vuetrtl,
Written for the Erie Observer.
A DIIIIAM Or ADVE3IBIT4e
SY OBVIOIt
—.---
i _aw a Mile singing fin,
From out the mountain's aide It earns
Dane lag along as free os
With gentle murmurs o'er the same:
Then—l thought of youth's unclouded morn.
Dattetsed never by a pendingttottn.
/12170,— , a9 on NI COMO h ltieDt—
Arbors scat'rtng ilow'rs into brink.
While sisters in Its bosons sent
Like waters—natures purest link:
Then I thought oftrue heartiuniteti.
Binding firm the faith they plighted.—
Not long In crystal current" flow:
Pat from a filthy fen there Came
Dank-flowing waters in below.
And 'polled Its pure and healthy Main:
Theo 1 thought of Mallet' slaturtona tongue.
flow It blights the peace and hopes ofaotne.
Once mit t gazed—lwas spreading wide
, Far through a gloomy dean land.
Without a shrub to deck its side.
Or aught but dreary %raga °find:
Then I thought of this depressing doom,
Friends have all departed—all is gloom.
„Erie AiXt IS, lei 9.
Stint Rlirotiontl.
TUE NATURAL vs. TUE rosTzn
ntownin.
PATHETIC SCENE IS COMP
A few itiya ago a strolling family of street mnsicians
wandered into New Orleans it was composed of an
Italian and his wife, who had assumed the English name
of Wilson, and a bright-eyed, interesting little girl, of
precocious intelligence, whose duty it was to carry around
the tambourine, and collect tho contributions of the
crowds This little girl called Mr. and Mrs. Wilson her
parents, and seemed happy in their service, and in the
affectionate kindness which the poor organ grinders lav
ished upon her.
The wandering minstrels were pursuing their daily
avocetiou in the suburbs, in a neighborhood not consider
ed the most reputable, portion of the city. The drum
played by the man, and the organ which the poor wo
man turned, had ceased their monotonous strains, and
the bright-eyod little girl was tripping it over the ban
quette, and smilingly beseechingly resentine. her lit
tle tambourine for the picayunea, when suddenly the at
tention of a poor woman, in whose worn features, mis
fortune, vice and remorse, were strongly bfentled, was at
tracted towards the little. girl. She looked at the little
ono with a steady, anxious, and searching gaze for a
moment, and then rushing through the crowd, seized
her in her arms, and tenderly pre'ssed her frail little fig
ure to her throbbing bosom, exclaiming at the same
time "Oh. my child, my long lost child! nay darling lit
tle one! Have I got you at bast?" The little girl was
frightened; scroatnod fur "her mother," (the organ grin
der) to rescue her, and tried in every way she could to
escape from the grasp of the "wild woman." Finally,
however, by the interference .of Mr. nttd Mrs. IrVilson,
the little one was taken from tho aims of the poor stran
ger, whose anguish scorned to increase in bitterness at
the indifference or forgetfulness of the I ttlo girl, whom
she claimed to be her own daughter. At the suggestion,
however, of some of the bystanders. the poor woman,
who declared her name to be Anti Mayfield, was Milo
cod to let the strollers proceed on their way, and advised
to resort immediately to legal pruceediugs, to enforce
, her parontlal rights. Accordingly_u writ of habeas cor
pus was-sued out in the second District Court, by Ann
Mayfield against Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. In her petition,
she averred that she was the in i other of the little girl
named Rosa aged seven years, who was stolen from her
several years ago, and was now detained by the defen
dants. To this Mr. and Mrs. Wilson replied, by deny
ing that she was the mother of the child, and further al
leged, that if she was the mother of the child, she was Of
such notoriously bad charActer, that it would not be proper
for her to have charge of so young a child. The case
came up before Judge Canon. The testimony estehltsli
ed that the petitioner, Ann Mayfield, cane to Natchez
sumo years ago, with a very young child; that sho was
deserted by the man who accompanied her to that place,
and being In very destitute' circurnstancoe, and envious
to get -to New Orleans, initially sold her child to the
Wilsons. in order to furnish her with clgthing, and bear
her expenses to this city, but that it wbs to reclaim the
child whenever she desired. Since then, however, she
had hoard nothing of the Wilsons sturher child, until
the accidental encounter on the streets. These facts
were proved by a competout witness, end were to a great
extent admitted by the defendants. There was some
difficulty. however, indentifying the child. The mother
swore positively on this point, and the striking resem
blance between them confirmed her testimony.
After learned t ind eloquent arguments from Messrs
Frost and Abell for planar: and Concklin and Reney for
defendants. Judge Canon proceeded to render Judgement
in the case. Whilst the Judge was rendering his decis
ion, the scene within the Court room was quite an im
pressive and affecting ono. On ono side was tho inter
esting family of the organ - grinder, in whose weather
beaten, tear-seamed faces, a very percoptiblo expression
of deep affection and tender solitude for their little foster
child seemed to predominate over all other considera:-
tions. The little object of all this contention sat between
the organ grinder and his wife, and seemed to be cling%
ing to them for protection. Oa the other side, was the
haggard and wrote stricken mother, whose heart though
seared and hardened by misfortune, still throbbed with
all that intense devotion and love which a mother only
can feel. The Court room was crowded with an audi
ence who comtemplated the scene with deep interest.
Judge Canon commenced his judgement by relating a
fact thatcame under his observation about twenty years
ago. A poor colored woman in this city, once found at
her door a new born white infant, whom she took into
her house. and, with great care and tenderness, Mused
and reared until she grow up to be a beautiful and inter
esting girl of ten years, when she was one day recogni•
zed by a highly respectable lady as her own child, and
as such was identified and returned. In such cases as
these, the benevolent Judge remarked, much stress must
be given to the testimony of the molter, whose instinct
would enable her to recognize and identify her child
when all other persons might fail in so doing: lie would,
therefore. order the child to be delivered over to the pe
titioner; (here the mother audibly exclaimed--" Thank
you. Judge! thank you:" whilst a deep sigh from the or
gan grinder. and a low sob from 'the wife showed how
keenly they felt their apprehended bereavement.)
4its to the objection that the mother's character - was
bad, that would be a good reason for depriving haver the
tutorship of the child, but it could not be- examined into in
this dispute. It was admitted that her character was bad.
He was sorry for it, and trusted that When restored to
the charge of her little girl, that she would alter her con--
duet and lead a virtuous life. On the other hand. he did
not think that the life and profession of the organ grind
ers were favorable to the proper training of a yeungri.
$l5O A vmen, in Advance. , '
The Judge than directed the Sheriff to execute the
judgenseurof the court. The solemn and grave looking
Deputy Sheriff then proceeded towards the group of organ
grinders, when the little girl, as if discovering his object,
drew back, clinging with en _expression of the deepest
grief and alarm to the dress of her foster-mother. The
Sheriff; however, by the use of a little. gentle force, sue.
ceeded in separating them, and taking the little girl
in his arms delivered hat to her natural mother, who
rushed towards the child, and encircling her in her arms,
embraced her'delicate little body with the ardor and deco.
tion of
,true love, the child all the while repaying her ca
resses with the most vigorous efforts to release herself.
screaming, "You are not my Ma—there is my Ma—/
won't go with you.
Alas: the poor child lied entirely forgotten her natural ,
mother. 'She remembered only the kindness and'affec- '
tiou of the 'Organ grinders, and seemed incongolablo for
her roparation from them.
The latter, with expressions of Sac deepest sorrow end
grief, retired from the Court amid the sympathy and re
gret of the large crowd who, with tearful eyes witnessed
the effecting mune, which we have thus horridly related.
Wa have since learned that It is the intention of the
mother of the child to place her is an orphan asylum,
whore she may be educated free from the contaminating
Influences of her mothor's life, and where she may be
visited by both her natural end foster parents. Most at.
dandy do we hope that this Interesting little girl may be
saved from the misfortunes and vice which overwhelm
her poor mother, and that the impressive incidents and
deep grief of her childhood may secure her them atten
tions and synipathy by which female purity and virtue
are chiefly guarded and preserved —New Orleans De.tts. •
CUBA-SLAVERY AND THE SLAVE TRADE
Mr. Bryant. In recent letter from Havanna to the
Ercning Post, states that the Slave Trade between the
Island of Cuba and the coast of Africa is carried on
quite briskly and openly of late, the Government of Cuba
conniving at and profiting by the atrocious traffic. A
cargo of five hundr d human chattels was recently landed
on the southern en of the Island, and it is understood that
one hundred and a ven more of the poor creatures died
on the horrid passage from their notice land. During
the pat tia I suppression of the foreign trade some years ago
slaves advanced very much in value, and owners found
It 'for their interest to treat them with that degree of hu
manity supposed to be moetconducive to vigorous health
and long life. But under the present revival of thetrade
t heir lives will- probably become of less consequence to
their owners, and' they wil ! again- be overcooked and
worn out,without pity, as they are said to have been for•
warty.
. Hardly more than half of the Ithandof Cuba has ever
been reduced to tillage. There is a demand s therefore,
for !obeyers, on the part of them vho wish to Leconte
planters, and this demand Is suppl A. not only from the
cea,t of Afrea, but from the Am icon aontiniat and
south-western Asia.
, Mr. Bryant saw several of the Yucatan Indians who
hal been taken prisoners of war and sold to the whites
of Cnba under the pretended contract to serve for lice:-
thin number of years. The dealers in this kind of merchan•
dice were also bringing in the natives of Asia and dispo
sing of their services to the planters in a similier
There aro said to be six hundred of these people in. the
City of Havanna. Thu Authonties have Issued an ordi
nance declairing what shall be the daily ration of these
newinado slaves; also, how many lashes the master may
inflict for misbehavior.
Such. says Mr. Bryant, is•the manner in which the
Government of Cuba sanctions the barbarity of making
slaves of the freeborn,men of Yucatan, The ordinance
however, betrays great concern for the salvation of the
souls'ofithose whom it thus delivers over to the lash of the
slave-driver. It speaks of the Indians from America as
Christians already, but while it alloae the sloven impor
ted from Asia to be flogged, it_ directs that they shal
be carefully instructed in the doctrines of our holy reli
gion.
Yet the policy of the Gorernm'ent favors emmeipation.
The laws of Cubs permit any slave to purchase Witte.-
don) on [plying a price fixed by throe persons, one ap
pointed by his , inaster and two by a magistrate. He may
also if ho pleases, compel his master tosell him a certain
portion of his time, which he may employ to earn the
rhonno of pnrchticing his entire freedom.
.It is mainly ow ing to these laws, no doubt, that there
are so many free blacks in th;c island, and if the foreign
slave trade could be entirely luppressed, the slaves would
all emancipate themselves utirmitely. The population
of Cuba.is now about 1,250,000 rather more than half
of whom aro colored persons, and one out of very four of
the colored population is free.—The mulattoes emanci
pate themselves ns a matter of course, and seine of them
become rich by the occupation they folloW. The preju
dices of color is by no means so strong in Cuba as in the
United States. There is little difficulty in smuggling
people of mixed blood, by tho help of legal forms, into
the white race, and if they aro rich, into good society,
provided their not frizzled.
Mr. Bryant thinks there is no greet prospect of annex
ing Cuba to - the United States. Old Spain will Ofcourse
not ho found willing to relinquish a possession from
which she draws an annual revenue of twelve millio4 of
dollars. Besides, she sends there her needy nobility, and
those for whom she would provide, to fill rho 'aerate°
offices. The priests, the military officers, the civil u
thoritics, every man who fills a judicial post or hold a
clerkship id from old Spain.
The people are not likely to take up arms to ematici
pate themselves, for while many of them wOultigreatly
prefer a union with the United States, they are by no
means sufficiently united on that object to encounter sue
cessitilly the power of the mother country.
Of course, says Mr. Bryant, if Cuba were to be annex
ed to rho United Stales, the slave trade with Africa would
cease to be carried on as now, thoug h its perfect sup
kessien might be found difficult. iNegroes would be
imported in largo numbers from the United States, and
planters would emigrate to them. Institutions of edit
called would be introduced, commerce and religion would
both be made free, and the character of the islanders
would be elevated by the responsibilities which a free
Gavernment would throw upon them. Tho planters.
however would doubtless adopt regulations insuring the
perpetuity of slavery; they would unquestionably, as
soon as they were allowed to frame ordinances fur the
island, take away the facilities which the present laws
give the slave for effecting his own emancipation.
Tut Loss or Hoson.—lt Is stated in Lung's Resi•
dance in Norway. that the pUnishniant of death was
abolished in that country about the latter end of the last
century. But the punishment which is the most effec
tive, and which affords eonclusive.proof of the high tone
of thought and feeling pervading a whole people, for
ming one of the most distinguished characteristics of
that country, is that of "Lose of - Honor." This, from
the earliest time, was a specified effective punishment in
the criminal law of Norway. standing next in degree to
loss of life. The loss of honor is not regarded by this
people BS an unmeaning and trivial punishment. as it
would bo by the poor ignorant classes of society among
almost every other nation, burit is viewed with dread.
as a terrible visitation. Many offices and trusts, as
committeraforiarions purposes, valuators. arbitrators. or
jurymen. tope). nothing of more dignified situations. de.
volve on the people under the superintendence _of the le
gal authorities. The escluSion from these affairs and
functions, which, of comae. the legal sentence of thelose
of honor produdes. Is a punishment so severely felt: that
there Ere instances of culprits, after that portion of pun
ishment consisting in slavery for a certain period. had
completed. returning to their chains, comrniting on par-
Feud ions° potty °Slide. rather than Jive as outcasts un
der the sentence of dishencr. among their foreasefrieuds.
NUMBER G.