ho found it iMpossilAete'sever.
I saw the ns.sassin attended even by the
spittits of, : those whom .his, : violence had
ever presenting to his r iiew their Mis-
CA!,''caused • him—ever reproaching him,
;ati'd he again and again, but in vain seek
'ing by the'satno violence to ridhimselrof
their, presencct - , •
I saw the hard and callous man of the
world, who had carried withjiim into . the
spirit land the selfish disregard for others
*bleb had marked his earthly career. I
SAW him approach. Ho was an outcast
Mien in, that horrid place. His colil self
ishness stood nut upon him in bold relief,
and all, oven the abherred and shunned
his company. Wearied with the utter des
olation to, which ho Was condemned, he
persisted 'in thrusting hithself open that so
ciety, fiendish and 'revolting; as it was;and
they Atirnedr.upoa him in their wrath.—
Abandoning.cach fa9rito pursuit,thoy
with ono, accord drove him from their pres
ence with shouts and yells of execration.
Amid tho turmoil and confusion I saw a
good,• spirit approach. He was ono, I
thought, whose enthusiasm was stronger
than his judgment, and he approached
that awful society in the vain hope that he
might-be able to wean them from their
evil ways. The contrast between the
.brightness of his appearance and the dark
ness of theirs, was most striking. He
, eehted like a solitary star amid the black
ness of midnight. .His presence was be
yowl measure offensive to them. They
arrested his progress in crowds. They
:Met his advance with bold -and impudent
looks. They received his entreaties 'with
derision, and laughed his remonstrance to
scorn.. They insisted that he should leave
them, but ho refused. They then, turned
'and. fled his presence with shouts and
laughter., All so fied—save one. And he
was observed by that good spirit prostrate
in the dust. The good spirit approached
him and4itte.d him up, atitspake words of
comfort to, him. It was one who had be
gun to progress in goodness—whose eyes
were beginning to open to the evil of his
ways. It was one who had begun to ro
pent. .
• Instantly the announcement sped tho'
Heaven with the, celerity of thought, that a
fallen man might be saved; and in crowds
the good spirits_ flocked to the scene, and
welcomed the - rising hope that was in him.
They took him in their arms, and bore
him in triumph from that evil place,to their
own happy mansions. There an apartment
was assigned to him ; and while ho was
not - progressed enough yet to associate
with those who had redeemed him, he
Avas:at least securo from the intrusion and
Influence of his former unhappy compan.
ions.
There he is now attended . by that en
thusiastic good spirit, with a humility, a
gentleness, a kindness and patince, to be
found, alas I only in Heaven. The prompt
ings of the despair of that unhappy one
are•soothed the waywardness of his tem
per is patiently endured, and his new-born
aspirations for good are cheered and borne
along.
It is a parent welcoming the return ofa
prctligal child. It is a !pother nursing in
to eternal an infant immortal. God
'O6O tho vdrk !
Such was the vision imported to me
When - alone. Subsequeativ, at one of the
circles, "here I had read it, it was said to
,nee froth the,Spirit-world, “Think you, my
'dear : that the vision was a heav
et4 onel 'lt is but the faintest ray com
pared with what is in
. store for you." ,
•At another time, and with another cir
do to whom also I had read the paper, it
was Said p "It . is perceived that you do not
(* actly understand the lesson it was in
tended to teach. Tho crime and misery
in it are intended to represent your sphere,
.
and the Sin and starering which] (to:vs from
the condition in which the greater part of
Mankind are placed. The bright features
of purity . and happiness ih it, the higher
spheres in . the spiritual world: and the
prostrate' spirit who was lifled'Un and re
deem-de those who have begun spiritually
to progress."
DREAM. OF THE TWO ROADS.
'''lt WaS l'slleW Year's night. A n aged man
was standing at a Window• lie raised his
mournffil eyeslOwards the deep blue shy,
where BtitY4 were lloa:ing like white
th'e Surthee of a clear, calm lake.—
Then ho ensttriein on the earth, where few
more hopeless 'kings than himself now
irkried towards their certain gaol—the
•
AlreacV had lie 'passed sixty of the stages
which !cad to it, and lie had brought from
his journey nothing but errors and remorse.
His health was destroyed, his Mind vacant,
his litart sorrowful, and his old age &Void
°fen' Mfort. -
` - '•;The .. days of his youth rose up in a vision
hefeie him, and he recalled the solemn
,When his father had pia* hiirrat'the
"anti - abee of two roads, one lehding into 'a
''Hildeful, - 'stittny land, coydnd with: tt .
rer
`t'rtii and resounding with soil, sweet
songs; .while the 'other 'eendteted the wan
:ilea-et' mina deep, dark dive, whence there
no . Wsud, -whcire . 'poison flowed instead
Of
,water,.and where Searpants hissed and
et-Milled. •
.•He kioked toward the sky, and cried out
in his agony, “ . 0 . youth, return I 0 my
father place Inc, once' triore. at the entrance
l' . may choose the better way!"
;But tho'days of his youth 1.44 his father
had both pissed away. He saw wander.
l iiiff . lights floating 14 away over the 'dark
marsheS; and Then disappear; these were
'the
. dayS'of wastedlife: ' '' • •
.
He
,saw star fah from heaven anal van.
~i sh- i n. d arkness. This' an'emblem of
hiniSelt: and sharp arrows of unfivailit%
Struek him to his heart. Viten lid
his early 'companions, who
on life with him, but , Who, having
trod the paths of virtue and of laboi., were
".now happy and honored onthis,NeWYear's
:,night; ' .
clock hi the high church tower
, st ruclOuul the du his ea r,
,called his parents' early love for him, their
'erring son,the lessons they had taught him ;
the . pr4yers they had offered up on his be
hal f.
Overwhelmed with shame and.griof, ho
.dared not longer look toward that heaven
where his lather dwelt; his.dark eyes drop
ped tears, and with one despairing effort ho
tied aloud, Come back, my early days!
come back I" .
And his youth did return; for all 'Ws
was but a dream which visited his slum•
bars on New Years night. He was still
young; his faults alone were real.
Ile thanked God fervently that timo was
still his own, that he had not yet entered
the deep, dark cavern, but that ho was free
to tread the rottd leading to the peaceful
land where sunny harvests wave.
Ye who still Finger on the threshold of
life, doubting which path to choose; remem
ber that whet, years aro passed, and your
feet stumble on the.dark mountain, you
you will cry bitterly, but cry in vain—"O
youth, return! 0 give me back my early
days!"
I . l'OllllllU SVushingion Unwn.
President Fillmore andrillr. Webster.
THEIR FATE AND .ITS MORAL
Some question is still made as to wheth
er the Whig Convention will nominally
adopt the " finality" platform after the
nomination of Gen. Scott. The question
is, hardlg worth discussing. The deed, if
done, will moan nothing, and throughout
the whit , ranks and regions of the North
will be declared and understood to mean
nothing. A compromise letter from . Gen.
Scott appearing either before, or as is much
more probable, after his nomination, will
also be utterly tviihout solid significance
or value. Indeed both of these forms of
compromise declaration by the Whig Con
vention, or its candidate, have already by
the most powerful organs of the whig party
been denounced, placarded, and branded
as a "humbug," a " gull-trap." and a
" cheat."
But such formal announcement of their
character was no way needed ; for the
main controlling point in the case of the
northern whig organization is, that by an
overwhelthing majority it has resolved up
on the sacrifice of Messrs. Fillmore and
Webster. This fact tells the whole story,
with a breadth and volume of significance
which no subsequent declarations can 'em
phasize-or strengthen. These leaders 'and
champions in the whig ranks—both, either
by position or character s eminently repre
sentative men—have been ruthlessly struck
down by the fell demon of whig and anti
slavery agitation I Precisely the same op
portunity, and the same course of action up-'
On the sectional questions—which, if they
had been northern democrats, instead of
being whigs—if they hitd been right instead
of being irretrievably in the wrong in their
ideas of general public policy—would have
commended them to how favor and power
in the democratic ranks—have now sealed
their doom in the whig organization. It
has cast them out without scruple, regret,
or mercy, becaUse, and simply because,
they have dared to rebuke its sectionalism.
Their condemnation by their own party
has been only the more summary and
sweeping by reason of the fact that their
own past history had identified them with
'that sectionalism. Their newborn nation
ality on the sectional issues was a tergiver
sation. It was more—it was a bolt from
•the principles and policy of tl.e whig organ
ization. That organization true to its sec
tional history, instincts, and lead, has held
on its course, and has crushed them both
beneath its Juggernaut wheels!
' Behold the fearful completeness and strin
gency of this penal proceeding—say rather
()Nils political murder—on the part of the
northern .Whigs! The whole whig South
has interposed its protest i in vain. For the
;first time in our political annals, the entire
whig party of fourteen southern States
has lifted up its hands in prayers that have
now swelled into imprecations, to beg or to
demand from the whig party of the North
political pardon or reprieve for the only
two conspicuous northern whig men who
have dared apparently to turn a deaf car
to the clamors of whig anti-slavery agita
' tion organizing new onslaughts on the in-
Isli ; tutions and interests of the South! By
the wink's of the North the protest and the
prayer have been heard and scorned! In
speakint , out, however guardedly 'and
effectually, against the sectional prejudice
;and passion of their party, Mr. Fillmore
from the 'pedestal of the presidential chair
in which that very sectionalism had aided
to place him, and Mr. Webster spoke frotn
the higher pediJstal of a life-long warfare
I waged through good report and evil report,
through bright days and dark days, in the
whig cause. But in the stern jUdgernent
of the northern whig organization even
such speech in favor of - the South was trea
soli against partizan allegiance and dear
! lion from the partizan standard; and from
afar and at an early day the rtilereof that
organization discerned and seized in the vic
torious sword of General Scott the only
fit weapon•of their vengeance on these two
towering but devoted heads !
How idle is it, then, in the face of these
I facts, to talk of compromise resolutioes in
a.Scott whig convention, or of a comprom-
I ise from its candidate! Is Scott in good
[faith tb shoulder the burden which has thus
!crushed down Webster? •Is'Scott to reach
the chair Of Fillmore througli'tho very pol
! icy which has wrought Finn - lore's political
death ? The whole idea is pieliosterous as
a tunatic's dream. " What jugglery on this
matter--.—w . hat equivocation,---"lteeping the
word of prcimise to the•ettionlY to break it
'to the hope-411lb. subtlety "and whig uri
-1 •
! scrupuldusaess, in !„the convention' or out
of it, may fit bricate - arid 'palm off for the
!delusion of the, Sent!), we know not!yet,
fthough - time, must sootureveal.• But ono
conclusion is fixed, and stands out broad
,land bright in' the light of the signifiCant
Ifacts %1 . /Okay° . set, forth. It is, that:any
I sintulatiOn of the finality policy bY the
Whig party 'fol, and "can be, no more
than a sin ulatien -a MI n sham. The
.
prophets have told us this: but the tale need
ed no prophet to tell it; for it is written for
all men to road in the bold clear charac
ters. of fact. Lot not the southern whigs—
lot, not the compromise Whigs anywhere—
deem it "a weak invention of tho enemy,"
wtien w . asay.to them thatin the approach
ing nomination of Scott they and ." their
matifers" are "bought and sold!"
It is hopeful, it is refreshing,to turn from
this picture of the whig party to the array
,
and aspect of the democr4cy now about to
assemble and deliberate in its national San
hedrin-I,: If the whig organization is given
over—in overwhelming majority 7 -to tho
spirit of anti-slaVery agitation it is a proud
thing toltnow and teremember that an or
ganization more potent and tiatriotic than
the whig, now holds in solemn safeguard
the pence, rind the rights of all the States
and sections of the country, and will ap
prove itself worthy of its elevated and
sacred mission. The people assuredly
will do tho *rest
TILE SLAVE CASE
The testimony taken before Esquire
Fisher, of Columbia, in reference to the
unfortunate shooting of the slave Smith,in
that Borough, a short time ago, bears
strongly against officer Ridgley, of Balti
more, who committed the deed. The fol
lowing affidavit of officer Snyder of Har
risburg, who was present nt the time,taken
before Justice Jones, of Baltimore, will no
doubt be interesting to our readers, inas
much as it purports to give a correct his
tory of tilt whole transaction. Whether
the murder was intentional or accidental
can, however, best be known upon a trial
where the whole testimony will be elicited:
"On the Gth day of May, A. D., 1852, '
before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace
for Baltimore county, residing in the, city
of Baltimore, personally appears Solomon
Snydea, Police Officer of Harrisburg, in
the State of Pennsylvania, and special
Deputy appointed by Richard McAllister,
one of tho U. S. Commissioners in the
Eastern District of Pennsylvania, for the
execution of the Slave Act, who being duly
sworn ; on the holy Evangely of Almighty
God, deposeth and said that he received on
the 2Sth day 'of April last, a warrant from
Richard McAlister, ono of the U.S. Com
missioners in the eastern district of Penn
sylvania, for the arrest of Geo. Stanbury,
a fugitive slave of George W. Hall of Hart
ford county, in the State of Maryland
aforesaid. On the next day deponent and
Archibald G. Ridgley, (of Baltimore,)
went from Harrisburg to Columbia, taking
along with them Henry Lyons as assistant,
and Mr, Cochran, who had been brought
by said' Ridgley from Marylaud - for the
pUrpese of identifying the said George
Stansbury. That shortly after their arri
val at Columbia, the said Cochran went
out to see if he could fincLtho said Stans
bury, and another negro fugitive, at the
places where they were supposed to be at
work, and in about an hour's time the said
Cochran returned and said he had seen
the said Stansbury, as well as the other
negro, for whom deponent also had a sim
ilar warrant. That deponent then went
with said Cochran, who pointed out to him
both negroos, at work nearly half a mile
from each other, and both otthetri were in
succession carefully examined by depon
ent, so that no mistake might subsequent
ly take place.
Deponent and • said Cochran then re
turned to the Hotel, and deponent and said
Ridgley went alone to arrest the said Geo.
Stansbury, leaving some distance behind
them the said Cochran, Henry Lions, and
another person, who had been employed
in Columbia to a's'sist. The object of their
remaining behind was that they might be
toady in case of difficulty or an alti‘m be
ing given, to proceed to the arrest of the
fugitive slave, for whom deponent also had
a warrant. That deponent and said Ridg
ley proceeded to a lumber yard in Colum
bia, where said George Stansbury was at
work carrying boards, that there was some
twelve or fifteen negroes at work in the
same yard and in the immediate vicinity
of sai4 George, that many of said negroes
had axes setting up against the piles of
lumber, convenient.ler use, that deponent
first seized George and called on said
Ridgley to assist him, who also seized
said George ; that said George immediate
ly began to resist, although notified by de
ponent that he was arrested under a U. S
warrant, struggled-with deponent and said
Ridgley a distance of about thirty yards;
and that finajly'he got the finger of said
Ridgley in his mouth and held it between
his teeth, the said Ridgley was unable to
get his hand away, and about this tinio a
number of negroes had left their work and
crowded around. The said George then
hold the middle finger of said Ridgley in
his mouth, and the said Ridgley standing
on his right side, and deponent at the
sad© time was on the left side - of said
George, holding him by the
_left hand
placed on George's -waistcoat collar.—
while in this position, the said Ridgley
drew a colt Revolver from his pocket, and
sat& as he drew the pistol, .after having
raised it, "Surrender, or Pll knock you
down.'"
,Just then.the pistol went off, the
ball striking the said George in the neck
and killing him instantaneously. From
the direction of the'ball, deponent thinks,
that if 'it had missed the said George it
would 'probably baize struck him-the
wound 'in hie neck was about a foot from
Where deponent's hand was resting. The
Mornent the pistol went off the said Ridg
ley reinarked—"My God, .I haVe gecident
ally shot' Win," and the' stneßidgley then
said ho would "go and'give himself up to
the authorities," which deponent advised
him to' do, but subsequently deponent w,as
informed that' Ridgely Was advised not to
surrender himself, and further .this depo
nent sun . not: 'Sworn'before
~ WALTER R. 'JONES.
Cl" Theodore Hook says of railroads
and steambyats. "They annihilate space
and time,. not'to mention a 'multitude of
passengers."
THE REPUBLICAN.
CLEARFIELD Pa., Jim 4, 1852.
FOR PRESIDENT,
JAMES 'BUCHANAN,
Or PENNSYLVANIA,
• .
of
(SUljeCt to the dec i s i on 'ofthe Democratic
National Convention.)
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.
Do the State at large--Senatorial.
v , •
GEORGE W. WOODWARD, of Luzerne.
WILSON lIVCANDLESS, of Allegheny.
ROBERT PATTERSON, of Philadelphia.
DISTRICT ELECTORS.
1. Peter Logan, 13. H. C. Eyer,
2. G.. 11. Marlin, 14. John Clayton,
3. Alin Miller, 15. Isaac Robinson
4. F. W. Bodies, 16. Henry Fetter,
6. R. McKay,Tr., 17. las. Burnside,
6. A. Apple, 18. M. McCas4n,
7. N. Strickland, 19. Jas.McDonald,
8. A. Peters, 20. W. S. Colahan,
9. David Piste?, 21. Andrew Burk,
10. R. E„ Tames, 22. Wm. Dunn,
11, 1. Mcßeynolds,' 23. T.S.McCalmont
12. P. Damon, I 24. G. R. Barrett.
FOR CANAL. COM MISSION Blt.
WILLIAM SEARIGHT,
Or FAYETTE COUNTY.
(* -- Gov. Swum, arrived in town on
last Friday, for the purpose of spending a
few days with his family. He never look
ed bettor, either in health or spirits—which
goes to show that he has notsuffored very
seriously as yet from the effects of his nu•
rnerous vetoes, about which the Whigs are
want to make so much ado.
'IN TIME Or'PEACE,' &c.—Wo aro glad
to learn that the young men of our town
and vicinity are about raising a volunteer
company, and that a meeting to further the
object will be held on to-morrow evening.
Ycijs ago, when our population was about
one third of what it now numbers, quite a
creditable corps of citizen soldiers,present
ed themselves on every necessary occa-
o:7"Some of the Whig and Abolition
journals are trying to prejudice the public
mind against Gov. BIGLER, for not having
issued a requisition- on the Governor. of
Maryland for the delivery ofthe Mi. Ridg
ley, the police officer from Balrimore, who
shot the negro at Columbia about the last
of April. In this they either betray their
ignorance of the duties of a Chief Magis
trate, or a shameless and almost criminal
disregard of the fatal consequences that
might grow out of an nfrair of such a la
mentable character, if not managed and
controlled with the utmost prudence and
wisest counsels; and in either case they
show that they aro extremely hard pressed
for something really objectionaple to urge
against our Democratic Governor.
We can assure the friends of Governor
Bigler that the interests and honor of our
State are in no more danger of being sullied
in his hands, in regard to this unfortunate
affair, than in any other that may arise—
nor arc the rights of humanity likely to
suffer either; and whenever it shall become
his duty, under the laws and the Constitu
tion, and as the Chief Executive of one of
the States of the American Union, and in
accordance with the established practice
of the courts in the land, to call upon a
sister State for the delivery of an offending
citizen, he will perform that duty prompt
ly and fearlessly. Until such a state of
affairs are presented, all good citizens will
calmly wait, and in the meantime the fault
finders—who are really disturbers of the
public peace—are welcome to make asses
of themselves as much as they please.
SUPPORT "TIIE UNION."
We have received several copies of "The
Daily Union," a paper just started in
Pittsburg, under the control of an associa
tion of Journeymen Printers, and edited
by LYNDE. Etporr. For neatness in its
mechanical execution, and in - its business
appearance, it is just what might bo ex
pected from its managers ; and its editori
als are distinguished for their vigor and in
dependence. In politics; it isnot, we be
lieve, designed to be specially an organ,
yet,so far,itstiolitieal sentiments have been
purely and decidedly DemoCratic. And
so long as its conductors continue to keep
up the appearance of their paper as they
have done thus far—and we have but lit
tle doubt that they will—they cannot fail
of success: Those who wish to hear from
Pittsiurg, cannot dO better than pay five
dollars for the Daily Union.
o::rlinnay, Of the Affersonian, is anx
ious to have the Convention to nominate a
c,arididato for CbagrCss in this aistrict,rriebt
in Brookville.. To this, we have no objec.
tion, but will not, be,
,understood as giving
our assent thereto, Inasmuch as .we have
not yet consulted the wishes'of our numer
ous candidatas in this county—who aro
perhaps thb inost'interesied—on this sub
ject.
- Its high time, however. that the matter
should begin to be utylerhtoed, as pif dis
trict 'is upwards ofkansiderably TargeL—
covering tho aourcos of almost half the riv
ers 'in half of the Old 2'kb:teen—possess
ing one turnpike and the end of another,
the switch end of a telegraph, an Elk Ex
press,
and six of the best Democratic pa
pers in The State !
o:tr . T. F. MEAGHER,' the ' Irish; patriot,
the account of whose bscaPo'fro l m • Van
Dieman's land; whither he was banished
by the British government, was recently
published in this country,,arrived in New
'York last Saturday; All the military, and
a 'large concourse of citizens repaired to
his lodgings and gave 'him, a hearty wel
come to the land of freedom.
OrNearly all our lumbermen have now
returned to their homes, after an absence
protracted beyond any former season.—
It is said they brought some dimes home.
If so, we would remind sonic of our gotxl
citizens, who are anxious to know whether
the world still continues in motion;-:that
wo still have a few blank pages in our
packet•book for their names.
oerho attention of the inquirer after
the marvellous is directed to the revelations
of Judge EDMONDS, commencing on• our
first page. It is seldom that we pregent
to our readers any thing concerning the
believers in the new theory of communica
ting with the departed spirits, but: the au
thor of this article is a man of standing;
and whether hoaxed or hoaxing, o'r acting
in good faith, it is well enough that the
world should know it.
THE STATE DRAT—WHIG SLANDERS.
The federal papers—ever ready to mis
represent and prevaricate—are indulging
the passion by falsely accusing Governor
BIGLER with having since his induction
into office, increased the State debt "over
one million of dollars." Now for the
facts.
Immediately after the inauguration of
Gov. Bigler, it was found that the State
Treasury was, in a manner, empty. The
February interest was nearly due, and the
Governor for the purpose of sustaining the
creditor the Commonwealth, recommended
to the Legislature the propriety of making
a temporary loan for the purpose of meet
ing the interests falling due. The Legis
lature acceded promptly to the recommen
dation, and the loan was accordingly made.
This, as we have said, was a temporary loan,
and, we pre informed, -has- been cancelled
and re-paid. The loan had to be made—
the February interest was due, and the
credit of the State at stake. ' Gov. Johnson,
who prated so much to the people about
" his sinking fiend," had left the Treasury
empty. It was his duty to havo made pro
visions for meeting the February interest,
but, like Joseph Ritner, he saddled the
debts of his administration upon his suc
cessor in office. Thus has it been with
every Whig Governor the State has ever
had. When Ritner went out of office,
Federal editors were loud in their declara
tions that he had not -increased the State
debt ; but they did not inform their 'readers
that he had left debts behind him—debts
against the Commonwealth, and which
matured a few months after Gov. Portet
assumed the duties of the Executive chair,
Amounting to millions of dollars, with an
empty Treasury for %resort. Gov..POrter
was compelled to ask the Legislature to
make several loans, for the purpose of
meeting the heavy claims against the State
contracted by the Ritner administration.
And then it was that the Whigs, liberal
fellows that they are, exclaimed, "oh, how
the Locofocos are increasing the State•
debt." The debt was increased, it is true, I
but it had been contracted by the Whigs
in power. Whig Governors aro very rea
dy to contract debts ; . but they are not so
ready to pay them, and when the Demo
crate make provision to meet these debts,
they arc accused of "increasing Al State
debt !"
So too with ov. Johnston. He was
well aware tat the February interest was
almost d e, when he vacated the Execu
tive chair, but instead of making provision, l
as he should have done, for meeting the
interest, (for it was mlebt that belonged to
his administration,) lieleft . this claim for
Gov. Bigler to meet, and htiieled him over'
an empty Treasury to do it with. Gov.
Bigler, n man ready for every emergency,
made a temporary loan for the purpose of
paying 'off this debt against the Johnston
administration, and for this act, liberal
minded Federalism accuses him with "in
creasing the State debt." So much for
the $300,000 loan. _ _ _
The next charge of Federalism against
Gov. Bigler is, that he negotiated a loan of
$850,000 for the completion of the North
Branch Canal. The Governor in a mes
sage to the Legislature, strongly urged the
completion of this State improvement, and
the Legislature empowered him to make a
loan to the amount above named, to be ap
propriated to the completion of the work.
Gov. Johnston himself, on several occa;
sions, urged the Legislature to make pro
vision for, completing this canal, and
thus save the $3,000,000 already expended
on it. If this loan of $550,000, therefore
is an increase of the State debt, Gov. John
ston is as censurable as any 'other man in
the State, for on more than one occasion he
urged that the . work '
might be completed,
and he very well knew that it could not bo
done without resort to a loan. But this
loan of $850,000, for the North Branch
canal, instead of being 'a loss to• the State,
will beyond all, ueation pro , vo n' revenue.
The State has already expended over $3,-
000,000 on this work and it is estimated
that $850;000 will complete the sonic,
and 'Make ifprOfittiblo to the Comnsenwlth.
Policy,"enconemy and prodence would dic
tate the piOprietyeof completing tho Ntrork,
at as early a, period as posaiblf3. When
comploted it is confidently asserted good
judges, that Alto receipts into the 'State`
Treasury. from the work, will, in a fe w
years, pay both the principle • and interest'
of all that has . been expended on it. In.
deed, it is believed that it will be threat
profitable section of. our public imW"
111013t9. And yet bedause Gov. Bigloi
favored this policy—the early completlto
of the North Branch Canal—and the L eg . •..
islature authorized a loan for that purposi,
tho 'Federalists pretended to be a ga i n
shocked, and exclaim against "an increase
of the State debt." If they are serious ---If
they think the North Branch should not b e _
finished; and that the $3,000,000 already i•
expended on it should be lost to the State,'
and the work abandoned, why do 111(1 40 ( y.
open their batteries on Gov. Johnston, who
so Arenuously urged the completion oft)*
work I This would not suit their purpoee,
howev6'r,.which is misrepresentation and k'
double-dealing: There is no danger of
the State debt bein g increased by Got r
Bigler. Our word forit, the State will b e
much better off at the end ,of his adminis.
tration than it was at.its commencement.
Carlisle Volunteer,`
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
A horrible tragedy occurred at the U . ;
S. Arsenal, lesterday morning. Waltei
RiChardson, a lad about fourteen years, o
son of Mr. John H. Richardson a clerk ia„
the Arsenal, was mortally wounded by -a
shot fired from a musket, in the hands br,
his step-mother, under the following cir 0
cumstances : The, boy was very obstinateand hard to govern, causing great troutile'
to his parents, particularly to his 'step:
mother. Owing to ,thiS fact, his father
told the mother that he would load the mos.'
ket with powder, and that she might
frighten the boy with it if he refused to •
obey be. The father loaded the musket
with powder, and told her where he' had
placed it, but subsequently, with the inten
tion of shooting a dog, he placed in the
musket an additional heavy charge of
quail shot, forgetting at the same time to,
inform Mrs. R. of the change in the condi
lion of the gun. 'On Thursday evening,
disagreement occurred between the moth- -
cr and lad, Ipring which the boy threw a
sharp piece of coal at his step-mother,
which cut her cheek badly ; she then put
him out'of doors. Mrs. Richardson was
very much enraged at him, when she put
him out, and made a thr:dlitening expres.
sion to him. He did not return to the
house until yesterday morning, and when
she saw him approaching, she took the
musket, and with the intention of
dating him, snapped the gun, which did
not go otitis it was not capped. Sho went,
into. the. house,' got cap, and
when she rested the gun over the faith,
and fired. The lad "dropped to the ground,
and when Mrs. Richards seen this, she
dropped"the gun and screamed for help,, •
and run to the boy. His sister came ouo
and together they carried the lad into the.
house, when they applied restoratives to
him, but without any effect. Dr. Shields
was sent for, but the boy was top forgone,
and died about 20 minutes after the dcie
tors arrival.
The shot took effeCt in the bowels and L.
left side, and' 071 C Mt2ldied and thirty-seven
shots entered the body. 'There were many::
wounds in the thigh,; the two shots Which - ::,.
were the immediate cause of his death,'',
pierced the left external illeac artery from.
which he bled to death. Twenty-fout :
shots were extracted from his bowels, oak!:
the hip and thigh were mangled in a hot ,
rible manner.
At twelve o'clock Coronor Arthurs wee.
called upon to hold an inquest ; and
Shields held a post modern examination 'l
of the body. After the examination of the
father of the lad, his two sisters, and
doctor, who were the principal witnessciy.,
the jury:returned a verdict "that the said;:;
Walter Richards came to his death from
the effect of a gun shot wound ; and that
the shot was fired by Hester Richardsim,
his step mother."
Mrs. Richardson was cominittod to prie.'
on by Coroner Arthtirs for a further lieW.
ing.
. _ _
The above statement is gleaned from the'
evidence before the jury and will be foetid
correct. The affair resulted from a,rtlis;
understanding, but at the same time great
blame is attached to the parties concerned
in the lamentable tragedy. We refrain
from publishing Anything not strictly COA'
nected with the matter, for the reason that
it will undergo a judicial examination,ao
anything calculated to prejudice the mind
.of the public would be uncalled for and
wrong.—Pitts. Post, Bth, inst.
• fr* - Two merchants reached St. &nisi
on the 14th, from Chihuahua, by way,'ot
St. Joseph, with $BO,OOO in coin, to lay in
supplies of goods for the coming year.—
Full $60,000 were in Mexicaddollars, tied
, up in raw hide sacks, containing $3 4 0 04
to $3,500 each. The balance was ballice:
The arrivals of coin from New Mein)/
have been unusually large this season.:
(* — From a tabular statement publisbee
in thc Washington Intctligencer, it apper;
that at the time of taking the census ill',
1850, the number of persons in the Unita
States, Deaf and Dumb, was 10,103 . .-'
Blind, 0,702. Insane, 15,768. Idiotic?
15,706.
C* - The steamship Roanoke, on her lat
trip from Norfolk,' brought to New Yelt
fifty-seven barrels of strawberries, ten bin'
rels of cherries, and two hundred and thit•
ty•eight barrels of peas.
6* -- Say nothing respectitig yourself,
either good, bad, or indifferent; nothieg
good, for that is vanity; nothing bad,:fot
that is affectation"; nothing indifferenttfot
that is silly: • '
Kr'Education is' a better safegutt4 ol
libuty'than a standing, army. If we it
'trench the wages of the sehoolmasteoel
must raise those of the recruiting sargetA"
The i State •of Massachusetts has
rowed $1,000,000 of the Barings,,T ,
noy has been recently quoted in gsgl. ,
as low •as 2 per cent., per annum..