. THE GENERAL'S PtOT.
Ju lacidcpt of the' American Revolution.
/ Jtfany «» incident connected with the
Amerigoßevolution,fulls blank upon the
pgge of history.; and for waut of proper
recor}, many un heroic act. slumbers un
remomhered in the dim regions of the past.
VVo do not carry our ideas of Divine in*
terferenco in mtindapo affairs so as to sup
pose.that the finger of Omnipotence points
the path for individuals to. pursue, unless,
perhaps, where they are connected with
great events ; but we do profess to believe
thhl a high and supernatural' l 'power con
descends to direct and influence the affairs
-of nations. We may trace it from the
; earliest records of Biblical History, down
1; 'to.onr owp timeand the hand, of the de*
s' i|y,is:ns:yisibly displayed in the destiny
t> pf-mpdernnations ns tlioso of antiquity—
particularly in that period of our
when the godlike Washing-
K: ton,eustaipod and protected by that invis
i: .ih|oß,bwjor,,led our feeble but conquering
• .ffcopio through the dark valley of oppres
sion to tho sunny pinins and heights of
f Liberty, For any one to be convinced of
I lhisf.it will bo only necessary for him to
i trqcQ tho history of our country from the
i opening of the war to the establishing of
| peace and the recognition of our Indepen
> dance. :
‘ ..Daring the occupation of Philadelphia
by-the British, under General Howe, the
' headquarters were established at the house
, of General Cadwalader, in Second street,
a few doors below Spruce ; but for tho pur
pose of private conference, the adjutant
general had taken an apartment in a house
opposite, occupied by a Quaker family, by
. the name of Hanah. This was a back
room in tho second story. Tho family
consisted of. William and Lydia Hanah —
| the husband and wife —and two or three
| children. .They had one son in the
j American army,.
| On the 2d of December, 1777, the ad-
I jutant-general came to Lydia and told her
| that they should beta the room by 7
o’clock that evening; that ho desired she
would see that thero was afire, and that
| he should expect tho family would retire
> early. -
| This, of course, was readily agreed to,
I the room got ready, the fire made, and
I. everything arranged for tho comfort of the
f occupants; but tho evident secresy which
I’ seomed to surround all tho arrangements,
| amazingly puzzled tho womanly curiosity
I of Lydia; and she at once conceived a
I suspicion that something terrible wosplot
| ting. These suspicions sho communica-
I ted to her husband, who only laughed at
| her apprehensions, and bado her think no
i more of them. Notwithstanding these ob-
I jections, however, she,determined to keep
n watch upon their proceedings.
. At this lime, Washington, with his nr
niy, was lying at White Marsh, on the
Wissahickon creek, about twelve miles
from Philadelphia, to which place ho had
advanced after, tho abandonment of Forts
Miffln and Mercer, where several unsuc
- cesslii 1 uttempts were mode by Howe to
l draw him into an engagement. Deter mi
■ ning, however, that no effort should bo lelt :
untried to destroy the army of tho Ameri
can commander, Howo, on the second of
December, communicated ordors to the
Adjutant General for all tho troops to
march out or the city on the evening of the
4tb, and attack Washington by surprise.
This mancevre was intended to bo a bold
one, and had its success been complete,
I the results are painful to contemplate.
■ ■ At the hour appointed, the adjutant-gen
-1 oral, accompanied by two other officers,
h took possession of their room. Io a short
P timo afterward, Lydia succeeded in ge -
I ting her family off to bed; bat her own
I curiosity being naturally fa-
I mod some oxcuso to her husband for ho»
1 absence about the house.fqr a short .me
9 and left him. Being now alone, she took
I Off her shoes, and with tho utmost caution
B crept softly up the stutrs to tho door of the
I room in which were the officers, and put
■ ting her ear to the key-hole, heard the ad
■ Jutant-general read the order from Lord
■ Hmwe, b for the night attack upon tho camp
I of Washington. She could scarcely mam
■ tain herself, such was her agitation; and
I her heart beat so loudly the meanwhile
9 that-she was compelled for a. moment to
1 2£.tota»ir by »*«.' k » d S’
I lest, -in her t repidation, she should foil,
9 and thereby bring ruin upon her family,
I by an untimely discovery of her position
9 by those withiu. As it was, she but nar
-9 Jowly escaped detection ; for in her eon
-1 fuS arid alarm, she had touched the
I latch of the door, the noise of which had
9 atiJactedtho notice ofone of tho adjutant s|
-1 who called b.s attention to d
9 ■ 'Then she was ob'iged to listen to the
9 following conversation, for to move n
'9 iunchire 8 would have indeed been critical.
'9 ‘'ilarfcl” says the officer referred to,
■ «* i * ,he ™ s
•. ,iTk« familv are trustwor-
M
co'nlinueti.the Col. ■
1H '■.feertlieicss.t’ resumed, the admmnt*
m -iml “if vou are suspicious, I will open
-.SB ' i!otf>nek woo bo unto hiptt ■ ' /
-MM Thew words increased t|i.o ogitrit.on of
■mm . Ag&k she had scarcely -fltrengthjleft
m herself behind a lafgd ctiest fhat
« before it was opened
adjUfont-getteifalTritid bis friend
oionnpd forth to Vecfannoitre.
f|
Ckftrfic# Hcpiblicftit
A WEEKLY PAPER: DEVOTED TO LITERATURE. AORICDLTURE.MORALITY, AND FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.
PmMnelfotad Wodmoadg \j Moffm&mg toy Psumell W. M<s>®v® <& C?nairlk WnHsapun..
Volume S,
the Colonel’s ears must have deceived
they again retired to their room and
sed the door. The situation of Lydia
ring these few moments was most pain
and twice or thrice so near had they cr
to her, that she was about throwing
6elf upon their mercy, and avowing .
whole; but the danger passed, and sh
retired noiselessly to her own room, to
await their departure from tho house, be
fore she could determine upon what step
she could tako in reference to the informa
tion sho possessed. A 9 she departed from
(the door she heard tho Adjutant General
I laughing at the Colonel for his suspicions
and the remarks which followed convinced
her that those suspicions were allayed.
She had not been by the side ofherhus
band, who was asleep more than an hour,
when sho heard tho officers descending the
stairs —one of them pausing at her door,
and knocking. Feigning to be asleep,
she did not answer to the first summons,
nor to the second ; and not until three or
four knocks were made, did she arise with
tardiness, as though just awakened. This
summons was by pre-concert, in order,
that ns they left, she might put out the firo
and lights in their room, ond secure the
houso after their retreat. Great was her
relief, of course, when they had departed,
but she was so much agitated by what she
had heard, and at tho prospect of thede
struction of Washington and his camp,
that, on her retiring again to bed, she
could not sleep, but lay tossing in a rest
less anxiety till morning.
When she arose to the performance of
next day’s duties, she went wandering
nbout the house in the most miserable sus
pense, and her mind in so abstracted a
state ns to attract tho attention of her hus
band, who in vain endeavored to ascertain
the cause of her unusual depression.—
Turning his questions with ovasivo an
swers, she tried to detract her thoughts
from tho revelation of the proceeding eve
ning; but, to no purpose were her efforts,
and as a lest resort, sho began to think of
some method to make available tho infor
mation sho had so clandestinely obtained.
At length she determined, if possible, to |
convey her intelligence to Washington ;
but then the risk of trusting what she
alone knew, to tho honesty or judgement
of others, made her hesitate, until finally
she resolved to be the hearer of hor own
intelligence, and thus secure, by u well
timed movement, the hopes and fortunes
of tho Amcricnn army. Hor next thought
was to frame an oxcuso for leaving the
houso, as she intended that even her own
family should remain ignorent of her
movement. At length she hit upon this
expedient. , r
Ascertaining that they were in waut ol
flour she informed hor husband that she
would go td Frankford for some. This he
tried to perSuade her Irom doing, or offer
ed to go himself in her stead ; but finally,
when he saw her determination, he insist
ed that she should be accompanied by her
servant maid. This also, to his surprise
sho refused, alleging there was no neces
sity for her tqfliave a companion, and that
the route wits perfectly safe, and Ireo
from danger. Thus seeing her determi
nation to proceed alone, at any rate, be
ceased further to expostulate, and she was
left to carry out her plans without opposi
■lion. Getting everything ready for hei
departure, and preparing herself " l “ *
bac, to give on appearance of honesty to
her purpose, her next object was to pro
cure a pass through the British troops on
the lines. Accordingly, she visitcd Gcn
eral Howe, and stnted to him her protend
ed errand with so much apparent sinceri
ty, that he readily granted her the neces
2*ry passport 5 and at length, seated upon
the back of her favorite chesnut poney,
she departed from the city with a lighter
but still with a very anxious heart, bhe
passod the mills on her way, where.leav
me the bag, she hastened on toward the
camp of Washington, encountering, as she
approached the lines, a lieutenant of *8
light horse, who recognized her, and m
nuired where she was going. She told
him she was in quest of her son, and de
sired him to accompany her to the tent of
the General. ,' J
He at once acceded to her request, and
in a few moments she was standing m ho
presence of . Washington, whom she found
alone, busily occupied with some despatch
es, which he had but a few moments be
fore received; while, spread outuponthe
ground before him lay' maps of different!
sections of the country. Intr ° d r f I h°
to the General, the lieutenant loft the tent,
to ioin his companions, while Lydia pro
tion she had so happily gained from the
Ups of the British Adjutant-General.
The surprise of Washington may well
be conceived when ho heard, all thegood
woman had to say, though, from thousu
nl chlmness of his features, it was often- 1
times difficult to trace in
his countenance any emotion e the:r of para
„ pleasure. Always careful to be cor
rectly informed btmsell, and <»n“°bs
about receiving as tttjtbB every Turn
waßUtte redby b«sy^tongueh,or fell “pop
Ser public ear, he duestioned Wress
Hanah moat narticularty
had hearMhd «hy» in thojint placo
Clearfield, I*a„ march 8, 1834.
lad been lempted to listen; then, and
ig well satisfied that what she said
la be depended upon, he offered to re*
' her for her faithfulness, which she
ined with a delicacy that torbade him
importunate upon the subject.
•At any rate said ho,” with a smile,
allow me, in the name of the army and
of the country to thank you for this excel
lent service ; and, at the same timo, per
mit mo to say, that if a wise Providence
ordains that I shall again hold my quar
ters in your good city, I shall take occa
sion to‘thank you more particularly in
person at your own residence. In tho
meantime, I must bid you a good day, for
as our friends, tho British, intend paying
us a visit to-morrow, we must neglect
nothing to give them a reception worthy
of such distinguished guests.
Bowing Lydia out of his tent ho order
ed the Sergeant of tho Gaurd to escort her
to tho outposts, from whence she hastened
back to the mill, and with her small grist
] of meal repassed tho British lines, and re
turned to the city—gaining her own houso
j without interruption or suspicion.
Now, in tho camp of Washington all
was bustle. Pickets wero placed, tho gaurd
was doubled, and strict orders given that
no person should be allowed to go into, or
from tho camp, without an especial pass
port from the Commander. Cannon wero
mounted, and troops wero paraded and
drilled ; but to all the officers tho sudden
change from inactivity to life was a mys
tery, though some were shrewd enough to
surmise that the General, from some cause
well founded in his own reason, had de
termined to attack the British in their quar
ters in Philadelphia, and by compelling
them to evacuate, establish himself m ihn
city for the winter—a position much more
desirable than the cold and cheerless silun
tion already contemplated—Valley Forge.
However, all their surmises failed to ac
count for the present condition of anairs;
and Washington considered tho secret ot I
so much importance that he deemed itim- j
prudent to reveal it until the last moment, i
Well the evening of the 4th came, ana j
out from the gaurded and sentinelled city ,
marched tho British troops. The air was
I not cold for the season, and the sky was
| somewhat overcast and misty, uffording a
| fine opportunity , for the manceuvremg ot
| Gen. Howe’s scheme. .On they marched
as silently as possible, but as confident as
Hercules, until they had approached with
in a half a mile ot the American pickets,
when a halt was commanded, and scouts
were sent to reconnoitre.
It was now a moment of intolerable anx
iety to the British officers. They had
reached the neighborhood of Chesnut Hill,
and off a mile distant in tho valley below (
lay in complete silence the Amoncan army, j
The Adjutant was out a few rods in ad-|
vance, -accompanied only by an aid, and j
with his night glass sought, the lines of tho |
rebel encampment; but the darkness and .
the mist had grown moro impenetrable,
and nothing could be discerned to indicate
that the enemy were at all suspicious of
danger—not even a campfire could be seen,
nor the challenge of the sentry heard- |
the silence was ominous, and so thought
the Adjutant, who remarked to his aid:
“In tho face of all tho precautions which
wo have taken to secure secresy in this
movement, I can scarcely think it proba
ble that Washington is aware of our move
ments, and has laid his plans to surpriso
us • but this unwonted silence is so oppres
eive—the darkness in the direction of the
camp so impenetrable—that I have my
sir » rep i;ed the aid,'
“that the damp and foggy state or the at- j
mosphore is not favorable to the transoms
sion of sounds and sights.”
“True, indeed. But one might expect
to catch some whisper in the neighbor
hood of on encamped army, even in such,
a night—a murmer, even, however ; but
the silence here is intense and must
have a meaning in it.
“True; but perhapsyour anxiety for tho
success of our expedition leads you to give
more importance to these appearances than
thevdeserve.” _ ...
“Well perhaps it is so. Let us ride n,
and then send to me Sergeant Marshall.
The two officers joined again the mam
body, the aid left the general, and inn few,
moments the latter was joined by a short
muscular man, whose frame indicated tho
Utmost hardihood, and whose face betoken
ed almost ferocious courage. ■ ,
“Marshal,’’ said the AdjutanVaddress
hrieflv “I have a hazardous ser
'.ll, “r v" u » prform. T«. mf »
down into the enemy’s encampment and
ascertain his”condition. You understand
Formri.lhen.^.l-'-S
Adjutant General awaited with unpawg**
intelligence from hts scouts. N g
was he kent in suspense, however, for or
two parties 1 who had been -antoul. one
camera and reported that thelAmencjg |
army were already under arms—their ar
tillery in line, and thoir ternP| ,
ihoiiffh waiting for pn. assault, {scarcely
SS&t the report,tho Adjutant was abort
riving the order to advance, when from
the hitherto silent camp he heard the ha*
gles sounding the assembly, the ominous
roll of the drum, and the tramping of feet
as regiment after regiment took position.
In a moment after, this was succeeded
by tho rattling of musketry, and the flush
and roar of a dozen cannons. A few or
the balls struck in the immediate victn
tty of the general and his party, throwing
the dirt into the faces of somo of his men,
but, fortunate for them, doing no injury.
The skirmishing below led tho English
commander to believo that his other scout
ing party had beon intercepted; and for a
moment or two ho felt on extreme de
sire to dash forward in the darkness, with
I his entire force, and chastise tho insolent
rebels. Convinced, however, that tho
Americans were ready to givehim a warm
and gallant reception, and that any at.
tempt to dislodge them, or nttack them in
position, prepared ns they evidently were
for him, would be fool-hardy and danger
ous in tho extreme, the order was reluct
antly given to retreat, and tho troops ol
tho haughty British general irritated by
disappointment, returned to their quarters
in Philadelphia ns quietly and harmlessly
ns thoy lmd issued from it only a few hours
! before, appearing as tho Adjutant General
afterwards expressed himself, more like a
! parcel of fools thnn a body of men who had
I inarched out to the attack of a foe. One
j party of the'seouts which had been sent
I out, had succeeded, as wo have seen in re-
I joining the main body before it commenc
ed its retreat; but another party of eight,
had been cut off— three of them having
been killed by the musketry ol the Ameri
cans and tho rest were taken prisoners.
As for Marshall, the spy, who lmd been
sent to penetrate the camp»of Washington,
! hn wnc taUcn prisunor in the octof makin D
; his escape, and being recognized as a lory i
of the rankest and deopcst dye, as well as
!b spy, he was tho next day tried and hung
1 in tho presence of tho army. -
Thus, in this instance, by tho timely
suspicion and warning of a woman was
the annihilation of the American army
prevented, and Washington saved to see,
the liberties or his country’firmly establish-,
ed No suspicion of Lydia Hannan s |
agency in tho aff.ir ever entered the mind|
lof the Adjutant General; though he told
her distinctly that he believed that the
! American General had been advised of
I their movements through .the medium ot
I somo person connected with the house,
j though he entirely acquitted her of the,
° C On Washington’s entering the city of j
Philadelphia, after its evacuation by the,
British, he took occasion to call upon Mis
tress Hannah, when he again thanked her
most heartily lor tho important service she
had rendered to the country, saying that
ho should always remember her with kind
ness and affection, nnd promised to look
after tho interest of her son, who was in
the armv, and whom he afterwards pro
moted for his gallant behavior on several
occasions.
Impkessions at Fiest Sight.— This
subject nt tho supper table, was getting
•talked over,’ when the lady who presided
■o’er the cups und tea’ said ‘she always
formed an idea of n person at first sight ;
and that idea she found was generally a
correct one.' . i
•Mamma,’ said her youngest son, in a
shrill voice that attracted the attention ot
•Well, mv dear,’ said tho fond mother,
•what do you want 1’
•I want to know,’ said young America,
‘what vou thought when you firstsawme.
Thoro was no answer to thi3 query;—
but we learn a general titter prevailed,
and that ‘Charlie’ was taken into the kitch
en immediately by the servant.
03-Channing says, and with truth :
‘The day laborer who earns, with horny
hands and the sweat of his brows, coarse
food for a wife and children whom ho
loves, is raised by his generous motivo to
true dignity ; and though wanting the re
finements of life, is a nobler being than |
those who think themselves absolved by
wealth, of serving others. It is worthyof
note, that the men and women who think
most highly ofthemselves, and mostmean
lv of others, are those who render back to
society for the good things they enjoy, the
smallest return of personal effect. The
world’s true benefactors, are those who
servo it, humbly and earnestly, to tho bes
of the ability God has given them. All
others are but counterfeits and pretenders.
Not Qualified.— A youngstudent, who
wrote a good, clear and round hand, and
who was just about finishing up his studies,
one day handed an instrument, which be
had iust written out, to his uncle, a dry
woe, who had called in to see him, and to
inquire of his progress in his profession.
The uncle took the MSS, and after reading
a few lines of it, gave it back to hisneph
ew, stating with an arch smile, peculiar to
himself, “You ate not quite alawyeryet,
James.” “What do you find out of the
way in it, e\r t” queried tho student in ns
totiishment. “Why,” returned thawag
gish old critic, “anybody can read that
wntios i
ft'rNebraska contains 136,700, aquare
miles, and would makeseventeen atates
as leifgo ® fl MaMttchiiifctto.
SLIVINQ FOE HONEY.
Wo pity the man who wears out his
energies in tho accumulation of riches,
which, when amassed, he will have lost
the capacity to enjoy. Ho finds himsell
at the end of his Inborn, a guest at his own
feast, without an appetite for its dainties.
The wine of life is wasted, and nothing
remains but the lees. Tho warm sympa
thies of his heart have been choked by the
inexorable spirit of avarice, and they can
not bo resuscitated. The fountain-head
of his enthusiasm is sealed ; ho looks at all |
things in nature and art with tneoyootj
calculation; hard-matler-of-fact is the on-j
ly pabulum his mind can feed on, the i
elastic spring of impulse is broken; tho
poetry of existence is gone. _
Are wealth and position an cquaivalcnt
for these losses! Is not the millionaire,
who hqs acquired wealth at such a cost, a,
miserable bankrupt! In our opinion there,
is little to choose on the score of wisdom'
between tho individual who recklessly;
squanders his money ns he goes along, in
folly and and extravagance and the false
economist who denies himself the whole
some enjoyments of life, in order to swel
the treasure, which, in tho hardening pro
cess of scraping up, he had become too
mean to spend, and too selfish to give
away. .. . ■ '
The only national way to live, is to mix
labor with enjoyment-a streak of fat and
a streak of lean. There is nothing like a
streaky life—a pleasant mixture of exer
tion, thankfulness, love, jolity and repose.
The man who slaves for riches makes a
poor return to that God who took the trou
ble of making him for a better purpose.
FuiMosiUt Consumption. Nothing
more clearly indicates the imperfection of
medical science thnn the multitude of
deaths constantly taking place from pul
monary consumption. Because tlieso arc
frequent no alarm is excited ; but they by
no means lessen the melancholy catalogues
of those who are perpetually going down
to a premature gravo. Is it not possible!
to arouse a spirit of further investigation
in this direction 1 While manifest pro
cress is making in the treatment of most
other diseases, little is achieved in regard
to this slowly developed, but fatal malady.
The scientific use of a stethescope does
I not euro patients. There is no difficulty in
| predicting very nearly the: exact condition
I of each and every part of the respiratory
{apparatus; but that does not constitute a
remedy. Not a single advance, of real
I value, has been made in the treatmen , be
-1 yond the employment of cod liver oil, for
a long period. Either there is no dispo
sition to undergo the fatigues of experi
menting, or the resources of medicine and
art are exhausted, so far as that uncontrol
led disease is concerned. A better open
inc for bold researches was never presen
ted, than while the expression is nearly
universal, “physicians cannot arrest or
subdue pulmonary disorganization. A
distinct chair in some or all ofthe colleges
for the study of the thorascic viscera, and
the lungs in particular, in health and dis
ease, would be an important movement,
and we doubt not would lead to the hap
piest results. —Boston Menical Journal.
03-Tho St. Louis Intelligencer of the
20th, says: Major Gatewood, of the Coun
cil Bluffs Indian Agency, arrived in this
citv yesterday, in company with sixteen
Indians from tho Nebraska Territory, of
whom fourteen are chiefs, and two inter
preters. The party are on their way to
Washington city, and cameso far on their
journey by land. They leave on an Ohio
(River boat to-morrow evening. Major
Gatewood, according to the Missouri pa
pers, has induced several of the Indian
tribes to consent to treaties cecedmg cer
tain lands, and goes to Washington to lay
tho subject before the President. The
quantity of land bargained fo“bythese
treaties amounts it is said, to 10,000,000
acres Tho scope of countries extends
from the mouth oftbe Great Nemaha, near
the northern boundary hneof Missouri, to
iho mouth of lowa Creek, oppositeto.the j
south west comer of Minnesota territory.
It fronts about 250 miles on the west
side of the Missouri, and is a splendid,
rich limestone country.
iJnflag was unfilled from its staff in (£r A novel case under the Maine
an need Spaniard was heard in- liquor j aw occurred in one ot the Masso
veiirhimr' with lugubrious earnestness, c h us etts cities lately. A jug of rum wn
ImunsUhe pertinacity with which the flag! taken by the authorities from a man and
hfd nursuThU fortunes. He said, .. laid up to await decision. The man cla.m
„iP waB the Spanish Consul in Louisi- ed that under the law they had a rig >
. j„, n ae jj 0 raise, and Igo seize the liquor but not the jug—that
ana, when dat fla S “° wa ” fl ’ W as over \^ 3 p ro p ert }, and the law sai3 nothing of
l P ° d am Ire in de Texas, bat|£ P «T P he legal question” was decided by
dat flagVoll mo dare. Says I, 1 goj tarniDg and returning the
where dat flag never come. I come W j U g. .y
Tamoico, but here is dai flag again. I Portland says an honest
beKSfl go to the devil, dat same flag! man 0 f that city, lately found $2OO
Su follow me dare. _ i fee discovered the owner a nch man, and
-7TT „„ ireturned it to him, receiving .the muntfi-
nerve which never relaxes, tho.re 0 f a crossed Jour pence t—
oye which never blanches, the ‘bought. ond ministerB or'gracaikfend nar
which never wanders—these are the mas- We u« means now-a
tern of victory. -- _ I davßi yoking two fools together, with plea
(KrDid we always do our dutyby net- day f l(? justify the folly.—
fog in accordance with the admonitions of y brains, and worth, hare gone
32 a™, mthia m, *• .«■»“.
have few regrets.
MISG CONCESSIONS €F WICKED MBS.:,.
Lord Chesterfield, though a skeptic and
devoted to a life of pleasure, was compell
ed to say near tho close of his days, “When
I reflect upon what I have seen, what l
have heard and what I have done mysOU,
I can hardly persuade myself that all the
frivolous hurry and hustle and pleasure ot
tho world are a reality ; but they seem to
bo the dreams of restless nights.’
Voltaire, after having spent a whole lire
in blaspheming tho Savior, and opposing
his gospel, said to his physician on his dy
ing bed, “I will give you half of what I
am worth if you will givo me six months
of life.” . „
Said Gibbon: “The present is a fleeting
moment, the past is no more, and m 3 gros
pcct of futurity is dark and doubtful.
Hobbs said, ns the lnsthournpproached,
“If I had the whole world to dispose 01, 1
would give it to live one day.”
“Oh!” cried the Duke of Buckingham,
ns ho was closing a lifo devoted to folly
and sin, “what a prodigal I have beon to
tho most valuablo of all possessions—tune.
I have squandered it away with a persua
sion that it was overlasting; and now,
when a few days would be worth a b C( r a ‘
tomb of worlds, I cannot flatter myaeirwitb
tho prospect of a half a dozen hours.
Philip the Third, King of Spain, when
he draw near the end of his days,express*
ed his deep regret for a worldly and cart
less life, in these cpithelic wordsT/ Ah,
how happy it would have been for me, had
I spent these twenty-three yearn I have
held my kingdom, in retirement.
•Good God 1’ exclaimed tho dying noble*
mnn, “how have I employed myself 1 In
what delirium has my life been passed 1
What have I beeu doing while tho sun in
its race and tho stars in their courses have
lent their beams, perhaps to light me to
for the past,” exclaimed the
dying Altamont, “throws mv thoughts to
the future. Worse dread of the future
throws them back on the past. I turn, and
find no ray. Death is knocking at ray
door; in a few hours more I shall draw
my last gasp; and then the judgment, the
tremendous judgment 1 How sha l ap
pear, all unprepared as 1 am, before th
all-knowing and omnipotent God I
“Ol eternitv 1 eternity 1 cried the dis
tracted Newport, as he lay upon his death
bed, contemplating tho solemn scones bo
fore him, “who can paraphraso on the
words forever and ever ?"
ft timber 7.
Febocious Attack of a Wild Beast.
The New Orlenns Crescent , of the otn
instant, gives nn account of nn attack U P‘
on Mr. Stephen O’Leary, the chief of po
lice of that city, by a leopard in the men
a ceric of Mr. Van Amburgh : “Stephen
was leaning with his left arm across the
iron railing, when the leopard thrust his
long muscular fore legs through the bars,
and seized him by the arm, midway be
tween the wrist and elbow, stripping the
flesh clean from the bone and tendons
nearly to the hand, and drawing Captain
O’Leary up almost ugninst the bars, tie
struck the ferocious beast with his fist, but
i the only reply was a fierce growl and a
! firmer grip of the sharp claws ; his com
i panion was not armed to meet such nn
emergency, but he plucked from his head
a bran new and shining castor, and dealt
the animal a blow between the eyes which
utterly blinded and amazed him, and he
relinquished his hold at the very instant
when ho had the captain completely in his
lower. ' "**'
Tar. Fate of Genius. —Who, that has
evor read the clever sketches of Forefct
Life, and the popular poems of Charles
Fenno Hoffman, will not he pained to learn
that this once gifted child of genius, and
popular American nuthor, is now an in
mate of the Pennsylvania State Lunatic
Asvlum, near Harrisburg,—a pitiful case
of incurato insanity 1 Mr. Hoffman was
brought herenot long since, from one ol the
Maryland Institutions. Although at times
he appears dreadfully excited, yet ai ray
of reason will momentarily fit through lus
shattered intellect, and, ns the eloquent lan
guaoe.of n gifted soul falls from lus bps
and°reaches the ear of the awe-stricken
visitor, a tear of sympathy will voluntari
ly gather in his eye for the fate of the un
forTunate maniac ! What the cause of the
malady may have been wo are unable to
say. —Harrisburg Herald.
Tarikf Amendments in Congress.
The first speech of tho session on the
subject of the tariff was made in the Houso
of Representatives on Thursday, by Mr.
Boyce, of South Carolina. He opposed
the treasury project as an unjust, unequal,
nnd unnecessarily oppressive measure.—
Ho opposed the- 100 per cent, duty on
brandies, &c„ as a bounty to the domes
tic manufacture; and also pointed out tUo
objections to tho high duties imposed
der the twenty-five per cent, classifies ion.
Ho recommended a system of gradual re
duction of the rates of duty, in proportion
to the nmpunt of revonue received, until it
b. to tho.»»»