Bradford reporter. (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, September 23, 1854, Image 1

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    vaugitmi Mro
T 0 1 V ANDA:
Satarban illornion, scptember 23, 1851.
Vottiz
MY OLD COMPANIONS
I=i3
My heart has yearned like other heartS,
Vt'lib all the fervor Youth imparts ;
And all the warmth that Feeling lends
Has freely cherished" troops of friends."
A change has passed o'er them and me,
We are not as we used to be ;
My heart, like many another heart,
Sees Old Companions all depsrt.-
I thark the names of more than one,
But read them on the cold white stone;
And steps that followed where mine led,
Now on the far off desert tread;
The world has warped some souls away,
That once were honest as the dap;
some dead, some wandering, some Untrue;
Oh'. Old Companions are but few!
But there are green trees on the hill,
And green flags sweeping o,',er the rill,
And there are daisies peeping out,
And dog•rose blossoms round about.
Ye were my friends, -long, long ago."
The first bright friends I sought to knots,
And yet ye come—rove where I will,
Old Companions—faithful stilL
And there are sunbeams ri.-h and fair,
As cheering as they ever were:
And there are fresh winds play tug nigh,
AS i eely as in time gtme by ; ,
The birds cour singing as,of yore.
The wave= yet ripple m the shore; -
ifoweler I fee!, whereler I ranee.
These Old Ownpantons never change.
Fin glad! I learnt to love the things
That Fortune neitl,er takes or tiring.,
I'm glad my spirit learned to prize .
'Fite smiting faces of sunny skies.
• rwas well I claso'd with tli•tim; hand
The balmy wild 'lowers of the land;
r foil! ye' live ill friend.hip sure,
my Old Companions, height and pure.
Though strung may he the ties we make
The iiiriri.tet.t mortal tic may Weak:
Thi.tigh o arm the lips that hoe us now,
Thee may perchance forswcar the vow
Vi see pale death amt envious Hate,
Iting sha,low t l. the'diallilate ;
N..ting the loitirs whein dad; i.ands
And 1111 Comp/mous leave our side.
Hut be we sad, or be we gay,
With thick curls bright. or thtn locks grey ;
We never fond the spring, bloom meet
(tor presence - with a smile less sweet. •
Oh! 'am ,lad I learned to love .
tangled wood and coning dove ;
Yor thew will be, in good or itl,
Me oh! Companions, changeless !till.
111-stfllantoll S.
MONSIEUR DURANCE,
of Itto
Reins destined early for a mercantile profession,
I ryes hen:, when a youth of fif.eett. or tureen to
Ilourdeaux, in order to acquire the knowledge re
qu.i.e for my proposed pursui'., in the rooming ,
',Jose of one of :he Cyst establi-limen:s inqtat
a:,c,ent city. The head of this firm, which was an
ry rentely weal.hy one, wae tl Dvance, a gen
..Ainv, who. hum an oil friendship for my tither.
me into his own house and a-as most parent
..,;) LIDA to me. M. Durance was well up in
e.c.. round and ruddy in aspect, social in habita t
p -s-es-e.I of one 01 the very best of hearts lle
1.a.1 o: t , ible, however, which made the gaol
.i:mnst intolerable to all mankinl Notwith
..• ; 'he great event of the biline , s he had
Le had seldom been out of Rourtleaux.
:le lid only once than at J Parts; but that once was
e-on;h. On that otvasion he had met with tun
ries. Oh, tho:e two adventures !—Tongne
,atinot tell. nor brain conceive, the delight which
C. worthy man toelk in narrating these incidents
His friends were kept thereby in a sta'e of perpet
uai alarm. They never heard the wards, " Did
you ever hear me tell'—or even, " Did you ever'
—come from M. Diaranee's lips without an inter
: al shudder. and an instant retreat. if pokJsible.-
- Did you' itself was enough to bring out a cool
,•; , :qiiratiect. For if the good old men:hat-I once
tzun, pause or test was out of the question (or the
IA-ceding couple ofhours. Ilow : often have
, en compelled, after dinner, to listen to these two
e ernal adventures' It was not that they were un
~.erestin; in themselves On the contrail, they
were of
. a very remarkable order, and still more-re-
:-.1 ,. ..ttAe as having cceorred at one and the same
t me. tau: who can listen eveh to a good thing tor
ever t—Sererheless, as it is not likely the reader
In ever hare F udered from il. Durance's perpet
,.,es, we Fhail repeat them ones more, with a lit
e more brevity than it was the honest mini prac
^ .0 employ.
M Durance had occasion to go to Paris upon
ess lle had a carriage or chariot 4n which
- to travel, but at the time when he
• an,i• it convenient to set out, the vehicle required
a sl.gtit repair, and the merchant, then comp:lva
...rely young and active, thought it belt to ride
s:orrly forward on horseback for a couple of stages,
raving h ! is servant to bring the carriage after him.
I)..raue '.!1; , I - Ted to eniny, fix come part of
e way q more letburely view 01 the comity ;
ch he had scarcely ever seen beyond a few
frOm his owo Accordingly,
•; 1: i-,stro,;:roos to These:Tani, M Dur
.we set on; respectably mounted, and well armed,
e t-atried a large sum in bills and money, To
Ltal jaSliCe he had a stout spirit, and a fair share
• • .:rage; yet not much of either was required to
atone at that period, owing to,the admirable
of efficiency into which the famous Fondle
ad brought the police of the country.
M. Durance's first day's travel was unproductive
arq wonderful event. He stopped before night
-4.. at a villaze inn, rested comfortably, and next
THE . • RAIJFORD REPORTS I ,
morning pursued his room. While riding. 'slowly
along the border of a large wood, in the forenoon
of the second day, he observed 'a party of men,
also on horseback, a short. way before him. He
continued his course and they did the same; but
the merchant was uncomfortably surprised in the
end to observe them frequently turning round, one
after another, apparently to look at him. N. Du
rance thought of his pistols, and began to be. very
uneasy. The road now struck into the wood
already mentioned, and when in the middle of it,
poor Durance was `shocked to see the men halt,
and turn round to observe him, as if simultaneous
ly. The merchant was at this time but a short din
s tance from them, and could not help drawing op
his horse also for a moment. Vs bile he 'eta in
this situation, one of the men, atter an apparent
consultation with the, thers, left them and advan
ced to our friend.
" Now is - the lime," thought Durance, " here
chines the deMand tor my purse ! What is to
. 6e
done ?" And the worthy sours heart sank with
in him, as he thought of the heavy sum which he
bore.
When the man came up, however, there was no
demand of this kind made. The stranger's first
words to Durance were, What is your purpose
here ?" The merchant hesitated, and at length
stammered out, lam com?—upon an honest er
rand, I hope—like yourselves." Ah, I thought
so," replied the manger. Then, alter a moment's
pause, he continued," Well, what will you take to
go away ? Will you take one hundred louis ?"
Mys!ified. thoroughly, Durance, almost by accident,
bokeil out a "No !.' Tha man again spoke, and
sai4, " I cannot offer you more withou speaking to
mylcompanions," %Vol' which words he turned
away and rejoined his band.
M. Durance was never so much-pity:led in 'his
life but his spirits rose as he molt no intention on
the part of the men to injure him, and he waited
quietly , till the stranger's return. That personage
was not long away; when he returned to the mer-
chant, a b.ig of money was in his hand. This bag
he held out to Durance", Fay Mg, r• We have come
to the resolution of just oflerina you three hundred
:outs at once—here they are—it you choose to go
away. Now, ilia take them," continued he; " upon
my word we cannot oiler more Durance sat more
bewildered than ever; and was about to speak,
Often the bag was thrust into Isis hand Cy the stran
ger, who at the time said, " No•.v do take it with•
out another word It will be as,well for you, per
hep•, as yon are alone : and I can tell you 'there
are some determined fellows yonder, who would
think nothing to drive you oil. But I wai for a
compromise, and upon my honor, we cannot give
more." With this the man turned to move sway.
Part of this last speech had made a wonderful im
pression on Durance, who though utterly unable to
tell the meaning of all this, thought it wise to pock•
et the bag, and ride onwards. He did so and
soon lost sight of the'strange liberal party he had
met..
'M. Durance continued his route peaceably till
nightfall, pondering all the way on what had pass.
eil, yet incapable .if to any conclusion on
the subject. On reaching the village where he-pro.
posed to reit all night, he was joined by his ser.
van?. Joseph Demarary, with the chariot, and on
the ensumg day they pursued their journey in this
vehicle. Nothing of interest occurred throughout
their further progress, until they reached the very
gates of Patis. But just as the vehicle was passing
the barrier, a gentlemanly looking person came up
to the carriage side, and thus addressed M. Duran
ce: '• Sir, you will have the goodness to go with
What ?" said the merchant, " whither must
Igo and why In a low ions of voice, and with
the .u , most cirrhty , the gentleman replied, " You
will permit me the honor of conducting you to JI
Fouche." "M. •Fouche!" ejaculated M Durance
in no small alarm at the thought of what - the fa
mous head of the police cou:d want with him ; " I
have corn mined no offence, I have broken no law,
and I cannot understand why I am sent for by'—
The stranger cut short this speech by saying, " I
have been waiting for some time upon you, sir,
beinginstructed that yon.would ride in a carriage
like this ; and your person, portmanteau, and every
thing about you, answer the description given to
me. I cannot therefore, be mistaken in the party,
and you will have the goodness to attend me told.
Fouche, who will himself explain his business
with you, which is more than I can do." There
was no resisting this peremptorily civil request.—
By the stranger's directions, M. Duranoe sent on
his servant to the hotel where he proposed tO lodge,
and seeing no alternative, followed the meisencer
to the office of the head of police.
Fouche received our hero with the utmost po
intless, and after requestitig hinrri be seated, en
tered immediately on a detail of certain matters,
whiCh made the eyes of M. Durance grow'as round
as !tall moons, and led the good man to the con
clusion that Fouche and the gentleman in black
were things synonynious. " Yon are At. Durance,
of Bordeaux, the head of the extensive mercantile
house that bears your name; you have in your port
manteau the sum of—naming the exact sum) in
specie, sod the sum of—in bills; you are about to
reside,at the hotel B, near the Boulevards; and it
is your custom to retire to rest about eleven
o'clock." These are but a few of the particulars
regarding M.. Durance's situation, purpose, and
habits, which the public functionary seemed to be
aware, cit. The merchant sat itt mute astonish
went
M. Fouohe evideatly enjoyed his visitor's won
der, and before any reply could be made, the po
lice functionary cannoned in these rather startling
wads; " Sir, are you a . man of courage!" We
have mentioned already that M. Durance hat! a
good deal of spirit about hint ; and he was now
museil lo make the reply "that nit one bad ever
doubted his courage, and Ins begged to know the
cause of the question." "Sir," answered M.
Fooc'he, " Yon are to be robbed and murdered this
night." • " Robbed ant! =tamed !** exclaimed
SEEM
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. O'MEARA GOODRICH.
" REGARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION PROM ANT QUARTER."
the !launder-struck merchant of Bordeaux. "Gra
cious heavens! can this be truer " It is true," re
tinned M. Fouche. " You have seen how much
of the truth, relative to your affairs, I am acquaint
ed with, and this also if the truth. My reason for
potting a question to you, affecting your courage,
is this. If you have enough of that quality, you
will go to your hotel, and retire to rest at the usual
hour, placing your portmanteau, as usual, by your
bedside, and betraying no suspicion to those around
you. Only take care not to fall asleep—and leave
the rest to me. It win be unnecessary, end, in
deed, improper. for Sou to look into the closets or
beneath the bed. In short, do nothing, but go to
rest as you would do .at home, and leave the
rest to me. Have you resolution to do this 1" M.
Durance meditated a little, as was not unnatural,
before giving an answer, on which the head of the
police addressed him again. "II you do not feel
inclined to go through with this affair, I will pro•
cure one to personate you. This would render
the affair more difficult, and its success less certain,
but it might be done." "N 3 7, no," exclaimed our
friend, " I will act precisely as you direct, leaving
my life in your hands." " You may do so, sir,"
replied Faucho, " with perfect confidence."
After a repitition of his instructions, and receiv
ing some further particulars relative to the intend
ed attack on him, the worthy merchant left M.
Fouche, and having procured a street vehicle, was
driven to the hotel, whither he had sent his aer.
want and carriage. The evening was now pretty
well advanced, and ere M. Durance had rested
himself and taken some retrestiments, it wanted
tittle more than two hours of bedtime. The mer
chant felt hirn.elf incapable of going out, and he
therefore sought a book and sat still. Btu with his
usual kindness of heart, he did not wish to confine
others on his own account. His servant Demaray,
who was a Parisian, asked to go out and call upon
his friends. "By all means, Joseph," said M.
Durance: "go to see your friends, but recollect to
be here by eleven." Alter this, M. Durance at.
tempted to read, but, finding himself incapable of
following the meaning of two lines together, he
laid down the book, and thought.
Joseph returned punctually at eleven, and lighted
his mas:er to bed. Oa being left alone, the cour
age of the merchant almost gave; -way. He looked
around him. As M Fouche had stated, there were
two large closets in the room The thought .that,
at that instant, his intended murderers might be
there, came across the mind of M. Durance, and
he was strongly tempted to satisfy himself before
be lay down. Rut be recollected his promise—he
remembered how accurate the intelligence of M
Fouchis had been on other points—and he resolved
to confide in What had been stated to him, and to
obey every direction. flaying come firmly to this
conclusion, be put out the lights and lay down on
the bed. The counsel not to sleep,' proved most
superfluous in the case of the honest merchant. His
mind and senses were too much on the alert to
permit him to slumber. Sometimes, within the
first hour after he. lay down, he thought he heard
stifled noises, but if so, they were continuous, and
led to nothing. At length, however, about hall-past
twelve, the door of 1115 bed chamber opened, and
a glimmer of light fell on the opp.niite wall. Ha v .
ing purposely arranged the bed-clothes about his
head in such a wa)3,- as to enable him to see without
being seen, M. Durance then beheld three men en
ter, bearing a dusk lantern, and each armed with a
dagger and pis:ols. One of them advanced to die
bedside. and seed the portmanteau. In this per
son's face; to his horror, the merchant beheld the
lineaments of his own servant, Joseph Demaraj !
The first ac► of the men was to rip op and rifle the
portmanteau : bin while they were doing so toge
ther, each being unable seemingly, to trust his
companions, M. Durance heard them agree upon
the necessity of his own immediate death. Igno
rant of the means provided by M. Fouche for
his succor, M. Durance felt the perspiration burst
upon his body; but he was not kept long in this
sate, fur ere the rifling of the portmanteau could
be completeddhe closet doors burst open, five or
Ai/ men rushed out, and in an instant the surprised
robbers were in the hands of justice. OA the offi.
cers coming oat, the bed-loom door, at the same
time, was opened, and the lights brought in, show
ing that all had been indeed thoroughly prepared
[or the relief of the merchant and capture of the
orTenderti.
" Ah, eta !" M. Durance would here say, when
narrating the story himself, " what think you of my
second adventure! More wonderful still than the
first, was it not
Whatever may be thought upon this point, there
is obviously less of mystery in the last incident
than in the preceding. The extraordinary degree
of information displayed by M. Foucbe, resulted
simply from the circumstance of the villain Dema
rary having written from Bordeaux to Paris, an
nouncing to his associates the prize which was
coming in their way. It nay be thought that a
roundabout and dangerous mode for M. Durance
was adopted for the seizure of the offenders, and
this may an part be line. But it is to be remember.
ed that the slightest symptom of preparation sould
hate awakened the au-slump of Dernarary, and
would thus have prevented, in all probability, the
capture of his associates, who though old offenders,
had long escaped: detection by the police.. As to
other points, M. Fouche, doubtless, had been afraid
lest Durance, il informed previously of the treach
ery of his servant, and other particulars, might have
done something to betray the scheme.
The wretch of a servant and his associates were
punished as itify well merited. M. Durance, grate
ful for his ewape, blessed the wonJetfol polt.e of
his country, settled his business to his satisfaction
in Parts, and in Juis.titne returned to Bordeaux.
was not masker his return, rustwithstandingmany
inquiries. that be could get any rational esplanation
of the first of his two adventures. Finally, bower
et, by dint of local investigation, the mystery was
solved. And what, does the reader think, was the
cause of the three hundred louts being given to him
with such strange and apparently causeless timid
ity I The explanation is simple. In that wood,
on the afternoon in question, there was to be a
great sale of cut wood, which the party ol,men had
come trom a distance to buy ir \ i concert with one
another. -
They looked for a great bargain, baying reason
to hope that no ono would appear to bid against
them. But on seeing At. Durance on their track,
they at once concluded that be was on the same
errand' as themselves. On consultation, they
thought it worth their while to endeavor to boy up
his opposition by the offer of a good round sum.—
M. Durance's first words unintentionally confirmed
the mistake as to his purposes. The issue is known
to the reader.
It is not exactly in our power to say to what ex
tent M. Durance carried his enquiries, with the view
of restoring the ihree hundred loins. We believe
he offered publicly to give it up on call, but it was
never claimed from him. Petbaps the parties were
ashamed of their extraordinary and simple-witted
self-detection.
wi rom Demons( Thiny Vear's View.
kites assaniinatnni of General Jackson.
On Friday„the 30th of January, the President,
with some members of his cabinet, attended the
funeral ceremonies of Warren R Davis Esq., in the
Hall of the House of Representatives of which body
Mr. Davis had been a member from the State of
South Carolina. -The procession had moved out
with the body, td its front had reached the loot of
the broad steps of the eastern portico, when the
President, with Mr. Woodbury, Secretary of the
Treasury, and Mr. Mahlon Dickerson, Secretary of
the liavy,were issuing from the door of the great
rotunda which opens upon the portico. At that in
stant a person stepped from the crowd into a little
open space in. front of the President, levelled a
pistol at him, at the distance of about eight feet,
and attempted to fire. It was a percussion luck and
the cap exploded without firing the powder in the
barrel. The explosion of the cap was so loud that
many persons thought the pistol had fired; I heard
it at the foot of the steps, far from the place and a
'rest crowd between. Instantly the person drop.
Tied the pistol which had missed fire, took another
which he had ready cocked in the left hand, con
cealed by a cloak, levelled it and polled the trig
ger. It was also percussion lock, and the cap ex
ploded without firing the powder io the barrel.—
The President instantly rushed upon him with his
Wilted cane, and the man shrunk back ; Mr.
Woodbury aimed a blow at him ; Lieutenant Gad
dy, of the navy knocked him down ; he was se
cured by the bystander., wha delivered him to the
officers of jnstice for judicial examination.
The examination took place before the Chief
Justice of the D i strict, Mr. Cranch, by whom be
was committed in default of bail. His name was
ascertained to be Richard Lawrence, an English
man by birth and a house=painter by trade, at pres
ent out of employment, melancholy and ira4c.ble.
The pistols were examined and found to be well
loaded and fired afterwards, without fail, carrying
their bullets true, and driving them through inch
boards at thirty feet distance ; nor could any rea
son be found for the two failures at the doors of the
rotund. Oa his examination the prisoner seemed
to be at his ease, as if unconscious of having done
anything wrong—refusing to cross-examine the
witness who testified against him, or to give any
explanation of his conduct. The idea of an un
sound mind strongly impressing itself upon the
public opinion, the marshal of the District invited
two of the most respectable physicians of the city
(Dr. Caussian and Dr. Thomas Sewell.) to vise
ham and examine into Ins mental condition. They
l i did so, and the following is the report made upon
the case :
The undersigned having been requested by
the marshal of the DiStrict of Columbia to visit
Richard Lawrence, now confined in the jail of the
county of Washington, for an attempt to assassinate
the President of the Untied States, with a stew to
ascertain, as lar as practicable, the present condi
tion of his bodily health and state of mind, and be
keying that a detail of the examination will be
more satisfactory than an abstract opinion on the
subject, we therefore give the following statement.
On entering the room we engaged in a flee con•
yersation with him, in which he participated, ap
parently, in the most artless and unreserved man
ner The first interrogatory propounded was to
his age, which question Mena he positively de
clined answering. We then inquired into the con
dition of his health for several years past, to which
he replied that it had been uniformly good, and
that he had never labored under any mental de
rangement nor did he admit the existence of any
of those symptoms of physical derangement which
usually attend mental alienation. He said he was
born in England and came to this country when
twelve or thirteen years of age, and that his lather
died in this District about six or eight years since ;
that his father was a Protestant :and his . mother a
Methodist, and that he was not a professor of any
religion, but sometimes read the Bible and occasion
ally attended church. He stated that he was a
Fainter by trade and had followed that occupation
to the present time ; but of late could not find
steady employment, which had caused much pe
cuniary embarrassment with him that be had
been generally temperate in bis habits, using ar
dent spirits moderately when at work ; but, for the
last three or four week!, bail not, taken any ; that
he had never gambled, and, in other respects, had
led a regular and sober lile. ‘‘,
r Upon being interrogated as to the circirmstan
ces connected with the attempted easasination, be
said that he had been deliberating on it for some
time past, and that be had called at the President's
house about a week previous to the attempt, and
being conducted to the President's apartment by
the porter, found him in eonvervacmn with ainein
be: of Congress whom tom believed to be Mr-Suth
erland, of Pennsylvania ; that he stated to the Prow
ideal that he wanted money to take hun to England
and that he must give him a check nn the bank,
and the President remarked that ha was too much
engaged to attend to him—be must call another
time, for Mr. Dibble was in waiting for an inter•
view.
ft , When asked about the pistols he had used he
stated, that his father had left him a pair, but not
being alike, about lour years since he exchanged
one for another, which exactly matched the best
of the pair; these were both flint locks, which he
had recently bad altered to percussion locks by a
Mr. Boteler ; that he had been frequently in the
habit of loading and firing these pistols at marks,
and that he had never known them to fail going ofl
on any other occasion, and that at the distance
of ten yards the ball always passed through an
inch plank. He also stated that he had loaded those
pistols three or four days previous with ordinary
care, for the purpose attempted ; but that he used
a pencil instead of a ramrod, an d that during that
period, they were at all times carried in his pocket;
and when asked why they failed to explode, he
replied he knew no cause. When asked why he
went to the Capitol on that day, he replied he ex
pected that the President would be there. He also
stated, that he was in the rotunda when the Presi
dent arrived ; and on being asked why he did not
then attempt to shoot him, he replied that he did
not wish to interfere with the funeral ceremony,
and therefore waited till it was over. He also ob.
served that he did not enter the hall but looked
through a window from a lobby, and raw the Pres
ident seated with members of Congress, and he '
then tamed to the rotunda and waited till the Pres
ident again entered it, and thee passed through and
took his position in the east portico, about two
yards from the door, drew his pistols from his in
side coal pocket, cocked them and held one in
each hand, concealed by his coat, lest be should
alarm the spectators—and states, that as soon as
the one in the right band missed fire he immedi
ately dropped nr exchanged it, and attempted to
fire the second, before he was seized ; he further
stated he had aimed each pistol at the Prsident'a
heart, and intended if the first pistol had gone off,
and the President bad fallen, to have defended
himself with the second if defence had been Deces
nary. On being asked if he did not expect to have
been killed on the spot if he had killed the Presi
'dent, he replied he did not ; and that he had no
doubt but that he would have been protected by
the spectating. He was frequently questioned wheth
er he had friends present from whom he expected
protection. To this he replied that he had never
mentioned his intention to any one, and that no one
in particular knew his design ; but that he presum
ed it was generally known that he intended to put
the President out of the way. He further stated,
that when. the President arrived at the door, near
which he stood, finding him supported on the left
by Mr. Woodbory, and observing many persons in
his rear, and being himself rather to the right of the
President, in order to avoid wounding Mr. Wood
bury and those in the rear, he stefiped a little to his
own right, so that should the ball pass through the
body of the President it would be received by the
door frame or stone wall. On being a-ked of he
telt no trepidation during the attempt. he replied
not the slightest, until he found the second pistol
had missed fi.es. Thtin ob-erving, that the Presi
dent was advancing, upon him with an uplifted
cane he feared that it contained a sword, which
might have been thrnat through him before he could
have been protected by the crowd. And when in
terrogeted as to the motive which induced him to
attempt the assa-ination of the Pri 4 Sident, he replied
that he had been told that the President had cans
ed his loss of occupation, and the consequent want t
of money, and he believed that to pot him out of
the way was the only remedy for die evil ; but to ,
the interrogatory, Why told you this ?he could
not identity any one, but remarked dial his brothel
in law, Mr. Redfern, told him that he would have
no more business because he was opposed to the
President, and he believed Mr. Redfern to be in
league withihe President against him. Again be
ing queslioned whether he had often attended de
bares in Congress during the present session, and
whether they had influenced him in making this
attack on the person of the President, lie replied
that lie had frequently attended the discussion in
both branches of Congress, but that they had, in no
degee influenced his actio n .
Upon being asked it he expected to become
the President of the Untied States ; if Genetal Jack
son had fat:en, he replied no
'• When asked whom he wished to be the Free
',lent, his answer was, there were many persons in
'he House of Representatives Oa being asked it
there were no persons in die Senate, Yes, several ,
and it was the Senitte to which I allude. Who, i
your opinion. of.-the Senate, would make a good
President ? He answered Mr Clay, Mr Webster,
Mr Calhoun. What do you think of Col Benton
Mr Van Buren, or lodge White, for President
He thought they would do well. 0.1 being aste
what benefit he.expected htrneelf from the deoh
of the President, he answered he could not rice un
less the President fell, he expected thereby to re
: cover his liberty, and that the mechanics would all
be benefred; that the mechanics would bare plen
ty of work, and that money would be more plenty
On being asked why it would be mote plenty, he
replied : it would be mole easily obtained born the
bank. On being asked what bank, he replied the
Bank of the U. S. On being asked if he knew
the President, directors or any of the officers of the
Bank, or had ever Loki any intercourse with them
or knew bow he could get money out of the bank,
he replied no, that be slightly knew Mr. Smith
only.
" On being asked with respect to the speeches
which he bail heard in Congress, and whether he
was particularly pleased with those of Messrs Cal
houn, Clay and Webster, he replied that his was,
because they were cc his lade. He was then ask
ed if be Wig well pleased with the speeches of
Cot Beaton and Judge Mute He said he was, aced
itictu;ht Cal. Benton highly talen:ed.
When asked if he was friendly to General
Jackson, be replied, no. Why not IHe answered
because he was a tyrant. Who told you he was a
tyrant ? He answered, it was a common talk with
the.people, and that he had read it in the papers.
He was asked if he could tube any one who had
told him Co? He replied ; no. He was asked if he
had ever threatened to shoot Mr. Clay, or Webster,
01 Mr. Calhoun, or whether he would , shoot them
if he had an opportunity. He replie d, no. When
asked if he would shoot Mr Van Buren 'I He re
plied, so, that he once met with Mr. Van Buren to
the rotunda, and told hire he was in want of money
and most have it, and if be did not get it, be (Mr.
Van Boren) or General Jaekson, most fall. He was
asked if any person was present doting the con
versation ? He replied, that the,. wasseveral, pres
ent and when asked if he recollected one of them,
he replied that he did not When asked if any one
advised him to shoot General Jackson, or say that
it ought to be done? be replied, 1 do not like tosay.
On being pressed on this point, he said no one in
particular had advised him. ' '
"lie further stated that-, believing the President
to be the source of all hi; difficulties, he was still
fired in his purpose to kill him i and if his successor
pursued the same course, to pot him out of the
way also—and declared that no power in this
country could punish him for having done so, be
cause it would be resisted by the powers of Europe
as well as of this country. He also stated that he
had been long in correspondence with the powers
of Europe, and that his family had been wrongfully
deprived of the crown of England, and that he
should yet live to regain it ; and- that he consider
ed the President of the United States nothing more
than his clerk.
tt We now think proper to add that the young
man appeared peifec.ly tranquil and unconcerned
as to the final result, and seems to anticipate no
punishment for what he has done. The above con
tains the leading and literally expressed facts of
the whole conversation we had with him, which
continued at least two hours. The questions were
Lequently repeated in different stages of the exam
ination, and presented to various forms."
It is clearly to be seen from this medical exam
ination' of the man, that this attempted assasss•
nation of the President was one of those cases which
history presints many instances—a diseased mind
acted upop by a general outcry against a public
man. 1. - iwrence was in the particular condition IA
be acted upon by what he heard of General Jack
son; a workman out of employment, needy, idle - ;
mentally morbid and with reason enough to argue
regularly from false premises. He heard the Pres
ident accused of breaking up the labor of the coun
try ! and believed making money scarce !
and believed it—of being a 'raw! and believed
it—of ying an obstacle to all relief! arid believed
it. And coming to a regular conclusion from , all
these beliefs, he attempted to do what be believed
the state of things required him to do—take the
fife of the man whom he considered the cause of
his own and the general calamity—and the sole
obstacle to his own and general happiness. Hal.
hicination of mind was evident ; and Ilse wretched
victim of a dreadful delusion was, at erwards, treat.
ed as insane, and never brought to !nal. But the
circumstance male a deep impression upon the
public feeling, and irresistibly carried many minds
to the belief in a superintending Providence, man•
ifested in the extraordinary case of two pistols in
succession—so well loaded, so coolly handled ; and
which afterwards fired with such readiness, force
and precision—missing fire, each in gis turn, when
levelled eight feet at the President's heart!
PROFS!. E SW ICA RINC.—It is related of Dr. Scudder
that on his mission to India after a long absence,
he was standing onlhe deck of a steamer with his
SZin a youth. when iie; heard a gentleman using
loud and profane laagoage. See, friend," said
the doctor accosting s the swearer, " this boy, my
son, was born and brought up in a heathen country
--and in a land of pagan idolatry; but in all his
life never heard a man blaspheme his maker until
now." The man colored, blurted out a sort of an
apology and moved away, looking not a little
a.4ltamed of liirrlSeli.
Cr - What lake is this ?" said a freshly tarried
cockney to another who had been in the country
some lime.
" Why it's the Like Trna "
'• I know it's the take I'm on, but what's the
name Me !"
Lake 'Cron, that's :he name of IC'
'• Ali ' ah ! yea, the Lake 'Urnn—hui do they
call it that alien }on are not on it I' Hie friend
lave bun a look. of pry, and explained.
fit,- Who art thou that Lomplaurest of thy life of
Complain nor. Look up. rny wearied broth
er , see thy fellow workmen there in God's elem.
y—sorvivlng ?here—they alone FTlTVlCiti;—sacred
band of the immortals—celestial body guard of the
F..upire of matiLind. Ewer in the weak human me
mory, they survive so king as saints, as heroes, as
gods—they alone surviving: peoptmg, they alone,
the unmeasured solitudes of time,— Carlyfr.
Kr We heard a good pire once of a party of
yonngt fei'ows who fatt4 fault 'With the butter on
the brrardtog honse tablet.
Whit re the mattetArrth it?" asked the CO i -
QM
" lust a=L• it," said one, " n's old enough to
speak for itself "
Kr School Marm—to a fire year old umber),
pottries 'Gibe !atter G—" What letter la that 3"
Toone America—Don't know
School Marm—What Jo you say to your bursa
Young America--Ga tang, two forty on a plank.
What makes the milk so warm?" said
Belly io the milkman, when he brought his pail to
l bo door one morning " Please mum, the pomp-
handles broke ; and missus took the water Isom the
i F ir.l