Letter from Hon. C. P. Avery.
SEBASTIAN STROP/: ADDITIONAL PROOFS
OF HIS REVOLUTIONARY SERVICES—
THE CHARGE OF TORYISM MA IE
AGAINST lIIM FY MR. MINER. OF
ll'll. h' EST A R RE. CO XV I. LSI I E/. 5" HIS PR O
FED BY DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE.
To AVM. P. MINER.
Editor of tiie Record of the Time*. Wilkes Burre ■
SIR- —Under date of the 2bth of March
last, I addressed a letter to you through the
columns of the Times of this village, which
tfith some additions was published the next
week, in the Ovego Gazette. A copy of each
of those papers, was promptly forwarded to
you ; and from that as well as from another
fact that the same letter, as published in the
Gazelle, was copied into The Luzerne I viov,
of Wilkesßarre, and several other papers of
this and that vicinity, 1 must conclude that
von have been duly apprised that I have thus
attempted to vindicate the memory of Sebastian
Strope from the charge of Toryism, and the
character of a spy, which your lather sought
to fasten npon it in a letter to Judge Jessup,
published in your columns, on the 21st of
March last.
To my answer to those serious charges
preferred by him, he has made no reply, and
having remained silent for more than three
months, I might justly claim a judgment of
discontinuance against him, and, obtaining it
there leave the matter : but documentary
evidence of a positive and convincing character,
having been recently obtained by me, placing
t lie patriotism of him, whose memory you have
so wantonly assailed, far above the reach of
attack, cavil and harm, I desire to spread it
upon the record along with that which has
been already submitted.
Before proceeding to do so, let me say that
if, upon reading niv answer of the 2<>th of
M arch, your father found that he could not
substantiate the serious charges which he hud
made, affecting as they did, not only the feel
ings of many intelligent and patriotic descen
dant, but also tending, if established, to bring
into ridicule and 'disrepute the I'ioneer and
Historical Festival of the 22d of February
last, and to cloud the integrity of my inform
ant, Mrs. Whitaker, and several others,
together with my own, it would have been
fairer in every view, historical and otherwise,
if instead of suffering a default by silence, lie
had frankly and manfully avowed such inability.
Having failed, signally in the attack, the next
best, in fact, the only thing proper or politic
in the emergency, was a retreat in as good
order as possible, a prompt substitution of a
white flag for this merciless red one with which
he opened the assault, and, a full and fair
retraction. Neither your father, nor you on
his behalf, have thought proper to take this
course, and I shall treat the matter upon the
theory that you .still desire to have it continued
an open question.
Last winter, I was informed by the Hon.
George Sanderson of Towanda, that lie had
become apprised of the existence of valuable
manuscripts, relating to the history of our
valley, then in the possession of a descendant
of the Rev. Thomas Smiley, residing in Phil
adelphia. In the course of the winter through
the thoughtful agency of Mr. Sanderson, the
manuscripts were obtained and placed in the
keeping of Hon. t\ LAV ard, by whose courtesy
1 now have them in possession. The manu
scripts are the results of the hist ori<-al researches
of Mr. Smiley in the year lc-s'l and 31, in the
vicinity of Towanda, Wy.-ox, Standing Stone,
Wyalusing Ac., while he was settled as a
miuister of the Baptist Church at White Deer,
Lycoming County l'a. From the great care
with which they were written, the plainness of
the hand-writing, correctness of style and
punctuation, together with some rather clear
intimations expressed in them, it seems that he
had then a design of publishing them as annals,
or perhaps as a more labored history.—
The time of researches, (1830, '31,) you will
bear in mind, was prior to the period when your
father commenced similar labors.
The manuscripts, which we are now con
sidering, consists chiefly of narratives of aged
revolutionary soldiers, then surviving upon tiie
Susquehanna, who shared in the dangers and
adventures of its border warefare. Among
them DAVID ALLEN, JOSEPH KLIAOT, WILLIAM
HUYCK, AC. The narrative of Judge HOLLEX
BACK has also a deserved place in the compila
tion embodied at the time above given from
minutes of a previous date. All the pages,
detached and collective, bear on their face the
fullest evidence of indentitv and genuineness,
aud it may be well added that the excellent
repute which the reverend compiler of these
narratives has left throughout the wide field of
bis missionary labors upon the Susquehanna
and its tributaries, the Towanda creek and the
West branch, extending from the year 1704,
down to the close of his mission by death—a
good fame, which has been transmitted as a
Valued legacy to his descendants—can leave no
question as to the fairness, honesty and
complete authenticity of his laborious re
searches.
I call your attention in the first place to the
narrative of WILLIAM HUYCK, (usually pro
nounced HOCCK,) who settled at Standing-
Stone, in 177t>, and served under Gen SULITVAN,
in the camgaign of 1770, against the Iroquois.
He died at an advanced age, a few years since,
nt the place where he made his early settlement,
and for many years previous had received a
yearly pension, which lie so well deserved, at
the hands of a grateful government. This
should, and doubtless will exempt both his
patriotism and veracity from cavil. Tiie fol
lowing are extracts from liis narrative as
embodied by Mr. Smiley. When your eyes rest
npon that portion of it in italics, I think you
must agree me that your columns have beeen
made the vehicle of a miserable and most un
pardonable calumny.
[While reading the following extracts, it
should be borne in mind, that Standing-Stone,
where Mr. Huyck resided, was distant only
about three miles from Wysox, below it, on
the same side of the river, where the capture
of the Stropes took place, in May 1778, as
stated by me in the series 1853 and's4. of the
St. Nicholas, a statement which ton have dis
puted and attacked.j
" Mr. WII.I.IAM HOUCK'S account of suffering
"from the Indians in the Revolutionary war,
"and at the time of the Indian battle, taken
" from his month, December 3, 1831, Stand
" ing-Stone."
" Mr. WM. IlorcK, of this place informs me
that he was residing in December 1777, with
his uncle, in this place on the river, about
severity miles above Wyoming. * * *
About a fortnight before the party came up
(from Wyoming) to take off the Tories, about
twenty of those refugees came to his ancle's
house * " * am | plundered the house of
nn abundance, then putting it into a boat of
our own, proceeded up the river with their
driving off four young cattle IS sheep
| and three good horses. Two ot! er whig
i families above, shared the sutno fate. *
We could not go down with the party thai
: came up and captured the Tories on account
| of the haste they were in, hut after a time, we
put what little we had lett in a boat, and
descended the stream, thick with floating ice.
We d< •scended the river slowly about twenty
five miles, and there the river was shut up be
fore us. Iferc we had to pass an uncomfort
able time. * * * lu our winter quarters
we had hard times ; however in the month of
March, 1778, the river opened, and on the
very next day we descended the river, and
reached the Forty Fort,- so called. * * *
Sri.v after this our 117ug neighbors abort us,
John enol Sebastian Strop*, met scith adversity ;
the enemy was approaching Sebastian made out
to escape, but his wife J- children were captured.
John was taken with his family A none of both
those families were released until thenar ended.
They then got home and resided on their farms
until the cud of their lices."
In addition to this, there appears among
the manuscripts of Mr. SMILEY, a written
memorandum or statement made by the aged
veteran, npon a sheet by itself. As it contains
some facts not embodied in the other, I will
give extracts also from it. It not only bears
his own signature, but is written entirely by
himself—a complete holograph—having no
letter, nor mark upon it, made by any other
pen. It accompanied the Philadelphia manu
scripts. when they were placed in my hands,
and was doubtless a memorandum furnished at
the request of Mr. SMM.EY, by the old soldier,
from which as well as from personal interviews
with the narrator, he gleaned the facts
embodied in the extracts just given. I have
I italicised a portion to draw your attention to
, the fact that SEBASTIAN' SHOCK, upon whose
: memory you farther has sought to fix the
| character of a Tory and Spy, and whose
family, he alleges, courted the protection of
the enemy as willing captives, actually shared
in ali the perils of the Wyoming battle of July
| 3, 1778, at a time too when his wife, children
and every relative, who had a drop of his
blood in their veins, were prisoners in the hands
| and at the mercy of the same savage and
: revengeful foe.
"lu the year 1770, our family immigrated
" from the country of Albany, in the State of
" New York, and went on as far as Springfield,
"at the head of Lake Otsego. There we
" waited, until the Lake was clear of ice.—
"We stayed there about three weeks. My
"uncle Fitzgerald bought a large battue, and
| " we movi d on down the river with consider
i " able difficulty. There were many obstacles
• " in the way, until we got to the Uuidilly and
i "we proceeded on to the Standing-Stone.—
" There we planted corn, and raised a crop,
| " and we lost the whole. We were quick re
i " duced to want; likewise Mr. SropE and his
•' family. ***** J/,\ Bastian
j " S trope made his escape from them (the Indians,)
I " and got safe to Wilkes Berry, and was in the
; " massicrce, but he made his escape, and the rest
j "of his family were taken to Canada, and
' suffered greatly, ami never returned until
"peace was proclaimed, and then they were sent
" to Albany by w British escort."
Signed, " WILLIAM ILRVCK."
Upou the same sheet appears a list of Tories,
drawn up by Mr. Huyck, and signed by him.
It commences and closes as follows :
| "Now comes on the Tories, *****
, * * * * * a j )ac j. 0 f v |j e wro tches.
" Now * * * pretends to say that he
" wishes liis name to be kept a secret. As fur
; " this * * * he was a deserter from our army.
•• I publish this for truth, aud am willing to
! " attest to it,"
" WILLIAM lIUYCK."
I omit the names in the last extract for
! obvious reasons. No useful purpose would lie
subserved now by blazoning them to the public.
It would merely wound the feelings of many
; worthy descendants, without an adequate
: retuwi of advantage, historical or otherwise.
My only object in inserting the extract at all,
lis to show the ample means of knowledge
possessed bv Mr. Huyck, and that his attention
I has been called to the subject at au early day,
1 when the names and iucideuts were fresh in his
recollection. It is enough for this present
controversy to know that none of the STROKES,
or of their relatives appear upou that black
list, whoever else may have found aud richly
1 merited a place there.
This, I apprehend, Sir, makes an end of the
controversy. The defence against the attack
of your father and yourself, is now so fully and
j clearly established, that comment seems super
i tluous. A retraction even through the columns
| of your paper, now is neither called for nor
i required by the descendants of SEBASTIAN
j SLOPE, however outraged may have been their
; feelings, however ruthless and impertinent your
| intrusions upon their old family hearth-stone.
; They, stand thanks to the God of Truth and
Justice, self vindicated in full defiance of our
1 attack, and there is no acknowledgment which
j can now make, that would uot add an iusult to
j the injury.
Here let me introduce a few extracts from
your father's letter. Speaking of Mr. Whit
aker, lie asks derisively, " why does she not tell
"us where her disconsolate father was all this
"while," (when the family were prisoners at
Tioga.) " Did he join the patriot band at
" Forty Fort to defend or avenge '! I lis name is
" not on the list, of those massacreed at
" Wyoming. His name is not on the list of
" those who escaped ! The probable inference
" dreadful, and I am not responsible that at
late day it is raked up to. "* * * Where
was he ?" This is printed, stars and all, just as
it appears in his published letter, with the
exception of the italics which are of my
suggestion.
I think he has been fully answered ; to each
j and every interrogatory, which he has here put
I with so much of tau nt and arrogance, and so little
jof tiie true spirit of the historian. His boast
; ed list is proved imperfect—a broken reed.
| Again, let us observe further, by limited
I extracts, the letter, and particularly the spirit
\ of his impeachment ; he says of Mrs. Whit
i aker, " Her narrative must have been an after
|" thought. * * * How apparant and
" powerful the motive to write a narrative of
"patriotic looses and sufferings—to turn the
" voluntary joining the enemy into a forcible
" captivity, thus not only avoiding censure
: " but gain respect aud pity for patriotic suffer
■ ing."
Again lie says, politely impeaching either my
informant or me, probably intending both,
" The story was pretty well got up."
Again he says, speaking of the captive fami
lies, when taken to Tioga, " The rebel ladies
had the honor to be presented at once into the
presence of the Commander-in-Chief (Col. John
Butler,) and doubtless met familiar acquain
j tanees, and a hearty welcome."
j After having in the first part of his letter,
i with high reaching pathos, commisserated Gen!
1 CASS Mr BSOOBEAS, and others for having
sent cordial letters of response to the Pioneer
and Historical Festival, on the 22d of Februa
ry, at which the name of SEBASTIAN STROBE
was commemorated iu fitting terms, he closes
thus : "With this exposition, Judge JESSUP, 1
submit the case, renewing, with "uneffected
"sincerity, my personal regard, (presumingycm
"ha !not in-estigatedthe mailer ,) and adding th ■
" hope that the names of SEBASTIAN STROBE and
" GEORGE WASHINGTON may not be again
" brought in juxtaposition as kindred American
" Patriots, worthy of being coupled and toast
" ed together."
I humbly submit, sir, as a plain question of
courtesy, whether it was at all proper for you
or your father, to have presumed in any man
ner, as you do in this extract. The simple fact
is that the gentleman, whose name you have
so freely introduced had investigated the sub
ject. He replied to the sentiment, commemo
rative of the STROBE family and of the old fami
ly Bible, which was the companion of their
trying captivity, after due investigation, lie
was conversant with his theme, while you, his
officious, self-constituted patrons, have, at one
and the same moment upon this very subject,
touched the point of profouudest ignorance and
loftiest arrogance.
In a letter received from Mr. MINER STROBE,
a respectable and intelligent gentleman of Plo
ver, Portage County, Wisconsin, lie informs
ine that lie has been told by his father, ISAAC
STROBE, (a son of SEBASTIAN, and captured
with the other children, now more than eighty
years of age, living in Summit County, Ohio,
where lie has resided for a great number of
years,) that his grandfather, not only volun
teered tor the defence of Wyoming, and shared
in the battle, but was in the hottest of the
light, receiving a wound which so disabled liivu
that he could not reach the Fort upon the re
treat. In the language of the letter, "He
then sought the shelter of an old stack van!,
grown up with briers, thistles, &c., iu which
lie secreted himself, rightly judging, that the
halt naked savages would not care to enter.—
Hete with his musket ready cocked, he lay
closely secreted, until in the night lie sought a
place of greater security. His position was
such that lie saw much of the bloodv tragedy.
He saw and heard the I dry \\ indaker, when
lie called to Lieut. SHOEMAKER, and told him
he would give him quarters, and when SHOE
MAKER gave himself up, he saw the villain de
liberately murder him."
lie also states, in the same letter, that soon
after the Indians and British left the Valley,
his grandfather, aided RAI.BII MARTIN, whose
wife was a sister of the Lh ufeaau , u giving a
proper and decent burial to flic body of that
gallant, but unfortunate man, betrayed as lie
was into the hands of the ungrateful Tory who
had fed in former years upon his and his"fath
ers bounty. This fact is preserved as a tradi
tion, also by the descendants of the patriot
STROBE, now living at Wysox ; and from con
versations with them, and letters received. I
have no doubt that all their statements are to
be relied upon, fully, as true and faithful tra
ditions.
But one fact remains to be suggested, and
is contained in the following extract from one
of the letters of Mr. MINER STRODE, of Wis
consin :
After my grandfather died, which must
have been in the year 1804, or 5, (live I think)
a newspaper published at Wilkes-Barre was
sent to his friends, in which was an obituary,
by some person unknown to the family, and of
considerable length, recounting many of the
leading incidents of his life, his devotion to the
cause of freedom and to his country. This pa
per was preserved for a longtime by his fami
ly ; but, like many of the incidents of those
days, only exists in recollection. There is a
bare possibility, that a file of papers published
at Wilkes-Barre, of that date, may be yet ex
tant."
It I am not wrongly informed, the only pa
per then published at'that place was " The Lu
zerne Federalist bv Messrs. ASHER and CIIAS.
MINER. \OU have, perhaps, a complete file
of it preserved. We have searched elsewhere
unsuccessfully. This branch of our evidence
is in yoar possession, probably, certainly not
in ours. \\ e would like to have it adduced
with the rest of the proof, and am I asking too
much to desire you to search the tiles of 1803
and b, and, il such an obituary did appear, and
I feel convinced that it did, will you not, la.-k
earnestly, will you not republish it now for the
sake of truth and fairness ?
But without that, the memory of the worthy
patriot stands fully vindicated. The attaint
which you sought, through yonr columns, to
fasten upon his descendants is thoroughly wiped
off. Tne integrity and strict truthfulness of
the Captive, JANE WHITTAKER, after repeated
corroborations, mu<t be considered firmly es
tablished. My statements upon the subject, in
the series of the St. Nicholas of 1803-'o4, are
literally and completely confirmed. The Pio
neer and Historical Festival of the 22d of
February last, which you sought to briusr into
ridicule and disrepute, stands, not only with
its accuracy and usefulness unshaken, but with
its claims to public confidence fresh and renew
ed. I nderlaying all these facts and support
ing this handsome pyramid of truth, rests that
massive old STRODE Bible, a sublime witness of
that long captivity, a time-worn, glorious proof
that the same God, who saved from harm the
captive family, has provided, in His wise provi
dence, witnesses and testimony to save from
unmerited shame the descendants, even unto
the fourth generation, of the Christian I'utriot.
With due consideration,
Yours, Ac.,
C. P. AVERY.
MOVEMENTS OF COL. KINNEY.— The schooner
Ac-tire, Capt. Moorehouse, arrived from Turks
Island, and reports the loss of the schooner
Emma, Capt. Norris, which sailed from New-
York June 6, with Col. KINNEY and his party
of twenty men.
lhe Lmrua had a successful passage until
the night of the 19th uli., when she struck up
pon the Caicos Reefs and proved a total loss,
with the stores and effects of the passengers.
No lives were lost. The passengers proceeded
to Turks Island, which tlicy reached in five
days time, where Col. KINNEY was negotiating
for the charter of another vessel to carry tliein
to Nicaragua. The party were in excellent
spirits notwithstanding their disaster.
&5T' Col. Steptoe, appointed Governor of
Utah Territory, in place of Brigham Young,
whose term had expired, declined the appoint
ment, and recommends the re-appointment
of \oung. Col. S. has resided for sometime,
with a detachment of L'nited States troops,
in Salt Lake City, and is presumed to be
acquainted with the disposition of its govern
ment and people.
§raliforVlUportcr.
E. O. GOODRICH, EDITOR.
TOWANDA:
Gatnrban XUormnn, 3nln 21, 1835.
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THE FOREIGN NEWS.
There lias been two arrivals from Europe
since our last issue, but the intelligence is not
of much importance. The Arago one of the
Havre steamers, arrived on Monday at New
York, after a passage of twelve days, with
four days later from Europe. The interest of
every arrival centres in the news from the
Crimea, and the progress of that eventful
siege. The most important event from that
quarter is the death of Lord Raglan, the
Commander-in-chief of the English army.
Sir George Simpson will now assume tlie
command of the English army, and co-operate
with l'elissier. No new movement hadoccnrrred
in the Crimea. From the Baltic the news is
that the frigate Amphion ran ashore near
Sweaborg—a lire was commenced upon her
from a Russian fort, which she returned, and
caused considerable damage in the fort by an
explosion. This probably accounts for the
report by last steamer that Sweaborg had been
bombarded, and all the stores destroyed.—
Sweaborg is one of the most formidable places
of defense the Russians have in the Baltic,
and is not to be attacked with impunity.—
From England the news is interesting. Lord
Grosvenor's Sunday bill, restricting the work
ing people in some of their usual pursuits and
enjoyments on that day has produced a very
formidable manifestation of popular indiguation.
The first Sunday, fifteen thousand persons
assembled in Hyde Park, who compelled the
nobility and gentry, by hooting and outcries,
to leave their carriages, while taking an airing.
The authorities made preparations for the
succeeding Sunday ; but, in spite of the pre
parations, a crowd of workmen, numbering one
hundred thousand persous, assembled in the
Park again, and the same scenes were re
enacted, with the addition of an assault upon
the police. The Sunday bill had to be with
drawn by its author to quiet popular tumult) at
a time when the government, needs all the
moral force and physical aid the natiou can
give to enable it to conduct the war with
advantage.
The steamship Canada arrived at Halifax
on Wednesday morning last, with three days
later intelligence than that brought by the
A rago.
The news by this arrival is very meager and
wholly unimportant, consisting mainly of details
of the recent repulses of the Allies at the Ma
lakoff and Redan.
Further evidences of mismanagement on the
part of the Allied Generals are revealed.
Affairs before Sebastopol were without the
least change, and there was no indication of
any new movement.
There is no political news of moment from
any part of Europe.
THE REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT.
A Republican State Convention was held at
Columbus, Ohio, on Friday of last week, which
on the first ballot and by a unanimous vote
nominated Hon. SALMON P. CHASE as their
candidate for Governor. The entire ticket is
as follows :
For Governor S. P. CHASE.
Lieut. Gov THOMAS H. FORI}.
Judges Supreme Court. J S-S^RI^KEH'Hi?FF
Auditor, F. M. WRIGHT.
Treasurer W. H. GIBSON.
Attorney General F. B. KIMBALL.
Pres. Board Public Works. .A. G. CONOVER.
The honor conferred upon Mr. CHASE is well
merited. No man in the North has more uni
formly, cousisteutly and discreetly represented
the Northern sentiment. The ticket is said to
be a very strong one, and will be triumphantly
elected.
Our friend CHASE, in the last number
of the Montrose Democrat , devotes three Hues
to the proceedings of the Democratic State
Convention. He awaits the oilieiul proceedings
before making any comments ! If he can find
any excuse which will satisfy the Democracy of
Susquehanna, that the proceedings of the Con
vention are worthy of respect, we are much
mistaken. He was too thoroughly snubbed by
that body, to allow of any shuffling or double
dealing. He had better acknowledge that the
Convention in refusing to pass his resolution,
were derelict, and failed to give expression to
the sentiment of the State.
Cnors IN ENGLAND.—A correspondent of
the London Times, writing from Gloucester,
says that he has been an observer and a culti
vator of crops for the last fifty or sixty years,
and never did he see so rich a prospect as at
the present time.
ISa?" Dr. Thos. C. Bunting of Philadelphia,
a beuevoleut and generally esteemed gentle
man, died in Wales, on the 29th ultimo, having
left this country for Europe, on a tour for the
benefit of his health.
LOCAL NEWS,
A second letter, from Hon. C. P. AVERY,
which may be found in another column, con
tains some very interesting and convincing evi
dence regarding the conduct of SEBASTIAN
STROPE, and conclusively refutes the imputation
attempted to be conveyed by Mr. MINER that
he was a sympathiser with, if not an active
ally of the Tories, in the border troubles which
so severely afflicted the early settlers of the
Susquehanna valley.
Judge AVERY has evinced a commendable
zeal and industry in thus warding from the de
scendants of Mr. STROPE the odium which
would necessarily attach, if such a charge
should be made out. The evidence which is
given this week, will satisfy any candid person,
even if tradition and the memory and testimo
ny of cotemporary pioneers had not in the lapse
of many years failed to convey a single intima
tion which tended, in the slightest degree, to
fix such a stain upon the memory of one of the
first settlers in the valley of the Wysauking.
We may remark in this connection, that
Judge AVERY has devoted much time and great
research to the history of the Red Men, whose
favorite hunting grounds were the Susquehan
na and its tributaries, and to the trials and
fortunes of those early settlers whose fortitude
and courage first led them to this region, when
it was an unbroken wilderness, distant from
any evidences of civilization, to contest with
the Indian and wild beasts for a possession.—
The result of his labors will in due time be
given to the public, when a rare treat may be
expected by those at all curious about Pioneer
history. The endurance and sufferings and ex
ploits of those who led the van of civilization
into the country, watered by the Chemungand
Susquehanna, is imbued with much romance
and heroism, which will find an authentic and
enthusiastic- chronicler in Judge AVERY, who
brings to the task not only an ardent devotion
to the subject, but abilities of the very first
order.
Our farmers are now in the midst of
haying and harvesting, and are enjoying as
fine weather for that purpose, as could be de
sired. We are gratified to learn from all quar
ters the most favorable accounts. The promise
of fair returns seems more than realized. The
draw-backs which were feared, seem to have
been exaggerated, and the crops are almost
without exception, without injury or blemish.
We can hardly form an accurate estimate of
the abundance which will be secured this fall ;
but our readers can make their own " guesses"
by a comparison with the figures which we pub
lish below, which are taken from the census re
turns, as the amount produced in this County
for the year ending June 1, 1850 :
Acres in farms, imp. 234.n37|Rve 54,849
<lo. unimproved, 278,25jk"0rn :571.143
Lash value $9,293,689 Oats 510,176
Value of farming iin- j I'e.TS and beans 4.476
plenients, Ac $392,220 Potatoes 122.316
No. of Horses, 7,233 Barley '. 3,97a
" Milch (Jovvs... 17,067 Buckwheat, 128,031
" Oxen, <>,069 Val. of orchard prod. .$5,779
" Other cattle, .20,570 Gallons of Wine 70
" Sheep 60,403 Pounds of Butter,. 1,590,2 ts
" Swine, 17.739 Cheese 10-L419
Val. of live stock, $1,369,699|T0ns of Hav 74.02S
Wheat, bushels 301,7941 Maple Suyar, 193,3-1
A comparison shows that Bradford has a
greater number of Farms thau any other
County in the State ; has more working oxen;
raises more bushels of potatoes except Phila
delphia ; more Buckwheat with the exception
of Butler. Bradford in 1850, had a popula
tion of 42,831.
BThe colored people of this place, as
will be seen by their advertisement, will cele
brate the First of August, the Anniversary of
the abolitiou of Slavery in the British West
India Islands, in a becoming manner. Dis
tinguished speakers are expected from abroad,
and every arrangement will be made for a pro
per demonstration.
Gov. A. H. RF.EDEK. —It is matter of very general re
gret, not very quietly expressed either among Democrats,
that the Harrisburg State Convention refused to " endorse
the course pursued by Gov. KEEPER, in his patriotic ef
forts to enforse the laws and protect the rights of the peo
ple <>f Kansas from violence and usurpation." He has
heretofore been regarded as one of the particular friends
ol Mr. BUCHANAN ;—hut now appears to be a fallen star,
and no longer worthy of being sustained by the " faith
ful !"
The above paragraph we take from the Pott:*-
ville Ixtgisfcr. The friends of Gov. KEEPER
appear to he disappointed in the non-action of
the Convention, but we do not see any cause
for their disappointment. They had no right
to expect that that functionary would weigh
a feather iu the balance, agaiust the " Favorite
Son." If a holocaust of REEDER was necessa
ry, and a dozeu slave states to be made out of
Free Territory, BUCHANANISM would pay the
tribute in a vaiu eudeavor to propitiate the
South, aud gain the goal of the mad ambition
of old BUCK.
SIX PERSONS BURNED TO DEATH.—A most
horrible calamity occurred in the town of Brant,
near Buffalo, on Sunday morning last, between
the hours of 1 and 2 o'clock. James Thomp
son, a fanner in good circumstances, was awak
ened by an alarm of fire, and discovered his
house to be in flames, having been fired by an
incendiary in three places.
Mr. Thompson, who is an aged gentleman,
rushed up stairs immediately on discovering
what was the matter, to alarm his daughters,
when becoming overpowered by the smoke he
was unable to return, and himself, his three
daughters, Julia, Mary and Mrs. Elizabeth
Carr, with the two little children of the latter,
perished in the flames. The ages of the un
fortunate ladies ranged 18 to 24 years.
The rest of the inmates of the house, twelve
in number, escaped with much difficulty.—
There is not the slightest donbt whatever of
the fire being the work of an incendiary.
PRESIDENTIAL MOVEMENT. —The Harrisburg
Keystone hoists the name of Hon. GEORGE M.
DALLAS for the Presidency in 1856.
[For the Bradford —
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT
MR. EDITOR I was not surprised to
your last paper, a notice to the ScL,,,] , 0
tors to assemble at Towanda on the ->st|
for the purpose of raising the s a b.r~v ,'f '
County Superintendent, pursuant to'tlJ '
visions of an act of Assembly
Bth of May lust. I say 1 was not sUrtJl .
but it was from the fact that I knew |
act hud been passed, and that during the
few months the Superintendent had bee,,
.... -"-ill Very
active iu circulating a petition among the ,i
rectors of the several townships for that'
pose. ' ,llr "
It is in the memory of every one who •
member of the Convention that elected Ip
GCYER, that the salary was fixed at ssoo r
year, before it proceeded to an election ■ ail ,j
hence Mr. GUYER knew what his compensation
was to be, iu case he was elected. From the
remarks he made that day before the ("onv, v
tion, a person would be persuaded that i,"
cared little for wages. His motives for seek
ing and accepting the office, if we could j,„K
anything from his speech, were phUaiubapt
rather than mercenary. Bv annexing tin- a*,
ricnltural society with the common school i
tcrest, with his experience as a school director
in Harrisburg, he thought he could accompli.,;,
much good. He was anxious to raise the
"standard of common schools in Bradford
County." Of course, he did not think of mix
ing politics with his philanthropy, (althou-i,
since then he has thought, and so express!
himself, that a party identified with the schr.|
interest should be formed, and send men to the
legislature who have had experience in thnt ln .
terest, and could advocate it with effect). Tlni
by his philanthropy, agricultural love, and some
other wires that were pulled, lie succeeded in
being elected. .Nothing was said about in-nf.
ficiency of salary. He gave no assurance ,
his competency. His friends did not pretend
to say that he was a " person of literary an]
scientific acquirements, and of skill iu the art
of teaching." In fact, it was not asserted hv
him or them that he had ever taught a com
mon school iu his life. If this be true, he .
as well qualified to perform the duties of b
his office as a purely theoretical farrni-r i> to
take charge of and superintend those who ha\>
been engaged iu agricultural pursuits all tU-.r
lives.
In his remarks in the Convention before tb
last ballot which elected him, he stated that
he would do all he could to carry into execu
tion the spirit of the statute—that it wouldw
difficult to do so, and was not in the power of
an ordinary man—that the County was larje
and had to lie traversed by private conveyaii
Ac., Ac., but if lie- were elected he would doali
iu his power to satisfy the wants of the com
mon schools. This was when he knew his -ala
ry was to be $5OO a year. Now he ask- tLo
directors to increase it. On what ground-
Can he not perform the duties of his office for
that sum ? He ought to have thought of that
at the time of his election. The director--aid
we will give you $5OO a year for three year-
By accepting the office you agreed to take ir
It was not intended as a "bov'sbargain" We
did not expect to be put to the trouble and ex
pense of going to Towanda again to amend this
bargain. There are about two hundred and fifty
directors in the county, the most of whom are
farmers. This Convention is called at a time
when they are in the midst of their haying and
harvesting. Counting their time, it will cost
each of them, 011 an average, two dollars to
attend the Convention. Tliev get nocomjiffr
sation whatever for their services—except
curses. To say the least of it, it is asking a
good deal of them—so much, 1 fear, that the
remote townships will not he represented -
They cannot affoM it. They know well cnougb
strictly speaking, the Superintendent ha- no
right to ask an increase of pay. "A Bar.'aia
is a bargain the world over." It costs them
too innch to make " boy's bargainsan<; i
think it requires a good deal of nerve on tit
part of the Superintendent to ask them to i
it, especially when he knew what lis salary
to be before he was elected.
Let us see what his pay really is. If
works 200 days out of the 300 working dg ;
his wages is $2 50 per day. If he is em;''
ed six months in the year, deducting Sunday
he receives daily $3 20. The schools in
County, 011 an average, are not kept
months in the year—and hence he can n r, t k
engaged 111 visiting them longer than that -
The balance of the time, if he expend- ai?
more, is mostly employed at home. On ®
whole, I take it, his salary is not rr/ylow
is more than most men get for severer '
than his. Be that as it mav, the only qne-n -
for the directors to determine is, i> lib !■<
worth to the common schools, more than £
a year ? It matters not what he thinks b
services are worth. To him, they are worths
he can get. His own opinion must g° verl
himself—not the directors. They, as the
presentatives of the people, who are well $•"
quainted with the perplexities and i !1(0:
niences of the new law, must determine th
value of his office and services to the Com® I '-
schools. If he is dissatisfied with their d
ion of the matter, the " shades of private l- :e
are inviting—the statute makes provision
his successor. The people seldom urge a '•>
to remain in office, especially when
tied with his wages. A poet has said,
" Man wants but little here below,
Nor wants that little long."
That may be true in poetry, but it b - 3 "-
defieient in matters pertaining to politic a
rv * * *
Common Schools.
B*x>" Peaches, watermelons and mnskn^ l^
ripe aud luscious, are now enjoyed by 1 L
habitants of Memphis, Tenn.