(HE DOLLAR PER ANNUM INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
TOWANDA:
Thursday Morning, June 30, 1859.
Stlcttcb IJoetrj.
THE CHILD AND THE ANGELS.
BY CHARLES SWAIN.
The Sabbath sun was sitting slow,
Amidst the clouds of even ;
•' Our Father "—breathed a voice below—
" Father who art in Ileaven! '
Beyond the earth—beyond the cloud—
Those infant words were given ;
" Our Father," angels sang aloud—
" Father who art in Heaven ! "
•' Thy kingdom come "—still from the ground
That childlike voice did pray ;
" Thy kingdom come " —God's hosts resound
Far np the starry way!
" Thy will be done "—with little tongue
That lisping love implores ;
" Thy will be done "—the angelic throng-
Sing from seraphic shores.
" Forever "—still those lips repeat
Their closing evening prayer ;
" Forever " —floats in music sweet—
High, midst the angels there !
Thine be the glory evermore,
From tliec may man ne'er sever !
But every Christian land adore —
Jehovah !—God!—forever 1
JUNE.
BY A PRACTICAL MAN.
Keep closely barred your frigid gates—
O, shivering month of June,
Till I have made a thicker coat,
And warmer pantaloon.
I'd like to hire a man to stop
Each crevice in the sky ;
Though rain may benefit the crops,
I'm not a crop—not I.
I wouldn't tread your leaky courts
On pain of cold or chill.
Unless I had two good stout boots—
And patent umberil.
Then closely bar your frigid gates,
O, shivering mouth of June,
Til! I have made a thicker coat,
And warmer pantaloon.
Communication of Charles Miner, read at
the Pioneer Anniversary, in the Meth
odist Church, at Wiikesßarre, June Ist,
1859.
As one of the early pioneers that remain, it
occurred to me that some recollection of the
o'den time might be acceptable from my pen,
confining myself chiefly to the first ten years of
the century.
In the fall of 1799 I came to Wiikesßarre,
by invitation, to brother Asher's wedding, lin
ing served his seven years apprenticeship with
master Green, and accumulated SIOO he had
arrived early in the year to obtain a Printing
establishment. The Wiikesßarre Gazette was
then owned by Thomas Wright, and published
by lis sons. Negotiations were commenced—
terms agreed to—writings drawn and execu
ted. Next morning the o!d gentleman be
thought himself of sundry alterations, and
pressed them with the decision of one accus
tomed to have his way. Asher, without tem
per, but with firmness, placed the agreement
under the forestick. Astonished, but yet lik
ing the character exhibited, they made up, the
old gentleman giving the young Yankee his
only daughter in marriage, (a very amiable la
dy,) and Asher established the Luzerne Fed
eralist. Not to lose a moment of time, he had
opened a school ; but unable to resist the
temptation to take his prize to Norw ich,he en
gaged me to take charge of the scholars. Par
don one minute more of this egotism. It is not
without a purpose. A beardless boy, not out
of his teens, presuming even for a month to
take charge of the Wiikesßarre high school,
will of itself tell yon of primative times. Among
my numerous pupils were Lettia Wright—then
11 ; Sarah Hollenbaek, 10 ; Ellen Hollenback,
12 ; Chariott Schotts, 12 ; George Hollen
baek, 8. George, now the millionare of Lu
zerne, President of the Bank—the thorough
man of business, and esteemed neighbor. Miss
Schotts removed with her father, and married
a merchant, Mr. Maudeville, and hence was
derived the middle name of her cousin, the late
Rev. 11. M. Denison, who married President
Tyler's daughter, and who died, with charac
teristic and christian bravery at his post, with
yellow fever, in Charleston —the Misses Hol
lenback, finished their education at Mrs. Mah
lon's, in Philadelphia. The happy faces of
twenty children and grand children in our
midst as Mrs. Cist and Mrs. Butler, remind us
of Sarah, the universally loved—but now de
parted.
It was day dawn. Wiikesßarre was just
beginning to emerge from the darkness which
thirty years of suffering had enshrouded her.
The policy inaugurated by Colonel Pickering
of quieting, by liberal compromise, the old set
tlers,awakening hope and imparting confidence,
began to be felt in its benificenee, but the vil
lage was yet little more than a rude hamlet.
From the Tavern opposite theDr.Covell house
to the Public Square and thence to (now) the
bridge, on the soutn-west side of the street,
there was not a single building. There had
been one, but the cellar only remained. Your
beautiful Franklin or Church street was npt
open until several years afterwards. An ad
vertisement in the Gazette of '99 announced
that a Post is established to start from that
office, to go once a fortnight to the Great
Bend. Another to go to Berwick—down one
side of the river aud back the other. These
were private post. I note it as an amusing
evidence of gentlemen's fashions. " A reward
w iil be given to ike finder of a Queue., lost be
tween the Ferry and Dr Bigeio's, Kingston.'' I
European wars having created a large de
mand for flour, our farmers taking advantage
of the snow, lined the (in summer detestable)
road through the swamp to Easton, with
wheat The sleighing was certainly, half a
century ago, more to be depended on than in
later years. Industry and its requittal follow
ed. Take the late Genera! Ross, as an in
stance. lie bought of Col. Pickering, boldly
involving himself heavily. The wheat crop
paid the debt. He was no speculator. His
fortune was the result of sagacity in forseeing
the rise of land. Industry, economy,and these
consorting with a well spread table and a gen
erous hospitality. The late Stephen Abbott
told me, " When I came to reclaim our land,
I worked for Ross the first year. He kept my
horse, unexpectedly to me— for nothing. You
abuse him for being a Democrat. lam a Fed
eral, but lloss is a clever ft.llow." "How much
are you worth ?" inquired I)r. Miner, a year
before his death. " Guess ?—'"$80,000."
" Double that." He might have said " Three
times."
Such, according to my observation has been
in a greater or less degree, the rise of real es
tate throughout the County, and the effects of
farming industry, to those who in old fashion
ed scriptural phrase " Abide bp the staff." —
Whoever may have failed, as nine in ten in
most other pursuits have—nine in ten who have
adhered to the Homestead, and been content
with enough, are, or their heirs, now indepen
dent.
Take Kingston, as memory in 1805 presents
it, from Myers, Iloyt, Atherton, Dorrance,
Pettebone, Benuet, Denison, Swetland, Per
kins, Jenkins, und up toScofield's at the head
of the valley. Is it not so ? Aud is not a
lesson taught in the review of old times, worth
remembering ?
Entwined by so many recollections that fas
cinate and charm, I linger here too long aud
abuse your patience.
The Wiikesßarre Gazette was established in
1787. The scond number, dated December is
before me. An advertisement of Clark Beebe
is of oine historical interest as showing, that
the mail was taken to and from Eastou once a
week, that, if the sleighing was good, he would
take passengers at $2 50. " Leave Wiikes-
Barre every Wednesday morning, and arrive at
Easton Thursday at 2 o'clock.''
Aware that an intelligent friend is engaged
in writing a history of Luzerne county, I shall
be very chary of quotations lest I interfere
with him. The volume is prolific of facts and
hints useful for his purpose.
The " Luzerne County Federalist " was es
tablished by Asher Miner, and the first nutn
bcr issued January 5, 1801. It may be worth
the remark that the Printing Press was brought
in from Norwich, on a sled the preceding win
ter by me. Mr. S. Howard, my pleasant com
panion—sleighing excellent. So strange a
piece of machinery was a wonder along the
road. To the thousand arid one queries—
w hat is it ?" his patience being exhausted
Mr. Howard was wont to reply, " we ure tak
ing it to Wyoming—liiey are terribly troubled
thiri with ruice, and. this timber is for mice
traps."
Jefferson was just chosen President, and M'
Kean elected Governor. So our Democratic
neighbors were resolved on a thriumphant dis
play. Wiikesßarre never saw such before or
since. Holleubact's and Ross' fine four horse
team* and wagons, gay with banners and mar
tial music. Farmers sowing wheat—or reap
ing in one—the other,to break our heart* help
le-slv, had all the school girls I have before
named, and enough more to m ike up the num
ber of States in the Union ; dressed in white
—and then a long procession, oration, and au
ox roasted whole.
To be sure, had it been for a victory on our
side, we should have thought it a capital af
fair.
As an early pioneer I trust my journey near
two hundred miles nor'h, in 1800 may have
some slight interest. Mr. Wright engaged me
to go up the river and collect his outstanding
debts. Preparations having been duly made,
1 started in November, mounted, on his favo
rite carriage horse, very good, very gentle,sure
footed, for, having frequently to ford the Sus
quehanna as the subscribers resided on both
sides, his gentleness, I had almost said, his
discretion and instinctive care, gave him a claim
to my gratitude.
If not fool-hardy—it was certainly adventu
rous far beyond the limit of prudent daring.—
The weather was, however, delightful, that
soft smoky state of atmosphere, called Indian
summer, prevailing the whole time. Every
where received kindly, settlements were made
and notes taken, when the balance could not
be paid in money. Game was plenty, and the
gray and black squirrels seemed to take special
pleasure to jump from tree to tree over my
head—to crack their nuts as if they were dis
posed to laugh defiance at me ; while the
pheasant at every mile, strutted in my path or
whirled away to his mates. Near'y a hundred
miles of the road was the same road travelled
by Sullivan's army. Venison, then in its prime,
always a luxury, ceased to be a rarity. All
the country above the mouth of the Wyalusing
was new to me. At Sheshequin I made the
acquaintance of Judge Gore, Joseph Kings
bury, Gen. Spalding, Col. John Spalding, Jo
seph Kinney, and others.
Gen. Spalding was still in the spirit and vig
or of manhood. As this country was then in
the excited state of incipient war with France.
" Millions for Defence not. a cent for Tribute"
resounding from plain to hiil top, the old sol
dier's Revolutionary ardor was so revived that
he came to Wiikesßarre to preside at a mili
tary meeting.
At Tioga Point, David Payne, Esq., Col.
Franklin, the Satterlce's, and Dr. Hopkins be
came known to me. Indeed, as almost every
intelligent man took the paper, my tour was an
introduction to nearly the whole upper coun
try.
Passing up the Chemung, from Tioga Point,
to Newton, I visited the battle ground, where
Butler and Grant were defeated by Sullivan in '
1799—passed the Painted Post, thence to
Bath,then the head-quarters of the great Pult-
Dty interest, a thriving town, and DugaldCam-
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. O'MEARA GOODRICH.
" RESARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION FROM ANY QUARTER."
eron, whose name tells bis country, an agent.
From Bath 1 passed west to lloruels,the limit
of my journey. Returning down the Canesteo
my path lay twelve miles without a house, but
passed through a numerous lodge of Indians
who were encamped for hunting. It is a mat
ter of surprise to me that I had no fear, for
these were the very fellows, who twenty years
before, had committed the dreadful massacre
at Wyoming and might not have lost their
thirst for blood and plunder. Awakened curi
osity saw nothing but romance and pleasure in
all that presented. Their main lodges were
made by placing two long poles in the ground
ten or twelve feet apart and bringing the tops
together, fastening thein withwiths. At suit
able distances other sets of poles in a regular
line wtre put up, extending perhaps sixty feet
These were covered with blaukets and skins,
so that they, in fact, had a house sixty feet
long, twelve wide, running up to a sharp roof.
Game in abundance lay at the door, the por
cupine among the rest, the first I had ever
seen. The Indians old and young, looked
squallid and dirty, and were not uncivil. So
rapidly was that beautiful country then settling
that is probable that this was the last Indian
Hunting Encampment ever erected there The
place of their proper residence or home, being,
I take it, considerably farther north Descend
ing the Canesteo seven or eight miles, seeing
occasionally a hunter, I passed the stream
and my attention was forcibly and agreeably
arrested by paintings upon several trees, the
bark of which had been smoothed for the pur
pose, of the heads and necks of ten or twelve
animals, admirably drawn, done so that the
Dos with her smooth forehead, the young Buck
with his spike-like horns, or the old with his
formidable antlers—the old and young Bear,
not only distinguished by their size but impres
sion—and various smaller animals were all por
trayed with more than skiil—with native de
cided " grace beyond the reach of art." I
learned afterwards that this was the mode of
giving information to their fellow hunters, how
many they had taken.
On arriving at my friend Stephen Tattle's,
at Tioga Point, one of the pleasantest men, by
the way, I ever met, and became one of the
wealthiest on the Chemung. Having got au
excellent supper, and sitting by the fire, telling
as young travellers love to do, what marvel
lous things they had seen, I mentioned these
paintings and spoke of them as being done
with a rude nicety. An old gentleman who
s it in the corner, and who had not before spo
i;en, rousing himself up repeated, "a rude nice
ty ! a rude nicety !" I admire that, expres
sion, young man, it puts me in mind of Milton's
" regular confusion"—and so 1 received acom-
pliment, which, in the eyes of numerous by
standers, gave me some consequence, and the
old gentleman and myself became at once es
tablished friends.
Asylum, though decaying, was yet. a place
of considerable business. Biaco and Colin,
merchants, the former a writer for the Gazette,
had recently dissolved partnership. It was
ihon the chief provision market for settlers
moving in for a circuit of many miles. I re
member in the Spring of that year to have
bought, with Howard, a barrel of pork of Bic
deiivre, having to transport it by the circuit
ous way thirty miles. My recollection is, that
on the street fronting the river, was a row ot
low log houses and stores, rough but comfort
able. The history of that settlement, its rise
and decay ; the most inaccessible spot on
earth ; the refuge of the trembling exiled roy
alty and nobility of France, from the demon
fury of the bloody Robespiere, demands, not a
paragraph, or chapter, but a volume. Materi
als, if not ample, yet considerable, are accessi
ble, and it. is presumed will not escape the lynx
eved scrutiny of our friend J^.
Having become (May, 1802) a partner in
the Federalist establishment, and having mail
contracts to Tioga, for several years, business
made me familiar with that upper portion of
the County. Every returning visit was repaid
in the pleasure afforded by the improvements
every year exhibited. Daniel Sterling kept at
Braintrim the Half-way House ; it was a sol
ace to the wearied traveller to get there. A
man cf enterprise, intelligent, employing many
hands, sending off large masses of lumber, he
was of great benefit to the neighborhood and
country. I was indebted to him for many ser
vices. His manners were frank, his presence
agreeable, and I became attached to him for
his generous nature, and fine social qualities.
Prominent among the business Pioneers, he de
mands a more extended notice.
The chiefest public improvement of the de
cade was the Turnpike Road through the Great
Swamp—the shades of Death—for the time,
the means, and the benefits, scarcely surpassed
by the Simplon. Arnold Colt, the then late
Sheriff, grappled with and mastered this great
work, lie left a name admired for every pub
lic, and endeared, lor every private virtue.
The first conveyance for passengers up the
river, to Tioga was established by the hardy
indomitable Conrad Teetor. He accomplished
almost an impossibility. He fathomed the un
fathomable, driving with safety his admirable
span up and down Break-neck Mountains, the
very thought of which, even now, makes the
hair stand on end. One among the passen
gers he brought down was a clever pioneer lad,
in pursuit, not of a fortune, but of a place to
learn to make one, who, if among you to-day,
can relate pleasant stories of olden times, and
if on Change, can draw for $300,000. with
the surety his draft will be honored at sight.
Before Igo np the Susquehanna again, as
I must do, on a brief but important visit, al
low me space for a notice of Dr. Robert H.
Rose.
Dr. Robert H. Rose, as a prominent histor
ical personage connected with the pioneer move
ments of Luzerne, demands an emphatic notice.
Pursuing the policy of Col. Pickering, to " di
vide aud conquer," to quiet the old settlers, as
nearly as practicable, on the plan entered upon
by the Confirming Act, renewed under the au
spices of Col. Roswell Welles, by the Compro
mising Law of 1799, and thus separate their
interest and moral weight, for, from their long
sufferings, independent of the matter of justice,
the public sympathies were strongly with them.
From the recent and active Yankee Invasion
in the northern part of the County, the Assem
bly had passed the sharply coersive Intrusion
Law, and the Land Holders were sending out
surveyors in every direction, to renew, to per
fect their surveys, perfectly and imperfectly
made under warrants by Morris Nicholson,&c.,
of 'B3—4, joining, with tnis the wise, and as it
proved successful, policy, ot sending agents of
first-rate character and abilities, to mingle
with the settlers as missionaries of peace and
opinion. Among the chiefest of these agents
was Dr. Rose, then (1802 or 3) a young man
of three and twenty—an accomplished scholar,
master ot several languages, au intimate of
Dennie, a contributor to the Port Folio, a po
et of various merit—at times of eminent pow
er and sweetness, always classically correct—
as a prose writer, unsurpassed, to borrow a quo
tation he had placed at the head of his brief
but excellent biography of Wayne, naturally a
proud man :
" Haughty and sour, to those that loved him not.
To those that sought him, sweet as summer."
The opinion that he came to Luzerne a land
holder is an error. He did not purchase until
several years afterwards. His first appear
ance was in directing the surveys on Towanda
ami Sugar creek, of which 1 shall speak here
after.
To arrest the settlements under the lead of
Hyde, Tracy, anu others—to induce the peo
ple to take, on easy terms, the Pennsylvania
title—not to cheek, but encourage settlement,
at any rate to enter on the land—to unfurl up
on the contested ground the Pennsylvania bau
tier. This was his purpose. To arrest with
vigor, to defend with fortitude. To establish
counter settlements, and to win converts to his
faith.
Fearless, he defied danger, if any existed.—
Notwithstanding the excited temper of men's
minds he avowed his object, travelled alone,
traversed every path, visited every clearing,
veiled his natural hauteur to the simple man
ner* of the cottager, made acquaintances, dis
cussed agriculture, listened to the long stories
of the hunter about trapping wolves and tree
ing catamounts. With those who discovered
a taste for literature, he quoted the poets, re
cited Mariuion's quarrel with Earl Douglass,
visited the charming Orwtll authoress of An
gelina, and everywhere reasoned to show.
How many years if successful it would take
to establish the Connecticut Claim. How
much better for the settler and the State, to
get their titles for a trifle ami pursue their
agriculture in peace.
Having purchased some 100,000 acres, in
the northern half of (now) Susquehanna county
he commenced a settlement at Silver Lake,
since known as the elegant and hospitable
mansion of Dr. Rose. We remember tarrying
with him in a log cabin at an early day. A
bear skin and blanket his bed. From a legof
vension hanging up in the middle of the hut
our breakfast was cut by a lad, his only atten
dant. The woods were falling round him
B fore his indomitable firmness, his unequalled
address—(though at times seemingly harsh aud
repulsive) by an energy and perseverance ex
erted for years, the Connecticut claimants be
gan to doubt—to waver ; some declared them
selves neutral—"They would wait aud see who
owned the land " —others bought, and it was
apparent the dispute was approaching its ter
mination. During these years of severe hard
ships and excessive toil, the Doctor took to
himself occasional hours of social intermission
and literary ease. Coming to Wilkes Barre,
the moment he could arrange his papers—he
threw himself on the sofa with the most ap
parent listless indolence and perused the new
novel, or turned over the pages of the late
review. An inveterate reader he took his
book to bed, and often lay till near noon. A
cracker and cup of chocolate was his most
coveted luxury. All ardent spirits and even
wine he eschewed except on extraordinary oc
casions. Having whiled away the allotted
time, the hour fixed for starting having arriv
ed, his powerful, easy paced flee-bitten steed,
was brought to the door, loaded down with
port manteau, blanket, cloak, umbrella, and
then, if a thunder gu*t was rising, a hail storm
raging, it made not the slightest difference
Indeed seemingly unconscious of sunshine or
rain be pursued Lis journey. The effeminate
child of case and indulgence was at once meta
morphosed into the hardy mountaineer,fearless
of hardship and laughing at danger.
Chiefly through his instrumentality, though
aided by other causes, all vestiges of the Con
necticut Claim disappeared. The Susquehanna
and Delaware companies gradually sunk into
oblivion. The services rendered by Dr. Rose
to the Commonwealth, the land holders, and
may I not add the settlers themselves, has
never, I think, been fully realized or properly
appreciated. A debt of gratitude is due to his
name as a public benefactor. His exertions
were crowned with success. He accomplished
his object, There are riot finer or more pros
perous counties in the State than Susquehanna
and Bradford. They are studded with beauti
ful farms, and the population distinguished in
a remarkable degree by industry, pure morals
and intelligence, and at his decease Dr. Rose
left his ami ible family in independence.
Connected with his name 1 have one more
paragraph to add in justice to the Towanda
and Sugar creek settlers :
The compasses of the Pennsylvania survey
ors were shattered and rifle balls thrown into
their packs. All the northern part of county
was in commotion. To suppose that those set
tlers were an unprincipled banditti setting moral
obligations at defiance, and ready for any crime
that selfishness might suggest, would do them
great injustice. Allow me to relate an illustra
tive fact. Having been to Tioga Point with
the mail arid papers, as was the usual enstom,
I had returned as far as Sheshequin and stop
ped at Jndge Gore's where there was a meet
ing of the Regiment for parade, inspection and
training The boys from Towanda, Sugar
Creek aud all the surrounding country includ
ing, there is no reason to doubt, tho sharp
sighted perpetrators of the mischief. As in
those old times was usual, the officers treated
freely, a general hilarity prevaiied with oc-
cas.onal exhibitions of anger. Col. John Spald
ing of that neighborhood, and Zebulon Butler
of Wilkes-Dane, having agreed to establish a
store in partnership, Spalding desired ine to
take to Wilkes Barre one thousand dollars in
silver. My saddle bags were stuffed, with small
coarse bags labeled and tied, said to contuin
the amount, for which no receipt w as asked or
given. The saddle bags were brought out amid
the jokes of the throng, without the slightest
reserve or concealment, every person present
knowing the value of the load, and, having
been late delayed, it was about four o'clock,
the hour for the dismission of the troop, and 1
proceeded on my journey. Judge Gore living
at the lower point of Sheshequin, my way led
me out the settlement thro' the woods and
along one of those tremendous break-neck pas
ses where the road had been dug out ulongthe
breast of the river mountain. With my load
I was compelled to travel slow, twilight set in
and darkness followed. When it is considered
thut I was alouc, unarmed, and the position
favorable for au attack, it may be regarded as
matter of surprise that not a sensation oi fear
crossed my mind. Having traveled ten or
twelve miles, I stopped at a small log cabin ot
the foot of Break-neck,told them I was heavily
laden, it was dark, and could not not to Ma
sher's 'till late. The old man helped me lift eff
my saddle bags of money which we hung upon
a loom that occupied half the floor. My horse
was fed with corn at the door, for they had
neither barn nor shed. My saddle for a pillow
a blanket spread upon the floor before the fire,
and as comfortable a supper as the cottage
afforded, were my preparations for the night.
Morning found every thing sale, and 1 proceed
ed ou my way having yet two days severe
labor to perform before I could reach Wiikes-
Barre.
This incident I regard as a beautiful illus
tration of the character of the eaily settlers.
The temptation was very great to persi nsgen
erally so poor as they were. The possibility of
obtaining the prize and escaping detection ad
ded to its strength. The perfect confidence ex
hibited by the Gores and Spalding.* who knew
them well, is evidence of their mora! honesty.
The violence committed upon the surveyors was
undoubtedly wrong, but tiie inference is, thut
they believed it right to prevent the survey of
their plantations which might be followed by
ejectments, which were sure to result in the
overthrow of what they deemed their rightful
possessions.
It would lie a bold, not to say a rash exper
iment, and I should prefer not to be the carrier
under similar circumstances, at this late and
enlightened period, of that tempting trea-uro
after night over the break-neck mountain.
All which is respectfully r.ubmilted.
THE CAUSE OF THE EUROPEAN TTOURLF..—
What is thecanseof the misunderstanding that
has just taken place in Europe ? According to
au intelligent contemporary, Austria claims that
she rightly owns and controls Lombardy and
Venice, that she has a right to control them
as she sees fit, that in order to do this she
must maintain with the several neighboring
Italian States such an influence as will render
her Lombardy-Yenitian sovereignty safe. There
fore she keeps up a partial military occupancy
of the Central Italian States, and virtually
rules in all Italy. Sardinia is the only large
Italian province which is an exception. There
Austria has no power, aud the policy of Sai
dinia, which is favorable to the estabiishm nt
of constitutional Governments in Italy, is ho>-
tile to that of Austria, which tends to the
maintenance of the strictest military despotism.
Sardinia, and France, sympathizing with her,
an I he contrary, claim that the Austrian occu
pation of Italy is injurious in its effects on the
Italian States, prevents the development of that
country, and is virtually in violation of the t roo
ties and compacts of ISIS. They demand the
abandonment of the Austrian occupation in It
aly and the Sardinian frontier, and that Aus
tria shall cease to exercise any more control in
Italian affairs than the other great Powers.—
These demands Austria refuses to comply with,
alleging that her policy in Italy is necessary to
her own protection in her own dependencies of
Venice and Lombardy. These matters have
been in controversy for three years. France
and Sardinia proposed in 1855 the considera
tion of this subject by the Congress of the Eu
ropean Powers. Austria would not consent to
this.
Diplomatic negotiations were carried on,
however, between France and Austria, but the
difference has grown wider and wider the long
er the discussion has coutinucd, until now tin y
propose to settle the whole affair by a resort to
arms.
LFT IT ALONF.. — It is a common assertion in
regard to error, " Let it. alone, it will die of it
self." But such is not the case Every wrong,
every error, and all the falsehoods which CIIIM
the world, will exist until earnest and fearless
men have nobly labored to refute and destroy
them. You might as well sit down in a burn
ing house and expect the fire to go out of its
own accord, as for error to expire until reason
arises to combat it. Let every one, therefore,
who has it in his power to destroy error or es
tablish truth, put his hand to work, and labor
with all the zeal aud energy God has conferred
upon him.
PEACE. —Peace is better than joy. Joy is an
uneasy guest, and always ou tip toes to depart.
It tires and wearies us out, ami yet, keeps us
ever fearing that the next moment it will be
gone. Peace is not so—it comes more quiet
ly, it stays more contentedly, and it never ex
hausts our strength, nor gives us one anxious,
forecasting thought. It is the gift .f God—
promised to all His children : and if we have
it in onr hearts we shall not pine for joy,though
its bright wings never touch us while we tarry
in the world.
A woman abont to sign a deed, the judge
asked her whether or not her husband compell
ed her to sign. "He compel me ?"' said the
Amazon ; " no, nor twenty like him."
VOL. XX. —KO, 4.
Sunday in Former Times.
The Puritan Sabbath in the villages of New
England commenced on Saturday afternoon.
No labor was performed on the evening which
preceded the Lord's Day. Early oil Sunday
morning the blowing of a horn in some places
announced that the hou.* of worship was at
hand. In other places a flag was hung out of
the rude building occupied by the church. At
Cambridge a drum was beat in military style.
At Salem a bell iudicatcd the opulence of that
settlement.
The public religious services usually commen
ced at 9 o'clock in the morning, and occupied
from six to eight houis, divided by an intermis
sion of oiia hour for dinner. The people col
lected quite punctually, as the law compelled
their attendance, and there was a heavy One
for any one who rode too fast to meeting. The
sexton called upon the minister aud escorted
him to church in the same fashiou that the
Sheriff now conducts the Judge into our State
Courts There were no pews in church, aud
the congregation had places assigned them on
the rude benches, at the annual town meeting,
according to their age, importance aud social
standing. A person was fined if he occupied
tire seat of another. Our local histories reveal
that pride, envy and jealousy were active pas
sion among the men of the olden times, and it
was a delicate, and difficult business to "seat a
meeting honse," as it was quaintly called.
Many of the early churches of New England
had two clergymen—one who was called tho
pastor, the other the teacher. The Sabbath
services were as follows : The congregation
assembled at an early hour—never later than
9 o'clock. After prayer, a chapter of the Bi
ble was read by one of the ministers and ex
pounded at length. In many of the churches,
however, the Bible was not read at all, and it
took years of agitation to carry that " innova
tion."
A psalm in metre was next sung, which was
dictated line by line, to the congregation ; this
service was usually performed by the deacons.
The preacher did not take part in the intro
ductory services. The baptism, cases of church
discipline and collections, always took place in
the afternoon. The loner prayer, usually occu
pied from an hour to an hour and a half, and
m my of the sermons of this period make from
a hundred to a hundred and fifty pages. There
was a contribution every Sunday, preceded by
an appeal from one of the deacons. The box
es were not carried around, but the congrega
tion arose and proceeded to the deacou's seat,
an 1 deposited their offerings. The magistrates
ami " brief gentlemen,'' walked up first, the el
ders next, and then followed the "common peo
ple the ceremony occupied much time. 15e
sides the money given, persons brought various
usefid articles and goods as offerings. The col
lections were distributed by the deacons to the
ministers and poor
The trials of ecclesiastical offenders, at the
e!o-e of the services, often afforded much ex
citeincnt and amusement; for some offences a
p articular dress was worn, and the confession
of the offender was heard with much interest.
Oftentimes the services were continned until
after sunset. After tlie benediction the minis
ter passed out of the church, bowing to tho
people on both sides of the aisle, as they all
sat in silei.ee until the clergymen and their fam
ilies had gone out. Few persons, we imagine,
would lie willing to go back to those Sunday
ceremonies of the Duritau Sabbath.— Boston
Tramcrijtt.
WAS MOSCOW BUHNED ?—No story lias been
more generally told nor more fully credited
than that relating to the destruction of tho
great city of Moscow, in 1812 by fire. Yet,
Moscow was not burned. Around the vast
city is au almost continous line of wood-pile—
various species of pine and other woods. By
the side of this, and also reaching around the
city, is an almost continuous line of granaries.
Here are the food aud fuel of the inhabitants,
provided, in advance, for the, long and dreary
winters The Russians set fire to the granaries
and the wood-pile and to many portions of the
city. After the battle of Borodino the retiring
pitch burned with resistless fury, destroyed
everything in its neighborhood, and rendering
egress front the place almost impossible. The
glorious old churches and palaces of the ancient
city of the North escaped, in the main, the de
vouring- element. The traveler who looks upon
the mighty structures, the architecture of which
if the most varied character—betraving the
labor, upon rhe same building, in many cases,
of heat lien Muhomedan and christian denomi
nations will go away convinced that he has
been marvelously deluded by the stories of the
destruction of Moseow. He will naturally in
quire how those trees, which requ're centuries
to grow, became interlocked with huge pilesof
building which he has been taught to believe
have all sprung into existence since 1812.
M AXNERS MAKE THE MAN. —Manners are of
more importance thaq laws. Upon thpin, in a
great measure, the laws depend. The law
touches us but here and there, now and then ;
nruiner<-are what vex or soothe, corrupt, or
purify, ex tl; or debase, barbarize or refine us,
by a constant, steady, uniform, insensible oper
ation, like that of the air wc breathe. They
give our whole lives their form and color. Ac
cording to t.ieir quality they form or destroy
morals.
fi~2r By a steamboat explosion on a West
ern river, a passenger was thrown unhurt in
to the water, and at once struck out lastly for
the shore, blowing like a porpoise the while.
He reached the bank almost exhausted, and
was caught by a bystander and drawn cut,
panting:
" Well, old fellow," said his friend, " had a
1 aid time, eh ?"
" Ye-yes, prc-ptefty hard considering.—
Was'nt doiu' it for myself, though ; was a
workin' for one o' them insurance offiees in
New York. Rot a policy o:i my life, and I
wanted to save ih m ; I did'nt care."
I*}?' Do all the goo l yoq can in the world,
and niuke as little uolao as possible.