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.u- :irtff: - i , , i
MASUr
.l?,r.,li'''T,'
.1, . . '!. ' '
; H. B. MASTER, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
OFFICE, CORNER OF CENTRE ALLEY & MARKET STREET.
81 jrantds iietospaptrDrtot.rt to JJoUtfcs, ttftcratttrr, JWovalfuj, jTorctfiu ana Bomrstfc aietos, Sefcntc an the arts, ! agrfculturr, HarrftMt anrascmritts,
, NEW, SERIES VOL. 1, NO. 43.
SUNBtTllY, NORTIIUMBERTjAN I) COUNTY, lV SATURDAY, 'JANUARY CO, 1819.
OLD SERIES VOL. 9, NO. 17.
' ' ' ' " .
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ferent advertiaementa weekly,
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E. B. MASSES,,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
6UNBTJHY, PA.
Business attended to in the bounties of Nor
burr-lerland, Union, Lycoming and Columbia.
Itefrr tot
P Ar A. KnrounT. l
Lowin & LUnitux,
Somen &. fminnnAM,
Ratitot-ns, McKnt.Asn & Co.
Srsmso, 'loon & Co.,
yptiilad.
THE CHEAP BOOR STORK.
XA1TXLS &, SMITE'S
Cheap Nsw & Sicond uakd Book Siork,
North Weal comer nf Fourth and Arch Streelt
Vhilaileli'hia,
Law Book. Theological anrl Classical Booki,
MBDIC&L BOOKS.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTOHICAL BOOKS,
SCHOOL HOOKS.
Scientific and Mathematical Boon.
Juvenile Books, in great variety.
Hymn Book and Prayer Books, Bible, all siie
and pricea.
Blank Books, Writing Paper, and Stationary,
Whohtnle and Retail,
tr Oca price" are much lower tlinn the axon. pricea.
rr I.ibiariea and aninll pnrccla of books purchaagd.
TT Booki impnrtel to order from Ixndon.
Philadelphia, April 1, I9 y
PORTER & E1TGLXSE,
CROCERS COMTmMOX MERCHANTS
and Dealers lu Seeds,
No. 3. Arch St. PHILADELPHIA.
Conttantly on hand a general assortment of
GROCERIES, TEAS, WINES, SEEDS,
LIUUOHS, &c.
To which they respectfully invite the attention
of the public.
All kinda of country produce taken in exchange
for Groceries or told on Commission.
Philad. April 1, 148
BASKET
MANUr ACTOR!?,
No. 15 South Second Hree I Eatl tide, down itairt,
PHILADELPHIA.
HENRY COULTER,
JT EBPECTKULLY informs his friends and
Mfc,the pub'ic, that he constantly keeps on
. hand a large assortment of chi drens wilow
Coaches, Chairs, Crad es, market and travel,
ling baskets, and every variety of basket work
.manufactured.
Country Merchants and others who with to
purchase such articles, good and cheap, would
do well to call on him, as they are all manufac
tured by him inthe best manner.
Pbitadephia, June 3, 1818. ly
CARD & SEAL. ENGRAVING.
WM. G. MASON.
it Chctnut it. S ifoon ofcore Indtt., Philadelphia
Eagrarer af BUSINESS fc VISITING CARDS,
Watch papers. Labels, Door plates, Seals and
Stamps for Odd Fellows, Sons of Temperance,
lie., fcc Always on hand a general assortment
f Fine Fancy Goods, Gold pens of every quality.
Dog Collars in great variety. Engravers tools
and material.
Agency for the Manufacturer of Glaziers Dia
monds. Orders per mail (post paid) will be punctually
attended to.
Philadelphia, April 1, 1848 y
FX&ST PREMIUM PIANO FORTES.
rHE SUBSCRIBER has been appointee, agent
J for the sale of CONRAD MEYER'S CELE
BRATED PREMIUM ROSE WOOD PIANOS,
at this place. These Pianos have a plain, mas
sive and beautiful exterior finish, and, for depth
of tone, and elegance of workmanship, are not
surpassed by any in the United States
These instruments are highly approved of by
tha most eminent Professors and Composers of
Music in this and other cities.
For qualities of tone, touch and keeping in
ton upon Concert pitch, they cannot be sucpas
eed by either American or European Pianos.
Suffice it to say that Madame Castellan, W. V
Wallace. Vieux Temps, and his sister, the cele
brated Pianist, and many others of the most dis
tinquished performers, have given these instru
ments preference over all others.
They hsve also received the first notice of the
three last Exhibitions, and the last Silver Medal
by the Franklin Institute in 1843, was awarded
to them, which, with other premiums from the
ssme source, may be seen at the Ware-room No.
S2 south Fourth st.
QyAnother Silver Medal was awarded to C.
Meyer, by the Frahklin Institute, Oct. 1845 for
the best Piano in the exhibition.
Again at the exhibition of the Franklin Insti
tute, Oct. 1846, the first premium and medal was
warded to C Meyer for his Pianos, although it
bad been awarded at the exhibition nf the year
before, on the ground that he had marie still great
er improvement in hi Instrument within the
past 13 months.
Again at the last exhibition of tha Franklin
Institute, 1847, another Premium Wat awarded
to C. Meyer, for the best Piano in the exhibition.
, At Boston, at their last exhibition, Sept. 1847,
C. Meyer received the first silver Medal and Di
ploma, for the best square Piano in the exhibition
These Piano will be sold at the manufactu
rer's lowest Philadelphia prices, if not something
lower. Perwns r requested to call and exam
ine for themselves, at tb residence of the sub
scriber. , H. B. MASSER.
anbury, April 8, 1848
TEE CHEAP
Bratli, Comb and Variety
'.STOKE.
BOCKIUS AND BROTHER,
1 - BRUSH MANUFAf TCRERS,
AND DEALERS II COMBS & VARIETIES
Ae 98 North Third, btluxe Kate St. and North
Em! tanner of Third and Marlfet ttretl,
PHZX.ADEX.rHXA.
WHERE they offer for sa'e a general assort
ment of all' kinds of Brushes, Combs and
varieties which they are determined to sell
Lewer than ran be purchased e sewkrer'e.
Country Merchants and other Purchasing in
the above line Will find it to their advantage to
rail before purchasing elsewhere a the quality
and price will be fully guaranteed against all
competition.
Tbi'sdn'rhia, June 3, lSIS-ly
SELECT POETKY.
tFrnm ,,ie Phila. Bulletin.
THE LOCOMOTIVE,
ni gvks wito.
A song, a song of the wondrous steed,
That careercth along so last,
With his tireless joints and his furious speed,
And his breath like a fiery blast;
AVitli bis burning entrails, mid iron bones,
And voice like a demon's yell,
As swift as li(rht, and as black as night
He looks like an imp from Hell.
No baby diet of ninngcr food
Suflkcth his ravenous zeal,
But stones from the mountain and trees from the
wood,
Scarce furnish his giant, meal.
Ho liatlt eaten hie fill he pants to be off
His dragon-like hiss is sounding,
Half frantic with ire he liclcheth out fire, .
Ami see! nway he is bounding.
Away, away with a shriek of delight,
And a pull' ami a snort and a yell,
Away, away with the speed of light,
Howfliclli this imp of Hell!
Still faster! still faster! hurrah ! hurrah I
IV0 matter how heavily loaded,
And the folks as he passes gaze at him with awe
For he seems by the Evil One goaded.
He scoureth the vallics with thundering tread,
Ho ho ! how his blood is boiling!
By homes of the living, by homes nf the deadf
Regardless of all he is toiling.
He burrows flic mountain, he stemmeth the tide
And we cry sure the mischief is in it !
As river and main, hill, valley, and plain,
Arc seen and and arc gone in a minnte.
No matter how hot ! uo matter how cold !
He liecdeth not wind or weather ;
He never grows weary, ho never grows old,
He will travel forages together.
And woe unto those that come in his way,
Be they friends, or be they his foes;
One thrtuit tbey will feel of his iron heel,
As rcmorscleKidy o'er them he goes.
Then a screech of delight as his goal comes in
sight,
Ha ha ! I've done it ! -I've done it ?
Here wecoinc! Here we come ! Ha-ha! Ho-ho!
Good people I've won it ! I've won it !
Then a heavier dash, and a swifter runh,
And I say as I hear his yell,
In pain or in pleasure, in huste or in leisure,
Still give nie this imp from Hell.
TRAGICAL SKETCH.
THE SlRGEOVs REVENGE.
The following deeply interesting story
was related by Dr. Gibson, in one of his
lectures before the medical class of the
University of Pennsylvania. The Hero of
the story is Vesale, one of the most eminent
of the Italian surgeons :
Andre Vesale, says the manuscript, first
saw the light in the city of Brussels, in the
year 1514-. His father was an apothecary,
attached to the service of the Princess Mar
garet, aunt of the Emperor Charles V., and
governess of the low countries.
Up to the period when Vesale first rend
ered himself conspicuous, the anatomy of
the human body was so imperfectly under
stood, as scarcely to merit that the term of
science should be applied to the dim and
confused ideas relating to it. Vesale was
the first to break through the trammels with
which ignorance and bigotry had crippled
the march of science ; surmounting with
admirable courage and constancy, the dis
gust, the terror, and even the peril, insep
arable from this description of labor, in
which he had devoted himself, he was to
be seen whole days and nights in the ceme
teries, surrounded by the, festering remains
of mortality, or hovering about the gibbets,
and disputing with the vulture for its prey,
in order to compose a perfect skeletou from
the remains of executed animals left there
to be devoured by the carrion-bird.
It was during a sojourn at Basle, after
his return from Italy, that Vesale first be
held at the house of Hans Holbien, the
painter, Isabella Van Steenwryk, the daugh
ter of a merchant at Haerlem, who was
destined to exercise some influence over his
future life. He was scarcely twenty-eight
years of age, and already he had attained
the summit of well directed ambition.
The family of Van. Steenwryk was a
wealthy and honorable one, far superior to
that of Vesale, in birth and fortune; but
the distinguished position the latter had ac
quired for himself, entitled him to aspire to
an alliance even more exalted. The son
of the Princess Margaret's apothecary would
have been rejected by the rich Haerlem
burgher; the Emperor's first physician was
accepted by him as the most eligible son-in-law.
The marriage solemnized, Vesale,
accompanied by his young bride, set off for
Seville, where Charles then held his court.
She loved her husband, there was so much
awe mingled with her affection as to throw
an appearance of restraint over her demean
or towards him, even in the privacy of do
mestic life. The very nature of his pro
fession and occupation was calculated to
increase that awe, and even to create some
degree of repugnance, in a shrinking mind,
which nothing but strong affection could
overcome. Isabella's nature required skill,
ful drawing out and tender fostering. Ve
sale, unfortunately, mistook her temerity
for coldness, and resented it accordingly;
this led to estrangement on her part, which
he attributed to dislike, and jealoua distrust
at last took possesion of his soul.
Amidt the galleries of Seville, where
for a woman to be ydung and attractive,
was to command the attention and author
ize the oevotion of the other sex, it was no
diflrcult task to arouse the susceptibilities of
a suspicions husband.
Vesale's house became the resort of all
that was noble and gallant in Seville, and
he for a time believed his own scientific
conversation to bo the attraction. At first
the young wife showed her usual calm in
difference to the admiration that followed
wherever she was seen ; but, at last, some
thing in her manner and countenance;
whenever one particular person appeared,
or his name was mentioned, betrayed that
there did exist a being who had discovered
the secret of causing the blood to flow more
tumultuously through her veins. That per
son was Don A 1 var de Solis : and as he was
young, handsome, gay, and the most in
consistent gallant in Seville, the suspicions
of Vesale were painfully aroused. He
took silent note of the unusual emotions
that agitated Isabella, whenever that noble
man was in her presence.
The general conduct of Don Alvar was
calculated to baffle suspicion, being marked
by indifference. This would have misled
the vigilant husband, had he not, on one
occasion when his back was turned towards
Don Alvar, perceived him, in an opposite
mirror, fix his kindling eyes upon Isabella,
with an expression not to bemistaken,
while she grew red and pale by turns, and
then, as though unable to surmount her ag
itation, rose and left the room, bhorlly
after, Vesale received an anonymous note,
savins, "look to your wife and Don Alvar
de Solis, and be not deceived by appear
ance. They only want a fitting opportu
nity to dishonor you. Even now he car
ries about him the gloves she dropped for
him at mass."
Vesale shut himself up to ponder over
the most effectual means of avenging him
self. His resolution was promptly taken.
He had established schools of anatomy at
Lan Lucar and Cordova obtained the Em
perors permission to visit them, quitted
Seville, ostensibly for that purpose, but re
lumed the same night, concealed himself in
a tenement belonging to him, at some dis
tance from his abode in Alcazar, which
was devoted to the double purpose of a
laboratory and dissecting room. He had
taken no person into his confidence; he
was alone in his vengeance, and he listened
to his own counsel. At dark in the fol
lowing eveninsr, he issued forth, muffled to
the eyes in a woman's mantle and hood,
and left a note at Don Alvar's habitation,
containing an embroidered glove of Isabel
la's and these words :
"I have obtained the key to Vesale's la
boratory, during his absence; be at the gate
an hour after midnight, and you will be ad-
nutted on pronouncing the name ol Isa
bella." The assignation was promptly kept by
Don Alvar. At an hour past midnight he
left his house, alone; but he never return
ed to it. . Whither he had gone none could
say; nor could an)' trace of him ever be
discovered. It was supposed he must have
missed his footing and fallen in the Guadal
quiver, near which his abode was situated ;
and that his hody had been swept away by
the waves into the ocean.
Such an occurrence was calculated to
produce a great sensation inthe place where
it had happened ; and Vesale, recalled,
three weeks after, by the illness of his wife,
found the disappearance of Don Alvar the
theme of every tongue. The altered ap
pearance of Isabella was attributed, by Ve
sale, to grief for the mysterious absence of
Uon Alvar; and that conviction took lrom
him all pity for her sufferings.
It chanced to be the festival of Santa Isa
bella, and to do honor to her patron saint,
as well as to celebrate the return of her
husband, Isabella put on her wedding dress,
and seated herself by an open casement that
overlooked the Alvar gardens, she watched
for his coming. But whilst her eyes were
vainly fixed upon upon the path by which
she expected him to appear, a hand was
laid upon her shoulder, and, turning round
she beheld Vesale standing by her side.
"I have ordered the supper to be laid in
my study," said he," and taking her hand,
he led her away to the room in question,
dismissed the attendant and closed tliedoor.
Everything wore a festive; yet the repast
was cheerless. Perceiving that she tasted
nothing, Vesale poured a few drops from a
vial of elixir in a cup of Malaga wine, and
presenting it to her :
"Drink this," he said; "it is a sovereign
cure for the complaint you are suffering
from."
"Pledge me in the draught," she replied,
filling up a goblet from the same flask, and
handing it to him, "and it will bring a
quicker healing to ine. Let us drink to
our absent friend, Andre."
Vesale accepted the offering, and they
emptied their goblets together.
"Talking of absent friends," said he, and
suddenly fixing his eyes upon her; "you
have not spoken to me of Don Alvar de
Solis. Are all hopes of hearing from him
relinquished? "lie was a braggart and a
libertine, and boasted that no woman ever
resisted his seductions, that no husband ever
suspected the injury lie was preparing for
him." Then, grasping his wife by the
hand he led her up to a door at the farther
end of the room, and throwing it wide
open, revealed to her view a skeleton, sus
pended within, holding in one of his bony
hands one of her embroidered glove.
"Behold," he said, pointing to the ghastly
spectacle, the gallant and beautiful Don
Alvar de Solis the object of vour guilty
love contemplate him well, if the sijht
can render your moment's happier, for you
are about to die too ; the wine I have just
given you was poisoned!"
When the last dreadful sentence, and Us
still more dreadful illustration, burst upon
her affrighted senses, she became paralyzed
with excess' of emotion ; the scream which
had arisen to her throat, died there, in
strangling manners, and, sinking back, she
fell, as one dead upon the arm of Vesale.
She was not dead, however ; he had not
poisoned her; that crime he had hesitated
to commit, yet he was not th less her mur
derer. Convulsion followed convulsion,
and at last she died ; and, in that supreme
moment, the hour that preceded death her
husband, who had never quitted her, be
held one of those phenomena which some
times attends the dying. Awaking from n
torpid slumber, consciousness and memory
returned at once, and with them a calm and
courage she had never possessed in the flush
of life.
"Andre," said she, fixing her eyes on her
husband, "lam dying by your hand, yet I
am innocent; I never wronged you by
thought or deed. Don Alvar pursued me
with his love and his threats, but I repulsed
him. I never loved but you. 1 feared and
honored you as much as I loved, but I dar
ed not tell you of his pursuit. Oh, Andre,
believe my words, the dying deal not in
falsehoods ! Should I be thus calm were I
guilty ?'
Vesale, sinking upon his knee, solemnly
protested his faith in the innocence of his
wife, and, with choking sobs, abjured her
to believe that he only feigned to give her
poison, that he could not nerve his hand to
take away her life ; but the terrorof death,
and not death itself, was upon her! And,
while he yet spoke, Isabella murmured
"Thanks be to Heaven for this!" and,
drawing his hand towards her, laid it upon
her heart, and, as he did so, it ceased to
beat.
OLD TIME WINTLltS.
Iii lfilll fho cold was so intense that the
Thames was covered wiih ice sixty-one in
ches thick. Almost nil the birds peiishcd.
In lfi91 the cold was so excessive that the
furnished wolves entered Vienna and attack
ed beasts mid even man. Many people in
Germany were frozen to death in 1695, and
the winters of 1697 and 1099 were nearly as
bad.
In 1709 occurred that famous winter called
by distinction, ibe cold winter. Alllhe rivers
and lakes were frozen, and even the sea for
several miles from the shore. The ground
was frozen nine feet deep. Birds and beasts
were struck dead in the Colds, and men pe
rished by thousands in their houses. In tho
south of France tho w ine plantations were al
most nil destroyed nor have they yet recover
ed that fatal disaster. The Adriatic sea was
frozen, and even tho Mediterranean about
Genoa, and tho citron and orange groves suf
fered extremely in the finest parts of Italy.
In 1716 the winter wasso intense that peo
ple travelled across the straits from Copenha
gen to the province of Senia, in Sweden.
In 1729, in Scotland, multitudes of catllu
nnd sheep were buried in the snow.
In 1740 the winter was scarcely inferior to
that of 1709. The snow lay ten feet deep in
Spain nnd Portugal. Tho Zuyder Zee was
fiozen over, and thousands of people went
over, it. And the lakes in England froze.
In 1744 tho winter was very cold. Snow
fell in Portugal to the depth cf 23 feet on n
Wei.
In 1754 and 1755 the winters were very
severe and cold. In England the strongest
ale, exposed to tho air in a glass, was covered
in 15 minutes with ico one eighth of an inch
thick.'
In 1771 the Elbe was frozen to tho bottom.
In 1776 the Danbbo bore ico five feet doep
below Vienna. Vast numbers of the feather
and finny tribes perished.
The winters of 1784 and 5 were uncom
monly severe. The Little Bolt was fiozen
over.
From 1S00 to 1812 also, the winters were
.remarkably cold, particularly the latter, in
Russia, which proved so disastrous to the
French army.
From the I'hila. Ledger of I'm; 10th iust
A 1'lllCIITHL SCENE.
Yesterday afternoon, about twenty minutes
of 6 o'clock, an appalling occurrence trans
pired upon the Schuylkill liver, in tho imme
diate vicinity of the Fairmount dam, in con
sequence of which a very large number of
persons, who had collected upon the ico in
that quarter, were suddenly and unexpected
ly submerged in tho congealing element.
The intensely colJ weather lor tho past week
us our readers are aware, had the effect of
producing ice above tha dam of considerable
thickness, furnishing to the ice-dealers a pros
pect of an abundant 'supply for thoir store
houses, and to the skaters and those who are
fond of w itnessing the dexteiily nnd agility
of the latter, unusual sport and gratification.
The ice had formed to the thickness of sev
eral inches, nnd extended to within fifteen
feet of the dam, which never freezes over,
except when the frigidity of the atmosphere
is very intense, nnd continues for a long pe
riod of time. Along the eastern shore of the
river there are a number of ice house, and
the establishment nearest to the dam is llint
of Mr. Kern. Some hundred yards distant
from the house the employers of this gentle
man had made an opening in ilu pure ice,
and for the purpose of conveying the cakes
as they were cut to the depository, a narrow
canal was made, extending diagonally from
the ioo house, in a southwesterly direction.
A large number of persona having collected
upon the uiea of ice which intervened be
tween the dam and the canal, their weight
' hud tho effect tu cause a fracture, and- three
men fell into the opening ihusMnude.
As soon as they were observed to fall in, a
body of persons rushed to tho edgo of the ice
to rescue them, anil tliey were quickly drag
ged out of the water. It wag apparent that
about an acre of ice hud separated from tho
inuiu body, and was floating loivardsthe edge
of the dam. By this litre a large number of
person had collected upon 'I'.e ice on the
other side, and their great weight had the ef.
fct lo break off anotlipr pice, nisi a-
bout nn acre in size, which moved in the
direction of the dnm. Those who were upon
lhrse bus cakes of ice wero principally wo
men nnd children, who had preferred remain
ing near thi shore, to venturing far out upon
tho slippery urface. Their consternation
became most fparful, w hen they found them
elves being carried towards the dam. Some
of tho men leaped from one cake to another
while others, with females nnd children -in
their grnsp, sprang into the water, as they
ncared the brink of the yawningabyss. Some
of the women were so terrified, that they
sunk upon the ice, nnd were taken up insensi
ble from the excess of their emotions.
Those who maintained their presence of
mind succeeded in getting afoot-hold upon
the shelving breastwork of tho dam, nnd re
mained standing there until Ihey wero taken
off in boats. At least seventy persons, it is
estimated, were in the water upon the dam
at one time, nnd tho fearful scene which was
presented it is impossible to describe. As
soon as their situation was discovered by
person owning boats upon the shore, they
put out for their assistance Four large boats
were quickly slid along the ice and launched
and the shiverius and affrighted Miflercrs ta
ken on board nnd safely landed. There were
about six inches of water running over the
dam at tho time of the accident, which was
amply sufficient lo float a batteanx over. The
mass of ice. upon reaching the edge of the
dam. broke off into small pieces and fell into
the current below. But three individuals
were carried over the dam, viz: a girl of 11
or 12 years of age, daughter of Morgan Ash ;
a young woman. doir.e?tio in a family in the
northwestern part of the city, who took out
with her two small children who were sepa
rated from her and saved from the danger
which threatened them, and a young man a
student of medicine from Virginia.
Mr. Abraham King, tho proprietor of the
hotel at the locks, saw the three descend in
to the raging waters, and immediaie(y launch
ed his boat and went to their succor. He
succeeded in getting them nil nn board nnd
brought them to his house. Miss Ash was
from thence carried to tho premises of Mr.
Blackwell. keeper of the refreshment house
at Fairmount. where medical aid was sum
moned. At first pulsation was not percepti
ble, but after the application of proper reme
dies she was partially restored. The young
woman was taken home from King's nnd,
from appearances, sho hful sustained very se
vere internal injuries from the fall, or being
struck with some of the pieces of ice. The
student seemed to bo uninjured.
The heroic conduct of Mr. King, in saving
the lives of tin above persons at the hazard
of his ow n, was the theme of general praise
among those who witnessed the act. The
preservation of the lives and limbs of those
who were the victims of this unlooked for
calamity is truly providential, and their ex
pressions of gratitude to the parties who had
so magnanimously came to their relief at the
moment when despair was written upon eve
ry lineament of their countenances, was loud
and deep.
Dr. J. K. Mitchell and other gentlemen of
the healing art were fortunately present at
ihe time, nnd exerled themselves in adminis
tering to the wants and giving advice to the
sufferers.
The drenched and (.hivering ciowd as soon
as relieved from their cold bath, lost no time
in obtaining the first conveyance and depar
ting for their homes to change their dripping
habiliments, and by six o'clock none remain
ed to tell tha story of their sad disaster.
It is impossible to porticularize all the
events w hieh the eye beheld during the sli ug
gle for life on tho part of the terrified mass
w ho were visited by this fearful calamity.
We, however, give some of the most promi
nent. We noticed Dr. Stoin, his lady and
son, of about ten years of age, stiuggliug and
buffeting with tho broken ice, by the aid of
a plauk. They were, however, rescued, but
not until nearly exhausted by the violence nf
their efforts, a generous stranger, whose at
tentions had been drawn to them, laid himself
flat upon his face and slid ulodg the edge of
the ice until ho reached 'the boy, whom ho
caught by tho hair, and though the ice broke
several times, he succeed in draggiug him
out of the water. -
A young lady, ubout 18 years of age, was
also engnlphed in the midst of broken ice,
but rescued by lhe assistance of Mr. Robert
P.irliam and others. Two gentlemen, whose
situation among the broken ice was most pe
rilous, alter the greatest difficulty, at length
reached the shore in safety.
The mol terrible encounter was for those
w ho w ere on the large sheet of ice, which
moved towards tho edgo of dam, separating
as it neared the precipice, and carrying over
on its fragile surface the persons whom we
have mentioned above,
Dr. Stone and his family wero taken to a
house in Coates street, near Schuylkill Third
and was uttended by Dr. W. Jewell, who,
with the disinterested kindness of the family
mado them as comfortable a the nature of
the cases would admit of. We learn that
they are doing well. .
"Absssce o" Misu." A Brooklyn piper
gives this notice, which contains, as near as
we ran judge, an insinuation :
'The person who took the silver spoon in
stead of almonds, and silver ladle instead of
pickled oysters, from a house in Hicks vtreet
will be kind enough to correct the mistake.'
-
The Decgais havo disappeared from New
Orleans since the prevalence of the cholera,
and hav arwH tn large number ut Mobile-
Tilt: MILITIA SYSTEM ADJUTANT GESE.
ItAL'A REPOIIT.
We have furnished us, at an early day, by
our Ilarrisburg correspondent, the report of
tho Adjutant General, VV. II. Irwin, upon the
militia System of the Commonwealth, who
recomrnendsan entire abolition of militia train
ings, as very expensive and altogether useless,
but proposes a volunteer organizalion, calmly
pursuing, in times of peace, the ordinary avo
cations of civil life, but ready at a moment's
warning to take the field, exhibiting the stea
dy and disciplined bearing in the presence of
nn enemy, which, when directed by science,
is resistless. This system, he thinks may
be established with less than half the ex
pense of the present absurd system.
The public is not generally aware, we be
lieve, what the burlesque of militia trainings
annually costs. It adds at least more than
twenty thousand dollars to the debt of tho
State every year, nnd of course requires that
much additional taxation upon our citizens
nnnually to pay for tho folly. As the nnrhor
ized assesments are found insufficient to
raise tho required revenue for Slate purposes,
nnd an increase of taxation will probnbly be
resorted to, it is time that every item which
goes to swell the public debt rhould be strict
ly inquired inlo, and all unnecessary and use
less expenses bo cut off'. To show the utili
ty of the militia system of the Slate we copy
from the report the following table of its re
ceipts and expenditures for eighteen yeais
past, and challenge any ono to show any be
nefit corresponding with this enormous cut-lay:
Militia mill F.xrniril Finvs
Militi:
Yeats.
1S26
1827
1828
1829
1830
1831
1832
1S33
1834
1S35
1836
1S37
1838
1S39
1840
1841
1842
1843
Kxrfines.
Amount.
$23,238 05
26,U6 75
25.542 80
17,738 22
22.090 24
22,859 00
21.561 43
20,776 99
21,075 87
21.862 44
29,601 65
22.451 01
30,664 21
25,981 17
33,470 75
33.031 71
33J61 94
42,4 18 59
J ears
Amomu.
IS','6
1S27
1S28
12
1&30
1S31
1S32
1833
1834
1835
1S36
1837
1838
1S39
1840
1841
1844
1843
5. 1 20 50
K516 20
1290 70
3.C00 7 1
7,847 13
1.331 41
2,313 27
1,693 00
1.160 70
2,350 83
3,164 16
22 82
288 58
812 16
229 00
446 58
13 30
11 40
Total. S32,669 43
Total, 473.226 85
Ded't Hues 31,669 43
Eees of
militia ex-
j penses, $440,557 42
Thus it will be seen, that for eighteen suc
cessive years the militia expenses havo large
ly exceeded tho revenue (the average annual
excess being twenty-five thousand dollars,) nnd
that in this short time we have expended rocn
IK'.NDIU'.D AXD FOBTV TIIOISAND DOLLARS for
no good, or in the words of tho Adjutant Ge
neral, the money has been ''thrown away."
The plan or outline of the reform he proposes
is ns follows :
"The present military organization of divi
sions, brigades, regiments nnd battalions, and
the appropriate officers fortheso several corps
wo cannot abolish; it exists by virtue of an
act of Congress. Our State Legislatures can
increase or diminish the number of divisions,
the number of brigades being determined by
the major general and brigadier generals of
any division, and the number of regiments by
the brigadier general and the colonels of the
regiments of any brigade : but the provisions
of the act of Congiess of 1792, (which an act
of 2d April, 1822, attempted to cany out)
must bo observed by establishing these dis
tinct corps. Let this be the limit, let the
septennial elections bo held, the officers duly
commissioned, tho enrolment be made, (by
the assessors,) the returns, of brigade inspec
tors be furnished to the Adjutant General,
but let company and battalion trainings, and
inspections, be forever abolished, and thus
we nro at once relieved from tho injurious
and expensive part of the existing system.
The State will thus bo divided by law into
volunteer divisions, brigades, S;c., entirely
distinct from the militia and the appropriate
general, staff and -field officers will be elected
and appointed by the volunteers, to hold their
commissions for five years. Let the officer.
of brigade, and direction inspectors of volun
teers, be filled by men who will serve, as all
volunteer officers should,' cratuiovsly. To
llieso officers let the duty of inspecting the
public arms, &e., bo entrusted. Let there be
semi-annual military encampments, at each
of which there wilj be a muster, review and
inspection of the volunteersthe first en
campment, in May, to Ty brigade ; the
second, in October, by regiment. Let every
regiment be by law required to perform one
term of camp and field duty annually, of not
less than five days. Let the colonel of every
regiment bo required to establish a "Regi
mental School of Instruction," so that every
commanding and subaltern officer may accu
rately learn his duty, and be qualified to im
part instruction to new commissioned officers
non-commissioned- officers, musicians and
privates, in each volunteer corps, correspond
with that in the regular army ; and let a neat
cheap, aud soldierly uniform lie substituted
for the gaudy, expensive and unserviceable
one, now' generally affected by our volunteer
corjH. Let the term of service to secure ex
emption from military duty, (except during
a war,) be reducod from seven to five succes
sive years. Let the most rigid accountability
for arms, equipments, he., be insisted on all
reports,' returns and. muster foil, &e., be
made strictly after the forms furnished by the
Adjutant General of the State.
The young men of this State should parti
oularly be induced to form volunteer corps.
!.( tllm, early in life, enter t ti s corps, ef '
their choice, bo enrolled therein, serve unt
year at least in the rnii.,and six months na
non-commissioned officer, before being eligi
ble lo a commissioned office ; and having
served faithfully ns a volunteer utlicci or pri
vate for five successive years,, be forever ex
empt fio-.n military duty in time of peace
This part of the system, serving t the ranks
for the year, ought to be indispensable in all
who join volunteer corps.
To sustain the proposed change of. which I
havo sketched an outline, I would recom
mend that each county of the Slate contribute
by a tax in proportion to its population, to be
levied as the ordinary taxes now are. Tho
trifling sum of from fifteen to twenty cents
for each citizen subject to military duty, will
produce nt once a sufficient and available re
venue lo defray all the military expenses of
this State, There was in Pennsylvania, hi
1847, two hundred and thirty odd thousand
militia, and twenty-four thousand volunteers.
When, by tho proposed reform, so much of
the expense is removed, how light, how tri
vial the tax to sustain merely the organiza
tion of lhe militia and the volunteer system-
Letting oct. An Irish tailor making a
gentleman's coat and vest too small, was or
dered to take them home and let them out.
Some days after, tho gentleman inquiring for
his garments, was told by tho ninth part of
nn Irishman that the clothes happening to fit
a countryman of his, ho had let them out at
.a s.hillin;; a week.
CiiANcn roii AiTiions. A prize of S100 is
offered by tho Scientific American for tho
best essay, of not more than twenty pages,
on the Patent Laws of the l'nited States and
their improvement.
A ;I!ig Onk," We can't vouch for tho
truth of the following, from the Boston Post:
"A man in Chatham, N. Y., has a frog 22
years old, which weighs 172 pounds! It is
kept in a cellar, and fed on corn meal amf
cabbage "
llor.iious of the Slave Trade. A Jitter
from Capt. EJen, of the British man-of-war
Ampliilrilc, dated Bights of Benin, Oct. 3d,
says that 690 slaves were lately murdered by
the chiefs nt Talma, who were Mnable to dis
pose of them.
Beoi.vsinu THE YEAR rightly .-The Biook
lyn Eagle cf tho 8th, contains the follow ing
letjer, receivod on Thursday by Mr. David
Coope, of Brooklyn :
Sir I knew a person once that bought ? 12,
00 of you, with full expectation of paying
you : you neglected lo charge it his honest j
was not very positive, so that it has ri"w
reached, principal and interest, S19 50. You
will find $20 inclosed ; the change you may
keep to give away. This is a Xew Years
resolution. Truly, O
Mm. H. 11. Earl, of Newark, N. J., cut and
put up on Monday and Tuesday, one fort of
ice every tieo miuutcs, for 10 hours ice 10
aud 12 inches thick.
THE FISIIERMA.
UT JUBJ C. SAXE.
There lived an honest fisherman,
I knew him passing well,
Who lived hard by a little pond,
. Within a little dell.
A grave aud quiet man was he,
xV!o loved his hook and rod ;
So t re n run his t. ne of life,
His neighbors thought it oJJ-
l'or science and for books, lie said,
lie never had a wish, .
No school to him was worth a fiif,
Execpt a ''school of lull,"
The single minded fUhcrman
. A double calling had,
To. tend his flock in winter time,
In summer fish for shad.
In short, this lionckt fisherman
All other toils forsook,
And though no vagrant man was ho,
He lived by uhooi and crook."
All day that fisherman would sit
I' pun an ancient log,
Aud gae into the water, like
f'onic sedentary fr Sg
A cunning fisherman was he,
His a it git s were all ru.il.
And when he scratched his aged yotl,
You'd know he'd got a Hi
To charm the fish, ho never spoke.
Although his voice w as fine,
He fouud the most convenient way
Was just to "drojt a lint."
And niuny a "gudgeon" of the pond,
If made to speak tu dfiy
Would own, with grief, this augUr had
. A mighty "taling irai."
One tiny, while nulling on a log,
He mourned his want of luck,
When suddenly ho felt a bite,
And jerking caught a duti,
Alas ! that day die fisherman'
Hid tal.cn too rhueli grog,
And bctn but a landsman, too,
lie couldn't "itiji the log.
In vuin he strove with all his might,
And tticd to gain llie shore ;
Down, dow n he w ent, H feed tho fish
He'd baited oft before !
The moral ot 'his mournful mfli
To all is plain antiulcer;
A single "drop too murli" of rum
May make watery h'rr.
And he wtaswirl not '-sign the pVlje,'
And keep tho piomiae fast,
May be, in spi'e of fate, e's-ij'
Cc't (,-?' bv !