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BY _ W .LE WIS.-
Department of the . Interior.
The annual 'report of the Secretary of ' , the
'lnterior containamuch interesting tnforna
lion, which we condense' be/OW'; • The quan- thy of public land thrown into market during
'the next season will he amply sufficient to
- supply the noost• extensive 'dernand. •Land
surveys have been prosecuted in the 'newly
:organize,d territories. The provisions of the
land graduation law intended VO'secure the
interests of the actual 'settler, arevery defec
tive,- and • have caused much-trobble, so that
it may become "necessary for COngress' to in
terpose. During' the FaSt. fiscal 'year 8,7213,-
474 acres of hind . ve' been 'sold at gradua
ted prides 'foe "$2,358,918.,' In the ,year en
din„. September '31411; 15,316,283 acres' of
'w'ere surveyed. The truebdundary line
- betwe4nAlahartia . 'and, Florida':has been es
tablished. No new land was brought :into
market v aving to the large body of land. sub-
Ject,te entry.already.
.The eittaritity of lands sold for cash during
the last fiscal year was 15,729,524 88 acres.
.Received therefor •$1,1',48.5,384 75
Located With
.military scrip
. and land warrant,s
Swaop,larid pvlOcted fqr
St
, ates".:
Selected,op.,4onatione far
rail-roads, &c.
Making a total of , , 24,557,409 50 "
Exhibiting, an increase, of 8,693,789 81
acres over"the previous year, of lairds sold for
cash; a.tid a decrease of - 2,071,222 26 acres lo
cated with scrip and warrants. The quantity
that wilt be entered the present fiscal year
With land warrants *ill be much larger, the
number being greatly multiplied by the re
quiremeriti of ^the recent bounty . laud law.
The amount oflandssoldduring the second
and .third quartets of the present calendar
year is about 6,264,103 acres; being an in
crease of abOut 827 ; 625 acres (in cash 5477,-
442 06),un I that of;the corresponding quarters
. of the proceding year.
The,quantity.of hind covered by warrants,
issued to soldiers of all the wars in which the
United, States has been engaged, is 37,958,-
~412 acres. For the satisfaction of, Virginia
military land : warrants, there were taken 1,-
460,000 acres of the public !ands.
The Secretary. reiterates the importance of
(,proper discrimination in makit L er grants of
lands to , ;railways and canals. : Tire grants of
' land to the State of Wisconsin • for the im
provrnent of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers,
and their connexion by a canal, covered 260,-
433 acres c pf which there were selected 268,-
, 303 acres, the rest'not beinc , taken, because
all :he laud referred to had been previously
sold by 'the government. Subsequent legis
ation, as the authorities of the Land Office
construed it, increased the grams,to 684,269
acres, or art addition of 423,836 acres. . But
the company,"Which purports - , to have sue.
ceeded to the rights of the 'State,not satisfied
with the construction giien to„the law by the
Land Office, preferred a clairri for the alter
nate sections on the. Wisdonsin river. from
where it enters the Mississippi to the por
tage, which would enlarge the grant upwards
017352,000 acres, inereasitig it• from 260,433
.acres t 0.1,036,269 acres, and probably much
more,,. depending, on the rule that might be
adopted.,
• •
The lands on the Wisc6usin river having
never been embraced by any, action of Con
gress, but the gi'ant being expressly restrict
'ed to the Fox river,-lake's climilOortageytpe
elaiiri,` after' full examinatiett by the late Corn
'friidSioner of the' Land Office,',antt review, on
appeal, by 'me,'Withevery proper disposition
to lairor the State,' was rejected, an'd the grant
has been confined to the enlarged limit b efore
mentioned.
The Secretary again recommends that offi
cers connected with the survey and sale of
the public lands be not permitted to become
purchasers,
Much difficulty, has been experienced in
the execution of the laws granting the swawp
and overflowed lands to the-several State's in
which they lie. Some' patents ,hare•been is,
sued, while others have been Suspended for
, further; inquiry. and investig,atioir: •
The commission to:a.scertain indsettle.lhe
private laud claims:hi California . will be able
to complete its labors within the period fixed
by law.'
The 'Board of Commissioners, under the act
of 1854, to adjust land, titles in Indiana, was
unable td finish its business within the time
allowed. 'The Secretary recommends that a
Commissioner be appointed to complete the
work. As much difficulty has been caused
by the creation of new lath' districts, and the
acts creating them going into effect immedi
ately, the Secretary recommends that the
new ones, shall not go into, operation for six
months fro , ,n'tli passage of. tbe - law
ing jitter - th i n Mess, itt the judgment of the Pres
ident, Mi-e.arlier period is' neceSsarr. •
The field *ark of the Mexican • boilndary
kurVey:nhas-besn- completed, and: the , 'office
vork' will. ibe prosecuted' with vigor.. -The
'4Gadstfen purchase contains twenty, millions
;of acres' of land. The eastern °portion-of it is
traversed • front north to south by several
;strearns, Which; though not. nayigaPe, afford
..unfaiting"faCilities for irrigation.. tri.""ial
leys of some of, the. streams are enameled,
.and prodtice..W heat, .corn and,
A tObacco, luxuri
ntly, though, in oieneisal they are,ov.tter,;ady.p
led to grazing. Gold,, silver, and .coppor are
-fotind in the, ,hills, but not in placer; and, in
many places, the, remains of ancient Spanish
, mining operations yet. exist. The western
.portion -of the country bordering, upon the
Colorado-and Gila rivers, presents a strong
.contrast,, being a hopeless desert,. though
known to abound in silver ore.
This territory is not so much the abode of
hostile !odious, as
n it is the avenue through
from' t heir • corintr y north of
the Gila to themort [tern States of Mexico.: A
portion of it, however, - is occupied by a semi
.civilized nation of Indians corn posed of a con
federacy • of • Pimos and Maricopas Indians,,
numbering, it 'is said, about two thousand
warriors. They till the soil with much sue
zess; raising cotton, wheat; corn and beans,
and are said to be ever kind and friendly to
Amenicari . emigrants Paising: thiough their
.country They are understood
to set up a claim to the land they occupy,
under some jeneral.law of ' Epain or Mexico,
and manifestrnmen anxiety, lest, by the trans
fer of terni - nry,lo thetiljnited States, their pos
segsion may* be . disturbed or injuriously af
.feefed:
- They are'said to beat o'CoriStant war" with
- the' hostile tribes' in habitiegthe 'coati try north
of the GilaYand their only brinier to - the ()O.
alipation of this iiewly
. acquired courtrY.2 . ' _
.. The diffichlty about the binintlary'betWeen
the Territcrly of Washington 'anti the British
possesSionseis•thus spoken
'ln the channel which seperatei Vancou
ver'.s. Island, from the main continent, and
through the'rxiiddle 'of which,' according - to
the. convention of 1846,
-the line of boundary
passes, ,therein a e large and le
interesting
rrinp
eef e islerels :which are much. desired by our
oitizenee but ehe• settlement ofethem na
-turally,be retarded, if not, emir* prevented,
until the boundary line shall have • been defi
nitely determined;?' ';
:Froth the'firia of January, 1855, the num
ber of patents issued Was eighteen hundred,
and theenumber :for the'whoteyreat would
probably reach two thousand. It' is reeorri
mended' that: the' revision' of 'the accounts'of
•the'United. States Marshall' anti District'At
torneys be transferred teethe Treasury Depart
'men:. On the sebjectOf the erection of court
houses the Secretary says:'
The government has adopted the •Plan of
constructing its own buildings for court pur
poses, in different States, but nothine ° has yet
been done in Baltimore, Newe York, or Bos
ton. With - thts' view, acts were .passed by
Congress giving,you a limited power,' 'which,
however, was' not exercised. The proposals
which had been received for sites in New
York and Bpston Were sent in as a criterion
in Making the proper appropriations. Noth
ing was effected, and the subject remains for
the further action of Congress. 1 have no
doubt the tree course would be, to make am
ple-provision for the purchase of the sites and
the . erection of buildings in these cities, ex
pressly-limiting, the expenditure to the spe
cific sums appropriated, leaving the selection
of the sites, and The plans for the buildings to
the sound discretion of the President. Know
ing the necessity that exists for such build-.
ings in these cities its consideration cannot
beetoo strongly urged.
From this it will be seen-that Philadelphia,
the first to move in this matter, has been en
tirely overlooked by the government. Con
gress has made appropriations for constree
ting cautt houses, in conjunction with custom
houses and post offices, at several
_points
ev here courts are not held, in States:in which
the number of places for holding courts may
not be increased for many years.
This is one of the ways of wasting public
money.._ Another is imitated thus by the Sec.
retary :
In niy last annual 'report, I brought to your
notice the number of terms the United States
courts held in the different States, during
. each year,. being two hundred and twenty
three terms, ireeighty-eight different places.
In several of them, there is very little local or
general busineSs, the peculiar reason for hol
dirg the courts there having ceased; and yet
the expense and inconvenience to the judges
and officers, as well as the Government, are
not trifling. By way of illusttation, I will
instance one judicial district only. By the
act of Congress', approved March 3, 1549,
"For the better, organization of the. district
court - of 'tlie UniteeStates, within th 6 State of
Louisiana," the State was divided into two
Judicial districts-ze-the eastern and western.
Stated annual sessions of the-court for the
western distrect were directed lb he held at
Opelousae,Alee.andria, t;hreveport, and Mon
rue, and the judge was authorized to' appoint a
clerk-to reside at each of . . these Places. By
the amendatory act, approved July 29, 1850,
another term of the court was required to be
held at St. Joseph's, and the judge authorized
to appoint a clerk to reside at that, place also.
The fee bill of ?6th-February,'lBs3,prie vides
that, whfr the compensation of any clerk
shall be lesOliarie.ssoo . per - annum, the
dif
ference-between his 'receipts "and that sum,
shalt be paid horn the Treasury,
It appears frOm the emolument : accounts of
the clerk at St. Joseph's, that from the 4th of
-May;184.5. to - the 30th of May, 1855, his fees
only amounted to $1.3 95, and that, during the
whole of that period, there
. was not a single
sessiore of the court held'at that place. From
the Ist,of January, 1853, to the 31st of De
cember, 1854, the clerk at Monroe did not
_earn anything, and during the whole of: these
two years, 'no session of the court was held.
At Alexandria the clerk's fees, froth the 15th
.of 'April to the 31st of December, 1854,
amounted to $2 50, and the court was in seas
sion only two days.
Thus, it will be seen, that, in an aggregate
-period of about four, years,. only two .terms of
the court have been held atthese three places.
The 'Departinent is not in poesessimi .of re
liens; from Opelousas end Shreveport, though
it is not dOubted the same condition of things
prevails there,,, If so, the cost -to thetiiiited
'States
,for, cliricitl :wince's ',alp*, over: and
abOVe.„ the fees eel-tied in e a period of ; about
four-years, weieldamount ter nearly 'BlO,OOO,
without any cerresponding, benefit to the _
gov
ernment. • , .
1,345;580 00 "
7,470,746 . 62 f
11,558 00 "
SeVeral. important treaties -have been made.
Many previously in 'force contain objectiona
ble features ! , inserted at the 'urgent solicita 7
Lion of the Indians, being -the' prnductirin of
the vicions , tufluentes - Surrounding . therri• on
treaty occasions:' ::A. treaty Withithe: Stock
bridge and Munsee Indians in Wlicurrsin, has
been disapproved by the government as not
likely* to prove beneficial either' to'the Indians
or the United States. - ; A. tripatthe treaty has
been' Made between the United States ani the
Choctaws and Chickasaws, 'which if Tatified
by the'Senate'tvill adjust existing difficulties,
andApeu up a large portion of- the- - Choctaw
territory - forlJ3e introduction and permanent
location of-the Southern Camanches,ichi
andether. ; Southwestern tribes. -All the
prerequisites for the sale of the „ceded Indian
lands in Kansas territory. have: been comple
ted, and'the saleS may be ordered early in the
spring. ,The hallowing information respect
ing _the Indian tribes is interesting; •
Many of the Texas Indians ate being gath
ered on the teservations set apart in that
State for them, and are conducting them
ii[JNTINGDON; JANUARY - 16, 1856.
selves with 'Marked' propriety. These re
servations are the smalli s still, fora timethey
may: answer, a goOd i ptirpose.. It may be
proper for Congress to extend over them, the
laws„ regulating trade and intercourse' with
the Indians, astheitsapplication may 13e found
n
The radian agsnis are instructed to reside
- amongst the. tribes, so as to' be constantly
-present 'to 'advise and aid them:' i It is often
:impossible to ascertain whether the instruc
tions are faithfully complied with, owing to
- the s'emoteness of the agencies. The rule,
hoWever, has thus far operated well;"'and
will, it is believed, be-of much service to the
Indians. My own opinion is, that it would
be far better to have fewer agents, and to give
a compensation - to - each suitablestri - ahe -con
( dition and,eircumstances of his ,position, so as
( to.bring.into requisition the character, ability
(.and peculiar fitness so much required.. - :
, The .distance of the..lndian - Bureausfrom
the' different tribes of, Indiana is: ,se great,
that frequently it - is very.difficult to obtain
correct.information about thentemore ,P9P
cially
,Were the agents ase -careless or remiss
lin the discharge of their duties. The present
Icommissioner ' has visited many of them, at
much inconvenience; but by so doing has a:p
quireda great- deal-of useful information. I
believe it would ; be advantageous to. the Indi
ans and the government, to provide for areoffi
cer, to be attached to the bureau, whose duty
it should be to visit the superintendents,
agents and tribes, examine into all their af
fairs, andanake such general and detailed re
ports as • would enable the office to correct
abuses, and submit such suggestions as, if
I a'clopted, would have a tendency to anielio
sate the condition, of the Indians.
..The ; facility with which many of the
1 chiefs, headmen ,and warriors are, overcome
'by She temptations •to which they are sub
jected, and thus induced to sign important
papers without understanding their object -or
purport, has been productive of much evil.
They are nut generally . corrupt, but become
the supple tools of cunning,designing men.
Indians are addicted to drinking and gambling,
and these passions are ministered to by many
of the traders and evil-disposed persons.—
The cash system of payments is the root of
most of the evils that befall them. To abolish
it has been the constant effort of the Depart,
ment ; but its success has been only partial,
owing to the powerful resistance of the tra
ders. If a welhsegulated system could be
introduced among them, by which they could
obtain, at ,cost,price, what would be, under
fixed rules and regulations, deemed essential
to their comfort; and all the licenses were
withdrawn from the traders, a stronger hope
. of their civilization and domestication might
' be, entertained. The license system is an in
cubus upon all healthful action' in their be
half and, until,abandoned, will continue to 3
demoralize and degrade them.
A more simple and efficient civil and crim
inal code should be provided for them, and a
cordial cooperation of the States ; and Terr
itories in which they are, located invoked.
The slightest conflict of jurisdictiones poli
cy leads to disastrous consequences, , and
should be sedulously avoided. •
IFor some of the tribes permanent homes
have been established, and many of the Indi,
ans have contracted habits of industry, so,
.brietys and economy. The effect of shis upon
the whole is very perceptible and encoerag
ing. Their numbers are increasing, their
conduct improving, and they are being, rap
idly prepared for •the healthful exercise of the
privileges; . and • the, proper, discharge cit the
duties, of good citizens. ,
During the'past, year, many or the tribes
weste of the Mississippi have had to contend
with she most untoward circumstances, and
it is really extraordinary that they,-have not
been utterly dispirited, they have yet under
the severest adversity, exhibited a decree of
fortitude, and forbearance well worth7y. the
imitation of many of the - whites, who boast of
their superior moral and mental ciilture..e—
Few of us would so unresistingly, have per
mitted ourselves to be unceremoniously thrust
from our homes and deprived of our fire sides-
They are incessantly pressed' by the whites,
who, under the plea of necessity, . exercise
their superior sagacity in devices to invade
their rights and despoil them, of their proper
ty . ,
We must, however, provide for the exist
ing state of things; and a recurrence to -the
events that have transpired in connectipn
with them for the last few years, will show
that a condition of affairs has arisen that nev
er-was contemplated, and could not easily
have been anticipated. This cannosbechang
ed withotit. An attempt to stay the onward
progresa of our people, which would befruit,
less. The mode of treatment must' be adap
ted
to their present pecbliar condition,
,and
the policy a fixed One, as it. is not likely the
character of the circumstances by which they
are now' surr6unded will ever chen . ge. .
Many -years-have net elapsed' since it was
considered that , a mixed occupancy of the ,
same territory by the white and red man was
incompatible with ohe'safety -.and happiness
of either; A.,,teMedial , 'policy_ was adopted,
and theaemov.al pf s the . Indians aseet s of.,the
Mississippi river determined upon. A guar
anty was given there that they should have
exclusive poSsesal.on,otahat country forever,
• exempt from all intrusion of white men,' with
'ample provisions ,for their security', against
external, violence and internal commotions,
and the extentionto them of. suitable facili
ties for their advancement , in the arts of eivi
lization. The country:was' congratulated by
one of your predecessors upon' their removal
to their pew homes, and the dawning to them
of a new and-happy era was publicly' pre
claiined. :But this guaranty has not heeriful
filled, and that propitious time has net yet ar
rived. A quarter of a centpry has not elaps
ed before the 'same state of things, so much
deplored, is
- found to exist, and the evil that
was intended to be remedies appears in a far
.more appalling form.. - The strong arm of the
government is constantly invoked to stay its
progress, and the guaranty is continuity held
up to us for faithful performance. Our only
reply to all the appeals made is, that , the
force of circumstances has rendered it imprac
ticable. .
Congress has been generous in its more re,
cent appropriations for the benefit of the Indi.
ans, arid displayed a commendable spirit in
aid of their• reclamation. , The only increase
riesirabla is in what is. usually denominated
-the civilization fund, being an annual appro
priation by the act of March 3d,,1819, of $lO,-
000. This might have been sufficient then
'but it is not so now.
Whoever will study their history, in con
nection with the conduct of our, people, will
not be so much surprised at many of the out
rages they commit. .They are savages, and
are 'seldom taught to discriminate between
white men. Individuality, with them, in
case of a..wrong, is out of the question. In
dian disturbances are• too often traceable to
the indiscretions• and aggressions of white
men. We have reliable reports of such -ca
ses, and of the most murderous and unprovo
ked attacks upon •them when entirely defence
less. Notwithstanding the IVlississippi was
established as a boundary to their country,
our people have passed it, and seized upon
their choicest lands, and are :circumscribing
,the aborigitnes to the narrowest.limits.
For the Democratic Review far December
Why every Man should be a Politi
Never be lastat
: a feast nor first at a fray.
Sound philosophy. : ,:QIII aood folk, our wor
, shippers of the almighty dollar seem to in
terpret theadage thus; Never,he first to un
dettake a service to your country, nor, last to
animadvert upon those who .do,. To them,
1 . money-making is , a perpetual e .feast; polities
a perpetual fray. , .
Stop and tnink, gentlemen. .1s not; your
money making so intimately , bound up with
politics that, as a mere ealculation of business,
t it would be well for you to try and het at
the principle of the • thing? - : We paean no
I disrespect to the men who are powerful upon
i 7 Change—no slur, at the spirit of trade, • To
1 that spirit of enterprise. we .oWe- - our present
unparalleled ' march ' of ernpire.' But we
are forced ' to speak the , truth. Some,
thing more powerful than our will,, always
! compels us to say what we believe or know.
It is, therefore, a remarkable fact, gentlemen,
rich men, great raelchants,,enagliates, that
the mechanic, the: tradesman the laboring
man in America is commonly' a better rea
soner in politics than you—any of you—
are., Shalt we hint the reason ? fie stops
i and thinks. He reasons out things for him
! self. self. By a shrewd, though often rude logic,
( he arrives at great truths which altogether
escape your, finer sense. Thus he is almost
a
'availably Detierterat; for, Democracy is the
logical 'sequitur' of all just political realon
t
t ing. Thus, too, the-hard-fisted are no lovers
iof "isms ;" no follewers'Of new, prophets; no
I sticklers for small dietinctiarts. They stand
upon broad ground, Their Denteeraey is na
tional • it is American; it embraces the corn:
nnent ; it ignotes imaginary .geographical
lines; it is universal . and , telltale:al- As
1 truth .• is the-first, the; last, and every part of
real greatness, and the people always discov-
I er it in the end, its counterfeits .never long
1 impose upott them. So it happens that the
t great. men of the people—their idols—such,
for. instance, as Andrew Jackson, are in their
lifetime POlPraaali , hated by you, rich and
bury erafftekers. . You have not time to stop
and see into the character of such a man as
.the people have. ..You are in too great haste
, to be rich at the expense of the people, and
he, or such as he, put stumbling blocks in
your way, by "removing the deposits" from
your "United States Banks," or ,setting up
"Sub-Treasuries" wherein-the people's mon
ey may be kept for the -people's.uses, instead
of Mr. Biddle s and the "financiers'." But,
to you! when he is ,dead. when he has had
"quiet consumatiorr," :and "malice domestic"
l how you . renown . his grave ! It becomes
i one of your Meccas. You make pilgrimages
[ to it. Applaud his virtues- to the echo.-
1 You would even give five dealers to raise a
!-monument to him, so liberal is your late
i
learned admiration. What? have you for
i gotten, Dive, that he was a Democrat, a very
Titan of-Democracy,- sealing the heaven ' of
-your exclusive privileges and:pulling its Ju
piter from his mat ble Olympus in Chestnut
street ? Have you forgotten "Perish credit
perish-commerce," but let the Republic live
pure and undefiled r, the -great principles of
•man's eternal rights live on immortal?—
Come, those times are worth thinking - of.—
It is worth your while; too, • to inquire curi
ously how you came to miss the light which
was in them, -ere; never see it till its aureole
hung above the quiet grave at the Hermitage!
You nnieeed it hy'leeing poor politicians.
To be a-good one, it needs that you shoald
love'your fellow man, and have a little re
spect to the golden rule of :Him who gave
the charge, "Little children, love one anoth
er." --- To be a good one, it needs that you
should be interested in the political move
ments of the day for some great object, some
purpose sanctified by-principle, and not "to
be stirred in without great argunient,'/:
The time we live in, -the country we in
habit, the chides weowe her, the complica
tions, foreign -and domestic,- .
in 'which the
turn of- the-die may :involve her' call for ac
tivity of thought :and - action. He who sits
down, by the wayside to-day- to 'enjoy life as
an amusement, and drink his wine. and gos
sip pleasialitly of the:gracefulness of life, may
be disagreeably aroused .from his day-dream
by' the' tramp and noise of the great .crowd,
surging past him on the match, under new
leaderseand rushing to posses the world in
the intoxication of new ideas' of victories to
be acheived over all established principle of
human association. - Who knows? Do you,
great man 1 Do you, dallier by the wayside ?-
- Do you,;w hose desire is to be let alone in the
enjoyment • of -your pleasant • things--:who
knows how-far the Mine has penetrated be
neath the soil w!ierep . p yet walk. ? Have you
read all the signs of the times, or are they
morPoccult than the symbolism of the Pyr
amids to you
,?You flatter yourself that all
this will last your day. - That you shall walk
seemly till the last scene of all ' clOses your
peaceful history of enjoyment, and six 'feet
of that earth, a little mine of your own, is all
you need to lie in. Put there is a secret mine
there, and - mystery is still reverend to the
vulgar eye, you know? - Hew 0156 could. the
clan.
( vulgar mystery and clap-trap of Know Noth
' ingism have deluded so many honest men
Has it not appealed to that prurient craving
afar the seceet, the mysterious, which is a
laW of man's, being? And on this mine you
_have walked placidly. You have never
looked beyond the hour ;• you . have,: never
worked into this mystery. . It has been .to
your thinking only a machine for, changing,
men, for turning. out .one set of .offece-holders
,and putting in another._ .But you have never
thought how it was sapping the fopndations,'
and drinking the life-blood of the old Saxon
' frankness, the generous boldness of action
and of thought which has made us the con
quering and absorbing race iiethe modern
world., You haVe never .paused to reflect
how nearly allied to each other the. stern vir
tues of the stock of Broti and Gracchi, . and
'the stock of American virtues were. It is
worth the trouble of a pause, neverless. It
is worth while 'comparing the character of
different- races-and peoples, to see what the
effect upott:the one, had of openness„bravery,
frankness; decision of "Character,' determine
tion to declare, in Heaven's face and all men's
sight, principle and purpose, and -fight an
enemy with open, manly steel—foot to' foot
--eve to eye—in the broad daylight—live or
die for it; and on the otherof treachery, dee
ceit, mantiuvringeplottingemidnight skulk
ing, oaths of secresy, distrust, conspiracy ;
the stealthy step creeping ghostlike to its de
sign ; the-assassin's dagger', the coward's life
of faith alone' in all men's villainy as he
knows ! The first will go to make up the
character of a Democrat; the last a Know-
Nothing. .
'Dii avettite omen . !„ Is it-not time that
every man 'was a politician ?- And now, in
deed, when every 'other party has pondered
to the hideous lust of these night prowling
defilers. of*: their country's name—is it' riot
time that every man should ask himself; why
is this?. What virtue is there in this princi
ple of Democracy which keeps it unspotted
inane the taint? Is it not time that every
true man should - be a Democrat ?
The abstract and the concrete are govern
ed 'by the same rule. 'Apply it, then. Row
many —how, indeed, do all pretend to admire
the beauty and perfection of our institutions.
With what unction - they describe-the' sweet
ness of 'their fa nit ! How' they prate of civil
and religious freedom—your rankest Know
( Nothing the loudest mollifier! And, to you !
( whilst they are exhibiting it with the 'Stimu
lewd glow . tif patriotic pride, and telling you
-hoe/ here first in the history of Man it has
been' parrnitted to ripen fulty for 4 the heal
ing of 'the - nations, they' are laying deep
'plans to smuggle it away into a Know Nath
mg lodge room, and serve it up th a select
and virtuous party of the friends of Mr. Sen
ator Seward.' Generous and immaculate-On,
- servators Of the Constitution; felicitous ex
ponents of liberty 'of conscience; patriotic ad
mirers of -the virtues - of our misguided -ances
tors, who spread their table,. and invited the
oppressed of every clime to come and eat
that delicate and 'luscious fruit of freedom ;
pious defenders of the faith once delivered to
Americans by -the mouths of her Republi
can prophets, by Jefferson, and Madison, and
Jackson, how 0,11114 e find words to magnify
your services to your ctinntry Shell we
hot pull down the Washington Monument
preach a crusade against all
,Dutclunen, Irisli
ecen and others who were such unheard-of
villians as to go beyond sea to get themselves
born; slaughter them •at once, and on the
site raise a pyrontyd of their bones higher
than that of (.;heopseeand crown the whole
with a dark lantern I Look you now, this is
what you aim at; or you aim aenothing. -
'So ottr modern patriots, our wise pniloso,
phers'; our professurs'of the science of human
ity, our devout believers in political milleni.
urns, and - devout skePties as to the Biblical
one, go eh/nit to mannfaciure political- mi
croscopes. They direct through them' the
sunshine of the press. They throw upni the
wall monstrops exageerations of choice atoms,
such ae the triple erpwn of the unfortunate
'gentleman who sleeps upon French bayeeets
in the ,Seven-filled City ; and to convince the
poor dear people that what they have been
considering a fine Republican, American fruit,
I is nothing more than a terrible collection of
' distorted and pernicious anirnalculm ; that the
`real fruit,has 'beer) mans hed op by Jesuits,
and other frightfully wicked persons, and
this awful conglomerate left to poison them.
Is it not monstrous that such inconceivable
lies should find men stupid enough to believe
them 1 But they do; they have done so ever
since the days of Guy Fawkes, and Sir Ed
rpertsbary Godfrey. Now yeti, who are play
-ing the lhokersron- here in America; is it not
time that you asked a few sensible questions
about these political combinations?. Suppose
you take the trouble to inqUire what llaS . tlee
'Demoeratic party of the Union done to fort •
feit its character Ys this new system, which ii
proposes to take its business out of its hands,
and give it to a triongrel and hybrid aggrega,
tion of Whiggery, 'Black-Rppublicanism,. and
Exeter Hall philanthropy', all, paired, not
matched, in' the precious. Union:. of Know
Nothingtsm,a trne systern ! Is it good
ptiil
osopny Is it tine Science? Does
it tend to pro Mote the moral health a . rid.,,di
gesticin of the peOple? Or is it,not rather a
miserable empiricism and bare faced charlan
try 1 At . ! - you are Comfortable to beet
politician, perhapi. - YPte care for none pf
these things. For your time ambles withal.
These questiOns, you say, shrugging,.your
sleoulders, will find their solution without us
as soon as with us. Don't disturb us. We
are very comfortabte as we are. Not. so,
gentlemen. We commiserate you; but we
must disturb you. If yPu will not listen to
Thomas Jefferson or Andrew Jackson, hear
at least a good Whig ; accept a word from
Daniel Webster,: "We are not to wait till
great mischiefs Come ; till the government is
overthrown; of liberty itself put in extreme
jeopardy. We should not' be-woi thy sons of
our fathers, were. We so to regard great ques r
tions affecting 'the general ,freedom." Does I
not that teach the lesson, that in every thing I
whichaffects any, all should be, interested ?
that for the. rights of all; all slim* watch,
and Work . , and pray 1
The price of liberty is not only eternal vigi-
VOL, 11, NO. 80,
lance'l it is eternal' activity also. It is not
enough, to know I ruth;or forsee danger. ft is
necessary to act the one,. - and to confront the
other.
It is our province to support a party, and
'discuss political issues ; but we do so because
it is the solemn convi s :ttion of our maser]. and
our hearts that the Democratic party is worthy
of a11..g,00d men's support , and the issue's
which it makes with all other parties-such;
as will bear the nicest scrutiny, and come out
'the more' strongly fortified and built up in,
their integrity by the widest latitude'of dtst
cussion.
The question, of the administration of Fed,
eral Government is already
,before the- coun
try. Not many months, and it will be desi
ded upon what 'principles that Government
shall be conducted for the next four years.—
Already' Know Nothirtism, • Abolitionism,
Black Republicanism, and all their intermedi
ate shades and types of dangerous heresies,
are beginning to stir the passions, and attempt
to warp 'the judgments of the people: Should
either succeed to power,
farewell to the
:s,reatness - -,..- w
fare_ell to tote happiness of Amer,.
' •
rica.
Shall these poisonous shoots be grafted up,
on the old American tree 2 Or are yon bet
ter satisfied with the flavor of the good fruit
is bore our fathers, and upon'which we havo
thriven and grown fat'as a nation •
You must look at' these things. 'You 'can.:
not escape them. Be wise, therefore, in
Lime. Until this fatal proclivity toward.%
meditehial errors—this crab like movement
backward—is arrested let every American
citizen a politician
A Romantic Incident.
A SOLDIER who was presentnt the capture
of Sebastopol. Jelates, in a letter to his
friends, the folloWimr romantic story,:
A party .of men, belonging to different re,
giments, were parolling frorn house to, house
in search of plunder. In one of the, houses
-they
,came across a 'beautiful young female,
about seventeen or eighteen years of age. Of
course, some ignorance 111 - Qs shown, amongst
the party, who commenced to drag her about,
and would have used violence to her, had not
d young man threatened to blow the firat_
man's brains out that laid a finger 'on her,
whereupon the young woman flew to this
man, and clung to him for. protection,. She
followed him all the way back to the camp,
when, coming in sight...of his camp be beck
oned-her to return—but no, she would, not:
leave biro. Whether she had f4liert love
with him at first sight C 'don't. know, but she
came to camp With him. - As soon as he got
there fie was instantly con fined for being' ab,•
sent when the regiment was under arms:—
She followed him to the guard tent, and cried
after him. The colonel of his regiment; see
ing the affection, she horehim,seleased tdm,
ar.d sent them both to Gen. Parris, Where an
I.o(repreter Was got, and she 'related the
whole affair to them. It turned out that she
was a - general's daughter with some thOh
sandS. She was beautifully gitired'aild
car
cied a'gold watch, and wore a set of bracelets
of immense value. The young Mattis about
to be married to her. She will not leave him
upon any account . whatever, and if he is not
lucky dog, I don't know who is,"
Thy anchor of the soul is Hope. Were it
not for hope the heart would- often-times
brealt under the heavy weight of woe it •ir e
doomed to bear. It is the sun, and moori.of
this world, the day star of existence., Ever
are we living in hope. When tossed on beds
of sickness we_ hope to recover—when sad
and, weary of life we hope to be again happy
I —when in troutde, we hope . the cause
,will
be removed—when separated from triends,
we hope soon to meet- them. The weary sol
dier, worn with incessant toil and privations,
is cheered by the hope of being soon restored
to home and friends—the hope of a plentiful,
harvest encourages the husbandmen to till the
soil —the hope of finding "thelmried spoil its
wealthy farrows yield,' sustains the schollar
as he ploughs -the (left! of 'classic lore'—the
hope of acquittal, pardon, or, escape sustains
the prisoner in the glporny cell, as he . tosses.
restlessly on• his pallet of straw, or paces in
agony the cold damp floor. But the Christi
an's hope! it is the hope o . e hopes! Every
-other hope,fades before that as the, stars be,
fore,the sun in his rising from the
,ocean.—
That is ate only hope which extends beyond
the gloomy portals of the grave. All other
hopes are earthly, and soon, alas!—they, fade
away. This hope enables us to bear the bit,
ter disappointments, cares and- sorrows of
this dark_ world .with fortitude, and how truly
-blessed is he who -possesses that glorious hope
w i biph fadeth not away but brightens through.
Piefili;Yr ,-„ , „• _
Evening
1 There are two periods' in the life of mar
in whine the evenitiff . hour is peculiarly in-
I terestiug ; youth.and" old . age. lii_youth
love its mellow moonlight, its million of stare,
its soothing 'shades and sweet - serenetY: l =-;-
L4Midthese scenes, " we - conimpnicate with
those we love, and twine the wreath' of frierid:.
ship, while there are -noire to. bear 'witness
'but the gorg,eoup heavens, and "sPitita - that
- hold their endless Sabbath . there..' We look
ajkoad :upon 'creation, spread in the slumber
moonlight scene around ;,and- . Wrapped
ip contemplation, we see and hear" the W
aving wings of purer and better
accords with, the light flow . of - yeutbfu I Spirits . ,
It.he fervency of fancy and the feelings pf . the
heart: Evening is also delightfp' virtoeira
old age. It affords foci fiir 'Undisturbed
thought. It seems an emblem 'of 'the cairn
• • .
nu.d tranquil close of aboSyr life; 'serene' and
mild, with the impress
.or the creator
ped 'upon it. It spreads its quiet Wings above
the grave and seeing to pay that all shalft
peace beyond it, •
•
Lu is madellp l not. of-great sacrifi ces 9,;
dirties, .but of little thinge, in which 'mile s
And kindness and, small objigations giyen
haditually, ape what. win anti ~preserve 414
heart, and Opme comfort.
w. "C.
Hope.
LEI