The whole art of Government consists in the art of being honest. Jefferson.
STHOUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 1849.
No. 24
VOL 9.
piiblislicc! by Theodore Schorl..
n,,, Tw0 dollars per annum in advance-Two dollars
saM-- i"" J d if nol pu,d bef0re the endof
lion hi ---
A liberal discount made to yearly
3r-Tv j !' "tcrs addressed to the Editor must be post-paid.
4 - 4.
T.r -i-. Mcral assortment of large, elegant, plain andorna-
description of
Hi 1 1 !. TV-1 -OK.
car' i.""" 7 . "
JUSTICES. LEGAL AND OTHER
BLANKS,
PAMPHLETS, &c.
pnatel with neatness and dcspatch.on reasonable terms
AT THE OFFICE OF THE
.o.fersonian Republican.
From ihe Model American Courier.
That John Mason.
U hut kind of people have you here ?" 1
t f mi? irnnntiiQtifk Mlifr hprnmintr a
ri'izpii of ihe beautiful little village of Moor-
Very clever people, with one or two ex-
H t II T . ...... II
rfpnons, lie replied. " 1 am sure yuu win
Ke os very v ell."
"Who are ihc exceptions ? 1 asked:
Tir 1 wish to keep all such exceptions at a
it . . . . t .. .n . i. .. i.
ai'Ce. uemg a stranger, i win iaue u. mm
n linil'. IIS ill! CUSV llianci u Ciiuil aiijiiaii--
iat:res!iip, but bv no means so easy to break it
f ' . .... . . . .-. . i liin n iiAiin I n .
fl'H'iT it is once formed.
,
Yt-rv truly said. And I will warn yon in
time, o! one in particular. His name is John
Masjn- Keep clear of him, if you wish to
kepp clear of trouble. He's smooth and oily as
i ...... -.--. I 1 I. . f ,c t t . r K r q tvurtf
i I,, t rr fl IilTir'jIHS. I i r! S e. llrlVl 111 rl II. 1 lldl .1 Willi
Ala- !"
ho or what is he ?" I a-ked.
lie's a lawyer, and one of the principal
l - i.f rrnAritf ti. the intit,,cliir 1-itf mnn
r v ra' '1 slid him over.
I r J . I
T-l .' o mnn th.ti
X.A a VUU Ml U II j 14 .
11 . . rl am -ltn lit t.ll VI fi f . Alorlf
ore is to keep clear of him. 1 know him like
a l-o-k"
11 !-. . a. rti . 1 i nnrl I n T-1I1 C J I A 1
" for your timely caution, and will take care
:a profit by it."
Alv next acquaintance bore pretty much the
Miie testimony, and so did the next. It was.
i.itii John Mason was not the right kind of a
u'ssi, and ra'her a blemish upon the village of
i- r i ) 1: l. ..f .U
.k.oorneiu, noi w nusianuiug ue was una ui uie
jr.jerty holders in lhe township.
" If it wasn't for John Mason," I heard on
i'. s hand, and "if it were not for .that John
, t i . i - i . i 1
i-on, l nearu on tue otner nana, as my ac- j
'.) m anceihip among tho people extended. j
i ic:ilarlv against him, was the first Individ-
t who had whispered in my ears a friendly
i ion ; and I hardly ever met with him, but
1 Sid something to say about tliat John Ma-
i
l
About six months after my arrival iri Moor
!J, I attended a public meeiitig, at which the
-ading men of the township were present.
'ost of them were strangers to me. At ihis
ceiing I fell in company with a very pleas
u man, u no na(- several limes addressed those
"esent, and always in such a clear, forcible
'u common sense way as lo carry conviction
1 all but a few, who carped and quibbled at
veryilung he said, and m a very churlish mari
;lt. Several of those quibblers I happened to
now. He represented one set of views, and
.ey another. He has regard to the public
hind: theirs looked, it was plain, lo sectional
iiu private interests.
" How do you like our little town V said this
dividual lo me, after the meeting had ad-
! urned, and little knots of individuals we're
... .... i.
iv.ere oniherpri hprn arm Ihere tor con vrrsaiinn
,
" Very well," I replied.
"And the people?" he added.
"The people," I added appears lo be a fair
Nmple of what are found everywhere ; good
ititl bad mixed up together'
" Yes. That I suppose is a good general
fetliniate."
Of course," I added, we find in all commu-
pi'iies, certain individuals who stand more prom-
pfnt than the rest distinguished for good or
t't 1. 1 his snnflars In hft IfiH t'asn hjrrt .'m!I
, "i
e where."
" You have already discovered, then, that
it'ven in Mootfield there are some bad men?"
"0, yes! there's that John Mason, for in-
S..1I1CS."
TJie roan looked a little surprised, but re-
tnarked without any change of tone-
6u you flave Heard of htm, have you?"
" As ver" bad man !
" Of course. You know him, I suppose?"
Ves, vet y well. Have you eve: mei hill)."
it M '
v ana never wsaii to.
" You've 4 een him. I suppose?"
" uvefi. l he here U
a:? ,.,nr-iits not exceeding one square (sixteen lines)
jn,I. r 's uccks for onedollar. and twenty-five
uvU'- ''1c''' ,.K..nt insrrtinn. Ther-harce for oneand
. -
The man glanced round the room and said:
"I don't see him."
" Ho was here, I suppose ?"
Oh, 3es; and addressed the meeting sever
al times."
" In one of those sneering, ill-tempered an
swers to your remarks, no doubt."
The man slightly bowed his head, as if ac
knowledging a compliment.
"It's a pity that such men as this John Ma
son often have wealth and shrewdness of mind,
to gie them pnwei in the community," said 1.
' Perhaps," said my auditor, "your prejudi
ces against this man are too strong. He's not
perfect, 1 know ; hut even the devil is ofien
panned blacker than he is. If you knew him
I rather think you would estimate hint dif
ferently." " I don't wish to know him. Opportunities
have offered, but I have always avoided an in
uoduction."
" Who first gave you the character of this
man?"
" Air. Laxton," I replied. " Do yon know
him?"
" Oh, yes; very well. He tpeaks ill of Ma
son, does he?"
" He has cause. I believe."
" Has he ever explained to you what it was?"
" Not very fully. But he gives him a gen
eral bad character, and says he h.is done more
to injure the best interests) of the village than
any len of is worst enemies that exist."
mi .
"Indeed! That is a sweeping declaration.
But I will frankly own that I cannot join in so
btoad a condemnation of the man, although he
has his faults and no one knows him, 1 think,
better than I do."
This made no impression on me. The name
of John Mason was associated, in my mind,
with eterything that was bad, and I replied by
.-aying-thai 1 was well satisfied in regard to
his character, and didn't mean to have any thing
to do with him, while I lived m Muorfield
Some one interrupted our conversation at j not of."
thi point, and I was soon separated from my j "You may get assistance somewhere else
very agreeable companion. 1 met him frequent- but I am doubtful," said the man ; and bowing
ly afterwards, and he was always particularly politely, passed on, and left me to my own im
polite to me, and asked me if I h .d fallen in ! pleasant reflections.
wilh John Mason yet; to which I always re-j
,. i , - . i ip.
I C i
ieu in me (K'Pattve. anc expressed mvsen
freely in regard to the personage mentioned, j
Careful as we may be to keep out of trouble, i
we are not always succefsful in our efibrts. '
j When I removed to Moorfiehi, I upposed myed the "dernier resort" of calling upon Mason.;
rr i ... i.-.t .1 i
cui.113 i. uc a yuuu vai , I,..- mi...-.-, piw.vu j
to be otherwise. I was disappointed, not only j
... ... iuK.ua i i?a,jci.ibu ... uuu. ulc ,
bu-ine-ts 1 followed in the village, but in the
receipt of money, I felt sure of getting bye
certain time.
When I first came to Mootfield, I bought a
piece of property from Laxton (this business
transaction made us acquainted) and paid cash
down one third of the purchase money: the
property remaining as security for two thirds,
whieli I was under contract to settle at a cer
tain lime. My first payment was two thousand
dnll.irs. Unfortunately, w hen the final payment
became due, I was not in funds, and the pros
peel of receiving money wrhin five or six
mouths was anything but good. In this dilem
ma I watted upon Laxton and informed him of
my disappoiriiinen'. His face became grave.
" I hope it will not put you to any serious
inconvenience," I said.
" What ?" he asked.
" My failure to meet this payment of this
propeny. You are fully secured, and within
six mouth 1 will be aide lo do what I had
hoped to do at this time."
" I am sorry, Mr. Jones," he returned, " but
I have made my calculation to recehe the sum
due at ibis time, and cannot do without it."
" But I haven't ihe in ney, Mr. Lax'on, and
have fully explained to you the reason w hy."
" That is your affair no' mine, Mr. Jones.
If you have been disappointed at cho point, it
is your business to look at another. A con
tract, .is a contract."
" Will you not extend iho time of this pay
ment ?" said I.
" No sir. I cannot."
" What vv'ill you do ?"
" Do ? You ask a strange question !"
"'Well, what will vou do?"
" Why, ra.-e the money on the property."
" How will you do that ?"
' Sell it, of course."
Tasked no farther question, but left him and
went away. Before reaching home, to which
place I was retiring in order to think over the
position in which I was placed, and determine
what steps to take, if any were left to me, I met
the pleasant acquaintance 1 had met at the town
meeting.
"You look grave, Mr. Jones," said he, as
we paused, facing each other. " What's the
matter V
I frankly told him my difficulty.
So Laxton has got you iu his clutches, has
he V was. the simple, yet I perceived meaning
reply; that he made.
" I am in his clutches, certainly," said I.
" And wilj nol get out of them readily, I
apprehended." , ,
" What will he do V
" He will sell the property at auction."
" li won't bring his claim under the ham
mer." " No, I suppose not, for that is really more
than the property is worth."
" Do you think so ?"
Certainly I do. I know the value of every
lot of ground in the township, and I know ihat
you have beenjaken in, in your purchase.
" What do you suppose it will bring at a
forced sale ?"
" Few men will bid over twenty-five hundred
dollars."
You cannot he serious."
" I assure you I am. He, however, veil 1
overbid all, to lour thousand He will probably
have it knocked down to him at throe thousand,
and thus come into the unincumbered posses:
sion of a piece of property upon which he has
received two thousand dollars."
" But three thousand dollars will not aaiis-
fy his claim against me."
" No. You will still owe him a thousand
dollars."
" Will he prosecute his claim ?"
" He?" and the man smiled. " Yes io the
lasi extremity, if there be hope of getting any
thing."
Then I am certainly in a bad way."
" I'm afraid you ate, unless you can find som
one here who will befriend you in the matter."
"There is no one here who will lend me
four thousand dollars upon the piece of proper
.y." " 1 don't know of but one man who is likely
to do it," ho answered.
i Who is that ?" 1 as.ked eagerly.
" John Mason."
John Mason ! I'll never go to him."
" Why not ?"
" I might as well remain where I am, ns to
get into his hands. A sharper and a lawyer to
boot! No, no. Bettor to hear the evils that
we have, than to ily to others that we know
Laxton made as quick work ol the business i
. . .v.. ..r.u .11 l..:. . J
as wie nature 01 mo ease womu aumu : anu in
a short time the property was advertised at
public sale. As the lime fur sale approached,
the great desire to prevent the sacrifice Miggest-
D... :.. 1 . .1. . .
j j-..v. Jt ,..u.. .. .wx.
that I coulJ not get my own consen. to do
I.T.. l,..,. T- I" 1 1.-,!
1 shook my head
" Then you have made up your mind to let
that scoundrel, Laxton, fleece you out of your
property."
" I s.e no way of preventing it."
Why don't you try Ma -on ?"
" I don'i believe n would do no good."
" I ihink differently."
" If he did help me out of this diffictilty," 1
replied, ,( it would only be to get mu lti'o a
more narrow corner."
r
" You don't know anv such thing,' said ihe
man, in a different tone from any in which he
had yet spoken when Mason was the mibjeci
of our remark. " Think, for a moment, upon
the basis ofyour prejudice. It lies mainly upon
the assertion of Laxton, whom your own ex-
penence has proved to bo a scoundrel. The
fact is, your estimate of Mason's character is
entirely erroneous. Laxton hates him, because
he has circumvented him more than a dozen
times in his schemes of iniquity, and will cir
cumvent him again, if I do not greatly err. pro
vided ou apply to him."
There was force in ihis view. True enough.
Wrhat confidence xva? ihere to be placed in
Laxton's words ? And if Mason had circum
vented him as was alleged, of course there was
a very good reason for detraciion.
" At what hour do you think I can see him ?"
said I.
" 1 believe he is usually in about tw'elve o'
clock." " I will see him," said I, with emphasis
" Do so," said the man ; " and may your in
terview bo as saiisfactory as you can desire."
At twelve precisely, 1 called upon Mason,
not without many misgiving-, I must own. I
found my prejudices still strong as to lhe good
result. 1 could not help feeling serious doubts.
On entering his office, I found no one present
but the individual under whose advice I haO
called.
" Mr. -Mason is not in ?" said I, feeling a
iitile disappointed.
" Oh, yes, he is in," was replied.
1 looked aiound, and then turned my eyes
upon the man's face. I did uoi exactly com
prehend its expression.
" My name is John Mason." said he, bowing
politely, " $o be seated, and let us talk over
the business upon which you called to see me."
I needed no invitation to sii down, for I
could nol have kept my feet if I had tried, so"
suddenly and completely did hts' words aston
ish and confound tne.
I will not repeat the confused, blundering
spologies I attempted tq fVj'aie)' uoV- give his
gentlemanly replies. Enough, that an hour
before the time at which the sale was adver
tised (o take placo on the next day, I waited
upon Laxton.
" Be kind enough aid I, lo let me have that
obligation upon which your present stringent
measures are founded."
The man looked perfectly blank. (
' Mr. John Mason," said I, ''has generously
furnished me with funds necessary to save my
property from sacrifice, and will take the secu
rities you hold."
Curse ihat John Mas-cm !" ejaculated Laxton,
with i-xce.'sive bitterness, turning away ab
ruptly, and leaving me where I stood. A sus
picion ihat he meant to let the. sale go on, if
possible, crossed my mind, and I returned to
Mason, who saw the sheriff, and had the whole
maner arranged."
Laxton ha.-, never spoken to mo since. As
'for " that John Ma?on," I have proved, him to
he a fast friend and a man of strict honor in
eveiyihing. So much for Slander.
Heavy EScarfs saI ILigiiC Hearts.
What's the use of it ? Trouble, trouble, trouble
what a world of it we have ! "Man is born to
trouble," and "all is vanity and vexation of spirit"
thus and thus it is written. There are the trou-
bles of infancy, of youth, of manhood, of old age!
The troubles of poverty, and the troubles of riches!
The trouble of living, and trouble of dying! Who
has not his troubles 1 who claims exemption from
them? who sees the end of them? And yet, after
an, wo, s uic 4C oj Uf i u,s .reuing ana repin-
mg; this sorrowing and sighing; this moping and
mourning, making misery more miserable-in the
name of common sense, I say, what's the use of it?
ii ... ji iii in-, r..-.. i
uoes it sootn, pain, souen aitiiction, or ward oir
misfortune? Will it call back deceased friends.
or prevent others from dying, or deliver us from
poveity, or make us. healthy, or meliorate in one
particular our condition ? Then do say, for the
very sake of sadness, what's the use of it?
Suppose the times are tight and pinching that
trade is dull; that you cannot make money enough
to live as you would wish, and are obliged to la-
hnr hnrrtpr pvon -fnv tho litflo nn nhtun tl-nr. 10
i .....y JUUU .,mu
agreeablo ; do you grieve about it ? are you sad
and disheartened? do you abandon hope, and wish
yourself dead? Pshaw! whats the use of it? You
get along ; you will always get along, if you are
1. " l r t ii f
I . . ' . - . . .
; muustrious ana irugai ; ano tne most lortunate do
j no more. Besides a light heart will not break
I VOIir fnrlune. nor o hfinvv onfi mnkn
t 1 J
It is your misfortune to have one of those pests
of society, a slanderous neighbor, who speaks ill van tree, and swung himself up into it. As he
of you, and delights to do you every secret, back- j did this I saw he had a long tail, so that he could
handed injury he can; who never fdils secretly to. not, T believe, have, been an ourang-outang. In
traduce your character, misrepresent your con-. deed I never heard of them coming into this little
duct and motives and even tries to excite prejudi-1 island, nor, I think into this district. I went into
ces against you 1 And does this discompose and j my study, and immediately afterwards heard him
trouble you ? whaCs the use of it? Keep the ' scuttling away over the roof of the house. 1 have
windward of the fellow let your actions give the ! not seen him since, but if he comes back I shall
lie to his accusations, and you need not employ j try to make friends with him, by giving him food,
words for the purpose. Wait the issue, and you ; though I believe he belongs to rather a treacher-
11 see maxim verified in his case' ,hat w
,'ho
spitteth against the wind, spitteth in his own face."
And here too it may be remembered that a heavy
heart is no answer to an accusation, though it be
a false one, and that a light heart is not the heart
that pleads guilty before men ; you had better,
theretore, have the last than the first, on all ac
counts. Are men dishonest! will a long face and a sad
heart reform them? Are you sometimes deceived,
wronged, cheated ? will being discouraged mend
tho matter, or melancholly make you sharper in
your future dealings ? Not a whit. Losses are
lessons, all men buy their experience at the same
market, though all may not pay the same price for
the commodity. The only way is to make much
of what comes dear ; and you can do this with a
light lieart better than with a heavy one. A heavy
heart what's the i:se of it ! Will it make your
fortune? No: it will mar it. That's the use of it.
(t3 Ullraism. The following anecote is rela
ted by th'e New Orleans Delta. It is a capital
joke, and has the advantage of hitting both sides
of the political canvass at once.
"Are you a drunkard?" said the Recorder, yes
terday, to a hard ca3e who was brought before
him for being as blue a indigo the night before.
" Why, I'm a drunkard," said the prisoner, " but
not an ultra-drunkard." " What do you mean,"
said the Recorder "I don't understand the dis
tinction." "Then I suppose you would understand
me," said the prisoner, "if you had asked me what
my politics were, and that I should reply I'm a
whig, but not an ultra whig." The Recorder re
marked that the noise and confusion were so great,
he could not be heard.
"Charles Augustus, take the sugar tongs, my
.dear and blow your nose." "Please, marm, I
vVouVd rather take the bellows I can blow with
both hands then." It lVneedlcss to add that Au-
gus had his way' smart children always do'.'
05s Good Poetry we admire greatly, particu
larly when it conveys a sound moral. The fol
lowing is a perfect gem in its way. Our readers
will doubtless appreciate it.
"The man that doth no papar take.
Grudging two dollars once a year,
Will never a. good husband make,
Because his wife can never know yvhat i
going .on in the world, and his children will very
ignorant appear."
The last line is rather too long for good jingle,'
but the moral is sublime.
A Strange Visitor.
I had been sitting in the verandah reading, and'
went away for a few minutes to speak to my wife.
When I came back my chair was. occupied.
There, sitting as quietly as possible, was an enor
mous ourarig-outang, or monkey of some sort.
When I first caught sight of him he had my book
in his hands, and was to all appearance reading.
It happened, however, to be rather a stupd book,
and he lhrew it down. He then placed his hands
upon his knees, and sat perfectly still, just as if
he had been meditating on what he had been read
ing. I should say, as nearly as I could judge, that
he must have been above five feet m height, sup
posing him to stand erect. He sat as upright as
a man. After watching him for a minute or two.
and observing that (he calves of his legs were
thicker, and more like those of a man than mon
keys legs usually are, I stepped quietly back and
called my wife. All thi3 time I had not seen his
face. . However, as she came, one of the parrots
j screaraed, and the old gentleman turned his head,
! His face was yery darkj wjlh large whiskew and
beardj and hair all perfeclLy white; his body a ,inht
; bro and his face and ,,andg peculiarl lar
i As soon a3 he saw me h h lf a , . .
hands on the elbow of the chair, and began to "riii
i '' ... O , .
and show his teeth and spit at me. I did not
quite like it, as I was afraid he might make a
spring in my direction; yet I knew my voice would
at once frighten him away, if 1 raised the horrid
unearthly yell used by the natives to scare wild
beasts, and which even the tiger will hardly re
sist unless much pressed by hunger. Siill 1 felt
more inclined to watch him. Once I thought of
going round the other way, and getting my gun ;
but really he looked, so. much like a man, that I
could not have shot him. He continued to prin
j and spit until I turned away hoping he would re-
..
D
sume his former sedate position As soon how
j ever, as he thought my eye was off him, he rose
leisurely from his chair, stepped slowly out of the
verandah, caught hold of a branch of the bap-
ous family. Manners and Customs of India.
JLIfe In Mississippi.
Married, on Monday, the Uth ultimo, in
the court house, by the Rev. Jo. Bell, AJr. Wil
liam Peevy, lo Miss Caroline Hudspeth, all of
this county.
f The minister had just been elected brigadier
general of this brigade, and, when calledupon
to officiate at lhe marriage ceremony, was bu
sily engaged in calculating his majority, which
was large, having, no opponent. In another
corner of the house was a group of men calcu
lating the loss of Cass and gain of Taylor ; and
in the door of lhe house stood the Deputy sher
iff, selling a poor fellow's corn for a small sus
picion of debt ; while ihe probate clerk; at his
table, was busily engaged in calling ofFthe land
assessment book ; and in another corner of the
house stood a group of boys swapping marble-.
The minisler commenced the ceremony, whu'o
the Taylor man called out 104 gain for Taylor
there, and the Cass man said " d n the luck."
The sheriff shouted " how much for ihe corn
who'll give more for lhe corn ;" the clerk called
out the " N. E. quarter of ihe west half of sec
tion 12, township 13, range 12 east ; and Billy
iu tho corner cried out, " 1 won't give you two
blacks for a white alley." But under all the
disadvantageous circumstances, the reverend
genileman, with his maiden laurels frch upon
his brow, reiainea nis gravity and performed
lhe ceremony ; and as he finished ihe bene
diction, he remarked lo the happy cot.plb ihat
" Edmonds only received one vote in this coun
ty " Natchez Free Trader.
The best Hoax of the Season. Bill
Jones promised to pay us yesterday what he
owed us, but he didn't. This is the first tim
we have been hoaxed this season. Bill is en
tilled to the hai.
A young physician asking permission of a !ad$
to kiss her, 1 No, sir I never like,totfiav.W6i!
tor'3 bill' thrust in my faGe' ' " .