i the exact moment of his dissolution." He was at all times feeble in bodily health, and his death was hastened by dropsy in the chest. Pope was never married. Thus the three great poets of the six teenth, seventeenth and eighteenth ceri. turies have no living descendants at this period. The four or five latter years of Shaks peare's life, he passed in dignified ease, in profound meditation, and in universal respect, at his native town of Stratford. Pope obtained, from the sale of the Iliad X5, 310, and from the Odyssey 2,685. He enjoyed for many years the retreat of Twickenham, where many of his later productions were written. The Great Diseorery. Intense interest is felt in the discovery of Mr. Paine, of producing light and heat from water, and the New York Tribune has the following in reference to the trial Bhortly to be made at the Astor House, in New York. Professor Henry, of the Smithsonian Institute, at Washington does not believe in it, and gives certain reasons which, in his opinion, prove it to be im practicable. The Tribune says: But the opinion of an individual can have little effect in settling the public mind as to whether Mr. Paine has producedjthe mightiest discovery yet made, or only a grand and ingenious humbug. That ques tion cannot be answered by abstract rea soning, or general assertions on cither side, but only by a conclusive experiment, on such a scale and in such a manner as to silence every doubt. Such an experiment we are happy to say is now on foot. Ar rangements are in progress for lighting the Astor House by this process, and it is ex pected that the trial will be made within a mouth, as soon indeed, as the machine can be prepared for the purpose. That establishment is now lighted by gas made by its proprietors on the premises, and has no connection with any gas company whatever. The pipes and burners now used are pefectly adapted to burn Mr. Paine's carbonized hydrogen; all that will be necessary, will be to detach them from the present apparatus and join them to the new one. The experiment will be tiied under the eye of the proprietors and other gentlemen, and collusions or trick will be impossible. Every means will be taken to ensure a fair trial, all the parties being as desirous of success as Mr. Paine or his friends can be. If it succeeds, the thing will be established. If it fails that will be the end of the affair. This experiment is to made, to satisfy a number of highly respectable and res ponsible parties, who purpose to buy the patent right in case of success. The con ditions are that Mr. Paine shall bring a machine of his construction to New York and produce at a nominal expense, say five cents per thousand cubic feet, gas enough to light the Astor House for six successive nights. Before lie com mences, the parties in question are to de posit one hundred thousand dollars with some person, acceptable to the proprietor John C. Pedrick, Esq., of Boston, who aided Mr. Paine in carrying on his exper iments for the past two years to be paid over to Mr. P. as soon as the trial is de clared successful. This is by way of bo nus or guarantee, in case there should be a failure to pay over to him the sum of one million, which is to render those par ties part proprietors of the invention. The value of the patent for the United States, (the city of Worcester excepted, which is reserved for Mrs. Paine,) is fixed at ten million dollars, and a joint stock Company is to be formed to manage it. In this Company, Mr. Pedrick is to hold from one third to one half the stock; on the remaining part which he sells, the million handed over immediately o n the success of the experiment is to be considered an instalment, and the balance is to be madc'up by sales of rights. Thus the parties buying in will receive no divi dends until Mr. Pedrick shall have been fully paid. Such is the arrangement agreed upon between Mr. Pedrick and these gentlemen. If the trial here should prove successful, it will no doubt be carried into effect; if not, the New York speculators will lose nothing, and the invention will be heard of no more at present. We devoutly hope lor a successful result, though we shall not be very keenly disappointed by a fail ure. Fate of Dr. Wtbslcr- A Boston letter of the 31st ultimo, pub lished in the Philadelphia Bulletin, has the following statements respecting the posi tion aud prospects of Lr Webster, lately convicted of the murder of Dr. Parkman: I have been careful to elicit, the true sense of the people ot Boston in reference to Doctor Webster, and the opinion that he will be executed, is very general. I'his opinion is growing stronger, perhaps I ought to say is ripening into a desire Jhat he should be executed; first, because! of ttiA ctmtirr m rk v Ai-n At-k o - 1 I TVT X' I. 'ii-u,, iUK.iiivuu ULIUC III lCW IjUTH and in Philadelphia, by the papers and petitions, intended, as they believe, Ho force Massachusetts to protect his life against her own judgment, and in defi ance of her own piivate rights in the case; secondly, because for years past the senti ment had prevailed that capital punish ment ought never to be inflicted; and it is now generally believed that this opinion has emboldened the murderer, and for the last few years there has been more deci ded firmness in the decisions of juries and in the executions. To all this may be ad ded the fact the Governor has not the power to pardon, without the concurrence of his council; a,nd it is believed this could not be obtained even if his exccllancy wished to pardou or commute. But it h believed th.it he does not. MODNTAIN SBNTTVEL. EBENSBURG, PA. THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1850. FOR CONGRESS, GEN. JOSEPH M'DONALD, OF CAMBRIA COUNTY, Subject to the decision of the Democratic Con gressional Conference. STATE KOXKXKATXOXTS. FOR CANAL COMMISSIONER, WILLIAM T. MORISON, Of Montgomery County, FOR AUDITOR GENERAL, EPHRAIM BANKS, Of Mifflin County. FOR SURVEYOR GENERAL, J. PORTER BRAWLEY, Of Crawford County. lErTiiE Sentinel, has much the largest cir culation of any paper published in this county and as an advertising sheet offers superior inducements to merchants and business men generally. Those desirous of making us of this medium jor extending their business can do so by either sending their notices direct, or through the following agents: John Crouse, Esq., Johnstown. E. W. Carr, Evans' Buildings, Third s Philadelphia. V. B. Palmer, Esq., New York Philadel phia and Baltimore. DEMOCRATIC COUNTY CONVENTION. The Democratic citizens of Cambria county will meet at the election house r in their teve. ral townships, on Saturday the 22d day of June next, lor me purpose of electing two Delegates trom each election district, to meet in County Couvention in the Court House in the Borough of Ebensburg. on the following Tuesday, whose duty it shall be to nominate a Ticket to be supported by the Democracy in the county at the ensuing fall election. It will also be the duty of said Convention to appoint Senatorial Conferees to meet the Con. ferees of Huntingdon and Dlair counties and Representative Conferees to meet the Confer ecs of Bedford county. The polls will be kept open in each election district from two till six o'clock P. M. in or der that every man may have an opportunity of voting. By the County Committee, S. J. RENSHAW, Chairman. rSTlt will afford us pleasure to publish notices of all the marriages, deaths, &c, that may occur in the county, if our friends or those interested will be kind enough, to send them to us. But we do not look upon it as being part of our duty to travel over the country in order to ob" tain them. N. D. Magellan, Esq. It will be gratifying to the numerous friends of this gentleman in Cambria coun ty to learn that he has returned to the place of his nativity aud again become one of our fellow townsmen. As he is well known in this county to be a gentleman of very considerable legal attainments, we predict that his success among his old friends and associations will be commen surate with the warm esteem and respect that is entertained for him as a man and a lawyer. Godey's Lady's Book, for July has been received. It is unrivaled in the way of cmbelishmcnts and litcray talent. This number contains the engraving of "Bishop White administering the sacrement" ccr- tainly one of the most splendid things of the kind that wc have ever seen in a mag azinc. Allegheny Portage Railroad. The manner in which the affairs of this Road has been conducted during the last few months reflects great credit upon those who control it. So ably and effi ciently has the Superintendent discharged his duty since he took hold of the reins of office, that even his enemies are beginning to acknowledge that his appointment was a good one. One thing especially entitles him to the commendation of the public which is the manner in which he has dis charged the obligations of the State, ard relieved the necessities of those in the employ of the Commonwealth, and to a great extent the people of Blair and Cam bria counties, by the prompt disbursement of a very large amount of money. From the 2d day of February last to the 15th ol June inst., he has received and disbursed the following sums For Motive Power, $76,583 88 For Repairs, 31,249 39 Aggregate, $107,833 27 Out of this amount $25,000 was paid in Philadelphia, the balance in Blair and Cambria counties. We believe it is the intention of the Superintendent to discharge all the obligi- tions of the State so far as the Portage Railroad is concerned, and to pay al those employed on the Road up to the first of this month, in the course of a few days. It he can carry out the cash principle on tie Road, it will be a saving of at least tweiiy per cent, to the Commonwealth, and pre vent those ruinous losses which so mary of those employed by the State have been compelled to sustain for want of the ne cessary means of support. P. S. Since the above was written we have learned that the State Treasurer lus refused to pay out any more funds uniil such time as he is satisfied that he will have sufficient to meet the August interest. We regret this exceedingly, as we did hope that we would hear no more cork- plaints about the want of money on tke Road, and we have no doubt the Super intendent is also much disappointed, as no man could have made greater exertions to liquidate all the claims against the State in the speediest manner possible. We sincerely trust, however, that he will be enabled to draw the necessary funas in a short time. Delegate Elections. The democrats of Cambria count j will not forget that Saturday next is the day appointed for the election of Delegates to a County Convention which is to assem ble in this place on the following Tuesday for the purpose of placing in nomination a County Ticket. As the duties that will devolve upon that body are of the utmost importance to the party, not only in this county, but throughout the State, the ne cessity of electing good men as Delegates must be manifest to all. We therefore trust that no apathy will be displayed by our democratic friends, but on the contra ry, that they will turn out to the election, and discharge faithfully that duty which every democrat owes to his party; and see that such men only as are worthy of their confidence, and who will carry ou the wishes of those they represent are sent as Delegates to the County Conven tion. EPMr. S. S. Seely, editor of the JerseJ Republican, has the following squib in relation to the Allegheny Portage Rail Road: "A few customers on the Allegheny Portage Railroad will be attended to short" Iy. It is time, we think, to make a clean sweep of the office holders on that Road, for we do look upon them as a disgrace to the State, and the sooner the change the better." We are happy in being able to congral ulate our friend Seely upon the fact that the work which he thinks so necessary has already commenced in a small way, by the removal of a certain Car Captain, and we trust that he will announce it to his readers, and assure them at the same time that, a due regard to the best inte rests of the people required the adoption of this course, as the officer in question was a "disgrace to the State.11 We do not suppose for a moment that the ire of Mr. Seely against the Road, has been occasioned by this very removal, or that any personal considerations has led him to the adoption of the course he seems disposed to pursue. We believe him to be above any thing of that kind, but we coufess that there is one thing connected with this affair that strikes us as very sin gular which is, that his great natural sagacity did not enable him to discover that the officers on the Road were a "dis grace to the State" until after the removal of this very Car Captain had actually been made. This is somewhat beyond our comprehension, and we hope he will explain the matter to the satisfaction of his friends, and enlighten them relative to the modus operandi by which a revolution in his mind has been so suddenly brought about. CF"riic Bedford Democrat announces the name of John A. Blodget, of Bedford as a candidate for Congress. We have now four candidates in the field; John Snodgrass and Alexander M'Kinney of Westmoreland, J. M Donald of Cambria, and John A. Blodget, of Bedford. On to-morrow, Westmoreland will select one of her own citizens for that post; we will adopt the candidate selected by our own county, and expect to elect him nolens volens. That's the way to say it. The best way to carry through a measure which has injustice stamped upon its face is to present a bold front, and the above declar ation would induce one to believe that our Westmoreland friends have adopted this course. This obviates the necessity of a meeting of the Conferees to nominotc a Candidate for Congress. Alexander M' Kinney Esq. has been placed in nomina tion bv Westmoreland, and it is therefore useless for Bedford and Cambria-to say anything about it as she is determined to elect her own man nolens volens. We sincerely trust that for the credit of old Westmoreland and the democratic party, the idea conveyed by the above paragraph is not seriously entertained by any respectable portion of her citizens, but is merely the bravado of an editor who has permitted his feelings to get the better of his judgment. We cannot be lieve that her hardy sons are disposed to descend from that broad platform of truth and justice upon which they have hereto fore rested. For our part, if she gets ;he nomination in accordance with tbe estab - lished usages of the party, we will cordi ally and cheerfully support that nomina tion, although we believe that Cambria is injustice entitled to the man. Although they may have the power to run and elect her own man in opposition to the wishes of the balance of the District, we feel con fident that a high sense of justice and honor will prevent her from pursuing a course so derogatory to the character she has heretofore sustained. We shall have more to say on this subject in a shor time. DREADFUL CALAMITY. LAKE STEAMER BURNT! Abont Two Hundred Lives Lost. Buffalo, June 17. The steamer "Griffith," Capt. Roby, going up the Lake, took fire, about 5 o' clock this morning, when about twenty miles from Cleveland, and burned to the water's edge. The mate, who swam ashore, from the burning boat, for help, has reached Cleveland, and reports that only about 30 of those on board were saved, and these swam ashore there being no other ves sel near, to render assistance. Capt. Roby, wife'and child, are among the lost. It is reported that there were from 2 to 300 persons on board, most of whom were emigrants, on their way to the west. If this is a correct estimate, the num ber lost may exceed 200. It is impossible as yet to ascertain the cause of this disaster, or to give any fur ther particulars. It is the greatest ca lamity that has occurred on the Lake since the destruction of the "Erie." Fire in Columbia. Philadelphia, June 17. A fire broke out in Columbia, Lancas ter, at 5 this morning. Special train sent to Lancaster for engines and men to put it out. All that block from the Bridge dawn to Green Tree Hotel was destroy ed. Loss. 850,000. The "Spy" print ing office was burnt. About thirty fami lies threwn out. Progress of Reform in Turkey. A letter from Bey worth, dated April 16, gives the following gratifying account of the progress of reform in Turkey: "One of the most important events in the history of this country has just taken place, by the issue of a firman, which, by its future consequences, will secure the comfort and independence of its people, and be hailed as a blessing by the country at large. The firman entitles the present occupants of land to become proprietors, subject only to a tithe or tenth of taxes, and not liable to any other but the ordina ry and moderate tax called the Tirdi and capitation tax. It was by a master stroke of policy, similar to this now adopted, that Baldwin the rirst proved the bene factor of Palestine, and saved Jerusalem from the ruin which at that time threat ened its impoverished people. A firman of a similar character, in its general ap plication, is in progress of preparation. Another important measure under contem plation is the building of bridges, quays, public institutions, &c, and the better conduct of the application of convict labor; the results are certain, and were the Turk ish authorities not hampered and intimi dated by officious officials, matters would be far better, and Turkey and her people would be more at ease more quiet and peaceable, and she would long since have improved her position as a nation. lteli- gion is now fully tolerated throughout Syria, and, happily, neither missionaries nor people can complain of persecution. Ruins of an Ancient California City. Antiquarians will feel deeply interested in the discovery of vast regions of ancient ruins near San Diego, and within a days march of the Pacific ocean, at the head of the Gulf of California. Portions of tem ples, dwellings, lofty stone pyramids, (seven of these within a mile square) and massive granite rings or circular walls, round venerable trees, columns and blocks of hieroglyphics all speak of some an cient race of men, now forever gone, their history acually unknown to and of the existing families of mankind. In some points these ruins resemble the recently discovered cities of Palenque, &c. near the Atlantic or Mexican Gulf coast; in others, the ruins of ancient Egypt; in oth ers again, the monuments of Phoenicia, and yet in many features they differ from that I have referred to. I observe that the discoverers deem them to be ante-di-luvian, while the present Indians have a traaition of a great civilized nation, which their ferocious forefathers utterly destroy ed. The region of the ruins is called by the Indians, "The Valley of Mystery." Jfunter's Chronicle. Position and Progress of the Enited States, India and California. Sinre the colonies of Great Britain be came the free and independent States of this vast republic, internal and commer cial prosperity, and individual and nation al happiness, have Deen rapiaiy augment ing. The extent ot our resources apa ine enterprising energy of our people, within the last thirty years, have not only pro duced immense practical results, but ihey have been perceived by the nations of the earth always slow to believe that they were to have a powerful commercial rival on these shores. Even ten years ago, before the Mexican war had established our courage and bravery as adequate to meet the armies of the old world, the leading journals of Europe, reflecting the popular mind, systematically ridiculed our pretensions to national greatness. Pro found ignorance was the source of this treatment. The English nation, in par ticular, that had advanced to its own proud position by patient and slow steps, could not believe that, in three quarters of a century, a puny republic could make such rapid strides, as to be a competitor with them in the race of commercial prosperity. Within five years, however, and just at a moment of vast interest and importance to our future progress, the dignity, energy and power of this country have been uni versally perceived and unhesitatingly ad mitted. A still more full realization of our pow er and commercial vastness and national energy will soon be experienced. The discoveries of gold in Celifornia, and the immense impulse given to every species of trade by the richness and fruitfulness of the dry and wet diggings, opening vast wilds and tangled paths and inland lakes and rivers, in various sections, and uniting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, will not only give a full third of added power to our commerce and products, to establish the complement of our greatness, but will i extort from the whole world the ready confession that we are second in nothing truly valuable to any country on the globe. It was not till long after the commerce of England had planted the seeds of trade in the East, that Great Britain arose from a second or third rate, to a first class, na tion. For two hundred and fifty years, great toil and perseverance, incessantly exerted, at a great loss of life and treasure, established her power in India, and con tributed vastly, in connection with her commercial treaties with the Ottoman em pire, Greece and the African States, to swell the measure of her prosperity upon her own soil. India, however, was slowly bent into profit. The emigration to it was by no means voluntary, but was carried on by an army, well paid, and heavily pensioned, with all the disadvantages be longing to a government military estab- iishment. tiven now, tne country is noi peaceably held, but is subject to devasta ting battles, carried on by the natives commanded by French officers. True, India is the source of great wealth. 1 he trade of Great Britain, with it, and with the fertile islands and coasts of the East, produces important results every year, and some slow advances are made upon the soil, to add to these. Yet, with all the profit and prosperity deiived from India, the enterprise of ih' British nation has done little to increasethe facilities for the enlargement of the commercial relations. Railroads have been talked of, to obviate the dangers of the Hoogly river, the navi gation of which is difficult and dangerous, but nothing has been done to carry for ward this important project. Other im portant suggestions have been made to open and extend the internal intercourse; but bullets and bayonets, thus far, have chiefly triumphed. Had Mehemet Ali received the proper assistance from Great Britain, the ship canal between the Medi terranean and the Red Sea would have been very favorable to commercial inter course; but the report of the t rench engi neer, Linant, was not sufficiently respected and that approach to India was relin quished. What might have been the re suit of more liberality, we can scarcely imagine; but it is very evident that the influence of India on Great Britain, in stimulating trade and commerce, though parallel to that of California upon the United States, has not been, by any means, so important as it would have been under the energy of our people. California is the India of the United Stales. The voluntary population of that region by a civil force, requiring no exten sive military establishment like that of India, must produce far more important benefits to this nation, than the establish ment of the British empire in India has effected for Great Britain. Though there are like effects from both tides of enter prise, the remunerating flood from Califor nia promises to far transcend in power, richness and extent, that which has flowed back from India to England. It is true that our Western States may be depopu lated to some extent by the emigration towards the Pacific, but the hardy pio neers of the West are the very men re quired for such a region as California. Inured to toil, and partially acclimated, they are happily constituted to work out the very best results. Their absence from the Western States is no great loss. Their place will soon be supplied by the indus trious emigrants arriving, in thousands, every week, upon our Atlantic board; while the Western agriculturists will remit back to their houses much of the treasure of their toil, to enter largely into that dis tribution of wealth that constitutes the happiness and prosperity of society. All the accounts from Caliiornia the opening of paths across the isthmus, and through the Southern passes of the mountains at the north of it show that we have only faintly realized, as yet, the inevitable and important results, which are to establish this nation as without r rival in commer cial, and, consequently, in my other greatness. How far these commercial extensions and enlargements will affect our moral and political character, will be a problem. This is not so easily solved. One thing, however, seems certain that it will be impossible to restrain those tendencies to the largest limit of freedom, encouraged by our institutions. New communities will be likely to profit, in morals and pol itics, by the experience of the past, and to perfect those systems which have caused internal commotions in some of the old States. May heaven grant, whatever be the results, that the general prosperity will only lead to the happiness of the people at large, and to the common glory of our common country! Ar. Y. Herald. More of the Coban Affair. The United States mail Steamer Isabel, Capt. Rollins, arrived at Charleston on Tuesday morning, 11th inst. She left Havana at 5 P..M. on the 8lh; Key West, at 4 A. M., on the 9th, and reached her wharf at 8 o'clock this morning, making 03 hours from port to port, including the stoppages at Key West and Savannah. She brings 141 passengers. By the Isabel the Mercury has files of papers and correspondence to the 8th inst., extracts from which will be found an nexed. The papers are mainly occupied with details connected with the late invasion of the Island. A large number of crosses and other honorary distinctions have been conferred on those who were prominent invaders at Cardenas, while liberal con tributions have been made for the sup port of the families of the killed and wounded on that ocasion. The officers, crews, and passengers of the American vessels still remain inclose confinement. Efforts have been made by torture to extort confessions from the captains of the Georgiana ana busan Loud, but in vain. Ihey declared re peatedly that they regularly cleared from New Orleans for Chagres, as was con firmed by then papers, that they had no kkowledge of the character or objects of their passengers until the steamer Creole came alongside, when a number of them went on board of that vessel, and that they were proceeding on their course to Chagres when they were captured by the Spanish steamers. The Captains were then suspended in the air by cords at' tached to their thumbs, but, despite the torture, they persisted in their statements. Among the prisoners was a young lawyer from one of the Western States, whose symptoms of trepidation gave ex pectation that by working on his fears. confessions might be obtained that would tend to criminate his companions. A halt er was accordingly placed round his neck, and cannon balls attached to his feet, and with the threat of immediate death hang ing over him, under promise of pardon for himself and some of his companions whom he named, he made certain dis closures upon which the authorities based their further proceedings. The American Cansul was peremp torily refused all access to or communica tion with the prisoners. To give a color, however, to the proceedings of the Court, the presence of the British Consul was invited. A strong disposition was mani fested to dispose of the two American captains by a summary execution, but against this course the British Consul warmly remonstrated, and warned theia that such a course would inevitably in volve them in serious difficulties with the American Government. In conseauence of these remonstrances the decision of the Court upon their case was postponed. The Havana correspondent of the Mercury, writing under date of tbe 6th inst., thus severely alludes to Captain Tatnall, of the Saranac, who is now at Washington: The steamer Saranac, Commander Tat nall, left here on the 30th uh., with des patches for the Government at Washig ton informing it of the state of affairs, and forsooth we hear of him at Key West on the 2d inst., giving a baM, and reciproca ting the attentions of the citizens there. Meanwhile, his countrymen, immured in a Spanish prison, denied all commuica tion with their friends, shut out from the light of Heaven, may await the appear ance of the delivering angel, borne on the wings of a Spanish bullet. And we.who for a little while are allowed an inter course with our fellow beings, are coolly comforted by Judges Marvin and Doug las, of the aforesaid Key West, with the assurance that the Spanish Government has not only perfect right to confiscate our property captured on the great high way of nations, but that it can, at its sovereign pleasure, capture, imprison, try condemn and execute, American citizens who never thought of, ox intend ed coming to the Island of Cuba; and even that it would have been perfectly justi fied in landing an armed force on Ameri can soil, and capturing and executing oa the spot the pirates of the Creole. June 8. It may be interesting to your readers to learn that we are daily looking for another invasion. Yesterday the schooner Fairy arrived here from New Orleans, and brings a report that the steamer Fanny was to leave that city on first instant, with 700 men for Cuba. The Government are on the qui vivef and troops are held in readiness to move at moment's warning. Last night the steam er Pizarro left our port with 500 men on board . Her destination is not known. Gen. Falqueras, the late Governorof Ma Unzas, has been suspended, and is to be
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