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'WE GO WHERE DEMOCRATIC I'KIXrirLES TOINT THE WAV; WHEN TIIEV CEASE TO LEAD, WE CEASS TO FOLLOW
BY JOHN G. (3 1 YEN.
EBENSI3UUG, THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 5, 1850.
YOL. C JVO. 18.
l , i liiii)ini i -n ifiiMMiMiat mm ni
MrSCELLAUEOUS.
A C..OOD STOKY.
The following story we extract from a
letter to the Alabama Journal, by J. J.
Hooper:
Old Col. I) , of the Mobile District
was one of the most singular characters
known in Alabama- He was testy and
eccentric, but possessed many line quali
ties which were fully appreciated by the
people of his dis trict. Many of his freaks
are fresh in the memory of the "old uns,"
of Mobile ?nd all of them will tell you,
tfiat the Colonel, though hard to beat, was
once terribly taken in by a couple of legal
tyros.
It seems that
Col. D-
had had a
misunderstanding with the gentlemen al
luded to, and was not on speaking terms
with them, although all of the three were
professionally riding the circuit pretty
much together. The voting ones, being
well aware of the Colonel's irascible na
ture, determined as they left one of the
courts for another, lo have some sport at
his expense by the way. They accord
ingly got about half an hour's start in lea
ving and presently they arrived at a broad
, dark stream, that looked as if it might be
a dozen feet deep, but which in reality
was hardly more than as many inches
Crossing it, they alighted, pulling off their
coats and boots, and sat down quietly to
watch for the old Tartar.
Jogging along, at length, up came the
old fellow. He looked first at the young
sters, who were gravely drawing on their
coats and boots, as if they had just had a
swim and then he looked at the cieek
that rolled before him like a fluent, trans
lucent star. The Colonel was awfully
puzzled.
"Is this
creek
swmming?" he
growled, after a pause of some moments
No reply was made the young men
simply mounted their horses, and rode off
some little distance, and stopped to watch
our hero.
The Colonel slowly divested himself of
boots, coat, pantaloons and drawers.
Then he remounted with a paunch of in
ordinate size, rather inadequate legs, a
face like a withered apple, and a brown
wig, there is no doubt he made an inter
esting picture, as he bestrode his steed,
with the "breeze holding gentle dalli
ance" with the extremities of his only
garment.
Slowly and cautiously did the old gen
tleman and his horse take the creek. Half
a length and the water was not fetlock
deep. Here the horse stopped to drink.
A length and a half and the stream no
deeper! Thirty feet farther, and a decided
shoaling.
Here Col. D reigned up. "There
must," said he, "be a h 1 of a swift deep
channel between this and the bank see
how the water runs! We will have to
dash through!"
A sharp lash made the horse spring
over the "watery waste," and another car
ried the horse and rider safely on the op
posite bank.- The creek was nowhere
more than a loot deep.
A wild yell from the "young uus" an
nounced their appreciation of the sport as
they galloped away.
"I'll catch you, you rascals!"' was
ground out between Colonel D r-'s
teeth, and away he galloped in hot pur
suit, muttering dreadful vengeance on his
iocs.
On, on, they sped pursuer and pursu
ed! The youngsters laughed, yelled, and
screamed the Colonel swore with migh
ty emphasis,"while his shirt flowed and
crackled in the wind, like a loose flying
jib.
On, on and the pursued reached a farm
house on the roadside. Their passing
startled a flock of geese from a fence cor
ner, which as the Col. dashed up, met him
with outspread wings, elongated necks and
hisses dire. His horse swerved suddenly
and the Col. in a moment was on the
ground in a most unromantic heap, with
his brown wig by his side, and his bundle
of clothes scattered around!
The white headed children of the house
came out first and took a distant view of
the monster as it seemed to them and
then returned to report progress. After a
little the father of the family came, and
the affair being explained assisted the
Col. in making his toilette: the Col swea
ring and the cauntryman laughing, all the
while.
Dressed and remounted, our hero star
ted off with a woful phiz, and was soon
out of sight.
G? Under all circumstances, "laugh
dull care away!" Don't be in a hurry to
get out ot the world; it is a very good
world, considering the creatures who in
habit it, and is about as full of fun as it
can be. You never saw a man cut his
'ftroat with a broad grin on his face; it is
a good preventive against suicide.
An Hour with a Californian.
We yesterday had the pleasure of pas
sing an hour with our old frend, A. W.
Brockway, Esq., formerly of the firm or
Hays &. Brock way, 'of this city, but for
over a year past a resident of Sacramento
city, California. lie gives a glowing de
scription of the present progress and fu
ture prospect of California. No person
residing in the old States, he says, can
form any correct idea of the immense bu
siness done in the towns and country in
the neighborhood of the Pacific. And he
is of the opinion that the wealth and busi
ness of California ara only now beginning
to be developed. The future is opening
as bright as the most enthusiastic dreamer
could possible desire.
Most of the mining operations hereto
fore in California have been confined to
the wet and drv "divings,"' on the vari-
WOO7
ous little streams and rivers running from
the mountains. The gold dust is generally
found in the sand along these streams,
from two to three feet under the surface
of the earth. Recently, however, the peo
pie of California have been turning their
attention to the business of taking gold
from the quartz rock, which is fonud in
great abundance on the mountains.
Mr. Brockway has in his possession
many specimens of gold quartz, which he
exhibited to us. One lump, weighing
two and a quarter pounds, containg 20
per-cent of gold, and is valued at $150.
It looks as rich as Ophir! He has other
lumps of quartz interlarded with veins of i
gold, which, when assayed, will yield ten
per cent of the prfceieus metal. He has
still other lumps in which the gold is not
visible to the naked eye, on account of
the extreme smallness of the particles.
This he calls the "flour of gold," and
when assayed it yields about $15 to 100
pounds of rock. These quartz are the
least productive of any found in Califor
nia. The Five Cradles.
A man who had recently become a vo
tary to Bacchus, returned home one night
in an intermediate state of booziness; that
is to say he was comfortably drunk, but
perfectly conscious of his unfortunate sit
uation. Knowing that his wife was
a.slcep, lie decided to attempt gaining his
bed without disturbing her, and by sleep
ing off his inebriation, conceal the fact
from her altogether. He reached the door
of his room without creating much distur
bance, and after ruminating a few minutes
on the matter, he thought he could reach
the' bedstead, and hold on to it while he
slipped out of his apparel. Unfortunately
for his scheme, a cradle stood in a direct
line with the bedpost about the middle of
the floor. Of course when his shins came
in contact with the aforesaid piece of fur
niture, he pitched over it with a perfect
looseness; and upon gaining an erect po
sition, ere an equilibrium was established,
he went over it backward in an equally
summary manner. Again struggled to his
feet and went headforemost over the
bower of infant happiness. At length,
with the fifth fall his patience became ex
hausted, and the object was yet to be
overcome. In desperation he cried ou;to
his sleeping partner "Wife! wife! how
many cradles have you got in the house?
I've fallen over five, and here's another
afore me!" Suffice it to say that his wife
was by this time completely awake, and
a curtain lecture ensued, which rang in
his ears for many a succeeding day.
Curious Circumstance. While Mr;
Simon W. Cumming, ol this town, was
laboring in the field a few days ago, he
felt something hard pass from the inside
of his nose into his mouth which he im
mediately spit out, and upon examination
it proved to be a brass button about half
an inch in diameter. His parents and
others well recollect the time when he got
up his nose; it was in the month of Aug
ust, 1S33, he then being only four years
old. From that time forward it caused
him no trouble until last winter, when he
had a fall which jarred his head consider
ably, and as he thinks, partially dislodged
the button and was the ultimate cause of
its finding its way out, after being a ten
ant of his nose for about seventeen years.
The button is covered with a kind of bony
substance which gives it a rough ragged
appearance. It has been carefully pre
served and can be examined by any that
feel disposed to doubt the correctness of
the above statement. JVilliamanie Me
dium. Matrimonial Felicity. "My" love,"
says Mrs. Foozle to her husband, "oblige
me with S20 to-day, to purchase a new
dress.'' "Shan't do any such thing, Ag
nes you called me a bear yesterday!"
"Law. love, that was nothing; I only
meant by it you were very fond of hug
ging." -You're a saucy little puss, (sound
heard like the explosin of a pistol,) but
here's S50."
Democratic Stale Central Commitec.
At a meeting of the Democratic State
Central Committee, held at IWcKibren's
Hotel, Philadelphia, on Wednesday even
ing, the 21st of August, JOHN HICK
MAN, Esq., of Chester county, Chair
man, and Gdwaud Mavxaru, Esq., of
Tioga, Secretary, pro tern., the object ol
the meeting having been stated, and the
subjoined Address read by the Chairman
it was unanimosly adopted. Andrew
Miller & William Deal, Esqrs., of
Philadelphia county, were appointed ad
ditional membeis of the sub-committee
announced at the last meeting, There
were present representatives from Ches
ter, Montgomery, Bucks, Tioga, Philadel
phia and Lancaster. The Jbllowi ng is
th Address adopted by the Committee:
Address of Hie Democratic Slate Central Com
mittee. Fellow Citizen;: The approaching elec
tion for state officers, and for members of
the Legislature, and representatives in
Congress, according to an honored cus
tom, calls upon the Democratic Central
Committee of Pennsylvania to say a few
words on the issues involved in the con
test, and on the general aspect of things
throughout the country. It has been well
said that the Democratic parly of the
country never occupied a higher or more
enviable position than at the present time.
Out of power at Washington and al Ilar-
risburg, its measures have, nevertheless, j
vindicated themselves by the most tri - f
umphant results, while the general policy
of domocratic administrations is the polar j
star by which even the whigs guide their I
shattered barque, and by which alone !
they are enabled to keep themselves from
political shipwreck. j
A Little more than a year of experience I
of a whig national adminstration, has i
furnished to history- another interesting
and valuable example. Coming into
power with a huzza, and elated at the
prospect of continual rule, the Whiglead
ers themselves were among the loudest
to rejoice however much all may have
regretted that the immediate cause should
be the sudden death of General Taylor
at the termination of a regency, the mem
bers of which going into place, amid
boajts of ability, experience and states
manship, remained in office only long
enough to make themselves universally
odious. Every department of the gener
al government, under their ifluence, gave
during that period, melancholy evidence
of the ir.capacity or unworthincss of its
secretary. On the one hand, our foroign
relatinons were conducted in a inaner to
cover the whole country with ridicule,
and with such blundering awkwardness
as to extract even from the representa
tive of that foreign nation, which sympa
thises most with federalism, the remark
i.-. i I l fin
mat it was weaic ana unpopular. inei
Treasury Department, notwithstanding !
the intellectual giant, as ho was called, j
at its head, did nothing, during the same
space of time, but establish the fact that
the secretary, m his war upon the sys
tem of his predecessor, had forgotten the
plainest rules of of political economy. In
another remarkable instance, we saw one
member dl the same regency urging
against the government, for an exorbitant !
sum of money, most of which he received
himself, having just driven a hard bar
gain with his client, and then obtaining
the aid of his colleagues in carrying it
through its various processes, without
law, in defiance cf law, and in utter disre
gard of the whole course of the govern
ment in similar cases. To complete the
striking picture, Congress by a decided
vote, including several independent whigs
rebuked the regency that had supported
the claim, and had agreed to its payment,
in terms of the severest reprehension.
The regency left office amid general ex
ecration of their conduct, and at a moment
when other developements were about to
be made, proving, still further, their un
fitness to conduct the a flairs of a republi
can government.
It is a fact that speaks loudly cf the in- !
consistency ot our opponents, and of the
triumph of Democratic measures, at the
same time, that while the last Whig State
Convention refused to nominate Mr.
Strohm, for Canai Commissioner, because
of his vote against a just war the war
with Mexico Mr. Fillmore, the new
Whig President, at first entirely over
looks Pennsylvania in his choice of Cabi
net officers, and confers the treasury
upon Corwin, whose opposition to the
same war was so bitter and so uncompro
mising, that Mexico elevated !im into one
of her household gods, and the American
soldiers buint him in effigy on the very
field where he wished they might re
ceive a welcome with bloody hands to
hospitable graves.
We refer to this significant history cf
very recent events, with no desire to re-
vivc unpleasant recollections, but to show
to the people of Pennsylvania First,
how utterly unfit the federal party are to '
administer tne laws; Secondly, how m
evitably .their false and factitious course
before erery election covers them with
disgrace when they get into office; and
Thirdly, to place in contrast with their
dpctrineiof expediency and extravagance,
the plaip, practical, popular and com
prehensive creed and conduct of demo
cratic ad'niotstraiidhs. It is in view of
these facts, now a part of the history of
the country, that we think every Demo
cart' has occasion to be proud ol the posi
tion tho' national democracy occupies
at a time when placed in a temporary
minority.
Under these auspices, the Democrats
of Pennsylvania have gone into the pres
ent canvass, with renewed courage and
confidence. They feel that their cause is
right and just; and they instinctively re
call the whig pledges and promises which
preceded the election of lSPi, and com
pare them with the proscription and per
secution that have since broken and tram
pled them foot. Convinced at the mo
meat these professions were made, that
they were never intended to be. fulfilled
they have no regret now, savo that those
who aided to defeat the democracy Jess
then twoyearsago, should have only been
convinced of the faithlessness of those they
then confided in, by the melancholy fail
ure at Washington, to which we have re
ferred. Have not the members of the
great Democratic party, therefore, pro
found cause lor congratulation, amid the j
general feeling which holds up to the j
imitation of our rulers, the en lightened j
example of Democratic administrations?
It was under the impulse of such feel- j
ings as these, that the Democratic Stato j
Convention, which assembled at Wil- j
liamsport on the 29th of May last, placed (
in nomination the several camhdates for j
State officers, whose names you find in- I
scribed on all our banners. These candi-
dates deserve the support of the people ofj
Pennsylvania. Two of the officers to be i
voted for, have just been made elective by
the Legislature, thus imposing an enlarged
responsibility, upon the citizen in the dis
charge of his elective duties.
From similar causes, and the rapid
growth and widely extending interets of
our State and nation, have our elections,
year after year, brought with them an in
creased importance and additional risks,
lest our people should fail properly to ap
preciate and dilligently to defend their
liberties. We point with pride, fellow
citizens, to the workings of our republican
system, and the official conduct, severally,
of those Democrats who have been chosen
to fill our places of trust, especially since
the election of the lamented Francis K.
Shunk. The policy of Governor Shunk's
administration was the salvation of iPenn
sylvania; and has been an example to all
others, which it would be madness in
them not to follow. The high-souled in
dependence and stern integrity of that
Executive, and the strict responsibility to
which every officer of his administration
was held, soon led to those great results,
and to the establishment of that admirable
system from which so much that was
beneficial to the State has flown. The
course of the same stateman-likc Governor
on the subject of banking, may alwa-s be
profitably referred to and imitated.
Where is there, in this broad Union, a
system of public works more economical
ly and more indefatigably conducted.'
The revenues of the State improvements,
and the expenditures necessary to keep
them in repair, constitute an exhibit into
which the Democratic party might fear
lesslv challenge investigation. Under
Democratic administration, no greedy
Galphin is found among the honest men
who control your public works, audit
your public accounts, or pay out your
public moneys, forgetting all law anil all
propriety, in their anxiety to fill their
pockets with dishonest gains. Democratic
policy, and Democratic integrity, lifted
off the load of debt which had been piled
upon Pennsylvania by the Galphins that
ruled and ruined in the administration of
Joseph Ritncr. No longer is our fair
fame outraged by the apprehension of re
pudiation. No longer are the Slate im
provements used for personal and party
purposes. No longer arc the Canal Com
missioners engaged in gambling for votes
with the people's money, in establishing
"missionary funds," to reward political
emissaries, or in openly corrupting the
ballot boxes. The Jeffersonian doctrines
of economical expenditure, honest agents,
and low sajarics, has never ' been more
successfully tried than by the Democratic
party of Pennsylvania.
Wc appeal to every citizen to give his
support to the Democratic nominations for
State officers composed, as they arc, of i
able, honest and energetic citizens men
of tried integrity and capacity; every one
of whom has been endorsed by the vote
of the majority of his own immediate ftl-
ow citizens of those who know them
best, and have known them longest.
We appeal also to our fellow citizens,
and especially to the Democratic party, to
keep constantly in view the great import
ance of electing honest and well-tried men
to represent us in the State Legislature;
men who will advocate the usages which
have made our glorious principles trhrtn
phant; -who will participate in the regular
party caucuses; and w ho will sternly abide
by the nominations made by the majority.
A united ."Males relator is lo be eleeted
in January for six years next ensuing the
-1th of March, 1831, anil it is due to our
State that such a Democrat shall be cho
sen as will prove to be equal to the lofty
responsibilities of the position, and a faith
ful representative of the well known opin
ions of the Democratic party.
It must not be forgotten, fellow citizens,
that however ample are the causes plead
ing in favor of the success of the Demo
cratic party, and however odious the po
litical principles to which we are all op
posed, victory cannot be attained without
a vigorous and harmonious effort on our
part. Do not let us suppose that the
Whig party is disorganized by recent
events and recent exposures. Wc have
seen a majority of Whigs on the floor of
Congress voting to sustain the Galphin
infamy; and we must not be astonished to
see the Whig leaders in our State, trying,
in the face of recent occurrences, to ob
tain the mastery in th coming contest. It
is now as it always has been, a contest
between the two antagonist parties; be
tween the friends of aristocratic doctrines
and expensive government, and the advo
cates of Democratic doctrines and a frugal
government; and, however disastrously
the fortune of the day may eventuate to
the first, it will retain nothing of its ancient
vigor to contend against the last at everv
htting opportunity.
Therefore, fellowemocrats, we invoke
3-011 to harmony and to concert. In sev
eral of the counties differences exist which
prudence and patriotism may soon com
pose. Will not our political friends in
those counties pause and ponder upon the
importance of sinking aU personal differ
ences for the good of the common cause.
Remember if these fueds are left opening
and festering, you may hare Wliigs in
your State offices; a Whig United States
Senator; and a Whig Congressional dele
gation, w hich, in the event of the next
Presidential contest going into the House,
would throw the vote of Democratic Penn
sylvania against the Democratic candidate.
How utterly humiliated those will be,
who, failing to exercise a disinterested
spirit, may aid to give victory to our ad
versaries, and vho in the hour of Demo
cratic defeat may be-held justly accounta
ble for the fatal consequences! WSj again
invoke our political brethren to exercise
all prudence and care wc invoke all can
didates to remember that the cause is
higher than mere men and, if our coun
sels shall be heeded, we may look forward
to a triumph worthy of the best days of
the glorious; Democratic State of Pennsyl
vania. JOHN HICKMAN, Chairman.
T. J. P. STOKES, Sccretaru.
Edward Maynard, Scc'y pro tern.
lie Hail Him There.
The following sqi ib was "perpetrated"'
in one of the public schools in Philadel
phia county; I am not aware of its ever
having appeared in print, and it is too good
to be lost:
It seems that a few hours exemption
from mischief had greatly enlarged the
bump .of "treachery" in the upper stories
of the young "ideas, and took and smear
ed the balustrades from top to bottom with
mud, and when the master came in he
very naturally laid his hand on it when he
mounted the stairs. He was soon aware
of his sad mishap, but said nothing about
it until the scholars had all been called
in and had taken their scats, when he ac
quainted them of the fact, and said he
would give any one five dollars who
would inform him who had had a hand
in it.
At this moment up jumped a little red- j
headed urchin who said "IJnr, you thay
you'll give anv one five dollarlh who'll tell
who had a hand in it:
"Yes."
"Now, thir you'll not whip inc, will
vou?"
"No!"
"Well, thir' y Now you wont whip?'
"You young scamp, I'll lick you if you
don't telf pretty soon."
"Thir y-o-u Oh, I don't like to."
"(Jo on, or I shall skin you alive!"
"Well, thir, you had a hand in it.'"
The master gave in and forked over.
Jt'an. Blade.
rSTThe Legislature of Wisconsin have
made it a nenal offence for the owners of
land to allow the Canada
seed thereon.
thistle fo go to
For near ightedncs8.(Jlos the eves
and press t!i2 fingers gently, from the
nose, outward, across the eyes. This flat
tens the pupil and thus lengthens or ex
tends the angle of vision. This should be
done several times a day, till shortsighted
ness is overcome.
For loss of sight by age, such a3 requires
magnifying glasses, pass the fingers or
towel from the outer comer of the eves
inwardly above and below the eyeballs,
pressing gently against them. This
rounds them up, and preserves or restore
the sight.
It has been already said that this is'r.o
thing new. The venerable John Quiucy
Adams preserved his sight in this way, iu
full rigor, to the day of his death. lie
told Lawyer Ford of Lancaster, who wore
glasses, that if he would manipulate his
eyes with his fingers, from their exterml
angles inwardly he would soon be ahlc to
dispense with glasses. Ford tried it, and
soon restored his sight perfectly and ha-
since preserved it by the continuance of
this practice.
Startling News from the Soulh.
Washington, Aug. 22.
An insurrection in which 400 slaves
were to be. engaged, was discovered at
Lowndes count-, Alabama, last week.
The rendevouz of the negroes was fyeJ
upon by the whites, killing one slave and
wounding tvventy others. The slaves then
fled. It is said the slaves were incited to
the insurrection by an Abolitionist, for
whose apprehension a reward of $0000
has been offered. Large parties are in
pursuit of him. He is supposed to have
fled towards Charleston. A general mas
sacre is supposed to have been intended.
SIndustry is the great moralize r cf
man. The great art of education, there
fore, consists in knowing how to occupy
every moment in well-directed and useful
activity of the youthful powers.
From the Gcrmanloicn Ttlegraph.
leonomisc Your Manure.
"Let none of your manure become fire
fanned," was the remark of the celebrated
Judge Duel, one of the best men and most
intelligent agriculturalists tins country has
ever had th honor to produce. When
the spring'advance early and rapidly, and
the long manure lays in largo and compact
heaps in the yard, there is a serious dan
ger of its being injured by a violent fer
mentation, a process which involves the
strong ammonia, and other volatile and fe
cundating gasses escape into the atmos
phere, and are lost, leaving the residum
exhausted of two-thirds or one hall its
original strength. That such is the fact
every one may easily satisfy himself by
visiting the stercorary, or exposed manure
heaps after a few days of hot weather in
the spring, when this gaseous loss will be
made convincingly apparent to his senses
bv the strong, pungent, and almost sutfo
cating fumes which imcnate from the
heaps. In order to preserve this volatile
and highly fertilising product, it is an ex
cellent plan to mix all the manure as it is .
thrown out, with a sufficient quantity of
muck, or rich loam, to absorb and rctjin
all the ammonia, w hich as I have before
said, is the richest and best part of the
manure. Ifihe fermentation is allowed
to proceed unarrested and the decomposi
tion to go on while the dung is in its nat
ural and unadulterated state, this must in
evitably be lost. It has often struck mo
with surprise to find so few farmers who
apply gvpsum to manure. Let any one
enter a stable w here a large number of
horses are kept, and witness the strong
ammonical odor that arises from the stall
and manure heaps. This is highly offen
sive; vet the sprinkling of a few quarts of
plaster of gypsum, will effectually prevent
this nuisance- by absorbing and fixing the
ammonia, aiui reuuei mi- mam.!- vm.
more valuable than 11 would otherwise
would be. When you find a violent fer
mentation going on in your manure heaps
incp nn time in covering the surface with
gypsum
This article costs but litile, but
when applied in this manner, effects im
mense good. It is probably to iu capaci
ty of fixing this gaseous product of decom
posing vegetable matter that gypsum de
rives it principal value as an application to
glowing crops.
AlKM.A.
Sac Lisbon Jvbj S5, IS DO.