!~
Ilt)TI)GDON JOUR AL
BY JAMES CLARK :
VOL, XII, NO, 27.
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POETICAL.
THE NIGHT BEFORE CERRO GORDO.
BY CAPT. G. W. PATTEN
OH, LET. US SLEEP!
Oh, let us sleep awhile ta•night !
Our weary limbs with toil are sore ;
To-morrow brings the dubious light—
Feyond—and we may crave no more!
Beneath the tropic's burning ray
Faint are the hearts 'midst strife which dare,
A H hands, strong nerved to meet the fray,
Droop listless with the sunny air.
Oli give us sleep—a wakeful rest—
A dream which breaks ere scarce begun,—
And then our arm shall do its best
To strike until the field he won;
With bosoms fired by martial glow,
And purpose for the combat ripe,
Our strength, renewed, shall proudly show
The glory of the star and stripe.
Oh give us sleep! 'Tis toil sever*
Which bids our feet the march restrain—
And we would steal is moment here.
To see, in dreams, our home again ;
Those homes, alas, far, far away,
Where now, 'mid tears, with trembling tongue,
For us the prayer they nightly say—
For us the Vesper Hymn is sung.
Yes. give no sleep ! No "downy bed,
Nor pillow soft, our limbs demand ;
We only ask to Ivy our head
Awhile upon the desert sand.
The night is near—the voice of cheer
To glad our hearts is fir away ;
Tmmortow brings the strife severe—
Oh give no sleep 'till dawn of day !
The subjoined poem was recited not
long since by the wit, poet and vocalist,
whose name it bears, at one of his Irish
Evenings. The impression it made upon
the audience showed the power of its au
thor to affect, as well as to amuse.
THE WAR-SHIP OF PEACE.
lIY SAMUEL LOVER•
Sweet land of song, thy harp doth hang
Upon the willows now,
While famine's bright and fever's pang
Stamp misery on thy brow ;
Yet. take thy harp and raise thy voice,
Though faint and low it he
And let thy sinking heart rejoice
In friends, still left to thee.
Look out, look out across the sea
That girds thy emerald shore,
A ship of war is bound for thee,
But with no warlike store;
Her thunder sleeps-li. Mercy's breath
That wafts her o'er the sea,
She gnei not forth to deal out death,
But hears r life to them
Thy Wasted hand can scarcely strike
The chords of grateful praise;
Thy plaintive tone is not unlike
Thy voice of prouder days.
Yet even in sorrow, tuneful still
Let Erin's voice proclaim,
In herdic praise, on every hill,
Colutnhia's glorious name.
MISCELLANEOUS,
ANECDOTE or HUME.—This distin
guished philosopher was one day passing
along a narrow foot path which formerly
winded through a boggy piece of ground
at the back of Edinburg Castle, when ho
had the misfortune to tumble in, and
stick fast in the mud. Observing a wo
man approaching, he civilly requested
her to lend him a helping hand out of
his disagreeable situation; but she, cas
ting one hurried glance at his abrevia
ted figure, passed on without regarding
his request. He shouted lustily after
her; and she was at last prevailed upon
by his cries to approach. "Are na ye
Hume the Deist'!" inquired she in a tone
which implied that an answer in the af
firmative would decide her against lend
ing him her assistance. "Well, well,"
said Mr. Hume, "no matter, you know,
good woman, Christian charity com
mands you to do good, even to your ene
mies. "Christian charity here, Chris
tian charity there," replied the old wo
man, "I'll do naething for you till you
turn a Christian yourself—ye maun first
repeat baith the Lord's Prayer and the
Creed; or faith I'll let ye groffie there as
I found ye." The sceptic was actually
obliged to accord to the woman's terms,
ere she would give him her help. He
himself used to tell the story with great
relish.
INFLUENCE, OF GREAT ACTIONS,
Great actions and striking occurrences,
having excited a temporary admiration,
often pass away and are forgotten, be
cause they leave no lasting results, af
fecting the prosperity of communities.—
Such is frequently the fortune of the
most brilliant military achievements.L—
Of the ten thousand battles which have
been fought ; of all the fields fertilized
with carnage ; of the banners which have
been bathed in blood ; of the warriors
who have hoped that they had risen front
the field of conquest to a glory as bright
and as durable as the stars, how few that
continue long to interest mankind! The
victory of yesterday is reversed by the
defeat of to-day ; the star of military
glory, rising liking a meteor, like a me
teor has fallen ; disgrace and disaster
hang on the heels of conquest and re
nown ; victor and vanquished presently
pass away to oblivion, and the world
holds on its course, with the loss only
of so many lives and so much treasure.
But if this is frequently, or generally,
the fortune of military achievements, it
is not always so. There are enteprises,
military as well as civil that sometimes
check the current of events, give a new
turn to human aflitirs, and transmit tlieir
consequence through ages. We see their
importance in their results and call them
great, because great things follow.—
There have been battles which have fix
ed the fate of nations. These come
down to us in history with a solid and
permanent influence, not created by a
glittering armour, the rush of adverse
battalions, the sinking and rising of pen
nons, the flight, the pursuit, and the vie
' tory; but their effect in advancing or
I•retarding human knowledge, in over
throwing or establishing despotism, in
extending or destroying human happi
ness. kt lien the traveller pauses on the
plains of Marathon, what are the emo
tions which strongly agitate his breast;
what -is that glorious recollection that
thrills through his frame, and suffuses
his eyes 1 Not, 1 imagine that Grecian
skill and Grecian valor were here most
signally displayed ; but that Greece her
self was saved. It is because to this
spot, and to the event which has render
ed it immortal, he refers all the succeed
ing glories of the republic. It is because
he perceives that her philosophers and
orators, her poets and painters, her
sculptors and architects, her government
' and free institutions, point backward to
Marathon, and that their future exist
' ence seems to have been suspended on
the contingency, whether the Persian or
Grecian banner should wave victorious
in the beams of that day's setting sun.
And as his imagination kindles at the
retrospect, he is transported back to the
interesting moment; he counts the fear
ful odds of the contending hosts; his
'interest for the result overwhelms him ;
he trembles as if' it was still uncertain,
and seems to doubt whether he may con
sider Socrates and Plato, Demosthenes,
Sophocles, and Phidias, as secure, yet,
to himself and to the world.—D. Web
ster.
PERSEVERANCE,
Of all men, give us the thorough go
ahead Anglo-Saxon, whom no difficulties •
can subdue, no failure dishearten. It is
the mark of n weak mind to despair.—
Had Wellington at Waterloo, or Taylor
at Buena Vista fallen back, as many
other commanders would have done, the
day would have been lost; but they had
that indomitable perseverance so char
acferistie of the true Anglo Saxon, and
keeping their ground, won victory.—
"Hard pounding this," said Welling
ton, as he threw himself into a square
to escape a charge of the French earns
siers—" hard pounding this, but we will
see who can pound the long est."
back—never,"exclaimed Gen. Taylor,
when, as the column of Mexicans five
thousand strong came on, it was propo
sed that the artillery should take up a
new position—" never! but give them
a little more grape, Capt. Bragg." In
these heroic words we see the secret of
success on the part of both of these
great commanders. So, in ordinary life,
it is the man of dogged resolution who
wins the day. One of our wealthiest
merchants was once so surrounded with
difficulties, from which he saw no escape,
that at one time he contemplated insol
vency, and had his spirits quailed an in
stant, he would have gone down to irre
trievable ruin ; but he kept a firm front,
rallied all his resources, and went
through the terrible crisis with flying
colors. Never despair, young man !
There is always 'hope. Weak men are
subdued by occasions, says a celebrated
writer, but great men conquer them.—
Memorable words! We may say of life
what Byron said of liberty.
For freedom's battle once begun,
Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son '
Though baffled oft, is ever won."
Said Sambo, why am intoxication
like a wash bowl 1 'Cause it am dc-basin.'
[CORRECT PRINCIPLES-SUPPORTED RY TRUTH.]
HUNTINGDON, PA., JULY 6, 1847,
SATURDAY NIGHT.
How many associations, sweet and
hallowed, crowd round that short sen
tence, " Saturday night." It is indeed
but a prelude to more pure, more heaven
ly associations, which the tired frame
and thankful soul hail with a renewed
joy at each succeeding return. 'Tis
then the busy din of life ceases ; that
cares and anxieties are forgotten ; that
the worn-out frame seeks its needed re
pose, and the mind its relaxation from
earth and its concerns ; with joy looking
for the coming day of rest, so wisely
and beneficially set apart for man's peace
and happiness by his Creator.
The tiredlabOrer seeks his own cot
tage, to which perhaps he has been a
stranger the past week, where a loving
wife and smiling children meet him
with smiles and caresses. Here he real
izes the bliss of hard earned comforts,
and at this time, perhaps more than any
other, the happiness of domestic life and
its attendant blessings.
Released from the distractingcares of
the week, the professional man beholds
the return of Saturday night, and as
gladly seeks among the clustering vines
nourished by his paternal care, the real
ity of those joys which are only his own
to know at those peculiar reasons, and
under these congenial circumstances;
so faithfully and vividly evidenced by
this periodical scene of enjoyment and
repose.
'The lone widow, too, has toiled on
day after day,to support her little charge;
how gratefully does she resign her cares
at the return of Saturday night, and
thank her God for these kind resting,
places on the way by which she is en
couraged from week to week to hold on
her way.
A Few Hints to keep away Hard Times.
Rise early in the morning, and be dil
igent during the day attending to
your own business, and not worrying
yourself about your neighbor's con
cerns.
Give encouragement to home indus
try, and in all cases give preference to
American manufactures over foreign.
Instead of following the fashions of
Europeans, cultivate a spirit of indepen
dence, and decide for yourselves how
your coats, hats and boots shall be
made.
keep out of the streets, unless bu
siness calls to transact that which you
cannot do in your stores, shops or dwel
lings.
By all means keep away from drink
ing and gambling houses, and, above all
shun that detestable and despisable loaf
er-making and. rogue-manufactory—the
Theatre.
When you buy an article of clothing,
study commendable economy; at the
same time get a good article, and when
made, take particular care of it, and
wear it out, regardless of any fashion.—
Fashion is a great tyrant, and men are
fools to be slaves to it.
Stay at home of nights, improve your
selves by reading, writing, or instruc
tive conversation, and retire to your
beds at an early hour.
Be kind to your relations, obliging to
your friends, and charitable to all; and
never permit your bills with the printer to
run over a year.
TAKE 'EN Am..—A few days ago at
the rendezvous of Capt. Chase, in the
Tenth Ward, a woman with a chubby
child in her arms; appeared and deman
ded a sight at the officer—Lieut. Goodies
presented lum§elf. "So sir you've clap
ped your dirty sojer trapping on my hus
band have you."
"Who is your husband, madam," de
manded the Lieutenant.
"Bliley McMurtee, and a bould boy
be is, so plase ye. But it's a dirty thing
o' you, my pretty man, to take him from
his wife and children."
" Can't be helped," said the Lieuten
ant, " It's too late now."
" Then take the baby, too," cried the
woman, as she forced the child into the
arm of Lieutenant G. "Take 'em all,
I'll send you four more the day."
Off she ran at a rapid pace, leaving
the unfortunate Lieutenant with the new
recruit squalling in his arms. Doubtful
of its value to the service of Uncle Sam,
lie sent it home by the father.—C in Corn.
TIIE GO-BETWEEN.—Thore is, per
haps, not a more odious character in the
world than that of a go-between—by
which we mean that creature who car
ries to the ears of ono neighbor every
injurious observation that happens to'
drop from another. Such a person is
the slanderer's herald, and is altogether
more odious than the slanderer himself.
By his vile officiousness, he makes that
poison effective which else were inert;
for three-fourths of the slanderers in the
world would never injure their object,
except by the malice of go-betweens,
who, under the mask of double friend
ship, act, the part of double traitors.
[From the Pennsylvania Telegraph.]
POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES,
Dialogue between President Polk and Sir
Robert J. Walker.
SCENE.—President's East room. [Pres
ident walking up and down—his counte
nance indicating deep melancholy, re
morse and resentment.] Enter Sir
Robert.
President.—Robert, after all your ef
forts last night to comfort me, 1 rested
very poorly. Recent events intrude upon
my mind, and the disordered affairs of
State trouble me.
Robert.—Why, dear President, what
has again disturbed your reposel You
know our army is doing wonders; in
deed any Prince in Christendom might
glory in the prodigies of valor it has
achieved.
P.—True, but what good will that do
usi You know the principle officers are
Whigs; we are told, and I fear it is true,
that far the greatest number of the fight
ing men are Whigs, also. They are en
joying all the military glory it is possi
ble for officers and men to merit, while
we must stiffer all the ignominy, sin and
disgrace of the Mexican War. For you
know, Robert, that all our efforts to de
stroy Gen. Scott have failed. He took
his "hasty plate of soup," and delibe
ately bid us defiance, and showed that
he was as little afraid of an enemy in the
rear, as he has proven he is of one in
front, and it is impossible for us to con
ceal the fact from the people, that he
has immortalized himself. You know
that modern history does not furnish a
parallel with the taking of Vera Cruz, so
far as the science of War is concerned;
nor with the battle of Cerro Gordo, for
exact arrangements, harmonious move
ments, daring courage and complete suc
cess.
R.—Well, but the fortune of War may
yet change. We will tell the Secretary of
War to retard the raising of troops and
supplies; you can make a great noise,
bluster, and appear as if you would soon
raise troops sufficient to overwhelm Mex
ico, and at the same time, do very little,
and direct the under current to run slow.
By these operations the army will di
minish—the people will not understand
it; and although we must confess that
Gen. Scott is the greatest military man
of the age, he might as well grind with
out a mill, as fight without men, and in
this way we will prevent him from gain
ing any more glory, at least till after the
Presidential election; and then we need
not care how soon he ends the War, if he
shall survive all the difficulties which he
must necessarily encounter in the mean
time.
P.—Robert, it is becoming more diffi
cult to deceive the people. You know
how soon they discovered our secret ob
ject, regarding the three million of their
money we procured with great difficul
ty, in order to tamper with Santa Anna,
and our secret operations in letting him
pass our fleet unmolested, in order that
he might take command of the Mexican
nrniy, is now blazoned from the centre
to the circumference of the Union. And,
that which gives me the greatest alarm
is, the defeat we suffered regarding
Benton. If we had succeeded in placing
him in chief command of our Army of
Invasion, all might have been well.—
Scott and Taylor would have left the
country immediately, and then our friend
Santa Anna, not yet having been whip
ped and disgracefully routed, Benton's
assistance would have put a speedy end
to the war. But it really appears to me
that the Whigs have spies with us; for
our most secret plans are all detected,
and most perfectly understood; indeed
they seem almost able to convince the
People that we are not the democratic
party! But in doing the best I could in
the midst of disappointments, and to
prevent Santa Anna from being complete
ly routed, I directed the Secretary of
War to order such a number of Taylor's
troops to join General Scott, that I
thought Santa Anna quite safe. But, you
know our surprise, when we heard of the
battle of Buena Vista; and as if Taylor
could not be beaten with all the forces
of Mexico, he drove Santa Anna before
him like a sneelcing dog. Our next
misfortunes was the fall of Vera Cruz—
and to complete our misfortunes the bat
tle of Cerro Gordo. Gen. Scott treated
Santa Anna so roughly there that we
can scarcely find his whereabouts.—
Alas! Robert, all things are against us.
R.—But you know that it was not us
who were altogether to blame for provo
king this War. It was Capt. Tyler who
projected the Texan hobby-horse, upon
which you rode into power. Annexation
was the cause of the present War, and,
as the Whigs elected Tyler, therefore,
they are chargeable with causing the
war.
P.—True, Robert, but the Captain
could not induce the Whigs to dress out
and decorate the fatal hobby-horse. He
placed himself in our hands—because
one of us, and we used him for our spe
cial purposes, and it is well known to
the Whigs that it was us who did all
the work, and brought out such a horse
that the captain could not ride him, and
as a recompense, he assisted me in
mounting the horse and riding him suc
cessfully, after he was abandoned by the
Whigs and despised by the democrats.
So, you see, the Whigs are altogether
free from any blame. They hate the
war, but, as loyal subjects, they, like
a host of true patriots, rush upon the
Mexicans with such power, that to meet
is to route them. And I must tell . you
plainly, that they are increasing daily in
numbers and power, while we are daily
diminishing.
R.—Well, but we may gain some
credit, by a wise management of the
Treasury department.
P.—lmpossible. How did you suc
ceed when you started out on your bor
rowing tour? Did you get as much
money as would feed your horse? Our
sub-treasury is useless; it does not an
swer the end designed, and if this unfor
tunate war should continue till after the
election, you will have difficulty in get
ting money enough for our friends to
electioneer with. If your treasury
should be, (as is most likely,) ten mil
lions in debt at that time, we shall cer
tainly be defeated.
IL—Since the passage of the tariff of
'46, there has been a great increase of
revenue, and I hope it will increase fur
ther.
P.—But we can neither take or keep
any credit for that. There are still
some of our own friends claiming credit
for it, but the most sensible of them are
ashamed to infer that the increase of rev
enue or the high price of provisions, are
referable to our tariff: It does not re
quire ‘N hig sagacity to see that these
are the result of starvation in Europe
and other causes beyond our control.—
Should we have short crop of wheat this
season, and Europe a good supply, you
will see what will become of your reven
ue and high prices; and you know we
are the low price and low wages party.—
Remember the ten cents per day system:
But, what dark procession is that, pas
sing in front of the Capitoll
R.—lt is a couple- of hundred of
slaves or so, that they arc driving to
Texas.
P.—Gracious! did not our barbarous
neighbors the Mexicans, long since
break the captives chains, and proclaim
liberty to all the Africans in Texas; and
have we lent ourselves to convert "the
home of the free and the land of the brave,"
into a charnel house, to entend and per
petuate traffic in African flesh and bloodl
Alas! Robert, I perceive that my memo
ry must go down to posterity, justly, ob
noxious to the curses of unborn millions
whose sighs and groans will ascend to
Heaven, through ages of futurity.
R.—My dear sir, you yield too easy
to these gloomy reflections. Times may
yet improve. Banish these dark forebo
dings for the present, and let us take
measures for self defence.
- .
P.—Flatter me no longer, Robert, I
tell you, it is impossible for us to sus
tain ourselves, after what has been done.
The strong language of my first mes
sage in favor of 54, 40, on the Oregon
question, and our secret negotiation for
49, 50, are so inconsistent that they can
not be reconciled with honesty and
sound policy.
R.—After all we can do every thing
with the word Democracy. It is in vain,
the Whigs tell our democratic friends,
that democracy has nothing to do with
the question; and if they can prove most
conciusively, that they are carrying out
the views of our democratic and patriot
lc fathers, and we still toll the people
that we are the true democrats, and that
patriotism will die with our party; they
will flock to our standard and all will
yet be well.
P.—lt is all in vain, Robert; that has
done much for us, but the elections last
fall convinced me, that the charm was
broken, that the naked word Democracy,
without corresponding doctrines, can
not do what it once did. How on earth
will our friends in Pennsylvania recon
cile my Kane letter: the "tariff of '42"
inscribed on their banners; and the
democratic press advocating that doc
trine and pledging us for its support,
with the tariff of '46, for they with
Shunk at their head, are out clear and in
full for the last tariff.
R.—Shunk has been very careful in
all his messages to be as obscure as pos
sible. Did you ever see as much
written, and so few ideas or sugges
tion.
P.—Ho has succeeded admirably. He
and I, by obscurity of character, both
came into power, but I am dragged in
to view and some say of him, that it is
owing to absence of ideas, that he does
not spread them out in his niwages.—
, Besides, his cowpetitor Gen. Irvin is
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
WHOLE NO. 597.
real democrat in heart, and of noble
mind. He is high in the affections of
the people of Pennsylvania, since the
bold stand ho took in defence of their in
terests, when in Congress: , His moral
character bids defiace to slarider itself.'
I wish for the honor of our friendi they
would not write and talk so much abiipt.
his fine hat, boots, &c. It must re-act
upon us, and bring our cause into ridi
cule.—Shunk has been in office more
than a quarter of a century, and never
did one brilliant action in his life; whilst
Gerteral Irvin's whole life has been spent
in indefatigable and successful industry
by which he has established a character
for financial operations, kindness, be
nevolence, urbanity and social qualities,
which I fear will betoo strong for
Shunk. But you may encourage our
friends still to cry aloud for old Dem
ocracy, for after all that is our last
hope. ,
. .
.
R.—Good morning. I must give some
directions regarding the machinery in
one of the Subtreasuries, which has got
wrong.
TRAVELING.--A long, lazy fellow, who
preferred begging to work, called upon a
gentleman in the pity, and asked for
"cold victuals and old clothes." The
man asked him what he clone for a liv
ing. "Not much," said the fellow, "ex
cept traveling."
"Traveling! Then you can travel
pretty well'!"
"Oh yes," said the beggar; "I'm very
good at that.'
"Well then," said the gentleman, cool
ly opening the door, "let's see you trav
el."
"Waiter," said a diver-out s in K doivn
town restaurat, yesterday—" Waiter,
bring me a plate of soup, quick."
"Say soup again, stranger," said a tall
Tennessee returned volunteer, who hap
pened to sit opposite to him, "and I'll
give you a Cerro Gordo, I will. I told
the old General when I left him at Jala
t pa, that when I come to the States, I'd
lick the first man I'd hear sayin' soup,
and I'd d—d if I don't do it."
It was with great difficulty the Ten.
nessean could be satisfied.—[.N. 0
Delta,
[J An acquaintance of ours tells a
story about an eccentric friend, who
went to the city and was invited to stop
at his residence, instead of going to a
hotel. He accordingly came with his
baggage, and the carman was just leav
ing when he inquired :
" What place is that opposite?"
" A porter house 1"
" Who lives this lido of you V'
" An apothecary ?"
" And who the other V'
" An undertaker ?"
"Stop, stop, carman I take this trunk
back again. A grog shop in front, an
apothecary on one side and an underta
ker on the other, I rather think there
must be a grave yard in the rear by way
of symmetry! Good bye neighbor."—
He disappeared in a jiffy.
Brevities.
A man's word may pass away and be
forgotton, but his deeds are remembered
forever.
That man is happy who makes him
self the happiness of others.
The source of our chagrin springs
generally from our errors.
When virtue is the sun of the soul,
peace will be its evening star.
Life is brief; let all therefore endeav
or to sweeten, not poison the cup.
ry-flalloa, you, sir; put up your ci
gar, don't you see that notice, "No smo
king allowed."
"Well what of that?-1 ain't smoking
ALOUD-I am doing it as still as a man
can." '
VERY TRUE.-A Well known political
ecoomist says:--“We pay best, first,
those who destroy us--generals; second,
those who chest us--politicians and
quacks; third, those who amuse us--
singers and musicians; and least of all
those who instruct us."
FATAL TO SWlNE.—Saltpetre is as fa
tal to swine as arsenic to man. Our
foreman last year salted some swine with
refuse salt, which had been taken from a
beef barrel and stored away; within
twelve hours two out of three which eat
of it died, and the third was much injur
ed. As farmers at this season are emp
tying their meat barrels, instead of pre
serving the refuse salt for the future,
they had better bury it in the compost
heap. Our beef was but slightly salt
petered, and but very little could possi
bly have been taken by the swine.
Betting.
Bets are the blockhead's argument,
The only logic he can vent,
His minor and his major—
'Tis to confess your head a worse
Investigator than your parse,
To reason with a wager.