lIUNTIAGDON JILR '-, ii._L
13f - JAMES 'CLARK
VOL. NTT, NO. 88.
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[For the Huntingdon Journal.]
POLITICAL DIPPICULTIIM.
A Dialogue between Danton and Alfred,
Nla. EDITOR :—You know that we of
ten become acquainted with the secret
plodding, and intriguing of designing
politicians, as well as with their difficul,
ties, disappointments, and disputations
in dividing the honors and profits of of
fice. And you will not be offended if I
lift the veil and present to your imagi
nation the gorgeous appartment of Dan
ton, a politician of great physical power,
and untiring energy ; possessed of deep
cunning, matured by long practice, and
destitute of any principle but self ag
grandizement; and permit you to hear
his conversation with a true Democrat,
of a very diflbrent character, whose
highest aim is the prosperity of his
country.
D.—Good evening, A., I am truly
glad to sec you. I understand you have
been travelling in the east; I hope you
have some good political news from that
quarter ; be seated, open your wallet,
and let me hear something to counter
balance the evil forebodings over which
my mind has been brooding for some
time; and as our party looks up to you
and I for directions, we must soon de
vise some means to defeat the election
of Gen. James Irvin, and prepare the
democratic minds of the people to elect
J. K. Polk.
A.—Mine has not been a political
tour, but rather for the indulgence of
those sentiments which are more conge
nial with a mind tired with those politi
cal operations, many of whom I fear
have no higher end than victory or self
aggrandizement.
D.—Then it appears that you are not
going to give us that assistance you for
merly did ; or perhaps you are going to
desert the democratic party.
A.—l do not think it is your right to
call in question the soundness of my
democracy, rocked in the cradle of the
Revolution as I was, or standing as I
lately stood at BUnker-Hill, upon the
very spot where my father breasted the
first surge of Brit,ish power, sent forth
to crush our feeble Colonies, where he
fell, and whore his last aspiration was
for the perpetuation of American free
dotn, and for me, then an infant, that I
might be protected, and that 1 might be
worthy of my country, and worthy of
the sire who has bequeathed to me such
a birth-right at such an expense: or
travelling as 1 have lately done over
some of the Northern battle-fields of the
late war, where all my own mental and
physical powers were employed in de
fence of the honor of my country ; and
now that I am about to settle up my
professional business and set my house
in order for the last solemn exit, and
when my strongest desires are, that the
privileges which I have so long enjoyed
shall pass pure and uncorrupted down
to the latest generations, it is vain to
expect me to do anything for party, or
friend, which is calculated to sap the
foundation of American liberty, the last
hope of the world.
o.—l did not intend to impugn your
motives or question the soundness of
your democracy, but as you have at all
times sustained the democracy, I expect
ed you would feel quite dissatisfied that
our general and state administrations
are becoming so unpopular, and that
you would again put forth your gigantic
powers to sustain democracy against
the federal party.
A.—Words are the signs of ideas,
and can only be used honestly when in
tended to communicate the correspond
ing notion of things; and it appears to
me that the friends of the present ad
ministrations have no right to appropri
ate to their exclusive use the term dem
ocrat in the same sense in which our
fathers used it to distinguish themselves
from the tories of those times; nor do I
believe that we have a right to call the
Whigs federals as an apt epithet of re
proach, or for the purpose of identifying
them with the tories of the Revolution.
D.— Well, but you know that we have
profited much by the use of those terms,
and it is matter of indifference by what
means we accomplish a good end. Did
you return home through Philadelphia 1
A.—Yes ; and Harrisburg too; I was
at the democratic convention which met
there for the purpose of nominating
Gen. Taylor for the next Presidency.
D.—What! It is not possible you ap
prove of the proceedings of that meet
ing 1 that old cub is not fit for Presi
dent ; and I do not know how you could
set still in a convention where Governor
Shunk could not be admitted even when
reduced to the form of a simple resolu
twn, and when Ovid F. Johnston's letter'
containing such a severe attack upon
Polk's administration was read with so
much approbation.
A.-1 do not intend to be very pre
cipitate in my decisions, but I am pret
ty well satisfied that Polk and Shunk
will both be permitted to retire to pri
vate life at the expiration of one term,
and it is quite plain from the manner in
which they are identified, that they
must stand or fall together.
D.—What do you mean by their iden
tification 1
A.-1 mean that Shank has become
party to Polk's Tariff of 1846,
,and to
the Mexican war ; and these tmestions
constitute the true lever of distinction
between the two great parties in our
country at present.
D.—But do you not see the enthusi.
asm which 'this war creates? If any
may says any thing against it either in
its inception or in the mode in which
it is conducted we denounce him as a
tory, and this has kept them quiet.
A.—lt may for a short time keep the
people quiet, but if I am not greatly
mistaken the most sober and valuable
part of the community are beginning to
examine the question more narrowly,
and the result must be unfavorable to
the present war. Men who opposed the
Revolutionary war were called tories;
because that was a struggle for the
birth-right of unborn millions, a contest
for those principles which are dear to
every human being; those principles
set forth in the memorable declaration
of our patriotic fathers, "that all men
are created equal," and that " they have
a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness." They pledged themselves
against the most powerful empire upon
earth, and their country as the "theatre
upon which the grand drama was to be
acted, and the fate of the world decided.
It was the most thrilling event in the
history of nations, and calculated to call
forth all the enthusiasm, ardor, and en
ergy of the heroes of that day. But for
what purpose did James K. Polk declare
war against Mexico? was it for the pro
motion of liberty 1 did we need an in
crease of territory, whilst we have mil
lions of acres for which we have no ad
equate population? . Alas! we cannot
answer these questions in the affirma
tive ; but on the contrary, Texas was
annexed for the express purpose of ex
tending and perpetuating slavery, and
that too at a time when the civilized
world was striking at the root of that
deep, dark, mid damning evil, what prin
ciple of patriotism does such a war reach
in the human soul 1 can any thing, save
obedience to the laws that be, induce
men to fight in such a causer?
D.—Really, A., you give me but little
comfort: I do hope you will not desert
your party ; come, if you do think with
the federal party I hope you will keep
it quiet, we will give your sons some
good offices; old Frank knows ho is much
indebted to me, and if we can elect him
he shall provide for them.
A.—lndeed I am not anxious that any
of my sons shall become politieians ;
nor have I any fear that Shank shall in
jure any of them by the bestoment of
office ; nor do I think with the moderate
talent of which he is possessed, lie
should ask any more offices for himself.
He has been long employed, has held
many honorable and profitable officeti
calculated to develope all the powers of
his mind, and if he had intellect it would
now appear if ever ; but what has he
ever done that our party should strain
every nerve and sacrifice every princi-
ple to nominate and elect hini io the
best offices in the gift of the people'!
What ideas or suggestions does his
messages contain 1 You must known
that, when David R. Porter was Gov
ernor he could in a single column of a
single message present more ideas re
garding the resources of the State & sug
gestions regarding their developments,
than arc contained in all the messages
which have ever been written by Gov
ernor Shunk.
D.—Very well, I know that is all true,
but we nominated in order that we might
secure his patronage; you know how
much he has promised to do for us, if
we would nominate and elect him ; and
as the strongest party has a right to the
spoils, it is right for us to take care of
ourselves, and our friends, at any ex
pense. And you know Gen. Irvin has
no greatness of mind to boast of, besides
[PARROT PRINCIPLES-'-917PPORTEll 13Y TRUTH.]
HUNTINGDON, P.
he is an iron -master, and has all his life
been living at the expense of the poor;.
and we can make capital out of it.
A.-1 am heartily wearied with hear
ing of our country being governed by
such low, sordid and selfish principles.
Besides the whigs have at this time
acted more wisely than us; they have
nominated the strongest man in the
State: a man whose character the breath
of calumny can not taint, at whose feet'
the missiles of detraction and malice
shall fall perfectly harmless; and in my
opinion Gen. Irvin will be elected. But
I have staid rather late and must leave
for the present.
D.—When will you be in town againl
I wish to see you soon. I hope you will
think better.
A.-1 will call with you next week.
Good night. H. C. B.
MISCELLANEOUS.
[From the Boston Olive Branch.]
TIM STAR 01' 'VISE 11ARABS.
BY M. M. lIALLOI7.
CONSTANTINOPLE ! what a crowd of ori
ental images throng before the mind's
eye at the bare mention of this beautiful
city of the indolent East, with its curi
ously mingled population ; the crafty
Jew, the quiet Armenian and the haugh
ty Mussulman, each with his varied and
peculiar costume; with its hundreds of
Mosques all clapped with golden minar
ets, its seraglio gardens, its closely
guarded harems, and above all its match
less Bosphorus, its bosom covered by the
curiously rigged crafts of this section of
the globe, bearing the flags of Palestine
and the far East.
There is a beauty connected with this
gem of the orient that does not inspire
the traveller on entering the older cities
of Europe; in them he is interested
from the historical lore that he has stored
in his memory while yet a child, but this
fairest metropolis of the Mahometa, is
still a living picture of all that fires the
imagination of the curious traveller.—
It is not a pile of ancient classic ruins
that attracts him, but the present belong
ings of a strange and peculiar city with
realities of beauty and wealth that rival
fairy tales.
It was twilight in the East, and its
golden hues glanced athwart the sky
that arched above the glassy sea of Mar
morn, while the rising moonjust tip
ping the gilded crescents of the Mosques
—silvered the light waves of the Bos
phorus. Near its banks at this hour sat
a couple of turbaned youths dressed in
the loose made attire of the Armenian
people. On a near approach it was easy
to discover that one was a female evi
dently seeking to disguise her sex, the
youth by her side being her lover to
meet whom alone she had hazarded this
exposure by the water's side.
Ah, dearest Zillah, would that we
had been born far beyond the sea from
whence comes yon noble ship with those
stars dotting her azure flag, for in Amer
ica, I am told, that religious belief is no
bar to the union of hearts."
Nor should it be here, Al Hassan,"
replied the gentle girl by his side i "did
our noble Sultan understand the best
good of his people ; way the prophet
open his eyes !"
" Though I love thee, Zillah, far be
yond all else ori earth, yet can I not ab
jure my religion for thy sake, for at best
we can be here but a short time only,
and if I was unfaithful in my holy creed,
then 1 could no longer hope as I do now
to meet thee, let what may betide us, in
Paradise."
" And thus, Al Hassan, are you doubly
true to me, for though my father has ed
ucated me in the studied rules of Mus
sulman faith, yet 1 am far from heeding
such minutia as would entitle me to bear
the name of a bigot ; no, no ; I love you
more than you are true to your reli
gion."
Zillah • was a child in years ; sixteen
summers had not yet developed their
power in her slight but beautiful form,
and yet it was rounded so neatly to per
fection, so slightly and gracefully full
as to captivate the most fatidious eye.—
Her face was classically beautiful, with
a Grecian cast of features, and eyes that
were almost too large and brilliant. The
acknowledged children of the Turks
can hardly escape being lovely in per
sonal attractions, for their parent who
becomes the favorite, is the chosen beau
ty of the Harem, selected from out a
host of Georgian or Circassian slaves,
any one of whom would form a worthy
Isubject for the artist's model. And such
was 'Zillah 's mother—a Circassian by
birth ; she had been brought by a Trel;
izond slave ship to Constantinople, and
purchased by her father, the richest Bey
in the Turkish Metropolis.
Al Hassan was a young Armenian
merchant of rich parents, and good fain
AUGUST 17, 1817.
ily. By some chance he had met Zillah,
and done her an important service at
imminent risk to himself, by saving her
from the deep river that encircles the
city: A calque in which she was cross
ing, having by some mischance over
turned while he was near the spot, he
sprang into the water and swain with
her to the shore. With the suddenness
of oriental passion, they loved at once,
but their after-intercourse was necessa
rily in secret, since they knew full well
that the Bey would at once punish them
both if lie discovered them, for how
could a Mussulman tolerate an Acme
nian
Al Hassan was well calculated to cap
tivate the fancy of Zillah. He was four
years her senior, well-formed and bear
ing a countenance, which, besides being
remarkably handsome, was truly intel
lectual in its expression. Though young,
he seemed to posses many years of ex
perience and an unflinching steadiness
of purpose, which together formed a
character that Zillah loved most dearly,
but deeply respected. Al Hassan had
travelled much already in his business,
and had improved opportunities for ac
quiring knowledge, which rendered him
in advance of many of those who were
about him ; besides which he seemed to
avoid by instinct the growing vices of
his people and the Mussulmen.
Zillah and Al Hassan had often met
as we have described, but always with
the utmost caution; for the close watch
and restraint enforced upon the women
of Constantinople is proverbial even
with us in America, and indeed, the fe
males themselves seem fully to approve
of their veiled customs, inasmuch as it
is rarely the case that they voluntarily
departlfrom them. But this was an in
stance when the heart claimed sway,
and breaking through all the restraint
of forms, sought the object of its devo
tion, nearly heedless of the risk, or the
cost of detection. But at last Zillah
was discovered, by her father, the Bey,
to be absent from the Harem. None
knew whither she had gone, nor how
she had escaped ; but the father's sus
picions were .aroused, and ever after, so
strict was the watch that was kept over
her, she found it impossible to be absent
for a moment, and of course to commu
nicate with the young Armenian in any
other way was out of the question.—
Thus rendered miserable, "The Star of
the Hamm," as Zillah was called, grew
sick, and paler and paler each day, un
til the old Bey, now thoroughly aroused,
was extremely anxious lest she should
be taken to the Prophet's bosom. The
best sages and doctors to be found, were
summoned, and constantly attended the
drooping flower, but alas ! to no avail ;
their art was not cunning enough to dis
cover the true cause, nor would she tell
it; but knowing the hopeless character
of her love, she nursed it in secret, and
kept, ah ! sadly kept, the secret locked
fast within her young breast.
The cold-hearted old Bey never even
dreamed of the true cause of her illness.
True, he had suspected her of being too
unguarded in her habits, and had laid
restrictions upon her as to the liberty
that should be permitted for her enjoy
ment ; but as for disappointment in love
being a cause sufficient to wither the
beauty and health of his child, the cool,
calculating old Turk could realize no
such thing. In vain were all the reme
dies prescribed by the physicians that
attended her, and at last the father, who
really loved his child, perhaps the only
being on earth that had ever engender
ed an honest affection in his heart, de
termined to seek the confidence of Zillah.
Ho entered the gorgeous furnished apart
ments of the Harem, and seating him
self on a rich divan of satin, he tender
y drew his child towards him.
Zillah loved her father, and at this un
usual token of kindness from him, tears
flooded her eyes and cheeks, and she bu
ried her face in his broad mantle, and
sobbed aloud.
"My child," said the old Bey, encir
cling her slender waist with his arm—
"tell me the true cause of thy sickness.
Surely thou knowest what robs thy cheek
of its color, thine eye of its brilliancy,
and thy form of its strength. Speak
Zillah, as you would open your heart to
the Prophet."
"Ah father, let me die in peace, since
I know full well how hopeless is my mal
ady; I love thee and do not complain."
" Nay, Zillah, my child," said the Bey
earnestly, "tell me what this secret is
—I charge you in the name of the Pro
phet."
The eyes of the beautiful girl sought
the rich carpet and a gentle blush stole
across her pale face beneath her now
almost transparent skin, as thus she mu
sed for a single moment.
" Speak, my child, speak!" said the
Bey, reading the half formed resolution
in her expressive face.
" Yes, I will reveal to you the truth,
my father. You remember the youth
who saved me from a watery grave."
" That yout h ; what of him, Zillah 1"
"Father," she whispered, "I love him."
" What, Zillah, thou lovest a dog of a
Christian, a vile Armenian I"
" I have spoken," said Zillah, mod
estly. _ _ _
The Bey knew his daughter to be fixed
in her feelings, and that all his rage was
only thrown away. She frankly told
him that she never could be happy un
less the young Armenian, Al Hassan,
was her husband. The embarrassment
of the Mussulman was great in this di
lemma. He had recourse to the most
eminent physicians to know if a malady
caused by love could ever prove fatal.—
They assured him that this had fre
quently been the case, and that his
daughter was in a most critical situation.
All this rendered him quite miserable,
for he could not for a moment entertain
the idea of his child's becoming the
wife of one of that most hated Chris
tian race. Besides, the laws prohibited
such inter-marriages in the most posi
tive and decided manner, affixing the
most fearful penalties to a digression
from the rule established. He thought
long and smoked many pipes over the
matter, coming to the conclusion that
there was but one way both to save his
child and to respect the laws, and his
plan of action was accordingly formed
in his own mind.
He repaired to the yonng Armenian's
shop and purchased some rich goods,
directing that the proprietor, Al Hassan,
should see them delivered at his palace,
and be there in person to receive his
PT
file terms of the bargain were strict
ly adhered to, and the young merchant
attended upon the delivery of the pur
chase in person. He received full pay
for his goods and a rich present besides,
with a message that if he would follow
the slave who gave them to him, he
should be conducted into the presence
of the Bey, who would be happy to re
ceive so reputable a merchant. Al Has
son followed the messenger through sev
eral winding passages, until at last they
stopped short and suddenly, when the
slave opened a secret door, and the as
tonished Armenian found himself with
in the sacred precincts of the Bey's
Harem, and within a few steps of Zillah
herself. His wonder soon gave way to
the joy of meeting her whom he loved
so dearly, and in spite of all penalty,
the two were the next moment in each
, other's arms! The emotion of the gen
tle 'Zillah was too much for her debilita
ted strength, and she fainted. Al Has
san laid her upon the rich divans, yield
ing her to the host of attendants that
thronged to her side.
At this moment the wily Turk enter
ed, and with well feigned surprise decla
red that the Armenian had profaned his
Harem, at the same time sternly order
ing his slaves to seise and confine him,
in the keep of the palace. But his
stratagem was too shallow to deceive.—
Al Hasson, who as he was being con
ducted away, turned and said:—
" Think not that I am deceived by this
hollow pretence ; for I know full well
your object in thus betraying me."
"Be this as it may, young man," re
plied the Turk, " there remains but one
mode for you to escape from death. By
virtue of the laws, you must now em
brace the Mahomedan faith and marry
my child, or your life is forfeit."
" There is a God in heaven .' replied
Al Hassan, as they hurried away to the
gloomy keep.
A week passed by and still was the
young merchant confined in the keep.—
Each morning a slave appeared before
him, stating that if he were prepared to
comply with the laws he should be re
leased;. if not, a few more days would
seal his fate. The old Turk thought
that Al Hassan thus pressed would
finally yield and chose to renounce his
faith rather than to die ; but he knew
not the sustaining and actuating motive
of this Christian captive, whose answer
was still unchanged. At last the Bey
sent for him to appear before him.
"Do you still adhere to your dogged
purpose 1" he asked.
" I have spoken," replied the Arme
nian.
" And dost prefer death to a life of
peace with Zillah 1"
" Ah! deeply, severely, am I tried,"
said Al Hassan; "no torture could make
me acknowledge so much, for as the
apple of mine eye, do I love thy daugh
ter, cruel Bey."
" The choice is with yourself ; life
with her, or a fearful death."
There was a momentary struggle in
the Armenian's mind—for but a moment
did he hesitate and pause to consider.
"Speak for the last time," said the
Bey, " ere I hand thee over to the mer
cies of the criminal tribunal."
" My trust is in Ileaven," said the
Armenian calmly.
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
WHOLE NO, 608
" Enough," said the Turk, " bear him
away to the Court."
And Al Hassan was led like a traitor
or a felon before the cruel judges whose
words were fate, and who were actuated
by all the prejudices of their country
' Men against the hated sedt to which he
belonged, but he was innocent and knew
no fear.
Boldly and withont hesitation did the
Bey charge him before the tribunal, of
profaning his Harein--a crime whose
penalty as all Constantinople knew, was•
death, unless the culprit became at once
a follower of the prophet, and in an in
stance like the present married the fe
male.
The Armenian commenced his defence
in a bold and manly strain. He con
fessed at once his deep unchanging love
for the beautiful Zillah, and acknowl
edged the charge preferred against him
of being found in the Harem. But he
showed also how be came there ; that it
was by treachery and design on the part
of the Bey himself, which could easily
be proved by his own child and by the
slaves that conducted him thither.
These were sent for and examined,
and the Turkish tribunal were forced to
acknowledge in their own hearts that
Al Hassan was innocent. But he was
found in the Harem ; no matter how be
came there; he was a Christian, and
the law provided for such cases was im
perative. The Judges all joined in ad
vising Al Hassan to embrace the true
faith as they termed the Mahometan
creed, but he steadily rejected all per
suasion, and the judges were forced to
pronounce his sentence. He was con
demned to be beheaded.
"Is there no hope cried the half dis
tracted Zillah to the Judges—must he
die because he is a Christian ?"
" There is no alternative for us, my
child, said the chief judge: we are but
the agents of the law—its humble ser
vants."
" The Sultan ! the Sultan !" cried
Zillah, as if a new thought had possess
ed her, at the same time leaving the Hall
of Justice.
She sought the palace of the " brother
of the Sun," and regardless of all cere
mony, threw herself at his feet. She
related in most intimate terms the true
state of the affair that so nearly affect
ed her. She told the Sultan too, of the
part her fnther had acted, but with all
delicacy and consideration, and with her
earnest but simple and true tale, enga
ged and interested the monarch. He
sent at once for the judges, and listened
attentively to their version of the affair,
also receiving from them a recommen
dation of mercy. The Sultan turned
his face towards the East, and for a mo
ment seemed lost in prayer. Then Al
Hassan was ordered before him.
" Thou lowest the Bey's daughter as
truly as she dotli thee'!" demanded the
Sultan when both were before him.
" I have long loved her thus truly,
noble Sultan," replied Al Hassan.
"And thou, Zillah, dolt love the Ar
menian, and would'st thou become his
wife 1"
"Oh ! noble Sultan ; it is the only
wish of my heart ungratified."
"If I err, the Prophet forgive me,"
said the Monarch, again bowing his.
head towards the East, " rise and go
hence ; you are from this hour married
to each other, and may the Prophet open
the eyes of all unbelievers 1"
Under such countenance as this, none
dared to complain, and the happy Zit
' lab and Al Hassan, would not have chan
ged their lot .for an accepted Peri's place
in Mahomet's Paradise.
Nore.—The reader has doubtless seen in the
last foreign journals that the Sultan of Turkey
has for the iirst timo sanctioned a mixed marriage
—and also the political bearing of the movement.
The marriage referred to, is that between Zillah.
the rich Bey'e daughter, and Al Hassan the Ar
menian merchant ; and this, gentle reader, is a true
story.
A Goon Toasz.—Gen. Erastus Root,
of N. Y., who was distinguished, among
other things, for his wit, was at dinner
the side companion of a militia captain.
In the course which followed the removal
of the cloth, the captain wastoasted. He
was surprised, but not confounded, so he
arose, and bowing his acknowledgments,
went at his sentiment at once. He com
menced: "The Militia of the United State's
—May they never want—and—and—and
—"--but he stuck and could get no fur
ther. The thing was likely to fail, and
the " glorious expectancy" of the com
pany was on the point of being disap
pointed, when Gen. Root whispered in
his ear, "and may they never be wanted."
The captain took the words up, and
with an air of conscious triumph, he re
peated the sentiment :
" The Militia of the United States--
May they never want and never be
wanted."
The applame which immediately fel
' lowed, proved that the captain had
achieved an immortality.