HUNTOGDOVJOURNAL
BY JAMES CLARK
VOL, XII, NO, 40,
TERMS
The O, HUNTINGDON JOURNAL" will be
puplirhed hereafter at the following rates, viz
*1.75 a year, if paid in advance; $2.00 if
paid during the year. and $2.50 if no; paid un
til after the expiration of the year. The above
terms to be adhered to in all epees.
No subscription taken for less than six month.,
and no paper discontinued until all arrearages are
paid, unless at the option of the publisher.
0 0. To Clubs of six, or more, who pay in ad
vance, the Journal will be sent at $1.50 per
copy for one year; and any one who will send us
that number of names accompanied with the money
.11.11 receive the. Journal one year for his trouble.
MISCELLANEOUS,
An Argument
That Convinced an Infidel,
We hart in the Chronotype an inter
esting extract from an article in the last
Democratic Review, contributed to that
periodical by Mr. Arrington, of Texas,
which will be read with interest by all
who, after struggling with mountain
doubts, have emerged into sunlight. As
all are not mathematicians, such reason
ing may not be convincing t 8 every one,
but all will acknowledge its beauty.
Something above .nd beyond Mathemat
ics—an overpowering consciousness of
the eternal verity of things—is demand.
ed by many who are not familiar with
the problems of Euclid or the reasonings
of Plato. The extract follows:
"The construction of the following
argument, in my mind originated in the',
necessity of my nature. Some years
ago I had the misfortune to meet with
the fallacies of Hume on the subject of
causation, His specious sophistries
shook the faith of my reason as to the
being of a God, but could not overcome
the fixed repugnance of my heart to a
negation so monstrous; and consequent
ly felt that infinite restless craving for
some point of fixed repose, which athe
ism not only cannot give, but absolute
ly and madly disaffirms.
One beautiful evening in May, I was
reading by the light of the setting sun
in my favorite Plato. I was seated on
the grass, interwoven with golden
blooms, immediately on the bank of the
crystal Colorado of Texas. Dim in the
distant west arose with smoky outlines,
massy and irregular, the blue cones of
an upshoot of the Rocky Mountains.
I was perusing one of the Acamedi
can's most starry dreams. It had laid
fast hold of my . iancy without exciting
my faith. 1 wept to think it could not
be true. At last I came to that startling
sentence, 'God geometrizes." Vain rev
ery !' I exclaimed as I cast the volume
on the ground at my feet. It fell close
by a little flower that looked fresh and
bright, as if it had just fallen from the
bosom of a rainbow. I broke it from its
silvery stem and began to examine its
structure. Its stamens were five in
number, its green calyx five parts, its
delicate coral vase five, parted with rays
like those of the Texan star. This com
bination of five three times in the same
blossom, appeared to tne very singular.
1 had never thought on such a subject
before. The last sentence I had just
read in the page of the pupil of Socrates
was ringing in my ears—'God geome
trizes:—There was the text written
long, centuries ago; and here this little
flower, in the remote wilderness of the
west furnished the commentary. There
suddenly paused as it were before my
eyes a faint light.-1 felt my heart leap
in my boson. The enigma of the uni
verse was open. Swift as a thought I
calculated the chances against the pro
duction of those three equations of five
in only one flower, by any principle de
void of the reason to perceive number.
I found that there were one hundred and
twenty-five chances against such a sup.
Nosition. I extended the calculation to
;Iva flowers, by squaring the sum last
-mentioned. The chances amounted to'
the large sum of fifteen thousand six
hundred and twenty-five. I cast my
eyes around in the forest; the old woods
were literally alive with those golden
blooms, where countless bees were hum
ming, and butterflies "sipping honey
dews.
I will not attempt to describe my feel
ings. My soul became a tumult of ra.
diant thoughts. I took up my beloved
Plato trotn the grass where I had tossed
him in a fit of despair.—Again and again
I pressed him to my bosom, with a clasp
tender as a mother's around the neck of
her sleeping child. I kissed alternately
the book and the blossom, bedewed them
both with tears of joy. In my wild en
thusiasm, I called out to the little birds
on the boughs, thrilling their cheery
farewells to departing day—" Sing on,
sunny birds; sing on,.sweet minstrels;
Lo! ye and I hnve still a God!'"
THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF PRINTING.—The
etlitor of the New York Sun is procur
ing a new press that will cost 4420,000,
ospable of printing 25,000 copies an
Agar.
POLITICAL.
From the North American
THE TREACHERY AGAINST
MR. MUHLENBURG.
MORE Paoors.
Ve give below a second letter from
Col. Salisbury, received last evening,
and accompanied by tech proofs as can
not be controverted, and which must
fasten the paternity of the Champion
editorials upon Messrs. Miller and Pet
riken, and involve Gov. Shunk in a con
nection with the same political outrage.
The articles referred to in Mr. Sprig;
man's statement are the same which we
have already published and there is no
necessity of again placing them before
our readers. At a proper time, we shall
make such comments upon this affair as
its importance demands:
HARRISBURG, Sept. 25, 1847.
Eds. Xorth 4merican and U. S. Gazette :
Gentlemen have noticed a denial
by the individuals named in my letter
to you of the 20th instant, of any par
ticipation in the vituperation and abuse
which characterized some of the edito
rial articles against Mr. Mahlenberg,
which appeared in the Champion after
his nomination in 1844.
I cannot say that lam surprised at
this bold denial by these gentlemen—
the only remedy left them being to deny
the facts charged upon them and proven.
They were charged before the people
of Pennsylvania, with having committed
a moral and political offence, in the in
decent and unprecedented oppsition
which they made to the Democratic
party of Pennsylvania and its nominee
lbr Governor, in 1844, through the col
umns of a public journal, a miserable,
pitiful sheet, called the Democratic
Champion.
To this charge they plead not guilty.
I might rest upon my letter of the 20th
instant. Upon the broad basis there laid
down I feel entirely secure, for " truth
is mighty and will prevail ;" but to the
end that the country may have no doubt
as to the truth of time charges which
have been promulgated, against the po
litical integrity of Messrs. Miller, Pet
riken and others, I herewith enclose
you such additional evidence as will con
vince the people of Pennsylvania that
any and all denials by these gentlemen,
of their improper and inglorious oppo
sition to Henry A. Muhlenberg, after
his nomination, is utterly nugatory, and
only increases the offence with which
they already'stand charged at the bar
of public opinion, and upon which the
citizens of the Commonwealth are to
render a verdict.
However extraordinary and painful it
may be, it will be seen that these gen
tlemen did oppose Mr. Muhlenberg with
vehemence after his nomination. They
denied to him, the then democratic can
didate for Governor, that justice and
support they are now claiming for them
selves. They opposed hint after his
nomination by the democracy of the
State, and refused to be bound by the
settled usages of the democratic party:
—men who are enjoying and claiming
at the present moment, high places of
lionor,lrust and einoluinertt, at the hands
of a great party, and mainly, from the
labor and toil of the friends of the la.
mewed man whom they so much tradu
ced, and who is not now here to answer
for himself.
There are times and occasions when
the duty of the citizen rises superior
and is paramou at to party considerations.
This, in my judgment, presents one of
those cases. Let justice be done, though
the heavens fall.
That Mr. Muhlenberg's early and at
tached friends ; those who have stood
by him while living for more than a
quarter of a century, through evil and
good report, with a firm and steady hand,
as he had always stood by them, may
feel deeply wounded, is not my fault.—
The smarting of the wounds can only
be traced to the poisoned arrows, which
quivered :n the bow of his pseudo friends
—Messrs. Miller, Petriken, &c. ; nor
shall the violence and menaces of a lit
tle "brief authority" deter me from a
fearless and faithful vindication of the
character of my fallen friend ; and the
political rights of those, who like myself,
loved him when living, and revere his
memory when dead.
Men should always expect, who live
in the midst of a free, virtuous and in
telligent people, to bear the consequen
ces of their own misdeeds and perfidy.
If there is treason in the camp, who are
the Traitors? Let the facts now put
forth to the country answer this clues.
Lion. We may be permitted to say, nor
can it be denied with truth, that the
friends of this lamented man have felt
[CORRECT PRINCIPLES-SUPPORTER BY TRUTH.]
HUNTINGDON, PA., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1847,
the lash of proscription applied with un
warrantable severity by gentlemen now
in power and who are again seeking
their support.
It has been claimed by Mr. Miller that
he had nothing to do with the contempt
ible sheet called the champion. It was
a contemptible sheet ; and it was con
temptible, wicked and cruel for an indi
vidual who owed Mr. Muhlenberg a
debt of deep and abiding gratitude, to
make such a sheet an organ of persecu
tion, villification and abuse towards him
at a time when he was the standard bear
er of the republican party of the State.
It can be claimed no longer, that these
gentlemen are not deeply involved and
connected with the vilest editorials
which appeared against him during the
campaign of 1844., in the columns of the
paper mentioned above. Has it come
to this, that a member of Mr. Shank's
cabinent is the keeper of the articles of
that miserable paper, and one of the
most violent in its personal abuse that
ever was penned against any one How
is it that Mr. Miller's colleague is in
possession of the original manuscript
headed "The Blooded Parson," and
which appeared in the Champion under
its editorial head 1 We were surprised
when we learned, as we have this day,
that this infamous article, the ORIGINAL
MANUSCRIPT is in the keeping of a mem
ber of Gov. Shank's cabinet, and a col
league of his Secretary, Jesse Miller—
the Hon. John Laporte! Precious relic
for the cabinet of a great State to keep.
‘t e have indeed fallen upon evil times.
Is the vituperation, which has been
heaped upon a great and good man, when
living, so interesting, that the manu
script copies are kept as remembrances
of their own unscrupulousness, after
his death ; or, are they kept by the Cab
inet officers of the present State Exec
utive,
to prevent their paternity from
being exposed to the indignant gaze of
the Democracy of Pennsylvania and the
world 1
At an early hour this morning, I re
ceived a letter from the Hon. John La
porte, Surveyor-General of the Common
wealth, from which I make the follow
ing extract, for the purpose of vindica
ting the truth of my statement and the
correctness of my course in the premi
ses :
"Sir, I ask you to send by my eon. (the bearer of
this) it paper I handed you ounce time last summer,
purporting to be an original article, written for a
paper, called the Champion. published at thin place
in n 43 and '44, beaded " 7'he Blooded Parson,"
and I shall expect you to comply with my request
forthwith. Yours, &c..
JOHN LAPORTE."
Will it now be denied, that these gen
tlemen of the Cabinet, who have so
stoutly denied their osposition to Mr.
Muhlenberg, both before and after his
nomination, have all along retained pos
session of the evidence of their own
treachery, for the purpose of keeping it
concealed from the democracy, whose
support they covet 1
Herewith is enclosed the affidavits of
the publishers of the "Democratic Cham
pion." also a statement by one of the
publishers, voluntarily made by him, re
lating to this whole matter. 1 also for
ward you a letter from Henry Sprig
man, Esq., and take this opportunity to
thank him for his kindness in attending
not only to my own personal interest in
the matter, but the interests of the pub
lic. The letter, and this communication
are at your disposal in the cause of truth
and justice. lam very respectfully,
Your obd't serv't, SETH .SALISBU'ItY
P. S.—l also encicse you an address
with accompanying affidavits which you
can use at your discretion. The affida
vits identify the papers in your posses
sion, and for that purpose they are more
particularly intended. S. S.
OIDDRIESS
To the One Term Demo , - -ats and the
Friends of the late H... 1. Afuhlenberg.
It is probably well known to you all
that the undersigned, in connection with
Mr. Augustus Sprigman, were the pub
lishers of a Democratic Journal in Har
risburg, entitled the " Democratic Cham
pion," from October, in 1843 to Sep
tember, 1844—which paper advocated
the nomination of Francis R. Shank, for
Governor, by the Democratic State Con
vention of the 4th of March, 1844, and
afterwards, while it was published, op
posed the election of Mr. .Muhlen
berg.
The state of parties in 1841, is well
known to you , as well as the great ef
forts to effect the re-nomination of Mr.
Shank. But it is not so well known,
that after Mr. Shook and his most ac
tive friends were defeated in their ob
ject, they did all in their power, by per.
sonal influence, and otherwise to defeat
the election of Mr, Muhlenberg and se
cure that. of the Whig nominee! Neith
er is it known that they had an efficient
organization for that purpose, by not
only sustaining the "Democratic Cham
pion," but by writing for ancraditing it,
as the following editorials, in the hand.
Writing of Jesse Miller, Henry Petriken
and Christian Seiler, which will be
found appended to this address, the
originals of which are in my possession
will show.
By these editorials, written by the ar
dent, personal and political friends of
Governor Shunk, who have been ap
pointed to, and now hold high offices
under him, any person of any ordinary
sagacity can see that Gov. Shank refus
ed to recognize Mr. Muhlenberg as the
nominee of the Democratic party, and
was secretly engaged, through his par
ticular friends, in defeating his election.
It cannot be said that Mr. Shank was ig
norant of their course, for I am person
ally satisfied he was aware of the plot
and proceedings—. and approved them—
or he would not have made these actors
his principal and confidential advisers
when he got into power. Even in the
absence of all other evidence to prove
this fact, the ostracism of the friends of
Muhlenberg all over the State, would be
sufficient to convince the most incredu
lous, for it is a well known fact that not
one friend of Mr. Muhlenberg hall an
appointment under him, notwithstand
ing numerous applications had been
made.
We all remember the obstinate course
of the friends of Shunk in the conven
tion of '47. When it became apparent
that a majority of the uninstructed del
egates were favorable to the re-nomina
tion of Shunk so as to render his nomi
nation certain—they would listen to no
proposition—they would accept of no
compromise to effect an amicable and
conciliatory nomination. No! They
were of the majority, and had determin
ed to do JUST AS THEY PLEASED,
regardless of the people's rights and the
welfare of the party. Ctesar or noth
ing" was their motto for action.
It is also worthy of being known, that
Mr. Jesse Miller, the present Secretary
of State under Gov. Shunk, and who as
sumes the dictatorial powers of his Ad
ministration, was a warm and ardent
supporter of Mr. Muhlenberg up to the
very hour of the meeting of the conven
tion, and who exerted himself in procur
ing deletrates from Perry and other coun
ties, favorable to his nomination, which
subsequently at his bidding voted for
Shunk. His reward for his treachery
may be seen in the appointment to the
office he now holds.
The authors of the following letters,
are J. Cunningham Clark, the son of
James Clark, Esq., formerly Canal Com
missioner, and an ardent friend of Mr.
Shunk, who held, or still holds an ap
pointment on the Pennsylvania Canal at
Blairsville: Terrace J. Cantwell, a Dem
ocrat of influence, also an ardent friend
of Skunk, residing at Blairsville, and
John P. Ford, also a prominent and in
fluential Democrat, residing at Blairs
ville. Those men, I was informed, were
the representatives of the sentiments of
the friends of Gov. Shunk in the west.
These letters were sent by me to Mr.
Miller, through Mr. Petriken, who re
turned them with an editorial article, m
the hand-writing of Mr. Miller, which
was published in the " Champion," pre
ceding the letters.
The letters and editorials referred to,
as being written by Mr. Jesse Miner,
Secretary of the Commonwe:ilii,,
Petriken, ecretary, and C. bett
er, the brother of Jacob Seiler, an ar
dent friend of Gov. Shank, and also
clerk in the State Department, J. Cun
ningham Clark and others, the friends
of Shank, were nil published in the
" Democratic Champion" AFTER THE
NOMINATION OF H. A. MUHLEN
BERG, and for the avowed determina
tion of defeating his election. I may also
state that the "Champion" was kept up
until after the death of Mr. Muhlenberg,
by these men, for no other purpose.
It is not my intention to give a multi
plicity of words in this address, but
knowing, as I do, that the feelings enter
tained by Gov. Shunk and those around
him, towards the friends of the lamented
Muhlenberg, are the same as they were
in 1844, when they resolved upon his
defeat, and the consequent defeat of the
Democratic party, I have felt it to be
my duty to lay the facts before you that
you may act understandingly in the
course that you may pursue at the pres
ent election. I state to you the facts—
and such facts which cannot be denied.
The living witnesses of them are in my
control, and will be kept by me beyond
the reach of any enemy until called for
at the proper place.
In the promulgation of these facts, I
am not influenced by any motives of re
venge. I have no personal animosity
to satisfy; but knowing the corruption
that sits in high places, and the want of
principle in those who hold power, as a
Democrat, now and always in favor of
the Democratic principle of one term, I
make these disclosures through a sense
of duty, leaving my brother one-term
Democrats to examine, decide nod act
for themselves. G. H. IVIORGAN.
I
concur in the nbove statements.
AUGUSTUS SPRIGMAN.
Dauphin County, Sct.
Before me the subscriber, a Justice of
the Peace in and for said County, per
sonally came George H. Morgan and
Augustus Sprigman, who being duly
sworn according to law, doth depose and
say, that the facts set forth in the above
Address are true in every particular,
and that the manuscript papers therein
alluded to, and now marked respectively
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, 1, J, K, L, 141,
and N, and signed with their signatures,
were the same manuscript papers as left
there by Henry Petriken and Jesse Mil
ler. That they make this address and
submit these facts and papers to the pub
lic of their own accord and without the
solicitation of any one.
G. H. MGRGAN,
AUGUSTUS SPRIGMAN.
Sworn and subscribed this sixth day,
of August, 1847, before me.
DAVID HARRIS, J. P.
Harrisburg, Sept. 24, 184.7.
Col. Seth Salisbury—My Dear Sir
I have seen the “North American" of
the 23d inst. and have read your letter,
as published in the same with pleasure.
I feel it my duty to communicate to you
some facts which may enlighten the pub
lic mind in regard to the facts put forth
in your letter touthing the peculiar
course of conduct pursued by certain
gentlemen, now surrounding the Execu
tive of the State—not only before the
nomination of the late Henry A. Mull-
Iceberg, but especially after his nomina•
tion.
1 know your friendship and devotion
to that excellent man, and when I read
your letter in the " North American,"
it wakened up in my bosom all the ob
ligations which rest upon me; and the
kindnesses which were bestowed upon
me by a friend who was so suddenly
called away in 1844. If his friends were
true to him, he was true to them. And
I cannot look quietly and see your state
ments coolly denied by the very men
who were so treacherous to the democrat
ic party m 1844, and ungrateful to a
friend to whom they owed so much.
Jesse Miller, who had been the noisy
friend, in favor of Mr. Muhlenberg . s
nomination,
to which in a few days of
the "4th of Mardi Convention" in '44,
suddenly veered about, and was among
the most active, wily, and bitter oppo
nents that Mr. Muhleoberg had at liar
risburm . . _
Whet motive induced Mr. Miller to
make the sudden somerset, and to strike
a blow at the very man who had been his
benefactor, the world must judge—those
who know the man can have no trou
ble in determining. He thought he could
make more capital for himself by going
for Mr. Shank, and he poured forth all
his wrath upon an old friend and bene
factor. —The facts are known by almost
every premium Democrat—hence it is
that Jesse Miller is so obnoxious, and I
may say odious, to the entire friends of
Mr. Muhlenberg.
But I will now come to the point.
Afer tlie iomiuution of Mr. M ohlenberg,
by the 4.11 i of March Convention, he was
sti:. opposed bi the gentleman named in
your letter to the North American. A
paper culled the " Democratic Champ
ion" was the organ through which they
communicated their dpposition to the
public—this was done not only with'
warmth, but without regard to the per
sonal feelings either of Mr. Muhlenberg
or his friends. That this system of per
secution had a strong influence in depriv
ing Pennsylvania of the services of Mr.
Muhlenberg, I have no doubt.
I was frequently at the office of the
Champion, as it was published by my
brother, and saw and read the original
manuscripts, and on several occasions
assisted in reading the copy and cor
recting the proofs of the same. The ar
ticles, some of the most violent, were in
the hand-writing of the gentleman
you have so boldly and promptly named
in your letter. Those articles were
strongly opposed to the election of Mr.
Muhlenberg. I could say much more;
but will conclude by saying, that Jesse
Miller, Henry Petriken, and other gen
tlemen connected with them, contribu
ted the most violent articles that appear
ed in the Champion against the Demo
cratic nominee, Mr. Muhlenberg, at that
day. What I have said here I have
done in justice to yourself, to the old
friends of Mr. Muhlenberg, and to the
public; and shall say it when called
upon before the people, or upon my sol
emn oath in a Court of Justice.
1 am with much respect, yours truly,
HENRY SPRIGMAN.
EDITORIAL DEPARTAILNT,
Harrisburg argils, June 5, 1847.
Mr. Augustus Sprigmert celled at my
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
WHOLE NO. 610.
room and made the following statement:
1. That lie was the publisher of a pa
per called the "Champion," that appear
ed temporarily at Harrisburg, in 1844,
and published about nine months. The
"Champion," pending the nomination
for Governor, advocated the nomination
of Frs. R. Shui , k. Mr. Sprigman, the
publisher, says that pending, and up to
the time of the nomination for Governor
of Pennsylvania, Henry Fetriken, and
Jacob Seiler, and others, were the con
stant visitors and confidential friends of.
the paper. To establish this fact, he
(Mr. Sprigmon) and his father are rea
dy to swear to in a Court of Justice.
- After the 4th of March Convention,
which resulted in the nomination of H.
A. Muhlenberg, by the Democracy of
the State, for the office of Governor, the .
" Champion" was still published by Mr..
Augustus Sprigman, who informs me
this evening, in my room, that he recei
ved a communication from Francis R.
Shunk against Mr. Muhlenberg, accom
panied by a private note over his own
proper signature, requesting its publica
tion in the 41 Champion." That the sig
nature of Mr. Shenk is genuine, and now
in the possession of Mr. Sprigman.—
That the letter of Mr. Shunk bore mark
Allegheny City.
That Mr. Henry Petriken was the per
sonal visitor and friend of the Champion
office and paper after the nomination of
Mr. Muhlenberg—that lie wrote many
of the articles that appeared in the
"Champion" against Mr. M.—always
locking the door during the operation—
that the manuscripts are still in the pos
session of Mr. Sprigman in his own
handwriting—that Mr. Solomon Sprig
man was present at these times frequent
ly, and will make oath, together with
his son, to the truth of these statements
—that Jacob Seiler also wrote editorials
frequently ' and that also an article head
ed "The Bloody Parson" is in manu
script, and in the hand-writing of Jesse
Miller—that all the above statements in.
general and detail are true, and would
be sworn to in a Court of Justice.
The above statement from Mr. Augus
tus Sprigman is taken down by me this
sth day of June, 1847.
SETH SALISBURY.
I hereby certify that the above state
ments are strictly true, and were writ
ten down by my consent and under my
direction. A. SPRIGMAN.
Gov. Shunk's Democracy.
The Whig Legislature of last winter
passed a bill authorizing the People of
the several counties to elect their Pros
ecuting Attorneys in the same manner
in which they elect the other County
Officers. This mode of choosing these
officers has long prevailed in. Ohio and
many other States, and has recently
been introduced into the new Constitu
tion of Illinois.
Gov. Skunk, however, was not willing
to relinquish so valuable a branch of
official patronage. The power of ap
pointing the Attorney General subjects
all his Deputies to his control, and in
sures hum the possessing of a servile
tool in every county. An old office
holder himself; without any qualifica
tion (of merit or service) to recommend
himself to the People, lie relies on the
exertions of these official dependants
to secure his re-election ! He, there
fore, quietly pocketed the bill when it
was presented to him, and thus preven
ted it from becoming a law as effectu
ally as if he had vetoed it.
hut he did not dare to veto it! He
would have been obliged to give his rea
sons for so doing! And he had not the
manliness to avow, as Martin Van Bu
ren did in the New York Convention,
that “the,/archer the Power was removed
from the People, the better !" He wish
ed to secure his re-election first ! nen
he can apply the veto with safety !
But should Gen. InviN be elected, he
will let the bill become a law simply by
letting it lie in his pocket !
ANECDOTE.—An officer, returned from
the war, who was at a social party a
few evenings since, was boasting exces
sively of his own personal valor and
prowess. Just as the wine bottle came
round to him, he entered on rather a te
dious narrative of an attack made on
him at Buena Vista by some Mexican
soldiers, three of whom he left dead at
his feet, two of whom fell wounded, and
the remaining Iwo of whom, as an Irish
man would say, ran away. He was so
intent on blowing his own trumpet that
he never thought of passing the wine
which stood before him. Half an hour
having elapsed, and the tale not being
half told, his friend on the right, impa
tient for the wine and tired of his boast
ful story, stretching for the bottle, cool
ly called out—" A little more grape,
Captain Bragg."—N. O. Delta.
ff' - • Some of the Papers down South
have been nicely hoaxed with a story
that Gen Scott had been elected Prem.
<lett of Mexico.