THE JOURNAL.
[COIIIII.2CT PRINCIPLES--allirditiSD BY TRUTII.jI
HUNTINGDON, PA,
Tuesday ilforning,7,lnly 16, 1850.
TERMS :
The "HUNTINODON JOURNAL" is publishedat
the following rates, viz; sl,ls a year, if paid
in advance ; $2,00 if paid during the year, and
$2,50 if not paid until after the expiration of
the year. The above terms to be adhered to in
all cases.
No subscription taken for less than six months,
and no papor discontinued until all arrearages
are paid, unless at the option of the publisher.
WHIG STATE TICKET FOR 1850.
Once more our glorious banner out
Upon the breeze we th-ow ;
Beneath its folds, with song and shout,
Let's charge upon the foe.
CANAL. COMMISMONER,
JOSHUA DUNGAN, of Ducks Co.
AVIATOR GENERAL,
HENRY W. SNYDER, of Union.
SURVEYOR GENERA!,
JOS. HENDEIRSON, of Washington
DELEGATE ELECTIONS,
WHIG COUNTY CONVENTION.
The Democratic Whig voters of Huntingdon
county are requested to meet in their respective
Townships and Boroughs, at the *isnot places of
holding their Delegate Ejections,
On Saturday the 10th day of August,
to elect two delegater from each of said town.
ships and boroughs, to represent them in a Coun
ty Convention to be held in the borough of
Huntingdon,
On Wednesday the I lth day of August,
at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, to put in nomina
tion a Democratic Whig COUNTY TICKET,
and to appoint three Conferees to meet the
Conferees of Blair, Centre, Mifflin and Juniata,
to nominate a candidate for Congress ; also,
three Conferees to meet the Conferees of Blair
and Cambria, to nominate a candidate for State
Senator, and do such other things *as the good of
the cause may require.
The Whigs of the several townships will hold
their elections between the hours ofd and 7 o'-
clock, P. M., and in the Boroughs between the
hours of 8 and 10 o'clock, P. M.
The Whigs of Henderson township will hold
their election at the public hones of A. Carmon,
in this borough, between the hours of 4 and 7
o'clock, P. M. By order of the Co. Committee.
JAS. CLARK, Chairman.
Wm. B. ZEIGLER, Sec'ry.
AFFLICTING NEWS !
Death of President Taylor:
Gen. ZACHARY TAYLOR, President of the U.
States, died at the Executive mansion, in Wash
ington, on Tuesday night last, (July 0,) at hal
past 10 o'clock. Language fails us to express
the deep sorrow we feel at this melancholy
event. It will cause the people everywhere t
mourn. Truly, "a great man has fallen in our
Israel." He was not only great on the field o
battle, and terrible to the enemies of his coun
try, but in his short career as President, he has
shown himself equally great in council. The
history of his whole life has been one of patriot
ic devotion to his country, and his last words
convey to his countrymen an impressive !esson
of wisdom and patriotism, which all should seek
to follow. .1 have always done my duty,'
were his dying words; "lan ready to die. My
only regret is for the friends I leave behind me."
The immediate causes of this sudden bereave
ment were the fatigues and exertions of public
service, joined to oppressive duties. On Thurs•
day, the 4th of July, he turned out to hear thr
oration that was delivered at the Monument.
The day was uncommonly sultry and oppressive ,
and the President was probably somewhat ex
hausted by the exposure he. had undergone. Un
fortunately, on that day, he partook of several
vegetables at his dinner, which brought on a
very severe attack of the cholera inorbus. The
disease ran on, until, on Saturday night, he was
considered in some danger. Fever supervened,
and the sad result is just announced to the nation.
The following eloquent tribute to the memory
of Gen. Taylor, delivered by lion. DANIEI.
Waarrsa, immediately after the afflicting news
was officially announced in the Senate, will be
read with interest and emotion. Mr. IVebeteri
said :
Mr. Secretary—At a time when the great
mass of our fellow citizens en joy remarkable
health and happiness throughout the whole coun
try, it has pleased Divine Providence to visit the
two Houses of Congress, and especially this
House, with repented occasions for mourning
and lamentation. Since the commencement of
the session we have followed two of our own
members to their last home, and we are now
called upon, in conjunction with the other branch
of the Legislature, and in full sympathy with
the deep toile of affliction, which I am sure is
felt throughout all the country, to take part in
the last and due solemnities of the funeral of the
late President of the United States.
Truly, sir, was it said in the communication
read to us that a "great man has fallen among
„. 1,
The late President of the United State's, ori•
ginally a soldier by profeasion, having gone
through a long and splendid career of military
service, had, at the close of the late war with
Mexico, become so much endeared to the people
of the United States, and had inspired them with
so high a degree of regard and confidence, that
without solicitation or application, without pui •
suing any devious paths of policy, or turning ei
ther to the right or left from the path of duty
—a great and powerful and generous people se's
fit by popular vote and voice, to confer upon him
the highest civil authority in the nation.
We cannot forget that, as in o'her instances,
so in this, the public feeling was won and carried
away, in some degree, by the eclat of military
renown—so it ha. been always, and so it always
will be—because high respect for noble feats in
arms has been, and always will be, outpoured
from the hearts of the members of popular gov
ernment.
But it will be a great mistake to suppose that
the late President of the United States owed his
advancement to high tivil trust, or his great ac-
ceptability with the people, to military talent oil
'ability alone. I believe, sir, that associated
i
with the highest admiration for those qualities
possessed by him, there was spread throughout,
Ithe community a high degree of confidence and;
faith in his integrity and honor and uprightness,
as a man. I
lal belicve he was especially regarded as both
firm and a mild man in the exercise of his au
thority—and I have observed, more than once,
in this and other popular governments, that the
prevalent motive with the masses of mankind'
for conferring high power on individuals, is a
confidence in their mildness, paternal, protecting
secure and safe character.
The people naturally feel safe where they feel
,themselves to be under the control and protect
of sober councilmen, of impartial minds,
and a general paternal superintendence.
I suppose, sir, that no case ever happened in
the very best days of the Roman Republic where
any man found himself clothed with the highest
authority in the State, under circumstances more
repelling all suspicion of personal application,
all suspicion of pursuing any crooked path in
politics, or all suspicion of having bees actuated
by sivister views and purposes, than in the case
of the worthy, and eminent, and distinguished,
and good man, whose death we now deplore.
He has left to the people of his country a leg
acy in this. He has left them a bright example
which addresses itself with peculiar force to the
poling and rising generation; for it tells them
that there Is a path to the highest degree of re
nown, straight onward, steady, without change
or deviation.
Mr. Secretary, my friend from Louisianna
(Mr. Downs) has detailed, shortly, the events in
the military career of Gen. Taylor. His ser
vice through his life was mostly on the frontiers,
and always a hard service often in combat with
the tribes of Indians, along the frontier for so
many thousands of miles.
It nas been justly remarked by one of the most
eloquent men, whose voice was ever heard in
these houses, that it is not in Indian wars that
heroes are celebrated, but that it ie there the,
they are formed. The hard service—tha stern
discipline devolving upon all those who have a
great extent of territory to defend, and often
with irregular troops, their own being called on
suddenly to enter into contest with savages—to
study the habits of savage life and savage war,
in order to forsee and overcome their stratagems.
All these things tend to make hardy military
e%aracter.
,
For a very short period I had a connection
with the Executive Government of this country
and all that time very serious and embarrassing
circumstances existed between the United States
and the Indians on the borders, and war was
actually raging between the United States and
Florida tribes, and I very well remember that
those who took counsel together on that occasion
officially, and who were desirous of placing the
military command in the safest hands, came to
the conclusion that there was no man in the ser
vice more fully uniting quality, ability and great
personal prudence than Zachary Taylor, and he
was of course oppointed to the command.
Unfortunately his career at the head of this
government was short. For my part, in all that
I have seen of him, I have found much to res
pect, and nothing to rondemn. The circumstan
ces under which he conducted the government
for the few months he was at the head of it, have
been such, as perhaps not to give him a very fa
vorable opportunity of developing his principles
nd his policy, and to carry them out—but I be
lieve he•has left on the minds of the country a
:trong impression—first, of his absolute hones
ty and integrity of character—next, of his sound
practical good sense—and lastly, of the mildness
kindness, and friendliness of his temper towards
.11 his countrymen. But he is gone—he is ours
no more, except in the force of his example.
Sir, I heard with infinite delight, the senti
ments expressed by my honorable friend from
Louisiana, (Mr. Dom , ' who has just resumed
his seat, when he earnestly prayed that this
event might be used to soften the animosities—
to allay party criminations and recriminations,
and to restore the fellowship and good feeling
among the various sections of the Union.
Mr: Secretary, great as is our loss to-day-1
these inestimable and impressive blessings se-1
cured to us even by the death of Zachary Tay
loi—they have not been purchased at too high
a price, and if his spirit, from the regions to
which he has ascended, could see these results,
could see that he had entwined a soldier's laurel
around a martyr's crown, he would say, exul
tingly happy am I, that by that death I have
one more for that country which I loved and
served, thLn I did or could do by all the devotion
nil all the efforts that I could make in her be
half, during the short space of my earthly exis
tence.
Mr. Secretary, great as this calamity is, we
mourn—but are not as those without hope.—
We lave seen one eminent man—and another
eminent man--ond at fast a man in the midst of
eminent station fall away from the midst of us.
But I doubt not there is a power above us exer
cising over us that parental care that has marked
our progress for so many years. I have confi
dence still that the place of the departed will
be supplied—that the kind beneficent favor of
Almighty God will still he with us, and that we
hall be borne along and borne upward and up
ward on the wings of sustaining Providence.
May God grant that in the time that is before
us, there may not be wanting to us as wise, as
•ooil men for our counsellors, as he was, whose
funeral obsequies we now propose to celebrate.
The following brief sketch of Gen. TAYLOR'S
life, we take from the Phila. Inquirer
Gen. Taylor was born in Orange co. Va., inl
1781. His father, Col. Taylor, served in th
war of the Revolution, and in 1700 emigrated
from Virginia to Kentucky, where he bore a con
spicuous part in the labors and struggles of the
arty twitters. In May 1808, Zachary Tayto
was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 7th
Regiment of U. S. Infantry. In 1812 he wa
made captain, and placed in command of Fort,
Harrison, on the Wabash. When the war with'
Great Britain commenced, the Fort was attack-
ed by 100 Indians, and for his successful defence '
of it, he was brevetted major. After that war t
he received the rank of colonel, and during the
Black Hawk war, in 1832, distinguished him
self at the battle of Bad-axe, which resulted in
the capture of Black Hawk and the Prophet.
In 1830 he was ordered to Florida, in com
mend of a separate column, and in Decembe
1937 fought at the battle of Okee-cho-bee, which
resulted in the total defeat of a large body of the
Indians. In May 1815 Texas was annexed to th
Union, and in the August following, Gen. Taylo li
hen in command of the first department of the
rmy, proceeded with a portion of his troops to
Corpus Christi. On the 11th of March 1818, h
took up his line of March for the Rio Grande,
where he arrived on the 28th. On the 12th o
April he wee summoned by the Mexican Gener
1 to evacuate his post on the river, which he
refused to do.
On the Ist of May he left his entrenchments
opposite Matamoras, to open the communicationi
with Point Isabel. On the Bth of May, on his
return to relieve Fort Brown, which was born
.arded by the Mexicans, he was encountered by
0000 of the enemy at Palo Alto, whom he de
feated. His own force consisted of two thou
sand one hundred men. The next day, the 9th,
he again met them at Resaca de la Palma, and
fter a hard fought battle, routed them with
rest slaughter, and took possession of Mats
mom. These two signal victories, obtained
with such disparity of force, produced an enthu
siastic admiration of Gen. 'Taylor, and of his
gallant companions in arms.
On the 21st and 22d of September he assault
ed Monterey, a fortified city in Mexico, which,
after a desperate resistance, capitulated. Or.
the 22d of February, 1847, with a force con
sisting of five thousand men, Gen. Wool being
second in command, he encountered the Mexi
cans at Buena Vista, under Santa Anna, twenty
.thousand strong, end totally defeated them.
..
On the 11th of February 1819, on an examina
tion of the electoral votes for President and Vice
President, he was declared duly elected Presi
dent of the United States, and was inaugurated
' the 9th of March following. He thus occupied
kthe office of Chief Magistrate a few days mor e
[than sixteen months.
FROM WASHINGTON.
DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT.
FIRST MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT FILL
MORE-THE OATH OF OFFICE AD
MINISTERED.
[Correspondence of the Public Ledger.]
Wasnisoxon, July 10, 1850.
The late President, General Zachary Taylor,
had been attacked on the sth July with a slight
cholera morbus, which, toward Saturday, annum
led a malignant type. He was not, however con
sidered in the least danger, as the resolutions pas-
Ise,' in the house on Monday plainly indicate.—
On that day, however, the malady changed into
typhoid fever, and on Tuesday, for the first time,
it was the opinion of Dr. Hall that, unless a
change took place in a few hours, the illustrious,
patient could not recover. . .l
As soon as this fatal news was communicated
to the two Houses, they adjourned on yesterday
morning. The late President felt much more
composed, and the fever had apparently subsi
ded. Toward ten o'clock, however, he grew
worse ; again toward 1 o'clock, he fell into a
slumber, with a slight moisture on his skin.—
This was taken as a favorable symptom, and the
Messenger of the White House communicated
the cheerful tidings to the different Departments.
lathe afternoon,however,the patientgrew worse
again—Dr Hall having expressed his fear of a
fatal issue several hours previous; and when
every one else was led to hope for his recovery
at 4 o'clock symptons of congestion of the brain
and stomach were observed, and the patient
was rapidly sinking. The illustrious General
and Patriot expired athalf past 10 o'clock, P. M.,
yesterday.
The whole Cabinet was in attendance, but
ad retired to an adjoining room, fifteen minutes
before his death —Messrs. Preston and Reverdy
Johnson weeping aloud for the late President.
To the hour of his death were his family, Mrs.
Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. Bliss, Mr. A. Bell andl
Col. Jefferson Davis, around him, in addition to
the four physicians, Dr. Witherspoon, of the
Army, family physician, Dr. Wood and Dr. Cool
idge, of the army, and Dr. Hall, of Washington.
President Zachary Taylor died perfectly corn-I
posed, his last intelligible words were "I have
done my duty, my only regret is in leaving those
who are dear to me."
The Senate and House met at 11 o'clock, A.
M., to-day, the following message was received
from Mr. Fillmore now President of the United
States:
WASHINGTON, July 10th 1850.
Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and
House of Representatives:--I have to
perform the melancholy duty of announ
cing to you, that it has pleased Almigh
ty God to remove from this life Zachary
Taylor, late President of the United
States. He deceased last evening, at
the hour of half past 10 o'clock, in the
midst of his family, and surrounded by
affectionate friends, calmly, and in the
full possession of all his faculties.—
Among his last words were these, which
he uttered with emphatic distinctness: ,
" I HAVE ALWAYS DONE MY DUTY--I AM
READY TO DIE-My ONLY REGRET IS FOR
THE FRIENDS I LEAVE BEHIND ME."
Having announced to you, fellow-cit
izens, this most afflicting bereavement,
and assured you that it has penetrated
no heart with deeper grief than mine, it
remains for me to say that I propose
this day in the Hall of the House of
Representatives, in the presence of both
Rouses of Congress, to take the oath
prescribed by the Constitution to enable
'Tie to enter on the execution of the of
fice which this event has devolved on
me.
Signed, MILLARD FILLMORE.
Mr. Webster offered a resolution that a Com
mittee of three be appointed, to net in conjunc
tion with the House Committee of three, to wait
upon the President and conduct him to the House
of Representatives, where the oath of office
should be administered to him.
The House Committee was composed of
Messrs. Winthrop, Morse and Morehead. The
Senate Committee of Messrs. Soule, Under
wood and Davis, of Massachusetts.
....
The Senate then went over in a body to the
Rouse of Representatives, and took their seats
in the area between the clerks' seats and the
first semi circular seats, and the members' chairs
and sofas having been provided for them, the
doorkeeper announced the Senate, when all the
members rose and kept standing till the Senate
were seated. ' A few minutes afterwards, the
doorkeeper announced the President, Mr. Fill
more, escorted by the above named committees
of six, walking between Me'ssrs. Soule and Win
throp, mounted the steps leading to the clerk's
desk and sat down. The Senate and House arose
and remained standing till he was seated; the
came down the hammer of the Speaker, and the
Senate sat down.
The oath of office was administered by Judge
Crunch, and the President retired. Immediate
ly afterwards u short inaugural address was re
ceived from the President, in writing, as fol
lows : •
Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and House
of Representatives :—A great man has
fallen among us, and a whole communi•
ty is called to an occasion of unexpec
ted deep and general mourning. 1 rec-
ommend to the two Houses of Congress
to adopt such measures as in their dis
cretion may seem proper to perform with
due solemnities the funeral obsequies o
Zachary Taylor, late President of the
United States, and thereby to signify
the great and affectionate regard of the
American people for the memory of one
whose life has been devoted to the pub
lic service--whose career in arms ha
not been surpassed in usefulness or brill
iancy-- who has been so recently raised
by the unsolicited voice of the people,
to the highest civil authority in th
government, which lie administered with
so much honor and advantage to his
country, and by whose sudden death s,
many hopes of future usefulness have
been blighted forever. To you, Sena
tors and Representatives of a nation in
tears. 1 can say nothing which can al
leviate the sorrow with which you are
oppressed. I appeal to you to aid me
under the trying circumbtances which
surround me in tha discharge of the du•
ties, from which, however much I may
be oppressed by them, I dare not shrink •
and I rely upon Him who holds in his
hands the destinies of nation; to endow
me with the requisite strength for the
task, and to avert from our country the
evils apprehended from the heavy calami
ty which has befallen us. I shall most
readily concur in whatever measures the
wisdom of the two houses mny suggest
as befitting this deeply melancholy occa
sion. MILLARD FILLMORE.
Washington, July, 10th, 1850
Before this message was read the Speaker
made some appropriate remarks, and, after the
i
reading, an eulogy was delivered, in the House'
on the chaiacter and services of the late Presi
!dent, by Mr. Conrad, and by Mr. Downs in the
[Senate.
After Mr. Downs had spoken he was follow
ed by Messrs. Webster, King, Cass, Pearce and
Berrien.
Mr. Conard, in the House, was followed by
Messrs. Winthrop, Baker, Bayly, Hilliard, Me
j.,ane end Marshall.
The burthen of Messrs. Down's, Webster's
and Berrien's address was that senators ought
to bury their party animosity, and unite in sa
ving the constitution and the country.
A joint Committee was appointed to arrange
the funeral of the late President. It consists of
the following gentlemen, of the Senate : Messrs.
Webster, Cass and King. The Committee of
the House consists of the following gentlemen,
viz: Messrs. Conrad, McDowell, Winthrop,
Bissell, Duer, Orr, Brock, Strong, Vinton, Ca
bell, Kerr, Stanley and Littlefield.
All the public buildings and hotels are shrou-,
i ded in mourning.
Wnsurwros, July 10—P. M.
The Committee of both Houses of Congress
have made arrangements to bury Zachary Tay
lor, the late President of the United States, on
Saturday morning, at 11 o'clock.
IThe Funeral of President Taylor.
The fimernal of the late President took place
, at Washington on Saturday last. The ceremo
nies were solemn and imposing. The civic
procession is estimated at 16,000; the military
at 900, besides six companies of artillery. There
1 H
were 19 bands of music. The military portion
of the procession was under command of Gen.
:SCOTT. When Gen. Scott arrived in the East
!Room, he wept over the body of his distinguished )
!companion in arms.
President Fillmore.
Amid the general sorrow everywhere felt and
expressed, for the great national calamity sus
tained in the death of President Taylor, much
consolation is derived from the fact, that the
Presidential mantle falls upon one so eminently
worthy as MILLATtO FILLMORE. He is in point
of ability one of the first men in the country.
During his whole public life he has shown him
self to be a true and unwavering iVhig. The
following brief sketch of his life is taken from
the Public Ledger, a neutral paper:
The new Chief Magistrate who succeeded the
late lamented President is a gentleman of fine
abilities, tried integrity and firm principles.—
He is at present fifty years of age, having been
-born January 7th, 1800, at Summer Hill, Cayu
ga county, New York. His father, Nathaniel
FElmore, is a farmer, still living in Erie county
New York. Mr. Fillmore spent four years, in
early life, in working at, the clothier's trade, and
during that time devoted all his leisure hours to
reading and study. At the age of nineteen, he
attracted the attention of Judge Wood, of Cay
uga county, who took him into his office. In
1821, he removed to Buffalo, and entered a law
office, teaching for his mainteinance until the
year 1823, when he was licensed to practise in
the Court of Common Pleas. In 1827, he was
admitted an Attorney of the Supreme Court o
the State of New York. In 1829, he was elec
ted a member of the New York Assembly from
Erie county, and was twice re-elected. He was
'acted to Congress in the fall of 1832, and after
the expiration of his term resumed the practice
of his profession. in 18341, he was again sent
to Congress, and was subsequently re-elected for
another term. During this session he was pla
ced at the head of the Committee of Ways and •
Means. In 1811, he was nominated by the Whig
party as their candidate for Governor of New
York. In 1847, he was elected Comptroller of
the State. In 1818, he was elected Vice Presi
dent of the United States, and on the 4th March
1849, he entered upon the duties of the office.—
On the 10th day of July he entered upon the du
ties of the Executive, devolving upon him by
the Constitution through the death of the Pres
ident.
The Cabinet
Upon the death of the President, his Cabinet
;tendered their resignations to his successor, Mr.
it , illmore. This step was not only proper, bu
matter of course. They were the constitu
tional advisers of President Taylor, but wills
riot hold this relation to President Fillmore, tin-,
less appointed by him. The telegraph operators!
rat Washington have been busy, ever since thel
death of the President, forming a Cabinet for
his successor. It turns out, however, that
nothing is yet known of Mr. Fillmore's inten
tions in relation to a cabinet or anything else,
and all thus far given to the public on the subj
ject, is the mere idle speculations of intereste
politicians. We may confidently predict, how
ever, from the high reputation of the new Presi
dent, that he will surround himself with such
advisers as will command the confidence and
respect of the country and be approved of by
the Whig party.
CO' Sickness of our hands has delayed the
publication of our paper this week, and prevent
ed us from giving our usual attention to the con
tents. Several advertisements are unavoidably
crowded out. They shall appear next week.
13,' H. W. Smith, the indefatigable proprietor
of the Huntingdon Book Store, has received a
superior assortment of Segura, Tobacco, &c.
See card.
07' A variety of new advertisements will kr
found in advertising columns.
The Question of New Mexico, Tex
and California.
WASHINGTON, July 12—A Union Caucus, of
members of Congress of all parties favorable to
the Union, was held to-day. The South agree
to the line of 34 deg. N. latitude as the bounds
try of New Mexico, all below that line to go to
Texas. Texas agrees to this, Mr. Clay agrees
to it, the North agrees to it, and President Fill
more is content with it. So this question bids
fair to be settled to the satisfaction of all Par
ties.--Ballatia.
Whig County Convention.
The call for a Whig County Convention ap
pears in our paper to-day. We had intended
accompanying it with a few suggestions as to
the course most proper to be pursued by all
who feel an interest in the welfare and success
' of the Whig party and its principles, but the
!afflicting news from Washington has so occu
pied our thoughts and space, that we must de
ter doing so until another occasion.alln the
meantime we would simply advise Whigs
not to promise their support to any man for
office, sinless they feel assured that his nomina
'lion and election would redound to the credit
and success of our common cause. We hope
that harmony may continue to prevail in our
ranks, and that the kind feeling at present ex.
istingramong the aspirants for an important
county office, may bekept up. Let everythin
be done fairly and with a view to the good o
the Whig party, and all will be well in old
Huntingdon.
To avoid misunderstanding, and in conformit
with„the suggestions of Whigs from various
parts of the county, it will be seen that the
committee hare fixed the hours for opening and
closing the delegate meetings in the several
townships and boroughs.
Terrible Fire in Philadelphia!
Awful Destruction of Life and
Property.
[From the Daily News of Wednesday last.]
It becomes our painful duty to record
the most fearful calamity, that has CV2 r
befallen our city, from the ravages o
the destructive element. The heart
sickens at the contemplation of it, and
we instinctively recoil from the task.—
But it is a duty, nevertheless, that must
be performed, and we proceed to it with
out further preface. At about half-past
!four o'clock yesterday afternoon, a fire
'broke out in the extensive block of stores
L owned and occupied by John Brock &
!Sons, dealers principally in saltpetre,
situated on Delaware Avenue, South o
Vine street. And here it may be stated
that it is not known positively how the
fire originated, nor in what part of the
building. Several of the rooms had
been let out for various purposes, and it
most probably originated in one of these.
'John Hill had a tavern on the grourd
floor, and in an tipper room was a dance
house, which hod become very obnox
ious to the neighbors, and the proprie
tor of which had been prosecuted for
keeping a disorderly house. A lower
apartment was used for storing hay, and
contained a considerable quantity of it.
With the numerous combustibles in th
store-house, the flames spread with fear
ful rapidity, and it was with difficulty
that the clerks could escape with the
books. The intense heat made by the
hay, fused the saltpetre, and an explo
sion was the result ; a terrible one, after
several, of no consequence, except that
they served to warn those near of the
danger that might be apprehended from
a too close proximity to the burning
building. The noise made was terrify.
ing, and the effect was appalling. Bur
ning embers were thrown about in all
directions, among the firemen and citi-,
zens, and in the effort of all to escape,'
many mere trampled under foot, and a
large number were crowded into the
dock, and narrowly escaped drowning.
A report was in circulation, that two
lads were drowned, but we could not
earn the truth or falsity of it. The ef
ifect of the explosion in spreading the
fire, was immediately seen. The splen
did store-house on the south of that in
which the fire originated, occupied by
Ridgeway & Budd, flour dealers, was
ut once enveloped in flames; and in n
little while the large block of buildings
on the north, in the occupancy of the
Lehigh Transportation Company was in
a like condition. The flakes of burning
hay were carried to the westward, and
fired the dwellings on the west side of
Water street, which extended to Front
street, and which were occupied by a
large number of poor families. In con
sequence of the weather being warm,
and the roofs dry, the fire spread in a
fearful manner, so numb so, that several
of the inmates were burned to death in
their attempt to escape. The intensity
of the fire prevented the firemen from
approaching it, so as to render much ef
ficient service, and the wind blowing
fresh from the south-east, the flames con-,
tinned to spread to the west and north.l
It was not long before it bad crossed to
the west side of Front street, and to the
north side of Vine street. The whole
range of dwellings, on the west side o
Front street, extending from Vine hal
way down to Race, were soon in flames.
Many of these new fine edifices. The
one on the corner of New and Front,
was owned and tenanted by Thomas)
Watson, biscuit baker. All these are,
in ruins. The flames continued to spread
towards Second street, on a line paral
lel to the extent of the conflagration on
Front street. The buildings on New
street, many of them handsome edifices,
and the public school on the same, were,
all burned, also those on Vine street,
from Front to Second. All these buil
dings were tenanted and the endeavor
of the inmates to save their property,
and to escape to a place of safety, added
to the confusion. Household goods were
piled upon the pavements in all direc
tions, and in many instances handsome
furniture was thrown from the upper
windows of burning dwellings, and des
troyed in this way. The scene was aw
ful beyond description. Many parenta l
were running about wringing their hands
and uttering lamentations for a missing
child; wives weeping for their husbands
and husband's in the search of their
wives, contributed to make the scene
the more painful. The fire continued
to spread, and at 8 o'clock, had extended
almost half wny from Vine to Callowhill
on Front and New Market street ; front
Front to Water street, it was burning
just as rapidly ; and along Delaware Av
enue it had reached the extensive store
house of A. Wright & Nephew, salt
dealers. On Vine street wharf, there
were several hundred Cords of pine and
oak wood, which could easily have been
removed before fire reached it, but which
was permitted to burn, and confribtited
to the flames. After darkness had set
in we took our station upon an elevated
position from which we could survey ther
whole scene, and a sublime and fearful'
one it wns. Ott went the flames, crack- -
ing and roaring, enveloping some pf the'
finest edifices which our city could boast (
and rendering them in a short time re
heap of ruins. To the west and the'
north all was one vast sea of fire, while'
ever and anon the falling of the walls,•
nd the shouts of the multitude thereat,
served to render the scene fearfully ter-
rifle—awfully sublime! The Firemen
had labored, up to this period, with un-•
abated vigor, but the scarcity of the wat
er and the extent. and violence of the con
flagration have rendered their services
of but little avail. Still they have done
nob't', and are entitled to the highest
prase for their efforts to save life and
property.
ilalf - past Eleven o'clock, P. .11.—We
have just learned thnt the fire will not
probably extend any further than it has
—north of the south side of Ca:lowhill
street, and west of Second street, east
side. The flames, thank God ! are yiel
ping to the superhuman efforts of our
,fireman, and the worst has been done.—
IThat Philadelphia has never been visited
by such a terrible conflagration is uni•
versally admitted. Hundreds of fnmi•
lies have been rendered homeless and
the condition of some of them is such
as to call forth the liveliest sympathies
in their behalf. We noticed in the
:course of the evening a family eonsis
it mg of man and wife, and several small
',children, seated upon a door step, and
'many who passed that way, gave them
money to relieve their immediate neces
sities.
The number of houses destroyed is variously
estimated from two to three hundred. The ac
curate number of persons killed, wounded and
missing is more difficult to be ascertained than
the number of houses destroyed. Thus far the
Coroner had held inquests upon 15 bodies, some
of which were mutilated in a most shocking
manner, so as to render it impossible for their
friends to recognise them. The whole number
of killed will probably reach 25, wounded 75
total 100.
A Good Endorsement.
The Germantown Telegraph, an able and
strictly neutral newspaper, thus speaks of the.
nominees of the Whig State Convention:
" The nominations are regarded as very fair
ones—the nominees being all respectable, capa
ble, and popular gentleman. That of Joshua
Dungan for Canal Commissioner, we know to be
excellent and unexceptionable—Mr. D. being. a
practical farmer, of considerable intelligence
and energy of character, and honest as the day
is long. He is a member of the Bucks County
Agricultural Society, and has delivered one or
two annual addresses before it, marked for their
good practical sense and peculiar adaptedness to
the occasions."
For the « Huntingdon Journal."
Next Sheriff.
MR. Entree:-We are under a compliment
to our good Whig friend of Brady, for the jus
tice he has done Union township, in showing
her claim to the next nomination for Sheriff;
but we differ with him in our choice of meta.
We would respectfully recommend WILLIAM
SMITH to the convention for the office. Mr.
SMith has been reared in the thwnship, is an old
farmer, and a good substantial Whig, and every
way competent to fill the office of Sheriff. In
deed, sir, we would prefer an elderly man to.
any young man.
Many Cai.ens of Union Township.
Sheriffalty.
Mn. CLARK :-Through the columnsof your
valuable paper, alloy us to submit to the public
,the name of BENJAMIN LEAS, of Shirley
'borough, as a candidate for the Sheritliiity at
the coining election, subject, however, to the
decision of the Whig County Convention to be
held in August next. Among the many good
and worthy crndidates whose names have been,
submitted to the people. we acknowledge none
supelior to Mr. Leas. In integrity, capacity
and honesty, he has stood firm in the Whig
ranks of this county for the last fifteen years :
he has never asked an office, and now, only at
the solicitation of many friends, has he been in
duced to permit his name to be presented to the
public. In thus presenting Mr. Leas, we feel
assured that if nominated .d elected, he will
discharge the duties of tlikt office faithfully and
impartially. SIIIRLEY.
Canal Tolls.
Collector's Office, iruntingdon,
July 13, 1850.
Amount collected at the port of Huntingdon,
for fiscal year ending 30th June, 1850, $8,414 03
Do do 30th June, 1840, 0,304 18
THE MARKETS.
PHILADELPHIA July 11 1850.
The demand for FLOUR continues limited.--
Sales of standard brands for export at $3 124 per
barrel, and good brands and extra, for city use,
at $3 181 a $5 0 , 1, and fancy lota at $6 a $7.
Run FLOUR and Coax MEAL are steady et $2
811 , per barrel.
GRAIN-WHEAT is scarce ; no further sales to
notice.
RYE—We quote at 65 cents per bushel.
CORN in in better demand, and prices are ras
trifle higher. Sales of 3000 bushels Yellow at
63 cts.
OATS are in steady demand at 4 1a45 acute for .
Pennsylvania.
WitiEl,:Salea in barrel. at 25, and bhda. at
241 c.
If hina Crape shawls. just received at
V J• & W. SAXTON'S Store.
$2,100 93