The Iowa patriot. [volume], August 29, 1839, Image 1

About The Iowa patriot. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1839-1839

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Br JAMES G. EDWARDS
THE IOWA PATRIOT
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY IN
THB PPP£R STORY OF THE BTJILD
i ufG AT THE CORNER OF
yfagJiinvtoii and Water Streets
BURLINGTON. DES MOINES COUNTY, IOWA.
TERMS:
TOW A PATRIOT will be published
nnce a week', at THREE DOLLARS per
?5 IN ADVANCE.
invFRTISEMENTS will bo inserted at
•he rate of one dollar per square, for the first
fifty cents for each subsequent insertion.
a"liberal deduction will be made to all those
Jbo advertise by the year.
From the Boston Mercantile Journal.
SALT WATER BUBBLES.
BT HAWSER MARTINGALE.
#AFFALR" BETWEEN A WHALING CAP
TAIN AND A MILITARY OFFICER.
Perhaps some of my readers may
have
heard of the story of the duel be
tween old Captain Lovett of New
Bedford, and the English officer in
Deraerara. It has been variously re
lated—but
the only true version is as
follows: __
Captain Zachariah Lovett, after
having
performed several whaling voy
ages to the Pacific, found himself in
command
of a small brig belonging to
New York on a voyage to Demerara.
He was a worthy man—and a good
specimen of a Yankee sailor-his heart
was lull of the milk of human kind
ness, but he possessed a noble, spirit
-and would neither give nor take an
insult.
While his little brig Cinderella lay
at anchor in Demerara River, Capt.
Lovett one afternoon entered a Cof
fee House, where he met with a friend
-and they amused, themselves by
knocking the balls about in the bill
iard room. Soon after, and before the
game was half finished—some English
military officers entered, one of whom
Capt. Bigbee, stepped up to Capt. Lo
vett, who was arrayed in a very plain
not to say ordinary costume, and with
a bullying air demanded the table,.as
himself and his brother officers wish
ed to play a match.
Capt. Lovett gave the red-coated
Kntleman a stern look, but replied
with courtesy, that he and his friend
bd engaged the table, and would play
out their game, after which, if the gen
tlemen wished to play, it was at their
:fvice.
"But we can't wait," said Capt.
Bigbee, in an insolent tone.
"You must wait," coolly replied
Capt. Lovett.
'•But we" shall do no such thing,"
exclairaed the surly Briton-"we came
sere to play billiards—and have no
idea of being disappointed by a cou
ple of fellows who hardly know a
mace from a cue, or a ball from the
pocket. It will take you all the af
ternoon to finish the game—so clcar
®a.
Lovett and his friend played
"Come," continued the officer, "e
noughofthis-marker, place the balls."
toying which, with a most impudent
he seized one of the balls which
Capt. Lovett's opponent had just dri-
ren
into the pocket, and caught up
bother one which was near him.
The matter was growing serious,
-aptain Lovett's eye flashed fire—for
though lie had mingled a good deal
among quakers, and respected that
®oral sect for their humility and qui
demeanor, he was no non-resistant
himself. He dropped his cue,
doubled up a fist of portentous
uPut
those balls upon the table
Jon scoundrel," exclaimed he impera
''anc^ ^eave t'ie room."
VVho do you call scoundrel, you
,, ee blackguard? Do you know
•°,Ua^ talking to one of his majes
ys officers? Take that for your im
minence," at the same 'time suiting
action to the word, and giving
ia^.j,n Lovett a smart rap across the
lS
'1IS
cue*—'n
01§an
ie hpln f°
Covered h°me
a rkJi
an
'n"
Jy "e received a blow on his fore
®xa°tly where Phrenologists lo
Wnnii i
Eventuality—which
jVei ,ve felled an ox, and" submiss
ion!
a?.n.0Wedged
the favor by mea-
his length upon th'e floor!
bF°ther
1evl
officers, who were with
JIIFT A i 5^ who Wcic
iiffL £00(*
tQ
wiin
sense
to see that
blame—and although
black at the Yan-
W fm-i{ forbore to molest
tjei
bnllv fGr V
ass'sted
the stun-
aaolher
room, where, by
restoratives?
h,s se
he soon
n^s.
contre lfn°n
His rage and
at
Vh6
resu'1
a bitt«eW
the ren-
ni°^0Un(^s5 and
with ma-
sit °a- declared he would
satisfaction.
fee ^aptain Lovett left the cof
^euteno \a
was
handed him by
ames5
which proved to
Re—fr —a peremptory chal-
!'5
Bigbee, in which
it was insisted that arrangements
should be made for an early meeting,
tnat he might have an opportunity to
wash off the affront he had received,
in Captain Lovett's heart's blood.
Captain Lovett smiled when he saw
such manifestations of a Christian
spirit. "Tell Captain Bigbee," said
he, "that I will not baulk him. He
shall have the opportunity he so ear
nestly seeks. Although not a fight
ing man, I am familiar with the duel
laws—and if he will be to-morrow
morning on the bank of the green ca
nal, near the South Quay, rather a se
cluded spot, he shall have satisfaction
to his heart's content."
Lietuenant James bowed politely,
and withdrew.—Captain Lovett went
on board the Cinderella suon after—
and ordered his mate, Mr. Starbuck,
also a veteran whale-hunter, to select
the two best harpoons, have them
nicely ground, and fitted—as an op
portunity might otfer on the morrow,
of striking a porpoise. Mr. Starbuck
obeyed his superior officer with alac
rity, although he wondered not a lit
tle why Captain Lovett expected to
find porpoises in Demerara river.
The next morning, as soon as all
hands were called, Captain Lovett or
dered the boat, to be manned, and re
quested Mr. Starbuck to take the two
harpoons, to each of which some eight
or ten fathoms of rattling stuff were
attached, and accompany him on
shore. In a few moments the boat
reached the South Quay, where Capt.
Lovett was met by several of his
countrymen, who had been attracted
to the spot by the rumor of the duel,
as well as several merchants and oth
er inhabitants of the place. They one
and all remonstrated with Captain
Lovett for his folly in consenting to
fight with the English military bully,
who was represented as a practised
duellist—an expert swordsman, and
an unrivalled marksman with a pistol
being sure of his man at twelve paces.
Capt. Lovett, however did not show7
the least inclination to back out—
but on the contrary seemed more ea
ger for the engagement—"I'll give
that quarrelsome fellow a lesson," said
he, "which will be of service to him—
and which he will never forget, as
long as his name is Bigbee.'"
The challenger, with his forehead
ornamented with a large patch to cov
er the impression left by the Yankee
knuckles, and his swollen eyes dimly
twinkling with anger and mortifica
tion through two huge, livid circles
accompanied by his second, soon
made his appearance. He was follow
ed by a servant with a pistol case,
and an assortment of swords. He
bowed stiffly to Capt. Lovett—and
Lt. James, approaching the Yankee,
asked him if he was willing to fight
with swords—"If so," said he, "I be
lieve we can suit you. We have
brought with us the small sword, a
neat gentlemanly weapon—the cut
and-thrust, good in a melee, and which
will answer indifferently well in a du
el—and the broadsword or cutlass,
which is often preferred by those who
are deficient in skill in the use of arms.
My friend, Capt. Bigbee, is equally
expert with either. You have only
to choose. As the challenged party,
you have an undoubted right to select
your arms."
"Of the privilege I am well aware,"
replied Captain Lovett, "and mean to
avail myself of it. I shall not fight
with swords."
"I expected as much," resumed
Lieut. James, "and have brought with
me a beatiful pair of duelling pistols,
with long barrels, rifle bores, and hair
triggers
.—What distance, shall 1 mea
sure off?"
"Eight paces."
"Only eight paces!" cried Lieut.
James, a little surprised. "O, very
well"—and he measured it off, and
placed his man at his spot. Then ad
vancing to Captain Lovett, he pre
sented him with a pistol.
"I do not fight with pistols!"
"Not fight with pistols—after hav
ing refused to fig-lit with swords. What
brought you here then?"
"To fight!" shouted Lovett in a
thundering voice, which made the Bri
tish officers start. "I am the challeng
ed party, and have a right to choose
my weapons, according to the laws
of the duello, all the world over—and
you may rely upon it I shall not se
lect weapons with which I am not fa
milial4, and with which my antagonist."
has been practising all his life. Such
a proceeding on my jart, is not only
not required by the rules of honor,
•which after all, is a mere chimera, but
would be contrary to all the dictates
of common sense. No—I shall fight
with the weapons of honorable war
fare, with which I have ever been ac
customed* Swords and pistols, in
deed!"
"But, d«ar sir,"" cried the1 aston­
A
Captain Lovett said nothing—but
beckoned to Mr. Starbuck, who ap
proached him with great alacrity, bear
ing the two harpoons. He seized one
of the formidable weapons, and thrust
it into the hands of Bigbee, who seem
ed absolutely paralized with astonish
ment.
"My weapon," said he "is the jav
elin such as the Grecian and Roman
knights often fought with in olden
times—a weapon, which no man who
challenges another, can refuse to fight
with at the present day, unless he pos
sesses a mean and craven spirit*"
Thus saying he took the station
which had been assigned him, at eight
paces distant from his startled antag
onist. He coolly bared his sinewy'
arm—grasped the harpoon, and plac
ed himself in an attitude. "I'll bet,"
Said he, casting a triumphant look up
on his friends, "a smoked herring a
gainst a sperm whale, that I'll drive
the harpoon through that fellow's mid
riff the first throw-and will finish him
without the aid of the lance. Mr Star
buck," fiercely continued Captain Lo
vett, in a loud and rough voice, such
as is seldom heard, excepting on board
a Nantucket whaling vessel, when a
shoal of whales is in sight, "Stand by
to haul that felloiv in/"
The mate grasped the end of the
ine, his eyes beaming with as much
expectation and delight, as if he was
steering a boat bow on to an eighty
barrel whale, while Captain Lovett
poised his harpoon with both hands,
keenly eyed the British Captain—
shouted in a tremendous voice, "Now
FOR IT," and drew back his arm as in
the act of throwing the fatal iron!
The Englishman was a brave man
—which is not always the case with
bullies—and he had often marched
without flinching, up to the mouth of
a cannon. And if he had been met
in single combat with an adversary
armed with a sword or a pistol, or
even a dagger or a Queen's arm, he
would have borne himself manfully.—
Indeed, he had already acquired an
unenviable noteriety as a duellist, and
had killed his man. But the harpoon
was a weapon with which he was al
together unacquainted—and the loud
and exulting tones of the Yankee Cap
tain's voice sounded like a summons
to his grave. And when he saw the
stalwart Yankee raise the polished
iron—and pause for an instant, as if
concentrating all his strength to give
the fatal blow, a panic terror seized
him—Iris limbs trembled—his features
were of a ghastly pallor, and the cold
sweat stood in large drops on his fore
head. He had not strength to raise
his weapon—and when his grim op
ponent shouted, "Now FOR IT," and
shook his deadly spear, the British of
ficer, forgetting his vows of chivalry
—his reputation as an officer, and his
honor as a duellist, threw his harpoon
on the ground, fairly turned his back
to his enemy—and fled like a fright
ened courser from the field, amid the
jeers, the jibes, ahd the hurrahs of the
multitude assembled by this time on
the spot!
Captain Bigbce's duelling days were
over. No man would fight with him
after his adventure with the Yankee.
He was overwhelmed with insult and
ridicule—and soon found it advisable
to change into another regiment.—
But his story got there before him—
and he was soon sent to "Coventry"
as a disgraced man. He was compel
led, although with great reluctance,
to quit the service—and it may with
great truth be said, that he never for
got the lesson he had received from
the veteran whaler, so long as his
name was Bigbee.
POLITICAL CONSISTENCY.
A DEPARTED HUMBUG.—One of the
most subtle, and effective reasons urg
ed by the loco foco party against the
re-charter of the U. S. Bank, was,
that a part of its stock was owned by
foreigners. All thinking men regard
ed this objection as mere humbug
but it took mightily with the party,
and the Bank was put down by it.—
How the times have changed? -Now,
we have four Commissioners in Eng
land, endeavoring by all possible
means, to mortgage every foot of land
in this State for British gold! and not
a loco foco or loco foco press says a
word against the pleasure! It is now
ill right—sound policy—and entirely
democratic!—[Sangamo Journal.
The Conservative paper at Grafton
very properly speaks on the subject:
very
singular change has come
over our countrymen in relation to
'the sale of American stocks to foreign
ers. -No one $an have forgotten the
PRIXCIPLES.„„,„xoi MENfc
BORLINGTOtJ, THURSDAY", AUGUST 29, 1889.
ished Lieutenant, "we must proceed
?xn0n*'n" *°1u'e *n business.—
What weapons have you fixed upon?"
And in fancy's eye he beheld before
him a huge blunderbuss, loaded with
buck shot.
i
hue and cry raised against the bank
of the United States because some
five millions or more, of its stock was
held in England. An alarm was rung
—the tocsin sounded,—and the peo
ple called, en masse, to rise in oppo
sition to a "Monster" that had sold
our country to England. Half the
presses in the United States were
constantly impressing upon the minds
of the people the idea that the liberty
of our country was endangered by
having these few millions of bank
stock owned in Great Britain. They
eifeated their object. The bank of
the United States fell,. and nothing
contributed half so much to its destruc
tion, as the outcry
stockholders.
against foreign
It is sometimes useful, long after a
prominent measure has been effected,
and party feelings have subsided,
calmly to examine the motives by
which the agents were actuated, and
thus learn wisdom from experience.
Let us then enquire were the men
who declaimed so loudly about the
danger to our institutions of having a
few million 3 of stock owned in Europe
honest? If facts are permitted to an
swer this question, not the slightest
doubt can rest upon the mind of any
one. What State opposed the U. S.
bank with more virulence than Mis
souri? Who saw with more apparent
alarm and danger arising from having
a few millions of stock owned in Eu
rope, than the Legislature and people
of that State? Who labored harder
in Congress to defeat the bill to re
charter that institution, than the de
legation from Missouri? In all their
efforts against it, the most prominent
ground of their opposition was its fo
reign stockholders. Who would have
believed at that period, that Missouri,
in so short a time, would herself send
an agent to London, to sell to foreign
capitalists the principal part of the
stock of a 'Bank of Missouri,' an in
stitution under the entire control of
the State?
John Smith, Esq. President of the
Bank of Missouri, is now in England
endeavoring to effect a sale to the
large amount of two millions.
If the 'Monster' was justly stigma
tized with the name of a 'British
Bank,' when not even a fifth of its
stock was owned in England, what
epithet is due to an institution more
than half of whose stock is offered to
'foreign capitalists? Was there dan
ger in the days of the old U. States
bank, and none now, when the Bank
of Missouri treads in her footsteps?
Hundreds of presses sounded the
alarm against the 'monster,' yet not a
solitary one among them all sees the
slightest danger, now that the amount
of American stocks held in England
has increased fifty fold! 'Tempora
mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis.'—
Times are changed and we are chang
ed with them is just as true now as
it was in the days of Horace.
The outcry against the U. S. Bank
arrayed in contrast with the present
rage for obtaining foreign loans, ought
to. teach our countrymen a valuable
lesson."
It is well known that Jefferson long
since predicted that the "federalists"
in order to deceive the people, carry
their point ?, and effect their purposes,
would take the name of democrats.
The Roanoke Advertiser remarks that
the prediction has been fully verified.
BUCHANAN who declared "if he had
one drop of Republican blood in his
veins he would let it out" is now a
Yan Buren Democrat. So also is
INGERSOLL, who said if "he had lived
during the Revolutionary War he
would have been a Tory." He is
now a Van Buren Democrat also.—
In this State there is R. P. DUNLAP,
the "Young Tim Pickering," who calls
himself a genuine Democrat, and Re
uel Williams, is now democratic to
the back bone and hosts of others of
less note, yet figuring as leaders of
the self-styled democratic party, boast
of their pure, unsullied and unadulte
rated democracy. We would caution
the people to beware of wolves in
sheep's clothing.—Bangor Courier.
THE SPIRIT OF SEVENTY-SIX.—We
are fast losing it—the spirit which in
spired the men of the Revolution, and
wrought out the goodly fabric of A
merican constitutional liberty. With
this generation will, I fear, pass away
that generous pride in the achieve
ments of our ancestors, which distin
guished us in times of peril and dis
aster. We are growing cosmopolitan,
universal, denationalized- Foreign
influence is exercising a control,
which threatens to do awav with all
vestiges of our great revolutionary
struggle. It is nothing now to have
been an American born—to have been
familiar from childhood with all the
old landmarks, crimsoned "with the
blood of our heroes. It is nothing to
be the immediate descendant of those
devoted benefactors of their race.—
The mail, in whose ears are yet ring
ing the echoes of Bow-bells, and who
knows no more of Bunker Hill, Mt.
Vernon, and Monticello than he does
of the mountains in the moon, may
come and push from his stool the gray
haired revolutionary veteran, whose
blood was shed like water in the con
test with our enemies. The presum
ing scribbler, who imbibed hatred for
this country and its liberties with his
mother's milk, may come and traduce
every thing American, not only with
perfect impunity, but with the coun
tenance of those whose lineage should
teach them to spurn with contempt
the venal creatures, who, while they
sue for their bounty, insult the land
of their birth. Alack! and well-a-day!
That I should "see what I HAVE seen
—see what I see!"—H. S. Lee.
GEN. SCOTT AND THE WINNEBAGOES.
—We omitted to mention in our last
that Gen. Scott, while at Fort Win
nebago, met the chiefs and principal
men of the Winnebago tribe in Coun
cil, and gave them permission to oc
cupy the country north of the Wis
consin until "next grass," but express
ly prohibited any of the tribe from
visiting, under any circumstances, the
country south of Wisconsin and Fox
rivers, and Lake Winnebago. Gen.
Scott assured them that they were
permitted to remain upon the ground
north of the Wisconsin only by the
clemency of the American Govern
ment, and that if they were not next
year at the proper time ready to re
move to the country that would be
provided for them west of the Missis
sippi, he w7ould appear among them
with an army as numerous as the
•'leaves on the trees," and force them
to go.
the talk of Gen. Scott with the
Winnebagoes has had but little effect.
The "Great Pacificator" has been less
cessful than usual this time, in his
ts to carry out the views and
wishes of the General Government
for we learn that the very Indians
who met him in council, instead of
going north of the Wisconsin, came
down the stream about five miles
south of Fort Winnebago and camp
ed, and there intend remaining.
SU0CI
eUor
We have been informed by autho
rity that can be relied upon, that the
only reason whjr the general govern
ment does not instantly cause the re
moval of the Winnebagoes, is, that
the only country it has provided for
them, is one altogether too limited in
extent for them and so surrounded by
warlike tribesof Indians that are hos
tile to the Winnebagoes, that the
country would be endangered with a
war amongst the Indians on our wes*
tern frontier.—Wisconsin Enquirer.
SUMMARY.
.Believe nothing against another,
but upon good authority nor report
what may hurt another, unless it be
a greater hurt to others to conceal it.
The Philadelphia Savings Institu
tion has failed. The immediate cause
of the failure is said to have been an
excessive issue of certificates in the
rm of post notes, which as the}'
readied maturity, the company were
unable to redeem.
In the last thirty days there have
been only two burials at the city of
New Haven, Connecticut, famed for
its beauty, spacious streets, and ele
gant gardens. Whortleberries, green
fruits, &c. may tell another tale soon.
The New Orleans Courier of the
17th ult. says, that the accounts from
the sugar districts of Louisiana hold
out the promise that the next crop of
that article will be abundant. Louis
iana, it is added, supplies about one
half of all the sugar consumed in the
United States.
Pray, Sophia, what ar^you mak
ing," said Dr. D. to a young lady at
work upon a certain garment. A
Sophy covering, Doctor." The
was not put to a shift for a reply.
girl
The N. O. Picayune says :—The
stock of mosquitoes and muskmellons
is on the increase, and although the
demand for the former is very limited
large transactions are effected. Their
bills are always protested, yet still
our citizens are obliged to discount
very freely, especially those who can
not place a bar upon the applications.
The Maryland Academy of Science
and Literature, has recently been pre
sented, by Mr. R. L. Martin, with a
living specimen of the horned toad
(agama corriuta) which he picked up
in Texas,, where they abound.
In the city of Lafayette, just above
New Orleans, a few weeks since, two
bears belonging to a butcher, escap
ed from their cage, and one of them
seized a child and tore it so severely
that it expired in a few hours.
Voii. 13.
Cabs have been introduced in Phil
adelphia. They are much more con
venient and cheaper for single pas
sengers than hackney coaches, and it
is wonderful that they have not been
tried before.
A new paper called the "Doctor,"
is to be started in Mississippi. The
editor of it is one John Smith. All he
asks to succeed is the aid of his rela
tives, and the first article is to be a
history of the rise, progress, and pres
ent condition of the Smith family.
On the 4th of July, when the ship
Robert Pulsford, Capt. John Prince,
lately arrived at Baltimore from Liv
erpool was in lat. 36, Ion. 72, the wife
of Mr. Lewis, one of the passengers,
was safely delivered of three fine
daughters. They were severally nam
ed, Columbia, Oceana, and Victoria.
The mother and children are doing
well.
A fellow at Cincinnati, convicted
of indecencies towards females in the
street, was sentenced to confinement
in the dungeons of the jail for ten days
to be kept on bread and water, and
fined $150, to ^tand committed till
paid.
HEALTH OF PENSACOLA.—The Pen
sacola Gazette says that in that city,
with a population of 2,300, not a sin
gle death has occurred from the 1st
of April to July 10. This is a re
markable instance of exemption from
fatal disease.
William Pierce, of Moira, Franklin
county, N. Y., has been convicted of
the murder of his father, and sentenc
ed to be hung on the 21st day of Sep
tember next. The father and son
were in the woods chopping, when a
dispute arose, which terminated thus
fatally, by a blow in the breast with
a sharp axe. The prisoner is not 17
years' old.
Thomas Vail, at a late term of the
Court of Common Pleas for Meigs
county, was found guilty on an indict
ment for whipping his wife, and sen
tenced to ten days imprisonment in
the county jail—to be fed on bread
and water, and pay a fine of fifty dol
lars. Verily such little indulgences
are "dog cheap."
New wheat has been contracted
for at Rochester, at one dollar per
bushel. The price for several years
has been from $1 50 to $2.
The practice at the bar, of Mr.
Prentiss, of Missisippi, who resigned
his seat in Congress, last year, is stat
ed, incredible as it appears, to be
worth $100,000 per annum.
The London papers contain a list
of the names and salaries of the Bed
Chamber women, "maids of Honor,"
etc. of Queen Victoria. There are in
the list upwards of 22 names—all of
high blood, and the aggregate of their
salaries is something over four hund
red thousand dollars. What they do
we don't know.
A Frenchman, gasconading over
the inventive genius of his country,
said: "We invented lace ruffles!"
"Aye," said John Bull, "and we ad
ded skirts to them."
Why is a horse like a stick of can
dy? D'ye give it up? 'Cause the
more you lick it the faster it goes.
The Journal of Commerce says the
saddle mountains in Berkshire, Mas
sachusetts, present a view of five
States. Block Island, in the Sound,
only four.
The Earl of Dartmouth, at the de
sire of the trustees of Dartmouth Col
lege, N. H., has presented to that in
stitution, a splendid portrait of his
grandfather its founder. A liberal
donation of valuable books for the col
lege library has also been made by
Earl Dartmouth.
The Treasury o^ Maine, has de
manded the sum of 60,000 dollars
from the banks of Portland, for the
purpose of meeting the expenses of
the Aroostook expedition. The banks
are obliged by their charters to loan
ten per cent of their capital to the
State on demand.
Among the regular toasts drank at
the celebration of the Fourth, at Itha
ca, N. Y., we find the following very
pretty compliment to the ladies-—
Women—There's a purple half to the
grape, a mellow half to the peach, a
sunny half to the globe, and a "better
half to man.''"
Cook and Carter, two men who
have committed manifold murders,
have recently made their escape from
the jail of Scott County, Missis
sippi, and are now at large. The
Grand Gulf Advertiser denounces
theni as two of the most atrocious
murderers that ever escaped the gal
lows.
By a recent statement in a Jamai
ca paper, it appears that that Island
contains 35,000 white-: inhabitants,
100,000 free colored, and 311,000
newly emancipated apprentices.—
There are 135,000, white and black,
who can vote.
•4
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*i
j\
j\ Mr
1 -if
•v^r 4
ti