Indiana State sentinel. [volume], November 26, 1845, Image 2

About Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1845-1851

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J)aDiana State gcntwcL
EI?I I -WE EXi LY.
CTE1VAL YICILAKCF. If THE MICE F LI1EÄTY.
INDIANAPOLIS ÄOVH3IHEK 26, ISlS.jGen. Cass, who could not possibly have been benefit-
Political Mysteries of ludiainiFolis. j
CHAPTER XIV
Causcs of the DiClcnlty between Col.
I'cppcr antl Ourselves.
Early in December last, 1S-14, now nearly a year
ago, we were favored by a call from Col. Pepper, for
the purpose, as he said, of a friendly conversation in
relation to certain alleged causes of displeasure to- .
1
iiiicai coaGiuiors or coparuicfPi eimi" mcuiotn
vu.juiio f -
rrcrttrnrc. He observed, by way 01 j
introduction, that he had no doubt that through the
medium of a proper understanding anJ explanation,
all difficulties could be reconciled, between them and
us.
We admitted that it was highly probable such
might be the result; and at any rate, we were glad
to have an opportunity tor a incndly discussion 01 ; for Congress over Wick, than they determined at all
the subject with him. hazards to have a ncjvspapcr at the capital which they
After some further preliminary observations of no cou j conlroj anu direct in such a way ns would suit
moment at this time, Colonel Pepper proceeded tolh nleasurc and subserve their own interests.
urge upon us the propriety f placing Vt name of
Gen. Cass at the head of our paper ', ft the democratic
candidate for the Presidency in IS IS. As the first
inducement for us to do so, he said it was in contem
plation to start another demcreUic paper here, the ne-ces-jity
for which would be obviated by our making
the nomination suggested by him.
We at once observed to him, that if this was in
tended as a threat, we should totally disregard it;
that we should never be driven into a movement of
this kind ; but, if he had reasons to offer in favor of
his proposition, we were ready to listen ami pay all j
due regard to them, He disclaimed any design of"
coercion, on his pari, anu proceeuea 10 give ins reu
sons in favor of the nomination of Gen. Cass at that
early day. These reasons were of a sectional char
acter
And he expressed his opinion, that if the j
ion could be made as h-j proposed, it would
nomination
ßettle the quetion of the Succession, so far as this
State was concerned, at least. Col. P. then gave his
reasons why ice should lead off in this matter. lie
evidently regarded our attitude with a military eye.
We occupied, he observed, a central and commanding
position, and could exercise a controlling inlluencc.
He thought this intluence should be exercised at once
in nominating Gen. Cass for the Presidency in 1 13.
He had no doubt, he said, if this was done, that all
the other democratic papers in the State would follow
suit ; that the people would agree to it in popular
meetings, and the grcit object of the succession be
consummated without the slightest difficulty.
We quietly listened to the Colonel, while he reiter
ated his arguments in a dozen different shapes, and
then frankly and plainly told him wc could not accede
to his proposition, let the consequences to us person
ally, be what they might.
We told him that though !
we would support Gen. Cas, as the democratic nom
inee, with as much alacrity as wc would any other
man, we thought I113 (Col. P.s) proposition prema
ture, inexpedient and unjustifiable for several reasons.
In the first place wc stated that our views of the ic
sponsibilities and duties of our position here, were
widely different from those entertained and expressed
by him. We did not think it right to attempt to exer
cise a "controlling influence" on any such subject,
even were there no other objection in the way. But
in addition, we declared our belief that such a nomi
nation, at so early a day, before the inauguration of
President Polk, and before the turmoil of the election
just held had subsided, would be impolitic and abor
tive, and would be likely to da much more injury to
the prospects of Gen. Cass than it could possibly do
good. By announcing him at so early a day, we
thould subject him to the assaults of the Whigs for
nearly four years before the election, without the re
motest prospect of doing any more good on our part
111. ..-1 1 r
thnn rmiM ht r!nn ivimnnt rmpIi nn nnnnnrnmnnt nt ;
u: ixr . . , , . . .
jus name. k; iuiu iiini, uiai ucuui uiuir iuwr views
of duty, instead of attempting to dictate public senti
ment, in the way he suggested, we could only proper
ly act in a representative capacity, as it were. Wc
6aid to him, that it might be very proper perhaps for
himself and other friends of (ten. Cass to procure the
desired nomination in as many "local" papers, and
as many primary meetings of the people as possible ;
that we would cheerfully assist to give such expres
sions all the weight due to them ; but that neverthe
less, so far as placing (icn. Case's name at the h?ad
of our paper was concerned, we could not accede to it
until the Democratic State Convention, (to be held
this winter,) should take such action as should war
rant us in so doing.
We reminded the Col. of the condemnation which
he and his friends had pronounced against the
'Globe," for its alleged dictation in regard to Mr.
Van Curcn. We aked him if what was wrong in
the "Globe," could be right in the State Sentinel 1
He could not but admit the force of this and other ob
jections, but still he was not convinced or satisfied,
and continued to press the subject, by desiring to
know whether we would consider an expression by
the Democratic members of the Legislature (then in
session,) in favor of Gen. Case's nomination, suffi
cient to warrant us in placing his name at the head
of our columns 1 We replied in the negative ; be
lieving they had been elected by the people without
reference to this subject ; nevertheless, wc said we
should consider the action proposed highly important,
whatever might be our opinion of its expediency, and
would pay all due respect to it.
Col. I then informed us tfiat it was the intention
of himself and those fr whom he spoke, to obtain
such an expression from the members of the legisla
ture, and said that (Jen. Drake would hau l us a no
tice for a call of the members. He then left.
The call for a meeting of the democratic members
of the Legislature, and other democrats, to make ar
rangements fur the coming Sth of January, was soon
after handed in, and was published in the Legislative
Sentinel. The meeting was held business relative
to the 8th transacted and Gen. Drake then stated to
the meeting, if we recollect rightly, that it had been
his intention to o.Ter a resolution favoring the nomi-
nation of Gen. Cass as the next Presidential candi
date ; but as the meeting was thin, he would defer it
until the adjourned meeting to be held subsequently.
Tue adjourned meeting was held, but the purpose
of Gen. Drake having been freely spoken of in the
meantime, the second meeting was much thinner than
the first ; 31 r. Drake declined offering the resolution,
and the matter died away.
Yet notwithstanding this was the result of the af
fair, we were by no means forgiven for being wiser
than a few would-be dictators who sought to control
11s. Such an exposure of their weakness, only em
bittered tl ;cm the more. From that time the fiat was
pronounced ; and it was determined that tbeojd "De
mocrat" should be revived and that the State Senti
nel, fur its incorrigible'detcrminaticn not to atterr.pt
to dictate to others, according to the wishes of the
Junto, should be put down.
The real purposes of these men, it seems to us,
must bo apparent enough. They wished to be 'A.
No. 1,' in bringing about this early nomination of
Gen. Cass, near three months before Polk was inau
gurated, for the sake of the spoils four years after
wards. Personally we cared nothing about that. But
jwe had a right to refuse and did refuse to become the
instruments to promote their selfish designs. Wc
had a riirht so to refuse in behalf of the party to
I whose service we have devoted the best years of our;
lives We had a rieht so to refuse as true friends of
ted by the hasty action proposed by these orhec-sharks.
Wc haJ a g0 (0 rtfuse on lhe cround ()f gelf.
respect, of which we have enough, thank heaven, to
restrain us from becoming the dupes and tojls of men
in no respect better than ourselves.
Our object in recurring to these circumstances at
this time, is to develope the causes of the existing
difficulty between ourselves and the U. S. Marshal,
Col. Tepper. We thought at the time, that the ob-
lections we raised to his suggestions, the reasonable-
. . . , , ,
ness of which he was compelled to adm4t ; and the
. ' . .
failure of the attempt to obtain an expression from
the Democratic members of the Legislature, should
have induced him to await the action of the people
on the subject. We were shortly undeceived, for no
6ooner had Pepper obtained the appointment of Mar
shal, and A. F. Morrison failed to get the appoint
ment of Indianapolis Postmaster, or the nomination
Knowing the object $f the revival of the Old Demo
crat to be as here staged, we were justified in avsail-
innr it as we have done. Our own motives, we knew,
....
would in a greater or less degree, be liable to misap
prehension. The Junto's Tool would of course make
loud professions of democracy and purity; a strum
pet introducing herself iuiqjleceiit society, would do
no less. We have said clivjiut the dcmocr-U
on the alert against the intendcu ncatnery. lime;
which tests alt things, will prove this also ; and we
shall have the satisfaction of knowing, that to prove
us in the wronr. the "Democrat' and its backers
t pracljce democracy instead of disorganization ;
must be governed by something like generosity, in
stead of the opposite spirit, which appears to have
been in the ascendant with them durinir the past two
or tj,rt,e yCars.
We knmv full wel tJje aiffTcultv of our position,
and the guile and duplicity of our enemies. We
know that some of thmi will hesitate at nothing to
ensure our overthrow. But with determined spirits
and clc ir consciences, wc rely with confidence upon
the righteousness of our intentions, and the integrity
and strength and majesty of the ftofle, for a safe
and sure deliverance.
Win Harmon v. Col. Webb, of the X. Y. Cour
ier and Enquirer, has brought a libel suit against the
editor of the N. Y. Tribune, for Inving accused him
of having been bribed bv the U. S. Dank. Webb
calls Greely "a rascal from principle, and a disor-
ganizer from instinct ' Then there is a pretty gen
eral quadrangular warfare between the N. Y. Ex
press, Courier and Enquirer, Tribune, and Albany
Evening Journal. As above stated, the Tribune char-
ges the Courier with corruption ; the Courier sues the
Tribune ; the Express charges the Tribune with be
ginning his article with a lie in his mouth, and end
ing it with a hypocritical and sanctimonious appeal,"
&c. The Tribune mounts the Express rough shod.
The Evening Journal is down upon the Courier and
Enquirer, Nativism, Bank and all ; and the Courier
has become perfectly savage in consequence. If we
had room, we would give a few extracts from these
harmonious pajers. Wc believe wc shall soon have
some expositions which will throw McKcnzie's book
entirely in the shade. What a pity these Whigs
will not fight for their country instead of against it.
ß7 In another column will be found the second
communication signed by Wm. J. Peaslec. It pur
ports to give a history of the disorganization which
prevailed in the Legislature during the session of
1343-4. In substance, it sustains the charge we
made against Mr. P. Indeed, notwithstanding the
denials made in various parts of his communication,
if ui nie tiosu luaivca uu uijuii iuur-3muii 111 iiiv
i .1.. i .r ,1...
lowing words :
" freely acknowledge, thU i i my capacity as a
private individual, I unhesitatingly expressed the
opinion that opposition to the caucus candidate was
justifiable."
We may have a few more words to say on this
subject hereafter.
Whig Authority. The Washington correspon
dent of the N. Y. Journal of Commerce, in a late let
ter, says:
I met this morning with a document which shows
that the whigs in Congress, not long ago, were in the
habit of assuming that all of Oregon belonged to us,
and was absolutely in a condition in which it could be
parcelled out into land districts. This is a report
from a select committee of the House of Representa
tives o;i the relief of the States, printed March , 1813,
and signed,
William Cost Johnson, Meredith P. Gentry,
John Quincy Adams, Zadock Casey,
James Cooper, Thomas F. .Marshall,
Calvary Morris, Jacob M. Howard,
James II. Cravens.
Here arc eight good whigs and one conservative,
all of whom anite in including all the lands of Oregon
in their estimate of our possessions, taking the paral
lel of fl degrees and minutes, the northernmost
line claimed by the United States.
0T"The N. Y. "Evening Post" takes issue with
the Charleston Mercury, in which there has recently
appeared two very able articles, undertaking to show
that neither by contiguity, settlement, or treaty, have
we a good right to the Oregon. The Mercury saya
that the right of Great Britain is no better than ours,
and that neither of them is good. This omes, says
the Post, of relying upon the old writers upon Interna
tional law, and the Mercury is promised a lengthy
on? wer.
CO" The resolution which was passed in the Ma
rion County Convention, on Saturday last, in refer
ence to Morrison and ourselves, was offered by a
friend of his. Although it was not in accordance with
the feelings of a majority present, (our friends) yet
the resolution was suffered to pas, for the sake of
avoiding difficulty, without a thought of the false im
pression it might produce at a distance.
Robderv. The Grecnsburgh Repository gives an
account of a robbery committed in that place, Mr.
Parmington, of St. Omar, having had hi3 pocket book,
containing 0, stolen from Lis pocket while he was
abed. The Grand Jury found a bill against John P.
Wood, late editor of a paper at Shclbyville, from the
evidence, and Wood made tracks and escaped.
3r Among other buildings blown down during
the late gale in the eastern States, was the new peni
tentiary at Albany, in progress of erection. The da
mage to that alone will be some jjG0,('00. Other
buildings were also blown down, as before noticed.
OCy" The endorsement of .Morrison's paper by the
Whigs, reminds us of the Crazilian introduction :
Thi3 is my friend ; if he steals any thing I am ac
countable for t.
07 The Whigs claim to be as democratic as
Democrats themselves. When Democrats act like
Whigs, they discredit their own professions, and are
no better tha.il Whigs.
There are two modes of establishing a refutation ;
to be praised by honest men and abused by ;oöls.
OrThe following excellent article on the subject
of Oregon is from a whig paper, the Cincinnati Chron
icle. We arc glad to see that all the Whig papers do
not take the anti-republican British side of this great
question. There is a small portion of tins article,
particularly that touching the cotton interest, which
we do not absent to In lull. Uut we give u 10 our
rcauCrs ns it is
MB. WEUSTEB'S SPEECH ON OREGON.
ri;osri LTs OF WAR.
Vvre present to day a portion of the speech of Mr.
W ebster, in raneuil Hall, on the Occupation o! Ore
gon, and the Quest. on of War. The subjects, as well
as the speech, are deeply interesting. Mr. Webster,
as usual, speaks strongly and eloquently. Indeed,
this speech, judirin from this specimen, is one of the
best he has made in many years. We have learned,
however, to receive Mr. Webster's opinions with some
grains of allowance. Perhaps this will enable us to
give a more candid and critical examination to his ar
guments than if we had implicit faith in them.
1. .Mr. Webster argues that Oregon will be settled,
but will become independent, not willing to remain
under the Government of England or the United
States. That it will not remain under the Government
of England is tolerably certain ; but that any country
settled by the i-itizens of the United States will be
willing to remain separate from the Union, we do not
believe. The Pacific Republic is the creature of im
agination, and likely to remain so.
li. Mr. Webster is opposed to War, and so is crery
enlightened mind in respect to general principles.
Notwithstanding, however, the amount of eloquence
spent on the subject, we think that war has oftentimes
excited great virtues, ar.d that like a sudden shock
of adversity to a noble mir.d, it may serve to bring
out the powers and illustrate the excellence which is
becalmed and corrupted in the summer of prosperity.
A battle field is not more fatal, nor as much so, as
many of those pestilences in morals and commerce,
xiuvJ otten sweep over me lace or socieiy. n isrnon-
j5-tiorro-rrs.ot vafcind its I
rible cost, when in two short years the Bankrupt laws
wiped out from the records of debt thkeK hundred
millions of dollars ! more than the cost of the War
of the Revolution and the War of 1SPJ combined!
This was the cist of the Lust of Gold.
But the battle field has its dead bodies. So has the
drunkard's grave. How many thousands, and tens of
thousands, and millions, year after year, have gone,
as if they were candles snuffed out, to the darkness of
a forgotten grave, from the Lust of Diuxk !
How many thousands more die in their Lusts!
How many wither away of a broken heart 1 How
many widows and orphans beyond those of all the
soldiers on earth, have bctn made widows and orphans
by the vice of Peace ond Mammon not those of
War 1
But enough ; we do not write this to favor war,
(which we have no desire to see,) but to show that
Moloch is not the only Demon who ravnges the
earth.
I). As to the question of whether there will be w ar,
wc can only say, that we see no cause for any , and if
there be one among the Christian nations of the earth,
most awtul will be the responsibility of that public
Minister who shall bring it on.
The question of the Oregon boundary is not a ques
tion whether we shall hae a territory there but how
much. Now, a question of quantity is never a ques
tion of anything more than pecuniary interest. And
shall the two greatest nations of the world be involv
ed in a war on a question of more, or less not in
volving the integrity of either I
The actual shape the question will take in Congress,
we stated (in our opinion) a few weeks since. Con
stituted as the committee on Foreign Relations are,
we expect to see them report in favor if, and accom
panied by a Bill fi r the actual occupation of Oregon
that is, in the language of the Union, to extend our
free Republican Institutions over that country. That
England will regard this ns an act of aggression can
not be doubted. But the question is, will such an
Act pass ! In the House of Representatives, we
think it will ; but in the Senate, we think it cannot.
The reason will probably be, that the Southern States
will be unwilling to see their ejreat Cotton interest
totally destroyed; for, destroyed it will be; and prob
ably never again tosolar;e an extent revived. The
cotton countries of Brn7.il, Egypt and India will all
be driven into excessive production, and the ground
the South thus loses cannot be recovered.
There is another great interest that will be likely
to oppose war. This is the great commercial cities
of the Atlantic. They cannot look with any great
complacency on a war, the final effect of which will
be to subject them to an invasion of steam frigates,
for which Gcat Britian is at this moment amply pre
pared. These great interests, then, united with the opposi
tion to Mr. Polk's Administration, both in the Demo
cratic and in the Whig parties, will probably cause
the rejection in the Senate, if not in the House of
Representatives, of any aggressive acts. While we
believe, therefore, that the good scne of the nation
represented in Congress will take care to avoid an
unnecessary war, wc nevertheless feel assured, that
the President will relinquish n"iie of our claims upon
Oregon, and that the committee on Foreign Relations
will very likely report Rills for occupation. In saying
this we beg leave to dissent from certain opinions,
notions and doctrines, set forth in some of the Whig
papers.
1. We regard the possession, civilization and gov
ernment of a portion of the Pacific coast adjoin
ing the United States, as necessary to carry out
the great purposes of our National existence, and to
perfect the ultimate regeneration of Asia and the fi
nal triumph of Christianity in all nations.
J. We do not believe that all tlc territory West of
the Rocky Mountains is a barren, useless, and unpro
ductive land, which may as well be delivered up to
avaes and bears, as not. What was the Valley of
the Ohio, when Ludlow laid out Cincinnati, and Wayne
marched against the Indians, hut a wilderness !
3. The doctrine of peace is no doubt the ultimate
doctrine of Christianity. But is it meant to say, that
Christian nations must never 40 to war ! That there
can be no just war 1 Or, that peace is the only con
dition of Human Progress 1 If it be not meant to
any this, all these dissertations about the evils of war
are misplaced. The only quest .on for discussion is,
whether there be cause of war ! Wc insist upon it,
frankly and positively, that a question of unoccupied
territory does not present such cause. We cannot in
such a dispute maintain in tin Christian world that
high moral ground which is necessary to the moral
integrity of a Christian Repul lie. This is the present
position of affairs. What it may become in the
course of time, no man can foresee. The course of
of History, as it is developed in the progress
and results of nations, is more governed by the
decrees of Providence than the will of man. A short
time, especially in an age in which so much heat and
velocity is evolved as this, gives birth to new and
strange acts, relations and consequences. The trf.
sf.nt is our day ; and it becomes the Government, the
people and individual actors to be guided by the great
principles of Republican Liberty, of Christian Faith,
and of growth in Civilization not unmindful that
prudence and moderation are great virtues.
Louisiana Third Coxgrkcsional District. -Mr.
Harmason, (dem.) is elected. The majority is not
yet known. His majority in East and West Baton
Rouge, East ar.d West Feliciana, and Point Coupee,
is 101. The parishes across the lake w ill probably
elect him by four or five hundred majority.
The Florida Election. Mr. Cabell, the whig can
didate, has got his certificate of election, as the law
requires that the Governor shall certify within thirty
days after the election who has a majority of the re
turned votes. Mr. C. was found to have 09 more re
turned than Mr. Brockcnburgh, who, however, has a
small majority of the whole vote cast in the State.
Letter Found. We picked up an open letter, the
other day, in the street, directed to 44 C. G. Hale, Lo
gansport, Ind.," and post-marked 11 Rob Roy, Oct.
10th.' If it is of any use to the owner, he can ob
tain it on application at this office.
Cuuious Fact is Commerce. The greater part of
the skins sold by the Norwegians are obtained from
the Hamburgh merchants, who buy them in London
fron: the Hudson's Bay Company; the Norwegians
convey them to Fmmark, from whence they are taken
to Moscow, and there sold to the caravan traders, for
the purpose of being bartered with the Chinese for
tea of Kiachta !
For the State Sentinel.
Sketch of llic l:ilc ,lZi;imi Reservation
ill Indiana -The l'iper AVaL;th
C'uiiul Advantages.
, Dear Chafmans I had intended, ere this, to have
given you a sketch t-f a flying visit across the Miami
Kcsenation, made during the past month; but have
been prevented until now. Tbe imjortance this
section of the Stale is about to assume in the State,
so goon as the lam's are surveyed, ami shall laVe come
into market, induces me to give a few of myobscrva-
tions to k public.
About the first of October myself ami wife, with
a
bucrcV nm an JWJlan lH.-ny hit Indianapolis for rem
on
1 the Wabash and Erie Canal, aking our route
through what appears upon the hiap as the Great
Miami Reservation. Unfortunately for us, the day
we left, the rains, which continued, at that time, tor
about two w eeks, began to fall. We, however, pressed
on, and the third morning after we left, we found our-
selves entering Tipton county in the Reserve, not laid
down upon the maps; but which has been nearly two
years organized. Although the lands, whir a small
exception, have not as yet been surveyed, settlers are
tlocking in and making claims in all directions. The
lands in this county, are very level, and, being covered
with heavy timber, are apparently too wet for cultiva-
tion in many parts ; Dut experience lias proved, wncre
the lands have been cleared up, that no fears need be
apprehended, on tins score, l no seiners are a naruy
and enterprising set of pioneers, who deserve the
Inchest praise tor their industry and perseverance, and
are well deserving the best efforts of the members of
our National Legislature. We found amongst the
female portion of the population, especially, a rare
specimen of all the daring and bravery that charac
terised the early mothers of the West. We found
one female, a young married lady, that had been in
the Reserve for the past two or three years, and whose
information, on most subjects, was equal to the most
polished in our State, and who, when my wife
enquired .how she endured the want of society to
which she had been hitherto accustomed, replied, that
'she took her gun and ranged the forest for recreation.
She was an excellent shot and served us up a dinner
of venison, with other dainties, that would make the
mouth of the veriest epicure to water. They had a
delightful situation, near a small stream, with a spring
gushing forth near their residence. The next or middle
county of the Reserve is called Richardville, after
the Miami Chief of that name. These two counties
are ten or twelve miles wide and between twenty-five
and thirty in length. The balance of the Reserve,
North, bordering on the Wabash, is attached, or rather
comprises portions of the counties of Cass and Miami.
Near the centre of the Reserve and in the county of
Richardville Wild Cat river winds its way, which
is s.tuated at distances ranging from fifteen to
eighteen miles from the Wabash river and Wabash
and Erie Canal. Along this stream, and for miles
on either side, is the finest timbered country I have
ever seen in the West, and land which has proved to
be almost unsurpassed in fertility. Tall poplars rear
their branches, as it were, almost to the Heavens;
many of them are from four to six feet in diameter
and will make from six to eight saw logs twelve feet
in length. Indeed many of these giants of the forest
appeared to us capable of furnishing lumber for a
respectable building from a single tree. We saw
thousands of these trees covering the country for
miles, interspersed with the finot su;;nr orchards any
country can boast of. To give some idea of the popu
lation of these counties Richardville gave at the last
elections between four and five hundred votes.
Fassing over this heavily timbered and fertile
country for a distance of forty miles, we arrived at
Peru on the Wabash river, which is situated on the
northern bank cf that stream. The Canal passes
throu;h it and a feeder dam across the Wabash river
aflort's several beautiful sites for water power, which
are being improved by the erection of two large mer
chant flouring mills and other manufacturing estab
lishments. The town, at this time, contains some six
hundred inhabitants, and must be one of the finest
locations on the Wabash, whenever the Miami Reser
vation shall have been brought into market, as its
rapid and permanent settlement, will immediately
follow. The fine Eel river country on the North will
throw into its lap an almost boundless commerce.
We tarried at this beautiful village for a day ; but the
w eather was unfavorable for a minute survey ; and w e
amused ourselves with a conversation with several of
the Miamis, males and females, who were there for
the purpose of trading. They were dressed in the
richest and gayest Indian style, themselves and ponies
beinjr fantastically arrayed and the Indians painted in
their holiday colors.
We next proceeded down the Wabash river, to the
city of Logansport, whose fine water power, beautiful
buildings and other advantages are too well known to
be described. Situated in the forks of the Wabash
and Eel rivers, with a river on either boundary, and
the Canal passing through the centre, there is some
thing truly grand and picturesque in its scenery, and
it is destined to be one of the nmt beautiful cities in
the West. The Miami Reserve also comes up to the
Wabash, at this place, and must give Logansport
great advantages, whenever the Reserve shall be
brought into market.
After a pleasant tarrv of half a dv at the hotel
of my old friend Cyrus igus, one of the most accom
plished landlords in the country, whom I could not
pass by, on account of political differences, in conse
quence of many pleasant reminiscences of days
lang syne, we proceeded on-our journey.
Our next stopping place, down the river, was at
Delphi, located in one of the most fertile counties on
the Wabash. It is a thriving village and a place of
much trade. On the opposite or western side of the
Wabash is the village of Pittsburgh, a location unsur
passed for permanent water power by any on the
Wabash. The pool dam for the purpose of crossing
canal boats from one side of the Wabash to the other
the canal here changing sides of the Wabash river
will render it, in a few years, a second Pittsburgh
indeed. The mills and machinery here located have
the whole Wabash to supply them with water. Its
trade now comes from as low down as the upper part
of Tippecanoe county ; but Us chief reliance is the
arms of the grand prairie, watered by the Tippecanoe
river and its tributaries, constituting thousands ond
thousands of acres now in cultivation, and having, in
prospect, more cultivated country than any part of
equal extent in the West. The Tippecanoe river is
the best stream for water-power with which I am
conversant. It appears to be about the size of White
river at Indianapolis ; but contains double the quantity
of water in consequence of the rapidity of its current.
It has been estimated, that from Monticello, the county
scat of White county, to its mouth, the fall is more
than one hundred feet, a greater descent, in the same
distance, than on any other stream in the State.
We next proceeded down the river, through the
Tippecanoe Battle Ground, to Lafayette. We tarried
at this spot, near an hour for the gratification of my
lady, who has given vent to her own reflections in
poetry, as a contribution to the Louisville Kentucky
Democrat, of which she is a regular correspondent;
which I will append with your leave, to this letter.
A description of the battle-ground is unnecessary from
me, as it Ins been described in hundreds of ways,
during the last six or seven years. The site was
donated to the State by the late General Tipton, and
the State of Indiana expended some seven hundred
dollars for its enclosure. This was done by a common
boird fence around the nine acres donated. It is now
in a wretched state of repair, whole panels having
fallen down nnd been alnluctcd leaving ample room,
in many places, for the free passage of wagons. The
common grave, w here the bones of Daviess, Spencer
and Warrick and their gallant compatriots were col
lected some years since and buried, is now scarcely
discernible, and could not be found by the traveller,
unacquainted with the circumstance of burial. The
cattle of the neighborhood have free passage over
this sacred spot ; no monument, but a rapidly decaying
board fence, marking the battle ground of Tippecanoe
and the grave of its gallant spirits. It is not for me
now to say whether this should be so, but I feel I have
some interest in perpetuating the mercory of the
gallant spirits who perished there.
Seven miles below the battle-ground stands the
city of Lafayette, tJjc head of Steam-Boat navigation
on the Wabash, destined, beyond all controversy, to
be the Queen city of Indiana. It now boasts of more
cultivated land in its neighborhood than any city of
the West, for an equal extent of country, Cincinnati
not excepted. We tarried for a short time at the
Lafayette House nnd took a general view of the city.
It is literally filled with rubbish from the numerous
buildings which are in a state of progress, a large
new Court House being amongst the number. The
roof is just being placed on a row of buildings, near
the river, about four hundred feet in length three
stories high, which I am told is already engaged for
business houses, at an annual rent of a small fortune
for each year. The prosperity of this city as well as
that of Terre Haute, Vinccnties and many others on
the Wabash is closely connected with the 1 ocation of
some great city on the Ohio or Mississippi, that will
cause a direct trade with the Wabash country, and I
am pleased to see that four millions of capital has
been raised by a Company for making a site for a
great city at the mouth of the Ohio, which has
been welt remarked, is the hest location to com-
mand the Southern trade, in the Western world.
Operations are to commence at Cairo in January next.
It is to be hoped that the results of the recent Con-
vention at Memphis will eventuate in a handsome
anoroonation for the Wabash river. Money making
appears to be the great characteristic of the citizc
of Lafayette. No one that I heard speak appeared to
have a moment for any thing else. The splendid
Seminary, on a beautiful eminence, three stories high,
however, looks as if Literature had an outside show in
jthe city, and it is to be hoped that the profits of her
commerce will give ample compensation to teachers
and Professors.
While at the Lafayette House, a canal-boat arrived,
, in three and a half days from Toledo, in which Mr.
j Piatt, one of the early pioneers of the neighborhood
1 0f Cincinnati was a passenger. Mr. Piatt now resides
at Covington on the Wabash, the present terminus of
the Wabash and hne Canal. He is largely interested
jn property at Toledo and represents the business of
that city as beyond all calculation there being a
Ureat deficiency of boats, at this time, to carry on the
i Lake Commerce. This is also the case on the Wa
bash and Eric Canal ; but what boats there are are
actively engaged. As an evidence of this, Mr. Tiatt
arrived at Lafayette at noon on the day I saw him,
and the Captain of the boat called on him to take his
leave, just as we were going in to supper on the same
evening having unloaded his carjn, reloaded and
C Cr D
prepared for departure in six hours. Mr. Piatt said,
he had, during the last war, whilst engaged in the
service of his countrv, fixed on Toledo as a favorite
point, having heard from the Indians that they had
passed in pirogues and canoes from the waters of the
Lake to those of the Wabash. He was enthusiastic
in his praise of our canal and of the Wabash valley.
He is seventy-two years old and has travelled much
in the West. Pointing to the map of the Union he
observed, that nature had indicated the V abash valley
as the irrcat and most direct connecting link between
r r
the East and the South. No country, of equal extent,
can boast of more agricultural advantages, and the
surprise is, that emigrants will pass Indiana for a
more Western location. Our State indebtedness, it is
true, has alarmrd many on account of taxation, but a
survey of the w hole ground, I am inclined to believe,
will ere long induce hundreds to alter their determi
tion and make their locations in our Stat, and I am
pleased to learn, that the early survey and sale of the
Miami Reservation will take place; Gov. Whiteomh
having received a letter from the Commissioner of the
General Land Office stating that the survey has been
ordered as soon after the 4Jth of the present month
as practicable. Lafayette is nearer Toledo than Cin
cinnati, and considerably nearer the mouth of the
Ohio ; and when the Rapidsof the Wabash shall have
been improved and the Wabash and Erie Canal com
pleted to Evansville, of which there can be no longer
a doubt, and that too, at an early period, there can be
no reason why Lafayette shall not outstrip even Cin
cinnati in commercial advantages. Thev will not be
rivals, as there is room enough in this broad valley
fur hundreds of cities. A Railroad can be mao'e on
the direct routes from Indianapolis to Lafayette at a
trilling expense being a level country and only a
distance of fifty-nine miles, as the State road now
runs. There are now no canal-boats running on the
Wabash ond Erie Canal, infcthis State for the exclusive
accommodation of passengers ; but the accommoda
tions are good on the other boats. In the spring a
line of passenger boats will be put in operation, and
then the distance between Lafayette and Toledo will
be accomplished in two or two and a half days.
I must hring this letter to a close by appending the
effusion above alluded to, hoping that the time will
soon come when the munificence of the city of Lafav-
ette, along with other portions of Indiana, will he
brought into requisition for the erection of a suitable
monument on the battle-field of Tippecanoe. B.
Line,
Suggested by a visit to the Tipperanoe Battle Ground,
in Ortcber lb45.
BV MRS. 5ABAH T. EOLTOX.
My heart was still within me, for I stood,
In tiembling awe, on consecrated erounJ
l.rxn lhe soil mde sacred by the blo d
Of Western chivahy ; and though I found
No stoi ied maible theie to proudly sound
The names of thoe who fell, or bear a trace
Of gratitude, the old trees ? t od around,
Like giant-fetitineis, to guard the place.
Wearing the bullet-scars time could not all efface.
Oh ! there are times when the unfettered mind
(loe out from its clay tenement, and strays,
In dreams all fanciful and undefined,
Amidst the mouldering records of old days.
Dim forms start up befoie us as we me.
In fancy's light, the daik mysterious seal
Of buried years ; shadows aie there ; we gaze
Upon the teniblejiear, ee and feel
Things that no sign, no woid hath power to reveal.
Thus was I spell-bound theie, and fancy wrought
A thillling scene before me. It was night
Wiihin a green old foiest, and I thought
A line of watch-fires, burning stransely blight,
Sent up phanlastic streams of fitful liiht
Amidst the summer leaves. Then tents aroe
And warlike weapons gleamed upon my sight,
And men, unconscious of approaching foes.
Wrapt in that sweet oblivion, toil-earned repose.
Many a one, forgetting every care,
Had wandeied far away, and in his trance,
Was silting in his quiet home, and there
Recounting his strange peiils, and perchance,
He smiles to see how dangers past enhance
The joys aiound hirn. Sleeping soldier.tpour
The wealth of thine affection in that glance
At thy he ill's idols, for thy days are o'eri
Thou'lt never see thy home, thy bright-eyed children more.
A death-shot rang upon the midnight air.
Haik ! hark ! Oh God, that wild unearthly yell,
Told but too tiuly that the foe was there
And froze the very life-blood where it fell.
Then from prairie, thicket, stream and dell
Arose the sound of the unequal strife,
And eie the half-awakened men could tell
From whence the death-blows came, the ground was rife
With many a ghastly corse and crimson sticam of life.
Secure within the tall praiiie giass
That grew in wild luxuriance round the scene,
The pointed warriors firmly kept the pass,
And still behind this slight but fittirgJ screen
Took fital aim, themselves the while unseen.
Oh ! God, there is no scene so full of dread,
As such a battle in the nijht I ween ;
The rallying cry, the shiieks, the gioans, the tread
Of maiching squadrons o'er the dying and the dead.
The sharp, shrill fife-note and the clashing steel ;
The lightning flashes, smoke and streaming gore,
As ranks advance, make leady, charge and wheel,
Many of whom perchance, will chaige no more.
The loud command, the deep incessant roar,
As volley after volley loudly tells
Its tale of blood, repeated o'er and o'er
Along the deep ravines and secret cells ;
Amidst the craggy rocks where babbling echo dwells.
Long, long they fought and bravely, but the foe
Had the advantage; where the watch-fires threw
Along the broken ranks a ruddy glow.
Like winged lightning-shafts the bullets flew
With the unerring aim, so strangely true
Of savage maiksmen ; not a single eye,
Quailed as the dreadful contest deeper grew ;
They counted it a little thine to die ;
A wound, a pang, a groan, a struggle and a sigh.
At length a streak of light, all cold and gray,
Slowly along the dim horizon spiead ;
Theo the dark battle-cloud rolled up and lay
Like a stiange pall above the unshrouded dead.
No dirge was sunij, no word of prayer was said
As weeping comrades took their mute hiewell,
Eie they departed hence, with stealing tread,
Leaving the hastily made giaves to tell.
Where many a gallant soldier nobly fought and fell.
My dieam departed ; the blue sky above
Was bending down as beautiful and fair
As if the spirit of Almigh'y love
And God's omnipotence were resting there.
The forest leaves waved in the morning air
Caressingly, and there was not one stain
On the blight pebbles or green sward to bear
The record of lhe battle-stiife, the pain,
The groans, the agony, the deatb-wounds of the slain.
The scene was sadly changed since that sad night.
Then soil, grass, bramble-buh and stream were red.
Now, all were fresh, green, beautiful and blight
The flower-embroidered carpet nature spread
Was fair enough to grace an angel's ticad.
The dew drops tiembled in the pjssing breeze
And fell in fairy showers upon my head ;
The wild-birds carolled in lhe leafy trees
As though they strove with itrange vaiiety to please.
The memory of that lovely spot doth seem
To liemble o'er my heart-strings with a thrill,
Like some bright fragment of a broken dream.
A gentle tream, now narrowed to a lill,
Winds, like a line of sunbeams, round the hill,
And ripples o'er the shining stones that pave
Its narrow channel, with a soft low trill
Of music to the flowers that stoop to lave
Their petals in the apray or kiss th laughing ware
I have one token of the dreamy hour
I pent beide the ahes of the biav
It is a little faded purple flower
That giew alene upon the common grave.
I love it, for it saw the old tieea wave
Their giant-aims above it in mid-air.
That stood there on lhe battle-night and gave
Protection to the men, and bore a share
Of bullet-wounds with thore who Bobly perished there.
Fair Indiana, thou wilt not forget
It was fur lhe they pouied life' crimson tide
It was for thee, my own bright home, they met
T was on thy bosom that they battled, died.
And it will be thy glory ar,d thy piide
To bid the monumental marble rise,
Where now their ashes slumber tide by side,
lieneath the floweis that lift their dewey eye
Towaid the stars that burn and sparkle o'er thy skies.
No, thou wilt not forget the savage, flme.
The gleaming tomahawk and scalping knife,
And thou wilt keep most saciedly the fame
Of those who flew from home, friends, children, wife,
T thy defence, in that fell border stufe,
When clouds that hover o'er thee rove are rent,
And thy broad boom is with blessings life ;
When happiness, peace, plenty and content
Make thee amidst thy sister States pre-eminent.
Pitching into Them. The Washington Union is
down upon that portion of the press which charges
the crovcrnment with a design to cek a war with
England on the Oregon question, because it is dis
posed to maintain the assertion that our right to Ore
gon was clear and indisputable. The Union very
justly inquire, is this position nerc or old J
'Is it, as it has been freely called, a new step, or a
violent step, or a reckless step, or a s-tcp of exaspera
tion ? It is none of these. This nation as a nation
this government as a government has never known
any other doctrine of our right in Oregon than that
very doctrine which the President promulgated in his
Inaugural, and which we have endeavored, and shall
endeavor, unflinchingly to sustain. We quoted this
doctrine yesterday, as stated in the strongest ruid
broadest terms by Henry Clay in 1?J0, when 'ne, as
Secretary of State, spoke on this subject, for the ad
ministration of Mr. Adams. This is JNIr. Clay's lan
guage : "Xor is it cojiccived that Ureal Britain has,
or can, make out even a colorable title to any portion
of the northwest coastS' This most emphatic asser
tion of our rights by Mr. Clay is the more remarka
ble, because it was given in the same despatch in
which Mr. Gallatin was instructed to compromise our
claim by the line of the 49th parallel.
We are prepared to show that this same doctrine
has been reiterated over anil over again m every va
riety of form, by administration after administration
in messages, in despatches, in majority reports up
on the tloor of Congress. Put we will not take the
trouble to do this. The work is needless.
We take a shorter course. Wc defy our opponents
on this question, one and all, to produce any State pa
per claiming to speak the sentiments of the American
government at any time, in which the doctrine of our
right To THE whole of Oregox has been contradict
ed or abandoned. Let them show us one administra
tion in this country that has ever said, or intimated,
or allowed, in any terms, or on any occasion, that the
United States did not of right own the soil of Ore
gon up to f4 deg. 40 min."
There is more to the same effect, which would puz
zle some of those to answer who clamor so loudly fur
Great Pritain.
07"Tli9 following curious statistics of the progress
and value of manufacturing machinery, is from a late
nuin'ier of the London league.
Results of Machinery in the Manufacture or
Cotton. The following extract from "The Working
Man's Companion" will thow the results of mechan
ical contrivance in the cotton manafacture, premising
that nearly 4()U,t!( lO.OdU yards of English cotton cloth
are anually exported, and 40U,(:iX),UUU used fur home
consumption : ' Nearly twenty years after Arkwright
had begun to spin by machinery, the price of a particu
lar sort of cotton yam much used in the manafacture of
calico was lis a ound. That same yarn is now sold
for between Jls and 4s or l-12th of its price forty
years ago. If cotton goods were worn only by the few
rich, as they were worn in ancient times, and even in
the latter half of the last century, that dilTercnce of
price would not be a great object ; but the price is a
very important object when every man, woman, and
child in the United Kingdom has to pay it. The
4(K,l (0,(fU0 yards of cloth which are anunlly retain
ed for home consumption, distributed amongs-t 20,000,
(K O of population, allow 10 yards every year for each
individual. Wc will suppose that no individual would
buy these 10 yards of cloth unices he or she wanted
them ; that this plenty of cloth is a desirable thing ;
that it is conducive to warmth and cleanliness, and
therefore to health; that it would be a great privation
to go without the cloth. At Gd a yard, the 400,100,
UOU yards of cloth amount to 10,000,;0() sterling.
At 2s Gd a yard, (which we will take as an average
price about five and twenty ago,) they would amount
to Jr,0,000,000 sterling an amount equal to all the
taxes annually paid in Great Pritain and Ireland. At
twelve times the present price, or Gs a yard, which
proportion we get by knowing the price of jam 40
years ago, and the present day, the cost of 400,000,
(00 sterling. It is perfectly clear that no such sum of
money could be paid for cotton goods, and that, in
fact, instead of 10,0U0,C0() being spent in this arti
cle of clothing by persons of allclas-cs, in consequence
of the cheapness of the commodity, we should go back
to very nearly the same consumption that existed before
Arkwright's invention that is, of the year 1753, when
the amount of the cotton manufacture of the kingdom
djd not exceed the annual value of 200. At that
rate of value, the quantity of cloth manufactured could
not have been equal to 1-öOüth part of that which is
now manufactured for home consumption. So that IM
people each now consume 1G yards of cotton cloth,
where one person eight years ago consumed one yard.
We ask you, therefore, if this last difference in the
comforts of every family by the ability which they
now possess of easily acquiring warm and healthful
clothing, is not a clear gain to all society, and to every
one of you as a jortion of society 1"
Fori'LATION OF THE E.MI'IKE STATE CoMTLETE.
The Albany Evening Journal makes una table of pop
ulation from the otlicial returns in the otfice of the
Secretary of Slate, except the county of New York,
which is taken from the corrected returns in the
Morning News. The entire population is 2,000,374.
In it was 2,420,921 ; showing an increase in
live years of 170,4o3. The number of males is l,t!13,
33T; of females, 1.237,001), showing an excess of
males over females, of 2G,271. The nun ber of elect
ors, excepting New York, is returned at 470,440.
New York has probably G0,000 electors. Nearly all
the increase of population is in the large towns, and
more than half of it in New York city and its envi
rons. In 14 counties, among them several of the
best agricultural counties, there is nn aggregate de
crease of 20,71)0.
The City Government of Poston is in a pretty
predicament, according to the Poston Times. In con
sequence of the present division between the Whigs
and Natives there, they have now practically no gov
ernment. The situation of the Mayoralty is such
that money cannot be paid out of the Treasury to sat
isfy even the claims of the laborers of the city. Even
the primary school teachers cannot be paid, and the
poor scavengers and lamp-lighters, who have daily
requirements for their money, are told that they can
not receive their dues till after a Mayor shall have
been chosen, a consummation of which there is no im
mediate probability.
The United States sloop of war St. Mary's arrived
at Pensacola on the 5th inst. from Yera Cruz. Tho
whole American squadron were shortly to leave tho
Mexican coast, in accordance with the request of the
Mexican government. The St. Mary's had on board
important despatches for Washington, which were
sent to the Navy Yard, and forwarded by mail. The
Pritih frigate Eurydicc left Yera Cruz in company
with the St. Mary's. They had a partial trial of speed,
in which the St. Mary's came olT victorious.
The New Orleans Volunteers under Major Gaily,
have returned from Texas and been discharged. The
paers contain no other news of importance.
Bank Assets. The assets of the City Bank of
BuiTala were publicly sold on the 12th, and the prop
erty went oft" at very satisfactory prices. The grosg
amount of the sale was $52,000, being the largest of
anv sale in the citv since that of th Rathlmn ttn
The judgment, discounted bills and notes, sucks.
items counted as casn, &c, estimated by schedule to
be worth $152,193 00 brought the sum of $20,819 70,
while the real estate sold for 25.455 00. Th nm-
ductivc real estate sold at the prices of 1633.