Virginia advocate. [volume], September 06, 1828, Image 2

About Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
CHARLOTTESVILLE.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER G.
Jackson an!> lfritu. Allen all tho parads and flourish
«• with which Judge Williams’ evidence was introduced
by the Coalition presses, and notwithstanding the confi
dence with which they jfroclaimfcd that it established tho
cltargv of' treason against. Gen. Jackson, it seems, by
universal consent, to be Row abandoned by them, as “ ut
terly unsafe to trust, and unsure to stand on.”—
Though professing to liuvo personal knowledge on thb
subject, and boasting that ho “cannot be mirtaken,”
those, who are determined to persevere in this charge,
ere too prudent to fe’y on the statements of this old man,
which, if true prove nothing, but which, in point of fact,
tliorc is the strongest reason to believe, are entirely desti
tute of foundation. They prefof to sustain their accusa
tion by violent and unnatural inferences from circumstanc
es and facts, which arc either unimportant in themsoHos,
or prove, to the satisfaction of every honest and impartial .
man, the innocence of Gen. Jackson,—justly supposihg
that their own ingenuity is a better reliance than the testi
mony or the credit of their witness. In pure ianco ofthis set
tled plan of policy, every act of Gen. Jackson is perverted
into the evidence of guilt. Does he. like other gentlemen
throughout the country, treat Burr with civility and polite
ness when visited by him, 'oefote his real designs wero
suspected? He, alone, is to bo condemned for an act,
which exciters no suspicion even, against hundred**of oth
er honorable men, who,like himself,moat innocentlv com
mitted it. Docs ho write to Governor Claiborne warning
him to ho on his guard against enemies who would “ try
to subvert your government And separate it from the
Union ?” Wo arc told, this was only done to conceal bis
treasonable designs. Does he write to the President
making a tender of his services to the government in t4?e
event of attack “ ruo>i anv qrARTER," and pledging
himself to bring into tho field, at twenty day's notice,
three regiments of volunteers; and issue orders to the
troops in his division, commanding them to be in readi
ness to march, “ when the government and constituted
^.VTuorities of tho country require”? These acts too—
though in any other, they would be the indisputable cv
idonoc of vigilance and patriotism—in him, prove noth
ing but duplicity and treason ! Not only truth, but eve
ry thing like probability and consistency is outraged in
this unholy attempt to prove criminality whoro none
existed. At one and the same time, he is rcpiesentcd os
artfully providing for his safety, and concealing his par
ticipation in tho conspiracy, by insincere admonitions to
tfte authorities of his country—and as openly associating
with, and sustaining tho traitor against the odium and
indignation of the wliolo community, and publickly as
sisting him in mustering and organizing his ifflwv. We
do not ask in his defence—what every criminal has a
right to demand—that the most favorable construction
bo placed on his conduct; wo only require that acts, in
nocent and merctoriniis in themselves, shall not,by forced,
unnatural and improbable constructions, be toitured into
crimo ;—particularly, that they shall n..t be relied on, to
prove, that atone and tfc'r seine time, ho was a designing
hypocrite and an open traitor :
There is no foreseeing the lengths to which party ma
lignity and ingenuity will carry our a:l rorsarics in this
course of perversion and misrepresentation. We cer
tainly should not be surprised to hear (ien. Jackson’s
support ot Mr. Jell arson, and opposition to Burr and the
Federalists iu the civil revolution of H< 0. and his glori
ous delonc^ ol tho W est durigg the late war, urged ns
proofs of his connexion with Burr, and his desire to sever
tiie Lnion. Certain it is that ihci-c inferences would not
bo more violent and absurd than many of <* Vii’nluYChar
acter, which are constantly pressed on us as entitled to
all tho weight of the most conclusive demonstration.
That our readers may ha convinc ed that wc do not speak
extravagantly on this subject, we annex a document now
going the rounds of the administration papers, and which,
it is insisted, establishes, beyond all doubt, the charge ol
treason against Gen. Jaekson. it is only necessary to re
miark, in explanation ..fit that it is the affidavit of Gin.
'Coffee, given in a suit brought by Mr. Blenuerhass^t
Against Gen. Ju^cjrn, in the'IV ri ory of Missi:«ippi, jn the
year 1^13, to recover ft', b.Vm funds, wtoicif'il was supposed
too held, belonging to Burr.
. ai'itojvit of GKvcnii. corj-rr..
Being informed l»y Gen Jackson that he wan
■uniinoned as a guamishoe, to say what money or
effects lie had in his possession that properly lie
longed to Aaron Burr, and at the same time be
ing requested by the General, to make a statement
ol facts that had come to my knowledge respect
ing money matters between himself and A. Burr.
In compliance with which 1 do say, that some
time in the year 18OG (to the best of iuy rccollcc
tion) Aaron Burr was engaged in an expedition or
entcrprize down the Mississippi, and which he. said
he was authorized to do by govrrnnieA!^ and for the
purpose of procuring provisions and boats for his
"^contemplated plans, he, the said Burr, did forward
* sum of between three and four thousand dollars
in Kentucky bank notes, to Gen. Jackson, with a ■
request that he would procure for him, by pur
amount in boats and provisions. At
the time Gen. Jackson received the slim nnuJbu
to, I was concerned with him in mercantile busi
ness, at the Clover Bottom, Tennessee, tnd on the
receipt thereof, the General showed me his in
structions, and handed the money or notes over to
me, with a request that I would transact »he busi
ness, for Mr, Burr, and in behalf of the mercan
tile firm above alluded to, I did so; and made con
tracts for several boats for Mr. Burr; when reports
reached 1'cnnrssce, that his projects or plans, was
not, nor would notf be countenanced by government.
— On hearing this rumour, by a no with tut, ad
vick or Gen. Jackson, J declined making con
tracts for Mr. Jiurr any further than had been
done before that time; and still held in my posses
sion a considerable part of the sum first remitted
by Mr. Burr, to General Jackson.—Some time af
ter that, when Mr. Burr came cn to Tennessee,
on his way dow n the ri\er, he stopped at the Clo
ver Bottom, near which place lay seme of the
boats that 1 had contracted for his use, and where
he fitted himself OUt'for his voyage down the riv
er. The report of his acting in opposition to the
wishes of government, prevented his procuring sup
plies oj provision ; and,as such, he had not use ior
all the boats that had been marie for him—two I
believe was the number be made use of for him
self and those with him. The balance of the boats,
the number 1 do not recollect, ivas left by Burr;
and afterwards by virtue of his order in favor of
Patton Anderson, the boats, or the proceeds there
of, was handed or paid over to him, Mr. Ander
son. When Mr. Burr was at Clover Bottom, Gen.
Jackson and myself made a settlement with him
the said Burr, and after charging him with the
boats and other articles furnished him for his voy
age down the river, f returned him all the balance
of his money, ip the very same notes first sent on
by him, and the accounts were then completely
closed andpaid on both sides ; as I understood it
after closing the accounts, there were some few
articles with which the firm of Jackson &. Hutch
ings (and which I beforesaid f was concerned in)
furnished Mr. Burr that he left unpaid when he
left the State, and ivhi'&h is yet unpaid, »o faT «b
ever came to my knowledge. I recollect,after Mir.
Burr lelt the State, that Gen. Jackson as endorse*
for At mi had to pay five hundred dollars, or there
abouts, for him the said Burr.,on some transaction
that the General perhaps had before thought was
settle'1, ahd for which I never know of the General
receiving remuneration—Nor do I believe he has
received payment therefor—I neVe* knew of Gen.
Jackson’s having any other monied transactions
with Mr. Burr, but those above stated, am! on
which 1 verily believe that Burr is in l»is debt at
this time—the lapse of -lime have been very Con
siderable, ami the notice for this statement verv
short, ami which is made without reference to any
memorandums or dares, and as to the time I aiii
not positive i am correct, but Otherwise rid* vtuto-.
meiit is substantially correct, and fairly staled to
the best of my knowledge and belief.
John coffee.
Mississippi Territory, \
Adams County— )
Personally appeared John Coffee before the nii'-l
dersigned, a Justice of tile Peace in anil for the
county aforesaid, and made oath the within fa
hot e] is just and true, to the best of his knowledge’
and belief.
Sworn to before me, this i John Coffee.
25th day of .March, 1815. ^
ftet stated by tien. Coffee, that Clcn. Jackson be
fore he was informed of lturr's true object.undertook to pro*
cure from bi:n boats und provisions, is in entire Consis
tency W-tfc what hws been repeatedly admitted by hfS
friend:,. That he received and entertained-him as a gen
tleman-—that ho permitted oire or two of his ydung con
heXions to join him. supposing Ills designs to be different
ftom What they wfcrc in reality, is well known and lias
never been denied. So far, then, this affidavit proves no
th! ng which we have any interust in questioning or con
cealing, or which our opponents, with all their ingenuity,
can turn to much account. But, in addition to this im
material fact, wo ask tho reader to attend to the unequiv
ocal evidence which is here contained of what we have
uniformly asserted, that Gen. Jackson was deceived by
Burr, and immediately on discovering the deception,with
drew liis countenance and aid from tiie undertaking,
which before, he had, .perhaps, favorably regarded. In
proof of this assertion, wo had before no other positive
evidence to offer, than his letters to Claiborne and tho
President, the statement of Mr. l’aker, and the declara
tion of Mr. Jefferson to Congress in January, 1807, that
Burr had deceived many “by assurances that he possessed
the cot file ncc if the government, and teas acting under
its secret patronage.” We have now the evidence on
oath of Gen. ColK?Ce, that such was the fact—that Burr
did declare that his expedition was authorized by govern
ment,'"fed under this impression Gen. Jackson and him
self undertook to procure boats anfct provisions for him ;
but that when reports reached Tennessee thet Id's projects
or plans, were not, nor would not be sanctioned by go
vernment, BV Til* advice ok Gen. J.\fltsoN, ho other
contracts were made, 'and the balance of the money sub
sequclly telurncd to Burr. If it had been n our power
to call into existence what testimony we pleased, we do
not know that we could have imagined any more une
quivocal and conclusive than this. It proves beyond all
question, that at\er Burr's object became suspected, Gen.
Jackson had no farther connexion with him;—aihl would
not even proceed to execute a friendly order which he
had before undertaken. Not only does the high charac
ter of the witness entitle his evidence to most inq.li
cit confidence, but the circumstances under which it was
given wore.peculiarly favorable to the utmost impartial
ly in In* statement on this subject. -This cliaigc he had
no design °f repelling, because it was not in relation to
it, llint his testimony Was 'required. He could not have
foreseen that it Would e\*„r be made, and therefore could
not have been even unconsciously influenced by friend
ship to Gen. Jackson, lo'givc a colouring to his cvidenco.
’1 lie facts stated by him, therefore, arc indisputably true ;
and bcihg true, we ask, how is it possible for tho wit of
man to conceive that Gen. Jackson could have been crim
inally connected with Burr.
let this affidavit, which, in the absence of all other ev
idence, would prove to the entire satisfaction of any un
prejudiced and intelligent man living, that Gen. Jackson
is guiltless of this charge, is the document hoTv ushered to
the world by.tlio desperate alii infuriate partiZkA* of a
sinking administration, as recorded evidence of his guilt.
But it lias been asked, why Gen. Jack*on, after the
President's proclamation, permitted Burr to descend the
nver with the boats which lie had prepared for him, before
lie became aware of his designs. The answer ifi readily giv
en. Admitting that that proclamation had been receiv
ed by Gen. Jackson, which is at least doubtful, wo have
the Authority tk a communication of Mr. Jefferson to Con
!*rcss. for stating, that “ Mr. Burr descended the Cumber
land with two boats merely of accommodation, carrying
from that state no quota towards Ids unlawful enterprise
Tile proclamation, therefore, «s it did not command the
irrcsl of Burr by name, butonfy tho suppression of an un
awfu! and criminal expedition that sundry citizens were
setting on foot, conferred no authority tu seize Burr,or his
soils,».rhtn he-tvas poasrcakly proceeding-ir. the-manner
Jetailcd by Mr. Jellbrson. A few weeks before, ho had
Seen acquitted by the Ftvlcral court of Kentucky ; the.
ittampt then made to bring'him to justice being, in Mr.
Jefferson's own opinion, “ premature.” In the interval
between that time and his descending tho river from
Nashville, ho had Committed no overt act, that we have
*\cr heard of, nothing to authorise his being arrested
igain. We desire to bo informed, then, on what grounds,
Lien. Jackson could have justified his arrest.
_______ I
kecrw not what apology to make to our reader* for
having so long withheld from them the following inter
esting and instructive communication. We arc wcTi a
waro that, in the speculation* on tho subject of politics,
lo which our paper has been principally devoted, wo have
given them but a very unsatisfactory substitute for tho
results of sagacious experience and observation contained
in Captain Craven's communication Yet this «i, in
truth, our.only apology. We make it; and throw our
selves upon the indulgence of otir readers to allow it.
_ I’f.n-Park, May, l&2f*.
TO DOCTOR FRANK CARR,
Secretary of the Agricultural Society of Albemarle.
‘ ,B>T , rm« *!,c sP,inC »>f and "2ri, I have so far
succeeded in improving on my first attempt at building
stone fences, which I made in 1*24, that 1 consider mv
improvement worth communicating to lire Society. My
first attempt wan made under the direction of a master
workman in stone ; and although at fir*t it premised well
srid I had little doubt of its answering every purpose, yet
I soon found, from two errors in the construction, the
want of sufficient depth of foundation, and too great a
weight at tho top ot the fence, that it began to givo way
in many places, and to fall some parts of it to one side ami
somo to the other. My present mode is to give s base of
three feet wide, and to carry up the fence gradually con
tracting it to six inches or less. In this method tho labour
is much lessened, while the gradual diminution of the bo
dy of the fence from the base to tho top protects it against
the immense pressure which, in rny first plan of proceed
ing, 1 am persuaded, greatly tended to render it incffectn
.*,n* ""portant consequence of using stono in fencing.,
besides the value of a permanent and impoiishahle enclos
ure. ts, that we thus clear our fields of stone. I have now
some of my fields so entirely cleared of stono. that they
r^uld b* mowed like a meadow. I will add, that my ex
pcrience teaches me that it "is important in fencing with
stone that large and small stones should bo mixed. A
g«*od fence cannot bo inado with either alone. 1 build en
tirely with my own labourers.
,t There are some other great errors in the mode of farm
ing in this county, which prevail also to a greater or less
degree ifi other'parts of tho country, though 1 am happy to
»<V by no means to thepernicious extent to which they did
some years past, which U may be of feervice to point out.
The horrid practice of turning pill the hills to improve or
rest while tho bottoms are kept in cultivation hi even now i
the cause of ruin to many farms. Tho injurious of
fefctswf this plan must be obvious. Tho hill sides lvln <
unplimglied, absorb but little rain, which pours down'iuto
the bottoms, sweeping away the soil which is loosened by
cultivation ; thus proving destructive both to hill and bo{
toni. 1 liavo even had corn land very much injured bv
si»wihg oats on tho hills above corn. The land in Oat's
hardens so as not to receive the rain in sutlicient quanti
fies; and a break commences, which the most skillful hor
ijauUil is inadequate to-Resist. I cannot men- ]
lion this mode o! ploughing without bearing n»v decided
testimony to the groat advantages resulting from it, and ;
acknowledging tho great debt of gratitude we owe to our ,
worthy president, Col. Randolph, for its introduction. In 1
tlio year 1SU0 I became a citizen of Albemarle. At tliis :
time the method of horizontal ploughing was confined-ex- i
clusively to the practice of Col. Randolph, and •! well rec- j
oiled that he persevered in it against (I may almost say) :
ffce sneers of the whole county. Such is the force of hah- :
it, that the most judicious fbfhlfcM now in tho county, at I
that time ridiculed it. But to secure the great advantages
lobe derived from this improvement ir. our agricultural j
processes, it should bo ellectually done; if it bo not, it
were better not to attempt it at all'. Of this I am so de
cidedly conviilltd, that it has been for a length of time,
iny careful practice to hftrroYv the last time. hr»ee«tthg my '
crop, on the level.
ror Inc benefit ot ihoao Who do not foinouibcr the face
of the country in tlic year 1HH), 1 will endeavour to pro- !
StiU a fkint description of it. It is certain that the gullied j
and \Voril out aspect \vhich at that tiir.e the cultivated I
portions of it almost universally presented, was altogether
attributable to bad farming ; fur we all know that the soil
is generally fertile, particularly in that tract of cotmtry
lying on of hed> the tnnutrtuhii, «t the eame time tho
most liable to injury from the then mode of shallow plough
ing directly up and down tho steepest hills. Fields plough- I
ed in this manner wore frequently turned out without e
ven seeding thenvln any kind of small grain The con- |
sequence was, that in a iew years, every corn-row was a j
guiley. I know there arc some who -rcm«H«t>er the ap- i
pearonce of tho farm I now live o»i, wFovan hear me out !
in saying that there were not ten acres in any one field ly
ing together that could he called fair-ploiighingland. There
is not now one half acre on tho tract that cannot be plough
ed with rase. The greater part is under a heavy crop of
clover; and there are but thrce-gullics on the plantation
which the plough does not pass without difficulty. This
great change is due, almost entirely, to deep horizontal
ploughing; which not only preserves all the soil, but re
tains also all tiro rain that falls, for want of which w'e often
sVrftcr so severoly. V*vill say, that *!>e author rtf so valua
ble Uli improvement deserves, not C-atythc testimonial of
a silver cup, which the society have presented to him,
hut that a monument should be erected to his memory. j
Thirty years ago,the county of Loudoun, of which, as tho '
county of my nativity, I have always been proud, stood :
unrivalled*by any other in the state, in point both of for- j
tility anti agricultural improvement. In travelling then !
from Albemarle to that county, the marked Contrast ex-j
hlbited by tho,relativ9 state of improvement in the two,
could not have failed to strike the most careless observer. ;
Such is- not no\V the lhr.l, The traveller from Albemarle !
to Loudoun will now remark a gradual falling off in the J
system of farming until he reaches the latter county—and j
even there, he will meet with but few farms that can j
boast ofnny superiority ovrtr the greater part of the coun- !
tv of Albemarle, or at least that part of ft lying near the
public roatl leading from ltockti.-h (iap te-GoNlonsvillc.
While L have the pen in hand, it may not be amiss to
call the attention ^oi the society to some of the most com
mon pcitsi liiAi infest our laT.ds; ami invitb them To unite
with me in a war of extermination again-! them. Tho
most prominent of those with which F have -keen beset,'
are the h!no thistle, the Canada thistle, the common iiiul
len, the docks t f various kinds, the hordtound, and tiro
common Wheat cockle. 1 have devoted much time and
labour in endeavrturing to^ extirpate the two former of
tlie.fe, whid; I consider nt the most serious character
When I removed to Pcn-Park'd' fmuH the blue* thistle in
great idmiVOanoeyiv. some par is of the place, a?w! partially
throughout. I immediately set about tryin» to destroy it
by ploughing’ up the most 'fi.rmic! ,’ !o patches, and goitre
over with the hoc, an*! jjleanvg c ut ivkltft wes left by the
plough, together with all tiro other pests. 1 still keep up
this practice. In this way 1 havo nearly-footed out the
blue thistle, hut I tear thut ot Cunndu will be found a much
more formidable enemy. The first of thi&ihUnr kind 1 j
ever saw was in one of my fields on the Franklin farm,
which had been sbwn with clover, tiro seed of which har1’
been procured in Richmond, and brought no doubt from
soifie ofthe^Northorn states, or from Canada. This, though
one of tho most prominent of the thistle kind, from the !
I circumstance of its having dispersed thinly over the field, i
created no alarm for one or two years ; and it had iroarly
goittf A possession before I had fairly taken ‘ihc alarm.
Upon nj? fallowing the field in the third or fourth your
from the time I 4irst discovortfd it, inv Ivcc.jimc very
lame, one of thcni.xo much so that it was-with creat dif
ficulty 1 could get hftr-from the field to the stable, where
she remained entirely useless to me for twelve months—
indeed, Until she had shedthe hoofs of both Iror fore Ibet.
An inflammation, apparently slight,around-the crown of
the hoof, continued, in defiance of all the remedies I
crt-uld aYiply, until tho root of the old hoof was destroyed.
Several fiift; colts rutming in tiro same field were affected
more or lcSs. Some of them were very itftu-h sw ollen in
the legs and sheath, and, although very fine horses in oth
er respects, thhy arc still Considerably deformed by the
remains of the-affoction I have described. There ft also
a yellow water continually issuing from between the hair
and the hoof. I hope the .Society will enter into a gener
al league agninsf these posts;'for it is useless fbr ons
man to contend, single handed agKinstAn host of enemies
especially when wc know that most of them In Vo win*,
and are watted for miles by the w'tftd. 1 hoTro that a prac
tical experience of 30 years may have etiabkti me to sng
gect some hints that will be found useful to the interests
ol Agt.culture ; if so, I sl. nl fci-l amply compensated.
• Respectfully, your's. Ac.
JOHN II. CRAVEN.
\N e recommend the following communication to tlm at
tention of those at a distance, who may have been alarm
ed by the absurd reports, which have obtained circulation,
in regard to the unhealthiness of our village. The writer
has the beat opportunities of being correctly informed on
the subject on which he writes, and is doubtless accurate
in his details. InTiis general statements and conclusions,
wn know him lo be entirely so.
HEALTH OF CHARLOTTESVILLE.
TO TilF, F.Dirons OK the VIRGINIA ADVOCATE.
Gentlemen,—Many exaggerated reports of the
diseases and deaths which have occurred in Char
lottesville having been circulated at a distance,
an idea has gone abroad that otic town is really
becoming more unhealthy than formerly. As I
conceive this to -be altogether an erroneous im
pression, and not at all justified by facts, it has oc
curred to me to he proper that some notice should
he taken of it; 'that the causes which gave rise
logins opinion should be candidly stated ; and |
that the public should be assured that Charlottes-!
vilfe, (whatever may have been reported to the :
contrary,) is still as healthy as it ever was, and as j
much so as tny other town in Virginia. Itis(
frankly admitted that, on an average, there have |
been, for the last two or three years, an unusual
number of cases of disease in Charlottesville and •
■its vicinity, ami an increased proportion of deaths < *
but the alarming inference, which has been do-i
rived frotn these facts, is altogether unsound and !
untrue. This apparent change in the health of
the town has been produced by an unusual com-!
bination of accidental circumstances, to which
any place may be liable, and which may not oc
C"TJ*T ,n. ,,a!f a century. In the summer of
* ii V’hooping cough prevailed, very gei;
| orally, and was attended, in many cases with
cholera and dysentery. This complication of dis
eases necessarily made a number of difficult and
dangerous cases, some of which proved fatal.
Lit her disease, alone, was manageable, but, when
combined, frequently baffled all our efforts. I)ur-1
s-is#
ing the same season, there were, also, some fevers ;
but not more than were to be found any where in
the country, in a distriot embracing the same
population
In the summer of 1827, neither fevers, dysen
tery, nor any other disease, prevailed, epidemical
ly; and, indeed, the town was unusually exempt
‘from diseases of every kind
During the summer just past, tt was our niislbr
tune to he visited by the moasles. This disease at
tacked, with very few exceptions,* all llu.se who
could take it ; and, besides the whole of the chil
dren, there were an unusual proportion of adults
who had it, having had the good or ill fortune to
escape all their-lives till this season .It made its
first appearance in April ; *;tl continued in a mild
form till the weather became regularly and e*x-’
cessivcly warm. Ail those who took the disease
during the Spring,passed through without difficul
ty ; and, although it was prevailing to some ex
tent at that time, no alarm was excited, and hut
little consequence was attached to it; hut when
the Summer commenced, it was attended or •im
mediately followed, in very many cases, with a vt-1
olent and obstinate determination to the bowels.
Dysentery had been prevalent in the country, and
some lew Cases hud occurred in town, independ
ent of the measles, hut nut more than one or two
proved fatal, unless when the two diseases were
combined. The deaths among adults, black and
wiike,'caused by the late epidemic, including the
town, University a«d*tho thickly scaled neighbor
hood for one mile around, amounted to't* in num
ber. Those among children (much the greater
portion infants) TO—in sill Hi. All the fatal
cases since May, produced by other diseases and
accidents, including the same district oT country
mentioned above were, as follows*—
AIMLTS.
I'ulnmnnry consumption I
ol loil«r stillldilijr . - 1 |
(Jcncia! Dropsy 1
1’acmnonic-1 iillammiition 1
Accident ..... l
B!!i»'is (ever *» » -» ]
ciiii.nnr.N wsb i.NriKT't.
Chuler* - . * . . ^
Worm lbvet -- . j
Marasmus j
11 vdroccphalus - - . J_
jVlulIbriiialiiAi - 1
<\lll vulnions • > . 1
Still born • - . n
Iiilioua fever o
in relation to the three cases ol bilwuis Fever,
it is necessary to remark, that they all occur
red in a family lately removed to this place from
Hoston, and their origin is distinctly and satis
factorily traced to the Miasmata-of James's river_
They were detained on their passage up that riv
er an unusual length of time, between NotfuJk and
Richmond, and were exposed on hoard a vessel
during the hottest weather in August, to'the -ex
halations from tlie adjoining country. The conse
quence was, that they had scarcely reached Char
lottesviUe before orery member <>1' the family who
had been so exposed, (4i in miuiber,) was attack
ed with a violent fever, beating all the character
istics of the bilious fevers of that country, and dif
fering very materially from the ordinaly fevers of
the mountains. One member ofthe.sume family
who test the rest at City Point, -anil proceed
ed up by another conveyance, am] who was
not exposed to these circumstances, escaped the
disease, while all the rest took it.—Except these (i
cases (3 of which proved fatal) having their ori
gin. peilnips J«>0 miles from this .place, under eve
ry circumstance of exposure calculated to make
Jjiem violent and without the oppoituuitv of pro
curing iu time that Assistance which their situn
tion required—there lias not been a solitary death
from fever at all. '-Indeed, we have been almost
entirely exempt from fevers the whole season—
hut very few cases of common remittents occur
ring; and they have been .quite mild iu every in
•t ti.ee. The town has certainly had less fever cvciy
year for several past, than any district iu the
country embracing the same population.
. The above is a true history of every thing that
has occurred amongst us to tire rise to the'exag
gerated r«tpoits of -the sickness ami mortality in
Charlottesville. Those who only hear of disease
atwi death, and yield to the ft.si impressn n made
on the inuid, without examining into the causes*
which have produced them, without redacting
whether they wn;-iu the relation of cause and ef
fect, or merely accidental, ate extremely liable to
fcir in their conclusions. -No situation can prop
ef.ly ho called unhealthy merely because a peculiar
combination of circumstances have Concurred to
prodece an increased number of diseases or deaths
■ii\ some (Mrtiv«l:ir seasons. With just as much
reason might it be said that any town was un
healthy because it may have happened that forty,
fifty or an hundred deaths have been produced in’
one year, one month, or oven one day, by the ex
plosion of a magazine, the dashing of carriage?*,
or any other palpable accident. For any place to
be justly changed with being an unhealthy one,*
is -!H*eos*»fy ’theft there should exist in it some
cause to pioducc disease. No such cause exists
in Charlottesville or its vicinity. Its elevated sit
uation, in the centre of one of the healthiest dis
tricts in the upper coifntry, with abundance of
excellent water, and tbe-pupe air of the mountains,
would forbid such a suppo.sition; and when we
appeal to facts, it is well known to ilu.se who havr.
’made observations on ’the subject, that the town is
equally as exempt from fevers, dysenteries, and all
diseases dependent on locality, as any distiict in
the country -embracing the fame population. No
olio has ever yet questioned the iiealthincns »,•
the county of Allusmaile. No one can do it. Hut *
may be questioned with just an much reason «9
that of the town.
i lie whooping cough and mossles, which have
]»rorrluced hy lar ihe larger portion ofour disease*
lately, attack all places indiscriminately., the
healthy and the unhealthy. Nr, <ufH*t«on is par
ticularly subject to them, nor from their
occasional visits. They are generally mild when
taken in a favourable season, 1,til frequently dan
gerous and final when, wofortnnntelv, occurrin g
as they drd here., during the excessive heat of mid
summer. Some of ilmne who have known Char
lottesville for twenty years have recently institut
ed u comparison between the number of deaths
now and those that occurred about that time anil
for many years since. This comparison, made
l»y the present year, will undoubtedly shew a mn.
tor ini difference. Formerly, it is said, it was a
rare thing far an adult to die here, unless of old
age, in:-.operanee. or accident. Those who »»lv
on this comparison for their inference that the
town is becoming more unhealthy, fr.r'rt thnt
the population has vastly increased, «,v4 rkat ,t ,H
also composed of a much greater variety than fi,r
merly. Thin bring the case, w e should expect in
the common course of things,thete would fir im.w
cases of sickness and a pmjmi timed iuen ased
number of deaths. They lorget also that the
whooping cough ami metisles ,„ay |K, coneidered
accidental diseases, and that o»r town was never
before visited hy them under the same cirenm- '
•lances that attended their prevalence lately, f.et
Ihem institute their compai isons between any pe
riod preceding the appearance of those diseases
of fake the present, when wc are almost Without
a solitary case of disease ol any kind,and another a*
fur back ns their recollection will carry them (mak
ing allowance only for increase of population)
ami l am greatly decoked, if they will find the
odds against us. The ineaslos are observed to
occur in the same place not ofiener than once in
about 7 years, and the whooping cough is by no
means fietpicnt in its visitation. As these have
been the only diseases which have produced th«
late alaim, and as they now, after having prcvailed
very generally throughout our whole population
have entirely disuppeated and left our town heal
thy, without a solitary case of measles whooping
cough, dysentury or lever lingering behind, wo
may reasonably anticipate for several years, at least,
a continuance ol the health, with which wearenow
blessed-—that Charlottesville,which hasof late been*
•so grossly slandered, will sustain her former repu
tation. MEDICUS.
The following ia tho statement of thirty-one of the
Sheriff* of Kentucky, assembled to comparo tho polls on
the termination of the recent election in that state.—and
to which their names are subscribed. It contains an au
thentic, it jk< official, development of the reasons which
led to the defeat of Barry, and presents the most cheering
prospects of the glorious triumph of tho good cause in
Novoniber. Fur ourselves, we are certainly not disap
pointed at Major Barry’s defeat. Wo Were aware, from
personal observation, of the violent feelings which tho
contest between tho new and old court parties had engen
dered, and wo scarcely ever flattered ourselves that h«|
the leader of the f< riner— tho vanquished party too—
would be able to propitiate the favor and obtain the sup
port ot those whose deep hostility he had incurred, by
the advocacy of measures, deemed by them erroneous
and unjust in principle, mischievous in their general ef
fects, and perhaps ruinous to themselves personally. W*
are, however most agreeably disappointed, in having it
in our power to satisfy the most sceptical as to the real
causes ot the lato apparent administration triumph. We
arc no longor in doubt about Kentucky. She surely
votes-for Jackson.
TO THE PEOPLE OF KENTUCKY.
T lie Sheriffs friendly to the election of General
Andrew Jackson to the Presidency, present to tho
people ol Kentucky complete official returns of tha
vote of Governor and Lieutenant Governor, with
such other information as may*- lead to correct
conclusions as to the results of the late election.
^ ^ lly the official statement, it will be seen, that
Thomas Metcalfe, the Adams candidate, is elect
ed Governor by a majority -of 7011 votes; while
John Breathitt, flie Jackson candidate for Lieuten
ant Governor, is elected by a majority of 1037.
It is not difficult to account for this result. Ma
jor Barry, the Jackson candidate for Governor, was
a-Judge of the New Court, and multitudes of Old
Court Jackson men refused to vote for him on that
account.
The Adams meu perceiving-that it was unsafe
*lo rest the tesult of the election on the Presi
j dentiul question, not only used every effort to
I ievive old prejudices, but circulated numberles*
new charges. <
Major Barry was rwrrcscuted lobe hostile totho
occupant .laws, and in consequence of that, lost ma
ny voles.
He was charged with hostility to the claims of
actual settlers below the Tennessee river, and
with opposition to the interests ot 'the Green riv
er settlers, and majiy were thus alienated front him.
It was stated, that lie made fraudulent convey
ances ol Iris piwpeny -to cheat his creditors, and by
•tliis some were -misled.
llvon-ft little execution for $3 73. for costs is
sued and returned without his knowledge, and
paid by him as soon as lie heard of it, was sent iu
manuscript-copies through the country, to provo
that he could not or would not nay even small
debts. 1 3
. These-and many other charges alienated from
him a large rfumber ol the Iriciuhi of Jackson, and
defeated liis election.
Mr. Breathitt doubtless suffered from the attacks
tin de on the gentleman with whom he was asso
ciated ;.yct he has been elected over his very res
pectable aud.popu ar competitor, by a majority of
1,08/ votes. In some comities lie run behind Ma
jor Barry ; in otheis, before trim. It canncft be
doubted, that the support received by him was as
exclusively from the Jackson party., as that of Mr.
Under wood was from the Adams party. The vote,
between them is. therefore, a more •accurate test
of the strength of parties, than that between Met
calfe and Bariy.
But tho votes of Barry and Breathitt added toge
ther, exceed the -Votes of Metcalfe and Undcr
\vnod 37.3; so that, with all the disadvantages un
der which they labored., the Jackson candi
dates received an actual majority of the votes
given.
Me have conclusive evidence that the Stale is
for Jackson,’in tire elections to the General Assem
bly. Ol eleven Senators elected this year, nine.
are for Jackson, giving a majority of two Jackson
’tiicii in that body-. Of one hundred Representa
tives elected, fifty-six are Jackson men, and them
is onn *ierttra*l elected by Jackson men, making
an efficient majority in that body o(fourteen.
Both ©four Senators in Congress are Jackson
men.
fright of our twelve members of the House of"
Representatives in Congress, are Jackson nun.
A Senator in Congress and the Public Officer*
to be elected at the next session of the Legislature,
in obedience to public opinion, will doubtless be
Jackson men.
A\ ith all these facts before line vj;or!d, bow can
Kentucky be any longer claimed lor Air. Adams,
or even set down as doubtful P iftom these and
other considerations within ow own knowledgeb
we do not hesitate to express the confident belipi;
that a considerable majority of the voters of this.
State are. tor t«cn. Jackson. Instead of being a,
rlrlmf, the late election is a rtnl triumph. It has
demonstrated the strength of the Jackson party in,
Kentucky,and proved that nothing is wai ting but
a general £* tendance at the polls in November, tot
ensure to the Farmer of Tennessee (lie vote of this
State.
Those who are unwilling to he transferred, as if'
they wero Mr. Clay’s pioperty : who are opposed
to the abuses and corruptions of the present ad
ministration ; who wish to reward patriotic servic
es and fell devotion; who wish to defeat the ends
"I 'M*'igoe, and restore the purity ofelections, have
but one effort more to make. Let them as one man
appear at the polls in November, each bringing his
neighbor, and their success is certain. Indolence
sml inattention will he accompanied by the tri
umph of our adversaries ; but industry and energy
will-carry the State in lavor of the Hero of New Or
cans by many thousand*. OuQ Un>g pvlh. strong
uni! anil pull riltorrrthtr’* ami etir victory will be
decisive as was that of tht 8th January, 1815.
Argus.]