' THE NATIONAL ERA
(}. BAILEY, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR; JOHN G. WHITTIER, CORRESPONDING EDITOR.
= VOL. IV.?NO. 16. WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, APKIL 18, 1850 WHOLE NO. 172.
Street, opposite <Md Fellows' Hall.
Tnim.
Two d >llars per annum, payable in advance
Advertisements not exceeding ten tinea inserted I
three times for one dollar; every robeequent lasertion.
twenty-five centa.
All oommunieationa to the Era, whether on
business of the paper or for publication, should
be addressed to O. Bailct, Washington, D. C.
BUJCUL k BbANCHAKD, PRINTERS,
Sixth atreet, a few doon aouth of Penn?ylranl? avian*
THE NATIONAL ERA.
WASHINGTON, APRIL 15, 1850.
[COPY KIOHV IICCtlD.]
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW.
A S> T O R Y OK THE ISLAND ESTATE.
BY MIS. KWMA ?. v.. HVnWMIS.
BOOK * COO* IK
V?CoNTIN?r?I?.
Very glad of any commission that wonld bring
him in company with '/oe, who by her father's
command h id shunned him entirely for the Inst
two months. Brutus threw himself upon his
horse, rode rapidly down the mountain side,
and entered the glen at the bottom of which the
Dovecote lay. Winding down the circuitous pat hi
he came in front of the cottage, as It rested against
the b ick rocks Throwing himself from his horse,
he opened the little wicker gate, and here a sad
sight met his view.
The flowers in the garden had all been plucked,
and in my of them torn up by the roots, and lay
in hunches and piles around. The cottage windows
were bare of blinds, and he saw through
the open door that the pretty carpet was gone
from the ttoor.v On one eidt th* Aooi
'/oe, clasping two white Bantam chickens to her
t>5kum,'auu icans wfet^tVj0 " J**"* -'{isslca.
'/oe looked pale and wasted, and seemed to hare
passed through a spell of illness since he saw her
last Near her stood the oid schoolmaster, bent
nearly double with nge, infirmity, or sorrow.
Twenty years seemed to have passed over his
hoary head since Brutus had last met him. He
was feebly trying to tie the legs of chickens, that
he dropped into a hamper at his feet, already half
full of poultry. lie turned tremblingly around)
as he saw Brutus, and asked, in a querulous
tone?
" What do you come here for, sir? Didn't 1
tell you to keep away from here? That I wouldn't
have you here ? It is very strange that you will
!~A * ? ? 1 ? ? wVAMn wan awa naf nranfpif
persist iu cuuiiug nmiu juu uu. ....??.
' Oh Brutus!" wept Zoe, coming close to his
side, " he has lost his mind?he who was so generous
! he thinks of nothing but money. He has
carried to town-market all my things, and sold
them?my new carpets and.quilts?my new socks
and gloves?my herbs and flowers. Well, I was
sorry, but I did not cry for them, because they
weredead things?but now! Oh now ! he is tying
my poor dear hens and chickens, to take them to
market to-morrow. Look! See! Poor dear Speckle?and?and?sweet
darling Blossom?and?
and?and?now he wants to take lovely Snowdrop?and"?here
choking sobs convulsed the
child's bosom, as she hugged her white Bantams
closer to her bosom.
" What are you sobbing for, you miserable
little wretch ? Save your tears, you'll have a use
for them! Hani me the chickens here; and if
you weep, weep for yourself. I must, must make
up two hundred dollars, and I have not got fifty
yet!" and the old man held out his trembling and
claw-like fingers for the Bantams.
" Give them up, Zoe, my darling, I will save
them?save them all?not a feather of your pets
shall be ruffled."
After hiving showered tears and kisses upon
them, Zoe handed the Rantams to the old man.
"Say, sir!" exclaimed Rrutus, touching the
old man's elbow, to arrest his attention, for the
schoolmaster in his occupation had apparently
forgotten him; "say, sir!''
"Well! you here yet? Didn't I tell you to
go?''
"We have got a sick young man up to our
house, and the doctor has ordered him to eat
chickens. I want to buy a dozen."
" Kh ? yes! well! what ? these are good chickens,
and must bring a good price; and since it
is for n sick man, and since he is obliged to take
them?say a dollar a pair!"
" Oh, father I" exclaimed Zoe?
" Never mind ! never mind ! Zoe, dear, I'm no
Jew That is it, sir! I'll take as many as you
will let me have at that price."
"Take them all."
" Agreed, Well, my good sir, there is ano'her
thing ? the doctor, besides ordering this rich
young man to eat chickens, has ordered him to
divert his mind by learning Greek lessons."
"Kh! well?"
" A nd we want to engage a teacher for him in
the house."
"Eh! welll yes! what then?"
"We were thinking of yon, sir."
" Ah, yes, to be sure 1 Rut then as it is to save
hisli/e?it is valuable, and must be liberally compensated,
this private tuition!"
h. i. . ...Ilk. C...1 i.t.m.?
and can afford it; in the time of his illness, I am
his banker, and I can secure it to ?ou," said Brutus,
burdening his conscience with lie after lie.
" Zoe,go pack up Herodotus, iEichylus, Euripides,
and Sophocles; go! When is it that you
want me to come, sir ? "
*' To-night, air, to be ready to commence in the
morning."
" Well, well! Yes, but what am I to do with
Zoe ? "
liSir, my sister, you know, is a wild girl ; she
does not know how to prepa"re delicate dishes for
an invalid, and all oar negro women have run
away, and so my sister told me to entreat her
friend Zoe to come to the Lair, and give her some
directions in these matters."
M Yes, but Zoe ought to be paid! No, she shall
not, either! 1 can't degrade Zoe." And the old
man burst into tears.
" Ob, whst a wreck!" muttered Brntns, looking
down on the gray head, bowed upon the withered
hands.
At last he looked up imploringly to the young
man's f ice. and said
"Brutus, 1 want to aell ths Dovecote, how
much will you give me for it? "
" But I do got want to buy it, sir."
" You don't f Come, I will tell it to yon cheap.
1 must have money for Zoe's sake."
41 Frtr '/.no's asks mtm 1 I K.. 1 t a .
. w_ .??? m wmx) on : 1 IUTC /jVQ , I WU90 W
inirry '/.oe ; I will devote my life to her happlneaa;
consent to our marriage. and her fatort U aecured'"
" Brutua, you lore her." . ,
MQod knows it!"
" Oa/y her 7"
u Only her, of all womankind."
" Brutua, you cannot marry her!"
" You hare said ao before, air, bat that doe* not
prove It."
" Brutua, awear that you will not divulge what
I toll you."
u 1 awear it, air."
wZoa it * ai.svg 1"
Brutua Lion reeled ao If atruok by a cannon
ball.
" Great God, air 1"
" And there are none in this neighborhood that
know ft."
"Sir! sir! how did this come to your knowledge
7*
"Two months ago, throngh an old midwife;
yesterday, through Mrs. Armstrong.''
"Through Mrs. Armstrong!"
"Yea, yes ; she sent for me, and told me, advising
me to get the child out of the State : but lord,
p? or beby, where can 1 send her, alone and unprotected?"
" And who is her owner 7"
" Major Sotnenrille."
" And who are her parents 7"
" His slaves, Harriet and George"
"Impossible!"
" Tars, I tell you."
" But the particulars ! for God's sake, give me
the particulars'"
" Well, then, this is it: You remember after
my Greek class t "
Ye,"
u How I came home on# ev win" and found no
one hore bu< you, with Zo#C** f
"Yes.yes! And 1 remain ber your agitation!"
" Well, I might be agitated "?
"Well' well!"
"I had been dining with Major Somerville,
and sat with him smoking our pipes until the sun
got low?vtry low. Then 1 happened to think of
my Greek class, and I started to come home. 1
paced down the steep of the Crags, and turned
into the deep dell that lies between my old schoolhouse
hill and the riser. At the bottom of this
glen the woods are very thick, the trees very tall,
and their branch* s meeting over head, together
with the very high hills around and behind thetn,
throw the path into deep shadow, like night at
noon. Well, I had reached the middle of the
glen when 1 overtook old Naucy Jumper, the
midwife."
" Kate Jumper's white aunt!"
" I'm?well 1 She was riding slowly along on
her mule. Oh ! she's an ugly horror, m re hideous
than her niece Kate"
"Yes! well?"
* Tne fmth was so I could not fnuw
her. She turned nt the sound of my horse's feet,
1 Go"d evening, master.' 'Good evening,
Nancy/ 1 replied. is /,oe, maaMr I5
' My daughter is well,' I answered, not liking her
familiarity ; and a silence ensued Still we had
to keep company on the road. At last, without
? I -- J -t- 1 1 ( U7L.? ta ?k!.
turning ner neau, sne micu, ?? um uujr m mm,
roaster ? ' ' The fifteenth of ApriL' ' I thought
so. This reminds me of this day seventeen years
ago!' 1 Why?' inquired I with some interest,
remembering her calling, and knowing that it
was ths fifteenth of April, seventeen years ago,
that Zoe was found on my porch. ' Bee tuso,' she
replied, 'something strange happened to me in
this glen, upon that very night.' ' Whut was it,
then 1' I asked.
" Now, my son Brutus, I will give you the
story in her own words :
" 1 Well, master, that Friday the first of April,
airly in the morning, I had been called upon to
wait on a lady up in Rappahannock county. It
was a mortal bad oase?one of the worst of cases,
and kept me there till near midnight, afore
all was over. I would 'a staid all night, but
it was like for rain, and 1 memorized that my bedroom
windows was left open. So when I had
seen the lady and the child comfortable, 1 seta off
for home, atween eleven and twelve o'clock.
1 wan't afeard, for I never memorise seeing
nothink more worser than myself' 1 Likely not,'
said I. ' No, sir; much as 1 have been oalled up
at all hoars of the night to travel through the
most lonesomest places, I never seen nothink more
worser than myself?so I wan't afeard. So me ,
and Jinny?not this Jinny I'm a riding of now,
but her mother?so Jinny and me come along (
slow like, down this deep, narrow path, where t
you see it is dark enough in the daytime, but in ,
a cloudy said night it is the most darkest place ,
as ever was hern tell on ! Well, Jinny and me,
we was a coming throngh this black hollow, when
we got into the midst of the blaoknen*. Jinny,
she started, driv' her feet plump into the ground,
and stood stock still 1 I seen nothink in the dark,
and sure as I'm a livin' sinner, master, I thought
Jinnv seen a sperrit! Now, I ain't afeard of
nothink in the brute farui. nor yet in the human
form, but I must say ?s how I'm afeard o' sperrits,
specially black ones. 1 bursted all over in perspiration,
just as if 1 had been drinking of a sweat!
and I said, ' In the name off the angels, and off
the saints, and off the devils, what do you want V
' Are you Granny Jumper?' says a gruff voice,
says it. Says I,' Yes.' ' Well, you're wanted to
*A ? I kawe KikAn Ski. Vit411* ktilUO til liltlf
g,v w a ,^,T. . ... J ...
for you, and come from there to meet you, an the
gal paid you'd sure to he coming home.' Then
he?it was a A'?comes up close to me and says,
says he, ' Granny, this is a secret business' 'I'm
used to sich,' says I. 'A young lady who has
been privately married' 'Without heiug
beholden to the parson,' says I. ' Vou are at
fault; hut this must be kept a secret, and you
shall he paid well,' says he ' But, Granny,' says
he,'you must be blindfolded ' '1 won't,' said I
' Granny, do you know a guinea when you feel
it?' 'Yee.'siysl. 'Mere are two. Suffer me
to blindfold you and you shall have five more |
when the affair is over.' 'Well,' thinks I, 'the (
blessed fool may blindfold me, but it will go hard .
if I don't know the road he's a takin' of me' ,
So I let the man bliudfold me, ad 1 then he led ,
my mule down that path and made a circle to j
fool me, and took me by another path straight |
up the Crura. I kept the general route well (
enough! Then we stops?dogs barks?he speaks j
to them and they hushes. Theu be helps me ,
down, and takes my urrn and draws it through (
hisen. Well, when I was so close to him I knows y
he was not one of my own oolor; still 1 never let on. ,
I ie takes me through a door, and through a room,
and through another door, and up a flight of t
stairs on the left hand, and into a room on the f
right, lleie he took the bandage from my eyes, r
and he might's well have left it on. The room g
was rayther darkish He led ine up to a bed as
was curtained. Well, there was no light brought j
into the room until Jim aner me u*u* wm uom,
and even then I did not see the mother's face, for
she concealed it. The woman th t brought the f
light in had her face muffled up in a ihawl, and t
she took the bibe ami carried it out, with the
light also. And then, in the dark, cttne the same ,
roan, and blindfolding me put fire guineas in my ,
hand, and took me away. Well, he took me by <
till another road, and left me in the middle of t
the name glen where he had stopped me. Well, |
it was very nigh on to dawn when I got home |
I was younger and stronger then than I am now,
and more usen to lose my rest; so instead of
going to bed at the d?wn of d^y, I makes myself ,
a strong cup of ooffee, and goes across the river
to pick horse-mint afore the dew was off. You ,
know there'/nothink like that grows on this liar- |
ren aide. Well, the sun wasn't no think nigh up .
when I passes close to the Dove-cote I seen a (
woman going towards it with a somethink in ber
arms. The woman didn't see me I sloops down J
where I was a gathering of the horse-mint, and
watches her. She lays down her bundle on the
porch, and, as she turned around to come away, I (
seen it was Harriet, Major Somerrille's quadroon ,
oman. She looked ill and ghastly, and I know'd '
how it was her oun child she had laid there!
And i guessed her motive 1 know'd how she
and her ole man haJ been a tryin' to save money
to buy the freedom of their first child, Anna, and
I memorise of hearing her say that she never
would bring another child into the world to be a
slave, and I knew that she had concealed the
birth of this child, and laid it at your door, that I
it might be fotch up as a free white child I'
" Did you speak to Harriet when she turned
from my cottage gate?"
" No, master."
" Why 7"
" Because I did not wish to let on as I know'd
anything about it.''
" Again?why 7"
" La master, keeping of things to myeelf comes
port o' n&t'rel to me."
u Why, then, do yon tell me now ?"
"Why, msater, rou see for a reason. I am get- |
ting old, and a losing of my oustom, and a wantia
of money, and it come to me as if I let on any
thlnh about the girl to old M^jor Somerville's
creditors, how they might pay me some'at smart
for tellln' all about It, eome'at to hoop me in my
old days?but I thought how I wouldn't like to
'atnrb you, as you liks ths little gill, if you ooald
manege yourself to make me up a iittls something
to hoop mo ia my old days "
" la a word, Brutus, the old crooe wtshed to
ostort money from me "
u 1 hope you did not pay her to keep the eeoret,
sir."
* I could net, Brutus I did net even give her
the least eaoouragomoat to hopo that I would."
-1 am fled of it, sir. This whole story sounds
to mo rsry much like aa Imposition."
" But it is not."
"Not, sir7"
"Not! Listen, Brutus Within a week, this
old woman has divulged the secret.'
" How, sir?"
" Yes, to Major Somerville'e largest creditor !"
" Oh Heaven F
"Yesterday morning. Mrs. Armstrong tent for
me. I went to her ; she was in her bed-room,
looking very ill, propped up with pillows in her
easy chair She has changed very much since
her last visit to the Isle of Rays 11 have sent
for you, sir,' she said, ' upon the most important
l?: .1 v.?. v.._ * __
iiubj new?;uui . /jwr, ph. rtiM
you advised of her origin V F could not reply I
grew giddy, and turned pale, and she saw it.
' Sit down, sir, she said?(she had not invited me
to do so before.) ' I see, sir, that you know or
suspect something of this girl's birth. May I
inquire how long it has been since you have
known or suspected this?' 'Madam, I know
nothing"
" Very well, sir! I do not insist upon your committing
yourself, by rash words; but let me tell
you, sir, that I know all; and that I have sent for
you from the kindest motives, to advise you to
mnrd tbh-g+r! -niriry from-the-;**& ?. She ie th*.
second daughter of Georg? ?nd Harriet, two
slaves 0/ Major .Somervf ? . They dishonestly
concealed her birth, to eecure her education and
freedom. This secret cannot be kept forever. I
have lately learned it, as others will. The creditors
of Major Soraervllle are growing impatient.
Tbey will not molest him now?but he is in extreme
age. If anything were to happen to him,
they would swoop dowu upon his property, and
sweep it all aw ?y; and though, as Major Somerville's
largest creditor, my claims are just, and I
promise to forego them, yet othen will not, or
cannot afford to be eo merciful. Therefore, i advise
you to get your protege out of the State, with
all possible expedition. It is a pity that a young
girl, so nearly white sr to pass for white, and
with a mind and heart so rich aud so highly cultivated,
should be reduced to slavery.' And,ringing
the bell for her eervant^ Mrs. Armstrong
dismissed me."
" Well, Grutns, what do you think of this
story?"
"Sir, I am confused?amazed ; but I think that
when the devil or Mrs. Armstr >ng grows phil.infhfofic,
something M to be out>p**.>td, and fcbetfld
be on their guard,'' moaned Brutus, in a tone of
deep sorrojr
"And J, Brutus My OTaiff re^iR,4*?oiucurtvco,
my memory fails. I am unable to fix my attention
upon anything This child, Brutus! I loved
her as my own 1"
" Ah, sir!" heavily sighed Brutus.
" You do not know all she was to me I"
<: rtk 1 1 An?
" She was the life of my heart."
" Oh Heaven, sir ! of muv. too!"
111 en!led her Zoe?life.'"
" God hare mercy ou us ! '
" I taught her Greek !"
" God have mercy on us!" again prayed Brutus,
passionately clasping his hands,
" Brutus!"
" Sir!"
" You can never marry her."
" Oh ! I know it," groaned the young man.
"Therefore, Brutus, there must be no more
love passages between you."
"Oh ! no, no, sir !" sighed the Lion, dropping
his shaggy head upon his hands.
" ff I take her to the Lair, where Indeed ehe
will be safer, in some respects, you will regard
her misfortune*
"Yes, sir, oh yes! But tell me?does she?
no, she does not?this unfortunate child?suspect
her real position ?"
"Ah, no! I have not had the conrnge to tell
her yet"?
At this moment the ooming up of Zoe Rrrested
their conversation.
By nightfall they were all at the Lair. The
old man, as is frequently the case with the ex
tremely aged, had, after this spasmodic Clearing
up of bia intellects, relapsed Into the confuaed,
tWrMtwi ?oadM?a ifc*t had ?f late
marked bira
Immediately on reaching the Lair, Brutus had
a fire lighted in a musty old study, filled with
mouldy books, and conducting the schoolmaster
there, told him that that opened into a sleepingroom.
and that they were to he his apartments
Here, seated at a wood fire, the old man fell into
a reverie, forgetting even to inquire about hii
pupil.
Id the old stone kitchen below, little Zoe busied
herself in making a whey for the patient, while
Brutus walked moodily up and down the floor.
Gertrude remained at the bedside of her invalid.
She did not even join the schoolmaster. Brutus,
and Zoe. nt supper ; but after supper, she came
down, and sent Zoe np to watch, while she took
some refreshments. The schoolmaster had retired
again to the musty study. Gertrude took a seat
near the window, and while she ate some strawberries,
she talked to Brutus.
' How is your patient, Gertrude?" he asked.
" Feverish, restless, tumbling about his bed, and
worrying himself to death about some State papers
that must be returned to Washington."
" Where are they now 1"
"In his coat pocket."
"Send them to the post-oflicc."
" He will -not trust them to our uncertain oountry
mails; besides, he knows that this is not miil
lay, and it is of the utmost importance that these
papers be in the Minister's hands the day after
lo-morrow. Unless his mind cin he set at rest
jpon this subject, he will lie exci'el into high
'ever, per hups delirium. The physician, who
eft him just as you returned, says so I was
ihout to auk you, Brutus, if you oould not possibly
go to Washington with these papers. Karth|uake
will take you there and back in two days.
)h ! Brutus, you would so much oblige me if you
vould, and it might be the saving of the young
nan's life."
Brutus mused?Gertrude coaxed. Ft seemed
>ot unpleasant to Brutus to get away, if possible,
rora torturing regrets. Nothing could happen,
>r at least was likely to happen, to Zoe, in so
hort a space as two days.
" Brutus, I never asked a favor of you before
n my life, and 1 beg one of you now."
" I will go, Gertrude."
Indeed, both brother and sister were wonder*
ully subdued and softened?the one hy pity?
he other by sorrow?both by love.
In order to lose no time, Brutus arosa before
lawn and called Gertrudp, who had watched by
he wounded man's couch all night Taking
jiertrude down into the dark and silent hall, he
here related to her the secret history revealed
by the schoolmaster, at which Gertrude ex pressed
oo surprise at all; on the contrary, she replied,
" I suspected it all alonflf"
" You did, Gertrude! But from what circumstances
?"
" I can scarcely tell you ! From the vaguest
things, that yet impressed me strongly ; things
so intangible that they would vanish when I
would try nnd seize and prove them And, moreaver,
trluil I f-*l moit certainly, iv, thai Mrt Armitroiuf
if darkly, and ptrhapi criminally, implicated
in I fin snmf buiui'ts !
" Your reasons 7 Your reasons 7 "
" I cannot give any that you would not set
down as faneifal and absurd If I were to tell
you, for instance, only of certain looks, tones, and
gestures, upon certain occasions?starts ami pallors,
upon the naming of certain subjects?you
would consider them fantastical, as I do when I
really examine them ; yet I feel in rny inmost
heart that Mrs. Armstrong is criminally implicated
in this affair! For, sometimes, by little hints
capable of a double meauiog, I frighten her into
the idea that I know something, when I know
? -J J 1- I tL..
nothing!" IJrulus groaneu ueepi/, du iucu
said,
"Gertrude! old M%)or Somerville baa been
threatened with an apoplectic atroke. It ia
scarcely like)/ that anything should happen before
my return ; but if it ehould chance that the
old man ia atricken down?hia creditora only
wait hia death, to swoop down upon hia property?
in a word, Gertrude, if the sheriff ehould attach
Zoe as hia property, you will defend her ? n
" With mr life! Come, you know m?t"
" You will not permit the conatable to take
her?"
" Task hki I Glory! We shall take the constables
! 1 snuff the battle afar off I "
vr
PRATH AT THK CRAGS
no?pleasures, hjfx., affaettooa job.,
The wretch we; beer .nd yti lire oa,
Mac tbioj. wttbln tbs cold roek fo?nt
Aliee, when all'e eoaje?J'4 around
Hat tkere'e a blank repoee la tbla,
A ealai slaffMtloa tbat were bll?e,
Te tbe beea, tmruioj, bafrowmc pain,
Now foil ibruujb ail tbat breast and brain.
Moort.
"Why is this 7 Why do I walk ahont in a
oonaoioua death, daad?aeemiag to lira. Head I
yes, were the grave closed over me, I could not be i
more completely deed. And it would be better
so, for then i should not be conscious as I hid now. !
, Death in the grave! why, that is not bud. The
unconsciouo body lies there, and the free*] spirit
revels in liberty and spare. Death in the grave !
that were a boon! But it is this that is a
sepulchre where my soul Use entombed alive.
411 have no strength of heart to love, believe, or
hope?none! How cold and hard I grow. My
poor old grandfather, old, sick, and poor, no longer
moves my sympathy, because 1 think it is not
such a misfortune to grow old and die.
44 Anna no longer shares my love i wonder at <
her habitual resignation, and cannot understand
it. A river of ioe seems to hjve frozen be- |
tween us.
441 cannot nrav or believe as once, for bird
thoughts of Providence come between my prayer
and his throne.
" Yes! my life of lore, of hope, end faith, is
gone 1 am dead?dead Oh ! Lord, complete
this dissolution; let me die indeed, or else give
me life! sowie life?a life of aoguish, rather than
this conscious, living death ! "
Such were the half-craiy moaning* of Susan
Se'vnn'V jrhssv-'h*- tetuvned Ji^me fr"m the
marriage of General Stuart C %, < / end Miss [
O'Riley. t
"Give me life, or death! A?y l.fh?a life of
anguish rather than this conscious death ! "
It seemed as if her wild prayer had been heard
and answered. Anna entered the room, pale and
trembling. Susan turned and looked at her with
lauguid surprise.
44 Your grandfather?Miss Susan !"
44 What of him 7 "
44 In a fit! dying !n
" Oh ! God, forgive me and spare him ! " exclaimed
the oonsuieuce-btricken girl, suddenly
thinking remorsefully of her repining* a moment
before. She hurried from the room wildly?
paused in the hall, and asked hastily, 44 Where is
he 7?
44 In his own room. Miss Susan."
41 llave you sent for the doctor 7"
44 My father has gone, Miss Susan.'
4- W ho is with him ? " she inquired, "till hurrying
on.
44 My mother, Miss Susan."
44 Who found him 7 "
4 1 did, >Aiss Susan. I went to cali him down
to dinner, snd found him on the floor in a fit."
1 On the floor in a fit! Oh, my God ! we
rUllV7' UklU, Anna ! Oh; Ahtta/? ;
neglected him !"
441 do not think so, Miss SusarffP
41 He ought never to have been left alone a moment
! Oh, Anna, not a moment! Oh, Anns,
who knows how long he suffered before you found
him !"
4 Not five minutes, Miss Susan He had been
rsndintr the R:hl? all the mornino while v<iu
were at church and until you came home. When
he saw you go up to your room to put off your
bonnet, he went into the yard and plucked a
bunch of wild eglantine roses, and told me to put
them in water and set them on the table for yoti,
and to call him to dinner when yon came down;
and then he went to his room, aud in five miuj
utes, or less time, 1 found him in a fit.''
The end of this rapid conversation brought
! them to the bedside cf the invalid. Tears were
streaming from the eyes of Sustn at she gazed at
the oonvulscd form and features of the old man.
Even while she gazed, a violent spast) agitated the
poor old frame.
"Oh, what can we do for him ?r she sobbed.
" Grandfather! dear grandfather! aan't you speak
to tis7 "
"Hush, Miss Susan! He is post that?long
past that!"
" Oh ! what can ws do for him ? "
"Nothing, Miss Susan, 'till the doctor comes.
This is apoplexy."
" A poplexy ! Oh Heaven !"
" Calm yourself, Miss Susan.'
> " Grandfather! oh, dear grandfiither, look at
me! just look at me ! " sobbed Suimd, seeking to
fix the glance of the rolling eyes Hut there was
no tn ikw* oryn. on her
knee by the bedside, she took dud kissed, again
and again, the old, withered hand that hung
helplessly over the quilt, and gsve herself up to a
1 passion of sobs. "Grandfather! Oh, I would
give the best years of my life for one single word,
for one single glance of recognition I This poor
i hand I its last act was for me! Ingr&te! oh, in>
grate that 1 was!'" Again a violent fit of sobbing
choked her utterance. " His last words to
me w<re, ' God love you, baby!' just as we set out
for church, and his last words were, ' put these
roses in water for Susan.' ' Ingrate! oh, ingrate,
that I was !'" A spasm again onvulsed the dying
man. "Grandfather, oh, grandfather! if I
could change pl ices with you, God knows I would
do it " A moan from the breast of the old man?
a. short, rasping respiration, a quick, violeut
spasm, and all was still.
"He is at rest, Miss Susan," said Harriet. Su
nun Biarieu W ucr IPCl?giw.ru iai?J uiwiurui uu mc
stiffening face j a mist passed before her eyes,
her head swam, her limbs failed, and she felt.
Anna caught her, placed & cup of water to her
lips, and drew her from the room?drew her to
her own chamber, where Susan fell upon the bed
and turned upon her face, extending her arms in
an attituds of utter and helpless abandonment.
And there she lay all day, and there the lay all
night, without a change of position.
Anna returned to the death-chamber to assist
her mo:her. The dootor had just come?ten minutes
too late.
Major Som*rville died on Suuday afternoon.
On Tuesday, at the very hour that Brutus
Lion was setting out for the metropolis, without
huving heard of what had happened at the Crags,
ten miles o(T, they were making preparations
for the funeral.
The funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon.
fto br continued.j
for the National Kra.
OPINION OF CHIEF JLSTICE JAV.
Castine, April 4, 1850.
Mr. Editor - The following letter, oontaioing
the opinion of John Jay, concerning the constitutional
power of Congress to prohibit the extension
of slavery, I find in a pamphlet dated 1819, annexed
to the speeches in favor of imposing the
slavery restriction upon Mi-souri, by Rufus King,
in the Nenste, and Messrs. Taylor and Talmadge
of New York, in the House. I do not know but
it may have been often published before, but I
have never seen it elsewhere, and you may perhaps
like to insert it in your paper,
QeOKOK H. WlTJIERHEr,
Bedford, Westchestr Co., N Y,
NovenAtr 17, 1819
Dkak Sir i have received tivft eoaj of a circular
letter, which, m chairmen of the committee
appointed by the late public meeting at Trenton,
respecting slavery, you waa pleased to direct to
me on the 5th instant.
Little can he added to what has been said and
written on the subject of slavery. I concur in the
opinion that it ought not to be introduoeJ nor
permitted in nny of the new Stories, and that it
ought to be gradnally diminished, and Anally abolished
in all of them.
To me, the constitutional authority of the Congress
to prohibit the migration and importation
of slaves into any of the States, does not appear
questionable.
The Jim article of the Constitution specifics
the legislative powers committed to the Congress
Tbs 9ih section of that article has these words:
"The wifration or importation of such persons as
any of the now tinting States shall think proper
to admit, ahall not be prohibited by the Congress
J trior to the year 1808, but a tax or duty may he
mpoeed on such importation, not exceeding ten
dollars for each person."
I understand the sense and meaning of this
clause to be, that the power of the Congress,
although competent to prohibit each migration
and importation, was not to be exercised with respect
to the ttien existing States (and them only)
until the year 1808 but the Congress were at
liberty to make suon prohibition as to any new
8t?ts which might in the situn time bs established.
And, further, that from and after that period,
*l? ? ? . i. ..I in milra aueh nruhihitiou
wry worn lu^auiuru
m to all the .States, whether or old.
It will, I presume, be admitted, that slaves
were the persons intended The word slaves was
avoided, probably on account of the existing toleration
of slavery, and lie dieoorJaaey with the
principles of the Revolution, and froa a consciousness
of its being repugnant to the following positions
in the Declaration of Independence "We
hold these truths to be self-evident: that all
men are created e^nal, that they are endowed by
tbetr Creator with certain unalienable rights,
that among them are life, liberty, and the pursuit
#f happiness "
As to my taking an actn? part in "organizing
plaa of cooperation." the state of my health has
floag been each as not to gdtait of it
Be pleased to assure the committee of my be*t t
wishes for tbeir success, and permit me to assure j 1
you of the esteem and regard with which I am, 1
dear Bir, your faithful and obedient serv int.
John Jay. 1
The Honorable Klias Howlmot. #
For tho National Era.
THE CHILD AT THE FOUNTAIN.
By the side of a sparkling Fountain
A lovely infant stood,
Who a golden bowl was holding
In a careless, merry mood ?
l)ip ln( it aft in tb? water., 0
And draining it in mirth; a
For the fount wan a mortal fountain,
And the child waa a child of earth. f
The Sun from his axtir* pathway
Stooped unto the waters low, 1 ?
And wove with its ouowy spray-wreaths |>
A beautiful iris-Bow? I P
Wblls flowers grew up by the fountain, j f
Of every radiant hue, n
*? men tug lniant gun-rta gaily, j
And op to tbe rainbow threw ;
0rtg-t? ertr vainly - ^
tie locked to iw tben there.
But i ?w them fell to the watera, p
Or lodge In hie runny hair
Mo day onto day auceeeded, ^
And the happy one wa* bloatf
Ae Merriment was near him,
Or left him unto reel; ^
But a elouJ ca ne over the eunlight,
And the Iria-How *w dim,
And the voice of tbe darkened fountain
Became a pene're hymn.
Then the infant'e eyee grew tearful,
And he laid hie wearied head
On the tufted emerald nitron
That oft hml beeu bis bed?
And looking through teara above him,
He caught through the parted cloud
A glim (me of the brilliant rainbow, w
And beueatb It an infant crowd, jWho
around a throne were gathered,
lech bowing it# little head, Ct
And receiving ita crown of bieaaing ^
I mii a Hand that once had bled. ^
Sweet streams of muaie floated
From the antbetn which they sung
Jin anthem they were launAng 'W V L
in a new celestial tongue.
The Infkct heard with rapture,
And longed to flee away,
But a allver cord *j round him, '
Still binding him to clay
Then with hla effirti weary, C
N.\ moPA he loturfol to drink.
And bl* golden bowl bad fallen v
Orer the water's brink? I
By the troubled ware* 'twae broken,
And sunk in the eiglilng deep, h
A* the child, it ill upward gasinf,
Had gone to hie final ileep;
Kor an Angel came frolh Olory, 0
To aerer tlie silver cord,
And bear the infant sleeper 0
To the bosom of his Lord.
S. E. O.
THE PHONETIC SYSTEM.
t<
Cincinnati, March 20, 1850.
T*o the IsdUor of the \atumal h'ra :
Your reviewer,'in noticing " Komstok's Po- <]
netik Testament," raises three objections to Pho- r
netic reform. If the crowded state of jour columns
will admit of if, 1 wish, briefly, to notice g
those objections. First, it is objected, " that p
for ordinary use, people who read must learn the p
common character at any rate for n century or
two, or till all literature of value, dictionaries, (
&c., hare been translated, ho that they cumber 0
themselves with two alphabets instead of one." p
To this 1 would aay, that numerous experiments
hare satisfied the adkooates of Hionwtb (
reform, that to learn the old system, by fir the i
easiest method is, flrst to learn the new, after
which, the common spelling cm be retd without ,
further instruction The Ohio State Teachers |
Association, held in Columbus, December 20th |
and 27th, 1849, unanimously passed the following 1
resolution : ]
" Whereas the mthjert of Phonetic Spelling is ,
attracting much attention from the general pub- (
lie, and whereas the friends of the Spelling Re- ,
form claim that children can be taught to read by
the Pbonetio system in one-exuhth of the time now t
retpiired ; and that after acquiring the art of read- ,
ing the new system, they can also, nuhout further
uutiuction, read the oommon spelling ; therefore, g
"Resolved, That this Convention recommend
to school teachers and school trustees the propriety
of testing for themselves, by actual experi- f
ments in school, the value of the Pbonetio T
system.'' - j
And it in in this that our stronghold lies. Let t
us once convince teachers and managers of schools 0
that to learn the new system is not to "cum- 0
her" the mind of the pupil with useless learning, j,
but that, if no other use is subserved, the pupil t
is enabled more easily to acquire the new and the p
| old systems together than he is to acquire the old n
| system without the aid of the new, and the reform fl(
is accomplished. h
The other objections are, our strong attach- j,
m?nt to the old orthography, through the " force j.
of Association with the actual appearance of familiar
word*;" and "the f ?ct that their pro- [
posed system is not the.written English tongue. ^
but a device of modern ingenuity." j
It is true that it is natural fur us to love things
' that have become familiarized to us by old acquaint- f ,
ance. Yet, in the world's progress, we are compel
led sometimes to acknowledge that our old at- jf
tachments have been misplaced ; and, learning j
judgment from the past, we look upon new things, j,
as they present themselves, as involving something
more than the question whether they will ,i
interfere with the theories, notions, or formulas y,(
of this generation, but the qutstions arise, whnt m
are to be its effects upon the progress of the age 7 Hj
Are the means of moral and intellectual improve- tfl
ment to be augmented by them 7 Are men to be H)
made more free, and enlightened, and happy,
through its means 7 Such questions are involved j?
in a consideration of the merits of this reform. ^
Hut spsoe dose not allow me to discuss them further
here. tl
As to the relative merits of Komstok's and w
Pitman's alphabets, 1 think that, although the j,,
former may be more pleading to the eye of the
Greek scholar, yet the fact that the latter more ,j,
resembles our old spelling, is a stronger argument
in its favor. tl
Yours, fcc. F. G. Adams.
? fr
OBITUARY. ]i
m
On the morning of the fith inst. at the residenoe
of her father, in Clark county, Ohio, Miss Masv w
An* Swa vsk sweetly felt asleep in Jesus.
Gifted with a mind of no ordinary cast, Miss o(
Hwayne was untiring in the acquisition of those .
treasures which adorn, and polish, and refine the '
intellect; her matured judgment enabled her to
cull and garner the gems of literature, while her ti
chastened taste led her to reject all that was ephe- ,,
moral and enervating. Naturally reserved and w
retiring in her general intercourse with the
world around her, she was sometimes deemed ^
cold?nay. proud?by tboae who knew her not; st
but around the paternal hearthstone, or in the s
social circle of eudeared friends, she unbosomed (|
the tHunml hoard of her vounv hrart's deen
affection*; and none wbo bare witneeeed bar w
untiring and unoelfleh devotion in the family S
circle, or have llatened to ber chaate and beautiful d
expreeaion of centimeot, tbat did bonor alike to (j
intellect and feeling, but will treaaure the remembrance
aa gem*, to ?tud with pure radianoe the "
Hall of Memory. *
Truly wa may apply tbla (oft misquoted) ex- f
Iireaaion to our dear young friend . " .She waa d
or. ly in life, and lovelier atill in death " > y
Her diaeaee waa that inaidioua, alowAraeting !
agent of the grim Peetoyer, Conaumption ; and, ^
while panaing through the furnaoe of affliction, 11
aha wan Indeed puriAed, until the image of the t
great ReAoer waa beautifully and clearly reflected t
in her whole demeanor.
With a eweet and childlike oonfldence in the
precioua promieea of inepiration?with faith tbat
could pieroe the bonndarieeof theapirit land, and t
claim a home amoug the throng of the redeemed? b
with patience tbat no suffering could dlminieh? ?
with reaignation that eweetly quelled every murmnr,
even in thought?end with eheetened hope
that looks beyond the grave for deathlaee fruition, '<
be oalmly aurveyed the awelling wavee of Jordan,
fur aha Mt that the white-robed Angel of ?
Peace had calmed the oft-turbulent billowe, and 11
ha kmc that a radiant oonvey was poieed on aogel *
wing* to bear her froth the fooUtool to the throne. P
Remember, dear young render, that the pro- f
ioroinating trait in the character of her, "not i
oaf, but gone before," wan purity of heart an<l
ife; and may her mantle, woven in the beauty of
tolineaa, descend with ita hallowing ch irm upon
irr young compeers, for the goal ahe baa eo early,
10 happily won ! E. F. W.
CONGRESS.
THIRTY-FIRST COXGRESS - FIRST SESSIOT. ,
SENATE.
Wei>*i*day, Aran. 10, 18.10.
Mr. Walea of Delaware presented the petition (
f citizens of that State againat the admiaaion of (
lavery into the TerHtoriea.
Mr. Hale presented anti-alarery petitions aa ;
allows
Three from Medina county, Ohio; one from
leaver county, Pennsylvania, one from Berk- |
hire, Vermont; from Hudson, New Hampshire: '
Ellington, New York ; Cranston, Rhode Island; J
rom Maine; from Massachusetts. Pennaylva- '
ia. and New York from Portage county, Ohio, c
ic , &c.
Mr. Hale was interrupted by Messrs Clay ami I
ttehnwn.-- The
farmer wiahed tj> know wbothrr'be peti- 1
ion* were printed or in manuscript. '
The latter suggested that, to sive time, It would j
e better to seud them alt to the Secretary of the 1
etinte, who could make the usual disposition of *
hern. *
Mr Hale replied to Mr. CHy, that the eignatrea
of the petitions were in writing : the head- J
some in print, some in manuscript.
1 i reply to the suggestion of Mr. Atchison, he 1
einarked? 8
The Senator is altogether mistaken with regard 1
) my occupying time here every morning Instead "
f doing so, I determined long sgo to lay them hy y
b they c une to me, and to come here with these 0
el it ions but once a month, and then make a gen- '
rnl delivery. [Laughter]
Mr. Clay. I cannot allow this occasion to pass T
ithout calling to the attention of the Senafo a *
ict connected with most of these petitions. Sir,
ie moment a prospect opens in this unhappy *
mntry of settling our differences, these disturb- n
r- nl'llu. tiiei.'* t Komi ulkAltt lntiiutfl TMlt t liPlliflp] VPS I P
ii mo'ion?the Jays. the Pbtllipsrs, and others in r'
ther quarters?and they establish a concerted cl
nd ramified plan of operations, and I want to ex- "
o*e it Jq tj>e Senate. 1 [ere, sir, is a little bit of 01
irintrd paper [holding up the petition *Wh had ?
>een delivered to him| scattered throughout tho )'
rhole country. Some of them found th' ir way 11
nto my own State. 1 presented them the other rt
lay from Lewis county, printed, I hare no doubt, w
t a common centre, and dispersed throughout the
ountry, in order to produce a common effect, nnd p
o make an impression on this body, as if they p
re re speaking the public sentiment in this ooun- ^
The Chair informed Mr.Clay that the petitions D
ad been disposed of. w
"But I have one in my hand,'' said Mr. Clay. Bl
Mr. lisle o tiled the Senator from Kentucky to
rder.
The Vice President. The Senator is called to u
rder He willtuke his seat till the point of order j(
j ascertained.
Mr.Clay. State your point of order, sir, and p
will answer it. State your point of order. si
Mr. Hale. 1 am not to be disturbed by any loud p
tlk, either before or behind. a:
Mr.Clay. Well, goon; no man speaks louder &
itsit yourself. _ f<
Mr. Hale. I rise to a point of order!* I am ad- p
ressing the Chair. 1 will not submit to inter- d
uptiou I
Mr. Mangum ! rise to a point of order. The t
lenator from New IlinapBhire has no right to a
roceed with his remarks unless he reduces his
ioint of order to writing. ii
Mr.Clay. If gentlemen will have a litte pa- t
ience there will he no need for these questions of t
rder. 1 have a right to make a motion to take up b
hese petitions and refer them to a committee.
The Vice President The ('hair is a^ipeeled to n
>n a point of fcrder. The Senator from New i
Hampshire will state what it is. c
Mr. Hale. The point of order I was about to c
state is this The Chair had rule 1 that these po- (
litions had all been passed upon, and the honora- t
ble Senator from Kentucky says he has one of t
them in his hand. I suppose the petition he has in \
bis hand is one which I sent to the Chair, and was \
paused uptn nnd disposed of; and if did not,
hcrcfore, come into his hands without being din- t
oosed of. That is the point of order b
Mr. Clay inquired whether he might not pro- fj
teed with his observations, and then conclude t
vith a motion. t
The Chair replied that the motion, ho thought, c
ihould precede the remarks. e
After some commotion, Mr. Clay proceeded? p
?Sir, of all the bitterest enemies toward the un- r
brtunate negro race, there are none to oompare
rith these abolitionists, the pretended friends of je
heirs; but who, like the Siamese twins, connect
hem.seIves with the negro , or, like tbeoentmir of f;
M, mount not the hack of a horse, but the back si
f the negro, to slide themselves into power, and
a order to display a friendship they feel only for tl
kAmoalwAu an/1 nnt fitr fl?? n?*crrn rnflrt No. Hir.
hero uro uot worse enemies in the country of the tl
egro race than these ultra abolitionists. To what ni
orta of extremity hav* they not driven the slave- I
olding Stales in defence of their own rights, and p
} guarding against those excesses to which they w
are a constant tendency. 'J
Now, sir, I hare said all that I intended to say 01
hare some of these petitions, which I wish had o<
ecn presented to some other person as the me- in
ium of communication to the Senate ; but they U
lull not deceive me by this attempt to create a ei
Jse impression as to the real state of feeling tb
iroughout tho country. I will mnke the motion, ec
thcgentleman insists,to take up these petitions; Si
hare a right to do it, though I hare no desire to
> it. hi
Mr. Hale. I wish to take occasion to make a ui
ngie remark, as allusion was made to me by tho fu
inorable Senator from Kentucky. Hccounselled m
e to a good deal of patience. Now, I thought, sc
r, if I hod been old enough to advise that Sena- a;
r, that he stood in need of It before I did, and w
ore than I did. it
I thought the manner of the Senator in speak- si
ig to me, after I hsd the tioor, and while I had n
ie tioor?However our situations may differ, howrer
humble I may he as sn individual?I thought is
tat the manner of the honorable Senator did not dl
word with the equality of rights that gentlemen ta
%ve here on this floor. I am not arrogant nor sc
resuming ; I desire in the humble sphere of my hi
uty to do it; and, sir, I need not tell the Senator hi
tat I shall do it; and that no insinuations, no hi
treats, no talk, loud or low, coming from any in
uarter, under any circumstances, will deter me gi
om it. I have but one light to guide me, the ci
ght of my own conscience, to walk in the path of m
y duty. There I must go. and no exhibitions of in
ly sort, ooming from any quarter, at sny time, Si
ill have the least influence upon me at all. pi
[Mr. Rusk here rose, and raised the question *
T reception on s petition, for the purpose of ceil- w
ig the attention of the Senate to a petition pre- m
;nted the day before, and received without no- it
oe. The petition purported to come from a citi- a'
in of Ontario county, New York, and is signed, f
t have been informed, by names in the same )(
sndwriting. It sets forth that, undrtbeConItu'ion,
the burdens and obligations of the b
tutes were equal, but that in the enrolment of '
ie militia unjust discrimination was made, by ?
hich three millions of the population of tbe g
..niK ??rc excmnt from enrolment and military \
utj, while in the North, the whole of ite popula- P
ou w*s burdened in thie way. The petitioner* ^
rayed, therefore, for the passage of % Uw, by
hich the militia of ?U the Htete* might be ensiled,
without distinction of color, clasx, or conition.
Mr. Sewerd had presented the petition, f
druntime, lame mischierous reporter (?nd re- *
orter* are often amused with the eitreme eensi- 0
irenea* of the Senatorial body) brought (he mat- p
er to the notioe of a Senator from the South, and fa
bis morning a scene was the result. a
Mr. Rusk of Texas was wonderfully exoited, t
nd he mad* a speech, which will attest to all \
rue-hearted Texans his tlgilanoe, his bratery, a
is patriotism. lie treated the petition In the i
io*t solemn manner, and closed his reflections in t
manner ax impressive as he could make It, as <
allows)
I hope, I pray of Qod, that thaae things may <
raer I appeal to those who agitate them, and ,
f I thought I could be heard among their oontituente,
I would call upon the freemen ef the
forth to rise np and at onoe rebuke thie sections! 1
soling, which most, If it go on, end In making us
ihe bitterest of enemies. If, sir. upon my retnm
from my seat, I should find my house in ashes,
my wife and children massacred, though I ha?e
not much brnrery?none to boost of; I trust i
ba*e enough, howerer. always to conduct myself
properly with all mankind? would feel that I
h id di?grue,ed the name of man if I did not con
aider the incendiary sillain that had stirred up
such mischief in my domestic circle ?r my enemy
And if I did not. as lone as a drop of blood
coursed in this good right arm. treat him as auch,
! should consider, sir. that I hud degraded the
form of man.
(The petition wm read?the venerable men of
the Senate grew solemn. Mr. Butler of South
Carolina rose with emotion. He said :)
My friend from Texas says, God grant that the
orogreae of thia thing may be arrested , hut. Mr
President, I am afraid I utter a truth when 1 say
hat that progress is not destined to he arrested
Sir, two of the tw st distinguished Senators on
his floor hare exerted their voices and their inluence
to arrest it; and what has been the conseluence
1 It has brought down upon the Nestor
if tho .Senate ns the Senator from Kentucky
Mr.Clay | is sometimes termed, a systematic at
ok from different quarters. And what has been
he fate of the distinguished Senator-from Mas*(Ause*<??
(Mr Webster ] Why. public meet
nge have been held, and he has b-.-en denounced
n every form , an 1 for what ? For avowing the
road duty of good fiith in compliance with treiies
and the compromises of the Constitution
Mr. Foote. I must confess that I am not go
ouch excited on this occasion as several of my
eloved friends here, or as I have been myself
ipon several former occasions. I rather tfcnk
ir, that the action which has been commented
ipon?the introduction of certain petitions here,
>nd the agitation kept up in connection there
rith?Is simply a part of the policy of a certain
lass of polidci ms in the North, with the view to
he cultivation (is we have heretofore had very
iroadly admitted before us) of a sort of local
>opularity, with a view to their own personal aduncemont
I do not believe, indeed I feel asured
to the contrary, that in the States of the
forth there is such a condition of public sent!
lent as will justify the movements of cert jin
orsons, here and elsewhere, upon the questions
eftrred to. Nor has anything which has centred
this morning induced, me to believe that
to Union is in greater danger to-day than it was
n yesterday, or the day before yesterday. The
Id saying i^ tia< tir d-.rl:?*i periodb?
i just before day ; and I trust, sir, that the tnornng
of our deliverance is now dawning upon us,
nd that the period of darkness and gloom has
tell nigh terminated.
[In allusion to Mr Seward, who presented the
etition, and who, it is thought, has some intlunce
In nominations for office, Mr Foote anounrd
his purpose hereafter to vote against all
ominations in which he had reason to believe
ere conoerned any gentlemen who should pre
;nt such petitions in the Senate.
After further conversation, Mr. Clay felt called
pou to come to the rescue of the Union, put in
lopardy by this paper missile |
Mr. Clay. I will move, then, to take up the
etltion on the subject of the enrolment of the
avea of this country in the militia, for the purose
of making a motion, and, without further
rgument upon the subject, invite the Senate to
ct upon it; expressing a hope, and I shall call
ir the yeas and nays for that purpose, that this
etition will he rejected hy the derisive and ki
ignant and unanimous vote of the whole body
move you, sir, to take up the petition, and I will
hen move to reject the prayer of the petition,
nd call for the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were orderod. Mr. Seward
na brief way stated his position lie believed
he right of petition inherent,and felt it bis duty
o present whatever petitions were intrusted to
lis care, without assuming to discriminate.
1 defend and vindicate those which I rise in
uy place to defend and vindicate, and 1 leave
rithoui vindication or detenee, uml tor future
:onsideration, those which I present without vin
lication or defence. This is my rule of action
Other Senators have a different rule. They
:hink they have a right, and that they are bound
o discriminate between petitions which they
srill present to this body and those which they
will not. I do not impugn their mntiv?s; I d
wt assail thaui in the least. 1 should have livid
o but little purpose, Mr. President, as long as I
nive lived, if I had not learned from my own in
inimit'N iuo uDii^itionn ui juniiot' mm cviiiriiy in
ha motives of others. i shall out shrink fiom
he performance of what In my duty, under any
ircumstances of censure. i go a little further iu
xplanation, because I shall vote for receiving this
elition. 1 shall vote against the resolution to
eject It.
Mr. Clay, (In his sent ) The motion is to retot
the pkaykr of the petition
Mr. Seward. 1 thank the honorable Senator
rom Kentucky for the information. I underood
it to be a motion to reject the petition itself
A Senator. Oh, no; to reject the prayer of
le petition.
Mr. Seward. I am in favor, as 1 have said, of
ic emancipation of the slaves in this country
nd in ull countries; but, its i have said before,
nm in favor of obtaining that object only by
enoeful, lawful, and constitutional means ; and
here the Constitution interdiots, there I slop,
'o receive this petition and reject its prayer, aa
le that ought not to be granted, is in exact ac
jrdanoe with the course I li ive beforo proposed
i regard to petitions for a dissolution of the
nion It belongs to the States where slavery
lists, to abolish it there. To arm snd organize
ie slaves would bo a meuns of violence to effect
nancipation unconstitutionally, in violation of
?te rights.
And now, whatever may be intended for me,
!re or elsewhere, l beg honorable Senators to
idtrstand this as the rule of my conduct for the
iture. I shall never assail the motives of any
ember of this body. I shall never defend my If
against any imputation of motives made
pilnHt me. If such imputations are made, in
hatever shape they may oome, as they have done
i various shapes here, I shall pass them by in
lenne. They will not in the least disturb my
lusnimity.
Mr. Clay. I rise to tuty a single woru, anu inai
, to exprea* a hope that there will be oo furthrr
iscussion, but that the vote will he taken, ami
ken in the manner I have suggested, with a
demnity and unanimity which, I am aure, will
nve a good effect. The petition, be it rememrred,
has beet) received. There can therefore
s no reproach against the Senate for not receivg
it. The question now 1*. shall its prayer he
anted ? And that prayer is to do what no man
in conceive or dream or without horror and diaay.
The proposition is to embody every slave
i the United States ia the militia of the United
Later. Sir, I trust honorable Senators are preired
to vote upon this question. The Senator
ho sits near me |Mr. Seward] haa, in a very
iltn, orderly manner, expressed his views. Thongh
e may not agree with blm, let us amy nothing
iore, hut go to the vote, and vote, by n singular
tsUnoe of unanimity and decision, against the
fjomin ?ble prayer of the petition.
The motion was pnt from the Chair, and the
ens and nays having been taken, resulted as foliws;
Vkas?Messrs. Atchison, Badger, Bell, Benin,
Borland, Ilrsdbury. Bright, Butler, Chase,
darks, Clay, Cooper, Corwln, Davis of Masaahuseits,
Dayton, Dickinson. Dodge of Iowa,
lodge, of Wisooosin, Douglas, Felch, Foote,
Ireene, Hale, Hamlin, Hunter, Jones, King,
langum, Mason, Miller, Morton, Norria, Paarce,
helps, Rusk, Sebastian, Seward, Shields, Smith,
oule, Spruanoe, Turney, Underwood, Wales,
Vulker, wfouter, wbttoomb, ana Yuiee? 4*
Nay*?Nose.
So the motion wu unanimously adopted.
[Oa* ciOD >t but imil* at the excessive nerouaneN
of the Senatorial body. Some people,
'a fear, bar* found out the peculiar infirmity of
irtain of Ita membere, and Uke mischievous
loMure in quitting them. Mr. Butler muet
mbeen sorely disappointed at the unanimous
'ejecting the prayer of the petition. A litis
more "attrition" might have suited him het?r.
As for Mr. Clay, be walked with a prouder
itep, after having succeeded in marshalling the
ndignation, the dignity, and the stern resolves of
ho Senate to the utter discomfiture of Ontario n;
munty, New Vork.
While we cannot help regarding these exbibi
Jona in the Senate as unbecoming its position,
re do hope that the eserciee of the light of peition
may be exercised In each n way as shall
lot impair its sacredness or efficiency for good ]
The Senate then prooeeded to the eonsidera