Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume], May 28, 1823, Image 3

About Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume] (Harper's Ferry, Va. [i.e. Harpers Ferry, W. Va.]) 1821-1824

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 1823.
tllE EUROPEAN WAR
Has at length commenced, and the de
mon of desolation is stalking o’er the
plains of the Peninsula. The friends of
human rights have to lament, in the on
set, the success of the unprincipled myr
midons employed to drive freedom from
its resting place on the continent; but
the hope yet remains, that the ancient
Castilian pride and valor will be roused
from the slumber of ages, and he exert
ed with renovated vigor against the foul
instruments of oppression. No war, that
ever occurred abroad, has awakened such
a deep feeling of interest and sympathy
in American bosoms. Indeed, our future
welfare is intimately, and, we might say,
avjfulliy connected with, and dependent
upon, the result. America has always
been viewed by the despots of the old
World as the nursery of revolutionary
principles, and they will not rest satisfied
with the extirpation of those principles
from Europe only, where they have long
been annoyed by them ; hut will extend
their unholy interference to the birth
place of their troubles.
That such will be the case, if Spain is
subjugated, no one can doubt. The ha
tred existing against us is of the most
malignant and deadly character, and will
increase as success administers to its un
bounded appetite. It behoves us to coun
teract it by precautionary steps, and to
be prepared to withstand, undaunted, the
rude assaults of despotism,for we are,most
assuredly, destined to be the next victim
if an indulgent Creator can longer tole
rate the villanies of those who have com
menced a career of carnage and iniquity.
The. feeling heart must weep sorely for
the sacrifices to human vanity, and the
truly pious and devout will raise their
supplicating voices, in behalf of the
wronged and degraded sons of misfor
tune.
The Duke d’Angouleme has publish
ed a proclamation to the Spaniards, and
©ne to the soldiers of the French invading
army, couched in the usual style oi legi
timate impudence.
In the British House of Commons, a
warm altercation took place between Mr.
Canning and Mr. Brougham, on a ques
tion relative to the Catholics. The speak
er and other gentlemen interposed, and
the( difference was amicably adjusted.
The particulars will be given hereafter.
k Almost every paper we receive, brings
f accounts of the dreadful ravages of the
Fly in the wheat fields. This is truly to
be regretted, and will blast the high ex
pectations entertained in the early part
of the season. It affords another strik
ing proof, however, of the fallacy of all
human calculations, and gives a strong
admonition to those who thank not the
God of Harvest for the many blessings hi
therto conferred. We cannot always ex
pect to be the peculiarly favored people
of Heaven. Ingratitude, perverseness,
and folly, have long had an undue, influ
ence over us, and must be rewarded ac
cording to the standard of immutable
justice.
Peas have been sold in W ashington,
during the last week at the rate of eight
dollars a bushel, and strawberries at 20
cents a quart.
Active preparations have been made
for the Great Race at Long Island. At
the last dates, more than 20 horses had
arrived near the course. Yesterday'was
the day to decide the all-important ques
tion of northern or southern superiority.
NEW YORK, MAY 21.
Sea Serpent, Sea Devil, or some other
Monster, seen by the ship Douglass, Capt.
Brown, from New \ork, bound to Curra
coa. Sailed from New York on the 2d
of April. On the 6th, at 3 P. M. discov
ered, as was supposed, a vessel bottom
upwards, three points on the weather
bow, braced sharp, and came up within
40 feet of the serpent, being in the form
of a turtle, height above water, 10 or 15
feet, length 25 to 30 feet, breadth 12, with
oars or flippers on each side one third of
the way forward from the tails, length of
them twelve to fifteen feet, one on each
side near bis tail, 5 or 6 feet in length,
tail 20 to 25 feet, with a large lion face
over his tail, (or as I should say, the af
ter part,) with large eyes, 1 he shell or
body of the serpent, looked like a clinker
built vessel of 30 tons, bottom up, with
the seams or laps newly payed some
large barnacles about the body. It was
then steering S, E. ; his velocity through
the water, l§ knots per hour. A vessel
to im foul of this monster, would receive
injury. By the course he was then steer
ing, he would fetch Bermuda.
P. S, Any gentlemen having doubts of
the description of this monster, are re
ferred to Mr. John Houson, passenger, or
the officers and crew of the ship.
, JOHN BROWN,
C $>MMUKICATE».'
On. Thursday'.the 23d itvst. a.n exhibi
tiots and examination of tlse Lancasterian
School at Harpers-Fer.ry took place in
presence of a respectable collection of
persons assembled for the occasion, -who
witnessed, with much satisfaction, the
very neat and orderly appearance of the
scholars, and the striking evidences of
their rapid progress in their studies.
The strict attention of the children to the
orders given for their general operations
and their prompt execution of those or
ders first attracted attention. At intima
tions, given in succession by the teacher,
the scholars, “ as if one soul had moved
them all,” drew their slates from their
places, put them in order, and, with one
accord, commenced writing upon them,
words dictated from a lesson-board at
the head of each class respectively, and
then, all at once, by direc tion of their Pre
ceptor, exhibited their performances to
their visitors, who passing along the well
adapted seats,examined,leisurely,the neat
& handsome specimens of writing, many i
of them from children who, ten months |
before, knew not how to make a letter. ;
The slates were then returned to their i
places, the pencils collected, and the writ
ing books produced ; the earlier copies
of which being compared with the later
ones placed in a strong and convincing
light the general and constant improve
ment of the scholars. Handsomer and
better kept books have, we think, seldom
or never been exhibited at any school.
The Whole then moved from their seats
and assembled in classes around their
reading lessons, wnen the visitors, pas
sing along, from groupe to groupe, exa
mined them in succession, and noticed
their proficiency in reading.
By methods similar to the foregoing
were exhibited in succession, the acquire
ments of the scholars, in all the different
branches of their education : in Ortho
graphy ; in Grammar ; in Geography,
and inArithmetic. The convincing proofs
furnished on this day, of the goodness of
the system according to which this school
is conducted, and of its correct manage
itic 131 uy Lin preceptor, iviaj. liUtas, to
whose indefatigable exertions the public
are under much obligation, leave no room
for doubting- that, if properly supported,
it will prove of incalculable advantage to
the community. The great number of
scholars which may be managed with ad
vantage by one person, and the perfect
economy with which it is effected,* will
always enable the subscribers to secure
to the school the services of a teacher of
such talents, and at the same time induce
him to exert those talents to the utmost.
Harpers-Ferry, May 34th, 132?.
* The expenses for hooks, pens, ink,
paper, Sfcc. it,is understood, are less than
one-third of what is usual for those arti
cles at common schools.
noiifolk, May 16.
Arrived in Hampton Roads, brig- Mary
Rose,Griswold, of Hartford,Connecticut,
10 days from Matanzas hound to Rich
mond. Sailed 5th ihst. in company with
brig Mary, Noyes, for New-York, and
was convoyed out by two United States’
schooners. Captain Griswold states that
there have been no depredations commit
ted by the pirates along the coast of Cu
ba since the capture of the schooner Pi
lot, of this, port; that their hordes and
haunts appear to have been completely
broken up, at least for the present: still,
however, they may have associated them
selves with the more honorable part of the
community until an opportunity may of
fer, when, like the vulture, they can
pounce up their prey with effectual suc
cess. The steam galliot Sea Gull was
at Matanzas when the Mary Rose came
out,; she had been taking in coal, and
Capt. G. understood she as to leave
there the same day for Key West; under
stood that the officers and crews of the
different vessels composing Com. Por
ter’s squadron were ail in good health.
\JELerald.
BALTIMORE, MAY 2 1.
From Si. Johns, (P. Rico.)~-Captain
Harrison, arrived at this port yesterday,
from St. Johns, P. R. reports, that in the
port of St. Johns, American vessels incur
the same risk of being plundered by the
pirates as in Havana; two or three in
stances occurred while the G. S. lay
there, and for some time previous to her
sailing. Captain H. was under the ne
cessity of employing every night, a guard
well armed for the protection of the lives
and property on board, as he had the
most unequivocal proofs of their inten
tions to rob and plunder his vessel.—
Captain H. feels himself much indebted
to, and takes this public method of ac
knowledging the obligations he is under
to the Captain of the Spanish brig Palo
mo, for his timely assistance on several
occasions, in furnishing him with arms,
&c.
The steam boat General Robinson,
from New Orleans for Nashville, struck
a snag on the 17th ult. just below New
Madrid, and sunk. A part of the cargo
was saved, and it was supposed the ma
chinery would eventually be got out.
Prince Murat, son of the ex-king- of
Naples, and nephew of the late Napoleon,
arrived at NewWork on Monday the 19th,
in the Hamburg ship Daphne.
News Extraordinary.—We learn by
the New York Gazette, that Captain
Rogers, who sailed from Jamaica on the
20th ult. states, that a 74 and two fri
gates, lying there, fired a salute in con
sequence of the receipt of hews that the
Island of Cuba had been ceded to Great
Britain as security of a loan to Spain;
and that the above vessels sailed the
next day for Havana.—fMorn.Chronicle.
_____ |
Po,wder Mill Explosion.—-The Lex- i
ington Monitor states, that on the 5th
instant, the Powder Mill of Spencer
Cooper St Co, in that vicinity, blew up.
The powder house, where the pestles
worked, was blown to atoms—many of
the fragments were lodged in the trees,
and scarcely a part left standing. The
adjoining house, where six horses were
at work at a wheel, was blown down, and
the horses much crippled and burnt. No !
lives were lost.—A negro man who at
tended the mill, had just stepped out at
them mentof the explosion, and escaped -
unhurt.
Pennsylvania-—The nomination of Mr.
Shiilze by a Convention of Republicans,
for the office of Governor of the State,of
Pennsylvania, which is to take place this
summer, has been already noticed. Ah
opposition Convention was held at Lew
istown, on the 15th inst,. at which seven
ty two delegates were present. The re
sult of this Convention is, that, after re
ceiving a letter from Joseph Heister,
declining to be a candidate for re-elec
tion, Andrew Gregg was nominated by a
large thajority of votes, and recommend
ed to the people of the State as the can- j
didate of the Convention.
WASHINGTON, MAY 20.
The U. States’ frigate Congress, Capt.
Biddle, dropped down to Hampton Roads
on Thursday last, from Norfolk. She is
bound to the Delaware river, to take on
board Mr. Nelson, our Minister to Spain,
and Mr. Rodney, our Minister to Buenos
Ayres, with whom she will immediately
proceed to their respective destinations.
Mr. Rodney takes with him his nume
rous family ; Mr. Nelson, for the present,
leaves his family in this country.
[Nat. Intelligencer.
It is reported that Mr. Canning, the
Minister of Great Britain to this country,
is about to pay a visit to his native land.
NEWPORT, MAY 12.
Late from South America.—Arrived,
brig Catharine, Smith, of this port,from
St. Helena, and 30 days from St. Salva
dor. Sailed April 12t'n and left no Ame
rican vessels. The Portuguese troops
continued in possession of the city, and
the Brazilians of the country ; there was
no communication whatever between
them. The inhabitants of the city were
in great d istress for the want of fresh pro
visions ; beef & pork were selling at half
a dollar per lb. ; fowls at three dollars
each, arid other articles in proportion :
such was the patriotism of the Brazilians
that not the least article could pass into
the city. A reinforcement arrived from
Lisbdi! on the 3th April with 1700 troops,
under convoy oi a frigate, making: the
whole number of troops there about 4000,
tlie Brazilians have upwards ot «000
men, but were in want of officers. The
Portuguese squadron at St. Salvador
consisted of one 74, three frigates, 6 from
20 to 30 guns, and seven armed trans
ports. The British frigates Creole, Com.
Hardy, & Doris, Capt. Graham, were al
so lying there. All the valuable goods
had been removed on board the shipping
for safety, but as the rainy season had
commenced no military operations of con
sequence were expected to take place
for some time. Provisions were enor
mously high and no sales could be effect
ed only from day to day; their paper
currency was at a discount of 14 per cent,
and gold was worth 20 per cent. A Bri
tish packet and a sloop of war had been
expected from Rio for nearly a month,
and it was supposed they were detained
by an embargo; it was also reported, an
expedition was fitting out there, under
the command of Commodore Jewett.
Captain Smith informs, that the Mar
quis of Hastings, Governor General of
India, from Bengal, arrived at St. Hele
na March 17, and sailed again on the
25th, for the Mediterranean. Brig. Gen.
Walker, the newly appointed Governor
of St. Helena, had arrived, and it was re
ported that a tonnage duty of 12 cents
per ton, was to be laid on all foreign ves
sels. Markets good.—[Mercury.
FROM MEXICO.-—Captain Mathews,
who left Tampico on the 25th ult. states
that on the 9th, the Congress of Mexico
decreed that the Ex-Emperor Iturbide
should be banished to Itenly, and that
he should be allowed a pension of 25,000
dollars pfer annum. Capt. M. has brought
dispatches from the Mexican government
to its minister here} and from the Ame
rican Consul
fr'qni\ Ymrk livening Pest.
LATE FROM CURRACOA.
By the arrival this forenoon of the ship
Douglas, Capt. Brown, we have received
from our Correspondent, the Curracoa
Gazette of the 3d instant, containing an
account of the capture of two of the Co
lumbian blockading squadron off Porto
Cabello. Captain Brown informs us that
the small vessels belonging to the squad
ron made their escape, and arrived at
Curracoa before he sailed, The engage
ment took place on the 30th April and
lasted one hour and fifteen minutes.
From the Curracoa Courant of May 3d.
Reported defeat of the Colombian block
ading squadron off Islet. JLarga.—The
Colombian schooner Carmen, Esmit?
master, arrived here yesterday morning
from Borburata, and brings the follow
ing important intelligence :
The Colombian brig- Mosquito, whilst
chasing a Spanish felucca, which was
beating up to Puerto Cabello, ran ashore
close to that port. The corvette Cara
bobo was immediately despatched from
Borburata to her assistance, and the cor
vette Maria Francisca, on board of which
Commodore Daniels had embarked, fol
lowed soon afterwards for the same pur
pose. While they were thus employed
a fleet of four sail hove in sight to wind
ward, which were soon made out to be
two Spanish frigates with two merchant
vessels under their convoy. The Cara
bobo and Maria Francisca immediately
proceeded towards them, about three
o’clock in the afternoon they came to ac
tion, which lasted till half past five. Capt,
Esmit was lying at Borburata at the time
of the engagement, and the last that he
saw ofthe combatants was about sun down,
when, with the help of his telescope, he
perceived that the two Spanish vessels
had their flags flying. The firing had
ceased, and the Colombian vesselshaving
no colours hoisted, he concluded that
they must have struck. The schooner
Kayo, and a large felucca ran out of Pu
erto Cabello during the action, and car
ried in the two merchant vessels. They
afterwards returned to the Spanish fri
gates, and were seen lying between them.
The brig Indepedencia, Com. Beluche.,
was also in the action, but escaped, and
passed this island yesterday morning,
probably proceeding with the unpleasant
news to Com. Padille, at Los Taques.
Confirmation of the above.-—The Co
lombian schooner Rayo, from Borburata,
arrived off the harbour this morning, and
fully confirms the above statement. The
action is stated to have been well contest
ed by the Colombian vessels against
great superiority of force. The-Spanish,
vessels are reported to be one of 54 and
the other of 44 guns. It is supposed that
great slaughter must have been made on
both sides. The Maria Francisca and
the Carabobo had both been carried in
to Puerto Cabello The official account
of this action may be shortly expected
here.
Four Spanish privateers, it is reported,
were cruising off La Guayra, supposed
to be from Porto Rico.
DIED,
On Sunday last, Mr. Peter Conlan,
merchant, of this place. Mr. C. was a
native of Ireland, but resided in this
country for the last four or five years, and
had taken the necessary steps to become
naturalized. Honesty, probity, and a,
a nice sense of honor, were distinguish
ing traits in his character, and the recti
tude of his conduct secured to him the
esteem and good will of all who had in
tercourse with him. His remains were
conveyed to Fredericktown, and interred
in the Catholic cemetery at that place
ICE CREAM
WILL be prepared at Dr. Weise’s
store every Tuesday and Friday
afternoons, if fair, if not, the succeeding'
fair days.
May 28, 1823.
New Baking Establishment,
MESPECTFULLYinforms his friends
and the public generally, at Har
pers-Ferry, & vicinity, that he has com
menced the
BAKING- BUSINESS,
in all its branches, at the head of the cg
nal, and for the immediate convenience
and accommodation of those who may
favor him with their custom, he has
opened a shop adjoining the store of Dr ,
Weise, where he intends keeping a con
stant supply of the best
Bread, Crackers, Cakes § Rusks,
and occasionally strong and small Beer,
He hopes by strict attention to business,
and an earnest desire to please his custo
mers, to gain a share of public patronage.
May 28th, 1823.—3t.
N. B. Long boats supplied with bread,
at the shortest notice.
BLANK ATTACHMENTS
For sale at this office.