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

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HARPERS FERRY FREE PRESS.
«TO SHEW VIRTUE HER OWN FEATURE, SCORN HER OWN IMAGE, AND THE VERY AGE AND BODY OF THE. TIME, HIS FORM AND PRESSURE/''
HARPERS FERRY, VIRGINIA, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1828. •
i
VOL. III.—No. 5.
Whole No. 109.
K»iE2ffi»B»2aaiSEJKE'.:,£^5iSaE.2
PUBLISHED, WEEKLY, BY
JOHN S. GALLAHER & CO.
CONDITIONS.
The' “ Free Press” is published at two
dollars per annum, if paid in advance ;
two dollars and twenty-five cents if paid
at the end of six months ; or, two dollars
and fifty cents at the expiration of the
year.
No paper will be discontinued until all
arrearages are paid ; ncr then, unless at
least one week's notice be given, previous
to the expiration of the term subscribed
for- -afflict ,
. ***Advertiseinents inserremtiree times
for one dollar per square, or less ; and
twenty-five cents for every subsequent in
sertion.
The postage must be paid on all letters
and communications, or they will not be
attended to.
b
Flowers of Ancient History,
IOMPREHENDING, on a new plan,
_ the most remarkable and interesting
events, as well as characters, of antiquity,
designed for the improvement and enter
tainment of youth, by the Rev. John A
daras, A. M.—just received and for sale
at this office, price SI.
Aug. 27, 1823’.
For Sale at the Office of the Free Press.
LGALKER’S Critical Pronouncing
Dictionary, octavo, at S3 50,
Small edition of do. for schools,
Murray’s Gram mar,
English Reader, Introduction to do.
Bibles and Testaments,
Parke’s Arithmetic, Pike’s do.
New York City Ball Recorder,
History .of Bristol (England),
The Monastery, a novel,
The Contrast, do.
Children of the Abbey,
Caroline of Lichtfkdd,
Goldsmith’s Raman History,
Do. History of England,
Grims haw’s' do, »•
Vicar of Wakefield, iEsop’s Fables,
Watt’s Hymns, Songs of Zion,
Gass’s Journal, Ladies’ Library,
And a variety of pleasing works for
children, such as
The Children in the Wood,
Choice Tales, History of Bees,
Story of Joseph and his Brethren, \
History of the Trojan Wars,
Grandmother’s Stories, Hocus Pocus,£*y
Amusement for Good Children,
Present for a Little Girl, Black Giles,
History of the Beggarly Boy,
Academy of Compliments,
Life of Baron Trenck, Gulliver’s Travels,
New Robinson Crusoe,
Webster’s Spelling Book,
Wood’s iSlew York Primer,
A Father’s Serious Advice,
Catharine Haldane, Biography of Gilds,
Song Books, See. &c. and many others
which need not be enumerated.
Aug. 13, 1823.
PARKE’S
Farmers 8j Mechanics] Arithmetic.
A CONSTANT supply of the above
valuable work will be constantly
kept for sale at this office, to a perusal of
which Parents and Teachers are respect
fully invited, as well as young gentlemen
wishing to qualify themselves for busi
ness. The distinguishing features of this
work are, the omission of all unnecessary
matter, and the insertion of much practi
cal matter in the space thus saved. The
work contains, besides a sufficient course
of Arithmetic, an abridgement of Men
suration, sufficient for ordinary purposes.
It presents one of the most valuable coro
pendiums ever offered to the “ man of
business;” and this opinion is corrobo
rated by the written certificates of nume
rous and respectable preceptors, whose
certificates might be adduced if neces
sary. The work has already obtained a
respectable circulation, and to be more
extensively patronized needs but to be
known. Price 75 cents.
August 13, 1823.
FAMILY BIBLE.
JUST received, and for sale, at the
Printing Office, a few copies of the
FAMILY BIBLE, quarto size, with
plates, at the very low rate of each.
Heads of families wishing to have this
invaluable work, (and what family would
be without it ?) will do well to make
early Application.
July 23d, 1823.
BLANK WARRANTS,
Far sale at this sffice. 1
EDUCATION IN SOUTH AMERICA.
From the Caraccas Gazette, July 30.
On the 20th' inst. the opening of the
Beli and Lancasterian School took place,
agreeably to the notification contained
in number 47 of this paper. At 10 o’clock
in the morning the members of the mu
nicipality and of the committee patronis
ing this establishment, met in the chapel
of the college of Caraccas. The children
already admitted, occupied the side seats
of the chapel, and the Preceptor took his
seat among the members of the commit
tee. A considerable number of citizens
u/iiVed the rest of the chapel, except in the
centre} which was occupied by ladies.
The children were remarkable for their
modest demeanor and good conduct dur
ing the ceremony; as well as for the clean
liness and simplicity of their dress; which
consisted of white linen jacket and trow
sers, and hats made of the palm leaf of
the country: even the children of our opu
lent citizens giving this beautiful exam
ple of Republican sim plicity, and amongst
others the son of one of our Generals, who
was led by his worthy father in this sim
ple attire. After a short discourse on
thepart of theTntend-ant of the depart
ment, as patron of the establishment, and
President ot the committee, the bell was
sounded, and the orator of the Institu
tion, Dr. Felipe Fermin Paul, Rector of
the university, delivered a concise and
eloquent speech in favor of the advantages
of a system of education which, on the
united plan of Bell and Lancaster, could
be extended alike to all classes from the
richest to the poorest. On the conclu
sion of the speech the assembly adjourned
to the school room, the children leading
each other with admirable order. The
President of the committee then declar
ed that the school of mutual instruction
was opened, and the assembly withdrew,
the master alone remaining with his scho
lars, making his preparatory arrange
ments.
Mr. Charles Bello has labored indefa
tigably, with the aid of the committee,
in forwarding this institution, and to this
co-operation is due the prosperity of the
establishment. Such is the anxiety for
instruction, that children from all parts
have applied for admission, until the com
mittee has been obliged to refuse them
for the present, with extreme pain. The
school room will only suffice for forty
children; notwithstanding which fifty
seven have been admitted : and if circum
stances had permitted, there would be up
3s> wards of two hundred. The committee
propose applying the first funds that
come to hand in enlarging the school
room, and adding to it another room ad
joining the house; for which object they
rely on the co-operation of the neighbors
and parents of families.
There are still among us some persons
prejudiced against the foregoing system
of education. We beg of thesb gentle
men to remember, that such sentiments
are in contradiction to those of the wisest
men of the wisest nations, and that this
method has nothing innovating in^t, be
yond the novelty of instructing children,
by means of themselves; establishing as
it were, the permanency of a science, by
renovating it in the same school.
W&vvvv1
A New York paper says—An edition
of the abridgement of Murray’s English
Grammar, has been published by Messrs.
Collins Sc Co. of New York-, at the steam
printing press of Mr. Jonas Booth. It is
well executed, and being the first work
ever executed at a press of that descrip
tion in the United States, is worthy the
public attention, as furnishing evidence of
the progress of the arts amongst us.
WOODSTOCK, VA. AUG. 20
On Friday last, two citizens of this
place, whilst in Powell’s Fort, near town,
discovered a large snake, whose head was
elevated about three feet from the ground,
and whose jaws were extended, in the act
of bearing to its den a young fawn, which
it had caught but a few minutes before.
The snake, in thickness, exceeded that
of a common man’s thigh, but its length
could not well be ascertained !,
Persons doubting the correctness of
this statement, by calling at our office,
may learn the names of the persons who
are willing to make affidavit to the fact.
[Herald.
An Arkansas paper* estimates the da
mage sustained by the planters on the
Mississippi, in consequence of the late
inundation, at not less than S3,000,000.
Counterfeit ten dollar bills on the Me
chanics Bank, New York, are circulating
in Providence, badly executed.
EXECUTION OF AN INNOCENT
MAN.
We stated a few days since that John
C. Hamilton was executed in Kentucky a
few years ago, (1817,) for the murder of
Doctor Sanderson, of Natchez, Missis- ?
sippi, and that a man had recently been \
executed in Mobile, who confessed 'him- \
self the murderer of Sanderson, and de- j
dared that Hamilton was innocent;
In the Providence Journal we find the ]
following particulars of this melancholy j
affair, the perusal of which is sufficient to ]
wring tears of anguish from the heart of j
a nthy itself,—[Afarn-. Chron.
' j
“The annals of judicial proceedings rare
ly afford a report of a trial and execution,
of a more extraordinary and distressing
character than this, and it should be uni
versally circulated, that judges and jurors*
may be guarded against condemning sup
pose d c u 1 p r i t s o nc 1 re u rn s t a. n t i«! e yi d e ac e.
Young Hamilton through life'.'supported
an unblemished character, and obtained
the lave, esteem, and admiration of all
who had the pleasure of his acquaintance.
Asis common with the young gentlemen
of Kentucky, he was in the practice of
spending the winter season in the more
genial climate of Mississippi. On his
return from a winter residence in that
i quarter, he accidentally fell in company
with Dr. Sanderson, who, being in ill
health, was journeying to the celebrated
watering place at Harrodshurg Spa, with
hopes of recovering his lost health, and j
as he was anxious to make something ou®
of his pilgrimage, he took with him a
large sum of money, with which he con
templated purchasing negroes on specu
lation. On his way up the country, his
infirmities increased, and as he was ap
prehensive he might expire on the road,,
he committed to the charge of Hamilton
his treasure, having in his short acquain
tance discovered that he was worthy of
unlimited confidence. In a few days
however, his indisposition abated, when
h'e pursued his journey, and finally arriv
ed in safety at the residence of Hamilton,
in Barren county, Ky. where he remained
during the summer, and received from
his young friend every mark of courtesy,
attention and hospitality. In the month
of October, Doctor Sanderson made ar
rangements to depart, and on taking leave
of his hospitable host, young Hamilton
accompanied him several miles on the
road, and then took an affectionate fare- j
wen. len or twel ve a ays auer, as some s
hunters were rambling through the for- ji
est, they discovered the body of Doctor
Sanderson in a state of corriiptiorv, shot
in several places, and mangled in the
most shocking manner. As Hamilton
was last seen with him, a$d as it was
known that he had from time to time,
made use of sums of money, originally
the property of Sanderson, suspicion fell
on his head, and he was arrested, tried
and executed.
Previous to his arrest, he was advised
to leave the country to avoid danger, but
as he was conscious of his innocence, he
disdained to take a step which would
cast a cloud of ^bloquy and disgrace upon
his character, and resolutely* remained
at home. As the inhabitants of the coun
ty were divided in their opinions as to
his guilt, the affair gradually died away ;
but Hamilton being anxious that a trial
should take place, firmly believing that
in such an event, his reputation would
remain unspotted, he solicited at the
hands of justice a trial, which to his as
tonishment and sorrow closed with his
condemnation. The only evidence against
him was circumstantial, viz. that near
the body of Sanderson were found a
bloody pair of pantaloons and a pistol,
both bearing the name of Hamilton.
Through the whole of the trial he mani
fested that fortitude and determined cool
ness, characteristic of innocence, and ex
pired with a full conviction that the real
murderer would ultimately be discover
ed. When on the scaffold he took a
manly leave of the world, expressed not
the least regret for his fate, but lamented
that his misfortunes would cloud the
prospects of his family, and shed an in
delible disgrace on his memory. Thus
through the weakness of the law, was an
interesting young man and a worthy citi
zen hurried from the world, ana doomed
to expiate on the gallows, that crime,
committed by the hands of a villain and
assassin. It may be proper for the wel
fare of the world to pass sentence on the
accused, on the authority of circumstan
tial evidence, but it would be far better,
by statute, to annul the practice; and it
was the opinion of lord Hale, that it were
better to suffer ninety guilty persons to
escape, than to punish, unjustly, one that
is innocent,”
FATAL DUELLING.
A duel was recently fought in the neigh
borhood of St. Louis, between Doctor
Mitchell of that place, and Mr. Waddle.
’Thelatter was killed, and the former es
caped-unhurt.
A day or two afterwards, another meet
ing took place mphveen Wm.V. Rector,
Esq. Auditor of the state of Missouri,
and Mr. Crow,—in which the latter was
killed, and Mr. Rector had his arm brok
en.
In no part of our country, have more
frequent examples been furnished, or so
many fatal rencounters of this kind ta
ken place. But lately the ever to be la
mented Barton fell ! The plains of St„
Louis are ’still smoking with his blood 1
A large and numerous circle of relatives
and friends is left deeply to mourn his
untimely fate. He was the pride of his
friends and associates, and in him were
centered the many virtues that adorn, the
human character. He is snatched away
in the midst of his usefulness;, not in a
good old age, or injhe ordinary course of
human destiny, but he fell by the pistol
of the duellist, for having dared to assert
his country’s rights, and resolved to
avenge her wrongs. The Baris deprived
of an able advocate—the state, has lost a
wise counsellor, a firm and independent
politician, in his untimely fate, and to
this bloody catalogue two more victims
are added.—[Lex. Monitor.
Attempt at Murder.—The Norfolk Bea
con states that on Friday week last, about
day light, Mr. Henry Culpeper, who re
sides near Major Farange’s on the Canal,
in Camden County, N. C. and keeps &
small shop, was called up by a negro
man, who had slept in the house that
.pight, to furnish some liquor; he had on
ly proceeded a few steps towards his shops
situated near his residence, when two
guns were discharged at him, in quick
succession. It is believed that Mr. Cul
peper would have been killed on the spot,
had he not been protected by a post, in
to which 13 or 14 slugs entered. Mr. C.
instantly fell, and upon examination,* se
ven slugs were found to have taken effect
in different parts of his body, some o£
Which have been extracted, but it is the
opinion of the attending Physician, that
his wounds will prove mortal.
The negro above mentioned has mad©
his escape,and is strongly suspected of be
ing concerned with those who fired at
The New York papers state, that th©
alarm caused by the death of Mr. M’Gee
(supposed to be a case of yellow fever,),
has completely subsided.
| Sickness in Indiana.-—A letter dated
Salem, (Ind.) July 31, states that the
neighborhood of that place was very
sickly: a number of deaths had occurred.
Health of Savannah.-— The Savannah
Board of Health reported on the 14th
inst. that no case of a serious nature ex
isted, and but very few of the common
intermittent fevers, and those at the ex
tremities of the city.
_f morn «*-—
Hail Storm.—An uncommonly severe
hail storm was experienced on Monday
evening, 18th inst. in Dinwiddie County.
The Petersburg Intelligencer states that
the congealed masses, which fell with
the roar of distant thunder upon the
earth, crushing every species of tender
growth beneath them, are represented to
us as having been many of them of the
size of hen’s eggs, and in some instan
ces larger.
On the 12th July, a violent tornado
struck part of the Parish of St. John’s
in Canada, throwing down eleven barns,,
and doing much mischief to the farmers.
In Katnouraska, a large barn 100 feet its
length, and a stable, belonging to Mr,
Landrie, were consumed by lightning.
George Lock, an Irishman, and Nor
tnan Crane, late of Ogdensburg, were
drowned on the 30th alt. near Windmill
Point, in the St, Lawrence, by the upset
ting of a boat. They have each left a
wife and family.
A man named Raster was thrown from,
his horse near Zanesville, into a deep rut*
by which his neck was dislocated, and
life immediately fled. Intoxication was
the canse.^-\_Aliiany D. Advertiser.
Atrocious crime,The body of a young
child was accidentally found last evening
in the bottom of a privy, attached to a
house in Second, near Gay street.--—A
coroner’s inquest was held, but the ver=
diet was not known when our informant
left th« place.—[Bali, Chmn, Auer. 9.7.