Alexandria gazette. [volume], July 16, 1834, Image 2

About Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974

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I
THE GAZE
S' s?
jl IZi.
Bv EDGAR SNOWDEN.
Daily pap^r -
Country paper
Terms.
#8 per annum.
5 per annum.
The ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE forthe coun
try is printed on Tuesday, Thursday, and
Saturday. .
AU advertisements appear in both papers, and
are inserted at the usual rates.
POTOMAC BRIDGE.
AN ACT authorizing the construction of a
Bridge across the Potomac, and repealing all
acts already passed in relation thereto.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Re
presentations of the United States of America
in Congress assembled, That the act entitled
“ An act providing lor the purchase by the Unit
©d States of the rights of the Washington Bridge
Company in the District of Columbia, and for
the erection of a public bridge on the site there
of,” which passed the fourteenth day of July
eighteen hundred and thirty-two, and the act
entitled “An act in relation to the Potomac
Bridge,” which passed the second d^r of March
eighteen hundred and thirty-three, be and the
same are hereby repealed, except so much of
the former as authorized the purchase of the
rights of the Washington Bridge Company.
Sec. 2. And be it. further enacted, That the
Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby
authorized and required, to contract for the re
construction, on the site of the present bridge
across the river Potomac, of a bridge on the
plan of that originally constructed there by the
Washington Bridge Company; provided that
the draw at the southern channel of the river be
not less than sixty-six feet, and at the northern
channel than thirty-five feet; that a space or spa
ces not exceeding in all one thousand six hun
dred and sixty feet of the shoal or shoals, over
which the present bridge passes, may be filled
up by a solid embankment; in part, if conveni
ent of earth obtained by dredging the river
channel; And prodded, also, That the entire
cost of the said embankment and such recon
struction shall not on the whole exceed one hun
dred and thirty thousand dollars—which sum is
hereby appropriated thereto, out of any money
in the Treasury not hitherto appropriated.
Sec. 3 And be it further hiacted, That the
claims of Orange H. Dibble for labor, materials,
or any other expenses upon said bridge be as
certained by the Secretary of the Treasury as
nearly as the same can be done, and be laid be
fore Congress at its next session for its exami
nation. And the Secretary of the Treasury is
hereby directed to pay him in the mean time
such sum as will reimburse to him the actual
loss incurred by him, in making preparation for
the construction of the said bridge: provided
the amount paid shall not exceed twenty thou
sand dollars; and said payment to be made out
of any . money in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated.
Approved, June 30th, 1834.
MOUNT VERNON.
. From the Boston Mercantile Journal.
The mansion house and the numerous out
houses of Mount Vernon are fast going to de
cay. With some trifling alterations made by
Judge Washington, every thing remains as left
by Cenetal Washington, nearly forty years ago.
At the death of Judge Washington, lour years
since, the estate passed into the hands of John
Washington, Esq., a collateral branch of the
General’s family. This gentleman died soon
after coming in possession of the estate, and
left it to his widow and three children, who are
now with ten or twelves slaves its only occu
pauts. •
In approaching Mount Vernon from Alexan
dria, a distance of ten miles, you pass over a
narrow private road, just wide enough for one
carriage. About one-third of it is level and
beautifully shaded with trees, whose branches
lock into each other, and is exceedingly plea
sant; the rest is uneven, rocky, and far from
being agreeable. About half a mile from the
house, you pass through a gate kept by a fe
male slave, who receives from each visiter a
trifle by which she is na ntained. From this
•rate you ascend a gentle slope to the back part
of the house, where there is half or three quar
ters of an acre of grass ground, perfectly level;
it is entirely destitute of trees and plants, and
was improved by General Washington as a
flower garden. ^
The house, as seen from the river, has an im
posing appearance, but on close inspection it is
far less so. It is ornamented in front with a
spacious portico, which is supported by light
square columns reaching from the bottom to
the top of the house. The windows are small,
and the glass poor. All the buildings seem
once to have been painted white, but now ap
pear little or no better for it, except the man
sion house, which looks tolerably well. At each
end of the house there are five or six arches,
four or five feet wide? through which you pass
from the front to the back part of the house.
The front yard, like the back, is destitute of
trees and plants; it is a plain plat of grass, slop
iug graduallv to the woods which line the bank
of the Potomac in front of the house. The
house is about two hundred feet above the level
of the river, which is seen gracefully winding
its way through the trees, a distance of several
At the southeast corner of the yard, in front
of the mansion, is a summer-house capable of
seating twenty or thirty persons. It is covered
over from the floor to the ceiling with the initials
of the names of visiters, and is rapidly crumb
ling to pieces. At the north end of the house,
is a garden, called by the slaves the “West In
dia garden,” from the fact probably that it con
tains a great variety of West India plants.—
This garden was commenced by General Wash
ington not long before his decease.- The wall
was built, and the plants removed by him from
thtf plain before alluded to in the rear of the
house. It has since been greatly ornamented
and impioved by Judge Washington. It has
two spacious brick hot-houses, where the plants
are confined in cold weather. The lemons
which are daily falling from the trees, which
are numerous, are generally sold by the garden
er to the visiters for from twelve to twenty-five
cents each;—the receipts go to the proprietor.—
The gate of the garden is kept always locked,
and though nothing is demanded by the garde^
nej\ who is very polite and obliging, he is gene
rally compensated by visiters for histime and
attentions „ ,
Hut the warden and its many attractions, and
the mansion house with its beautiful prospects,
uninteresting to the visiter compared to the
t( .v^b ef V ashington. To this you are conduct
4, as well as to all other parts of the premises,
or a . aged, though active and intelligent slave,
a:!io was a resident in the family of Washington,
and who, to use his own language, was as famili
ar with the General as with the palms of his oWTl
hands. Till very recently, Washington and his
family, in all about twenty persons, occupied a
tomb at the south east corner of the house, and
but a few rods trora it, in a grove of oaks anr
other forest trees on the sloping bank of the ri
ver—a small white picket fence remains to
signate the spot, and can be seen by travellers
as they pass in the steam boats up and down
the river. This tomb being found too small to
contain all the family, a new one about tw-o years
since was built, and the remains of Washington
and his family placed in it. Its location is two
or three minutes walk from the old one, a little
further back from the river, in a shady and
beautiful ravine, and is in many respects pre
ferable to it. It differs from other tombs in ge
neral use only in its simplicity. It is arched
over level with the ground, covered with grass
and shrubbery, and is surrounded and shaded
by several cedar trees, whose branches, to a
considerable extent, have been lopped off by
visiters and carried away as mementos. The
front of the tomb is of brick, with an iron door
of the ordinary size. Over the door is a small
white marble slab let into the w’all, on which is
simply inscribed, Washington Family. Below
this is another stone with this beautiful inscrip
tion, which is the only one except the above
on the tomb—“/ am the resurrection and the
life; he that believeth on me, though he were dead,
yet shall he live” And while all within the tomb
and around it is going to decay, it is pleasing to
believe that Washington, though dead, yet lives
and moves among the bright spirits in a higher
and purer world.
From India.—We have received a file of the
Singapore Chronicle to the 6th of March, but
most of the items contained in the papers had
been anticipated from other sources.
New York Cum.
An appeal is published to the commanders of
all ships, &c., visiting Qualla Battoo, signed by
“ an English Sailor,” invoking retribution up
on those who were concerned in the murder at
that place of the American mate, carpenter and
sailors, some three years ago, and who had es
caped punishment by the American frigate that
had been sent to avenge the injury. It names
the surviving murderers, and describes their
persons with great particularity.
There is a long article in one of the journals
relative to the war in Sumatra; but its details
are given with so much particularity as abso
lutely to obscure any clear perception of the
general state of things in that island.
The most interesting article which we have
found is that which we subjoin from the Philan
thropist, under date of January 3. Although of
a date not recent, it is new to us, and may be
so to others, and especially to those who had a
direct agency in sending the missionary abroad.
Siam —An American Missionary, with his fa
mily, has recently gone to Bonkok, in Siam, for
the purpose of making that place a permanent
Mission station. During the week past we have
received a letter dated September 8th, giving
an account of his arrival, and his present pros
pects. The letter states, that on the arrival of
himself and family, they found a small but tole
rable house made ready for their reception by
theold Portuguese Consul,who was very friendly
and kind to them while he remained there. He
, has since resigned his post, and been succeeded
by a new Consul, in whose good offices they
cannot express much confidence, as the new
Catholic Bishop, who accompanied him, had
just written a letter to Mr. Jones, the missiona
ry, in which he called him tr “ false minister
of Jesus Christ, and corrupter of God’s word,”
and declares that his conscience makes it his
duty to forbid all those who owe him obedience
in the conduct of their souls to have any com
munication with the Missionary. This inter
dict, although it indicates a bad spirit on the
part of the Catholic Bishop, is not considered
by Mr. Jones as a very grievous one, as the
religious character of the Bonkok Portuguese
does not appear in the most favorable light.
Mr. Jones had not, up to the date of the let
ter, experienced any opposition from the Go
vernment. Several of the princes had occa
sionally visited him, and one in particular had
expressed a desire to be taught the English lan
guage. In regard to the external means of
comfort, the letter states tliat the necessaries
and many of the conveniences of life though
expensive are attainable. The climate, during
themonths of April, May, and June, is represent
ed as being excessively hot, but the subsequent
months have been pleasant. The rains are
more moderate than in the southern provinces
of Burmah, and the nights are delightfully cool.
The small pox was raging with great violence
on the arrival of Mr. Jones, which induced him
to inoculate his child, as all attempts to obtain
vaccination at Rangoon and Singapore, where
he had previously resided, had proved unavail
ing. The child had the disease favorably. Mr.
Jones, however, who had some doubts respect
ing his own vaccination being effectual, inocu
lated himself, and nearly lost his life, havirTg
been very ill for five weeks.
In reference to the present state of the mis
Bursion the letter states, “ we have found many
mans here, by whom we are almost visited daily.
They are surprised and pleased to hear their
language spoken by foreigners, and listen with
considerable attention to religious truth. They
also receive tracts and portions of scripture
with apparent interest. It is pleasant to make
known the glad tiding sof salvation to so many
who have never heard of Jesus, while we are
endeavoring to prepare ourselves for usefulness
I among the Siamese, by the acquisition of their
language. We also distribute many Malay and
Chinese tracts and scriptures. Several Chinese
meet in our compound every Sunday to read
the scriptures and pray together; one of their
number, who was baptized by Mr. Gutzlaff, one
of our predecessors, is their leader. Many sick
people resort to us for medicines, of which we
have a pretty good stock from the London Mis
sionary Society, and our verandah often ex
hibits a revolting spectacle of ulcerated limbs
and skeleton figures.
Philanthropist— India Gazette, Jan. 3.
We understand that the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal Company have resolved to progress with
the work to completion as far as Middlekufl’s
dam, and that in doing so all the available
means of the company are to be exerted, leav
ing their former liabilities unattended to for the
present. We hope this may not be so. Whilst
we should be glad to see the work progress, we
must be permitted to say that it should not pro
gress at the expense of a violation of former
contracts. The Company had better borrow
money at ten or twelve per cent, to complete
the work as far as the upper dam and to honor
all its engagements, than either to stop the work
or do injustice to its creditors.—Hastrstown
Torch Light.
A Washington correspondent of the Phila
delphia Inquirer, under date of 5th inst. writes
thus: “ Before dinner a duelling party left Mr.
Newton’s for Bladensburg; Mr. Morsome, of
Fauquier, and his friends, Capt. Gordon of the
Navy, and Maj. Dulany, went to the ground to
meet Robert B. Randolph, of Richmondt vho,
owing to some accident, did not get to the ap
pointed place.
« The belligerents are both lawyers, it ap
pears, and had some dispute at Court. It is
thought the high waters prevented Randolph
from reaching the ground, as he probably took
the Maryland side of the river, to prevent de
tection, and the rivers in the evening were im
passable, owing to the heavy rains.”
Milledgeville, (Geo.) July 5 —Just as our pa
per was made up and going to press, we learn
ed the melancholy fact, that the Honorable L.
a. C. Lamar put a period to his existence by a
pistol shot through the head, about 7 o’clock, P.
M., on yesterday, the 4th inst., in a momentary
fit of mental alienation. In the death of Judge
Lamar, the Bench has lost ope of its ablest in
cumbents and brightest ornaments; society one
of its purest, most intelligent and valuable mem
bers; and his family, alas!—his bereaved and
afflicted family, have lost their all.
Standard of Union.
The “ Experiment” is in effect given up in the
official paper of yesterday, by its claiming for
the Treasury the right to pay the officers of the
Government in such money as it may have in
the pet banks. Thus the Judges in Arkansas
are to be paid in drafts on the deposit bank ut
Natchez, which it will cost them God knows
how much per cent., to get cashed, instead of
being allow’ed to draw for their salaries as here
tofore, because there is an accumulation of the
public money at that point. Why object to pay
ing them here, as heretofore? Because the
State banks, employed as depositc banks, can
not transfer the public moneys free of charge
wherever they are wanted; without which capa
city they are utterly inefficient as agents to re
ceive and disburse the revenue. The result of
the experiment is only less vexatious than
the inability to p#ay the demands upon the Trea
sury any where, or in any manner.—Nat. lnt.
The joint board of directors of the Delaware
and Raritan Canal and the Camden and Am
boy Rail Road Companies have made a report,
and declared a dividend for the last six months.
The amount is three per cent, for six months,
after paving interest on loans, State duties, and
reserving a surplus fund to meet contingencies.
The dividend in declared, but is not to be paid.
The joint board give notice that, from the de
lay in negotiating certain other loans, they have
occasion for this money, and postpone the pay
ment until they receive funds from Europe, to
discharge the debts of the Company, or replace
the dividend funds which they shall have paid
out.—Balt. Amer.
The Paris correspondent of the London Court
Journal mentions that the report of a nuptial
alliance between the second son of Louis Phii
ipe, the Duke de Nemours, and Donna Maria, is
again current in the French metropolis. It is
even pretended that private preliminaries have
been exchanged by the “illustrious paternal
parties of the august houses pf Valois and Bru
ganza.”—Nat. Gaz.
They talk of establishing a burying ground
for New’ Orleans on the side of the river oppo
site the city, and have, for the convenience of
burying, a suitable ferry; there will be some
thing classical in all that. We are not told whe
ther there is to be u court of inquiry, such as
chief justice Rhadamanthus and his associate
were wont to hold. These matters are left of
late to the newspapers.— U. S. Gaz.
We learn that a part of the walls of the Bap
tist meeting house in New Brunswick, (N. J )
fell down on Saturday. The roof had been re
moved to have the walls raised, and while sev
eral persons, among whom, we understand, was.
the clergyman, were on the scaffolding, the
whole gave way, and scaffolding, masonry and
men came to the ground. No lives, we are
happy to state, were lost. The loss to the soci
ety will be severely felt, as extraordinary exer
tions had been recently made to raise funds for
the repairs and additions to the church.
V. S. Gaz.
An aickwark Dilemma.—At the Jackson cele
bration in Philadelphia, the notorious Isaac Hill
was called upon for a speech—but (says the
Philadelphia Gazette,) “ when about to com
mence, his manuscript was missin / from his
pocket, and the President of the day very kind
l ly tendered an apology. Much anxiety had
previously been expressed to hear isaac, it be
ing understood that the subjects of his remarks
would be “ Paper, Blanks and Twine,” and the
disappointment was proportionably great. It
is rumored, however, that the remarks which
he intended to have made, will be published in
the official proceedings, under the head of—
‘ Suppressed by the loss of the MSS. at a most
critical moment.’”
This was an awkward dilemma for the ,! De
mocracy of the Granite State” to be placed in.
He might have shouted out, at the top of his
lungs, with good effect,
“The king of France, with twenty thousand
men,
Marched up the hill, and then marched down
again.” Boston Jour.
Circle ville. Ohio, July 4, 1834.
Great Flood in Ohio.—The Scioto river, swel
led by heavy and renewed rains, has arisen to
a height only below that of the “ great flood of
1832,” at which time it was higher than ever
known before, by even the oldest settlers. This
freshet is the more remarkable on account of
its happening in July; an incident never noticed
since the settlement of Ohio.
The Corn and Wheat on the Western bot
* toms of the river is entirely under water, com
prising the best crop known in this section of
the country for years. The latter was just fit
for cutting, and indeed some had been already
reaped,when the freshet came and destroyed the
whole. But the most destruction w*as effected
upon the Corn, with which almost the whole
of those rich bottoms,owned principally by large
stock raising farmers, was planted.
Thousands of acres, in the highest state of
cultivation, were in ten hours covered complete
ly over with water. Sheep, hogs and cattle,
were swept away and drowned, principally of
the former, to the amount of several hundreds.
The bridges both at Columbus and at this place
have been swept away by the onward rush of
the water.
The Ohio Canal has been also damaged to
a great extent, both above and below’ us; but the
exact amount of mischief is not known. The
Columbus feeder is also broken, for three or
four hundred yards, but the damage done on
the main canal a little distance below, where the
Feeder joins it, is of a far greater extent, which
it will take much time to get repaired, eie boats
can run clear through again.
The run which this sudden overflowing of the
water has brought upon the tenants to whom
the bottom land was mostly hired, is not to be
described, and is rather a melancholy subject
for reflection, upon the anniversary of our in
dependence. .*
The Constitution'8 Figure-Head:—Ills now in
our power, says the New York Gazette, to add
precise information, derived, we think; from a
correct source. We shall give the facts in as
few words as possible, and they are so clear,
that we cannot withhold our belief of their ac
curacy. * .
The truth then, according to our information,
is that the young man, who is only eighteen
years of age, and who had the hardihood, of his
own accord, to saw the head o'fi the image, is
now in this city; and, feeling safe, has given
the following particulars:—
“On the evening of the third of July, during j
the storm, I went to work to eflect an object,
which I promised myself the completion of be- j
fore the celebration of American Independence, ,
and Providence favored me. i
“I had my boat, saw, auger, ana corunge, an
prepared. I left my mother’s house, who keeps
sailor boarders, in-street,Boston, at 9 o’clock
in the evening. I was not long in reaching the j
bow of the Constitution. I made ray boat fast,
to the cable of the ship, allowing sufficient scope |
to my bowfast to let the boat drift exactly un
der the vessel’s bow, where, from the course of
the wind, I was sure she would lie until I got
through with my work. I then took my saw,
auger, and a coil of rope over my shouldeis,
quit the boat, and ascended the cable of the ship,
and, without much difficulty, soon had my arms
round the old gentleman’s neck. Having firm
ly fixed myself, I bored a hole through the head
of the image, passed my rope through it, made
fast, and then, with the use of my saw, I went
regularly to work. In about an hour, the head
fell into the water, but it was prevented from
floating away by my precaution of securing it
in the way above described. I immediately
descended the rope to which the head was ap
pended, and found that my boat had nearly fiH
ed with water, from the sprays against the bow
of the ship; but 1 got in her, hauled in the head
of the Hero, cut the fastening, and drifted with
the wind and tide, without noise, until I reach
ed the shore. I then landed, dug a hole, and
buried my prize, which, probably, will be expos
ed to sight after the first high tide and storm, as
I had not time to deposite it very remote from
common high water mark.
“By this time, I was very wet, and considera
bly fatigued, and 1 made the best of my way
home. The next morning, before I was out of
bed, my mother heard that Jackson’s head had
been cut off; and having observed the stair way
wet, she immediately suspected that I had done
the job. The old lady was so much alarmed,
and so anxions for my escape, that I confessed
my guilt. She immediately gave me some mo
ney, and recommended me to make my es
cape. I took the mony, and was off in less than
no time. I need not say how I got to New York;
but here I am, and willing to take my oath that
no human being prompted me to this act of
mischief,”
[It will be seen from this plain statement of
facts, that all the surmises connected with a
transaction, which has elicited so many conjec
tures, are completely knocked in the head.]
A man who can make himself taller at will.—
At a late meeting of the Academy of Medicine
in Paris, M. Nalpeau exhibited a man who pos
sessed the very singular power of making him
self two inches taller or shorter at will. Stand
ing erect he can elongate the spine, and contract
it again by moving the sacrum, which plays like
a wedge between the bones of the pelvis. He is
at present forty years of age, and had a car
riage pass over his body when a child, to the in
jury recived at which time the power of exe
cuting this curious manoeuvre may be attribut
ed.—Car. des Hopitaux.
EFFECTS of the LATE HOT WEATHER.
Sudden Death.—In Portsmouth, on Wednes
day last, Mr. Josiah Shelton, a laboring man,
having just quit work on board of a vessel at one
of the wharves, went ashore and drank copi
ously of cold water, and in a minute or two af
ter, dropped dead in the street. Every effort
that could be made to recover him by nearly the
whole medical dorps of the town, proved una
vailing. The spirit had fled for ever. The de
ceased was about 30 years of age, and was
from Mill Creek, near Hampton, where he has
left a wife and child.
On the same day, a colored man, a laborer,
in the Navy Yard, whi;e taking a copious draft
of cold water from a can, fell down without
sense or motion. By immediate care and great
attention, however, he was resuscitated, and
will probably recover.—ATur/olk Herald.
During the intense heat of Tuesday, Mr. Ar
thur Shaff, Librarian in the State Department
at Washington, fell dead in the arms of his un
cle, Mr. Forsyth.
The following account of the death of Mr.
David Speilman, of Hagerstownjin consequence
of heat and over exertion in the harvest field, is
given in the last Torch Light: “ On Tuesday
last, Mr. Speilman went out of town to assist a
relative with his harvest. In the evening he
mounted his horse and started for home, a dis
tance of little more than half a mile. Shortly
afterwards, he was found on the road, dead,
having, it is supposed, fallen from his horse in a
state of exhaustion, in consequence of the ex
treme heat, or from drinking cold water. Mr.
S. was an industrious, worthy young man, and
has left a wife and two children to deplore his
The Princeton (N. J.) Whig, of the 11th inst.
states that for two days past the weather ranged
from 95 to 99 degrees in the shade, at noon, and
85 at midnight. Six men in the vicinity of Mill
stone died in consequence of excessive heat;
four others in New Brunswick, from drinking
cold water. —
AtCoxsackie, New York, on Tuesday and
Wednesday, the 8th and 9th, the thermometer,
in the shade, stood at 96 degrees.
At Lowell, (Mass.) on Tuesday, the 8th inst.,
two or three men died from drinking cold wa
ter. On the same day, and from the same cause,
a man died at Roxbury; and at Lynn a man
dropped down dead. On the Worcester Rail
Road, a workman fell down dead; several other
workmen fainted, and were carried home, and
the hands wore obliged to suspend work for se
veral hours.
A MALE House Servant. One of good qua
lifications will hear of a situation L ’ -
loss.”
WANTED,
ing at this office.
ALEXANDRIA:
WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY 16, is:«
We are indebted to the politeness of Captain
Wilson, of the schooner Palestine, at this port
from Kingston, for files ot Jamaica papers to
the 23d of June, inclusive. They contain c
news.
Travelling on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
We have the pleasure to be able to state that
a small party of gentlemen of this place, win,
had gone to view the Canal as far as it has pi t,
gressed, being the dam about eight miles above
Williamsport, returned to town on Monday
ening before 10 o’clock, having left Harper*
Ferry after day-light, although they were de
tained about an hour for breakfast at the Point
of Rocks—travelling at the rate of about four
and a half miles the hour; about three minutes
spent in passing each lock.
We believe there are very few persons who
will take the pains to go and view carefully that
splendid undertaking, but will be highly gra,j.
fied with it, and consider themselves amply
compensated for the trouble.
Mr. Finn's Gluss Exhibition.—We will reniin l
our readers that this curious and interesting ex
hibition is announoed to close in the course of
this week. Those who have not witnessed h.s
ingenious operations on Glass, will do well to
improve the last opportunity that may offer.
They cannot fail of enjoying high gratification.
Gen. Robert Augustus BeaU, of Macon, has
been nominated by the State Rights Party,
Georgia, to supply Col. Jones’ vacancy on the
Congressional Ticket.
The funeral procession iu Baltimore on
Thursday, in honor of Lafayette, was very im
posing; it is thought that 20,000 were present at
the delivery of the address.
At Carlisle, Mr. Jefferson Worthington, a re
spectable mechanic,whilst loading a cannon, at
the celebration on the 4th inst. at McClure's
springs, had his right hand carried away; an i
his lace shockingly burnt by the accidental <1: •
charge of the pioee. Ilis arm was amputate!
the same afternoon.
Major Neville, of Cincinnati, has been re
quested to. deliver o funeral eulogy on La Fa\
ette. The grandfather o( Major Neville wa«
the aid and friend of Gen. Lafayette during ti e
Revolutionary War.
It is said-by the Boston Post, that a magnifi
cent gold medal will be presented to Forrest be
fore his departure for Europe, and a dinner
given, at which it is said all the literati will be
present. _
A letter from Paris, from one of the Ameri
can gentlemen appointed to convey tlx? letter
of condolence of the American citizens then in
Paris to George W. Lafayette, on the occasion
of the death of the General, says:—
“On our arrival at his residence, he departed
from his rule of not seeing visiters, and met us
in the anti-chamber. The lines of heartfelt sor
row were deeply graven in his face. He read
the letter, and then turned and expressed the
warm gratitude he felt at this assurance of our
sympathy, and added that he hoped he mfght
be considered “as an American citizen, for I
am, said he, the son of an American citizen.”
He said his feelings would not allow him to say
what he should, and this was certainly the ca^
for, in several sentences, his power of utterance
failed. A committee was appointed to procure
an Eulogist, and make the arrangements nece
sary for carrying into effect such a commemo
ration of the worth and services of this wonder
ful man. Every thing, which can honor Lafay
ette in the eyes of Parisians, will be done by die'
Americans here. The grief that we fee) is but
that which will be felt through every city a:, i
hamlet of our country. His lively interest in
the welfare of the United States appeared to in
crease with his age; and God in his mercy seem*
to have kept him up, thus late, that he might, a<
a guardian angel, watch over the land which h>
valor defended and his presence blessed.’’
SICILIAN FACTS.
THE FATAL MARHJACiE.
Mascali, a thriving town on the eastern coa.*!
of Sicily, some miles distant from the city of Ca
tania, is situated on the beach, at the foot of on-’
of the most charming ot the ^Etnean hills, w hosu
gentle slope is covered with vineyards, corn
fields, and olive grounds, interspersed with gar
dens and orange groves, which impart a delicious
perfume to the air. The size and flourishing
condition of its productions abundantly testify
the exuberant fertility of the soil. A little above
the town, and overlooking it, is the modern re
sidence of the ancient family of Z-, situated
in one of the pleasantest spots imaginable, em
bowered in a wilderness of agrunic, whose ne
ver-fading verdure gives the appearance of per•
petual spring to this favored region. The sum
mit of this beautiful eminence is crowned by an
antique castle, formerly the abode of the sanv*
family; and in still early times, a royal chateau,
built by one of the kings of SicHy for his recep
tion, when disposed to purtoke of the pleasure
of the chase. It commands in front an enchant
ing view of the distant coast of Italy, the sea
studded with craft of every denomination, ami
the shore variegated with town and village
winding streams, and promonotories of lava -
To the right, lay the superb city and vast plain*1
of Catania, so renowned for its fertility. T" ll*
left, the silver currents of the Acts and the Fiume
Freddo, are seen paying their tributes to the sea
Behind, stretches an extensive wood, remain3
ble for the size and variety of its trees, and <■''
inexhaustible stock of game with which it is'uf*
nished. In the distance, the most promine-'1
and sublimest feature of the scene, the sne"
crowned JEtna, elevates its smoking head in*0
the clouds. This old edifice is called il Caste. •'
della Zita, or the Bethrothed, from a dauglit;'1
of an ancient lord of the possessions, whose fa
ther, as the tale runs, arbitrarily promised
hand to one of her suitors, whilst her heart
engaged to another. In spite of tears, prayer
and remonstrances, a day was destined fort'*"
marriage. On the evening preceding the nJ(n‘