Bloomington herald. [volume], May 07, 1841, Image 1

About Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849

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VOL. I.
fills BtOOMlNCTON HERALD
1- VL'BMSIIEP WEF.KI.Y,
Y O A S U E S
TKUMSOFSRB^HIPTION.
n.,Hms tter
we
il
Volar
adraneei
s and Fifty Cents in six months
t*' tfollars at the end of the year,
'pEli.WS OF ADVERTISING.
nnp sauare of 1
'twines, first insertion, One
llollar and for each subsequent insertion rif-
discounts allowed to those who adver-
''^L-uSdrcssed to the Editors,
in order tore-
atteutwn. *i"ST BB POST-fAin.
JOB PRINTING.
Tns office of the Herald being well supplied with
rreat variety of Job Type, the Proprietor is pre
iedtoexoe«tf in the neatest style,
tit*'§$****
V ALL ITS VARIOUS 13 HA NCHES,
S'.ttf) 'as
I,A11KI.S,
IliOKSi.
i
'i I'll
LETS,
'iUCl'URS
CLTLUS,
BL LLS OF A 111 SO,
BALL TICKETS,
JRSTICKS' BI.AS**,
BLANK DEEDS, &C.
A.'ci. P.EESON, TciHor,
:^ESPECTFl LLY informs the citizens of
BlooiniueUni aiul vicinity, that he continues
ciiirv oil the Tailoring Business in all its branches,
•!i neatness ami despatch. (fj*All kinds oi COUJI
produrc taken in exchange for work. He is
nt for aiul in regular receipt of T. Oliver's Fash
1S 21-If March 10, 1841.
jtfo. o.
TTORNEY «fc COUNSELLOR AT LAW,
Iilwmington, hwa Territory. 22
O N A A V I N
Jr.n:u:V i'3 i j^csnrtiita crcjant,
E
I.GOMIKGT0N, IOWA. ia
.. S. HlMrTOT. w. u. iiAitnisojc.
HAMPTON Si HARRISON,
A O li E S A I LA W
IOWA Cixr, I. T.
HAVELaw,
associated themselves in the practice of
the under the above style they will at
n to the business of their profession in the second
luial district, and to criminal cases any county
ithe Territory. Business committed to their care,
i cither of them, will receive the joint attention oi
w!h.
February 25, I841.-19-ly
W I I A E A A N
ATTORNEY & COUNSELLOR AT LAW,
luwx City, Iowa Territory,
-1/iLL practice in the several courts of theTer
7 itorv, rnd particularly in the counties ol
•lihsMOU, Cedar, Linn and Washington. (£-Col
lections in any part of the Territory punctually at
'IKIIII to. lG-ay Feb 12,1841
LAW PARTNERSHIP.
A S I N S & I I I A N
AVE associated themselves in the practice of
Law, and will practtce in conjunction, in the
amities ot Muscatine, Cedar, Linn, Washington and
•uuisa. Business entrusted with either will receivc
if prompt attention of both.
i. c. II AST I xos, Storr HICHMAX,
Bloominstcn,
5
2 Cedar county,
ADAM OGILVIE,
Forwarding and Commission Merchant,
Bluomington, l:ica.
W. F. I»EW E15LK,
Forwarding and Commission .flerchamt,
BLO .I.MISI TO\, I. T.
r'"ITav iui leen aj[)ointed Public Auctioneer for
Itiscatine county, he is at all times ready to attend
"^iles in that way.
II. CO V ELL,
S U E O N A N Y S I I A N i
W i UMI.N'C, I. T. V
DOCTOR M'KfiE, ,rn
)MCE OX CHKSN••T STKEET, BETWKKJ^FHOST
A SO SKCOXP.
A
i•
i i E
Tatter.
HOPOS SECOSO STUEET OPPOSITE Til* PO**F
OiFICK.
WM. G. WOODWARD,
A O N E Y A A W
BLOOMINGTON, IOWA.
1UAI) C. DAY,
A O N E Y A A W
LOOM IN 0T05J, Io W A TKR.
Tj^fficc on Second Street, third door below me
ost Offico. Recorder's Office iti the same building
T. S. PARVIN, i
A O N E
Y
A I
A W
JJLOOM INKTOX, I. T.
GEORGE GREENE,
Attorney and Counsellor at Iaiw,
MAUIox, Lu Co., I. T.
#. W. PARKER,
A O N E Y A LA
DAVEXPOHT, F. T.
WILLIAM R. RANKIN,
IOKNEV AND COUNSEL I,OR AT LAW
TII-TOX, CEDAH CO., I. T.
p' Jcticc in the several courts of the Territory.
VH. B. TV SON,
A II I N & O IS SI O N
,&Ft^
WHEELING, VA.
"Ol'SK, slux AND ORNAMENTAL
H.VHGR A\ ES will attend to the above
'ss*n i'^la°Sfc' "i'il"llsV
irR)U:
aU
-,L
UblIU'ss
iutirr
branches, with neat-
'^asl)alch. Also, Glazing and Gild*
entrusted to him will receive
n
1°n/i
,je
cxc^utcd
in a worktnalnike
4-ay Bloomington, Nov. .20
V S E W E E K I O U A
jiwLLoir/ itot,Louv:
I stood beneath a hollow tree—
The blast it hollow blew—
I thought upon the hollow world,
And all its hollow crew
Ambition and its hollow schemes,
The hollow hopes we follow,
Imagination's hollow dreams
All hollow, hollow, hollow
A crown it is a hollow thing,
And hollow heads oft wear it
The hollow title of a King,
What hollow hearts oft bear it!
No hollow wiles, or honeyed smiles,
Of ladies fair, I follow
For beauty sweet still hides deceit,
'Tis hollow, hollow, hollowj,
ii
The hollow Tory but betrays
The hollow dupes who heed him
The hollow critic vends his praise
To hollow fools who feed him
The hollow friend who takes your hand
Is but a summer swallow
Wh ite'er I see is like this tree,
All hollow, hollow, hollow
WAR AMONU THE INDIANS.—We are inform
ed by a gentleman recently from the Indian
country, that hostilities had commenced be
tween the Choctaw and Kicknpoo Indians, on
the waters of Blue River, in the Choctaw na
tion. It appears that the Kiekapoos have, lor
a number of years, been encroaching on the
Choctaw lands, and been frequently requested
to desis, to which they paid no attention. A
few weeks since, the Choct.uv council deemed
it expedient to pass a law commanding them
to leave their territory, which the Kiekapoos
refused to do, but assembled their tribe, num
bering twelve hundred warriors, determined
to resist tho execution of the Choctow law.—
They have, in addition to this, sent the war
hatchet to the numerous wild and savage tribes
who inhabit the extensive tract of country ly
ing between the Choctaw line and the Rocky
Mountains.
Our informant states, that all the traders
who had been residing among the Indians,
were busily engaged in removing their goods
to the vicinity of Fort Towson for protection.
He also states that a runner had been reported
with despatches lor the Indian Agent.
We do not wish to create unnecessary ex
citement or alarm on this subject, but \ye must
confess that if all be true that we have heard,
a large force will be required to bring the In
dians to their senses. Should the Kiekapoos
succeed in obtaining the assistance of the wild
tribes, WHO ean tell how long the defenceless
inhabitants on our friontier will remain unmo
lested 1
We believe that three of the military posts
on the frontier are garrisoned by about two
hundred and seventy men, who would be ut
terly unable to hold the Indians in check,
(should depredations be committed or hostili
ties against the whites be commenced,) or to
defend ttie public property now under their
charge. Thus it becomes necessary the Gen
eral Government should send troops to Arkan
sas, for the protection of her citizens, to say
nothing of what the Government is in justice
bound to perform in regard to matters of this
kind.—Ark. Gaz. March 24.
Prince Esterhazy possesses, in additimi
to his three palacc.s in Vienna, and his
dominions in ISohemia one thirteenth part
of the whole kingdom of Hungary. He
has thirty-six estates each containing from
ten to twenty-four villages: which togeth
er with 100 square English miles of for
est, make collectively near 1,200 square
miles and, Hungary covering a surface
of 17000 proves the position. Nor is this
gigantic and overwhelming landed proper
ty his only source of revenue the num
ber of his peasants, (here called subjects)
amounting to 360,000, with all their lia
£Tmies and a constant capital of 220,000
sheep producing yearly 4,000 cwt. of
wool, (most of winch-ys of a superior
quality,) remsininj^to he^ujioracMed and
yet, nevertheless, thi^, coljossal heritage,
exceeding in extent the Grand Duchy of
Modena as well as several of the petty
Germaivttaics, does ^ot carry his actual
revenue to a higher.^.airgrdbate one
and a half millions (If lloftns (15(^)00/)
thus making the annaal proceeds OT the
land «^vera|^yj®^|cre-
CONSCIENCE.—A ccrtain Jesuit prcach*
ed ia Arzzo against tlic unchaste women.
TJ^ne amongst yot), especially, said he to
]iis female ayditoijy, thstinguishes herself
bj^ her jlis^blute cdtafse of life. The con
sciousness of shame often amends sinners,
and therefore I will here name the woman
publicly. But no Christian charity for
bids she migfit through this become too
much scandalized I will, however, do
tJ^inething to point her out, so that through
shame she may arrive at conversion. I
will throw iny cap at her she whom I hit
is the sinner. The preacher no sooner
took his cap in hts hand, than all the la
dies stooped as low as possible.—"Good
heavens exclaimed the priest, "have all
these women bad consciences V*
DEFINITION OF A GENTLEMAN.—Gen
tility is neither in birth, manner, nor fash
ion, but in the mind. A high st «se of
lronor, a determination never take a nean
advantage of another, an adherence tt. truth
delicacy and politeness towards those with
whom you may have dealings are the es
sential and distinguishing characteristics
of a gentleman.
Friendship often ends in love—but lot(
ill friendship never.
JTfre
E
Sr
PRESIDENT TYLER'S ADDRESS
To the People of the United States.
FKLi.ow-Crri7.KNS—Before my arrival at the
seat of government, the painful communication
was made to you bv the oilicers presiding over
the several departments, of the deeply regret
ted death of WM. HENRY HARRISON, late
President of the United States. Upon him
you had conferred your suffrages for the firat
office in your gift, and had selected him as
your chosen instrument to correct and reform
all such errprs and abuses as had manifested
themselves from time to time in the practical
cperatiuii of the government. W hile standing
at the threshold of this guat work, he his, by
the dispensation of an all-wise Providence,
been removed from amongst us, and by the
provisions of the constitution, the efforts to br
directed to the accomplishment of this vitally
important task, have devolved upon myself.—
This same occurrence has subjected the wis
dom and sufficiency of our institutions to a new
test.
For the first time in our history, the person
elected to the Vice Presidency of the United
States, by the happening of a contingency pro
vided for in the constitution, has had devolved
upon him the Presidency. 1 lie spirit ot fac
tion, which is 'irectly opposed to the spirit ot
lofty patriotism, may find in this, occasion for
assaults upon my administration. And in suc
ceeding, under circumstances too sudden and
unexpected, and to responsibilities so greatly
augmented, to the administration of public af
fairs, 1 shall place in the intelligence and pat
riotism of the people, :ny only sure reliance.
My earnest prayer shall bo constantly address
ed to the all-wise and all-powerlul Being who
made me, and by whoso dispensation I am
called to^he high office of President of this
confederacy, understandingly to carry out tho
principles of the constitution which I have
sworn to "proteet, preserve, and defend."
The usual opportunity which is afforded to
a
Chief Magistrate upon Ins induction into of
fice, of presenting to his countrymen an expo
sition of the policy which would guide his ad
ministration, in the form of an inaugural ad
dress, not having, under the peculiar circum
stances which have brought me to the dis
charge of the high duties of president of the
United States, been afforded me, a britl" ex
position of the principles which wiil govern
me in the general course of my administration
of public affairs, would seem to be due as well
to myself as to you. In regard to foreign na
tions, the ground work of my policy will be
justice on our part to all» submitting to injus
tice from none.
While I shall sedulously cultivate the rela
tions of peace and amity with one and all, it
will be my most imperative duty to see that
the honor of the country shall sustain nc
blemish. With a vrew to this, the conditio*
of our military defences will become a matter
of anxious solicitude, the army, which has in
other days covered itself with renown, and the
navy, not inappropriately termed the right arm
of the public defence, which has spread a light
of glory over the American standard in all the
waters of the earth, should be rendered replete
with efficiency.
In view of the fact well vouched by theory,
that the tendency of all institutions is to con
centrate power in the hands of a single man,
and that their ultimate downfall has proceeded
from this cause, 1 deem it of the most essen
tial importance that a complete separation
should take place between the sword and the
purse. No matter where or how the public
moneys should he deposited, so long as the
President can exert the power cf appointing
and removing, at his pleasure, the agents se
lected for their custody, the commander-in
chief of the army is in fact the Treasurer. A
permanent and radical change should therefore
be decreed. '1 he patronage incident to the
Presidential office, already gre^t, is constantly
increasing. Such increase is destined to keep
pace with the growth of our population, until,
without a figure of speech, an
BLOOMINCrTOW HERALD.
K E E O O S E
BLOOMINGTON, IOWA, FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1841.
fc
army of office­
holders may be spread over the land. The un
restrained power of a selfishly ambitious man,
in order either to perpetuate his authority or to
hand it over to some favorite as his successor,
n ay lead to the employment of alt the means
within his control to accomplish his object.—
The right to remove from office, while subject
to no restraint, is inevitably destined to pro
duce a spirit of crouching servility with the
official corps, w hich, in order to uphold the
hand which feeds them, would lc^ul to direct
and active interference in elections, both State
and Federal, thereby subjecting the course of
State legislation to too dictation of the chief
executive officer, and making the will of that
officer, absolute and supreme.
I will at a proper time invoke the actioo of
Congress upon this subject, and shall readily
acquiesce in the adoption of all proper meas
ures which are calculated-to nrrest these evlfs,
so full of danger in their tendency. I wiil re
move no incumbent from office who has faith
fully and honorably acquitted himself of the
duties of his office, except in such cases where
such officer has been guilty of an active parti
7/anship, or by secret means—the less manly,
and therefore the more objectionable—has giv
en his official influence to the purpose of party,
thereby bringing the patronage of the govern
ment in conflict with the freedom of elections.
Numerous removals may become necessary
uuder this rule. These will be ma*le through
no acerbity of feeling. I have had no cause
to cherish or indulge unkind feelings towards
anv, hut my conduct will be regulated by a
profound sense ot what is due to the country
and its institutions, nor shall I neglect to ap
ply the same unbending rule to those of my
own appointment. Freedom of opinion will
be tolerated, the full enjoyment of the right of
suffrage will be maintained, as the birthright
of every American citizen, bull say emphati
cally to the official corps, "thus far and no
farther." I have dwelt the longer upon this
subject, because removals from office are like
ly often to arise, and I would have my coun
trymen to understand the principle of the ex
ecutive action.
In all public expenditures the most rigid
economy should be resorted to, and as or.e of
its results, a public debt in time of peace be
seduously avoided, A wise and patriotic con
stituency will never object to the imposision
of necessary bunkos for useful ends and
true
.V.VIT.W—J
wisdom dictates the resort to such means, in
order to supply deficiencies in the revenue,
rather than to those doubtful expedients, which
ultimatiiig in a public debt, serve to embarrass
the resources of the country, and to lessen its
ability to meet any great emergency which
may arise. All sinecures should le abolished.
The appropriations should be direct and expli
cit, so as to leave as limited a share of discre
tion to the disbursing agents as may be found
compatible with the public service. A strict
responsibili'.y on the part of the agents of the
government should be maintained, and pecula
tion or defalcation visited with immediate ex
pulsion from office, and the most condign pun
ishment.
The public interest demands that, if' any
war has existed between the government and
the currency, it shall cease. Measures of a fi
nancial character, now having a sanction of le
gal enactment, shall bo faithfully enforced un
til repealed by the legislative authority. But
I owe it to myself to declare that 1 regard ex
isting enactments as unwise and impolitic,
ar.d in a high degree oppressive. I shall
promply give my sanction to any constitutional
measure which, originating in Congress, shall
have for its object the restoration of a sound
circulating medium, so essentially necessary
to give confidence to all the transactions of
life, to secure to industry its just and adequate
rewards, and re-establish public prosperity.—
In deciding upon the adaption of any measure
to tho end proposed, as well as its conformity
to tho constitution, 1 shall resort to the fathers
of the great republican school, for advice and
instruction, to bu drawn from their sage views
of our system of government, and the light of
their eve/ glorious example.
The institution under which we livo, my
countrymen, secures each person in the perfect
enjoyment of all his rights. The spectacle is
exhibited to the world of a government deri
ving its powers from the consent of the govern
ed, and having imparted to it only so much
power as is necessary for its successful opera
tion. Those who are charged with its admin
istration should carefully abstain from all at
tempts to enlarge the range of powers thus
granted to the several departments of the gov
ernment, other than by appeal to the people
for additional grants, lest by so doing they dis
turb that balance which the patriots and states
men who framed the constitution designed to
establish between the federal governmcnt.and
the States composing the union. The obser
vance of these rules is enjoined upon us by
that feeling of revtrence and affection which
finds a place in the heart of every true patriot,
for the preservation of the union and the bles
sings of the union—for the benefit of our chil
dren and our children's children, through
countless generations. An opposite course
could not fail to generate factions, intent upon
tho gratification of their selfish ends to give
give birth to local and sectional jealousies, and
to ultimate either in braking asunder the bonds
of union, or in building upon a central system
which would inevitably end a bloody sceptre
and an iron crown.
In conclusion, 1 beg you to be assured that
I shall exert myself to carry the foregoing
principles into practice during my administra
tion of the government, and, confiding in the
protecting care of an ever-watchful and over
ruling Providence, it shall be my first and
highest duties to preserve unimpaired the free
institutions under which we live, and transmit
them to those who shall succeed me, in their
full force at vigor. JOHNf TYLER.
Washington, April 0, 1811.
ALPHABETICAL REQUISITES FO« A WIFE.
When the subscriber can find one pos
sessed of the following qualifications, he
intends to get married. She should be
Ami-'U!e, affable, affectionate, agreeable,
beitrgft, benevolent, candid, charming,
chaste,cheerful, delicate, dutiful, decorous,
dexterous, elegant, engaging, entertaining,
free, faultless, fond, fervent, firm, genteel,
gracious, governable, godly, harmless,
handsome, healthful, honest, imaginative,
indulger.t,industrious,ingenious, innoi ent,
jolly, kind, lady-like, liberal, meek, mer
ciful, noble, orderly, pcaceab.Ui, polite,
prudent, icasonable, respectable, sedhte,
serious, sincere, sociable# sympathetic,
teacheable, temperate, tender-lftarted,
thoughtful, veracious, vigilant, unaflected,
unofllMiding, well-formed, and young.—A
BACHELOR.
BAPTISM OF THE JE*V»»—Four convert
ed Jvws were recently baptized in London
according to the rites of the Church of
England. The converts, who had been
£time under religious and catechetical
instruction, were a Pole, a Dutchman, a
German, and an Englishman, of the seve
ral ages of 44, 33, 30, and 23. 1 ho chap
el was crowded to excess, and the solemn
ceremony was witnessed by upwards of
fifty strange Jews, who visited the chapel
on this occasion lor the first time. The
inquirers are now very numerous, and
many attend the service of the Hebrew
liturgy, which is read every Sunday alter
n'oon. Prayers in the Hebrew ^language
are also read in the chapel, every morning
during the week at seven o'clock, which
are attended by wdcrly and inquiring con
gregations.
The Hartford Times says: It was
stated at the railroad meeting last week,
by a
44
whig," that the proposed road from
Hartfojd to Springfield, could be construct
ed on much more advautagious terms than
was the Hartford and New Haven road,
because JC7* LABOR u
,ould be from 30
to 50 per ccnt. LOWER, than it was in
18301 This may be so, but how docs it
conform to the statements of the Federal
ists, previous to the election, respecting
the rales of wages It is a fact that the
price of labor has been constantly falling
si Ace Harrison's election."
O M.V «. HUSSELL J.VI THOJKJIS HUGHES, EDITORS.
WOOD ItlVKR MASSACRE.
Read before the Illinois State Lyceum, Dec.®, 1832.
BY THOMAS LIPP1NC0TT.
Among the various incidents of the early
settlements of Illinois, and those of the last
war with Great Britain, that have commanded
the attention of writers, there is one which I
do not remember to have seen in print, that
well deserves to be preserved among the re
cords of frontier hardihood and suffering. I
refer to tho massacre of a woman and six chil
dren, by the Indians, in the forks of Wood
river, in 1814. The following is given as an
authentic sketch of the facts, taken from the
lips of Capt. Abel Moore and his wife, who
were sufferers in the transaction.
Travellers who have passed on the direct
road from Kdwardsville to Carrolton, will re
membsr at a pleasant plantation on the banks
of the east branch of Wood river, a short dis
tance from tho dwelling house and powder-mill
of Mr. George Moore, an old building com
posed of rough, round logs, the upper story of
which projects about a foot on every side, be
yond the basement This, in times of peril,
was a block-house, or in the common phrase, a
fort, to which the early settlers rescrted for
safety. Pursuing the road about two miles,
to an elevated point on the bank of the west
fork, where the road turns abruptly down into
the creek, another farm, now in possession of
a younger member of the family of Moores,
exhibits the former residnce of Reason Rea
gan and midway between these two points,
resides Capt. Abtd Moore, on the same spot
which he occcupied at the period to which our
narrative relates. William Moore lived near
ly south of Abel's on a road which passes to
wards Milton. Upper Alton is from two to
three iniles, and Lower Alton from four to five
miles distant from the scene of action.
It appears, that while the gant rangers were
scouring the country, «ver «n the alert, the in
habitants, who for several years had huddled
together in forts, for fear of the Indians, had,
in the summer of 1811, attained tu such a sense
of security that they went to their farmes and
dwellings, with the hope of escaping further
depredations in the forks of Wood river, were
some six or eight families whoso* men were
for most part in the ranging service, and whose
women and children were thus leit to labor for
and defend themselves. The block-house
which I have described, was their place of re
sort on any alarm hut the inconvenience and
difficulty of clustering so thickly, induced
them to leave it as soon as prudenee would at
all permit.
Nor had the hardy inhabitants forgotten,
amidst their dangers, the duties ot social life,
nor their high obligations to their Creator.—
The Sabbath shone, not only upon the domes
tic circle, as gathered round the fireside altar,
but its halfbvved light was shed on groups col
lected in the rustic edifices which the piety of
the people had erected lor divine worship.
It was on the Sabbath, the 10th of July,
1811, that the painful occurrence took place,
which I now record. Reason Reagan had gone
to attend divine worship at the meeting-house,
some three miles off, leaving his wife and two
children at the house of Abel Moore, which
was on the way. About four o'clock in the
afternoon, Mrs. Reagan went over to her own
dwelling, to procure some little articles of con
venience, being accompanied by six children,
two of whom were her own, two were chil
dren of x\bel Moore, and two of VV in. Moore.
Not far from, probably a little after, the same
time, two "men of the neighborhood passed
separately, 1 believe in the opposite direction
to that in which Mrs. Regan went and one
of them heard at a certain place, a low call,
us of a boy, which he did not answer* and for
a repetition of which he did not delay. But
he remembered and told it afterwards.
When it began to grow dark the families
became uneasy at the protracted absence of
their respective members and illiam Moore
came to Abel's, and not finding them there,
passed on towards Mr. Reagan's, to see what
had become of his sister-in-law and children
and nearly about the same time, his wife went
across tfie angle directly towards the same
place. Mr. Moore had not been long absent
from his brother's before he returned with the
information that some one was killed by the
.'iu&tans. He had discerned the body of a
person lying on the ground, but whether man
or woman, it was too dark for him to see with
out a closer inspection than was deemed safe.
The habits of the Indians were too well known
by these settlers, to leave a man in Mr. Moore's
situation free from the apprehension of an am
buscade still near.
The first thought that occurred, was to flee
to the block-house. Mr. Moore desired his
brother's family to go directly to the fort,
while he should pass by his own house to take
his family with him. But the night was now
dark, and the heavy forest was at that time
scarcely opened here and there by a little farm,
while the narrow road wound through among
the tall trees, from the farm of Abel Moore to
that of his brother, Geo. Moore, where the fort
was erected. The women and children there
fore chose to accompany W in. Moore, though
the distance was nearly doubled by the mea
sure.
The feelings of the group as they groped
their way through the dark woods, may be
more easily imagined than described. Sorrow
for the supposed loss of relatives and children,
was mingled with horror at the manner of
their death, fear for their own safety, and pain
at the dreadful idea, that the remains of their
dearest friends lay mangled on the cold ground
near them, while they were denied the privi
lege of seeing and preparing them for sepul
ture.
Silently they passed on till they came to the
dwelling of William Moore and when they
approached the entrance, he exclaimed, as if
relieved from some dreadful apprehension,
thank God, Polly is not killed." How do
you know 1" inquired one. Because, here
is the horse she rode." My informant then
first learned that his brother-in-law had feared,
until that moment, that his wife was the victim
that had been discovered.
As they let down the bars, Mrs. William
Moore came running out exclaiming, ''they
are all killed by the Indians, I expect." The
mourning friends went in tor a short time-—
but hastily departed for the block-house, whith­
NO. 28.
er by day-break, all or nearly all the neglibof%
having been warned by signals, repaired
sympathise and tremble.
I have mentioned that Mrs. William Moore
went, as well as her husband, in search of her
sister and children. Passing by different
routes, they did not meet on the way, nor at
the place of death. She jumped on a horse,
and hastily went in the nearest direction, and
as she went, carefully noted every discernable
object, until at length she saw a human figure
lying near a burning log. There was not suf
ficient light for her to discern the size, sex, or
condition of the person, and she called the
name of one and another of her children,
again and again, supposing it to be one of
them asleep. At length she allighted, and ap
proached to examine more closely. What
must have been her sensations on placing her
hand upon the back of a naked corpse, and
feeling, by further scrutiny, the quivering flesh
from which the scalp had been torn
1.
In the
the gloom of night, she could just discern
something, seeming like a little child, sitting
so near the body as to lean its head first one
side, and then the other, on the insensible and
mangled body. She saw no further, but thrill
ed with horror and alarm, remounted her horse
and hastened home, and when she arrived,
quickly put a large kettle of water over the
fire, intending to defend herself with scalding
water, in case of an attack.
There was little rest or refreshment as may
well be supposed, at the fort that night. The
women and children of the vicinity, together
with the few men who were at home, were
crowded together, not knowing but that a large
body of the savage foe might be prowling
round, ready to pour a deadly fire on them at
any moment—a neighbor and six children of
the settlement were probably lying in the
wood, within a mile or two, dead and mangled
by that dreadful enemy! What about subjects
of thought and feeling! About three o'clock
a messenger was despatched to Fort Russell
with the tidings^
In the morning the inhabitants tmdertook
the painful task of ascertaining the extent of
their calamity, and collecting the remains for
burial. The whole party, Mrs. Reagan and
six children, were found lying at intervals
along the road, tomahawked and scalped, and
all dead, except the youngest of Mrs. Rea
gan's children, which was sitting near its
mother's corpse, alive, with a gash, deep and
large, on each side of its little face. It were
idle to speak of the emotion that filled the
souls of the neighbors, and friends, and fath
ers, and mothers, and husband, who gathered
round to behold this awful spectacle. There
lay the mortal remains of six of those whom,
but yesterday, they had seen and embraced, in
health and there was one helpless little one*
wounded, and bleeding, and dying, an object
of painful solicitude, but scarcely of hope.
To women and youth chiefly, was commit
ted the painful task of depositing their dear re
mains in the tomb. This was performed ort
the six already dead, on that day. They were
interred in three graves, which were carefully
dug, so a» to lay boards beneath, beside, and
above the bodies—for there could be no coffins
provided in the absence of nearly all the men
—and the graves filled, they were left to re
ceive in after times, when peace had visited
the settlement, a simple covering of stone,
bearing an inscription descriptive of their
death.
It was a solemn day, observed my inform-'
ant, to follow seven bodies to the grave, at
once, from so small a settlement and they
too, under such painful circumstances. Could
we have followed that train to the grave in
which their little church and cemetery weie
embowered, would we not feel that the proces
sion, the occesion, the ceremony, the emotions*,
were of a character too awful, too saered to
admit of minute observation then or accurate
description now? The seventh, however, was
not then buried. The child found alive receiv
ed every possible'attention medical aid was
procured with great difficulty, but in vain. It
followed within a day or two, at most.
On the arrival of the messenger at Fort Rilfr*
sell, a fresh express was hastened to captai*
(now general) Samuel Whiteside's company,(
which was on Ridge Prairie, some four miles
cast of Edwardsville.
It was about an hour after sunrise, on Mon
day morning, when the gallant troops arrived
on the spot—having rode some fifteen miles'—
ready to weep with the bereaved and toavengt*
them of their ruthless foes. Abel Moore, who
who was one of the rangers then on duty, and
of course absent at the catastrophe, was per
mitted to remain at home to assist in burying
his children and relatives, and the company
dashed on, eager to overtake and engage in
deadly conflict with the savages. I regret
that 1 have no recent account of the particulars
of this interesting pursuit and that my mem
ory does not hold them with sufficient dis
tinctness to warrant an attempt at the narra
tion. At Indian Creek, in what is now Morgan
county, some three or four of the Indians wore
seen, and one killed and it is a current report
among the rangers, tnat not one of the ten that
composed the party, survived the fatigue of
the retreat before the eager troop.—Western
Monthly Magazine.
WHY THE FEDS DISLIKE THE SUB
TREASURY.—The Sub-Treasury law will
not answer for a Federal administration
that is very evident and why Because
says the Hartford Times, it punishes wiUi
imprisonment in the penitentiary, public
defaulters. When swindling speculators,
bankrupts and gamblers—men who are in
volved in debt to the amount of not less
than an hundred thousand dollars, are se
lected for the most responsible
8tation*»
the penal enactments against swindlers an*
defaulter* must be repealed, and we atfe
less surprised at the early call of the Extra
Session of Congress.
THE DANCINNO MANIA.—So violently
does this disease rage in New Orleanf*
since the arrival there of Fanny Elssler,
that when people meet in the streets, in^
sterd of extending their hands they stick
out their feet to be shaken !—Bost. Post,