The Minnesotian. [volume], March 20, 1852, Image 2

About The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
THE MINNESOTIAN.
At- iteul'jfrHfxursotff.
Saturday. March 90, 1 852.
NEW ADVERTISEMENT*.
Combs, Bookseller anl Stationer, baa j|*ll * tine siook
•f foods on band.
ComniMioncrs to settle tUe <*l H. I*. Tikien, giro
notice of the time tboy will attend to the same.
Gairnes don’t appear to be on band much these days,
being engaged at the Falls; but trade goes forward lively,
notwithstanding, at his quarters. The ladies are carrying
off hit stock In quantities, but there !s still plenty left of
She same sort. Navigation need not open yet to accom
modate him; he baa all that will be required, going off
cheap aa the compliments of the morning.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE
Minnesota was organized as a Territory
by act of Congress, approved March 3d,
1549, only three years and a few weeks
anterior to this date. The retiring ad
ministration of Mr. Polk approved the act,
but it was left to ihc new executive to fill
the offices. It could not be expected,
that amid the general scramble for places
incident to the time, the requisite quality
of official material to set the new Territo
rial government properly in motion, would
be selected in every particular, from the
heterogeneous stock piled up in confusion
about the ware-houses of the national cap
ital. Some mistakes were made, of course;
but by accident we got the right man for
Governor, and as bad as our judiciary is
iu some particulars, it might have been
worse. At the end of nearly the third
year of our existence, after the all trou
ble and turmoil of putting the machine in
running order was over, the President
gave us the man for Secretary we should
have had at the outset, or some one else
of like character and qualifications. Put
let this all pass.
Let us see what we have done. A mass
of loose and hastily considered legislation,
which had come down to us from the old
Territories of Michigan and Wisconsin,
stood as our municipal law. It was scat
tered over the land in a series of badly
printed, yellow covered pamphlets, com
plete sets of which were as rare as Chris
tian bibles in China. The first Legisla
ture undertook to remedy the defect as
far as possible, by re-enacting some of the
more general laws of daily use ; but they
succeeded very partially. The second
Legislature met amid a storm of local po
litical excitement. A faction which had
reared the motto of “ rule or ruin,” came
into that body, determined to carry out the
words engraven upon its insignia. But,
much to its chagrin, it turned out that a
majority of both branches were guided by
better counsels; and even some of the
members who joined in its political cru
sade against the majority, had the honesty
and magnanimity to second the efforts of
the Governor and his friends, in taking
hold of the work to prepare a code of
laws for the people. Among those, we
must, in simple justice, name James S.
Norris, who, with all his sins and ridicu
lous political antics, was a hard-working,
careful, practical legislator. No other
member of the joint judiciary com- 1
mittee of the two houses, save Mr. Burk
leo, of the Council, and Mr. Brun
»oS, t>f the House, ever gave two hours’
attention in the committee room, during the
framing of the entire code. The asser
tion of a New York paper, that John W.
North was the man who did the whole
or most of the work, made doubtless at
the modest request of that gentleman him
self, we have never regarded as of suffi
cient importance to contradict.
Aa the session progressed, the efficient 1
commissioners labored incessantly, and |
produced with unexampled rapidity, chap- j
ter after chapter of the new code. The '
majority of the Legislature had confidence
in their integrity ; and owing to lhat con- j
fidencc—which subsequent experience
has proved was not misplaced—it was
not necessary to give the revision the
customary attention, in its passage through
the various stages of enactment. Our
whole system of municipal law was re
vised and re-enactcd, and in addition many
new and original reforms were introduced,
which were bold experiments for a young
community, such us ours, to attempt. 1
One of them was the new rule of evi- (
dence, which has since been adopted by
Old England herself. Owing to the vio
lent manner in which this feature of the
Revised Statutes has been assailed by a
small portion of the bar and bench of
Minnesota, we have felt it our duty to
give the opinions of some of the leading
London presses in regard its efficacy. In
this number, we publish an article upon
this head from a Late number of the Ex
aminer.
The code was got through with by
the end of the session, much to the relief
of the Governor, the working majority of
the Legislature, and all good citizens who
labored to advance the interests and wel
fare of the whole people, against the sel
fish and treasonable schemes of a faction.
By the most laborious and untiring exer
tions of a few citizens, the code was
printed, and placed in the hands of the
people. This may sound ridiculous, for
it may be presumed, very naturally, that
the printing was a profitable and desirable
job. So it would have been under ordi
nary circumstances. But it must be re
membered we had C, K. Smith for Secre
tary in those days, and the entire work,
involving the expenditure of thousands of
dollars, had to be executed upon private
means and credit. The whole amount
necessary to purcliose stock and pay for
mechanical labor, had to come out of the
individual purses of citizens of the Ter
ritory. And we would merely ask Mr.
Whittlesey, of the Treasury Department,
to think of all this, as he casts his eyes
over the neatly executed and voluminous
pages of our Revised Stautcs. Does he
not think we have done well for a small
community, without his aid?
* But the new code is now in the hands
|of the people ; and with the amendments
■adopted by the late Legislature, made
j necessary by the want of time to thor
-1 oughly complete it during the former ses
sion, we are willing it should go forth
and encounter the criticism of the whole
legal world. It is something of which
Minnesota should be proud, and proud ol
the men who, under the most trying dif
-1 Acuities, labored together for over two
!years to rear the now beautifully finished
'structure. If the present party in pow
,'er here had done nothing else since the
organization of the Territory, to merit the
confidence and lasting gratitude of the
' people, this one work alone should be
sufficient. No other Territory has ever
* given its people so wise, practical and
! valuable a code of laws. But this is not
all that has been done to give Minnesota
! an elevated position in the scale of politi
-1 cal communities, and to place her on the l
; sure road to future prosperity and renown- j
■At another time we will continue this |
1 subject.
GEN. WOOL.
( This gentleman is named by some of the
, leading Democrats of the country', as their
first choice for the Presidency. The
General appears to be following in the
wake of Buchanan, in bidding high for
Southern votes. The extreme views of j
the Soutli are hostile to Kossuth to such a I
degree that they' can see no merit in the I
cause he pleads, or in the burning clo- j
, quence in which he enforces his ideas. |
We may not agree with Kossuth in many i
particulars, but personal abuse of the man
is beneath any one claiming the least
spark of American feeling. Gen. Wool,!
,in a recent letter, in which, by the way,
j there are some good tilings well and time-
I ly said, allow s his extreme Southern scr
, vility so far to get the better of his judg
ment as to compare the great Magyar to
Moore’s noted character, Mokanna, the
, Veiled Prophet of Khorassan. The demon
is familiar to every one acquainted with
the modern literature of our language.—
| We have all shuddered at his hideous as- |
pect when divested of his silver veil:
“ I'pon that mocking fiend, whose veil, now rained,
Showed them, as in death’s agony they gazed.
Not the long premised light, the brow, whose beaming,
Wa* to come rOith,all conquering, all redeeming,
But features horribler than Hell e’er traced
On Its own Brood no Demon of the Waste,
So churchyard (ihole, caught lingering in the light
With HneamenU so foul, so tierce aa those
TIT Impostor now, iu grinning mockery shows.”
Mokanna’s opinion of mankind is ex
pressed in the following lines :
‘ Yea, ye vile race, for hell’s amusement given,
Too mean for earth yet claiming kin with Heaven;
(iod’s images forsooth ! —such gods as he
Whom India serves, the monkey dotty ;
Te creatures of a breath, proud thing* of clay,
To whom, if Lucifer, as grandam* say,
Refused, though at the forfeit of Heaven’s light.
To bend in worship. Lucifer was right!—
Soon shall 1 plant this foot upon the neck
Of your foul race, and without fear, or check,
Luxuriating In hate, avenge iny shame.
My deep-felt, long-nursed loathing of man’s name !
Soon at the head of myriads, blind and fierce
As hooded falcons, through the universe,
| I’ll sweep my daikentng, desolating way,
; Weak man niy instrument, curst man my prey.”
Gen. Wool is known to his countrymen
as a gallant and generous-hearted soldier;
anil it is to be regretted, that in his eager
ness to drive a presidential bargain, lie has
so far forgotten himself as to assimilate
Kossuth with such a character. We hope
he will think better or the Hungarian
when bis golden dream has faded.
W e will not be able to pay onr respects
to Mr. Geo. L. Becker, Rice missionary
to Washington, member of church, “cous
in to the President,” Sic., Sic., until next
week, when we will endeavor to settle
the whole matter effectually. We are
awaiting some information (for which wc
, have written) from a distant part of the
country, in regard to the charges which I
! removed the late Mr. Tilden from office,
and contributed to remove him from the
I world. It is not presumed that we will,
on this occasion, violate our rule in regard
, to replying to personal abuse, in order 1o
reach the level of the Democrat's intro
ductory remarks to Mr. Becker’s letter.
I No impropriety or breach of decency which
j that editor may be guilty of, can swerve us
from the line of duty we have marked out,
and endeavored strictly to follow on all
occasions.
The Boston Bee is responsible for the
following; “Lola Montes” said Bcmus.
“is pure innocence.” “Yes,” replied Ma
ry Lee, “She is pure in no sense."
Jennt Lino’s Husband.— Otto Gold
smidt is a Jew by birth, and until recently
by persuation,but was converted to Christ
ianity by Jenny Lind and Rev. Dr. YVarn
wright of New York,by the latter of whom
he was baptised and confirmed in the
Episcopal faith.
Iron—lt took 19 years to raise the
ulwwl* ' ron ' n the United States from
rioVoV 0 ?* < 1829 ) to 800,000 tons
*• ? l “ as taken three years to di
minish it one-half. At that rate, under
the present policy how many years (by
the arithmetic) will it take to annihilate
Facts and Fancies.
Saint Patrick’s Day was celebrated in
grand style by the Sons of the Green
Isle, on Wednesday last. During the
day, a procession Was formed, tvhich
marched with music through the principal
streets, carrying a splendid hairnet 1 of
green silk, ornamented with the national
devices of Ireland and the United States.
In the evening, a sumptuous entertain-
I inent was provided by Mr. Rogers, of
| the Montgomery House, of which a large
company partook with the highest pleas
ure and gratification to the inner man.
C. J. Hennis. Esq., acted as President of
the evening, assisted by Secretary Wil
kin as Vice-President. Many excellent
and appropriate sentiments were offered,
which we would have been pleased to
publish, had they been handed in. But
I they have doubtless been unceremoniously
| appropriated by that violent hater of mo
j nopoly , and courteous gentleman, the editor
i of the Democrat, or some of his particular
friends, and we have been unable to get
hold of them, although his paper does not
appear until the middle of next week.
Speeches, good and otherwise, were made,
and stirring, patriotic songs sung, which
carried many a warm heart back to the
loved land of its birth. The entire cele
bration was upon strictly temperance
principles. Not a drop of liquor was
used about the bouse during the day or
evening, for which those concerned de
serve all credit. The consequence was,
one of the most agreeable and orderly fes
tivities we ever attended. May there be
many such!
IN e attended, for a half-hour, the clos
ing exercises of Mr. Ford’s school, at the
first district school-house, on Friday af
ternoon of last nveek. People of task
and fashion may crowd to the exhibitions
of their Forrests, and Jenny Linds, and
Lola Monteses, but give us an hour at |
the close of a school week, or at the end
of a “ quarter,” in one of the “ people’s
colleges,” and others may enjoy \he fash
ionable amusements of the bon lon. The
bright, glowing countenances of child
hood; the fresh, free, uncontaminated
guahings forth of youthful intellect and
ambition; and the contemplation of the
spectacle of moral grandeur which scenes
such as these inspire, render the school
room, on occasions such as the one bore
referred to, the place of all others where,
were we “ a gentleman of leisure,” we
would not make our visits after the fash- j
ioil of angels. But, unfortunately, :
we edit a paper which must come out
on Saturday morning, let what will
turn up, and consequently Friday after
noon is no time to get out of the office)
unless by becoming a “fugitive from labor”
and duty. We were agreeably astonished,
on the occasion named, at the great profi
ciency scholars of the age of Mr. Ford’s
had attained in the different branches.
The exercises in declamation were re
markably correct. So also in composition.
The little girl who read the parting
address of Miss Brewster’s school (which
is a branch of Mr. Ford’s,) to the
scholars of the parent institution, deserves
a prize for correct reading, even if she
were not the author of the appropriate
and chastely written production, which
we hardly suppose to be the case, consid
ering her years. She would have the
satisfaction of seeing her name coupled
with this small compliment did wc know
who she was. If our young friends will
allow one of older years and experience to
give them a small piece of advice, we
will say to them, aim first, in you compo
sition, to acquire a forcible, pure, and
smooth style of prose writing. Leave all
attempts at poetry alone for the present
If you have talent in that way, it will de
velop itself by-and-by. But we have
only room to say in conclusion, that the
schools of district No. 1 have been in
highly competent hands the past winter,
and we hope the trustees will always se
cure the services of equally as good
teachers.
Air. Curran, of the World’s Fair, is
just down from Lc Sueur, where lie has
been spending a week, preparatory to
opening a branch of the “ institution” at
that new and flourishing town. Mr.
Cathcart, another of our enterprising
merchants, who also intends establishing
an extensive trading house at that desira
ble point, accompanied Mr. Curran, but
has not returned at the time we write.—
All speak of the location of Le Sueur as
highly eligible for the site of an extensive
place of business. Hie landing is good,
and the surrounding country well watered
and timbered, and as fertile as the delta
of the Nile. It must be so, or business
men of the sagacity' of those we have
mentioned, would not be so eager to pos
sess the location. All these movements
cry loudly for the ratification of the trea
ties forthwith. We say in sober earnest,
“ let the Senate look to it,” if Senators
wish to do justice to the people the gov*
eminent has induced to settle upon this
frontier, and to save the enormous ex
pense which serious Indian troubles will
create. If any one wishes to hear a
graphic and truthful description of the
Minnesota valley, and a full account of a
winter tour into the heart of the tame,
we would advise them to call at the
World’s Fair. We hope Mr. Curran
will give us something to publish upon
the subject, next week.
Passing along Third street the other
day, our attention was attracted to the ex
cavations going on for building in the vi
cinity of the old bury ing ground, above
Minnesota street. A rough cross and a
few pickets mark the spot where some of
** The rude forefathers of the hamlet sloep.”
The ground, once consecrated as sacred to
the dead, in the course of improvement
has become a scene of active business life
for the living. Perhaps few among us
remember who lies buried there. One
who should know informs us, that no early
settler of note reposes in this spot. No
one ol note ! So it is. The obscure
stranger—the unknown child of poverty
has, in years agone, found his way into
the wilderness, and claimed the riles of
Christian sepulture upon this then seclu
ded place.
“Perhaps in this neglected *pot i* laid
Some ln art once pregnant with celestial fire ;
Hands that ther*»d of empire might have swaved.
Or waked to ecstacy the living lyre.”
But he was not of note here on the rude
frontier, and no, one cared to mark even
the day ol his death, or preserve his name
from oblivion. Perhaps a kind mother—
a loving wife—a dutiful daughter, mounts
a son, a husband or a father lost, and
knows not where moulder his mortal re
mains. Perhaps they have thought him
still living.
“ And dreamed and started as thev slept, *
For Joy that he had come.”
But alas, he rests far off in the land of the
stranger, and his dust becomes part of the
very walls of a young and growing city,
whose birth was far subsequent to the day
when he “ surrendered his body to the
earth and his spirit to the God who
gave it!”
“Imperious Cavar, dead and turned to elsr.
May stop a crack to keep the wind aw ay !’>
ould it be more than an act of ordinary
Christian duly, to have these remains re
moved to the new cemetery, or some other
permanent place of burial ?
The first fugitive slave case of record
in Minnesota, since the passage of the fa
mous “measures of adjustment,” took
place a lew days after the adjournment of
the late Legislature. A line fellow, named
Teton, or Tec-ton-wan, the property- of
Mr. Gingras, of Pembina, having, during
a residence of two months in St. Paul, be
come thoroughly imbued with the princi
ples of the “ Maine Law,” he very con
sistently refused to “go out on a train”
with his vUI luastci. Tcluu is a sly dog.
It would seem that very soon after his ar
rival here, he resolved upon appealing to
the mercies of the “ higher law ” to pro
tect him in opposing the exercise of his
master’s rights. This we infer from the
fact that he took early occasion to estab
lish himself in the good graces of Judge
Goodrich, before whom, being a devout
believer in the Pioneer, he supposed his
case would be brought. When the hour
of trial came, and his master bid him rise
and follow him, he took refuge at the
Judge’s feet, and would not move until
the services of Deputy Marshal Rolette,
armed with a cudgel, were called into
requisition. It is said, the naturally kind
heart of the Judge was so moved to com
passion upon the occasion, that he tacitly
refused to interfere in “defer.sacf the
constitution” and the rights of the master,
although requested to. This is a matter that
must be looked into ; and we hope it will
not escape the vigilant eye of Becker.—
However, Teton was remanded to servi
tude amongst the “ baby-moccasin ” ma
kers of the frozen and inhospitable North.
The Democrat editor, who weekly be
fouls his columns by branding other per
sons with the grossest epithets, applied
by low blackguards to those they wish to
accuse of falsehood, has twice or thrice
asserted that the late legislature passed
an act allowing a salary of five hundred
dollars to the Supreme Court Reporter.
We have reason to believe, that the last
time he made the false statement, lie
knew better, as the facts were fully
known previously by cverj- man in the
community who paid tho least attention
to legislative proceedings. If lie did not
know he was reiterating a falsehood, his
ignorance is equally culpable, as it was
his duty to inform himself before lie
wrote.
Alarshal Furber has appointed Joseph
Rolette, of Pembina, and Aldcn Bryant,
of St. Paul, Deputy Marshals. We un
derstand it is the intention of Judge
Cooper to be at Pembina at the time set
for holding the first court, the first Mon
day in May next.
The trustees of Oak Hill Cemetery
have selected and bargained for eighty
acres, eligibly and beautifully situated,
one mile and three quarters from the
Capitol, and lying east of the St. Anthony
road. It is an elevated oak opening, in
terspersed with prairie, and dotted with
one or two small and beautiful lakes.
The grounds are highly susceptible of ar
tistic embelishment; and with proper
care and taste, we can in a few years
have a cemetery equal to Mount Auburn or
Laurel Hill. Dr. Borup, the former own
er of the site, marie the most liberal and
generouf terms with the trustees, so that
j the nominal price to be paid eventually
| for the land will never be felt by the
association. Steps will be taken imme
diately to enclose a portion of the ceme
tery, and have it laid off.
The proffer to give use of our columns
to discuss the merits and demerits of the
liquor law has flooded our table with all
sorts of “effusions,” poetical and prose—
and some of them prosy- enough in all
conscience. We will, of course, publish
whatever contains the requisite particles
of intelligence or common sense. One
disciple of the muses “goes off” as fol
lows. Surely, there is no resisting such
appeals:
Lei intemperance low their
ths countrey then la (Son,
For a Wufull field that seed would yeaM
before that it bes grown.
But on new year’* night the people met
and then they did proclaim'*,
Th?y would that eavel remady
l»y tho liquor law of Maine.
But the rum* Her* so verrey craitey
in errey place the same,
Th'*y d »e n at like that liqueur law
becouse it came from Maine.
They would almost give tlieire runie away
If that would gaine theire ante,
But sure they’l get that Splendid law
that la called the law of Maine.
In accordance with notice, the propo
sals for building bridges upon the road
between St. Paul and Long Prairie, were
opened on the day designated. John De
puevvas the lowest bidder for die work on
the Swan river bridges, and W.n. F. Cor
bett for those across Elk river, Rum river
and Coon creek. Upon opening the bids
for constructing that portion of the Point
Douglass and St. Louis river road ready
for letting, Wm.F. Corbett was found al
so to be the lowest bidder for the whole
of the work advertised. Mr. Corbett is
an old road contractor.
Bishop Cretan is a second Father Mat
thew in his successful efforts to spread
the temperance reformation among his
people. A very perceptible change lias
taken place among this large portion of
our population within the past two months,
which is mostly owing to ihc exertions of
the good Bishop. His works have car
ried joy and smiling plenty to the hearth
of many a previously heart-stricken and
destitute family. May heaven prosper
the deeds of all such truly Christian phi
lanthropists.
Several citizens were in attendance at
Mr. Spencer’s school yesterday after
noon, to witness the exercises in reading
declamation, &c. We have rarely wit
nessed more accuracy in reading, taking
into consideration all the requisites of
clear enunciation, pauses, emphasis, ca
dence, Sic., than was exhibited by the
young misses who were called out on this
occasion. The reading, in concert, of
three ol them was as accurate as time in
the performance of the best musicians.
The declamation was very good, particu
larly that of one young gentleman who
delivered a well-written piece, composed
by himself. The editorial and contribu
tions of the “Rose-Bud,” a weekly jour
nal, published ly the members of the
school, evinced talent, judgment and tact,
from which older editors might profit.
The “Facts and Fancies” reminded us
that we must keep watch of our laurels
—that is, if we have any. The item of
local news in regard to the “New Ferry”
wc would certainly copy, had we an op
portunity. We must, however, repeat
our advice mentioned in connection with
Mr. Ford’s school. Let young masters
and misses first acquire a vigorous and
correct style of prose writing, before
they turn their attention to poetry. Sick
’y at empts at sentimentality arc always
disagreeable to well-matured minds and
cultivated ears. We could name one
member of this school who may, one day,
become a successful votaress of the sa
cred Nine, if she takes our advice, but
scarcely otherwise. We make these re
marks in all kindness, and with a feeling
of pride at the proficiency of the little
people ol our town, and a high apprecia
tion of the budding talent, just beginning
to develop itself, which wc witnessed on
this occasion. Wc would not say any
thing to wound the feelings of onr young
friends for the world, knowing by expe
rience how crushingly discouraging it is
to the ambition of the youthful and sen
sitive mind, to have older persons speak
harshly of its primitive efforts. There
fore, we hope those to whom wc refer, as
well as their friends more advanced in
life, will receive what we say in the
spirit it is given.
Some say the liquor law is unconstitu
tional, because it prohibits the introduc
tion of a species of property which Con
gress recognizes the importation of, and
levies a duty upon. Now, we don’t en
dorse any such slander of Congress, as
bad as some of its acts are. Members of
that body urc generally too good judges of
the article ever to undertake to allow the
Minnesota “critter” tiny such privileges.
It would come under the prohibitory
clause in reference to adulterated drugs.
The following domestic colloquy did
not take place at our boarding-house:
“ My dear, I do wish the first boat would
soon come, for our butter is growing less
every day.” “Never fear, my love, it
will last; it it gaining strength now very
fas*;”
Another Steam Saw Mill. —It is
now a settled fact, in view of the conven
ience of getting pine logs, the facilities
for securing them in the boom above
town, the convenience of obtaining all
needful material for operating mills, the
well established superiority of steam
over water, as a motive power, and above
all, by the extensive market here afforded
for lumber, that St. Paul is pre-cininently
the place for sawing logs—the best place
for all wooden manufactures, on the Mis
sissippi river. Satisfied fully of this
fact, by experience, Charles H. Oakes
and Company, will proceed at once to
build here, another fine large steam saw
mill, which will make four large mills,
all just built, with plenty of logs and a
quick market. The chance for twenty
more steam saw mills here, is equally
good. Steamboats from below, discharg
ing freight here, will always be glad to
take down planed flooring, siding, lathing
and shingles, at very low rates—lower
than they can be advantageously rafted.—
Pioneer.
Fur Ihc Minncaotian.
Messrs. Editoiis: —-In your last pa
per you seem to express sonic doubts of |
the efficiency of the people to enforce
the law, which is to be voted for on the
first Monday in April.
How can you think resistance possible ?
Arm an officer with the seal of authority,
tell him to do his duty, let him have jus- !
tice on his side, and public opinion in
his favor, as he will in this case, and you
will not find a man with nerve enough to
resist the operation of the law.* Let us '
call upon you, let us call upon all in high
places, and low places, to act with pru
dence as well as zeal in this matter. You
may think we are too sanguine of success;
but you need not think so. Look, if you
please, at the various Temperance organi
zations—the ninety-four Watchmen, who
arc ever at their posts to guard the com
munity from danger—the sixty or seven
ty Sons of Temperance, who look well to
the interest of their parents —the other
Temperance societies, who have all put
their hands to the plow and their should
ers to the wheel, with no thought of ever
looking back.
You may ask, why arc wc so confident
of success ? Why, sir, we will appeal
to the good sense of the people. We
will appeal to you, fathers ! Have you a
son ? tell him to come with you to the
polls and deposit your vole in favor of a
law which will free your country from
one of the greatest evils that ever cursed
a nation. Are you a son ? go to thy
father and say to him, that lie must asisst
you in liberating our beloved country
from the blighting influence of the serpent
of serpents, whose sting is as poisonous
and destructive to life and health as the
sting of those which stung the Isrcalitcs.
if not so speedy. Arc you a mother ?
take thy son by the hand and point him to
the ballot box, tell him that is the only guar
anty of freemen, and that his first vote
must be recorded in favor of the only
measure which will secure bis mother
from being the companion of a dunkard
for life, and his sister from becoming the
; wife of an inebriate, who is destitute of
all honor, all care for a family, all gov
ernment, all conjugal affection, and all
those kind feelings of sympathy which
render home a heaven on earlK Arc you
a sister P Go to thy father and brothers,
and with the sweet kiss of affection, im
plore them to save thee from a life, which
is worse than death, that of being a
drunkard's wife, a drunkard’s slave, and
the mother of a drunkard's children.
Arc you a wife ? Go to thy husband,
throw thy arms about him, entwine thy
loving tendrils of confidence and affection
around the inmost recesses of his nature,
and with the same lovely smile that won
his manly heart, urge him to maintain
that high position and standing which se
cured your confidence and affection ; and
never to betray that confidence, never to
sink to the level of that man, who. for
the sake of a few dimes, will deal in (he
most deadly poisons, which destroy both
soul and ho ly.
Young ladies, we implore you to set
' your face against this mighty, this grow-*
| mg evil, as you will be the principal suf-
S ferers, provided this law should be dc
j feated. Then set your face against every
j young man, who even indulges in modcra
j tun; for every poor bloated sot was once
| a moderate drinker. The morals of the
j young men in our Territory, depend upon
i your action; as you say, will they act.
If you discountenance drunkenness, bv
rejecting their addresses and company even
in your social circles, you will most ef
fectually cure any young man who only
(takes it occasionally; for no one can
| withstand public opinion, especially when
the ladies constitute the public.
Your influence is felt where ycu are
never seen ; it is not confined to your
own homes. Those sweet smiles of ap
probation, or the frowns of contempt, go
with the youth to the drinking saloons,as
well as the fashionable parties; the one
to encourage him to reform, and the other
to deter him, with the penalty of your
displeasure. “ Drunkenness, dissipation,
all notions of false pride, all false honor,
all the lower grades of vice and sensu
alilv, would be rebuked by your frown,
and driven by your contempt into the
darkest shades ot oblivion ; while purity
of thought, lofty intellectual improve
ment would spring and flourish under
jo ir patronage, as the flowers of spring,
in the mild sunshine of summer.”
Respectfully,
G. 11. S.
• We never presumed that the officer* of the law would
be compelled to yield to resistance. There will pro t ».
bly be no reslManrc worth naming. Our respected ami
it alone correspondent is a “ new comer” to Minnesota
beside, being a gentleman of habits and business that
never load him Into Intercourse w ith that c1. 8 ,0f persons
who will not be apt to respect the letter and spirit of the
law. Much to our disgrace as a community, nwholesome
law upon our statute book, Intended to prevent gambling,
e ß .| a ''s ? o.’'u'' r ‘ T ' ,n ' ,< ‘ xc< ' ution haa never been resist
ed.— Ld>. Minnesotian.
It is remarkable that while the number
of emigrants from Ireland for the United
States has increased during the last quar
ter, the proportion of children under 14
has greatly fallen off.
KENTUCKY WHIG CONVENTION.
Louisville, Feb. 25.
The Whig State Convention met here
yesterday. Hon. Chilton Allen presided.
Gen. Coombs presented a series of reso
lutions. The Convention also passed a
resolution, recommending a National Con
vention to be held at Louisville, on the
17th of June; a resolution approving of
the Compromise measures ; of appropria
tion for Rivers and Harbors ; one eulo
gizing Henry Clay and Attorney Gener
al Crittenden ; disapproving of Foreign
Intervention, and giving th«public lands
to the Stales in which they lie, were pas
sed.
With reference to the Presidential'-
question, a resolution was passed that
Millard Fillmore had done his best to
tread in the footsteps of Washington,
and was entitled to the gratitude and con
fidence of the people of the United
States ; that the Whigs of Kentucky
will cordially unite and do their utmost
for any nominee of the Whig National
Convention,and they present ihc name of
Millard Fillmore for the consideration of
that body.
New Yoiik, Feb. 14.
In the Massachusetts Senate, a Com
mittee has been appointed to inquire what
action shall be taken to procure the resto
ration to freedom of the four negro citi
zens of Massachusetts, who were re
cently sold into slavery in Galveston,
Texas, for attempting to abduct slaves.
New- York, Feb. 26.
Mr. Webster received, by the Atlantic
this morning, important despatches from
the American Minister at Paris. Their
tenor, is unknown, but it is stated that
Mr. Webster will be obliged to return
immediately to Washington.
New York, Feb. 27.
Hon. Daniel Webster was entertained
last night at the mansion of Henry Grin
ned. On Saturday evening, he will be the
guest of Nelson Robinson, Esq.
The call for the meeting in this city, on
the 4th of March, to nominate Webster
for the presidency, which was put in cir
culation on Saturday last, is said now to
contain 7000 names.
The Ben H. Campbell. —ln describ
ing (his boat heretofore, we have relied
on data which exagerated her dimensions
in some particulars, and failed to do them
justice in others. Speaking by the card,
wc (ind her dimensions as follows :
Length from stem to stern, 197 fectf
length of keel, 180 feet; breadth of
main deck 28 1-2 feet; breadth of beam,
29 1-2 feet; depth of hold, 5 1-2 feet;
number of boilers, 3 ; length of boilers,
24 feet; diameter of boilers, 40 inches;
length of stroke, C feet ; diameter ot'
wheels, 26 feet; length of buckets, 10
feet; diameter of cylinders, 19 inches.
The main error in the previous des
cription, was putting down the cylinders
at a diameter of 18 instead of 19 inches ;
a very important matter. Old steamboat
men shook their heads, when they noticed
the disproportion between the size of the
wheels and that of the cylinders. A
twenty-six foot wheel and' an 18 inch
cylinder, they said, would be like putting
a fast horse into a heavy chaise, and ex
pect him to make a mile inside of 2.40.
Let us sec how important an inch in di
ameter is, to a pistron head driving the
crank, and through that the wheel of a
steamboat. “ Circles are to each other as
the squares of tiieir diameters;” and the
power exerted on the heads of piston
rods 18 and 19 inches respectively, in di
ameter, would not be as IS to 19, but as
(he square of 18 is to the square of 19.
Now the square of 18 is 324, and the
square of 19 is 361. The number of
square inches on the head of a piston rod
18 inches across, is 254 1-2, and the
number of square inches on the head of
a piston rod 19 inches in diameter, is
283 1-2 ; giving a difference of 28 square
inches. Now, if the engine is working
under a pressure of 100 pounds of steam
to the square inch, more or less, then
there will be 29 hundred pounds, more or
less, of power, according to the pressure,
expended, twice to a revolution of each
wheel, than it her cylinders were 18 in
stead of 19 inches, which amounts to
something, as the reader will conclude.
The B. H. C. is to be rigged with a
fire engine and hose, so powerful as to be
able in case of need, to put out fire at a
moment's warning.
She \\ ill have her state room accommo*
dations for one hundred passengers.
Galena Jldv.
A Leper.— The following account of a
leper, from the pen of Mr. Counter, a
late traveler in the East, will afford our
readers a pretty correct notion of the ap
pearance of the sufferers by tliat strange
disease : “ One evening while strolling
a.ong the sea shore, I saw such an extra
ordinary object before me, that I could not
take my eyes off ot it. It was a man,,
whose clothing, like that of the lower or
tiers of India, was a piece of cloth wrap
ped around the body from the waist down
ward. Ilis skin was perfectly white,
and c emed glazed, as if scared with a hot
iron. Ilis head was uncovered, and his
hair, which was precisely the same color
as the skin, hung down in long strip*
upon his lean and withered shoulders.—
His eyes, with the exception of the balls,
were a dull murky red, and he kept them
fixed on the ground as if it were painful
to him to look up, which I found to be
the case. lie walked slowly and feebly,
and lie was so frightfully thin that he
seemed to stand before me a living skele
ton. I moved towards him, but he walk
ed farther from me, beseeching me to
give the smallest trifle to a miserable
man, an outcast from his home and his
friends. He told me not to come near to a.
polluted creature, for whom no one felt
pity. He told me he had, during many
| years, suffered dreadfully from the lepro
sy; and though he was now cured, the
corpsc-like whiteness of his skin gave un
mistakeable evidence, that he had once
been a leper.— jlrthur's Home Gazette.
Immense Train.—A train of 95 cars
drawn by two locomotives, ran over the
Hudson River Railroad, a few days since..
It was more than a mile in length.