The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, March 29, 1853, Image 2
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*
F. om 'he Charleston Mtrcury. y i
iHodi'rn rpiriiiialhai-A PopuSar Do- !
hiKiou.
"Ram avi- in terns, nigrtque |
Siniillima rygno."?Ovid.
a ra-p oira on the earth, anil very
Like a black swan."
Mestrs. Editors?Everv day we hear or read
something about the so-called spiritual rappiugs..
What are they? Men, women and children are
now alike engaged in making them the topic ot i
frequent conversation. But, who knows or pretends
to know, how much is true and how much
false in this strange and wonderfully mysterious
story, which conies down from Rochester ? Shall
this pen, now resting, now running, as the case
may be, upon a quiet table, with thoughts grave,
or gay, lively or severe, to draw a just and true
picture of what the world has tampered with for
centuries, and was much more common in the
dark days ot old, tliau it lias been, 01 is m our
time ? What schoolboy has not laughed over
the records of the curious and enlightened deeds
of wise men of old, who, in eager chase after forbidden
knowledge, became mad, and wont, with
superstitious awe, to consult witches, and to seek
the dead? Gentle and respected reader, rest assured*
that we shall try not to shock your nerves,
or disturb (if it be possible,) your temper, in the
few remarks here put before you, to be read per
haps, over a cup of tea, and digested with your
breakfast?and we shall not bo too deep nor too
light, nor too long. Seeking the dead ! "W ho
has not read and heard of it ten thousand, titnes
before he knew, read, heard or dreamt of modern
spiritualism?the strange rapping??and the j
r restless tables at Rochester?
"Heaven from all creatures hides the hook of fate,
All but the pago prescribed?their present state:
From brutes what men, from men what spirits know;
Or who could suffer being' here below?"
> Essay on J fan.
The love of knowledge, like superstition, forms
a part of those elements which make up the curious
compound being, man. The first grand
and fatal crime of the first created man, was to
take forbidden fruit from the tempting tree of
knowledge, and we all know and feel the result.
Fortunately for the living, the dead is, by a law
of nature, soon put into a condition in which it
must be buried out of our sight?and the graves
*""*? are silent. The decree has gone forth, "dust j
thou art, and unto dust thou sbalt return.''?
This is the law of equality between the king and
the beggar. But of ail thii gs upon earth, the
soul of man is the noblest, the breath of God
^ iuuuc iiiaii <tii immuruu uciij";, itiiu iiiv owui uc?er
dies. Where is it when the body, its earthly
tenement, is cold in death ; when the flesh is
dust, and the bones are dry ? In one day and
in one moment, to which each passing hour leads
us forward, each immortal spirit shall return to
earth, and these dead bodies shall put on immortality.
liut where are the spirits of the dead !
Do those loved ones, who have thus, as it were,
fallen asleep, and gone, before us, to the place of
departed spirits, yet linger around our homes?
are they sent back to be our guardian angels
uj>on earth, or as they passed through the dark
valley of the shadow of death, have they gone to
dwell in a world of eternal light, where the wicked
cease from troubling and the weary are at
rist' If they are ever near us, arc they the
blessed and happy messengers of Cod, or do they
come back voluntarily at the call of man, to hold
the most familiar chit chat, not only with nea??d
dear relations, or intimate and beloved
friends, but with any idle stranger? Is there
any communication between the souls of dead
and those of living bodies? Any number of such
.. questions might be made and argued; but we
are uot to be too long or beyond our depth, and
therefore must come at once to the subject before
us. Reason is the noble prerogative of man,
and passion belongs to his animal nature?yet,
the latter often strikes down and blinds the former.
Let us, therefore, be calm, and let the
mind think while the heart feels. '-Ratio, quasi
quaalam lux, lumenque vita?. Cic. Reason is as
it were, the light and the ornament of life."?
And yet, the lofty pride of intellect is. alas how
often ! subdued and humbled in the dust, when
the storm of ungovernable passion disturbs the
? ?'inmost soul and drives the mind to madness.?
Hence, we shall write more in sorrow- than in
rude and insulting ridicule of those, who, rashly,
__ :til !_ . ...m. .1
or even wuuiy, sees communion wiui me mourned,
the loved, the lost. A word from the spirit
world, the boundless region of infinity and immortality?a
word coining to the ear of friendship
and of love! What a gentle, yet powerful,
and almost irresistible appeal to the Wrongest, >
purest, and best affections of the heart! lint
let us for one moment think, is the sound which 1
we hear true or fal>e?is this a fact, a dream, a
vision, or only the idle and flitting fiction of a
fevered brain? Is it sanity or madness to believe ;
all which we see and hear? We are not di<p<>s-'
cd to east off with th<' cry of "humbug," any of j
the mystery or doubt in which the grave subject i
of our contemplation is necessarily involved; that
is the course most commonly pursued by the !
vain, the ignorant and the idle?those who have ,
not knowledge or wLdoin enough to divide the ,
true from the false, and to reach a right coticlu- j
sion by the trying process of laborious and pa- j
tieut investigation. A'or are we to be prejudiced ,
by the fact that this modern spiritualism, like
Mcrmaidism, Millerism, Morinonism and Ko>-,
suthism, and other ronder.s of tlie same class,
did not originate, has not f und many advocates, i
and shall probably not long survive amongst us. j
This process of rapping is undoubtedly a subtle j
? - mode of acting, in the dark, upon the soft heads
end hearts ot mankind?and behold the eonsc-j
quences?one set is confused, a second confoun ,
ded, and the third run mad, and made fit inmates
for the Lunatic Asvltun. This is the case
in and about tin* region of its nativity?but, we j
must confess that our attention is now and then J
turned to some around us, who, if not fully per- j
Minded of its truth, yet seem to be in great doubt
about the falsehood of this curious system. Yes, j
the so called spiritual tappings are, here, some- j
L times very seriously discussed (who of us has not j
heard and wondered,) and therefore I beg that |
you will not think me mad, or nearly so, if I do ;
not treat the whole matter as simply absurd, to !
pav no more. Some of iln.se who witness and
engage in these communications, arc amongst!
the educated, refined and respected members of
society, (so miirh the more lamentable and danv
geroits the d' liMon) and if these err, and are deceived,
tlis is no vulgar, or harmless humbug,I
r but a real popular debt don. The writer of this !
' article has never sought, thi* intercourse with the
dead, nor docs he ever expect to do so. Mi |l(,t
f as fir from right and reason now. as it < \, r \\a<,
for the living to become so. key ?T tie- d ad?
And here it will not !? out of place to introduce
some ancient and sacred authority from tin- Hi- '
blc as to the nature of this mode of obtaining
knowledge.
L Ueuicronomy 13, lr' 1- :
10. There shall not be found among y ui anv .
one that maketh his son or his daugho r to pa -s |
ihrotHi the fire, or that us. th divination, or an i
L"
observer of the limes. or an enchanter, or a witch.
11. Or a charmer, or a consuller with familiar
spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12. For all that do those things are an abomination
unto the Lord, Arc.
Isaiah 8, 10, 20 :
19. And when they s!:rdl say unto you, seek
unto them that have f.uniiiar spirits, and unto
wizards that peep and mutter; should not a people
seek unto their God ? for the living to the
dead?
20. To the law and to the testimony: if they
speak not according to this word, it is because
there is no lijjlit in them.
1 Svimilel fll. Ofi. v. 7. 11.lil.lfi.
7. Then said San] unto !iis servant.*,.seek me
' a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may
go to her and inquire of her, Arc.
11. Then said the woman, whom shall I bring
up unto thee? And lie said bring me up Sain[
uel.
13. And Samuel said to Saul, why hast thou
disquieted mo, to bring me up, <fco.
10. Then said Samuel, wherefore then dost
; thou a;k of me,seeing the Lord is departed from
! thee.and is b ceine thine enemy?
The interview between the departed soul and
the king, was entirely unsatisfactory to the lat|
ter, and there was l.onc of that familiar chit chat
which we now hear so much of in the modern
exhibitions of familiar spirits. Anger, denunciation
and warning of his speedy destruction, was
proclaimed to him by that awful voice, and we
are told that "Saul fell straightway all along on
the earth, because of the words of Samuel: and
there was no strength in him; for he had eaten
no bread all the day nor all the night."
TO BE COXTINL'ED.
Tlie Peace o? Europe.
The London correspondent of the Philadelphia
American writes as follows, under date of tiOth
ult.:
Thy pence of Europe was never in a more
threatened condition than at this moment. The
"amicable relations" which are so frequently adverted
to by members of the government, certainly
cannot justly apply now to our position
with other European governments. We are
openly distrusted by Austria. We have always
?at least fur a fentuiy?stood in an antagonistic
position with respect to Russia; and, notwithstanding
the professions of the Emperor of the
French, the increase in our naval armament and
army, the enrolment of the militia, and the fortification
of the whole coast, show pretty plainly
what faith is placed in these professions by the
home government. Prussia finds it a matter of
policy, independent of inclination, to f.vor the
views of Austria; and thus, it may be said that
the whole of the Continental powers are disaf
fected towards England. Daily the breach grows
wider, and the events of the past ten days are
rapidly extending it, until it promises to become
very serious.
The position of Turkey is one of imminent
danger. The dismemberment of the Empire is
a theory which has long been cherished by Austria
and Rus?ia; while Prussia, who would expect
to come in for a slice, would not be averse
to such an event. Every opportunity likely to
tend to such a result is eagerly seized by Austria,
and every pretext employed to insult and
annoy Turkey, which chance or contrivance can
give it. The Montenegro question was eagerly
taken as an opportunity for concentrating a large
body of troops on the Dalmatian frontier, and
the despatch of a special envoy to Constantinople
with demands couched in a tone of insolence,
and an autograph letter from the Emperor Francis
Joseph, dictated in imperious tonus, to the
Sultan. These demands were the surrender of
the ports of Euttarina and lvlock, 011 the Dalmatian
coast, through which the Montenegrins
receive their supplies of arms and animation?a
claim by Austria 'to be the protector of Christianity
in the East, and a recognition by the Porte
of the independence of the Montenegrins. Five
days were allowed by Count Leiningen for the
ultimatum of Turkey. An additional three days
has been asked by the Mini.-,;, r. Fund Elf-ndi.
Hie Ministers of England and 1* ranee have had
frequent interviews v.iih the Ottoman Minister,
and have supported him in his determination not
to comply with the demands made by Austria.
It is, however, rumored that the intervention of
France will be risked by Turkey and accepted by
France. Whatever the result of this negotiation,
England will stand by Turkey. One fact,
alone, will compel her. The total amount of
wheat imported into England, last ye?r, was
about G,"50,000 quarters. Of this large quantity,
no le>s than 3,350,000 quarters wore supplied
by the East, or, at lea-t came by way of
Oalutz, from Hungary and Turkey. The absorption
of this large empire by Austria and Ilus.-ia
would not be allowed quietly by England or
France. Vet there is no question that an eflbrt
is b"ing made by the three I'uwers most interested
t-> aecomj lish this r suit as quietly as poswtl.V
? 'I ! .* nvotdc nl \I il'itt f'Mitt .1 * ?i 1 Willi 11 ol .
tempted assassination of the Kmpcrur of Austria,
have h-d ih' for. oovernmcnts to h-dieve that
these wi !;. !, mad :ittoin]<t^ have been concocted
in London, which i> d.-cnn-d the hot-bed of
revolution.
An cnoritdio note on t!ie subject of the refugees
in London and Jersey, remonstrating with
tlie Kn?_r!i-!i no veru incut, is said to have been
prepared by .M. I ironyu do Lhnys, to bo jointly
ioruaid-'d by Austria, France and Russia, to
Lapland. That tiiis will have tlie effect of eausino
England to expel the fugitives, is not for a
moment to be supposed That any other result
will satisfy the coinjilainiiy (loveriiinenis cannot
be exjiect'd: 1 hat the breach between tbein,
now existing. will l>? lessened thereby, is not
likely. Thus we are slumbering on a smouldering
volcano. The oxjilusion cannot be. prevented;
and, when it does take place, which sooner
t r later, it will?it is to bo hoped we shall find
our bouse in older.
Lord Clarendon is now in possession of the
seals of the FoYoijrii < )flie... They were delivered
to him on Monday, and lie made bis appearance
in Downing street on Tuesday. His capabilities
for bis high ollice are many. His extensive
knowledge of fore;on allairs, added to great
?lij?]oin;itic exjM*ricnc<\ tc-iii|?c,ro?l with a known
moderation, and considerable personal jiialilicatiotis,
w!ii< 11 he can hrim; to the discharge of his
duties, will i^ive him, no doubt, t*;;?*i!iii?--? lor the
transaction of the Ini-iness of this most important
oilice which few men iiave. lie possesses
the confidence of the i^neen, hi- colleagues, and
the people, in a marked derive, and with tin* advantage
of the experience of Lord I'ahiior-ton
and the Jvirl of Alt rdeeti. I. ah eminent. S<vr<"|nii*
s of Stale for foreign Allairs. to aid with their
e-am-> 1-, in any ipa -ti>>n of deja acy or of d.lli?ully,
hi- man element of thi> department of the
thjv -rnment will, no d he emin'Mitlv '-atisfavtory.
At t!ii. eriti al and trying iiiomenl,
stu h a man in I lie i .. . i_^n i );lice is an advantage
lo the nation a!m?.-t incalculable. Lord .lohn
Mussel I s tenure ot ollii-e, seven weeks in duration.
has not passed without a display of his
qualifications for business; and his conduct du.
ring this short term, for its energy and the main- j
! tcnance of the dignity of England, it is said, up- 1
| on good authority, entitles him to great praise. I
One Week Later from Mexico.?By the
j arrival of the hark Brazilliero, from Vera (
Cruz, at New York, ou the ISthfrst., we re. 1
ceived through the journals of that city, the 1
following intelligence, up to the 4th instant. 1
The Kco publishes, from the Orden, of Mexico.
the following paragraph: 1
>Senor Mtmoz Ledo, one of the present cabi- :
net has certainly determined to he the evil
genius of our country, since his great desire is '
to place obstacles in the way of every thing.
Fie it was who retarded the revolution of Jalis- I
j co, acting with Don Mariano Arista, and
i against Gen. Urnga; he it was who retarded 1
; the regulation of the Telmantepec ufTair in a 1
i manner which does him little honor, and which
I had it not been for Senor Cevallos, would '
have embroiled us in a war with the United ]
States. Lastly, lie wishes, at the present moment,
to initiate a civil war.
Alarming rumors wore in circulation, set 1
afloat by some persons interested in maintain- 1
ing public agitation. InTacubuya it was said
| that fcsenor Lombardini, the actual President, i
j hud been sent to prison, and Senior Blancarle, .1
; General of Biigade. murdered. . !
The Governor of Durango, in aacortl with
his council, had voted for Santa Anna as President;
so had the government of Aguascalientes.
This makes eleven votes for the General. '
The sentiment of Vera Cruz was also in his
j favor.
j The Universal says that there were rumors 1
I of disagreement between the President and the 1
chiefs of divisions in the capital?that Senor ]
Uraga was opposed to dispatching on Guana- '
juuato the forces destined to subdue that point 1
?that resi-tnnce came from the troops themselves,
supported on the plan of Silao?that !
Senor ftobles had gone to surrender the command
of his division, and that great alarms '
were felt. The Univors|^ however, could noU <
elucidate the causes of these rumors, which it
disbelieved. '
Prom Yucatan, the dates arc to the 2Gth 1
"i i ? > .i- ?. _ i ,r.i c*.... I
1 reuruary. m jweriua, me capuui 01 uicouuc
j they had been performing the same old revol- j
utionary drama, upsetting the Governor, IJarbachano,
and providing for a new election,
sustaining Setior Vega at the head of the anny
making war against the savages.
The government had ordered the two small
ports ufHuatulco and Atlanta to be closed in
four months, they not possessing sufficient natural
advantages.
General Blancartc had left Mexico, with a
brigade of fifteen hundred men and six pieces
of artillery, to bring to terms the State ofGuan .
ajnato, which would not adopt the revolution.
Senor Don Ignacio Mora Villamil had ar
rived at Teliuantepe.c, commissioned by the
government to deliver up the Isthmus to the
representatives of the trdoo company. ,
Santa Anna at t'artliagcna. <
As .S:mla Anna is about to return to Mexico, t
to take position once more at the head of affairs, |
everything in regard to his past life will be read i
with deep interest. 'J'iic Courier dcsEtatsUnis, t
of New York, contains the following interesting <
letter on the life of the Mexican Dictator in his (
retreat in New Granada The writer, who was (
a Kivnchman, visited the General in company j
with a distinguished Englishman, at Turbaco, t
six leagues from Carthagena. He has been re- j
siding here for nearly two years, in company t
with his young, beautiful, and accomplished wife, '
and his daughter by a former marriage. This (
writer says: ,
"His style was quiet and uniform, nor did the j
presence of guests interfere in the least with his ]
daily routine. Every morning, after a cup of ,
cofil-e, the General mounted his horse and rode \
lor a couple of hours. On his return he bathed, ,
and breakfasted at ten o'clock. At noon, pre- j
cisely, he entered his private cab net, where lie
ivi .-ivcil .-ill who called on business, and "call ula
ted interest so nicely that ho might have told
you the productive value of a shilling for a quarter
of an hour." In fact, it is said that ho played
tin; part of an adroit and most successful
money lender.
' Alt?*r those daily toils were over, the custom- j
ary siesta of the country refreshed his jaded
senses; and then, five times everv week, the J
neighboring sportsmen flurlwd to his house with
their choicest fjavte corks. The pit was imniedi
.rely tilled. Santa Anna took the seat of honor, J
to preside over the gladiatorial poultry, and eve- j
rv main absorbed enormous bets, in which he .
was commonly a loser of the dollars he had gainen
in tin? morning by his commercial usury.? '
| Vet the patient exile lost his doubloons apparcnti
ly with a> much coolness as lie had made I hem. |
I "1 > {'.>;o the six o'clock dinner the Genera! iu!
dulged again in the luxury of a bath; and when- *
! evi r hi- table was honored by the piosence of an
i eminent visitor, lie did not fail, no nmttei how
j hot tie* weather, to gratify his personal vanity
i by appearing at table in full t.iilitary costume,
llis meals were not only sumptuous but luxurious,
and no one seemed (.> enjoy thein more than
the \mj)hi/!rio)t liitnseif. At night?cards,rati|
sic, wine, smoking, and sometimes dancing, filled |
i up the hours until midnight, when servants api
p.-ared to show the strang"is to their apartments *
J where they might choose a conch or a hammock ^
j and sleep in comfort, beneath mosquito nets, utti
til day dawn. As soon as the first rays of light |
appeared, the guest was aroused by the entrance
of servants w ith fresh fruits and coffee, to com- ,
mence a day which was to he a precise counter
. i,
> s
"This jiicl lire of Santa Anna's life, varied by .
occasional fleams of ambition?which may now .
and then be remarked even beneath his impassive
eoldm ss?exhibits the predominant eliarac- I 1
teristics of this remarkable man; avarice, gam- i j
hling, eoekfigliting, vanity, and lust of power.?
I le'se are strange elements to form the leader ..
land ho/ir of a nation. It will no longer he sur|
prising that Mexico is as wretched as it. is, when N
I siu li a person has had the power, with few intermissions
in thirty years, to demoralize the peo
p|e and to use the (rovemiueul with the mingled |,
passions of a gamester and a mis- r.
'A et, with all his badness, Santa Anna is gift- s
I'd with a certain political witchcraft that has al- ^
! ways served a while to lull his country into rpii- ;|
jet, and to give it time to recover Irmn tlm ex- |
i h-mis!) >n of wasted energy. This may he the ,,
j cav now. Ihit the end will hi- a repetition of I
! the pa-t. Since 184!), Mexico ha< subsisted,on j |
! IIIt* ll|(M|l*y HI' IKIM1 MM V"'l 11 M M 11 Ml, <>111. III.II |> j |
I ii'iw exhausted, mill time al.nK* c.iii sieve lope L
j what other re sot lives will l?o resort e? I t<?." I (,
|i
'1 !i" N"\v < tripsin* I'irni/iinr denies the report j I
lately original?>?l in New York, that smother expo- ?l
<|itio:i sijpiiiHOibu is hcijijj originated at New (
< trjeans. r
Hr. Everett's Speech.
There \v;is a great crowd in the Senate galleries
on Monday last to hear the late Secretary
of State. Mr. Everett never fails ti assemble
a large audience, especial y of ladies.
He addressed the Senate on the aflairs of
Central America, making a most graceful introduction
and alluding to his connection with
the Government as Secretary of State and his
correspondence in an official capacity.
He likewise alluded must gracefully to his
recent entrance into the Senate of the United
States. The notice taken of his action by .Mr.
Douglas, in his recent speech, he considered a
high compliment.
Proceeding then more to his subject, he expressed
the opinion that the treaty made by
.Messrs. Clayton and Bulwer, was the best
thing that could be done under existing circumstances.
fie spoke of the disposition of
England to rennrve the causes of dispute between
us, and he said he had no doubt that, on
proper representation, the Government of Great
Britain would disavow the erection of the Hay
Islands into a colony. lie did not apprehend
any danger of a war between the two countries.
In the course of his remarks, he complimented
the President for having made, so far,
judicious appointments to foreign courts, saying
he had every confidence that the President
would send a suitable minister to the Central
American States; for it is more important
who is sent thither than tu London, Paris, or
St. Petersburg.
In his reply to Judge Douglas, he said
he did not want to annex Cuba, Mexico,
or any other territory. Just let ns have twenty-five
years of peace, and the mild and progressive
spirit of our institutions, and we will
have additional territory, to our heart's conLent.
The gentleman was highly eloquent, and
spoke upwards of two hours.
.Mr. Douglas made an explanation, when, on
motion of Mr. Mason, the neiidinir resolutions.
calling for information on Central American
; flairs, wore laid upon the tahle ; it being unierstood
that the President will hereafter communicate
the documents.
After an Executive session, the Senate adjuurned.
A Melancholy Confession.?We were
shown by our Tax-Collector, on yesterday, a
en dollar bill with the following endorsement
ipon it, written perhaps by some penitent) oung
nan, who, mourning over his follies, would
ivarn others from following in his footsteps:?
' Youths beware of gambling ; this is the last
>f twenty three thousand dollars, left rne by my
juod old christian father, the 1st of November.
1851, this is the 1st of September, 1852, all
spent at the gaming table in Charleston.
How startling and full of melancholy this
jonfesssion. that the ample legacy which a fond
went after years of toil and denial had aceuuulatcd,
and left to his child, should thus in
lie brief space of one year, be recklessly
ipcnt at the gaining table ! How potent the
spell which could thus lead on step by step the
leluded votary to his doom.?Perhaps, now,
ic who was once the possessor of this fortune,
s suffering the piuchings of poverty, and in
,he bitterness of his soul is reaping the fruits
jf his folly, a friendless and homehss wanderjr.
Of all I lie vices young and old are addicted
to, there is none more seductive and fatal
n its consequences, than that of gaming; it is
.he syren song, which lures incautiousyouth to
uin ; or the Dead Sea fruit, which is beautiful
0 the sight, but turns to ashes in the taste,
lo the gaining taide how many young men
;an trace back the commencement of their
Lnviilall and utter ruin ? Gambling and <l? iuk*5
are twin sisters and rarely found separate,
[s there then no young man in our midst to
A'hom the warning of this happy youth may
)d repeated ? If so, we would say, beware
.if the facilitations of the gambling table, and
1 the language, of the poet:
"Look round, the wrecks of play bc-hold,
Estates dismeinber'd, mortgaged, sold,
Their owners now to jails coutincd,
Show equal poverty of mind."
i /.a,...;;/., /?.........
uiwtvtiiv jj ri/i/cc/.
Six Davs in* a Gkave.?An account wnsgiv:n
a short time ago of two men and a boy liavng
boon hurried six days and six nights in a marl
'it at Evrcttvillo, in the department of the Seine
Lnfcrictlrs, and then rescin d. A narrative of the
iflair, derived from the sufferers, is now given in
i Molten paper. I.)uring the whole of that time
hoy were without food, without water, without
ight, and almost w ithout clothes; and th?*y were
n such a confined place that, with the exception
>f the boy, they could not stand upright.
ard, the eldest man, declares that during tho
vliole time he did not sleep more than two hour*;
jut his two companions, andcs|H-eially theyoung:st,
slept more. They slept back to back.?
I'liey f-lt no hunger, and I *? >it:ir?l says that even
I they had provisions they could not have touched I
hem; hut they experienced great thirst.
On the fourth day they found a little water
hick with marl, hy digging into the bottom of!
he pit. It was this water, probable, which preened
their strength. At tirst they heard the
loise of the pick-axes and spades above tliein:
nit during the last three days their breathing '
vas so loud as to prevent it from reaching them,
ind this eiiviim-tnncc naturally increased their
igoiiy of mind; they also feared the miners were j
ligging in a wrong direction. One of them had i
ifty chemical matches and a small piece of can- j
Hi.-; but though tiny often tried, they could nut, I
or want ofair, cause the candle to burn.
1 luring the latter part of the time they became
o exhausted as be unconeious of their position ;
ait they remember that tho boy once cried, as
f in a dream, "There is the rope; Ilriard, was able
0 shed teats; and when lie did so, the hoy con*
nled him by telling him that they were sure to
le rescued. The moment a breath ofair roachd
them the)' fainted, hut after a while recovered,
'lie first thing Hoitard said, on being rescued,
ras, "Give nie a pinch ofsnuilT' and betook it
1 i111 intense delight.?Guli'/iuini's Jfcsxi'iiyi r.
1v\itrii(jt'akk in Canada.?We find the folding
in the St. Catharine's (Canada) .lournal:
Kvidi-nt sign.-of an earthquake wore felt on
hiiiday morning last, for several miles around
his neighborhood. .Just about 5 o'clock, a. in.,
heavy shock was fell, accompanied bv a rum
< i~ i- -e i a., i . i
lllllg SOllllU, Us II IlimnieilS Ul IH'.IVIiy lauen >va
r.>n> wore passing the street; then followed three
I her shocks, wliich caused everything to trein?|e
to ils very centre. It was felt in the neigliniihooil
of (Irinishy, Jordoti, Thorohl, l!ie Kails,
jiieeiistiiii and Niagara. At Kort Mississaugua
wrvthuig reverherated again with the crash.?
'lie cause ot' this unaccountable freak of nature
ias not as yet been ascertained, but we have no
Ionbt it. has had its origin in the Niagara river,
r some jwrt of Lake Ontario adjacent to this
leighboi hoi m].
?.wr ;;.j? :Tf''r.TO>?v3uirjJt'jrr?
tJjf (Cfliitkii'll'eftiiij jtottntiil.
Tuesday, MarcSi 29, 1853.
THO. J. WARREN, Editor.
:W With much pleasure, wo insert the annexed
communication, correcting the statements of a former
correspondent. It is from the pen of one whose heart
and purse is ever open to the calls of charity, and
who, perhaps, knows more about the destitute of Cam.
den than most of her cit'zcns; for like his divine master,
he is "constantly going about doing good."
"Mr. Editor:?An article over the letter "X." appeared
in your paper a few weeks ago, setting forth
two very unwarrantable statements respecting the benevolence
of our community.
The writer is in error respecting the charge that,
"perhaps not a nother Town of the size of Camden in t.lio
U. S. which have not such a society organized." Now
the fact is on record, that long before our neiijlihmn'j
Towns had such an organization, we had a large, active
and influential "Female Benevolent Society," and so
liberal were they in supplying the wants of the poor,
11 - 1 ?1 ? a/1 fl.rtfr tlinlr Iiaii n + tt 1 irnturl it
II1U SICK, sum Uic Slllliuic-U, Uiug vuv.. vwuuV
| many applicants from adjoining Districts; but like many
other good undertakings, tlii3 Society had its day,
! and was numbered among the things that were.
j As regards a stranger having died last summer from
I want, it is an error susecpiiblo of proof. The Physician
who attender her, furnished her with ample means to
procure the necessaries of life, but they were spent to
gratify au appetite, which has killed its tens of thousands.
Your constant reader, Y.
Advance in Rail Road Stock.
Wo understand that Rail Road stock (without corresponding
shares in the Bank.) is now selling Charleston
at $102 per share.
Fire on the Rail Road.
On Wednesday evening last, when the passenger
train of the Charleston road had arrived within two
miles of Columbia, the baggage car was discovered to
be on lire. The train was stopped as soon as possible
I and the fire extinguished. The loss (some three or
four hundred dollars.) was confined ti the baggage.?
It is supposed that the fire originated either from a
spark finding its way into the ear, or from matches
among the baggage.
Congressional Election.
lion. W. F. Colcock having accepted the Collectorship
of the Tort of Charleston, has resigned his seat
as Representative of the Third Congressional District.
Col. L. M. Keitt, of Orangeburg, and Col. W A. Ow
ens, ot Barnwell, are announced as candidates to till
the vacancy.
??F* Tlic Washington correspondent of the Winnsboro'
Register mentions it as one of the on dits of the
city, that Col. J. D. Ashmorc, of Sumter, is an applicant
lbr the Consulship at Havana.
Fayetteville Plank Roads.
The Fayetteville Observer says: "Wo understand
that a notice will appear in our next of the opening ot
books for subscriptions for continuing the Fayetteville
and Western Plank Road from Salem to the Virginia
line, via Betliania and Mount Airy. At the Virginia
lino the road will connect with the Turnpike in
that Stale, now nearly completed. We further learn
that it is determined by the people of the up-countrv
that the work shall at once go ahead to Mount Airy.
Among the appointments by the President, we
observe that of the Hon. Green W. Caldwell as Superintendent
of tlic Branch Mint at Charlotte, X C.
A Big Sweep.?We sec it stated that Mr. DeBow,
tlic newly appointed Superintendent of the Census, discharged
upwards of one hundred clerks in one day.
North Capomxiaxs in- tiie Navy Department.?
Four North Carolinians have been called to the Navy
department since 1S29, viz: John Branch appointed by
General Jackson; Mr. Badger by General Harrison:
Mr. Graham, by Mr. Filiuorc; and Mr. Dobbin, by Gen.
Pierce.
There is a Bible still preserved, written on palm
leaves, in the University of Gottingen, containing 5,373
leaves. Another Bible of the same material, is at
Copenhagen. There was also in Ilans Sloaucs eollec
tion, more man twenty manuscripts in various languages,
011 the same material.
The Amaxthus Tree.?Congress has.solemnly proscribed
this tree in an especial act. To the item in
the civil and diplomatic appropriation bill, providing
for setting out the public grounds at Washington with
trees, is the condition that no more nlianthus trees be
purchased or planted in the public grounds.
It is said that Barnum lias engaged the Siamese
Twins for another tour through the United States and
Europe at $5,000 a year.
The Chief of Police of New-York, reports that there
are in the city 5.724 licensed places where liquor is
sold: .'151 where it is sold without license, and 5,1GG
places open on Sunday, contrary to the ordinances of
the"city. The whole number of places, licensed and
unlicensed, where liquor is sold and drank, is 0,575.
The Fourth Ward bears the palm in grog-shops.
Making Arms hy Contract. ?Wo have
heretofore noticed that the Palmetto Armory
had received a contract from the late Sec ret a
ry, Mr. t'onr.nl, for the manufacture of some
arms tor the United States. A strong feeling
is prevalent in lavor of abolishing the national
armories, and h.ivingall the public aims amifact
u red by contract with (('sponsible manufacturers.
As a step towards litis change, we no
ticc that in the army appropriation bill there is
a elau-o directing the Secretary of War to report
to Congress whether, in his opinion, it
would not lie more economical, proper, and dvisable
to cause all the arms of the United
States to lie made by contract.
From what we have learned on the subject
we have little doubt but that the department
will report in lavor of the change, as the appropriations
asked for the national armories
are said to he so great as to make the arms
cost very high. I?e>iiles this, it would be a
legitimate mode of encouraging such manufactories,
and lead to the establishment of them
in various sections of the country.
South Carolinian.
Hogs Packed in the West.?The St. Louis
News questions the statement of the Cincinnati
Price Current in regard to the number of
hogs packed in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri.
It savs:
.. r . .1 i _ _ 1 1. a 1
Missouri is set <io\vii as naving siungim-ieu
only 87.200 head, when tlit' very lowest esti
mates we have heard is I ">0,000. and I'rom that
to 200,000 head. This city and one or two
other points we eonld name have alone packed
more hogs than are given to the whole State.
The figures for Illinois are nearer correct, but
when the full returns are in, we think the ('in.
i
^4
c iniuli statement will be I'ouiul to be full 50,000
short. Iowa, too, has packed I urge It over ^
i tiie number stated. The total in the three
.States is given by the Price Current at 464.70S.
j The best information lime is that the number
I packed on the Missouri, Mississippi and Illinois
1 rivers'and tlnough the interior, will exceed ,
i 000,01)0 head, showing a deficiency in the
statement of from 130,1)00 to 150,000 head.
I The increase, according to the statement in
j the three States, of the past over the previous
I season, was T-13,ii52 head. This is nearer
! correct than one might suppose, from the fact
j that the estimates of the previous season's
i work were like the present, entirely too low.
Taking the bust information here in -regard Jt
i to Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa, and the statejine.ntof
tli Price Current, for the remaining
I States, we think the increase on the entire crop
j can be very wifely put down at 500,000 head. *
Judge of the Supreme Court.?Tlie appointment
of John A. Campbell, esq., of Mobile,
to the vacant seat on the Bench of the Supreme
Court of the United States, is one that deserves "
the warmest approval of all true Republicans.
Mr. Campbell is personally a man of the highest
worth, and professionally we do not believe there
is in the whole country one of more profound
and enlarged learning, or one whose fine balance
and impartiality of mind, better fits him for the
high duties of a Judge. Mr. Campbell has long
stood aminent smong the State Rights leaders of
the South, and as one of her ablest and most
faithful defenders in all those questh ns that have
involved her interests and safety.? Charleston
Mercury.
Visitors to Florida.?A visitor to St. Au- j
gustine, writing to the Newark Eagle, estimates A
invalids who visit Florida for health at one
I bnnuniiil iho nnmhor lipiiKr evoru vo ir nn
? ? o ;j j"" ^
the increase. Board at St. Augustine; he tells
us, is "moderate," and the place greatly crowded.
Of that place he -says:
Although St. Augustine, for years past, has
enjoyed the reputation of possessing a fine climate
forth" cure of pulmonary complaints, yet *
there exists some objections to it on account
of its vicinity to the ocean, and its level situation.
That of the interior, and farther from
the sea, seem* to he more beneficial on account
of its exemption from the saline atmosphere.
Invalids who are troubled with bronchial affections,
scorn to be injured by the inhalation of
the salt air; and many have left the place and
derived more benefit by a stay at Jacksonville.
Yet I have known, and have recently seen,
instances where the almost exhausted victims
of pulmonary diseases, have found permanent
relief and benefit troni a winter's sojourn in
this oily ; and I have noticed, as a singular
fact, that those who had conic from inland
towns and cities, where they lived far from
bodies of salt water, and free from their effects,
have been invariably renewed in health by the
exhiiiarating influences of the sea-breeze; and
those who had residpd along the coast in seaport
cities, where they have breathed the atmosphere
of the ocean during the greater portion
of their lives, have found no change for
the better, in their health, hut often became
worse, even during a short stay. The former
derive assistance from the change of climate,
while the latter, experiencing hut little difference.
excepting from the mere distinction of
localities, find no relief, hut perhaps an aggravation,
to their disease, by the increased mois
ture or saltncss of (ho atmosphere. It possesses
many advantages, however, in its warm
and hland temperature, whieh will still continue
to draw numbers of those in quest of
health.
Commerce of South America.?The great
fact of the day is the navigation of the Amazon,
La Plata, and other South American rivers. It
is strange that so lich a field for commerce has
been so long neglected. Few countries have
been more favored by nature and cursed by
man, than the Southern Continent. Abounding
in inexhaustible mines, rich, rare and varied
products, it has long . been the object of
contention amoog uncivilized people and ambitious
loaders; it is now to lie opened to the
trade of civilized nations. No enterprise has
a more important bearing upon the commerce
and wealth of the world. 4
The last arrival from South America brings
the gratifying intelligence, that the Bolivian
Government, the most enlightened of all the
provinces, has thrown open the tributaries of
the Amazon and La Plata to every people.
Moreover, a reward often thousand dollars
has been offered to the master of the first steam- j
t r that reaches any one of those tributaries, by ^
the Amazon and La Plata. From this, decree
anew order ol tilings, will doubtless arise for
the mueh r.filictod Provinces of South America.
Al ead. has it been determined that a steamer
shall he sent to the Republic of Paraguay.
No vessel of Kuropean or North American
'I trade has ever entered this country. The
steamer will ascend the La Plata and Paraguay
rivers, a distance of eleven hundred miles, between
.Montevideo and A?cenicion, a country
rich in the most valuable products of exchange,
but : ever yet opened to the world. Mr. Hopkins,
long United States Consul for Paraguay,
and resident of Ascencion, has made an exceedingly
interesting report on its capabilities.
It has never been traversed by steam craft of
any description. The new steamer will perform
a monthly trip between the two cities, for
passengers and freight. The territory there
opened to commerce is three hundred thousand
square leagues.?Savannah Conner.
Cn mi aw and Darlington Railroad.?It
will be seen that the Hoard of Directors of the
above Company, have advertised to let the grading
of the Road at Darlington, Society Hill
ami Clk-raw, on the 20th, 2Sth and 29th inst. i
j This looks, really, a little like the "beginning of
: the end " We hope and trust that those of our
citizens who have nut heretofore subscribed for
i Stock, will now do so. We have, time and
! again, urged the importance of this Road, not
only to our merchants and real estate owners,
but al>o to the planters along the line. We
have given them examples of the effects of Railroads
elsewhere, in enhancing the priec of lands,
and insisted that the same results must follow
here. Have the facts set forth, and our reasoning
therefrom, fallen on indifferent and heedless
ears? Do those whose interests, we insist, aro
most to l>e promoted by the Road, demand more
oeeular demonstrations than we have before exhibited
? If so, then we arc prepared to meet
that demand by facts which have occurred within
a few weeks past, in this immediate vicinity.
Since the first of January last, several sales of
land have been made in this neighborhood.
These lands had been sold within the last few
years, so that the enhancement in value is not a
"matter of speculation, hut is based upon actual