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iff?. A / ^ $2 PER ANNUM. .,.??aT. IN ADVANCE NEUTRAL IN POLITICS?DEVOTED TO LITERARY, COMMERCIAL, AGRICULTURAL, SCIENTIFIC, GENERAL AND LOCAL INTELLIGENCE. VOLUME III. LANCASTER, C. ?., SOUTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 7, 1855, NUMBER 5!) 017*1 Tj? rp A T 17*0 I gentleman ,l d??l??>ce of fifteen or twenty | the iimn?n?v. nvnn ?n t? .1... I -? ?1-- ' OMjEJUI lflLEn). From Bent bin Missellany. THE MTDNIOHT DRIVE. I wan sitting ono night ill the general coach-offieo in the town of , reflecting upon the mutability of hutuau affairs, and taking a retrospective glance at those times when I held a very different position in the world, when ono of the porters of the establishment entered the office, and informed the clerk that the coach which had long been expected, was in sigh t, and would be at the inn in a few minutes. 1 believe it was the old High flyer, but at this distanceof time i ctnnot speak with sutlicieiit cor ainty. The strange story I am about to relate, occurred when stage coaches were the usual tniHlo or conveyance, hii i long before any more expeditious system of travelling had engaged the attention of mankind. I continued to sit l>y (be fire till tlie couch arrived, and then walked into the street to count the number of the passengers, and observe their appearance. I was peculiarly struck with the appearance of one gentleman, who had ridden as an outside passenger, lie wore a laige black cloak, deeply trimiurd with crape; bis bead was covered with a black travelling cap, surmounted with two or three crape ro-*>ttes, and from which depon led a long black tassel. The cap was drawn so far over his eyes that he had so.lie ditli ;ul y to see his war. A black scarf w as wrapped round the lower part of his face, so that bis countenance was completely concealed from my view. He appeared anxious to avoid observation, and hurried into the inn as fust as lie could. 1 returned to the office and mentioned to the clerk the strange appearance of the gcu lleinan in question, but he was too ' usy to pay any attention to what 1 h id said. I'reaeully afterwards a portor brought a small carpet-bng into the office, and place?l it upon the table. "Whoa* ba^ ia tiiHt, Timin*!" inquired the rterk. "I don't wish U) be personal," replied tho inau, "but I think it belong* to ," am I the fellow pointed at the Moor. ' You do no', moan him surely f" said the clerk. "Yea, I do though ; at any rate if he is not the gentleman I take him for, he in;t^ V; a second cousin of hi*, for he ia the -moat unaccountable individual (hat I ever dapped my eye* on. There ia not much good in him, I'll be bound." I listened with breathless anxiety to these word*. WI.en the man had tiuiahed i said to him ? "How was tho gentleman dressjd !" 4,In black." "'Had he a cloak on 1" "Yea." "It's the man I haw descend from the conch," I said to the clerk. "Where ia he 1" inquired the gentleman. "In the inn," replied the porter. "Ja J?c going to stay all night?" I inquire ft. "I dou'l know." i, ?.l l m 1 tk. -i 1. 1 in ?ci * U1WJI >C I VIIV VICI Rf !% ?! be ,nut U pen behind bin ear, and placed himself in frout of iho tiro; 'Scry odd," he ?e|Mkted. "It don't look woll," said ilie jailer ; *tnoi at all." Some further conversation ensued npon *ho subject, hut as it did not tend to throw ?any light upon tho personage in question lit in unnecessary for tue to relate it. A while afterward, tho clerk went into the hotel to learn, if possiblo, something inorc relative to this singular visitor, lie was not absent more than a few minutes, and whon he returned hi* countenance, I fancied, was more sedate than usual. I asked hiiu if be had gathered any further information. "There is nobody knows anything concorning him," he replied ; ' for when the servant* enter the room, he always turns his oaelc towards them. lie has not pi/KQU KI m niM'^ie iiHii/l11II: % I nng? IK) >\T nved. There i? a man who canto by the time couch, who attends upon him, but he does not look like a servant," "There i? somolhig extraordinary in,hi* history, or I am much deceived." "I am quite of your opinion," obaervod the cleric. While we were conversing some persons entered the ofHce to U e places by the mail, which was to leave early on the following morning. I hereupon departed, and catered the inn with the view of satisfying my Curiosity, if |>Ofoihlo, which was now rai?ed to thn utmost pitch. The servants, C remarked, moved nUmt more silently than usual, and sometime* I saw two or three of them conversing together, mrtto roer, as though they did not wish their conversation to be overboard hy those around them. I knew the room that the gentleman occupied, and stealthily and j unobserved stole up to it, hoping to hoar or aqg something that might throw some light upon hW character. I was not however, gratified in either r?>e|?eci. 1 li*4t?mi?l irtok Ui the offl 'w and ro uraf l wf mt bjr the Hra 'Dm cleik hikI I were Mill ron venting upon the *uhj ot, wh**n one of the girt* tame in, and ,nfi?r..?ed ino that ( w*? to gat a homo and g?g ready imnvdintely, to drive a miles. "To-night 1" I said in surprise. "Immediately !" "Why, it's already ten o'clock." "It's the master's orders; I cannot al ter them," tartly replied the girl. This unwelcome intelligence caused me to commit a great deal of sin, for 1 made use of a number of imprecations and expressions winch were quite superfluous and perfect!/ unavailing. It was not long before I was ready to coiuineuce the journey. I chose the fastest and strongest animal in the establishment, and one that had never failed in an emergency. I j lit the lamp*, for the night was intensely dark, and 1 telt Convinced that we should | recpiirc them. The proprietor of the ho- ' lei gave me a paper, but told me not to read it till we had proceeded a few nilcs on the road, and informed me at the same lime in what direction to drive. The pa- ( per, he added would give me further instructions. I was seated in the vehicle, busily en gaged in fastening the leathern apron on the side on which I sat, in order to pro- , loet my limits from the cold, when some- , body seated himself beside me. I heard the landlord cry "Drive on;" and, with- < out looking round, I lashed the mare into a very fast trot. Even now, while I write j I feel in some degree the trepidation which ( stole over me when I disco\ored who my companion was. I had not gone fur before I was acquainted with the astounding fact. It was as though ap electric shock had suddenly and unexpectedly been imparted to my frame, or as, in a moment of perfect happiness, I had been hastily, plunged into the greatest danger and distress. A benumbing chilliness ran through me, nnd mv mouth all at once became dry and parched. Whither was I to drivel I knew not. Who and what was my companion .' I was equally ignorant. It was the man dressed so fantastically whom I hud seen alight from the coach, whose appearance and inexplicable conduct had alarmed the whole establishment; whose character was a matter of speculation to everybody with whom he had come in contact. This was the substance of my knowledge. Ko. aught I knew, he might be . But no matter. The question that inost concerned me was, how was I to extricate myself from this dilemma ? Which was the host course to adopt I To turn back, and declare I would not travel in such a night, with so strange a person, or to proceed on my journey i I greatly feared the eonsoimen ces of the f.emer stop would l?e fatal to my own interests. Besides I should be ex|?osod to the sneer and laughter of nil wiio knew me. No: 1 ha 1 started and would projc sd, whatever might be the issue otjthe adventure. In a tew minutes we h id emerged from the town. My courage was now put to the severest test. The cheerful aspect of the streets, ami tlie light thrown from the lamps and a few shop win lows, had hitherto buoved me up, but my energy and flrmmsa, I felt. Were beginning to desert me. The road on which we entered was not a great thoroughfare at any time, hut at that late hour of the night I did not expect to meet either horseman or pedestrian to enliven the long and solitary journey. I cast my eyes before me, but could not discern a single light burning in the distance. The night was thick and tui- ' wholesome, and not a star was to be ftciVi in the heavens. There was another mar, tor which caused me great uneasiness. I 1 was quite unarmed and unprepared for any attack, should my companion bo dis poHtui 10 utKo advantage ot unti circum stance. These things Hashed across my iniiul, rih) made a more forcible impres*iot? than they might otherwise have done, from the fact of a murder have been committed in the district, only a f&w weeks l?efore, under tho iriiwt aggravated circmnntanf**. An bypotheais suggested it elf. Was this mail the perpetrator of that deed? the wretch who was endeavoring to o*eape from the olllocr* of jus tice, and was -tig iHtiaed with tho foulest ' au l blackest crime that man ^puld be ' guilty of| Appearances were against!, him. Why should he invest himself in ; such a mystery ? Whv conceal his fact in so unaccountable a manner ? What < but a man, who is cooscioti' of great guilt i of the darkest crime*, would no furtively enter an inn, ami afterwards steal away | under tho darkne** of the night when no i | mortal oyo could behold him ! If he was < sensible of in no- mi?< e, ln? might have do- < I ferred th > journey till the morning, anil i faced, with tho fortitude of a in an, the i [ broa l light of day, and the scrutiny of his i ' fellow-men. I say, appearance* were a- i gainst him, and I felt more and more con- < vinced, that whatuver hi* character was ? whatever hi* deed* might have been ?that the present journey was instigated by foar and apprehension for hi* personal i safety. But was 1 to be the instrument 1 of hi* deliverance t was I to be put to all this invonience in order to favor the esoano of tin aM?win f The thought distracted i me. I rowed that it ahould not bo so.? i i My heart chafed and fretted at 'he tank i that had heon put upon me. My blood tioilwl with indignation at the bare idea i oI luMifg made the tool of eo unhallowed i a purpose. I waa reaolred. I ground i uty teeth with ram. 1 graapod the rein* 1 a tighter hold/ f determined to be rid of i . 2ML, . .> ' aI ?,V4\ ' ^*1 . , .... V... stroy li1 in rather than it be said that In* sisted in his escape. At soine distanc< further on there was a river suitablu foi that purpose. When off his guard, In could in a moment bo pushed into tin stream : in certain places it was sullicient ly deep to drown him. One circumstance perplexed me. If he escaped, he couk adduce evidence against me. No matter it would be diilicult to prove that I hac any intention of taking away his life.? But should he be the person I conceived, he would not dare to come for ward. Hitherto wo had ridden without ex changing a word. Indeed, I had only once turned my eyes upon him since wt started. The truth was, I was too busy ?ith my own thoughts?too intent upoi devising sonic plan to liberate myself from my unparalleled situation. I now cast my eyes furtively toward him. 1 shu I dored as I contemplated his proxiination to myself. I fancied I already felt lib contaminating influence. The cap, as bo iurf, was uraw n over ins lace; tlio searl muffled closely round his chin, and onlv sttlH ient space allowed for the purpose ol respiration. I was most desirous of know ing who he was; indeed, had he been "the Man with the Iron Mask,1' so many years incarcerated in the French liastile, lie could scarcely have cx riled a greatei curiosity. 1 deemed it prudent to endeavor to draw him into conver ation thinking that lie might drop some expression that would in some measure, tend to elucidate his history. Accordingly I said? ' It's a very dark, unhealthy, night, sir." 1 le made no reply. I thought he might not have heard me. "A had night for travelling!" I shouted in a loud tone of voice. The in in remained immovable, without in the least deigning to notice my observation. lie either did not wish to talk, ur ho was do if. If he wished to he si lent, I was contented to let him remair so. It had not occurred to me till now thai I had received a paper from the landlord which would inform mo whither ir.y ex truordinarv companion was to he convey el. My heart sit Id mly received a new impulse ?it beat with hope ami expect* lion. This document might reveal to nn something more than 1 was lod to expect it might unravel the labyrinth iu which I was entuiig'ed, and extricate mo from at further ditliculiy. Hut how was I to do cipher the writing? There was Co othe means ot doing so than by stopping tin vehicle and alighting, and endeavoring t< read it hy the aid of the lamp which, feared, would afford hut a very impertec light, after all. Before I had recourse t< this plan, 1 deemed it expedient to ad dress, once more, my taciturn couip in ion. "Where am I to drive you to ?" I in quired in so loud a voice that the ir.ari started off at a brisker p ice, a* though had been speaking to her. 1 receive.i n< leplv, and, without further hesitation drew in the run*, pulled the paper frou my pocket, an I ahght -d. I walked to tin lamp, aud held the pajier as near to it a I .uv.,1.1 'l<l.. u i ? ? a i.'rum. I 11' t iiitim w riling n,w HOV fCr legible, and the light afforded me was h< weak tiial I had great dilHcttlly to dis cover its meaning. The words were fcv and pointed. The reader will judge o my surprise wlieu i read ibo following la conic sentence: "Drive the gentleman to Grayburi Cliurcliyard f I was inore alarmed than ever; iuj limbs shook violently, and in an iustan I felt the blood rty from my cheek*.? What d'd my employer mean by im posing such a task uj>on lite ? My for titudo in some degree returned, and walked up to the mare an I patted her 01 the neck. "I'oor thing?poor thing!" [ said you have a long journey before you, am it may be a dangerous one." ( looked at my companion, but lie ap peared to lake no notice of ?ny action* ami seemed .is indifferent a-s if lie wero i corpse. I again resumed my seat, aunt part cons-i|?xl inyself with the pro-pec oi being apeudiiy rid of him in sontowa; or other, a- the river I have already a I laded to was now only two or three mile distant. My thoughts now uiruel 10 tin extraordinary ulace _to which I was t< drive?Gray burn Guurchyard ! Wha could the in.in lo thorn at that hour o the night i II id ho somebody to meet something to ?eo or obtain f It wm in comprehensible?beyond the |>o*?ibilil; of huinnn divination. Was he insane or was be bout upon an errand |>orfocti< rational, although Tor the present wrap ped in ibo most iuipouotrable mystery I ain at a loss for language adequate t< convoy a proper notion of iny feelings or tlntl occasion. He sliall never arrive, internally ejaculated, at Gray burn Church yard ; lie shall n?vtr pass beyond th< stream which even now 1 almost heart murmuring in the distance ! Heaven for give mo for harboring such intentions I? But when I otlected that I might be as sistiug an assassin to fly from justice, conceived I was acting perfectly crrec in a<b>pting any means (no matter ho* had) for the obviation of such a cons'im mation. For aught I knew, his prasen '\j, * # ' ; L <MiKSK& < - /-fit ' t utuuuvu li.i-m, L?VJ IU Tiaifc WIO grave OI "1J his victim ; for now I remembered that er's the person wiio had so lately been inur- we dcred was interred in this very chu.chyard. gei We gradually drew nearer to the river, asy I heard its roaring with fear and trepida- | Th ? lion. It smote my heart with awe, when fori I I pondered upon the deed I had in eon; temptation. I could discover, from its as I rushing sound, that it was much swollen, i the - and this was owing to the recent heavy ! the rains. The stream iti tine weather, was pre . set lorn more th in a couple of feet deep, nei and could be crossed without danger or I of dillieulty ; there, h >wover, were places, I , where it was considerably deeper. On ! 1 , the occasion in ipieat'ou, it was more danr gcrous than I had ever knowu it. Thero ' , was no bridge constructed across it at this f'"1 i place, and people were obliged to get thro' M'" it as we'd as they could. Nearer an I 1 " nearer wo approached. The night was so wal ( dark that it was ijuite impossible to dis il"' ! corn anything. I could feel the beatings Wit of my heart against my breast, a cold WXi! C clammy sweat settled upon my brow, and ?wf?. my mouth became so dry that I fancied soU r I was choking. The moment was at I sl,e 1......1 .i- - ? 1 - Iiauu in.II Wits IU JUIL Illy rO-iilKltlUil to | lu'1 the tost. A few yards only separ itod us j a g from tlie spot that was to terminate inv rus journey, ami, perhaps, the in >rtal career fuai ! of my incomprehensible companion. The luu light of the lamps threw a dull, hi rid of; gleam upon the surface of the water. It rnii rushed furiously past, surging an I boiling 1 ' as it leaped over the rocks that here and g'o there intersected its channel. Without a gol moment's hesitation, I urged the marc ^lai forward, and ill a minute we were in the tlio ' midst of the stream. It was a case of to I life or death! Tile water caine down like yot a torrent?its tide was irresistible. There ues was not n moment to he lost. Mv own ?nt life was at stake. With the instinctive im feeling of self-pr ttcrvatiou, I drovo tlio ing " animal swiftly through the dense body of J water, and in a few seconds we had gain sir; ' oil the opposite hank of the river. We mo were safe, hut the opportunity of ridding ly i 1 myself of my companion was rendered, bin l?y the einorgency of the case, unavuil- ' ' able. rat! ' I know not how it was, hut I suddenly pla " became actuated by a new impulse.? tbe ' Wretch though ho was he had entrusted 4 ' his safety, his life, into my hau ls. There otli " was, perhaps, still some good in tlio man ; 4 * by enabling him to escape, I might be yot ? the instrument of his eternal salvation.? 1 lie had done me no injury, an 1 at no ne 4 ' period of his life he might have rendered ' good uflices to others. I pitied his situa- yoi r lion, and determined to render hi in what evt 8 assis anco I could. I applied the whip yoi * to the m ire. In a moment she seemed to sat ' be endowed with supernatural energy and ly 1 swiftness though he was a murderer? lain J though he was henceforth t > bj driven ' from sooiitv as an outcast?lie should not in " be deserted in his present emergency.? ' Ou we sped ; hedges, trees, houses, wore sin - passed in rapid succession. Nothing iin- ' a pedod our way. *V e had a tusk to per- yoi 1 form, a duty to fulfil ; dangers and ditfi- ' ? cullies tied before us. A human life do- 1 I pondcl upon our exertions, and every p:r i nerve required to be strained for its preb acrvalion. On, on we htirrioJ. My en- ' ? ihtiiiasm assumed the appe trance of mad- 1113 ) ness. I shouted to the m tre till I was phi j hoarse, and broke the whip in several ag< * places. Although we comparatively flow r over the ground, I ftucicd ww did not go ' f fast on nigh. My body was 111 constant for motion, as though it would give an iin- yoi potus to our tiiovcm -nU. My companion ga 1 appeared cotiscious of my intentions, and, fev for the first time, evinced an interest in m? p our progress, lie drevr out his h tndkor- att t chief, and used it incessantly as an i icon- pa - live to swiftness. Onward wo fled. Wo Oc - were ai! actuated by tlie same motive.? T'h.s -omicunlralion of ouorgy gave force I and vitality to our actions. tin The night had hitherto been calm, but tin tlie rain now began lodotcen 1 in torrents, pr. ; and at intervals we heard distant peals an I of ihuuJer. Still wo progressed ; wo were not to be baffled, not to be deterred; towe would yot defy pursuit. Large tiacU 1 of country were passed over with uinaz- op % ing rapidity. Obj.sMs that, at one mo- ini | ment were at a great distance, in another py l were reached, and in the next, left far be- pli k- hiinl. Thus we sped forward?thus we yo . socmen Co annihilate space altogether.? J yo s Wo were endowed with superhuman en- wfl orgies?hurried on l?y an impulse, in vol- ne , notary and irresistible. My companion it, t bee tine violent, and appuarod to think lot f wo did not travel quick enough, lie rose a I J oueo or twice from his seat, and at'.emp- tol . tod to take the remnant of the whip from of my hand, but I resisted, and prevailed Y? > upon him to remain quiet. yu ^ How long we wore occupied in thin do ,. mad an I daring (light I cannot even con- hh f jocture. We reached, at length, our dca- ae > tinalion ; but, alas ! we bad no sooner Hi i done so, tlian the invaluable animal that br [ had conveyed us thither dropped down be . dead! a a My companion and I alighted. I i I walked up to where the poor animal lay, fif" and was huav deploring her fate, when I fif?" - heard a struggle at a short distance. I w - turned quickly round, and beheld tlio I myatorioiit being with whom 1 had ridden t to fatal a journey, in the custody of two ?r r powerful looking men. fit "lie ! ha 1 I thought he wonld malce ni t for thin here piece," anid one of them.-? at e still has a hankering after his moth- Ix ? grave. When lie got away before, eil nabbed him here." Hie mystery was soon cleared up. The gr itleinau h.nl escaped from a lunatic w Iuin, and was both deaf and dumb.? _ e death of his mother, a few years bei, had caused the mental aberration. The horrors of that night are impre-se 1 vividly upon my memory as though y had ju->t occurred. The expenses of journey were all defrayed, and I was sen to J with a handsome gratuity. If rer ce.ised, however, to regret the loss L)i the favorite marc. ?hs Turnpike Boy and the Baakor. It was during a panic some years since 1 a gentleman whom we shall now call ve , Thompson,was seated with something IJi i mdnncholly look, in his back room, th telling his clerks paying away thous- !nt is of pounds hourly. Mr. Thompson, zoi s a banker of excellent credit; there p<> iled, perhaps, iu the city of London no bit ;r concern than that of Messrs Thomp foi >V Co., but at a in un :iit such as 1 II. ak of, no rational reflection was admit- m: ; no former stability was looked to ; tiu ciierul distrust was fe't and every one s r he 1 to his bank to withdraw his hoard | n i rful that the next instant would be too p<> forgetting entirely that this step was wi ill others,the most likely to ensu:o the I vv: i he sought to avoid. | II. Lit to return. Tuo wealthy c.ti.ien sal I inj oinily watching the outpjaring of his sn d, and with a grim siune listened to all uoroiis demands to his cashier ; tor ul- tcr ugh befell perfectly c:isy and secure as in lie ultimate strength of bis resources, ?pi lie could not repress a feeling of bilters as lie saw constituent after constilu- us rush in, and those be always foully gr; igined to be bis friends eagerly assist pe in tlie run upon bis strong box. to Presently tlie door was opened and a ha uiger ushered in, who, after ga/.iug a en luout at the liowilderc i banker, cool- Gi drew a chair and abruptly add res.-e 1 ,ju i : . tli 4 Voil will pardon me, sir, for asking ot her a strange tpicstion; but I am a ro in man, and like to come straight to m i point." ry 4 Well, sir, impatiently interrupted the nx icr. p( 41 have heard that you h ivo a run on th ir bau'e." pj 44 Well r hi; 4Is it true I" ce :toa!ly, sir, I must decline replying to bj ir very extraordinary <[uery. If, bow tb :r you have any money in the bank hi i bad better at once draw it out, and so hi isfy yourself; our cashioi xvi'.l instantpay you; an 1 the banker rose lis a Ci >t for the stranger to withdraw. ) co 14 Far from it, sir; I have not a sixpence j re your bauds." I hn Then may 1 ask you what is your bu tb ess here?" lb ' I wish to know if asm I'.lsum will aid rv n at this ino uciit I" Ji 14 Why do you ask that ?poitiou ?" tri ' Because if it would, I would gla lly an y in a deposite." hi The money dealer started. ce 14 Vou seem surprised ; you don't kn nv ; <b r person or my motive. I'll at once ex- I T1 lin. Do you recollect 111; twenty ye irs j d< >, wlien you resided i.i Essex f" i a 14 l'erlectly." a' 14 Well, then, sir, perhaps you have not ' of gotten tlie turnpike gate through which to u passed daily I My father kept that to te, an I was very often lion >ro 1 with a of i minutes cliat with you. One Oiirist i p. u in irniiig my father was sick, and I ni ended the toll bar. On that day you 1 tb sso I through and I opens I the gate, pr i you recolTe.'t it, sir?" fe 44 Not I, my friend." iu ' N >, sir; few such inen reinemlnir ot jir kind deeds, but those benetiitc I by in an, seldom forget them. I am perhaps in dix; listen, however, a few moments m? I I shall b ive done." ni The Banker, who began to fee! interes- ; st; I at once n.sscnted. j al "Well, sir, as I said before, I throw ! nc en tlie gate for you, and as I considered i bl fself in duty bound, I wished you a hap di Christinas. 4 Thank you, my lad,' re- to ... i i.i i. ? ? - * ' - ?i? vm? hi.inh. you, ami inc same to i, u; hero in a trill-) to make it so;' ami gr 11 throw me a Haven shilling piece; it at la tlio first money I ever possessed, and ri< ver aliall 1 forget iny joy on receiving Ci or your kind ntnilc in bestowing it. 1 k> ig treasured it, and as I grew up added aj ittle hit to it, 'till I wai al?lo to rent a w I myself. You ?oon after left tliat part m the country, and 1 lost aight of you. nr larly, however, I hive been g lining ;'to ur present brought good fortune ; 1 am ' ?o iw comparatively rich, and to you I con- vn ler 1 owe all. So this morning, homing ni cidentally that there wa* a run on your th ink, I collected all iny capital, ami have fr< ought it to lodge with you in case it can c< i of any use; here it is; and he handed c? hundle of b ink notes to the agitated a< iom|>son. 'In a few days 1 will call a- fin iin ; an I snatching up his hat, the strati- ti >r throwing down his card, immediately m alked out of the room. tl Thompson opened tho roll, it contained A BD.OOO I The atom 11 inker?for all bak- 1# h must be stern?burst into tears. The h m did not require this drop; but the n otivo was so noble, that evon a million* c c sobbed ?he could not help it, The >ndan tii in i.s still one of the first in the .y of' London. The ?80,000 of the turnpike boy is now own into some ?200,000. Fortune has -II disposed of her gifts. POLITICAL. Synopsis of Mr. Boyce's Speesh. il.vercd in the House of Representatives J.tnuury loth, against the policy of acquiring Cuba. Mr. 13., after commenting upon the ferish anxiety in the public mind of the uited States for territorial expansion? e acquisition of Cuba, the Saudwich Islds, the Canadas, Mexico, or the Auian country?proceeded to argue the imlicy of yielding to such inordinate antion. \Ve have land enough, he said, safety, and population enough already, tppy would it be for us if we could refn on that point, where we arc. A na n litis suUioieiit population when it is | ong enough to protect itself t'roin exterI vi deuce, and we Wave reached that int. A federal republic cannot exist tliout external pressure. Take that itly and the republic falls to pieces.? ire is our danger?that we are beconij so groat, so powerful, so unv ieldv, so perior in .all the elements of strength to other people, that we shall feel no exaal pressure, and so find our ruin oven ' our prosperity. Why then seek to acire Cuba! Mr. Boyee denied that it is necessary to as a military position. Taking it for mod the United Slates would never rmit it to pass from tlio hands of Spain ono of the great European powers, we d nothing to fear from Cuba. Exp'rice had shown that our commerce in the ilf of Mexico is in no danger from that larter. Instead of giving us strength, e possession of Cuba would be a source i ifinite weakness. The history of Knpean contests demonstrate the fact that aritime colories to a nation of secondanaval f jroe, are great drawbacks to any ition in time of war, without isolated ?iii?s of attack. We are the ltessia of 0 Western hemisphere. We are comlet, massive and solid, and invulnerable id can defy the world in arms. We rtaiuly cannot strengthen our position > acquiring a maritime colony to excite e cupidity of our enemy, while it offers m the best possible opp jrtuni y to Jo us irm. He admitted that the acquisition of jha would increase the commerce of the unlrv ; but, while the North would thus ap a rich harvest.it might, on the other Hid. paralyze the great slave interest at e S nith, engaged in raising sugar. At e same time, our c m amerce may l?e vcgreatly increased by modifications of ) e commercial regulati >ns of the c<>unies. Upon this point Mr. B. presentel 1 extended and very intelligent arguent, discussing the laws afTecting our mnu-rco with Cuba, pointing out their feels, and suggesting the remedies.? lie annexation of Cuba, he then contensd, cannot benefit tlio S >u'.h?cannot he wise Southern measure. Cuba being ready an old and settled country, can for to the Sou.h no new anj vast field wlneli I lie r?4>??nl.? nf rim .... - '" v>?" gv improve their condition, a* i i the Ciiso Texan. It in not only civilized, hut tpulous, and emigrants there could get ? lands at prices less tlian they can find etn in our own planting State*, and obahly not so cheaply. Tennessjo ofrs a much better field. Cuba would >t be a st tble community either, or, in her words, competent to self govement, because the race of people which habit it are uot naturally capable ol lf-governinent, and their training has >t fitted them for it Under no circumatices have the Spanish race ever l?cen >le to maintain a republic. Their unfiles to sustain free institutions,marks and ots every page of their history. Nor d he believe Cuba could be relied upon continue as a slave State. Of her 200,000 negroes, 200,000 are free neons; these free negroes are elevated relivcly, by b ing in contact with an infe>r race of w hiles?the Creole iivisses of uha. There is no abrupt line of demarttion between the two races, there is an ?proacli to equality between the races, liich is fostered by the Spanish governent as a great political idea to check ly tendency on the j?art of the Creoles revolution. The free negroes have, in mo instances, had special exclusive admtages, and have been enrolled in the my and taught ihe use of arms, while iu Creoles have been rigorously excluded tun the army. From these and other msideraiion*. Mr. llovea could not Knt >n*i*ler the free negro element in Culm i most dangerous, and not auguring well r the institution of slavery there. Two iin?fyx-il thousand Spanish free negroes srmed to him more like two hundred lousand half l;t torches, which a single a?h may light up and set the whole Uind in a flame at any moment. When e remembered that it was this same free egro race which upturned the entire soial fabric in St. Domingo, and wreaked uuh infinite slaughter upon the white Jtij race, his apprehensions were not diminished. '20,000 Spani*li troops preserve the peace of Cuba now, but in the absence of a standing army, the whites ot' Cuba would bo sleeping over a volcano. The next clement in tbe population of Cuba to be considered, was tlie 400,001) slaves. A large portion of these have been imported from Africa, au.l are still half savage, and cannot be relied upon for fidelity and loyalty to anything liKe tbe same extent as our slaves. Mr. Boyco proceeded to examine the slave regulations of Cuba?tbe right of tbe shoe to change his muster if be chooses?the right to buy himself or any part of himself?and the right of the slave mother to secure the freedom of her unborn child upon payment of ?25. All these facts were full of meaning, showing how the Spanish government ke< p-? the African idea impending over Cuba, luo a portentous cloud, which Hashes up at intervals to retain dominion by tbe terror of its vivid glare. Again ; by treaty with Great Britain, Spain?In consid -ration of ?400,000 p.u.l to her by Great Britain,?agreed to abolish the slave trade after 18*20 ; and every African imported into Cuba s'mu-m th?r. time is, by public uurepealed ordinance, and in accordance with tlic treaty, declared Iree. As nearly all the slaves now in Cuba, arc either negroes imported in violation of the treaty of 18'2U, or their descendants, in the event of the annexation of Cuba to the United States, without some previous modification of the condition of these negroes, by a soprano authority intermediate between the Spanish power aud our own race, they would certainly be declared free. Indeed the principle upon which this question turns, lias already been settled by the Supreme Court in the celebra ed Amis'.ad ease.? Under these circumstances the Island would be at once Hooded with a class of free negroes, and tin re would be no substantial basis left for the maintenance of the institution of slavery. Nor could the white population?in numbers about 000, 000, and about equal as a elass to the Mexicans?be relied upon to maintain the institution. The comparatively few Southern men who would go there, would be counteracted, in their influence, by an equal and adverse emigration front the North. The continuance of slavery woui 1 tberolore, depend on the Creoles of Cuba, ?a very slight security indeed. Shivery j is never secure where their inasteto arc an inferior white race. Thete is, too, a marked tendency in the Spanish Creole race to emigration, the causes ot which Mr. B. intelligently explained. In view of all these considerations lie was satistied that, on the part of the South, the annexation of Cuba was not desirable, even, without money or blood. Cuba can only be acquired by purchase, by war, or by treaty with Iter as an indw pendent power. Buy the Islaii-t we eanI not. No Spanish administration would dare to sell it ; and if it could be purI chased, it would be at it price so enormous as to be unadv isablc. To take the Island by war, would be unjust, and cost blood and treasure beside. War, too, would Invar more heavily upon the South, be| cause of the inequality of our system of I taxation, and because the y< uug men of 1 the South,for this, as a Southern measure, would rush to the battle aud its dangers ; and besides, Spuin, for the purpose ?f blasting our acquisition iu our bauds, when she could hold Cuba no lunger, would decree universal emancipation? and the sentiment of the North wolbd forbid the reversal of that decree, ami maintain the supremacy of lite Spanish law of freedom- If it is desirable to acquire Cuba at all, the best method would be negotiation with Iter as an independent power?chiefly, because then her character would lie flxod, and we should know what we were getting, and be less likely to get what we do not want. Mr. 11. disavowed being iu favor of flllibiisterisac and urged the reference of this whole question for solution, to the future. Franco and Knglattd did not nitui, r* 11? I nuu'll IIUV inKV Vll'n , Hill, II they should attempt it, lie would draw tlio sword and drive them iulo llie sea.? | lie would not take Culm for tlie settlement of our claims against Spain, hut in the la*t resort would inake r?pri?a!s upon lior commerce, in order to justice. Hut, sup|M>so Spain should atleinpt to ' Africanize Culm. In anticipation of Mich a possibility, our Government, following the maxim that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, would te nove the causes leading Spain to that coursf.? These are two?fear of our deshgn* ii|*?u Cuba, and the pressure of England. Let 1 us take a line of conduct to remove the i first cause?the Russians are removing I the second. Spanish Swacr IVrAToaa.?The At lanta (Ga.) Examiner says, over eight hundred bushels of the Spanish variety ot sweet potatoes have l>een ra'sed Lv Mr. ; Edward Shepherd, on two acres cf laod, near Columbus, Ga. lie is reported to 1 have discovero I a mode of cultivation hv which such Urge crops cntt lw raided a* u general thing. The mind is its own place* and of itnolf, , Csn mike a heaven of hell, a IwllsfhstflV/ i tt \ Milton*