Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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iewisnr.geist,proprietor.J In Independent Journal: For the Promotion of the Political, Social, Agricultural and Commercial Interests of the South. |?2pee.urmre,in advahce. VOL. 4 YORKYILLE, S. C., THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1858. NO. 15. Cjjoice Jjoclrg. TRADE AND SPADE. Between two friends in days of old A bitter strife began ; And Father Spade and Brother Trade Disputed man to man. "You're vain, undutiful and proud." Said Spade with flashing eyes ; "You earn your thousands while I starve; "You mock my children's cries. "You ride in state with lordly looks ; "You dwell in bower and hall; "You speak of me reproachfully, "And prosper on my fall. "So from this hour in shine or shower, "We'll learn to live apart: "I ruled the earth ere you were born? "I cast you from my heart!" And trade lost temper in his pride, And uttered words of scorn; "You do not know the ways of men, "Amid your sheep and corn, "You dose away the busy day, "Nor think how minutes run.? "Go put your shoulder to your work, "And do as I have done. "You've all the earth to yield you wealth, "Both corn and pasture land; "I only ask a counting house. "And room whereon to stand. "And from this hour in shine or shower, "I'll learn to live alone; Til do without you well enough? "The world shall be my own I" And thus they wrangled night and day, Unfair, like angry menj Till things went wrong between them both, And would not right again. But growing wiser in distress, Each grasped the other's hand : "Twas wrong," said Spade, "to rail at Trade, "He loves me in the land," And Trade as freely own'dhis fault: "I've been unjust," he said, "To quarrel with the good old man l "Who grows my daily bread. I "Long may we flourish, Trade acu Spado, "In city and in plain! "The people starve while we dispute? I We must not part again. And all the people sang for joy, ' To see their good accord ; i While Spade assembled all his sons, ( And piled bis plenteous board. He fed them on the best of fare, ' Untax'd the foaming ale, i And pray'd on England's happy shore I That trade might never fail. And busy Trade sent fleets of ships To every sea and strand, And built his mills and factories ] O'er all the prosperous land. And so we'll sing God save the Queen ! And long may Father Spade, For sake of both the rich the poor, Unite with Brother Trade. , Original glides. ! For the Yorkvillo Enquirer. ASTRONOMY. No part of the field of science presents a , more inviting aspect to the student, than that of Astronomy. Of this sublime science, filling the mind with wonder and delight, , any attentive reader and observer may know - muchj; but he or she who would acquire a correct knowledge thereof, and be able fully ( to appreciate its value, must previously understand well the kindred sciences of Geometry and Trigonometry, and be familiar with ( nautical phrases. With this brief prelimi- , nary, the writer intends giving a concise ac- j count of the different systems that have obtained relative to this science, wishing that j all might, and hoping that some will be ( stimulated to acquaint themselves with the J wonderful works of God herein displayed. ( From the best information we are able to obtain on the subject, the knowledge of the , ancients with regard to this science was very ( limited ; for in all the writings of antiquity ] which have come down to us?previous to a j certain date which we will mention in its nmnor nkiop?tcp splHnm nr never find anv I ( J . allusions made to it. In the year 1451, B. j C., Joshua commanded the Sun and Moon i to stand still on certain places, a Scripture | command which prevents many, very many j good Christians from putting any faith in our present solar system. But if these good : people would consider carefully and attentively the reasons assigned by astronomers for the rotundity of the earth?its diurnal rotation on its axis and its annual revolution a- ; round the sun, in addition to what they all doubtless admit?that Joshua on this occasion, acted by an impulse from the spirit of God?that the earth was then supposed to be : flat like a board and floated on the water, and that consequently it would have been improper for him to speak, or that the miracle should have been recorded iu language according with the terms of modern astronomy?their doubts with regard to our beautiful solar system would all be removed. But as this standing still of the Sun on Gibeon, and of the Moon in the valley of Ajalon, is the only stumbling block with Christians to the adoption of the solar system, we will dwell a little on it. From the expression, it would appear the Sun was now about to set behind the mountains of Gibeon and the Moon to rise over the valley of Ajalon?sup posed to have been situated in an opposite direction?and as competent Hebrew scholars and commentators tell us the terms here translated Sun and Moon, regard not the bodies of these crrbs, but their light, it shooting forth from the horizon, would prolongthe day and prevent the intervention of night, and thus that day might be joined to the following. But in addition to this, by the Sun being "in the midst of Heaven" nothing else cac be understood than the horizon, for when the Sun is in the meridian, the Moon does not appear, nor at noon would Joshua have been alarmed about the going down of the sun. And this is evidently correct, if we compare it with Zachariah 14: 6?7, where he speaks of the victories and glory of Messiah in the latter days. Job moreover informs us, "The Lord hung the earth upon nothing," so that it must revolve in space on its own axis and in its own orbit; and thus we see how beautifully and completely the Scriptures and the solar system harmonize. "The sweet singer of Israel," in his evening meditations, viewed and admired the vault of heaven bespangled with twinkling ornaments ; and, from contemplating the sidereal and planetary worlds, seemed astonished tha a beiug so insignificant as he then appeare in his own estimation, should be remembei ed amidst this splendid array of creation.? The Chaldean shepherds, too, at an earl period, while watching their flocks by nigh under a cloudless sky on the extensive plain watered by the Euphrates and Tigris, n doubt observed the silent revolutions of th heavenly bodies, and marked the hrillianc of certain stars, for this was the land of As trology; and we learn from history that "th Phoenician marinersjturned their eyes toward those stars which appear to describe ver small circles, or with stately majesty to re main motionless in the Armament." In th absence of the compass, these stars wer their guide in their commercial excursion along the shores of the Mediterranean am Red Seas; but no intimation is anywher given of an Astronomical system havinj been made out and presented to the worli prior to the time of Pythagoras, a celebrate* Greek philosopher who flourished about fiv hundred years before Christ. The Pythago n onmo oa mir Qrtlor QVCfpfl 1VUU OJObbUl bUV UUUJV MU VU4 UV?M. wjwav ?was studied, adopted and defended by hi followers who, for a while, successfully main tained it against all opposition; but, in pro cess of time, ignorance, aided by its legiti mate offspring, prejudice, rejected the whol system as absurd, and the science languish ed until one hundred and thirty-eight year before Christ, when Ptolemy, an Egyptiai philosopher, turned his attention to it, am made out a system which exactly agreed witl the opinions of the people in regard to th motions of the Sun and Earth. A littl more than three centuries ago, it was dispu ted by Copernicus, a famous Polish philoso pher, who revived and earnestly supportei the Pythagorean system. Kepler, Galileo Descartes, Gassendus and the incomparable Sir Isaac Newton, the most renowned math jmaticians and philosophers the world ha jver produced, followed and confirmed th( r-? i rxf Pnnnrninno rnlotlTTA f A fViA fioiiri JF",lUU .V.CV..V ?V, "to ? ind motions of the heavenly bodies. Abou the middle of tl^ seventeenth century Tych< Brahe, though basking?not mentally, bu bodily?in the effulgence of these scientifh luminaries, fabricatedasystemdifferiDgsome tvhat from that of Ptolemy, but which neve: Decame so genera'. The learned world has now almost univer sally adopted the Copernician system, whicl is most appropriately styled the true sola system. "Of its correctness, the most skepti sal could have no doubt, if they would onl; study the revolutions of the planets accord Ing to their laws made out by the illustriou: Kepler. Induction, from pure observation 3onducted him to these laws which are ver; remarkable and indispensably important.? They cost him "no ordinary penetration backed by uncommon perseverance and in dustry." On them "the Newtonian expla nation of the mechanism of the beavenl; bodies" is based, and this mighty genius, it his great work called "Principia," has prover them to be incontrovertibly correct. In studying this delightful science accor ling to the solar system?the system mad< Dut by Pythagoras twenty-three hundrer pears ago, and adopted, depended, and illus trated by almost all the 'truly intellectua giants of every age since?the student i: taught to regard the sun as the center of thii system, as its animating principle, as a glo rious orb the magr'^ude of which cannot fai to strike his mind with astonishment, aroun-: which harmoniously revolve the primarj planets accompanied by their respective sat sllites, to all of which he imparts light anc beat, life and joy. Were students nov taught, according to Ptolemy, that thecal was the venter of the Universe, and that th< Sun, planets and everything else rcvolv< round it?or. according to Tvclio Brahe. tha ~ / O J / the earth was immovcably fixed between Ye nus and Mars, and that the sun and moor revolved round it; that the other planets re volved round the sun as their center, and al around the earth as a common center, they knowing that the earth when compared to thi sun is a mere atom, and that some of thi other plauets are nearly as largeas one thous and earths, would almost be tempted to a dopt the blasphemous language of Alphonsu King of Castile. But the solar system a now taught, presents to the student's view i scene of beauty, harmony and grandeur combined with a simplicity characteristic o all the works of the Creator. Every othe system presents anomalies, absurdities an< confusion, that no man in the proper exer cise of reason, could for a moment supposi an all-wise Being whose first law is order was its author. Are any desirous then o giving an impetus to the expansion of intel lectual view, let them study Astronomy ac cording to this system. Would any lean somethingof the beautiful variety and bound less extent of creation, according to thi . I-.. .1 J_ 4 -i W...1. nysieuj, iet tuera siuuy -.\5irouuiJiy. ?v uun any survey the richest fields, the warmes imagination and the mostglowing fancy hav ever conceived and painted, let them con template the planetary world and starr heavens. In a word, would any have ade quate conceptions of that Deity who "in th beginning created the heavens and the earth,' they must study this system as the map o revelation; for "the heavens declare thi glory of God." This is the solar system This is Astromomy ! Header, is it not ai inviting science? L. Cars Lighted by Gas.?A locomotive and six cars go out nightly over the Ne\ Jersey Railroad to Philadelphia, lighted b; gas, and the difference between the gas-light ed and the candle-lighted, gives to the for mer the appearance of an illuminated trail shooting off through Jersey on some galaoc casion. The gas is forced by a pump at thi depot through small iron pipes into a stron; wrought-iron and braced cylinder, which i fixed beneath each car and thence conveyei through a patent regulator to the interior.? The supply in the cylinder is enough to fee< two burners for fifteen hours, while the timi of making the trip to Philadelphia is fou hours. For the Yorkville Enquirer. d MANUAL LABOR SCHOOLS. Mr. Editor:?It i9 sometimes a matte of interest to know what is going on i: y other parts of the world, as well as tha which occurs in our immediate reighboi 8 hood; and sometimes it is the case that w 0 can profit by a neighbor's suggestions. Thi e may seem a strange introduction considei ^ ing the heading of the article. " Yesterday, and day before, we had th e pleasure of hearing a Rev. Mr. Parhar 8 lay this subject before the people of thi ^ community. He is now engaged, witl others, in canvassing this State, urging up e on the people, the claims of "Manua e Labor Schools" as a means of developinj 8 many of our resource?, and as an lincentiv to the poor population, to rise above thei e present condition and fit themselves for be | ing useful and worthy citizens. And h< thinks, moreover, it will be the means o dignifying labor. " The fact that we ar e dependent upon the North for so man; things which we can produce of ourselves' a said the speaker; " and the still more no 8 torious fact that laborby the whites in man; portions ot the southern States is disgrace ful?together with the feeling of hostilit; almost which exists between the two sec e tions, loudly calls upon us to be up an< doing if we wish to maintain our indepen s dence, either in or out of the Union." 1 He gave some statistics on the subjec which certainly indicate an alarming wan 1 of interest in the great subject of education e Out of 171,000 of ?chool age in Alabama 0 only 34,000 are even receiving the rudiment of an education. Such facts are startling ' and well worthy the attention of the pbilan thropist and patriot. Certainly, if we wisl ' to prosper and carry out the great idea o e self-government, we must educate?inforn the masses. The fact that we connot built 3 a railroad, nor carry on any public cnterprisi 3 without importing our engineers?ou 3 laborers even; that for every thing almost 1 we must either go North or across the ocean 5 bespeaks a wrong direction of the publii 1 sentiment. The resources of the State fo 5 want of development in its mineral, agricul tural and mechanical channels, are left t< r chance; and the object of the School is t< educate men to develop these resources?b; sending men out into the world, not men 1 theorists, but practical men. He relatec r some facts concerning the poverty, degrada tion and ignorance of a portion of the State P which were perfectly astounding. They cai Anlr Ka KaliArDrl Ktr AAnolrlnrlno hVratr Vi q VUIJ MV/ VU \JJ VVUCiUVllUg bugj UUI< 8 come from a reliable source. Thai; the men > ignition of a match should be considered a ' evidence of having connection with thi Devil, is hard to believe in the middle o > the 19th century, but such he said was th< fact. Ilis cause met with quite a favorabl reception here, and he says, equally so ii P other sections. It is time the South wen J rousing themselves to a consideration o their dependence, and even taking means ti obviate it. The South has the resources i she will only develop them. Let each ant 3 every State act its part in promoting thi great object, and the thing will be done.? Let the masses be informed?show then 1 that we take an interest in them. Letlabo 8 become dignified and we are safe. Anothe 3 time I may expand a little more. | Spring Hill, Ala. J. W. 13. j ? ; Jpscelkiwus ; IV TWO 11UIII ORE. i Mrs. Benoni Benson was fat, fair am 1 forty-four, when her husband, a soap-boile " in very good circumstances, was called fron 1 his life-task of contributing: to the e:enera " purification of mankind. Mrs. Banson tool ' refuge from her grief in a pretty cottage ? situated on the principal street in the towi 2 of A . 2 At first she wasinconsolable; as she use* " to say, with a solemn emphasis, which car ried conviction to the hearts of her hearers s that nothing but tbe thoughts of her daught 8 er Florence would have prevented her fron a terminating her existence by the interven > tion of poison. ^ Mrs. Benson was in no small measure in r debted to her daughter?since in less thai ^ three months she threw aside her mournin; and became as lively as ever. c Touching Florence, she had now reache* ' the mature af nineteen, and began to thinl * herself marriageable. She was quite pretty ' and tolerably well accomplished, so that he ' wishes in that respect were very soon likel; a to be fulfilled. Just over the way lived Squire Markhara 3 the village lawyer, just verging upon fifty with bis son Charles, who was about hal his age. Being a young man of agreeabli e exterior, the latter was quite a favorite a " mong the young ladies in the neighborhood F and considered in common parlance, quite i * "catch." As yet, however, his affection! 1 had never been seriously entangled am might have remained so, had it not been fo; f the sudden apparition, one morning, of Flo B | renee Benson riding by on horseback. It struck him at once that she was remark ably graceful, and really quite pretty.? Thereupon he cultivated her acquaintanc< e with increased assidity, and after awhih 7 asked the fatal question. Florence answered in the affirmative; anc instead of referring him dutifully to hei mother, hinted (being a romantic younj j lady) how charming it would be to stea away to the next town, and get marriec without anybody being the wiser. y Charles Markham caught at thi3 him g which chimed with his own temperament, j and resolved to adopt it. In order that it might be carried out witl 1 perfect success, it was resolved to seem in g different to each other, until the day fixed r in order to ward oft' any suspicion whicl might otherwise be aroused. So well were all these arrangements carried out, that Mrs. Benson had no suspicion of what was going on. r Not so with Squire Markham. He had a obtained a clue to the affair in some manner, % so that he had not only discovered the fact of the elopement, but even the very day on 6 which it was to occur. s "Sly dog, that Charles," thought he to himself, as he sat before the fire in his dressing gown and smoking cap, leisurely puffing e away at a choice Havana. "But I don't a wonder at it; he only takes after me. Still ^ I owe him something forkeeping it so secretly from me. It won'd be a good joke if I j were a little younger, to out him out and marry her in spite of him." ^ Squire Markham, who was one of those e jovial widowers who take life as it comes, r mused more and more on this idea, struck out by chance as it were till he really began ^ to think it worth something. "After all," shouted he, "I am not so old e either, or at least t~e ladies say so, and they \ ought to be good judges in such matters. I have been a bachelor a good while, and ought to have found out before this how ^ much more comfortable it would be to have a pretty wife to welcome me home and do ^ the honors of my table and to help me keep " that rascal Charles in order. Egad, I've half a mind to do it." Squire Markham took two more whiffs and exclaimed : tfc "I vow I, I'll do it!" What this mysterious it was, we will leave the reader to infer from his very next move' ment. Ringing the bell he inquiree of the 9 servant: ' "Is Charles at home?" # j "No sir," was the reply, "he went out f this morning and will be gone all day." j "Hump ! That'll do. So much the bet1 ter for my purpose," thought he when left B alone. "Now I shall have the ground left r to myself. Let me see. The rascal intends running away next Thursday evening; and to-day is Monday. Nothing like strikg ing while the iron is hot. I'll write to her r in his name, telling her that I have altered my mind and will go just at dark to-morrow 3 night. She won't suspect any thing until 3 the knot is tied, and then what a laugh we P shall have." g Squire Markham did not consider that it j might make a little difference with the bride expectant. He considered it a capital joke on his son, and looked no further. He aca cordingly drew his writing materials towards g him, and indited the following epistle. n a m r ?- j j c j g ueuresi r lurcncc. JL UUU IUO uajr uaeu g for our elopement, on some accounts, objecte ionable, and would like, with jour perraisf sion, to substitute to-morrow evening. If I e hear nothing from you, I shall infer that you e assent to this arrangement. I shall have a a carriage in readiness unde: the old oak tree, e at half past eight n'-iock. You can walk f there without attracting suspicion, and, as 0 there will be no moon, we shall be able to f carry out our plans without fear of discovj cry. I am happy to say that the governor g doesn't suspect in the least, that a daughterin-law is in store for him. Won't he be a shammed? Your devoted r Charley. r 'Egad!' said Squire Markham, laughing heartily, 'that isn't bad, especially about humbugging me. Charley couldn't have done it better himself.' So saying, he sealed it up and sent it over v by a little Irish boy in his employment, hav1 ing first marked, 'private*in the corner. 'Be careful, Mike, to give it to Miss Benson, and don't let any one else see it, was the parting injunction. Mrs. Benson was sitting in her quiet par j lor, casting her eyes over a late number of r Harper's Magazine. Florence being absent j ona shopping excursion she was left alone, j The ringing of the bell brought her to the ? door. With surprise she saw that the pere son who rung the bell was Mike, Squire a Markham's 'boy of all work.' 'Please ma'am,' said he, holding out the 3 missive, 'a letter for Miss Benson, an' its - very particklar that nobody else should see ' U-' The air of mvsterv conveyed in this char a acteristic address aroused Mrs. Benson's cu riosity, especially when she observed that it was addressed to her daughter and not to - herself as sho first supposed. She returned a to the parlor not to read Harper's Magazine; 5 that had lost its attractions. 'What in the world can it be/ she thought 3 'that they should be so secret about! Can * Florence be carrying on a clandestine corres, pondence?' It may be something that I r ought to know.' y Stimulated by her feminine curiosity, Mrs. B. speedily concluded that she would be , false to the responsibilities of a parent if she , did not unravel the mystery, f 'I think/ said she, 'I will open it, and if e it shouldn't be anything particular, I can - easily reseal it, and Florence will still be none , the wiser.' l This she accordingly did. What washer ? _- *_i x i -i l a asionisnmeni wneu iue piau ui eiupeuieut 1 was discovered to her ! r 'Here's pretty doings !' she exclaimed, as " soon as she could recover breath. 'So Florence was going to run away and get raar ried to that Charles Markham, without so - much as hinting a word to me.' } She leaped her head upon her hand and began to consider. She was naturally led to think of her own marriage with the late Mr. ' Benson, and the happiness of her wedded r life, and she could not help heaving a sigh ' at the recollection. 1 'Am I always to remain thus solitary ?' ^ she thought. 'I've half a mind not to show this letter to Florence, but to run away with ^ Charles to-morrow night on my own account. > It's odd if I can't persuade him that the mother is as good as the daughter,' and she i glanced complacently at the still attractive face and form reflected from the mirror. Just then she heard the door open and l Florence entered. She quickly crumpled up the letter and thrust it into her pocket. Florence and Charles did not meet daring the succeeding day, chiefly in pursuance of the plan they had agreed to, in order to avoid suspicion. Squire Markham acted in an exceedingly strange manner, to his son's thinking. Occasionally he would burst into a hearty laugh, which he would endeavor to repress, and pace up and down the room, as if to walk off some of his superabundant hilarity. " What's in the wind ?" thought Charles to himself. "It can't be the governor's getting crazy!" Something was the matter beyond a doubt. But what it was, he had not the faintest conjecture. At the hour specified, the Squire bad his carriage drawn up at the appointed rendezvous. He began to peer anxiously in the dark for Florence. At length a female form well muffled up, made its appearance.? Thanking her in a very low whisper, lest it might be suspected that he was the wrong person, be helped her into the carriage and drove off. The destination was the house of the Justice of the Peace, residing at the distance of some eight miles. During the first part of the journey nothing was said. Both parties were desirous of concealing their identity. At length Squire Markham, considering that after all he could not marry the lady without her consent, and that the discovery must be made before the marriage, decided to reveal himself, and then urge his own suit as well as he might. 'My dear Miss Florence,' he continued in his natural voice. 'Why!' shrieked the lady, '1 thought it was Charles.' 'And I,' said Squire Markham, recognizing Mrs. Benson's voice with astonishment, 'thought it was Florence.' 'Was it you, sir, who was arranging to elope with my daughter?' 'No; but I conclude it was you ma'am, who was meauing to elope with my son.' 'Indeed, Squire Markham, you are wrong; the affair coming incidentally to my knowledge, I concluded to take her place secretly, in order to frustrate her plan.' Egad, the very idea I had myself,' said the Squire, laughing; 'butthe fact is, we've both of us been confoundedly sold, and the mischief of it is, I left a letter for Charles, letting him know it; so, undoubtedly he will take the opportunity, to run off with Florence during our absence, and plume himself, the rascal, on the way in which I was taken in.' ?I confess that I left a note for Florence to the same purport. How she will laugh at me; what an embarrassment !' 'I'll tell you what/ said the Squire, after a moment's pause, we can carry out our plans after all. We each came out with the intention of getting married. Why not marry each other, and then you know, we can make them believe we had it in view all along, and only intended to frighten them.' Mrs. Benson assented with a little urging and in the course of an hour, the twain were made one." They immediately returned, but found, as they anticipated, that Florence and Charles, on discovering their departure, had themselves stepped off in a different direction, with a similar intent. They made their appearance the next morning prepared to laugh heartily at the frustrated plans of their parents, but learned with no little astonishment, that they had struck up a bargain for themselves. Squire Markham and his new wife had the address to convince them that it was all a premeditated plan; and to this day the younger pair are ignorant of the plot and counterplot which led to this double union of the two households. WONDEFUL IF TRUE. The following story which we find in the Memphis Ledger, should properly be published on the 1st of April, but like many good things, it will not bear keeping: The following remarkable circumstance is now the subject of considerable excitement in Columbia county, Arkansas, and the facts as set forth are said to be literally true.? We have heard of navigating the air by machines driven by electricity and by steam, but this extraordinary story beats anything we "ever went a-fishing." Read it all ye Pi mi Oi. ? uuuiusea i Oak Grove, Columbia City, Ark., 1 February 26,1858. J Editors Memphis Evening Ledger,? Gents: Our section of the country has been thrown into considerable excitement, within the past few days, by the most unheard-of affair that was ever known. At first, no one would believe it, until the man, Mr. Ben Jones, produced such proof that the most sceptical were fully convinced that it was true. The facts are these. On Thursday evening last, some persons were working in a field (burning logs) some eight miles north of this place. Their attention was attracted by a singular looking object flying through the air at a most astonishing rate. They ceased work, and watched it until it came fully into view, when, to their astonishment, it proved to be a balloon drawn by wild geese. The geese flew languidly, and after a few circles they alighted in a field near the one in which the laborers were at work.? They rushed up, and when they arrived ^ V?/\l /in fn flin IOUUU U LLIUU BUlUUlUg up, uuiuiug vu tu iuc balloon to keep it from rising. The crowd soon gathered about him, and elicited the following facts. He had witnessed the ascension of an aeronaut in St. Louis some time past, and since that period had been experimenting in various ways upon the subject. He lived in Harrison county, Missouri, and near his house there was a large lagoon setting in from the river. Numbers of wild fowl covered the water, when a mild spell of weather set in, and the ice melted, leaving the water free. During a late thaw he set a net and succeeded in drawing thirty wild geese into a trap. He manufactured a balloon sufficient to sustain some five hundred pounds, and when he finished it, he formed the idea of attaching the geese to it. Accordingly he fabricated a set ?f harness i which, without being heavy, was sufficiently stroDg, and then took the whole into the meadow near by. He carried his acids and iron during the day, and on the following morning commenced inflating his machine. In a few hours it was filled with hydrogen gas, and he began to stone it; which done, he secured his steeds, and getting in, cut the cord which confined the balloon. It at once arose, the birds being very much frightened, became entangled in their harness, and created a good deal of confnsion. Gradually, however, by stocking the cords which attached them, he got them into line, and, as the waeHine arose in the air, the flying steeds straightened themselves out in a line and commenced circling. A few times they sailed around the field and then laid their course for the West. A smart breeze now began to blow, and the birds altered their course, uttering their peculiar cry, and stood towards the Southwest. His sensations he described as delightful, darting through the air with lightning speed, and without fear, as he well knew by easing it of gas he could descend. The birds now rose some half a mile above the earth, and after an hour or two appeared to have lostall fear. tie passed over fields and tara-nouses, ana could see the people runuiog out to gaze after him, wonderstruck. He could see numerous streams of water, and as he had a compass with him, he knew the course he was traveling. He passed over Missouri river, and his course stood towards the Southeast. When about eight hours out, he saw a large stream of water, and knew he was over the Mississippi, as there were two boats in sight. Again the birds turned their course, and night came on. By the course of the wind he thinks that they turned once in the night, towards the Northwest, but again steered South. He kept on in flight until 8 o'clock the next morning, when be commenced letting off the gas, and as the balloon sunk the geese did the same, until they alighted, as we have stated. However improbable this story may seem, it can be attested to by many witnesses, and they are men of integrity. Respectfully, Wm. C. Johnson. The Utah Expedition.?The Boston .Tnnmnl has heen favored with the DCrusul WW-? ~ 4" of a private letter to a gentleman in the city, written by an officer of the 2d dragoons, now encamped on Henery's Fork of Green river, Utah Territory. The letter is dated January 30. The writer says the Utah army consists of only 1,700 rank and file, according to the official reports. From Mormon prisoners and other sources, he judges that Salt Lake City contains about36,000 inhabitants, divided as follows: 8,000 males, from the age of 15 to 50, which comprise the army; 3,000 other males, older or younger than the above; and 25,000 females, of whom 18,000 arc wives of 8,000 men. We copy the following from the letter, which curiously shows the importance of transportation as an element of prices: "I will give you a list of prices, as charged by our storekeepers, or sutlers, as we term them in the army. We have three stores, viz: Livingston & Kinkead, sutlers for the 5th and 10th infantry; Kerr & Carter, for our regiment, 2d dragoons; and Wm. Garrish, a Bostonian, for quartermaster's department: Green tea, per lb. 81 50 Black tea. - 2 00 Brown sugar. .... 60 Crush sugar. - ... 75 Chewing-tobacco, small papers. - 50 Chewing-tobacco, per lb. -2 00 Smoking tobacco, per paper. - 50 Salt (very scarce) per lb. - - 3 00 Coarse brogans. - - - 4 00 Coarse boots. - - - 12 00 Fine boots (scarce) - - 16 00 Felt hats (common) - - - 5 00 Flannel shirts, blue and red. - 4 00 Cigars (scarce) 1 for - - - 20 Coffee, per lb - - - 60 Common domestics per yard - 50 .Buttons ior pants, i ior u Coffee-mills, each . 5 00 Common whiskey, per quart - 3 00 Brandy 6 00 And pins, needles, paper, pens, ink, and other necessaries, higher than a fair proportion of the above. Cutlery of all kinds very scarce, and extremely high. Pistols, knives, &c., none to be had at any price. Clothing is also in great demand. Bacon sells readily at 50 cents per pound, and flour at $25 per hundred pounds, or $50 per barrel. The writer says that Colonel Johnston will move forward for Salt Lake City as soon as the mules can travel. Mercantile Agency Communications Privileged.?The Supreme Court of New York has given the opinion that communications of mercantile agencies affecting a man's business are "privileged," if there is no malice in the statement made. The court said: "If four bankers in "Wall-street should associate themselves together for the purpose ot ascertaining the character and standing of their correspondents in Boston, and should select one of their number, and pay his expenses to Boston for that purpose, and he should, on his return, state that he ascertained Mr. Jones, of Boston, was a man of ' bad character?that he had committed many ' outrages against society?that he was a forger?and he communicated that to his four ] associates in the confidential relation in t which they stood, it would be a privileged ( communication, and no action would lie, un- ? less express malic were shown. Now, it is j difficult to see how there would be any dif- r ference between four men and twenty-four, c or any number, associated for the purpose of gaining honest and truthful information of this description, and without malicious mo- t tives; and I am not able to see why the in*, f formations given by this commercial agenoy, i so far as it appears before the court) may not < come under the class of privileged communications, if made in a proper manner, and without any evil intent or malicious motive, and if made in good faith and honesty." This is an important decision to merchants and business men generally. Brownlow on Dancing.?In the editorial correspondence of the Knoxville Whig, Parson Brownlow gives a graphic description of the brilliant'festival and ball' which came off at Memphis, on the 11th ultimo, to celebrate the opening of the 'Gayoso House.' Among other things, the Parson thus discourses of the waltz and polka : 'I am no advocate of dancing, and never tried the exercise in my life, but I could not resist the temptation to look on at this scene, for largely upwards of an hour. My 'vulgar curiosity was satisfied, however, in seeing fifty fellows with long beards, goatees, and huge whiskers, playing the waltz or polka with as many charming ladies. 'He quadrilles?she polkas'?was the exclamation ! One feature of the waltz got me. It was to see a young fellow, dressed and perfumed within an inch of his life, squeezing a lady tight around the waist with one arm, and with the other, as they mingled with and across each other in pairs in the dance, gently i/IU okrt AiinaoiAAalln HJli'iiy ?c/ u./ woj auu out/ VA/uaoiuuauj # uioiny it higher, all, however, to keep it off of the floor, and the lady leaning np to him like a sick kitten to a hot brick 1 In these squeezing quadrilles, I noticed the hoops were rather in the way.' Seventeen-Year-Old Boy Preaoher. ?The St. Louis Democrat says of young Mr. Fuller, who is called the " Boy Preacher," who is aged but seventeen years, that he has, within the last five weeks, delivered in Marion county fifty-four sermons, aud been instrumental in the conversion of one hundred and forty-four persons. He has been licensed to preach only about two months, during which time he has delivered upward of fifty discourses, and two hundred and forty persons have become converted through his instrumentality. It is said that he never studies bis sermons or makes any notes, and frequently does not select his text until he rises up in the pulpit to preach ; and yet, it is said, no two of his discourses are alike, either in point of argument or composition. He speaks most eloquently, and uses the most chaste and beautiful language. (Jails to preach at various points are daily pouring in upon him. Curious.?The Rev. Robt. Tate, who is publishing a brief Autobiography in the N. 0. Presbyterian, says that he had a member of his church in New Hanover couQty, who dared not taste bread made of Flour?if he did, it caused swelling of the joints and produced deadly effects. On sacramental occasions the gentleman (who had long been & worthy member of the church) had to take a piece of corn bread. He also states that he knew a lady who could eat an egg without experiencing the most serious effects from it. ? Charlotte Democrat Washington City.?The Federal City has become notorious for riots, murders, &c., of late ; so much so, that the City Councils have passed joint resolutions, in effect declaring the City of Washington unable to preserve order under existing circumstances, and appointing a committee to appeal to Congress for a permanent police to be under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior. Also a resolution providing for a temporary* police of one hundred men, twenty-one of whom are to be mounted, armed and equipped. The Leviathan.?The people of Portland, (Maine) are making large calculations on the curiosity of the Americans to see the monster ship, the Leviathan. The Argus estimates tbat 3UU,UVU people wm visit Portland to see her. Of these, he says New England ought to furnish 100,000; the British dependencies 50,000; the valley of the Mississippi, 50,000 ; the Middle States, 100,000; and adds, that this vast army will probably leave in the State, and most of it in the eity, $2,000,000, or 810 each. An Argument.?A married gentleman, every time he met the father of his wife, complained to him of the ugly temper and disposition of his daughter. At last, upon one occasion, the old gentlemhn, becoming weary of the grumbling of his son-in-law, exclaimed: "You are right; she is an impertinent jade; and if I hear any more complaints of her, I will disinherit her." The husband made no more complaints. A Law Against the Use of Camphene. ?In the New York Assembly, Mr. Moore has introduced a bill designed to prevent the sale or use of destructive compositions in the State ; it prohibits the manufacture, sale or use, for the purpose of producing light or heat, of any camphene, spirit gas, phosgene, burning fluid, or any fluid of a spirituous 1?: o ?n.1(V AF RIGA or OZpiOBlVC UOLUItj uuvvt ? fvuwiy v> TAW for each offence for its manufacture or sale, and $10 for each offence for its use. An Executive Message.?The Washington Star, generally good authority, says that it is stated that the President will submit a message to Congress as soon as the Kansas business is disposed of, with reference to our relations with Spain and Cuba rod to other matters affecting our interests >n the American continent. Monster Bank.?It is proposed by somejody in New York to fuse into one institu;ion all the corporate banks Tin New York jity. There are fifty-four of them, with an iggregate capital of sixty-five millions. The dea is to centralize in New York all the filancial and business movements of the lountry by means of this one great engine. Election in Winnsbobo.'?An election ook place in Winnsboro on Monday last* or Intendant and Wardens, which resulted n the election of the old Counoil. The 'dry ticket" was again successful.