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lewis m. grist, proprietor.| Independent ^arniln Itctospapcr: Jfor tjje ||romotion of tjje political, Social, Agricultural and Commercial Interests of % Sontjj. |terms?$3.00 A YEAR, IN ADVANCE. VOL. 21. YORKVILLE, S. O., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1875. NO. 38. - - ? - I ? . - "/M * T. I I! JMttd ?0ctrff. j k I AM DYING. 1 Raise my pillow, husband dearest, Faint and fainter conies my breath, And those shadows stealing slowly, Must, I know, bo those of death. Sit down close beside me, darling, Let me clasp your warm, strong hand, Yours that ever has sustained me To the borders of this land. For your God and mine?our Father ( Thence shall ever lead me on, Where upon a throne eternal, Sits his loved and only Son; I've had visions and been dreaming ( O'er the past of joy and pain ; Year by year I've wandered backward, Till I was a child again. i Dreams of girlhood, and the moment When I stood your wife and bride? How my heart thrilled with Love's triumph In that hour of woman's pride. Dreams of thee and all the earth-chords Firmly twined about my heart? Oh! the bitter, burning anguish, When I tirst knew we must part. It has passed?and God has promised All thy footsteps to aueuu; He that's more than friend or brother, He'll be with you to the end. I There's no shadow o'er the portal Leading to my heavenly home? Christ has promised life immortal, And it's he who bids me come. When life's trials wait round thee, And its chilling billows swell, Thou'lt Heaven thank that I'm spared them, Thou'lt feel that "all is well." Bring our boys unto my bedside, My last blessing let them keep? But they are sleeping?do not wake them, They'll learn soon enough to weep. Tell them often of their mother, Kiss them for me when they wake; Lead them gently in life's pathway, Love them doubly for my sake. Clasp my hand still closer, darling, This, the last night of my life, For to-morrow I shall never Answer when you call me "wife." Fare thee well, my noble husband. Faint not 'neath the chast'ning rod, Throw your strong arm 'round our children, Keep them close to thee?and God. pistfltg of J>. totoltna. Written for the Yorkville'Enquirer. HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF THE Early Settlement of South Carolina. ? BY BEV. ROBERT LATHAN. (CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.) ? Tbe various calamitous events which u?u, during the first fifteen years of the eighteenth century, transpired in the South Carolina colony, reduced the settlers to great straits. The most distant settlements from Charles Town had been, by the attacks of the Yamassees, almost exterminated. Vast numbers of the people had been driven from their homes and their property totally destroyed. Gloom settled upon the countenances of all. The Yamassees had been conquered, and the capability of the few settlers to contend, successfully, with the combined tribes of the savages fairly demonstrated; but this victory had cost the province au enormous sum of money and near one fourth of its population. Many children had been made orphans by the scalping knife of the savages. In the midst of these gloomy circumstances, it became evident to all that the proprietors, or some one else, must render the colonists aidr tha cnlnny xnoat prove a failure. The debt of the province had been increasing for j a number of years, until it amounted, at the close of the Yamassee war, to not much less than half a million of dollars. At various times, the Assembly had issued bills of credit. These, at first, were taken at par ; but soon they began to depreciate in value. To increase the exigencies of the colonists, they and the proprietors were not on good terms. After the Yamassee war, bills of credit to the araouutof nearly four hundred thousand dollars, had been put in circulation by the As serably. These bills were made receivable, dollar for dollar, for all debts. Circumstances combined to cause these bills to depreciate in value, so that they were not worth more than one-eighth of their face value. This loss fell upon the London merchants and moneyed men of Charles Town. The merchants of England became alarmed, lest they would lose all that was due them. Such was the financial condition of the colony. There were other difficulties. When, I in 1713, Anthony Craven, the palatine, and j brother of Charles Craven, the Governor, died, permission was granted Charles Craven I to leave the colony and return to England. ' At the same time, they signified their desire I that Robert Johnson, the son of the former | Governor, be his successor. The colony be-; ing involved in difficulties with the Indians, i Charles Craven, like a true-hearted patriot, | would not quit the proviuce until these diffi- j culties were adjusted. On the 25th of April, 1716, the Yamassees 1 being subdued, he left Robert Daniel, Deputy j Governor. During the administration ofj ? * ? l /* I Daniel, the law respecting tne moae 01 con-1 ducting the elections was very materially j changed. Previous to this time, the members I of the lower house were all chosen at Charles j Town. This was attended with many disad- : vantages, aud was a source of annoyance to ' the people. As we have seen, the elections were fraudulently conducted. Chief Justice) Trott and Collector Rhett were ever ready to i resort to uufair measures in order to secure | the election of a party man. The law was at' this time so changed that the thirty-six mem-1 here of the lower house should be elected in the different parishes at the parish Churches., This change gave general satisfaction. On the 30th of April, 1717, the proprietors : commissioned Robert Johnson as Governor of South Carolina. So soon as he arrived, he \ called the attention of the Assembly to the ! condition of their currency. He insisted that the honor of the proviuce demanded that the bills in circulation be redeemed. The colony ) ? ? J ?A?/lUi'An ?r\?* nnJnrfn Inner onnk o Wtl8 111 a uau CUUUHIUU 1UI uuui.i kumug cuvu U huge work. Both the agricultural and com- j mercial operations of the colony had beeu 1 greatly injured by recent events. The far-; mers had been called from their fields to fight i the Tuscaroraa and Yaruassees, and the pi-, rates were then making sad havoc on their j commerce. Notwithstanding all these things, the Assembly passed an act by which the paper money of the colony was to be redeemed j in three years. To accomplish this, a tax was levied upon land and negroes. This law gave ! general satisfaction. No one was disposed to disturb the general quiet except Trott and Rhett. These two in-! dividuals were brothers-in-law, and were, in j some respects, very similar in traits of char acter. Both were raeu of talents. Trott, especially, was endowed with great mental powers, which were developed by close study, j Notwithstanding all this, he was a man in whom no dependence could be placed. One great defect in his character was that he was ' given to fawn upon the great. Another weak- i ness in his nature was an avaricious love of money. At this time, Trott and Rhett opposed the change in the electiou laws. They saw that it would deprive them of much of the influence which they were accustomed to exercise on election days. In spite of these two individuals, the law went into operation, j and was working to the satisfaction of all j others, and for the general good of the province. Just when, however, the Assembly were busily engaged in devising ways and means I for sinking the public debt, Governor John-j son received an order from the proprietors to I dissolve the Assembly, and cause another to ' be elected according to the ancient mode. In this order to Governor Johnson, the proprietors expressed their disapprobation of the new election law, and virtually declared it null and void, because it had not been submitted to them, in London, for their approval. No doubt the proprietors were induced to take this insane course through the influence of Trott; for although he fawned upon the proprietors, he, by his talents and learning, controlled them very much as he pleased. Governor Johnson and the deputies of the proprietors, with the exception of Chief Justice Trott, thought it best not to carry out this order of the proprietors; but to permit the Assembly to go on until they had accomplished the business in which they were engaged. The proprietors also ordered a repeal of a law which laid an import duty upon negroes, liquors and other articles brought into the colony. This part of the law, because it was "an order by the King in Council," the Governor and the deputies asked the Assembly to repeal, since it was the wish of the King. Governor Johnson and the deputies of the proprietors, used every effort to keep the instructions and orders of the proprietors secret from the Assembly. They were unsuccessful. So soon as these facts became known, the Assembly flew into a violent rage. It was boldly asserted that the proprietors had enroached upon the chartered rights of the province. Immediately preceding thisjunctureof affairs, the lawyers of the province had brought before the Assembly a complaint of thirty charges against Chief Justice Trott. Amongst the complaints brought against him, he was charged with devising a multitude of ways by which his fees were increased. He was also charged with giving advice to parties having cases pending in his court. Everything now tended to alienate the minds of the people of the colony from the proprietors. It was known that the lawyers of the Crown of Englalid had declared that the proprietors bad forfeited their charter, and- the people of the colony now became anxious that the change be made. During the reign of Queen Anne, application had been made by the colony to the proprietors for aid, and they not being disposed to render the desired assistance, application was made to the crown. The Queen manifested a willingness to assist the colony, but declared that she could not consistently do so, since the colony was under a proprietary form mi 1- _r * I? ot government, ine peopie ui me euiuuj complained that they were under a form of government which could not render them assistance when in great need ; and yet it stood in the way of their receiving aid from the Crown of England. Many of the grievances of which the people complained, were of such a character that they could be removed only by the authorities in England. Chief Justice Trott hold his office during good behavior, and could be tried ouly before the proprietors. The Assembly drew up a representation of the raal-adniinistration of Trott, and desired the Governor and his Council to join with tbem in petitioning the proprietors, if they did not see fit to remove the Chief Justice, at least to limit his jurisdiction. That they might bettter succeed in this undertaking, it was thought proper to send the memorial by Francis Yonge, Surveyor-General of South Carolina. Yonge arrived in London in May 1719, and presented the memorial on the 4th of June. In this memorial, in which the Governor and most of his Council joined with the Assembly, the general condition and necessities of the j colony were plainly and earnestly brought to \ the attention of the proprietors. Several re-1 quests were made. They were asked to make j a donation of six thousand acres of land, for ! the purpose of erecting three garrisons. One I on the Savannah river, at a point called Savannah town; another at Congarees, and the | third at the Apalachocoles. The proprietors 1 were also asked to make some provisions for ! Custom House offices at Port Royal, since the 1 town at that point had commenced to increase and was favorably situated for carrying on j the commerce of the colony. In this memo- J rial, preseuted by Francis Yonge, complaint I - > I J J ..c'1 was made respecting tne unoounaeu powers ui Chief Justice Trott, and the former arbitrary action of the proprietors in repealing certain laws passed by the Colonial Assembly. With this memorial, Governor Johnson sent the charges brought against Trott. Several other documents were sent to the proprietors, all of | which were designed to give them a clear and correct idea of the real condition of things in the colony. After a delay of three months, Yonge was sent back to the colony with sealed packages, containing the decisions of the proprietors. During the time that Yonge was consulting with the proprietors, Trott was corresponding with them, and his power over the proprietors ] was much greater than that of Yonge or any one else. The letters brought by Yonge from the proprietors to Governor Johnson, revealed the minds of the proprietors very clearly.; Governor Johnson was gently censured for not carrying out, to the very letter, his previ- J ous instructions respecting the dissolving of the present Assembly, aud causing another to be chosen according to the mode originally in existence in the colouy. He was now instructed to put his former instructions into execution. They peremptorily refused to make a grant of land for garrisons or any other purpose. They increased their power in the col- j onial parliament by appointing twelve individuals as their deputies. Heretofore there ' had been but eight; seven deputies, who repre- ; sented the seven proprietors, and the Gover-! nor, who represented the oldest proprietor, or | palatine. Trott's power, instead of being less- j eued, was increased ; and he, instead of being J censured for malfeasance in office, was i thanked. ~ This reply of the proprietors to the memo- j rial sent up by the Assembly, stirred up a 1 spirit of revenge in every bosom except that! of Trott. Evidently, the proprietors designed punishing the colonists for what they regarded as iusolent conduct. Three of the four depu-j ties of the proprietors who signed the memo- j rial, were left out in the new appointment, j The fourth, Francis Youge, would have been 1 left off but for the fact that he was an inti-j mate friend of Lord Cartaret, the palatine. The names of those left off were Thomas Broughton, Alexauder Skene and James Kinlaugh. Governor Johnson, although a warm friend of the proprietors, was not pleased with the manner in which thev had acted. Possiblv. the fact that his brother-in-law?Broughton? was degraded, had something to do in arousing his disapprobation. He now saw that Trott was virtually to govern the colony while he held the office of Governor. This being the case, the Governor, in a kind of pet, determined to follow out the instructions of the proprietors to the letter, let the consequences be what they might. He called the twelve newly appointed deputies together and issued a proclamation dissolving the Assembly, and ordered another Assembly to be chosen at Charles Towu, according to the original mode. The excitement was intense. Many individuals boldly asserted that the proprietors had forfeited their charter. They were denounced as tyrants. Several of the newly appointed deputies refused to qualify ; whilst others who did qualify, were known to he friends of the people and opposed to the arbitrary proceedings of the proprietors. Trott and Rhett, who expected, since the election was changed back to Charles Town, to be able to play the game in which they once proved themselves adepts, found themselves egregiously mistaken. They could intluence no one, and failed to. elect a singlo man. The inhabitants of the colony were, with a few exceptions, firmly united in their opposition to the arbitrary and despotic measures of the proprietors. For them they cherished no love, and being aware of their weakness, they had no fear for their authority. They saw it demonstrated that the interests of the colony and those of the proprietors conflicted. It had now become evident that if things remained as they now were, that the reduction of the people of the colony to mere serfs of the soil, was only a matter of time. [to be continued next week.] fpsfrllatwimsi HENRY CLAY ON ABOLITION. In the autumn of 1843, Mr. Clay being on a visit to the State of Indiaua, the occasion of his meeting a large concourse of people at Richmond, in Wayne county, of that State, was seized upon for the purpose of presenting him with a petition signed by many of his political opponents, praying him to emancipate his slaves in Kentucky. As the occurrence forms an interesting episode in the history of our national politics, Mr. Clay's good-natured but sarcastic reply to the petitioners is worthy of perusal even at the present time. Mr. Clay replied to Mr. Mendenhall, who had been selected to present him with the petition, in the following words: I hope that Mr. Mendenhall may be treated with the greatest forbearance and respect. I assure my fellow-citizens here collected, that the presentation of the petition has not occasioned the slightest pain, nor excited one solitary disagreeable emotion. If it were to be presented to me, I prefer that it should be done in the face of this vast assemblage. I think I can give it such an answer as becomes me aud the subject of which it treats. At all events, I entreat and beseech ray fellowcitizens, for their sake, for my country's sake, for my sake, to offer no disrespect, no indignity, no violence, in word or deed, to Mr. Mendenhall. I will now, sir, make to you and to this petition such a response as becomes me. Allow me to say that I think you have not conformed to the independent character of an American citizen in presenting a petition to me. I am, like yourself, but a private citizen. A petition, as the term implies, generally proceeds from an inferior in power or sianon 10 a superior ; but between us there is entire equality. And what are the circumstances under which you have chosen to offer it? I am a total stranger, passing through your State, on ray way to its capital, in consequence of an invitation with which I have been honored to visit it, to exchange friendly salutations with such of ray fellow citizens of Indiana as think proper to meet me, and to accept their hospitality. Anxious as I am to see them, and to view parts of this State which I had never seen, I came here with hesitation and reluctance, because I apprehended that the motives of ray journey might be misconceived and perverted. But when the fulfilment of an old promise to visit Indianapolis was insisted upon, I yielded to the solicitations of friends, and have presented myself among you. Such is the occasion which has been deliberately selected for tendering this petition to me. I am advanced in years, and neither myself nor the place of my residence is altogether unknown to the world. You might at any time within these last twenty-five or thirty years, have presented your petition to me at Ashland. If you had gone there for that purpose, you should have been received and treated with perfect respect and liberal hospitality. Now, Mr. Meudenhall, let us reverse conditions, and suppose that you had been invited to Kentucky, to partake of its hospitality; and that, previous to your arrival, I had employed such means as I understand have been used to get up this petition, to obtain the signatures of citizens of that State to a petition to present to you to relinquish your farm or other property, what would you have thought of such a proceeding? Would you have deemed it courteous and according to the rites of hospitality ? I know well, that you and those who think with you, controvert the legitimacy of slavery, and deny the right of property in slaves. But the law of my State and other States has otherwise ordained. The law may be wrong in your opinion, and ought to be repealed; but then you and your associates are not the lawmakers for us, and unless you can show some authority to nullify our laws, we must continue to respect them. Until the law is repealed ? 1 j * ? .1 :_L.. we musi ue excusea ior asserting me riguts? ay, the property in slaves?which it sanctions, authorizes and vindicates. And who are the petitioners whose organ you assume to be? I have no doubt that many of them are worthy, amiable, and humane persons, who, by erroneous misrepresentations, have been induced, inconsiderately, to affix their signatures to this petition, and that they will deeply regret it. Others, and not a few, I am told, are free blacks, men, women and children, who have been artfully deceived and imposed upon. A very large portion, I have been credibly informed, are the political opponents of the party to which I beloug? Democrats, as they most undeservedly call themselves, who have eagerly seized this opportunity to wound, as they imagine, my feelings, and to aid the cause to which they are attached. In other quarters of the union, Democrats claim to be the exclusive champions of southern interests, the only safe defenders of the rights in slave property, and unjustly accuse us Whigs with abolition designs wholly incompatible with its security. What ought these distant democrats to think c .1 c r_: j? 1 ...U~ 01 liio course ui meir iiicu'is ucic, nuu uuic united in this petition ? And what is the foundation of this appeal to me in Indiana, to liberate the slaves under my care, in Kentucky ? It is a general declation in the act announcing to the world the independence of the thirteen American colonies, that all men are created equal. Now, as an abstract principle, there is no doubt of the truth of that declaration ; and it is desirable, in the original construction of society, and in organized societies, to keep it in view as a great fundamental principle. But, then, I apprehend that in no society that ever did exist, or ever shall be formed, was or eun the equality asserted among the members of the human race, be practically euforeed and carried out. There are portions of it, large portions, women, minors, insane, culprits, traui sient sojourners, that will always probably remain subject to the government of another portion of the government. That declaration, whatever may be the extent of its import, was made by the delega n . 1 .1 , C%. _ * _ _ T i tious or ine tturteen otaies. in most or mem slavery existed, and had long existed, and was established by law. It was introduced and forced npou the colonies by the paramount law of England. Do you believe that, iii making that declaration, the States that concurred in it intended that it should he tortured into a virtual eineaucipation of all the slaves within their respective limits? Would ; Virginia and the southern States have ever united in a declaration which was to be in. terpreted into an abolition of slavery among them ? Did any one of the thirteen States entertain such a design or expectation? To impute such a secret and unavowed purpose would be to charge a political fraud upon the ' noblest band of patriots that ever assembled in council ; a fraud upon the confederacy of the revolution ; a fraud upon the union of those States, whose constitution not only lecognized the lawfulness of slavery, but per mitted the importation of slaves from Africa, si until the year 1808. And I am bold to say, A that, if the doctrines of ultra political ab^li- rr tionists had been seriously promulgated at the el i epoch of our revolution, our glorious indepen- se dence would never have been achieved?nev- a i er, never. tl i I know the predominant Bentiment in the , free States is adverse to slavery ; but, happy p | in their own exemption from whatever evils h may attend it, the great mass of our fellow- a | citizens there do not seek to violate the con- it ! stitution, or to disturb the harmony of these f( ; States. I desire no concealment of ray opin-. a j ions in regard to the institution of slavery. I y I look upon it as a great evil, and deeply lament ti j that we have derived it from the parental gov- e ' ernment, and from our ancestors. I wish ev- tl j ery slave in the United States was in the e: i country of his ancestors. But here they are, ti and the question is how they can be best dealt si with ? If a state of nature existed, and we tl were about to lay the foundations of society, a no man would be more strongly opposed than a I should be, to incorporate the institution of d j slavery among its ejemonts. But there is an 1 1-L1- U/vtmn/in l">r? rvrSrrinal incaicumuie uiucrcutc ucm?u wv ..i>6iUU. formation of society and a long existing organized society, with its ancient laws, institu- _ tiou8, and establishments. Now, great as I ^ acknowledge, in ray opinion, the evils of sla- ' very are, they are nothing, absolutely nothing, in comparison with the far greater evils which would inevitably flow from a sudden, general, and indiscriminate emancipation. In v some of the States the number of slaves ap- b proximates toward an equality with that of a the whites ; in one or two they surpass them, v What would be the condition of the two races c in those States, upon the supposition of an immediate emancipation ? Does any man a suppose that they would become blended into i one homogeneous mass ? Does any man re- t commend amalgamation?that revolting ad- 1: mixture, alike offensive to God and man; for t those whom He, by their physical properties, t has made uulike and put asunder, we may, without presumptuousness,suppose were never a intended to be joined together in one of the holiest rites. And let me tell you, sir, if you a do not already know it, that such are the r feelings?prejudice, if you please, (and what t man, claiming to be a statesman, will over- c ! look or disregard the deep-seated and uncon- t querable prejudices of the people,)?in the slaves states, that no human law would en- t force a union between the two races. t \\7Uof tlmn uinnU norfainlv hflnnpn ? A t ITT nail blivu nvuiu vv? VMiuy "" *""f 1"" ? - ? struggle for political ascendaucy ; the blacks seeking to acquire, and the whites to main- j tain possession of the government. Upon the t supposition of a general immediate emancipa- s tion in those states where the blacks outnumber the whites, they would have nothing to t do but to insist upon another part of the same 1 declaration of independence, as Dorr and his s deluded Democratic followers recently did in e Rhode Island ; according to which, an undefined majority have the right, at their pleas- \ ure, to subvert an existing government, and i institute a new one in its place, and then the 1 whites would be brought in complete subjec- s tion to the blacks! A contest would inevitably ensue between the two races?civil war, 1: carnage, pillage, conflagration, devastation, \ and the ultimate extermination or expulsion ] i of the blacks. Nothing is more certain. And J j are not these evils far greater than the mild i and continually improving state of slavery c j which exists in this country? I say contin- 3 j ually improving; for if this gratifying progress in the amelioration of the condition of c j the slaves has been checked in some of the [ states, the responsibility must attach to the s unfortunate agitation 01 me euujeet ui auuu* i tion. In consequence of it, increased rigor f iu the police, aud further restraints have been ; imposed; and I do believe that gradual eman- f i cipation, (the only method of liberation that c has ever been thought safe or wise by any s body in any of the slave states,) has been s postponed half a century. r Without any knowledge of the relation in which I stand to my slaves, or their individ- c ual condition, you, Mr. Mendenhall, aud your g associates, who have been active in getting up this petition, call upon me forthwith to liber- t ate the whole of them. Now let me tell you, t that some half dozen of them, from age, de- c ! crepitude, or infirmity, are wholly unable to \ gain a livelihood for themselves, and are a c heavy charge upon me. Do you think that I ? should conform to the dictates of humanity e by ridding myself of that charge, and send- 3 ing them forth into the world, with the boon of liberty, to end a wretched existence in i starvation ? Another class is composed of s helpless infants, with or without improvident t mothers. Do you believe, as a christian, that c I should perform my duty towards them by c J abaudouiug them to their fate ? Then there a j is another class who would not accept their a I freedom if I would give it to them. I have s i for many years owned a slave that I wished j would leave me, but he will not. What shall j e i I do with that class ? j t What my treatment of my slaves is you a ! may learu from Charles who accompanies me j 011 this journey, and who has traveled with t me over the greater part of the United States, r , and in both the Canadas, and has had a thous- t and opportunities, if he had chosen to em! brace them, to leave me. Excuse me, Mr. v j Mendenhall, for saying that my slaves are as v n j ... j - j 1 1 .1 i_ 1 1 4... wen leu ana ciau, iook as sieea auu neariy, i ' and are quite as civil and respectful in their o j demeanor, aud as little disposed to wound the a j feelings of any one, as you are. o Let me recommend you, sir, to imitate the a i benevolent example of the society of Friends, I in the midst of which you reside. Meek, gen- v i tie, imbued with the genuine spirit of our be- o i nign religion, while in principle they are firm- h I ly opposed to slavery, they do not seek to ac- b I coinplish its extinction by foul epithets, coarse 11 I and vulgar abuse, and gross calumny. Their f ; ways do not lead through blood, revolution, r ! aud disunion. Their broad and comprehen- s I sive philanthrophy embraces, as they believe, t ' the good and the happiness of the white as ; r j well as the black race; giviug to one their j i commiseration, to the other their kindest syra- a pathy. Their instruments are not those of ! r | detraction and of war, but of peace, persuasion, t and earnest appeals to the charities of the hu-1 1 ! man heart. Unambitious, they have no po-'d litical objects or purposes to subserve. My j t intercourse with tbeni throughout life has , i been considerable, interesting and agreeable;, s and I veuture to say, nothing could have in- j t ! dueed them, as a society, whatever a few indi- 11: viduals might have been tempted to do, to : v I seize the occasion of my casual passage! I ! through this state to offer me a persoual in-; v ' dignity. ! I respect the motives of rational abolition- j i ists, who are actuated by a sentiment of devo- j (3 tiou to human liberty, although I deplore and ' c deprecate the consequences of the agitation of e | the question. I have even many friends' f among them. But they are monomaniacs,! c who, surrendering themselves, to a single c idea, look altogether to the black side of hu- i j man life. They do not believe that the sura s 1 total of all our efforts and all our solicitude i c should be abolition. They believe that there | v are duties to perform towards the white man ! r as well as the black. They want good gov-1 s ernment, good administration, and the gener- t i al prosperity of their country. fc 1 shall, Mr. Mendenhall, take your petition e ' into respectful and deliberate consideration ; e | but before I come to a final decision, I should c i like to know what you and your associates c are willing to do for the slaves in my poses- f ' sion, if I should think proper to liberate * ' I them. I own about fifty, who are probably g worth fifteen thousand dollars. To turn them ? loose upnu society without any means of sub- s stence or support, would be an act of cruelty, .re you willing to raise and secure the paylent of fifteen thousand dollars for their ben5t, if I should be induced to free them ? The ;curity of the payment of that sum would laterially lessen the obstacle in the way of leir emancipation. And now, Mr. Mendenhall, I must take resectful leave of you. We separate, as we ave met, with no unkind feelings, no excited nger or dissatisfaction on my part, whatever lay have been your motives, and these I re;r to our common Judge above, to whom we j re both responsible. Go home, and mind our own business, and leave other people to ike care of theirs. Limit your benevolent xertions to your own neighborhood. Within iat circle you will find ample scope for the xercise of all your charities. Dry up the jars of the afflicted widows around you, consle and comfort the helpless orphan, clothe be naked, and feed aud help the poor, black nd white, who need succor; and you will be better and wiser man than you have this ay shown yourself. lite idle*. rilE MAD DRIVER. AN OLD MERCHANT'S STORY. Many years ago, when a lad of about ten, I ras one of the lowest subordinates in the large touse of Maxwell & Co., of T. The duties .llotted to me in that extensive establishment pere often of such a menial character as to leeply wound ray pride. If you say I had no cause for shame so long ls my labor was honest, I answer I had inherted family Dride. and relied, perhaps too much, >n the traditions of a family which had long >efore lost influence and greatness, had become binned and scattered, and left me unaided to nake my way. I labored with untiring energy. I was imbitious and struggled for advancement. Slowly, step by step, sometimes faltering ind losing heart, I went on, until, finally, I eached a point which my boyish fancy, in its vildest bight, had not surveyed. At the age >f twenty-one I became the junior member of he firm. In those days Maxwell & Co., had an exended business, and it became necessary, from ime to time, to visit the various places where he interests of the firm were located. These journeys, usually made by me, taking dace before the era of the easy and elegant ravel of the present day, were often tedious ind attended by hardship. An incident of one of them I am now about o relate. One of the principal debtors of our louse was a man named Braithwaite, living it D., Kentucky. He had, by uniform honisty, secured an almost unlimited credit. At length, however, suspicions arose, and it vas feared that he was about to make 8 fraudilent disposition of his property. Consequenty it was exceedingly urgent to have a repreentativeon the ground to guard our interests. I undertook the journey. Riding on horse)ack day and night, through a thinly-settled, vild country, seldom stopping, even tor rest, ' finally reached the little village of P., where [ was to take stage for my destination. The only place in P. for the traveler's ac:ommodation was a little inn standing a few rards from the highway. It was one of those plain, unassuming wood!ii buildings which have of late years given dace to the la rger and more pretentious brick tructures now found in even the smallest vilages, in compliance with the modern passion or travel. Awaiting, with some impatience, the ap>earance of the stage-coach, I walked up and lown on the porch of the little tavern, occaionally glancing at the persons about me, peculating as to who would be my compagions de voyage. I should state here that the coach register lontained the names of four persons?two ;entlemen besides myself, and one lady. Soon I heard the rumbling noise made by he coach as it approached. It was a fair ype of the sturdy, rough-and-ready, ponderius, faithful vehicle called a stage-coach?a vehicle of historic associations. An avant oureur of the railroad, the horse of flesh has rallantly contended with the horse of iron, Lud though outstripped in every race, hasiiot ret relinquished the contest. The particular coach in question, standing n the road before the inn, and to which I was ibout to commit my fortunes during my trip 0 D., had no doubt once been of superior |uality, and though time had dimmed its col>rs and weakened its frame, it was still staunch ind presentable in appearance. The horses ittached to it, four in number, were fine, highpirited, powerful animals. The driver was a veteran of twenty years' (xperience; well known to all travelers by hat route as "Old Jimmy." If he ever had 1 surname, I am sure I never heard it. Every thing was now ready for the deparure. I took ray place in the coach, and imnediately afterward there followed two genlemen, and, a few seconds later, a lady. The door was closed with a bang, and off re started. I noticed at once that four seats rere unoccupied. This, thought I, is a good udication of a rapid, comfortable trip; none f the crush and jam, wear and tear on body ,nd mind, resulting from the attempt, so usual n most routes, to crowd twelve persons into , space intended for eight only. Now to my companions. On the front seat rith me was a man of about forty-five years f age, stoutly built, medium height, honest, lomely features. One glance at his sunirowned face and large, coarse hands, satisfied ne that he was inured to toil. No doubt a armer. He was quiet and unassuming indeneanor, neatly but coarsely clad. We meet uch men every day, and find nothing about hem peculiarly interesting. If I remember ight, his name was Simpaon. On the middle seat, directly facing me, was , man of a very different stamp. Had you net him in a crowd he would at once have atracted your special attention and interest. Exceedingly tall, massive, and broad-shoullered ; no doubt possessed of great strength ; he head large, covered with abundant hair, ron gray in color, and so long as to touch his houlders. His features werejregular, and by he casual observer, would have been called j landsome. The impression produced on me j vas puzzling. It was certainly not agreeable, I tut, on the other hand, I cannot say that it' vas exactly disagreeable. The controlling feeling was rather curiosity 1 n one whom I at once perceived was extraor- j linary. I cannot forget a certain contraction j ' i o \ il i : it Llie muscles or nis mourn, pruuuciug uu xpression alternating between sternness and \ tain. His eyes were very large, cold gray in j olor, restless, continually roving from one I ibject to auother. I should add that he was j teatly, almost elegantly dressed. His bearing 1 uggested a man who had seen much of life? ; me rather given to meditation. His name , ras Rufus Reynolds. Behind him, in the re-1 notest corner of the back seat, apparently | hrinking from observation, was the lady in j he case. I have deferred a description of, ler, not from auy lack of gallantry or defer- j nee for the sex, but rather because she avoidd description. She was so closely veiled that i inly the contour of her features could be dis- j erned. A stray lock of her hair escaping ; rom confinement was black. Her costume j ras a traveling suite of fine material and ele-; ;ant finish. She wore, on the first finger of! ler right hand, a beautiful ring of rare de-1 ign. Deeply imbued as I was with the im agination and fire of youth, what could I do but conclude she must be refined, lovgly and beautiful? She was certainly young, and there was about her an indescribable something indicative of good breeding. One thing worthy of note did not escape me at the time, and that was that her face was turned continually towards Reynolds, as though she was intensely regarding him. He, on the other hand, seemed totally oblivious of her presence. No, I am mistaken ; he turned once and curiously scanned her, and then I saw, or imagined I saw, her withdraw further into the corner, and avoid his gaze. There was certainly some mysterious connection between those two, but what could it be? I was obliged to await such developments as would afford an explanation. The coach was now rattling along at the rate of about eight or ten miles an hour. For the tiret ten miJes not more man twenty words were spoken, and those were dry and commonplace enough. The young lady, whom for convenience we will call Miss Castle, had not uttered a syllable. Surely not a very communicative party. This irksome quiet drove me for relief to the surrounding scenery. The day was beautiful, the brightness of the sun was cheering?one of those September days when the foliage is of that pale, uncertain green, which produces the brilliant hues of the full autumn. The landscape was pleasingly varied by hill and valley, forest and plain. The road was one of those fine turnpikes for which Kentucky is justly celebrated, undulating with the natural formation of the country; generally wide, but sometimes much contracted by hill-side and water-course. At length a gratifying break occurred in the monotony which had thus far prevailed in our party. Some circumstances, I forget now of what nature, led to a conversation on the ever-fruitful topic of religion. The farmer, evidently a staunch churchman, expressed his views at some length, and after a manner strictly orthodox. While listening to him my attention was attracted by Reynold's manuer. Before a half-dozen words had been spoken, that roving, restless movement of the eye, to _ ? r L 1?J_ WD1CI1 1 nave aircttUjr anuucu, jsoiiaj uioap peared, and hie large eyes expanded as he almost fastened them on the farmer. As the latter progressed, Reynold's attention became fixed. He was evidently intensely interested, and labored under repressed excitement. The massive grandeur of his frame seemed to expand under the effort to restrain his feelings. He seemed to desire to say something, and to be waiting eagerly for an opportunity. None coming, bis impatience finally overcame him, and he spoke, in a voice trembling with emotion? "Gentlemen, it is my solemn duty to correct the errors of your faith Your religion is on a false foundation. The new must supplant the old. I tell you I have studied religion for twenty years; studied it day and night, without rest. Hear my judgment: Your Church is an oppression to the land. The poor have been robbed to enrich her. She must be stripped of her wealth for the benefit of the abject and needy of the land. I am called to preach the new Gospel. The church must be leveled, and her ministers driven from the land. All who do not accept the new gospel must be destroyed." These words were uttered with an earnestness truly majestic. The speaker seemed to feel that he was indeed sent to carry out the reform he referred to. During the delivery of this tirade the veiled ladv had not escaDed mv notice. Not for an instant had she turned her head from the direction of the speaker, whom she was evidently watching intently, and, as his enthusiasm increased, I fancied she showed signs of alarm. Here recurred the perplexing question as to what mysterious relations existed between them. Revolving this question in my mind, I was thoroughly on the qui vive, and anxiously awaiting some denouement when suddenly, and to my disgust, we stopped for dinner. Dinner was finished, and about two o'clock in the afternoon we resumed our places. I say we?I am mistaken?there were three of us only. Reynold's place was vacant. I at once supposed that he was riding on the box, and was confirmed in this supposition by hearing his deep voice in conversation with the driver. There was now a marked change in Miss Castle's conduct. The cause I instantly attributed to the absence of Reynolds, and yet could not imagine how his presence should act as a restraint on her. She had removed her veil, and disclosed one of the most attractive, winsome faces I had ever looked upon. My youthful instincts were correct. She was indeed young and beautiful. Do I not express it when I say she was a most charming young lady ? It was not long before one of those pleasant conversations which commence in nothing, and often end in nothing, and yet beguile the tediousness of travel, had sprung up between us. She was well informed, fluent and entertaining, and I soon became much interested. At this stage of our journey we had reached a hilly, almoBt mountainous part of the country. The road had become very narrow and contracted, bounded on the one hand by a line of steep, rugged hills, on the other by a deep ravine, with precipitous sides. Many feet below might be heard the rush of water. I could not repress a shudder as I looked down into the abyss, and thought what an ugly place this part of the road would be during a dark, stormy night. We were now moving at a rate of speed which seemed rather unsafe, considering the nature of the country. I felt no great uueas iness, however, relying ae 1 aid upon me experience of our driver. I had occasionally caught fragments of the conversation going on between hira and the eccentric stranger. Their voices became so loud that we could distinctly hear Reynolds insisting, in an angry tone, on driving, and then the firm refusal of the driver. This produced a decided effect on Miss Castle. Here again was directly traceable the influence which Reynolds exerted on her. The dominant feeling seemed to be a sort of dread. Determined to solve the problem, I elicited from Miss Castle, by a few well-timed questions, the following disclosures, which you may easily imagine were not, under the circumstances, either gratifying or soothing. Reynolds, it appeared, was well-known to Miss Castle. In bis youth be had studied ior the ministry. Possessed of wealth, his education had been of a superior character, and he had early given promise of a useful, distinguished career. Deep, continued study, however, united with religious euthusiasm, unsettled his reason. He had at first appeared harmless, but in time the nature of his malady so changed that he at intervals became violent and dangerous. He was finally placed under the care of a keeper, but not before he had twice attempted to take the life of his friends, during his periodical attacks of insanity. He was at last placed in an asylum, and was, no doubt, supposed by his friends to be in custody at the very time when it was my fortune to have him for a traveling companion. In a word, the distinguished looking gentleman there on the driver's box, apparently so anxious to take charge of our destinies, was none other than an escaped lunatic. The dangerous nature of the road, and the now accelerated speed at which we were going, were grave causes for alarm. A. sense of impending peril possessed me. The conversation between Reynolds and the driver, which had for a time somewhat lulled, was resumed in louder, angrier tones than before. 1 1 noticed that "Uia jimmy s voice was thick, and his words spoken with an indistinctness characteristic of a man under the influence of liquor. What if Reynolds, with a madman's cunning, had plied him with liquor, the better to accomplish some wild purpose ? Suddenly we heard sounds of a struggle, cries and oaths, a thud on the coach top, as of a heavy fall; then a gasping and choking, as though some one were trying to get breath. Now thoroughly alarmed, and feeling certain that something wrong had taken place, I leaned as far as possible out of the window, and saw something which is as clear in my memory to-day as though it had happened but yesterday. Standing on the foot-board was the driver and Reynolds engaged in a terrible struggle. They swayed backward and forward with the motions of the coach, at times almost falling forward under the horses, or to the side ' -i ' i mi_ _ j_; >? c unaer mew nee js. jluu unvor b iauo nao icu, and swollen almost to bursting; bis arms were around the body of his adversary as though in a death-grip. The herculean form of Reynolds was almost erect; his hat off; his long hair streaming; his eyes dashing like those of a beast of prey about to spring on its victim. Both of his hands clasped the driver's throat, who at length, unable to withstand the vicelike grip, loosed his hold and fell heavily, almost under the wheels. Our wild ride now commenced. Reynolds seized the reins and whip and lashed the horses into madness not much less than his own. At intervals he uttered a cry, something of a yell and laugh, that chilled one to the heart. Onward we sped with the rapidity of the wind. I turned to my companions. They had evidently taken in the situation. The farmer, though very much alarmed, was self-possessed and courageous. The young lady was terrified to such an extent that her face was blanched and her features fairly distorted. The situation was awful. How to escape was the question. My first thought was that we could leap from the coach, but one look at the jagged rocks on one side and the deep ra vine on tne other convinced me mat sucn a course would be our certain destruction. To remain seemed equally hopeless. We were threatened with instant annihilation. Our mad driver plied the lash and yelled at his maddened steeds. The noise was fearful. The coach rocked from side to side, and several times nearly turned over. Our fate seemed to waver between death by being dashed to pieces against the rocks on the one side and precipitation into the ravine on the other. The wheels often shaved the edge of the precipice, sending the rocks tumbling below. My acquaintance with all the features of the road, having travelled it once or twice before, enabled me to decide on some plan of escape. About a mile ahead there was a fork in the road. The left hand was the route formerly traveled, but being through a bad part of the country, and always considered dangerous, it had long been abandoned, was out of repair, its bridges down, &c. The right band, or new road, was wide, level and in good condition. I decided that if the left was taken it would be better to risk death by leaping from the coach, than to remain and face inevitable destruction. But if the right was taken, our chances would be altogether better, it being evident that the horses could not much longer keep up their break-neck gait, and that they would probably run themselves down to sucn an extent as to make our exit from the vehicle comparatively safe. As soon as I declared my plan, it was accepted as the only feasible one. We must bide our time. The suspense became intense. How concentrating is danger. In the presence of imminent peril how small seems the expanse of the universe! The whole world,the whole of life seems to be compressed into the small space immediately around us, and everything depends on our own salvation. All is forgotten save our immediate safety. So strong is the instinct of self-preservation. The decisive moment approached. On ward! still onward ! with unabated rapidity. Objects flew past without shape; the heavens > turned in a circle. Would the devil who was driving give us but one chance for our lives? I felt relieved when the time for action arrived. I pushed open the coach door, grasped the door post, leaned forward, and glanced up the road. Ahead was a steep descent, at the foot of which was the place where the roads parted. And yet no slack in e ed; the wild, infuriated animals dashed on ; the merciless driver, now a demon with bloodshot eyes and foaming mouth, still urged them on, and uttered the ravings of his madness. , Now we are almost there. One hundred yards ahead! Fifty yards ahead ! I looked at Miss Castle. She seemed lifeless. I told her to approach the door where I stood. She did so without a word. Now we are there. Will the fiend on the box pull to the right or to the left ? He seems undecided. He flashes his glance first on one side and then on the other. He pulls to the right, and we are saved. No ! he has changed his purpose; he pulls to the left. His indecision saved our lives. The leaders, first reined to the right, turned that way, then immediately afterward reined to the left, endeavored to obey, but the change was too sudden. They halted for a second. One of them was confused ; he reared, plunged forward, and almost fell, but recovered himself. Then was our time, if ever. I called to Miss Castle; she did not appear to hear me, and did not move. There was no time for ceremony. I took her in one arm, and grasping the door and leaning forward as far as possible, I gave once glance around me, and then leaped blindly out I struck hard; a heavy darkness envoloped me. I became insensible. A few hours afterward, when I recovered consciousness, I was in a farm-house near by, receiving the very best attention that could be bestowed. Miss Castle and the farmer were active in administering to my wants. The former was profuse in her expressions of gratitude to me for having, as she claimed, saved her life. Such words, I assure you, were balm to my wounds. I was happy to see that she and the farmer bad escaped with little injury. I was severely but not dangerously bruised, and, so well was I attended, I was able to resume my jour - P J ney in a iew uaya. As to Reynolds, the last seen of him and bis coursers alive, was as they reached the summitof a high hill on the old road. He was standing erect, one hand holding the reins, the other extended forward, as though urging onward to the tragic doom that awaited him. It must have been a grand picture. Reaching a stream, unbridged, running between steep, rocky banks, he doubtless baited not a moment, but drove over the brink, and was probably instantly killed by the crash and ruin which followed. His body, once so grand and majestic in its strength and grace, now scarcely recognizable, so mangled was it, was taken to his family at D. I should not omit to state that "Old Jimmy" was not fatally injured by his struggle with the madman and fall from the coach. He recovered, and resumed his place on the line. In conclusion, I should add that my business in D. was satisfactorily ended. This journey proved one of the turning points in my life. The acquaintance made with Miss Castle under such romantic surrounding, concluded in our subsequent engagement and marriage.