TEACHING “AMERICAN” IN JAPAN.
FROM THE JOURNAL OF COMMERCE.
U. S. Flao-Ship Powhatan, )
Sea of China, March 12, 1859. )
* ♦ * After running down to Shanghai,
we returned the first of September, and spent that
month and October in this charniing bay, and
among tliis simple and most attractive people.
Already the Japanese officials had got the idea
of the superior value of the English language over
the Dutch, as a medium of communication with
foreign nations. A very con.siderable number
of Japanese had got a mere .smattering of the
I'utch language, being able to speak a few words
and sentences, as the shabby little colony ol
Dezima, consisting of a dozen or two Dutchmen,
and three or four dozen Japanesewith the
petty Crovernor at their head, had carefully and
perseveringly inculcated the idea, that the Ihitvh
was the most important language to be learnt. In
this way they succeeded in keeping the Japanese
ignorant of other “outside barbarians,” and at the
same time in perpetuating their own influence,
and continuing to engross all the commerce. This
game, so selfish ahd unmanly, had been played
most successfully for more than two hundred
years, the Japanese all the while believing the
Dutch were the greatest nation in Euroj>e, and
the most to be courted and trusted. New idcius,
however, were at once awakened by the arrival of
the American fleet—the Powhatan, the ^linne-
sota and the {Mississippi—all of them splendid
men-of-war, as is universally conceded here, a
Russian Lieutenant frankly and laughingly saying
that the Russians were nwrtijied to see their su
periority, and that the English were mud. 1 hey
threw the poor Dutch vessels at once into the
shade, and the poorer Dutchmen with them; and
with the superiority of the American ships came
the idea of the superiority of the English, or, as
my scholars called it, the American language.
Iktore we left, on the first of November, several
English men-of-war had come in, on board one of
which was Lord Elgin, and then a Russian frigate,
bearing Count Poutatine, the Russian minister
and Admiral; and a little later two or three French
men-of-war, with Baron Gros, the French minis
ter to China and Japan. Most of the Russian
and French officers could speak English with
fluency. None of them, however, spoke Dutch,
and hence the impression was deepened upon the
Japanese mind, that the Dutch language was
good for nothing, while the English, as ui}' young
interpreters and scholars were wont to M'rite in
their exercises, was “iinuersaf.^' With admirable
good .sense and sagacity, the Japanese governors
saw the utility, and, indeed, the necessity, of a
knowledge of the English language in reference
to future intercourse with America and Eurojte.
and the demands of that commerce and inter
course which were destined immediately to spring
up. In this fact may be seen at once the good
sense of the Japanese and their truly liberal feel
ings. They .saw the use of the English language
and put the Japanese at once to learning it.
No .sooner had we fairly anchored upon our
third visit, before the Governor .sent an interpre
ter to the ship with the rejue.st that the C'onimo-
dore would allow and designate some one to un
dertake the ta'k of teaching his interpreters the
English language. The post was oft'ered to me.
and gladly accepted, not in the expectation of re
muneration; for none was offered, or even inti
mated, but in the hope of something better.
* * * I wa.si conducted to the Ru.ssian Ra-
2aar; there is another on Dezima, called the Dutch
Bazaar. A neat room in the second story of a
new building had been provided, the lower story
of which was used by the money exchangers, and
other officials. The floor was covered with the
neatest mats, and the walls with hand.some Ja
panese paper, while one large sliding window,
also of paper, opened to the bay, and the green
hills, and the innumerable temples, or the ;roves
zaars and the area below, with the crowd.s walk
ing to and fro, or engaged in making purcha.ses.
Which was the more charming sight, 1 could not
tell—nature in the bay, the hills and the groves,
or nature in these kind-hearted and guileless
mortals whom I saw before me. A sfjuare table
was set in the middle of the room, with neat
benches around it, by the side of which 1 took
my seat, and opened the jirst Kmjlish uchoo! r,-r
opened in Japan. In honor ^)f my Alma Mater,
1 called it JJartmouth Colleje, Junior.
When my .school wa.s thus fairly inaugurated
in the fine chamber in the Russian liazaar, I coiu-
menced my labors in earnest. Nine young men
were in attendance, the Governor’s interpreters,
one of whom was intrustc-d with important busi
ness, as at times he had been commissioned to go
to Jeddo to transact matters with the lmi.erial
Court. Another was either a native of the most
northern island, Jesso, or had resided there; for
he was familiar with llakodadi, and gave me an
interesting account of the climate, relating, with
shivering, and contortions of face, the extreme
cold, and saying that he had seen the snow nine
feet deep. They were from 18 to 25 years of age;
one of them was married, and another had been,
but had lost his wife, and was left with a child.
All were of manly form, but not tall, and, except
ing two, rather slender. Of a dark complexion,
black hair, and black eyes, their faces are better
formed than those of the Chinese, being more
openj honest, and kind in their expression, their
noses sharper, and thin lips, never growing out
to the disgusting thickness and flabbiness of many
of the Chinese. The hair is shaved from the
front of the head by all the Japane.se, and the
rest brought together from the back and sides and
fastened in a queue on the top of the head, where
a piece about four inches long, thick as a finger,
and made solid and stiff by thread and pomatum,
is bent forward at a right angle with the collect
ed mass of hair, and projecting forward over the
naked front looks like a little pistol aimed at the
heart of a foe. Relonging to the higher cla.ss of
Japanese society, the interpreters were dressed
in handsome style for the country, wearing the
Iwse under-garments of the East, with a silk, or
silk and cotton gown over the whole. Their
stockings are of cloth; for the art of knitting
«eems to be unknown in Japan, or else is not aj”
proved; while their shoes, made of a certain braid
ed grass, covered with blue and finely colored,
were always taken off and left at the door, j.ike
all the Japanese they wore no hats, however hot
the sun; though sometimes in walking they hold
a fan over their heads. The wearing of a sword
is a privilege and an honor; and as learning is
held in honor, my scholars were permitted to
come into the school each with a sword at his
side. The higher officers are allowed to wear two!
Nothing could equal the uniform politeness of
the young interpreters to their teacher and to one
another. Upon entering the room they uniform
ly made the most graceful as well as profound
obeisance, and, coming forward, offered their hatd,
having learnt that this is an American and P^uro-
pcan fashion, though not Japanese; and when one
of their number came in late, all would rise from
their seats, and, advancing to meet him, make the
same profound obeisance, almost bringing their
heads to the floor. During the whole two months
of the continuance of the school, not an an-^ry or
unpleasant word was uttered between themselves-
not one angry feeling for a moment, so far as
could be judged, entered one breast. Their faces
almost uniformly sparkled with smiles; often they
deli^
«« and when-
y tiae made a l)al|>ablc uptake or bluudcr
in his reading or composition, he was the first to
break out into a loud laugh. One, however, sel
dom smiled; he was the deepest thinker, and fit
to be made judge. Such a new world burst upon
him—subjects so new, so strange, so profound,
and interesting, that he always seemed serious,
and lost in the reflections awakened. Some
brouirht their pipes with them at time.s, the steel
bowls of which were less in size than a lady s
thimble, which they tilled with the weak Japan
ese tobacco cut as fine as thread, and which was
consumed with three or four puffs. Ihis, how
ever, was done only by two or three, and by them
rarely.
The ambition of the young men was excited,
as they often remarked verbally and in their com
positions, that their learning would help their
“promotion,” meaning official. The ofticers of
the government often came in to see the working
of the school, and never departed without express
ing their thanks and satisfaction, while the gov
ernor himself was often at the trouble of sending
me kind and encouraging words. As the young
men had obtained a smattering of Dutch from the
Dutch residents in Dezima, they were not ignorant
of the Roman alphabet, and the first labor was in
teaching the sounds of the letters. And truly,
^^lliclahor; hoc opus e.«t,” -dn I never knew or
imagined before; nor can any one appreciate it
without a similar experience. Hours were spent,
from day to day, in this effort, either the ear of
the students being unable to catch the slight dif
ferences of souiiil in certain cases, or else, as is
more probable, the organs of speech being too
ritril and fixed by use and time, and becoming
unable to give the nice modulations which would
have been ea.sy at an earlier period. At length,
however, the sounds of the letters were all ma.s-
terel, vowels, consonants, and dipthongs, except
the single letter, /, which defied all ett'orts. For
two long months this t:isk was repeated day after
day, and at last abandoned in utter despair, the
young men often bursting out in a loud laugh at
their own grimaces, and distorted countenances
and unearthly sounds, tus they attempted to pro
nounce this letter, but more frequently mortified,
and ready to burst into tears. The Japanese have
not the sound of that letter, and uniformly pro
nounce L like 11.
Thus they proceeded from the alphabet to
i monosyllables, and from monosyllables to poly-
I syliabl’e.s, and at last to easy lessons in reading,
j Then came the most serious difficulty—labor
j which at'first wa-; mo.st exhausting—becoming a
I livimj dicfionnrt/ in imparting ideas to words
which to the interpreters had no meaning. Help
however, wa.« not wanting in the time of need.
A few copies of a small and wretchedly eonjp(jsed
book in Dutch and English, wi-rc hunted up, and
bc.'ides these two or three Dutch and English
Dictionaries, anl one or two in .lapanese and
I hitch. The interpreters understood a few Dut(Ji
Words and ]>hra.cs, while I was utterly ignorant
of the language; but having some knowledge of
German in other days, it Wiv-s often available in
sliding into Dutch, while many words in the lan
guage betray so much of a Latin or English re
lationship, that it was not difficult to reach the
meaning. Of course the Japanese and Dutch
Dictionary could be of no direct profit to me; but
when the Dutch of an English word could be
found in the Dictionary, and wx« pointed out to
the interpreters, they at once had the Engli.h
words with Japane.se at its side. This was (juite
a circuitous route to a L'^iven point, and exceed
ingly tedious and lalntrious, but it was inevitiible,
and even thankfully accepted. Still it was often
neces.ary to re.sort to the primitive language—the
language of signs.
The next labor was upon the English (iram-
mar, where no difficulty was experienced except
in the verb, which in conjugation, in moods,
tenses, inflections, and auxiliaries, is so unlike
the Japane.se verb, that it seemed to the students
— — V* uuiuaiiUil-
ism.” Rut per.sistently insisting upon the mas
tering of it, and requiring the regular and auxili
ary verbs to be repeated every day memoritf r,
advising the students at the same time to repeat
them aloud in the intervals between school hours,
as they walked or sat in the house, thev sati.s-
factorily mastered the hard task before the
school ended. The next study was arithmetic,
which was no study at all; for they seemed to un
derstand it by intuition. Jiike the Chinese, the
Japanese u.se a calculating machinc, with which
they solve |Uestions with astonishiiig rapidity and
accuracy, leading me to suspect they would be
prejudiced against the Araiir figures and system
of computation, or if they were willing to adopt
them, that they would work with them awkward
ly and vcxatiously. To my surpri.se and delight,
they needed but little instruction, when they
“Walked through” tlie arithmetic like old ex
pertsi They had never seen slate or pencil; and
when they were given to each of them, and they
i?:iw the economy, as well as the convenience,
above the calculating machine, and hair-pencils,
ink, and jiaper, they' were as happy as though
they had received a fortune.
(Geography next came up, which was the more
interesting to them from having in my possession
a good supjily of the best majjs, which were spread
out before them as the study w:is pursued. The
Dutch had given them the most extravagant ideas
of JloUand, while the Tnited SUites had hardly
been heard of, or if heard of, only under the name
America. 1 spread out my large map of the
I nited States. 1 compared it with England, with
France and with Holland; I pointed out Califor
nia, and Oregon, and Washington Territory, so
near to Japan, and directing their eyes to New
York and Ro.ston, told them of the population, and
commerce, and wealth of those and other cities,
then exultingly saying, ^‘■That is the United
f^tntes.' That is my country!” new and grand
ideas of the greatness of our country instantly
seized them, and pointing to Holland, which the
crafty Dutchmen had taught them to regard as
the greatest nation in Europe, they laughed out
right at its insignificance, and in scorn of the de
ception which had been practiced upon them.
They next compared Japan with the territory of
the (; nited States; nor ci*n I ever forget the feel
ing of mortification and despondency, painted so
legibly upon their faces, when they saw the dis
proportion. It was a noble feeling—one of pa
triotism anl human nature, and I could not but
respect it and be touched by it
Still more was I touched, when on one occasion
in the school hours, one of the interpreters asked
me the meaning of the word uncivilized, and
whether the Ja]>aneae were uncivilized; and hand
ing mo the Dutch dictionary, and pointing to the
word uncivilized, the only (lefinitions given were
‘^Lrutal; t/eastly.” He had caught up the idea
that Kuropeans and Americans did not regard the
Japanese as civilized; and if not, then they regard
ed t(iem as beasts and bruft-i^ and the Dutch dic
tionary was authority. He saw the inferiority of
Japanese civilization to European, but was pro
foundly sad and mortified to iearn that he and his
countrymen were thought to be brutes! I ex
plained, pointing to their fine town, their gar
dens and terraced hills, their schools, their
books, their beautiful pc>rcelain and lacquered
ware, and their quiet, good order, and humane
government; and assured him they were a cmYtwd
nation, and an honorable nation, and that the ed
ucation they were obtaining, and which should be
diffused throughout the empire, would elevate the
nation to a still higher civilization and greater
honor. This seemed to relieve him, and his face
brightened up with new smiles.
Abuses of the Franking Privilege.—If the abu
ses of the franking privilege could iii some way be
gjithered together and their enormous result pre
sented in bulk to the view of the public, the pop
ular indignation would be excited to such a pitch
that no Congress would have the hardihood to re
fuse the extirpation of this great incubus upon
the postal system, and immense provocative to na
tional dishonesty. The true purpose of the frank
ing privilege is to enable those to whoui it was
granted to transact their official correspondence
free of charge, but the privilege has been extend
ed and abused until it has been made to cover not
only all kinds of correspondence, but to transport
at the Government expense, their dirty linen,
their family supplies, and any or every article that
could possibly be smuggled into the mail bags.
Members of Congress use it indiscriminately for
their private, their political, and official correspon
dence, and distribute their franks as freely as if
there was no question of their right to do so, and
the mails groan with a mass of rubbish which is
of no use to anybody. We presume we receive at
the American office, in the course of a year, five
hundred pounds weight of documents, speeches,
&c., four hundred and ninety pounds of which
pass immediately into the waste paj^er basket as
uttter trash with the examination of which we re
fuse to burden ourselves. And this experience
is paralleled by thou.sands of newspaper offices
throughout the country. Yet this trash costs the
Government large amounts for printing, and other
large amounts for its transportation, burthens tho
postal system and prevents it becoming the self-
sustaining, cheap and tfficient sj’stcm that it ought
to be. On the platform at tho Relay House may
be seen, day after day, even now when Congro.'^.s
has adjourned, huge piles of this unproductive
stuff on its way to the West; great bags containing
boxes and books, papers and speeches, which we
venture to sav not one man in a hundred would
receive if he was rc(juircd to pay only the postage
upon it. So great is this mass, seeking dis
tribution through this otie route, that it is no
longer possible to carry it in the mail trains, and
it has to be forwarded as freight.
Haiti more American.
Pure Air T’^rswi Medicine.—Docttrs disagree
\ery frequently about the proper treatment of
diseases. Some favor what is called “active treat
ment,” that is, they recommend the plan of filling
the sick man as full of foreign “bodies” in the
form of pills and potions, as he will hold, and add
blisters, cups and leeches externally, to keep up
the balancc. )ther members of the faculty call
this sharp practice, and insist that it is bad policy
to use a sledge hammer to kill a fly, especially
when the in.sect happens to be reposing on a cost
ly mirror. The death of the fly does not compen
sate for the damage to the furniture. They ac
cordingly atlvise milder measures, sui h as restric
tion in diet, moderate t xereise and avoidance oi'
exposure, and thus virtually throw physic to the
dogs. Another school finds in water the Ion'.:
sought Catholicon, the remedy for all the ills that
flesh is heir to. All sorts of baths, at various
temperature.s, take the ]ilace of “doctors’ stuti."
The cure for one ailment is a .seat in a tub of water
at a temperature of >0° for twenty minutes. 'J'he
contrary infirmity is renieilied by the same treat
ment prolonged to forty minutes. One jiatient
is ordered a coiirse of j«lun;re baths; another is en
cased in dripjiing sheet.s irtuii top to t«K*. The
man who dies under the hydropathic system ha.^
at least the sati>faction of dying clean.
Children in the present age get a good deal of
hydropathic treatment, and no doubt the laily
baths, which they generally regard with horror,
conduce largely to the maintenance of their health
and their vigorous development. We know one
little bo}', who leclines to believe that he was
made of dust, arguing that he would have “turn
ed into mud” long ago if this doctrine were true,
been subjected from his birth. Some plii1o.so-
phers hold the theory that these incessant ablu
tions are contrary to nature, at least to the nature
of children—and that the youngsters are not in
their normal condition when clean. Accordinir
to Arctic navigators, the Esjuimaux belong to
this school. They have no word in their language
to signify dirt, but when it accumulates so as to
be in the way, it is called an “inconvenience.”
Fortunately for them, they manage to tumble ac
cidentally into the water once or twice luring
their short summer, and thus get rid of the win
ter’s incrustation.
Rut mcdical men generally agree that pure air,
(and a plenty of it,) is neces.sary to health. 'J’he
old system of shutting the patient up in a close
room, excluding the outside atmosphere, is ex
ploded. And for children especially, the almost
universal recommendation is abundant exercise in
the open air.— /iult. American.
Power of the French Guns.—In the late battle
of Montebello, the new French guns threw their
bullets mori‘ thiu two Fnglish milts. The effect
was so terrific upon the Austrian rank.s that the
centre was obliged to tall back upon tho reserve.
It would seem that 'the Austrian guns do not
C(jual those of France, and that Francis Joseph
will be obliged to force his antagonist into close
(juarters. When the fighting shall fairly com
mence in Lombardy and the mountains of the
Tyrol, it will matter little how far a gun will
carry. In pitched battles, Austrian cannon and
rifle will destroy life; nothing more is required.
J*et. A'jcpress.
Garibaldi, the white-haired leader of the Italian
volunteers in the army in Sardinia, was exiled
from Italy in 1840, and found refuge in the Unit
ed States. A Western exchange says that he
kept a coffee-house in Cincinnati a few years ago
and retailed liijuor by the dram. He is now
a General in the Sardinian service, commanding
fifteen thousand men, and to a groat extent con
trolling the destinies of States.
At the late session of the District (^’ourt in
Wharton Co., Texas, a negro woman, (emancipat
ed by Alex. Moore, E.sj., some years since and
sent to New York, provided with ample means
of support, but now returned,) presented her peti
tion, praying to be ]>ermitted to select her a mas
ter, and return to Slavery.
After the customary examination by the Court,
the Judge finding her determined to re-enslave
herself, her petition was granted, and she became
a slave of her own free will and accord.
Doubly Punished.—The other day a Dutchman
in Cincinnati was severely beaten by his “vrow,”
and while smarting under the infliction he com
plained to the Mayor, and had his better half ar
rested for the outrage, whereupon she was fined
three dollars and the costs; but she not having the
money, her husband was called upon to fork over.
Upon which he opened his eyes in great surprise,
exclaiming, “Vot for 1 pay? She vip me!” The
“statute” was explained to him, and he paid, but
announced that hereafter his wife might wollop
him as much as she pleased, but he would never
again take steps to uphold the ‘majesty of the law.’
Sold.—A sailor, calling upon a gold.smith in
New York recently, asked what might be the val
ue of an ingot of gold as big as his arm. The
shop-keeper beckonefl him into a back room and
primed him with grog. He then asked to sec the
ingot. “Oh,”said Jack, “I haven’t got it yet, but
I’am going to Pike’s Peak, and would like to know
the value of such a lump before 1 stjirt.” Salt
water gentleman ordered out.
A ROMISH MIRACLK AT NAPLES.
Correspondence of the Baltimore American.
Learning that the semi-annual miracle of the
liquefaction of the blood of Sau Genarro was to
take place on Saturday, l>eing the last day of its
eighth rejietition, we repaired at an early hour in
the morning to the church of Santa Rcstituta, and
so great was the crowd that it was with difficulty
we could gain an entrance. The ceremony of
li(lucfaction is the greatest religious festival in the
kingdom, and such is the importance attached to
it by the ardent imaginations of the Neapolitans,
that all the conijucrors of tlic city have considered
it a necessary jtiece of State policy to respect it.
Rcfore prf»ceeding to give an account of the
ceremony, 1 will exjilain what is meant by the
liquefaction. In the right aisle of the (’athedral
of SanUi Restituta, is the chapel of San Genarro,
in which are preserved two phials said to contiin
the blood of the saint. The ceremony of lique
faction takes place twice in the year, and is each
time repeated for eight sticccssive days. The
tradition (»f the church represents that when St.
.r;iiiarlus was exposed to be devoured by lions in
the amphitheatre of I’ozzuoli, the animals pros
trated themselves before him and became tame.
'Ihis miracle is said to have converted so many to
Christianity, that Dracontius ordered tlie Saint to
be decapitated, which sentence was executed at
Salfatara in the year 305. 'Phe body was buried
at Pozzuoli until the time of Constantine, when it
was removed to Naples anl deposited in the
church of San (Jenarro. .\t the time of this re
moval a woman who is said to have collected the
blood with a sjionge at the period of the martyr
dom, took it in two bottles to St. Severus, the
bishop, in whose hands it wa.s said to have imme
diately melted. 'J'he iron tabernacle which con
tains the phials is secured by two bolts, one key
being kept by the municipal authorities, and the
other by the arch-bi.hop, and is only opened in
the jtresence of the people.
'I he ceremony of the liquefaction commenced
on Saturday in the church of Santii Chiara, from
whence alter m:i&s an immense procession with
bands of music, choristers, bishops, priests and
soldiers bearing crucifixes, banners and candle.s,
jtroceeded w’ith the phials of blood to the cathe
dral. This procession was three-juarters of a mile
long, and in it w*rc soldiers bearing large silver
statues of saints, presenting one of the most im
posing spectacles I ever witne.*ised.
At the ('athedral, some time before the cere
monies coninu'nced, a number of old women, of
the lower orders, wlu> claim to be the relations of
.''aint Janarius, ctdlected around the balustrade of
the altar, exhibiting the most wild and uncon
trollable excitement. Some of these woiTu-n were
very old, and exhibiting countenances shrivellc(l
and wrinkletl beyond anything in the form of hu
manity 1 havi* ever seen. Innnediately alt* r the
fir^t !iiass was lini.'lied they commence^! a fearful
howl, repcatinir in a hoarse anl croaking voice to
the exti nt ol'their lungs, I*aternost rs, Aves ami
Credo.s. When the .-^aint delays the liquelaetioti
li«> loM;r they even claim the right and often do
heap i.nprccations on him with all the fervency
that accompanies their prayers.
'I’he relics were exj)o-:cd in one of the side
ehapels, called the Chapel of St. (ienarro, which
wa.s magnificently decorated, the altar being bril
liant with gold ornanient and diamonds ainl pre
cious .'tones. 'I'he face ol' the altar is of massive
silver, cut in sUtues of bas-relief, representing
the history of Cardinal ('arafl'o’s bringing back
the head of tlu? Saint to Naples. All the duk*‘s
and princes were also ]>re.ent in the robes of roy
alty; ,ind .>;ol(iiers. with mu'ket. and ^yonets,
were scattered throughout the immense edifici*.
their plumes waving over the heails of the p*-ople
in every direction. fhe .'^aint’s head, with a
rich mitre upon it—it being fixed in the statue
of the Saint—with an archbishop’s mantle about
the shoulder'^ of the statue, and a rich eollar of
>.yl ;uil ero.ss about the neck, was the first
sight ttiat attracted my attention. i nc
ct>n[aining the blood, otie of which appeared like
pit h, elotted and hard in the gla.s, were then
.■ihown to the people and turned upside down to
show that the blood in it was hard and in.soluble.
They Were then |>laced t>n (»ne side of the altar.
one appearinir like a smelling bottle, and only had
a nu’rc >tain of blood, whilst the other wa.s lar^rer,
and seemed to hold enou:h to fill a wine i^l;Ls.
They Were shown to the jter.'V'ns adnnttcd within
the lialu.'trade. anu>ng whom were a considerable
number of Enirli.-h Protestants. After l.ein^
placed on the altar a gla.ss ca.sc was put over theni
thriiugh which they could be seen by all present.
A series ot Masses was then commenced, at the
conclusion of each of which the old women set up
a most fearful and unearthly howl, the drums and
trumpets joined in the discordant blast, and it was
difficult to imagine such a horrible clamor to be
intended for (’liristian Worship. 'J'hev, however
■secme'l almost frantic with religious fervor, as did
also the priests ami a large portion of the people
present, the cries, screams and sobbing pervadin
every part of the edifice. 'Ihese Classes were con
tinued from nine o’clock in the morning until 5
o’clock in the afternx)n without ce.ssation, except
for another ]>rocession in the afternoon, during
which thirty-five large, solid silver statues of saints
and martyrs were carried by the soldiers. At the
concluson of the proce.ssion the Masses wereaj^ain
resumed with all the ac«ompaniments of excite
ment ami clamor that prevailed in the morniiiir,
without the desired liquefaction of the blood tak
ing place. At 5 o’clock, however, the glass was
again romoved from the bottles, the blood in the
larger one was found to be as limpid as water, and
was shown to the people amid the greatest rejoic
ing, the beating of drums, the clapping of hands
and the blasts of trumpets. The old women were
perfectly wild with excitement, and many of them
fell down exhausted, while the roar of cannon
from the Castle of Almo announced to the people
that the miracle was consummated.
Wherever there was any number of English or
Americans in the Cathedral during the ceremony,
soldiers were stationed near them, with special
instructions to allow no one to molest them. 'J'his
rather surprised me; but on injuiry I a-scertain
that on several occasions, when the lit|uefaction
has not taken place as soon as was anticipated,
the ignorant portion of the people had attackeil
them, under the belief that the presence of heretics
had prevented the accomplishment of tho miracle.
If the liquefaction takes place soon it is regarded
as an evidence of happiness and prosperity to the
country, and if it is retarded, as indicative of
trouble and evil to be anticipated.
The agricultural bureau of the United States
Patent Office has just received a case of tea seed
from Hong Kong; another is on the way. (Jreat
hopes are entertained that it can be succc.ssfully
planted throughmt the South, and^numerous ex
periments with it are being made there. The
plant, it is sail, may be cultivated as far North as
the Southern portion of New York. A new brick
building for the accommodation of the Agricul
tural Rureau is to be constructed for the preser
vation of plants.
New York on Tuesday night was the scene of
two murders, and a stabbing affray between two
women.
Old Aije.—James Williams, an African, died
in August!, May 11, at the remarkable age of
one hundred and fifteen years.
Ugly Customer.—A man in Philadelphia, the
other morning, found a lively little eel in his milk
pitcher. The milkman hadn’t strained bis water.
BROOKLYN CITY COTHIT.
June 10—Refore the Hon. E. D. Culver, City
Judge.
Invalidity of Slave Marriage.—The People,
on the complaint of the Rev. B. N. Warrick vs.
J^ie Richardson, Emma Kobbins and Winnie
^^rrick. Yesterday morning the Court rendered
the following decision in this case:
'J'he complainant in this matter alleges, and the
evidence supports the allegations, that the de
fendants have chargcd in substance that the com
plainant, who is a Rishop in the Methodist p]pis-
coj.al Church, Williamsburg, is guilty of bigamy,
in that he has two wives now living.
'I'he defendants attempted to justify this charge
on the following stiitement of facts, which have
been proved before me on this examination:
'riiat Warrick and Winnie, one of the defend
ants, were both slaves in North Carolina, owned
by diftercnt parties. 'J’hcy agreed, as far back as
IS41, to live together, and a colored Methodist
exhorter read over the discipline on marriage, the
parties saluted each other as bride and groom,
jumped over the broom-stick in the kitchen, and
were pronounced married.
No license seems to have been obtained from
the (’ounty ('ourt, as rejuired by the laws of that
Stitc, nor was the consent of their respective
owners obtained.
'The parties, however, cohabited ttigether, as
best they could, under the circumstinces, and
after some seventeen years, twelve children had
been born to them, as the fruits of such cohabita
tion. In iSiiS, however, AY:irrick was made free;
but he continued to live with innie till 18^51,
when, in c0nsc([uence of the laws of the State,
touching free colored people, he was obliged to
leave and did. After ten years’ absence, he re
turned to North (’arolina, found his woman, who
was still a slave, passed one night with her, where
upon he was notifieil by the sherifi' to leave in
three days, or be again reduced to slavery. He
left; Winnie consenting and advising him to do
.s(>. He came to Williamsburg, where in 1S48 he
was duly marrie«l to his present wife. Winnie,
his former woman, remaineil in }lav(‘ry till about
1S.")4, when she came North, and found her man
the husband of another woman. She now claims
him as her rightful husband.
Out of this claim the whole controversy has
arisen. It is due to the claimant to say that she
is shown to be a pinccre, j)lain, blunt, honest-
hearted Christian wtmian, believing both in the
merit and e^uity of her claim.
Had she left North Candina with Warrick, or
had she obtained her freedom before he contract
ed his last marriage, he atlmits that he shouM
have felt morally bound to have made her his
legal wife, but aa ho hearl nothing from her and
j had no reasonable ex]H‘Ctatii»n of her being made
I free, he rt>ems to have contractcd the second niar-
I riagc in g(M)d I'aith.
I I'nder these circum^lanees, 1 am called upon
i to say whether Warri-k can be charged with the
I olfeiice of bigamy; in other words, whether the
ilefi’iidants have made good tlu'ir ileclarations
touching his having two wives.
Frotn the facts di-elosed in eviilencc, 1 have
arrived at the following conclu.'ions:
1. 'I'luit as marriage is a civil contract, the par
ties must in law be capable of contracting.-
Phil., En^. Rej»., IIJ
'1. Slaves cannot in law contract marriage, nor
iUk*s cohabitation confer any leptl right on the
parties or their children.—21 Ala. Reji. TPJ; 5
Maryland Rep. !•!; North Carolina Equity Rep.
177.'
Warrick's first nuirriage being in law a nul
lity, he was at full liberty, if hi.s moral sense al-
I lowed it, to contract the marriage with his pre.sent
I wife, RTid h.ns violated no law in so doiiiLr.
i 4. It follows th.it the defendants, in uttering
the charges against Warrick have themselves
violated the law; and if repeated after this inti-
II I'nim the Court, will become liable for
damages.
The defendants must bo held to bail in the sum
of .?1()0 each.
Ordered accordingly.
Effects of the I^atc Frost.—Sufficient time has
now elapsed to enable ob.servers to form a tolera
bly correct opinion as to the extent of dunmgt
occasioned by the severe frost of last Saturday and
Sunday; and from a careful examination of the
nuinenms accounts furnished by the newspapers.
Covering the whole ground from Western New
\ork to St. Louis, we come to the conclusion that
the rej>re.scntation> first received by telegraph
were generally much exaggerated.
The entire belt of countr}' extending from tlie
North-Eastern States to the extreme North-West
seems to have been more or less affected, though
very unequally, even at places but little distant
from each other. In isolatel spots most kinds
of vegetation were killed outright; but as a general
rule, the crops have not suffered beyond recovery.
Corn and potatoes, when but little above the
ground, will bear a severe frost without receiving
permanent injury; and even in those occasional
instances where they may have been cut off, the
crop can be restored by a fresh planting. It is,
therefore, rea.sonable to conclude that0i*orn, at
least, will suffer no essential decrease. Wheat
does not appear to have been much aflfected. Ac
cording to one authority, the wevil and grasshop-
jiers suffered uiost.— Cor. Jour. Com.
Cotton Bhjssoms.—'J’he blooming of cotton this
year, says the N. O. Crescent, may be recorded as
unusually early. Welearn that there were seve
ral blooms in different parts of 'Texas as early as
the 20th of May—that there was a full and perfect
bloom received in GalvcvSton on the 28d May.
J’romising expectations of a good yield are favor
ed, though it is altogether premature to consider
of the results. We are, however, jdeased to ob
serve that planters are in g(M)d spirits; they, one
and all, prefer good crops to jioor ones, even if a
short crop is made up by enhancement in pricc.
More Trouble with Jndions.—'I'he Overland
Mail, with California dates to the 20th, hiis ar
rived. Passengers report that ;{,(>00 'I'exians
were encamped near Fort Relknap, for the pur
pose of exterminating the(’addo Reserve Indians.
The (Jovernor of Texas had called upon Unitt'il
States troops for a.ssistance in (juelling the distur
bances. Major Van Dorn had arrived in the
vicinity with three companies of dragoons, .»n his
way from Fort Washita. Maj. Van Dorn had
encountered a large body of Apache Indians, and
killed and captured some forty or fifty.
Valuables in l)i.pute.—The Abolitionists are
playing the very mischief with the gang of poli
ticians that u.sed to be known as the “Democratic
Republican State-Hights J^arty,” and claimed
Thomas Jeflferson as their father and prophet, and
the Resolutions of ’!>8 and ’i>9 as their Decalogue.
They are robbing them of their whole st4)ck in
-Tjetter to the Editors,
rs Of
Randot-I'H Crops.
the Observer, da^tul
New Market, June 14, igou
It is now harvest-time up here in the l,'i k
country. Wheat is good, and upon the whol
promises a good yield in this rRandolph')
Oats promi.sing, grass good, corn small, but -row
ing,—can’t speak of the corn crop with any .j.
greo of certainty for some time to come. * ' ' ^
The Crops.—Sever, within the rec^lectio,,
“that oldest inhabitant,” did the earth give
mise of a greater wheat crop. In this soctij,',’'
however, it matters but little whether a bi^ cr.
or no crop at all is made—Flour is held so hUrl
that a poor man can only reach a barrel with '
ten foot pole, standing tip-toed. *
The Oat crop, though backward, is doin»
the recent rains have touched it, as it were ui.i’
.1 . . , , ' wiUi
the magician s wand.
Corn, so far, promises well. The only ro..r. t
is that more of the article was not seedwT '
Tobacco has made a jtretty start, and if the
•season holds good the biggest crop that iT,r
helped to starve the world will be made. In view
of the heavy crop and low prices that niiist follow
.some intelligent planters begin to r«gret that tLtv
did not plant less tobacco and more corn.
(iarden Veretables look fine. Reeti over 1)
erry
inches in diameter, may l>e seen at the ('h
Hill farm, thus early.—Milton Chroiticb
The Prospcvf.—The editor of the Kutlierfonl-
tOH Enrjuircr, speaking of his travels throu-di
Rutherford county, says:
“I’eaches and ajqdes we noticed were ;Towiii'
in abundance, and other fruits were in a iit.uri)i’-
ing condition, (especially the persinmioii nini
whortleberry, those neces.saries of life in pastern
N. Carolina where it is said the boys wear
ill their trousers, as they wear off their buttuL
climbing the trees for .sinrmons.) 'fhe wheat cruji
looks very fine, and we predict that a large aim.unt
will be made, notwifhstanding the injuries hy tn.st
and rust, (’orn looks very well, and if oiiIn pr.i-
perly cultivated a great deal might be iiihdi- lur
the purpose oi' home consunijttion besides what i^
wasted for bread. We learn that corn is ijnit,.
scarce in the northern and ca.stern jiart of tin-
county, and that it is almo.st impossible tom a
bushel to still up into whiskey and for ofh> r
ccstary purposes.”
Raleigh Female Seminary.—The Coniinenre-
ment Exercises at the Raleigh Female Sciin'narv
took J.lace the past week. 'J'he Sermon on .Mon
day evening by the Rev. C. P. Jones, is said t.
have been a very able and interesting one. and tho
Address of ^Y. \V . Holden, Esj., Editor (it tli*^
Standard, on 'Fuesday evening, is spoken of in
the biLdiest terms on all hands. On WediifMlav
evening, the exercises closed with a ('oncert which
was very numerously attended. 'I’he youiii: ladies
acquitted themselves in a very prai.eworthv man
ner. Several compositions, chastely and inaiifi-
fully written, were read during the eveiiinir. In
some of the young ladies. On J'ridav eveninir tlit
young ladies gave a brilliant party.— /'/. A’//)
The F d, ral Court.—This tribunal, which wa.-,
in session here last w“ek, his Honor »Iudge l]ijir>
presiding, adjourned on Saturday evening.
other cases was that of The United Stato vi
ticorge Williams, of Elizabeth City, charged with
detaining and opening a letter. Mr. Dick a[>-
peared for the government, and H. W. Miller and
J. Parker Jordan, Esquires, for the dcflnd:uit
The case was ably argued on both sides, and the
jury returned a verdict of guilty. Refore the
verdict was rendered, however, the defendan;
made his escape, forfeiting his bond of 840i'. II.
ha.s not been heard from since.—Ral. Stdiuliu- i
'J'he Raleigh correspondent of the }\tvr>har_
Express says,—
‘‘After the jur3' had womc j/j/Jinwed
Williams that he would be found guilty, and t\u>
Court soon after adjourning, for dinner, he went
to \arbrough’s Hotel, ate his dinner, walked out
tlie back way and has n*»t since been seen."
Fire in Brunswick County.—We regret to
learn that the barn, rice threshing maeliine an^l
store house belouging to Mr. William Watrer>. in
l^-un,swick (’ouiiiy, about 8 miles below town un
j the Cape l''ear river, was destroyed by lire on l;t>t
j Sunday evening. Supposed to be the work ot’
I incendiarism. Lo.ss ?4,000.— H7/. Juunnd.
Death o f Judge Mitchelf—We learn f n'in tlu'
Hernando Pres.i, that Judge (Jeorge H. Mitchell,
of Friar's Point, Coahom.'i county. Miss., died at
the residence of 3Ir. A. McKissick, near that
town, on Sunday, the 27th of May. Judge-Mitch-
ell had been iti bad health for several months,
and had gone to DeSoto t« visit his friends, with
the hope of recuperating. He was a native ci
Newborn, North (,'arolina, whete his relatives n-'W
reside, but had resided in North Mississippi t'or
twenty years, successively in DeSoto, Tunica ami
C'lahoma counties. He was a lawyer bv prl)tt■^-
tion, and had been Judge of the I’robate t’ourt
of Tunica county. He also repirt'scnted Coahuinti
county in the Legislature during the sessions uf
1^5.^— .':)4. He was a kind-hearted, generous i.'cn-
tleman, and his demise will be regretted ly all
who knew him. 9
11 ell Done.—The last \ irginia House of dolt-
gates contained llU Democrats and 40 opposition
fhe recent election has made great change.'S. and
the next House will stand IK) democrats and i'*"
opposition—opposition gain of 40. The Senati
is considerably changed al.so, but not to the same
extent, as only one-third of the Senat«^>rs were tu
be elected.
A little girl died fronx strangulation in Kicli-
mond, Va., on Saturday night Ixst, caused l»y at
tempting to swallow a grain of coffee.
dopted ^
o/’9S and'90; next they celebrated tho birth
day of Thomas Jefferson as their own great High
Priest; and now we see they have added to their
title the name of State-Rights. In the North
west, it may be added, they call themselves the
Free Democracy.
The old Virginia Democracy will no doubt con-
side^r this very scaNdah*us; but for our part we
doh t see but that the Abolitionists have as good
right to all these valuables as tfie Democrats have.
Kidi. Whig.
BAKER'S PREMIlM fHOCOLATE.
T B.VKCR & CU'S AMERICAN, FRKNTIl. 1!'^
. f , M(>:oi’ATHIC, iin.l VANILLA PREMll M if"
COLATE, PREI’AKKD CUCOA, RKOM V ( 0( 0\
PASTE, OX'OA STICKS, • SOLUBLE, llOMtKol A
THK; ,VN1) dietetic (’OCOA, cracked Cu(0A
and C(>C).\ SHELLS, celebrated as nutritive.
Utftry and delicious beverages, ft»r more than ilnf
lourtlis of a century, iire manufactured from
of the finest quality iiiid waminted .superior to
other Cocoa Preparations made in the I'nited St.it*"'
-\s nourishment for children, and persons in he.tltl'.
.and as substitutes for Tea and (’otfee in Nervous
Dyspejilic cases, they are invaliiahle and are recom
mended by the most eminent I'hysicians.
For sale by their Agems D. C. MURRAY, Now York;
WM. S. GR^NT, PhiladolpLia: T. V. URl.'NDKJK,
timore; KENNETT, DUDLEY & CO., Cincinnati:
by Grocers generally.
WALTER BAKER & Ct>..
Dorcheiiter, Mu'**
l-.Stni
[k. M. M1K(
March .30
n. w iK)WM.\>.]
BOWMAN & MURCHISON.
4:4>.n n n bk4'iia \ts.
NO. 11:} .MAIDEN LANE. NEW Yt>KK. ^
IIRKRAL ciish advances ni.-ide on Consignment'
J Cotton, Naval Stores and Southern Produce
E. MlTRRAl k CO.,
AND
WHOLESALE G R O C E R S,
\vati:k
WILMIXGTOX, iV
Particular attention given to sale or
of Naval Stores, Colion, &c.
B. MVKRAY. U. R. MURCHISON. J* T.