W ESTKRN democrat,
CHARLOTTE.'
TJNTVEHSALISTS AS WITNESSES.
Whether a Univf-rsnlist is a competent
witm-s in our Courts of Justice was decid
ed for tlie first time hy a recent decision of
Uie Su;.reine Court of this State. In the
rn- lii-cussctl ine time ago, uo deeision j
was made, hut in this instance the matter
earne directly before the Court. We pub- i
li.h the opinion belmv. fr..m which it will
he seen that ji.Tsons of that denomination
aie recognized as competent witnesses :
Op'iu'inn of the Sujtrrw Curt of North
i'arolinu, in the cuseof Shaw rs. Moore,
dtlirind at Jhrembir Term, ISM.
The onlv ijue.-tion in the case was wheth
er a person professing the religious faith of
the denomination called the L'niversalists,
f which is explained hy the witness himself
to be as stated in the first paragraph of the
opinion of the Court. is a competent wit
ness in a judicial trial. The opinion of the
Court was delivered hy his Honor Judge
PtUM. It is a document of HMMMMM
ahility. and as liberal us the professor of
hiiv religion could desire. It concedes to
tin- members of all religious denominations
epial pfivilcgm in our Courts off Justice.
The opinion of the Court is as follows :
The case presents this question : Is a
perr-on who '"believes in the obligation of
an oath on the liihle who believes in God
and Jesus Chri.-t. and that God will punish
n this world, all violator of his law, and
that the sinner will inevitably lie punished
in . world for euch and every -in commit
led ; but that there will be no punishment
aftrr dialh, and that in another world all
will be happv and eouaJ to the augels" u
competent w itnesi-
The lav reo aired two guaranties of the
truth of what a witness is about to tat
he mu-t he in the fear of punishment hy the
laws of man. ami he must abo be in the fear
of punishment by the laws of (Jod, if he
state what is false; in other words, there
in jt he a temporal and abo a religious
suiIhhi to his oath. In refereace to the
firet, no ipiotion is made; hut it is insist
ed, tiiat the religious aanrnon required, is
the fear of puuishllieut ill a future state of
existence.
This position is not sustained by the
reason of the tiling, for, if we di vest ourselves
of the prejiid'c growing out of precon
ceived opinions as to what we suppose to
be tin; true teaching of the Hible. it is clear, j
that in reference to a religious sanction,
there is no ground for making a distinetion
between the fear of punishment by the Su
preme Being in this world, and tin- fear of
puiii-liincnt in the world to come; both are
based upon the sense id religion. If. on
the one hand, it he s:iid, that there is in the
fear of punishment in ti future state of ex
istence an awful. andefinoJ dread, nnd on
the other, that from the constitution of our
nature, we fear more that punishment which
is near at hand, than tlutt which is distant, '
the reply is. this is matter of speculation j
merely, and has no bearing upon the ques- j
tion. because the clhcacy tit the tear ot
punishment in either case depends upon the
dejrree of belief as to the certaintv of that
punishment: so that, there can be, upon
reason no ground for making a distinetion.
The rule of law wliinli n quires u religious
sanction, is satisfied in either case.
It is true, that in the old cases it is held
to he the Common law that no infidel, fin
which class Jews were included.) could he
sw r i as a witness in the courts of Knginnd.
whieh was u christian country, and Lord
Coke gives this us his opinion, in which he
savs all the cases agree, and he assigns as
the reason on whieh the law is based, "All
infidels are in law perpetmi inimici : for,
between them, as with the devils, whose
subjects they he, and the christian, there
is perpetual hostility." This reason, to suv
the h ast of it, is narrow-minded, illiberal,
bigot ted and unsound.
One excellence of the common law is,
that it Works itself fiure, by drawing from
the fountain of reason, so that if errors creep
into it, upon reasons, which more enlarged
views and a higher state of enlightenment,
growing out of the extension of commerce
and other causes proves to be fallacious,
they may be worked out by subsequent de
cisions. Accordingly, it is laid down hv
J.ord Male, notwithstanding the opinion of
Coke ami the old cases, to he tin- Common
law, that a Jew is a competent witness, and
amy be sworn on the old testament, and
such has ever since been taken to be the
law. Afterwards, in the case of Oinichund
vs. Marker. 1 Atk., 10. and also in VVilles'
report. 538, it was decided hy the Lord
Chancellor, with the assistance of Chief
Baron Parker, Cfa. J. Willies and Chief Jus
tice Lee, that a Gentoo, who was an infidel
and did not believe in cither Old or New
Testament, but "who believed in (lod, ns
the Creator of the Universe, and that he is
a mcanler of those ulio dm well, and an
onager of those who do ill." is, according to
the common law. a competent witness, and
may be sworn in that form which is the most
sacred and obligatory upon his religious
sense. The case does not show whether,
according to the Gentoo religion rewards
and punishments are to he in thai world or
iu the world to come. The decision was
made without ascertaining bow the fact
was ; so. it must have been considered by
the court to be immaterial ; no reference is
made to any distinction in regard to the
time of punishment by any of the counsel
in the long and full arguments made on
both sides ; nor is there any intimation or
allusion to such a distinction in the opinions
of Chief Karon Parker, Chief Justice Lee
and the Lord Chancellor. The only thing,
throughout the whole case, which suggests
to the mind the existence of such a distinc
tion, is an expression ascribed to Chief Jus
tice Widen, by Atkins in bis report of this
case, 9: "I am clearly of opinion, that
if they (infidels) do not believe in a God, or
future rewards and punishments, they ought
not t he admitted as witnesses.'' This ex
pression is consistent with the decision of
the case in which Willes and the others all
fully concurred, for, there was no allegation
or proof that the witness believed in future j The London Times of the 31st January,
rewards and punishments ; so there must j states that Hong Kong correspondents to
be a mistake. The Chief Justice either j December 15th, says that on the loth of
used the word "future" inadvertently, and November whilst Captain Foot of the Unit
without, in his own mind, attaching any ed States ship Portsmouth, was on his way
force to it, or Atkins misconceived his mean- 1 t0 Vhampoa,to communicate with the ships
iug ; and yet this expression is referred to pjnnHtfor the purpose of withdrawing the
by most of the English writers who treat of American marines stationed in the foreign
evidence, and is the foundation of all the ' factories, and while passing the barrier forts
error on this Bubh-cr. Some fifty years af- boat was fired upon hy the Chinese. and
ter the case was reported by Atkins, the j ,e wfts obliged to put back toWampoa,
opinion of Chief J istice Willcs, drawn ..ut notwithstanding the American fnsJPras fly-
at length, in bis own nana writing, wua
found among his manucripts, and is report-
i l . - i
ed in Willes. The words iu this manu
script are : "I am clearlyof opinion, that
such infidels, (if such there be.; who either
do not believe in a Cod, or if they do, do
not think that he will rewnrd or punish
then in this world or in the next, cannot be
witnesses in any case, or under anv CI room
stances, for this plain reason, because an not being satisfactory, the Americans pro
oath cannot possibly be any tie or obliga- j ceeded to take the forts, which they have
tion upon them." This proves either that ! since destroyed. Yeh has written to the
Atkins misapprehended the words of the : American authorities stating that their flag
Chief Justice, or that upon reflection, he ghjj be respected; that it was a mistake,
thought proper to alter the expression, so j The plenipotentiary and naval cummander
as to make it consistent with the decision. ; in-chief of Great Britain and America, held
The great case of Oinichund v. ltarker. ! a conference relative to Canton, but no re
fit may well be called "great, tor it rc- j
lieved tin- common law from an error, that
was a reproach to it.) estabUse the rule to
be, that an iufidel is a competent witness,
provided he believes in the existence of a
Supreme being, who punishes the wicked,
without reference to the time of punish
ment. The substance of the tiling is, every
oath must hare a religious sanction. Such
being the common law in regard to infidels,
it follows, a fortiori, that the same rule is
applicable to a witness, who is a Christian;
and the fact, that this Christian believes
that the divine punishment will be inflicted j
iu this world, and not in the world to come
is immaterial, and in no wise affects the
principle of the rule. It is a mere "dirlcrence
of opinion." as to the true teaching of the
ETospvl. This we find is the conclusion of !
the Courts in most, if not all, of the States
f the Union where tin' question has been
presented fbr adjudication. 1.1 Massachustts
Kep. 117, 2 Cashing 104, 18 Johnson OS,
5 .Mas ui 8, g Alabama 334, South Carolina
Law Journal 202, 13 Vermont 363.
It was insisted, iu the argument, that al
though this may have been the rule of the
common law, "'. is changed by our statuto
ry provisions prescribing the forms of oaths,
eh. "(, Rev. Code.
We think it manifest, by a perusal of the
Statute, that it was not intended to alter
anv rule of law, hut the sole object was to
prescribe forms adapted to the religious be
lief of the general mass of the citizens, for
the sake of convenience and uniformity.
Accordingly, the first section prescribes a
form of oath as u general form, suited to
such as hold the ordinary tenets of the
Christian religion; that is, an oath, laving
the hand upon "the Holy Evangelists," fee.
The second section makes an exception iu
favor of those Christians who have con
scientious scruples against taking an oath
on the Holy Evangelists, and the form of
oath is framed in reference to their belief,
as to a "great day of judgment, when the
secrets of all hearts shall be known." The
third section makes an exception in favor
of those Christians who are Quakers, &c,
and the form is framed in reference to their
peculiar belief, "swear not." This satisfies
the words of the Statute, and the argument
that it was also intended to change the law
by prohibiting a.'.y one from being sworn
except in one or other of the prescribed
forms, proves too much; for, it would ex
clude both Jews and infidels, who believe
in a Cod. We think it indecent to suppose
that the Legislature intended in an indirect
and covert manner to alter a well settled
and unquestioned rule of law, and in de
spite of the progress of the age to throw
the country back upon the illiberal and in
tolerant rule which was supposed to be the
law in the time of bigotry ;or, it was every
day's practice to swear Jews upon the Old
Testament, and Omicbund v. Barker had
settled the rule that infidels are to be sworn
according to the form which they hold to be
most sacred and obligatory ou their con
sciences. If it be admitted, for the sake of the ar
gument, that besides prescribing forms for
general use, the legislature had the pur
pose of altering the common law, so as to
exclude Jews and infidels, who believe in a
God. and christians, who do not believe in
future rewards and punishments, from the
privilege of taking the oaths which are re
quired, to enable them to testify as witnes
ses, or to take any office or place of trust
or profit ; in other words, to degrade and
; persecute them for "opinions sake," then it
is clear, that the statute, so far as this par
: pose is involved, is void and of no efl'ect,
because it is in direct contravention of the
I!th sec. of the Declaration of Rights :
' That all men have a natural and unaliena
ble right to worship Almighty God accord
ingto the dictates of their own consciences."
We go farther, and express the opinion,
that if Omicbund v. Harker had not reliev
ed the common law from the reproach of
holding Jews and infidels, who believe in a
Cod, unfit to take an oath, treating them as
"servants of the devil," because their be
lief differs from ours in regard to the attri
butes of the being who created and governs
the Universe, or if any part of that reproach
j was still left, the effect of this section of
j our declaration of rights, would be, to ex
! tirpate the error and tear it up by the
roots.
It was said in the argument, "to be sworn
as a witness is we privilege the persou loses
nothing by being held incompetent." This
is a narrow view of the question. If he be
held incompetent as a witness on the ground
that be cannot take an oath, it follows that
he cannot swear to a book account. If an
injunction is obtained, it must be made per
petual, because he cannot swear to his an
swer : nay, more, he cannot take the oath
of office as a constable, sheriff, justice of
the peace, judge, legislator or governor ;
in short, it would be the institution of a
"test oath" towards which oar revolutiona
ry fathers had so just an abhorrence, aud
which is wholly repugnant iu the tolerant
and enlighled spirit of our institutions and
of the age in which we live. There is no
error.
Judgment affirmed.
ADDITIONAL FOREIGN NEWS.
ing at the time, and was also waved from
the boat. The Portsmouth and the Levant
moved up the river and bombarded the forts,
i which the Chinese defended nravely, re ply -ing
with well directed fire, killing two and
wounding others, and doing some damage
to the vessel.
Commodore Armstrong then wrote to the
Viceroy demanding an apology. The reply
suits 0f importance had been arrived at.
The China Mail of the 11th of November
says that the Americans met with a fatal
accident in the destruction of the barrier
forts. A mine exploded, through the care
lessness of a seaman, killing three and
wounding others.
Accounts from Naples state that deplor
able terror reigns in the capital and king
dom. Arrests continue incessanth'. A
priest had attempted to assassinate the
Archbishop of Matura, while he was giving
j the benediction to the people. The Arch-
bishop Was wounded.
Verges has been executed.
MR. BROOKS' BURIAL.
The remains of Hon. P. S. Brooks, of
South Carolina, were interred at Edgefield,
S. C on Saturday. Rev. Mr Wheeler, of
Flat Rock, N. C, read the burial service.
A correspondent of the Charleston Courier,
who had conversed with President Pierce,
writes from Washington as follows:
"Among other interesting particulars,
connected with the closing scene, he men
tioned the last words, uttered by the agon
ized victim, shortly beforo the final stroke
which consigned him, not only in manly
prime, but in undiminished vigor and
strength "his eye was not dim, nor his na
tural force abated" to the icy embrace of
death. "While the sufferer was convulsed
with efforts at respiration, with his arms
bent in a bow behind him," said the Presi
dent, suiting the action to the word, "a friend
at his side feeling his pulse, remarked con
solingly 'Brooks, your pulse is better now,
and you will soon be well.' 'Don't talk to
me of my pulse, and of my getting well,'
said the strong man, struggling with the
King of Terrors, 'when I am dying for want
of breath !' "In fifteen minutes," added
the President, "he was a corpse."
The scene, at his death bed, is said to
have been a most deeply affecting one. As
soon as the spirit had departed, Senator
Butler, the beloved and venerated relative,
for whom the gallant Brooks had fearlessly
perilled life, threw himself, in an agony of
grief, on the lifeless body, crying, "my
boy ! my boy!" kissing the bloodless lips,
and "dropping tears, fast as the Arabian
trees their medicinal gum," on the pale
face of his young champion and kinsman,
now powerless iu death. Keitt, his kindred
spirit and chosen friend, whose "love to
him passed the love of woman," ran to and
fro, temporarily crazed at the shock, and
rocked as on billows of grief. Lewis Camp
bell, too, the former foe, converted into a
friend, by timely reconciliation, stood hard
by, stunned, yet deeply agitated, and with
weeping eyes, pale as death itself."
Q fss.
Shocking and Fatal Cucelty to a
Child. In June last Anna Hilton, nine
years old, was adopted from the Five Points
House of Industry by Mrs Simpson Decker,
at Long Neck, Staten Island. On Wednes
day last the child died, and a coroner's jury
found that she "came to her death by being
beaten in a brutal manner, from exposure,
and from a want of proper nourishment, at
the bands of Mrs Matilda Ann Decker.''
Mrs D. is now in Richmond Co. jail. The
testimony shows that the child was made
to do the family washing in an open yard,
in ti c severest weather; that she had
nothing on her feet and but scanty clothing
on her body; that her feet were frozen, and
she put them in the oven of the stove,
where they were burned to a blister; that
she could not walk, but was made to do
housework still, creeping about on her hands
and knees until her knees were dreadfully
lacerated; that she was habitually beaten
with a broomstick and treated with the
utmost cruelty in every way in fact,
deliberately starved and pounded to death.
Of course, there is great excitement in the
neighborhood. The directors of the Mission
have taken the matter in band, and the
whole matter will be sifted thoroughly.
.V. Y. Tribune. '
Cure for Felons on tue Fingers. The
Scientific American says:
"The past year we have known the
spinal marrow of an ox or cow applied to
three different persons, with the most
satisfactory results, in relieving pain and
securing sores of their felons. The spinal
! marrow should be. applied for every four
i hours for two daw."
The town council of Athens, Georgia,
have voted that the bodies of suicides shall
be given to the physicians for dissection.
CF The county of Randolph is the place
to live in! At the hret session of the Coun
ty Court, no taxes for county purposes
were ordered. Randolph is out of debt,
and has on hand a plenty of funds without
taxing her citizens.
COMMERCIAL STATISTICS, 1856.
The summing up of our commercial trans
actions for the past year is highly creditable
to American wealth and enterprise. As a
nation we are accustomed to boast of the
unprecedented success that has attended
both our governmental and financial ex
periments, and the figures, while they do
not excuse, certainly cannot condemn such
wholesale exultation. In commerce we ac
knowledge but one superior; no other na
tion builds half as many vessels as this; our
foreign trade has trebled since 1815 and
doubled since 1842; while the vessels that
annually flock to our shores from other
countries measure their tonage in millions,
and the value of commodities exchanged
in internal trade is estimated in billions.
All this is true, and yet does not overstate
the truth. The United States have ele
ments of commercial increase unknown in
any former period or by any other nation.
A new country, a virgin soil; our Northern
border washed by 2,000 miles of inland
seas, our great interior traversed by the
Mississippi and its thousands of miles of I
tributary streams; with 5,000 miles of
canals and 3'J.OOO miles of railroads; with
a large annual immigration; with schools
and a teeming press to spread intelligence
and quicken enterprise; with unbounded
liberty of action to stimulate exertion; with
new regions rapidly opened up to success
ful and easy settlement, what is there to
set a limit to the extension of a commerce
as far beyond the present as the present is
beyond past conception ?
In the course of the fiscal year ending
June 30th, 185G, 21,082 vessels have en
tered the ports of the United States, which
measured 0,872,253 tons, au increase of
926,914 in tonnage over the previous year.
The total tonnage of the country, June 30,
was 4,871,653 of which 673,018 was in
steam vessels. The vessels built during
the year were 221 steam vessels, 306 ships
and barks, 697 brigs and schooners, and
479 sloops, making iu all 1,703 vessels,
measuring 469,396 tons. The average
amount of tonnage owned iu the United
States was, in 1830. 1,191,776; in 1840,
2,180,784; in 1850, 3,535,454; and in 1856,
4,871,653. The trade with England, as
shown by custom house reports, is four
fifths in American vessels, while to the
British North American possessions it is
only one-fourth. Wo absorb four-fifths of
the carrying trade of Fiance, while to the
countries of Northern Europe we have
only hulf. The trade with South America
goes almost entirely in American bottoms;
the Cuban trade is 95 per cent. American,
the Portuguese only ono-third, and the
Hamburg less than one-fifth.
The domestic exports of the year were
$310,586,330, an increase of $63,877,777.
The export of breadstuffs and provisions
amounted to $77,187,301 ; of cotton to
2,991,175 bales of 451 pounds each, valued
at $128,382,351.
The imports of the year were $314,639,-'
942, an increase of $53,171,422 over 1855.
The increase of the exports of 1856 over
1855 is about 19 per cent., and the increase
of the imports for the same period is 20 p jr
cent. The imports of wool and woolen goods
were $33,626,857, au increase of over seven
millions : of foreign cottons and cotton
manufacture, $30,180,353, an increase of
nearly nine millions over 1855, but a de
crease of more than four millions from 1854;
of silk and silk manufacture $34,053,011,
an increase of seven millions over 1855 and
a decrease of three millions from 1854 ;
of flax and linen goods, $11,896,868. We
purchase indirectly of German States $16,
491,427, the most of it in woolen goods;
and of Switzerland $8,368,074, mostly in
silk piece goods and watches. The cash
duties received at New York during 1856
were $45,519,270, an increase of $11, 121,
863 over 1854.
The total imports of cotton at Liverpool
last year were 2,809,067 bales, an increase
of 90,574 in American and 76,109 in other
kinds. Of this importation 2,257,672 were
used for English manufacture, and 236,900
went to European continent, leaving a bal
ance of 281,430 bales on hand at the close
of the year.
It is estimated that on the 1st of April
there will be 41,990 bales of India bagging
in the country, which is sufficient to cover
2.519,400 bales of cotton ; and by the end
of the present year it is estimated that the
import and home production of bagging will
be sufficient to cover 6,003,400 bales of
cotton.
m
Singular Fact. A correspondent of
the North Carolina Christian Advocate,
says that at Marsh's Bridge, near Mocks
ville, N. C thirty years ago, a man by the
name of Jacob March accidently fell head
foremost on a large rock, on the bank of the
creok, from which he died in a short time.
The spot on the rock, where his head struck,
the signs of blood are still visible, and also
where it run off the sides of the rock ; and
what is still more remarkable, the rock lies
so near the creek, that in any moderate
high water it is covered, but the murk of
the blood still remains.
3 A late Paris letter has the following
in regard to the shooting of Mr Charles
Morey by a sentinel at the Clichy prison,
particulars of which have been heretofore
published :
"The Government express the utmost re
gret at this unfortunate occurrence, and
premises every reasonable reparation of
the wrong in their power. The administra
tion of the prison are especially mortified.
They feel that Mr Morey was in their safe
keeping, and that they are responsible for
any accident that might happen to him
from their neglect. Their consternation
and their profound regret the morning of
the accident were visibly expressed. The
French Government have promised that
the soldier shall be punished, and that Mrs
Morey shall be allowed a liberal life pen
sion." Trinity Church Corporation, New
York, has now sixty-six churches under
mortgage, to the extent of nearly $600,000,
and thirty-eight clergymen held by the
golden chain of stipends at pleasure.
THE MATRIMONIAL MARKET.
From the Southern Christian Advocate.
Enough attention is not given in this
country to the statistics of matrimony.
Nothing more surely marks the real pros
perity of a people than the ratio of mar
riages to the population. In Austra this
ratio is small, because marriage is forbid
den by law to those who cannot show a
reasonable prospect of maintaining a family,
and they are many who cannot meet this
condition. The ratio is small in Paris, for
such is the demand for luxurious living
among all classes, that marriage becomes
an impossibility to those of slender income.
In our country the matrimonial market has
heretofore been very generally of the best,
both as to supply and demand in quantity
and quality of its wares ; but we see it stat
ed that it is rather heavy at this time in
some of our larger cities. It is said that
in Boston there was last year a falling off
of twenty per cent, on the marriages of pre
vious years. The men are as handsome
aud the women as willing as they ever were,
but marriage has become a luxury that few
can afford. The rise in bonnets and tal
mas, laces and furs, silks and grenadines,
has depressed the marriage market.
We saw the other day an inventory of a
lady's "turn out" in San Francisco. The
jewelry cost $2,815-the entire outfit $3,464
the dress alone being put at $225. To
be sure these were California prices, but
let us reduce her $650 worth of dress by
100 per cent, to meet our prices, and you
still have a woman too fine for a poor man's
wife. Who can afford to have three hun
dred dollars of his income parading the
streets every time his wife turns out to
say nothing of the watch, bracelets, and
other appendages ? If it were a suit of
steel armor, or some everlasting material,
it might be tolerated, but it will never do
in these days when fashions change so rap
idly that December forgets what last Jan
uary wore. And yet "genteel society" is
inexorable. Poor people in this country
often manage somehow to belong to that
very respectable caste, but they must pay
for it. It does not always matter about
their grammar or rhetoric, their manners
or morals, but their dress and furniture aud
equipage, are all important. A stain on
the character is easily forgotten, while the
bonnet of last winter is rt uiembered, aud
the former may be tolerated the latter not
a second season. Genteel society has a
certain style, and its subjects must be vers
ed in its rules and abide by them, or be ban
ished. So, at least, foolish people suppose,
and they practice acc ordingly. Hence the
extravagance that every where abounds,
and hence tho donlme in the matrimonial
market.
There is a multitude of young mechanics
whose wages are moderate, clerks whose
salaries are small, lawyers whose briefs are
too brief, and physicians who do not feel
pulse enough to fill a purse, any of whom
by strict economy could support a wife,
but who will, if there is not a speedy change
be wholly unable to enter the market.
They are doomed to celibacy, or to worse.
Start not, fair reader, if a friend asks you
how many of those gay young men whom
vou see at an evening party, so genteel, so
polite, have learned that a concubine is less
expensive than a wife. You will be shock
ed when you know how many there are,
and who they are, And it is the fault of
their mothers, sister and sweethearts. They
have carried folly and extravagance in dress
and living to so high a pitch that a poor
young man of any pride of character is
afraid to marry. No man wishes to see his
wife living in humbler style than his affianc
ed, or seem to want from the husband what
the father supplied. Rather, he desires
that his chosen at least appear better off
married than single ; but how can he when
young ladies dress as they now do ? Of
this he is hopeless, and if his moral charac
ter be not well established, the syren can
in such cases too often succesfully tempt
him to his undoing, and cause him to en
tangle himself in some immoral alliance
that ruins him forever.
But peradventure he runs the risk and
marries. This extravagant tastes that have
been assiduously cultivated by the father
and mother of the young wife, are brought
to maturity under the fostering care of the
indulgent husband. But it saps his moral
strength to do it. The ordinary sources of
money fail to supply his need s patient toil
does not suffice, and grand speculations
must be adventured. The show of pros
perity is necessary to the bold speculator ;
and money is spent by husband and wife
without stint. Fortune does not smile up
on the adventurer, and often, in these cases
a desperate game is played, iu which moral
character is staked against the chance of
gain and is lost. How many forgeries and
defalcations can be traced precisely to this
source. How mauy husbands curse the
day they ever began to indulge the extrav
agant tastes of their wives. How many
wives, when failure, poverty and degrada
tion come, would gladly have forgone their
folly, could they have predicted the end.
Let us hope that the evil has reached its
height, and that society will soon be re
stored to its senses by the misfortunes and
crimes that attend its madness.
This is no trifling subject to the mothers
of this generation. It is with them to
shape the tastes and habits of their daugh
ters. The husband often succeeds in ac
quiring a competency which the father
fails to retain. The wife may add to a
prosperity which the daughters exhaust
before the eldest gets out of her teens, or
strikes some other vein for gold than the
paternal pocket. Look to it, ye mothers,
that you teach other and wiser arts than
those of show and dress. Look to it, or
there may be such a decline in the demand
for walking millinery blocks, that a few
years hence yon will see only a bevy of
fading spinsters, where you had hoped to
see your grand children at play; you won
dering meanwhile if the matrimonial mar
ket will ever rise so high as that they may
yet become merchantable articles.
A Brave Man. One who isn't afraid to
wear old clothes until he is able to pay for
new.
PRINTERS.
Among the ranks of human kind,
Some go before and some behind,
But mind them well and you will find,
Not hindmost is the Printer.
The lessons which you learned at school,
That you might not grow up a fool,
Had all in scientific rule,
Been published by the Printer.
How do your Presidents andJOngs
Govern so many thousand things?
'Tis by the types, the screws and springs
Belonging to the Printer.
The farmer and mechanic too,
Would sometimes scarce know what to do,
Could they not get a certain view
Of work done by the Printer.
The doctor canuot meet the crooks
Of all the cases, till he looks
Upon the pages of the books
Supplied him by the Printer.
The lawyer for a wit has passed,
But high as he his head may cast,
He would be but a dunce at last,
Were it not for the Printer.
Who is it that so neatly tells
The various goods the merchant sells
Inviting all the beaux and belles!
Who is it but the Printer?
The classes of the human race,
Of different size, of different face,
Appears in this and every place,
How obvious to th Printer.
One sings the bass, one sharps and flats,
Bedecked with pantaloons and hats,
And long tailed coats and smooth cravats,
Of this class is the Printer.
The other sings the treble sweet,
Adorned with frocks and bonnets neat.
And look! how beauteous and complete,
And lovely to the Printer.
'Tis Hymen's will of course you know,
These classes should in couples go,
And since the world wiil have it so,
"So be it," says the Printer.
There's not a man below the skies
Who better understands to prize
The charms that grace a lady's eyes,
Than does this very Printer.
Gen. Knox's Marriage. Somebody
writing to the Progressive Age, incidents
in the life of Gen. Knox, relates the
following :
The General's marriage was something
of a romanatic affair, and is said to have
happened somewhat in this wise :
Ab Misa Lucy Fluker was walking out
one day, she saw young Knox, (who was a
book-binder in Boston at the time,) and
as she fancied his personal appearance, she
was "smitten" with him. She could not
suppress her feelings, and so gave vent to
them by writing him a note as soon as she
reached her house, requesting him to call
and see her. Throwing aside her feminine
reserve, she at once proposed that he should
marry her. The proffer was at once
accepted, and the poor book-binder became
the husband of the rich heiress.
There are a few more who would like
to be fixed oft" the same way. Who'll try.
On Monday a lady stopped at the
Madison House, Covington, Ky., with her
husband and thirty-two children. She was
about sixty years of age, but looked young
and hearty She was the mother of them
all. If this can be beat, we are extremely
desirous of receiving the information.
An honest Hibernian, in recommending
a cow, said she would give milk year after
year, without having calves, "because," said
he, "it runs in the brade, for she came out
of a cow that niver had a calf."
Tue Largest Woman in the World.
Madame Oceana, the largest-limbed woman
in the world, is in the museum at New
Orleans. She weighs 515 pounds, is 9 feet
two inches in circumference, measures 29
inches around her arm and 38 around the
caif of her leg, and wears No. 13 shoes.
She hails from Kentucky.
Resistance to Ridicule. Learn from
the earliest days to inure your principles
against the peril of ridicule; you can no
more exercise your reason, if you live in the
constant dread of laughter, than you can
enjoy your life if you are in the constant
terror of death.
"What's the matter, uncle Jerry?" said
Mr. , as old Jeremiah K. was passing by,
growling most ferociously.
"Matter?" said the old man; "I've been
luggin' water all the mornin' for Dr. C.'s
wife to wash with, and what d'ye s'pose I
got for it?"
"About ninepence."
"Ninepence ! She told me that the Dr.
would pull a tooth for me sometime!"
A Case Betond Medical Skill. Some
readers may remember the curious account
! of a man who died suddenly in this city a
while since, over whose face, as his body
was exposed at the grave, a sudden shade
and light passed so strangely, that the
friends removed it back to the house, and
kept up frictions all night trying to restore
it to life. We learn since that some of the
anxious friends of the deceased visited New
York at the time, and tried to induce the
physician who attended the dead man in
his last illness, to go up and try his skill
toward his restoration. Dr. S. listened a
while incredulously, but at last seemed to
believe the story of bis informant. "But,"
said he, "I hope that you won't be able to
restore him I really hope you won't"
"Why?" asked his visitor in amazement.
'Well," said the Doctor, "I don't see how he
would get along, it would be very awkward
for him for his liver and heart are in that
jar on the shelf." N. T. Timet,
Negroes Returning from Mexico.-. Tj
San Antonio Texan says :
Hardly a week passes but runaway
negroes are captured in Mexico, and returned
to their masters in Texas; and it is n0w
seldom the case that we hear of one runnin
away to Mexico. The plain truth is, th
those who are there now are in a wretched
condition, and many of them would be
glad to get back to their old homes. Th
are not only ragged and destitute of A
c i ri:v a. . ii 'I
comforts of life, but most of them are
re&lly
in a starving condition.
Gardiner, Me., June 22, lg
Wm. H. Dyer Dear Sir: I have used i . l
ties ot Prof. Wooa's Hair Restorative, and can i
ly say it is the greatest discovery of the a - i
restoring and changing the Hair. Before
I was as crav as a man oi seventy M.. ci n "
now anniiipil its nritxmnl r-nlor V., "al
CU
mend it to the world without the least fear
s k a a vara a 1 1 n i I l-in uinrot 1- . , , 1
as ay
"I'
V, l TTBO UIIC U VUC TV IF I a) I H1UU
al 1bbbbbb2
Commission and Forwarding
REFERS TO THE EDITOR OF THIS PApp,
Wilmington, Feb. 13, 1857. fmtuj
TO HIRE,
Until the 1st of January next, a prime NFrp
M A V vnnntr or,,! 1.1. l. Pu,u(' IMfcORO
-. . u 1 1 f ( i v . I I)..
V o " ". lT . X
.l"..i- t.. Kir.. In'... . 1.1
:u: . . . vnuer Won i
1 iv ""u iu iauor on a
moderate. Apply at this Office
Feb 17. 33-;t
farm. Tt-niu
PROTECTION.
Th season being near at hand fov fc. v-.,ltm
tion of Thunder Storms, and being fr, qnetiv
attended with serious results both to UfcmJ
Property, it is proper to use necessary means
for the protection ot your lami&ea anil property
which can be done by properly suuplvniir volii
buildings with LIGHTNING KOlKJ. flS
been engaged in the business for over six v. r
in Virginia and North Carolina, and being pro.
vided with the best ncommendations, 1 hop
to be able to give entire satisfaction to all who
may employ me.
Having permanently located in this plate, n
work done by me will be kept iu good n jwii
free of charge.
Orders addressed to me through the Pout
Office, or left at the Residence of N. Wilkinson
will meet with prompt attention.
L. J. HAWLEY.
Charlotte, Feb. 17, 1856. 33-tf
Take Particular NOTICE
The Notes and Accounts of H. SEVERS A
CO., and of J. DULS & CO., are in my handi
for immediate collection. Those concerned wiil
please march up, one by one, aud settle the jam-.
Call at severs' new building opposite the Conn
House
WM 8. NOKMENT.
Feb. 14th. 1857.
n n THE subscriber offers 1mm Du-i-llim
I ii H imm iuuim'. Known as ine I rvs a :,
ace, lor sale or rent. J tie house
"lHBlileasantiv situated on the eormrrf
runner uiiorniaiiou auuiv io ine unuersicrned
e . .1 . .
to j. r. oniun. lemis mouerate.
J. K. DANIEL.
February 17, ia)7
Notice.
T1II-. rl,'l,tM dm- It II 1 v A .n.l .1... i...
nrm oi 11 ui, iiuggins v o., are in niy handi
' " - - - . - - , - .- ...... mi . ,, ,;!'"
win ue piu in sun u uays oeiore Itie April Crt
it Tint. t,:iul Itv lll-ir tin,.. Knullu ......,.... -.:u
.. - v' w - j ..... . .ii.i rii ii in r hi
be expected to be paid immediately, (if DM
sooner.; j. i SMITH.
Feb. 17, 1857. SfcStt
.Inlin Rloiin'i' 11ikirt m n
SURGEON DENTIST,
f t 1 . . I , , , W . . m
jraauuie oj me tsalhmore Lollegeof
JJenlal Ourgery,)
Having located permanently, tenders liin
fessional services to the citizens of
Charlotte, N. C, aud
viciuitv.
Tk- Wr.. i : , ,
and obturators, aud attends to the correction
eongennai ana accidental deformities ot
. .1. 3 ! II i ...
. ' ' nil', ,.?. ui is .in i.i , imi t 1 1 ill i
arimciui teem, aiier ine mosr :murivi'i mrwi
5 Ladies waited on at their residences
required
Office on Tryon Street, in Ca; son's
buildiug, up stairs.
Nov. 18th. 20 tf.
State ol North Carolina,
MECKLENBUKU COUNTY,
mfy m f III . I . drm 1
JANL'AKY lKM, 18.).
Richard Peoples, 1
1 . A. Mia pe and
Miles K. Sharpe,
Amimstrators of
John Sharpe, dee'd,
vs.
Andrew Sharpe and
AuzjI Sharpe.
I
I
I mm I llj I .
rciitinn mr iaic
r Lmnd.
It appearing to the satisfaction of
am. i L . . I . nm r
ants in this case resides beyond the limit
inis State; it in thrfn.o n ilarml liv t
Court, that publication be made six week'
. ' j i r
cd in the town of Chailotf nntil'vinf
I ip esrern iipmnrrat.a riiv.ninr nun
said defendant to appear at the next uro
our Court, to be held for said county, at
,.11111 I nuiiMC in i i ur n p on T n iin vi nu
in April next, then and there to plead,
swer. or demur, or tin i-ment m mutt o
f
be tuken against him.
Witness, W. K. fieid. Clerk of out
w . m9 w- - ....
in lannarv 1 7 anil in tba filar vtf
' M J J SjTWV J WM M4) a MM 111V J
American Independence.
W. K. REID,C.C.C
32-6t Frs. fee 6.J
VATJTATUR T AN
AND
Mills for Sale.
LU lilt UVUlU-ncai, 19 UCDHVU9 IV 9CII
and on the waters of the Yadkin Kiver
taming
VI! K- A tfS..- .1 .1
. I ii i ceil nuiiurcu f
Said land is wen timbered, and that whici
cleared is very fertile, and in a high U1M
cultivation. A good Dwelling House,
Houses, Barns, &e., are upon ssid tract.
loning to the said tract, is a most
Valuable Merchant's Mill,
situated on the Yadkin river; said Mi'j
entirely new, contain three runners, auJ
located directly opposite ine noun w
facturing Company. J he water power on
tract, is regarded by competent judges '
noriof to anv in the State.
Any amount of machinery can be used
eessfaily on th nrer, and the roa!t
from th Mills are onrtd and iTwrior to '
other roads, leading to any other mill m Stl
lv count v.
Persons wishin? to enerasre in
ing pursuits, would do well to call on tbe I
scrioer. ne nas several oiner -'
adjoining the above, which he would alw
to sell.
Terms IHade Easy J
Those wishing to buv such property ' J
all times find the subscriber on the VeXS i
MARVEL K'6
Stanly Co., N. C, Feb. 17, 1857-33-