VOLUMErVIII.
GKEENSBOROUGH, NORTH-CAROLINA, APRIL 11, 1846.
.4
NUMBER 2
BY BFAIM'V.BIIERWOOI)
' ' ' 1
rnicK. TiinEK dollars ateah.
49 ln .Jm'tm OI ttOVTI Af TSR til ATB
W rtaV) II T - - 7 -- . ,
r", if ortCPKCRItTIOlC. .
A MtuMontntpart of iffViltfirter toorJer discoiidn
ftaac within the subscription Jwtt, will be considered in
dicative of his-wislfto continue the paper.
i
DEFERRED itEMSiOF INTELLIGENCE.
Mr. Clay left New Or!ean on the 22d ultimo,
nfterasojourn in that city of more than two months.
He intended to stop a few days at Natchex, visit
St. Louis, and then return home to Ashland. He
was in excellent health.
Captain Lorin LarkinWof the schooner Mer
chant, and CaptaTn Pfister, of the schooner Robert
Wilson, conncaCChTrleston recently of liar-
intr been enframed in ih. slaye-trade on the coast
of Africa', have been 'sentericed to pay each a fine
of 1,000 and remain !n jail- three yeais being
the leasC punishment allowed under the lair.
. In fWn. about 150,000 per annum is paid
far the support of public school. This js said to
be'equal to theiParli-mentary g"' lS Tor
the whole of England.,
The Hont'KhnWlwprtb, f Illinois, has re
moved f everal Uroe?XnJi D0Ut remove again,
for the avowed purpose of keeping ot least twenty
miles distant from a doctor or a lawyer.
"A Dangerous GfT. A person some time since
presented sf young Jady', of Washington city, with
a aguereotypelikenesjipf himself. Subsequent
JyK wM discovered, thathe had raised various
sums of money by forgery, and tVe lady immedi
ately lent jhi picture tbthe officers of police, that
they mighty the ynorereilytliacover theriginat.
The Leap Trade of the West. The ttlena
Jeffersoman says that in March, just beforeihe
peningfb navigation of the Mississippi, ni l
" -SJ JT - M . .
amount of fcaa corded up on the wharves at uai
n a larcre as eicrht 'millions of pounds. V
The lead product the coming season will be enor-
nious.
ii.
California There are at present three new
expeditions aboutto start Tor California ; one from
Fort Smith 90 4he Arkansas, of. about one thou
sand souls, under the charge of Mr. Leavilt, and
another trade the command oLMsjori Rjussell,)f
Missouri, embracing many emigrants from Ken
tucky, and another under the guidance of Mr.
Grayson, who leaves Independence, Missouri, on
the l&tb off April, for ih valley of Sacramento,
io North California.
The Slave TRAOE.f-rDocumenU lately captur
ed in- islaver show, "thai slaves cost them from
15 to 20 each-fry the coast of Africa. They sell
them inv Brazil at 9300 each. The cargo of the
Pons wouldhave'realizedi250,000, and that of
the Panther $350,000 over all expenses.
Population or European Cities. London
contaips about 2,000,000 of inhabitants, exclusive
of strangers. The population of Paris exceeds
. 000,000; Vienna contains 330,000 ; Berlin 365,
(WO,' and St. Petersburg 476,000. ' -
jAJfESrBntNXT-ha-vrtitten-a"letterto the
" LibeftyState Convention " - in Michigan, 1.1
which he recommends that they should ad a v, hs
present principles "The abolition of the Tariff and
a direct tax (ot the support of Government."
. . r m tt '
. - 1 n "
Favorite Names. A lady of Troy has ascer
tained the number of counties, cities, and towns in
the United States, which bear the names of our
first six Presidents ; viz: of Washington, 103
Adams, 21 i Jefferson, 59 ; Madison, 43 ; Mon
roe, 20, and of Jackson, 84.-
No less than 623,000 .young ladies are said to
be now receiving education in French Convents
iremendpus engines in the hands of the Pope in
extendioer his influence over the French nation.
J : . ;
A Pittsburgh paper states that the fire which
occurred nearly twelve months ago, is not yet ex
tinguished. An immense mass of coal, is still
burning, and is likely to continue for some time
o come. : .
There are four whiteJead manufactories in
v Brooklyn, using a capital of nearly one million of
' dollars, and manufacturing , annually upwards
210,990,000 lbstof white-lead, litharge, red-lead,
dbc' ' -: v; " ';;s;i
American Wualk FisHERy. There are 730
vessels engaged Hhisear in -the whaleL: fishery
' whn acrrecrate tonnace is' 232.70 1. ' New Bed-
ford, Mass., furnishes 258 of these, 'vessel and
., o- - 1 "
famous old Nantucket 74, .NV
l) 111 ' ' ' - ; '
Missftsim. The legislature of this Stole at its
late session passed on set dividing-the State into
four Congressional districts, in conformity to the
general law of Congress. X1
TflE WASKisoTONTmEB,' which lately. flour
ished under the name of the M Maduonian.'L and
recently became notorious, for its libellous attack
upon Senators,' has been discontinued for. want, of
adequate support. -Jr-- 1 -
THE
rrv 1 mTi Trvrn
I-' A I K
EarthcJvakei. It appears by recent account,
that earthquakes were experienced at Smyrna
and Calcutta at about the ' same time that the
shocks were felt in Connecticut and Long Island,
last October. Whatever natural circumstance
may produce the phenomena of earthquakes, the
immediate cause, must evidently be central in the
earth, thus to affect oposile sections of the surface
at the same time.
The Cincinnati Gazette says that Judson, who
lately killed Porterfield in Nashville Tenn., is the
author of the well known articles published' in va
rious magazines, and still continued, we believe
in the Knickerbocker, signed Ned Buntline. He
was formerly a midshipman U. S. Navy,
When the Slaver Pons was captured and the
negroes on board knew the fact, they gave a shout
says an officer, that might have been heard a mile.
Lessor Steamboats. No less than twenty-fiv
steamboats have been lost on lhMissisppt and
Ohio rivers, within the last six rpou'hs. '
Baltimore Confncr. -The Baltimore Con-
I ference of th Methodist Episcopal Church has
unanimously resolved to remain n connexion with
the Methodist Episcopal Church ; to resist, as it
has uaiformly. done from the first, the introduction
of slavery among its members ; to hold no con
nexion with any ecclastastical -body-that-ahall
make non-staveholdihg i condition of membership
in the church, and to stand by the discipline as it
is. The Conference has also expressed its de
termination to faor the division of the general
funds of the Church, as provided for in the pan of
separation. There was at no tisie any warmth
of feeling or division of sentiment respecting these
matters. So says a letter from a member of the
Conference, published in the North American.
A Bad Man come to a Bad End. The Frank
fort (Kentucky) Commonwealth of March 10th
has the following statement
John U; flaring Killed. On Saturday last
about the middle of the day John U. Waring,
while passing along Main street, Versailles, be
tween Divine s lavern and bhelton a tavern, was
shot down. On examining the wound, it was
discovered that the ball had entered the forehead
just above the eye, and had passed downward,
cutting the tongue. 1 he inference of courso was
hat the shot came from an elevated position. On
Varch, we understand, a rifle, was found in the
gVret of Shelton's tavern, near the gable window,
beVing the signs of a fresh explosion : and as the
pl was the only one from whence such a shot
coulujave been aimed, public opinion is unani
mousMiat it came thence. We do not learn that
any pVjcular person is suspected of committing
the dtw. Mr. Waring was himself a man of
desperaVn arW violence. He it was, who slew
the late Simel Q. Richardson ; and he had been
engaged K many a bloody rencounter. Indeed
we can sctw-e remember, when he nrai not nn.
toriously atyatUy feU(J, with respectable citizens,
oc dp was Cmmony regarded as an enemy of
iiiaiikinu.
mad few friends and many
bittwrlbes:
lOUirh ihprp mV hToiv urhn wrilX
iiiuum ia ""-though there may be many
who will rejoicoV,, lhe worjd is nd of a dn'm
ous and desperatean of blood all must unite
in condemnation oiie' manner 0f ,he drea(ful
deed. He died abn lwenlf four hours after re
ceiving the shot. Oi posl mortem e,amination
it was found that the bvLt h8(J pas8ed donrn hJi
throat into his lungs. 1, examination disclosed
a fact long suspected, tha wore a8tronff Coat
of mail made of steel.
1.:- a 1 . "'J
Dinner to Mr. Toler. -j,0 yic dinner
to Mr.lolei, upon the eve ofyj, departuref by
l.ni4Cli ui jj iiciiuui miuuui
ode-i4acerth-FranMmeir 't!LmAi
d I1LIJUUIL' V ILIIUUI , 1 - . ..
evening- last, anu was altogether kr;!i:, -A
, and was altoget ierbriian. an
interesting affair. About 00 clock, conTpanv
to the number cf about 160. sat down, an gXCeV
lei.v rpa8t. Charles L. Mosby Esq.vr4,.;j-j"
assisted y, Dr. Rob't S. Payne and IT'
Dudley, Ia.
In answer to a toast, ex
of the feelings wjs community towards
which was received ;lh crea, enthusiasrovi,
Toler addressed the Compaq aD eloquentx
feelinsr manner. Brief addresses, -r.knowlea.
ment of complimentary toasts, were made w T)i
D. Patterson and Joseph K. Irving Esq. of Am
herst, and by the Senior Ed it or" of this paper. The
occasion was one of peculair interest. It was not
only a tribute to the personal virtues and public
services of Mr. Toler, but a testimonial of the
sense, entertained by the people of Lynchburg,
of the value of the press, conducted, as he con
ducted it, in a spirit of candour, courtesy and
dignity and with signal ability. The presence
of many gentlemen of the democratic party show
ed that the most' decided expression of opinion,
and the warmest party zeal, if joined with fair
ness and consideration for the opinions of others,
dp not jiecessarilypreclude an .Editor from enjoy
ing the respect and esteem of political opponents.
The evening passed off in a delightful interchange
oTiociaTTeelingTcTelirly
sence of all intoxicating liquors is no bar to festive
enjoyment. Lynchburg Virginian.
Conclusive." Can't be helped the Balti
more Convention said it and Polk must stick to
it, and 'I will stick to him. by hokey," said a Hoo
sier ppliticar of swne local JflinUyesterday,J hen
some wags were poking fiio at him " there is
no dodging now," "But jvhOClohn Vancouver's
Island f" " 1 don't, continued the Hoosierj "the
Baltimow' Convendon didn't say a word about
that are, and Jemmy Polk don't a Whig lie, by
hokey, that'a flat." , v
Well, this ignorant chap is a rude type only of
the partisan. A caucus , meets at Baltimore jit
makes up what is called the ''Democratic creed ;"
partisans catch hup; the press echo it bad as the
will .pfuhe pany. aniiuje the,
use of having a Congress ? Why pay lor a Gov
ernment at alt r' If a caucus at Baltimore, once
in every four years. can' settle the policy of the I
j nation, way no can n uo ;wy wua jruuri yu
1 gress ad. President, and; in their stead, hire for
i ' V ' v V ' '' . 'V7"' ... ' -.
a few thousands an honest agent to receive foreign
minister, &c. and recoid (for all that we should
need in this event is a register) the decrees of the
aforesaid caucuses as the public law 1 It would
save a deal of trouble and expense. Cincinnati
Gazette.
NATIONAL FA1K.
It is proposed to hold a Ntftforrarl Fair at the
City of Washington on the 20th of May next, for
the purpose of exhibiting specimens of every kind
of handicraft or manufacturing skill employed in
the nation, with a view to effect upon the policy of
the legislature in sustaining our domestic national
interests. From the circular of the "Committee
of Superintendence of the National Exhibition of
American Manufactures and products of Mechan
ical Art" we extract the following kerns of infor
mation in regard to the Fair :
'The committee propose that the exhibition
shall be opened at Washington on the 20th dsy of
iVlay next, previous to which date ample provision
will be made for the reception, security, and suita
ble disposition (fall specimens which tnsy be sent
to their care.
" They invite the transmission of specimens 'of
every kind of manufacture and handicraft known
to the artizans of the United States, and desire that
price, as well as the maker's name, be furnished
with each article intended for exhibition. Com
mittees will be appointed for the superintendence
and arrangement and preservation of all parcels
sent to the exhibition rooms.
" The rooms will be ready to receive articles for
exhibilioiTfrpiir'and'afiertfa
exhibition will be kept open not lets than two
-weeks. -
" Owners of parcels exhibiting during the exhi
bition will unless directions to the contrary be giv
en, be expected to allow the sale ol such parcels
at the prices marked, to be delered at the close of
the exhibition.
All goods intended for exhibition can be di
rected to Mr. David A. Hall, secretary of the
committee who will see to their safe-keepicg, and
attend to their being repacked after the. close' of
the exhibition.
' In case of a sale of them, the money will be
duly transmitted.
H As there will be many goods undisposed of
which the proprietors may not desire to have re
turned, and prefer to have sold for their benefit, the
committee will cause a sale at auction tf such ar
ticles as the owners may desire to hare so dispos
ed oL
Motive, power will be furnished at the exhi
bition rooms for such of the machinery as may re
quire it.
" As the committee can only give this general
invitation to the manufacturers and artisans of the
country, each one will be pleased to consider it
addressed to himself individually."
The Baltimoie Ameiican has these forcible and
pertinent remarks concerning the exhibition of
American industry to be made at the National
Fair:
'"-The opponents of protection seem to be a Jh-
tie Uneasy at the prospect of the grand display to
m made soon in Washington ot the products of
American industry, skill and ingenuity. The ex
hibition of British fabrics, day after day, in the
Capitol itself, called forth no remark. But. for A-
merican industry 10 attempt 10 sustain itseu oy a
fH'r manifestation of its claims, and to make such
attempt in the face of party decrees which have
denounced its overthrow all that is presumption
in the extreme.
The Union cannot object directly to the move
ment itself, but it insists that both sides shall be
seen. "Let the merchants," it says, "also appear
with the productions ol other countries, for the pur
pose of fairly testing which is the best tabric, and
which would be the cheapest, if the tariff duty
were reduced to the revenue standard.
M Certainly lei both sides be seen. There are
British agents enough in our country to appear in
behalf of Manchester, Leds, bhemeld and iiir
minfyltam wifh tli htt finiitm.n ftf Rritiflh man
liniiKUNiiii ...... -
wfacwre.' lt thera.ci)iM&. IJteXilMSiiJUM
ot a roou
room in the capitol already. Let them come
and for the better information of our law makers
let them fix to each parcel of their wares and mer
chandize two labels one showing the price un
der the present stress of American competition
and the other, indicating what the price would be
if American competition were broken down, and
the possession of our market given up by Amen
can legislators to British monopolists."
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
A northern paper thus speaks of the " Radical.
u
. .Nnet such signal defeat by ih
ofthe.L. . .
late. , . t , e . ... i
a 1
uiea power
iigs anu inaepeuaeius ;
.ur.'ism is a word of remarkable significan-
It is the i7er embodiment of
surplis-reveni" cpmpound
..L:-.-,n.t.;mWnti-railros
as anti-bank, anti
nti-railroad, anti-corporation
vsntaceous repecv v ' r
. . - np. I uvaa and n 11 1 1 hial
munf in Aarh nun avorv sin.
of the lawi
'8 Oi VOO aaiau iiuiiiiivhhuu
s. Extremes sometimes
meet.
The Manchester (NT
t . .u wui a -ai r, American, after stat
ing that the Whigs do not . ..
.... fii the official " spoil "
of the State, holds the folluwi.
-. ; 7 j v-language re
gard to the union of parties wbw. L0g0focoj(m
u luw . . . ;
Wu by no means claim the re
inn a Whiir I'dnrv Mnlirvlv.
this elec-
without the assistance of the friends of ?w 'nat
this revolution could not have been eflecHa'f
time. There was an allied army,' as ouV,nu
nents say not a corrupt coalition, but a umP
all men who felt that their own safety was tf
cerned in immediately ridding the State of the cu
rupt dynasty which had ruled it so long and
badly ; such a union as we hope always to see,
when the rule of any party becomes intolerable.
There was conciliation and compromise to a great
degree among both the Whigt and the Indepen
dents t without it, instead of achieving a victory
we should have been baffled and defeated."
,C Mr-
. Oxtiis Usb of thb RoD.haNewYorkcor.
respo.riTlent of le NajjonM
remarks t .
The Rochester fmwrat cemiirtl"
ho subject of the Normal School established by
this State) The foUowirrg pfrafgrtfph shouhiihrriwfuaed a the office where sent, because of its
rcBu, rememoereat ana pracusea, not only by
teachers, but by parents. " Spare the rod and
spoil the child," is a most erroneous doctrine for
the present enlightened age. For nearly fifty
years I hffvo been a father, and now, at the close
of life, I rejoice that I can say, 1 have never given
a blow to a child. The letter says : " There is
oneiobjlect connected with this school which I
would note particularly : this institution has tto
code of by-laws no arbitrary regulation, further
man a pecuie lunn mr us exercises, j ne Kina
ly exprmed will of the teacher is the lata of the
echoolf and so perfect has the work of this law
been found, that not an irregularity has occurred."
uti teachers every where lay down the rod and
try this law.
DARNBURNER. 1 ne term "ttarnourner we
find ofter applied to a certain class of politicians
but never fairly understood its application or the
origin of the term. Many of our readers may be
Tt n. 1
as ignorant as ourselves, we therefore give the ex
planation Irom the Cincinnati Atlas :
This term, in its political application, according
to the N. V. Tribune, "grew out of a story of a
Dutch farmer in Pennsylvania, whose barn was
over-run with rats which devoured his grain. Un
able to discover any other remedy, the Dutch
man set fire to bis barn and thus rid himself of
rats, barn, grain and altogether' The Tribune
well remarks that the parallel between this and
the radicalism of our day, which seeks to get rid
01 the evil connected with .banks, corporations,
&c, in the same wsy, need not be pointed out.
THEJ)EADI LETTER OFFICE.
A correspondent of the Eastern Argus, writes
from Washington, anderdate of Feb. 21st, 110
the following graphic description of the Dead Let
ter Office, in the General Post Office Department
He says:
Among the places which I have visited, is the
Dead Letter Vffice, in the Post Office Depart
ment. It is certainly an interesting part of that
building. Yoa will be surprised at some of the
facts that I learned there. The business of (be
Dead Letter Office alone, employs four Clerks a!
the time. One opens the bundles containing the
letters sent to Washington, from the seven! Posl
Offices, after they have been advertised, and no
owner found for them, tie passes irver the letters
to two other clerks, who ripen them all to'see if
they contain Anything valuable. If they do not,
they are thrown on to the pile on the floor. No
time is allowed to read them, as that would be
impossible, without a great addkiooof help. The
number of dead letters returned to the Genera!
Post Office is astonishingly large. You will be
surprised when I tell you that it is fourteen hun
dred thousand a year, and under the cheap post-
age system, is increasing 1 nence 11 requires
swift bands to open so large a number without
stopping to read a word. Any one who is so sil
ly as to write a mass of nonsense to an imaginary
person supposing it win be ortrmatery read by
some one, may save himself the trouble hereafter.
He may depend upon it not a word will be likely
to be read oilbe letter unless the encloses some'
iMhgjaluable'in jtyand That would be payihgliiIcEledr to this melancholy event, and of the
too dear for so small a Wnisrrc. At the enu oT
each quarter. th letters that have been opened,
have accumnraled to a huge mass, and having
been in the mean tune stowed in bags, are carted
out on the plains, and there consumed in a bon-
fire. The huge bags make five or six cart loads
each quarter
The letters containig any thing valuable or,
in fact any matter enclosed are passed over to a
fourth clerk who occupies a separate room for lhe
purpose, and they are canvassed by this gentle
man. It is very interesting to examine the hetero
geneous materials 01 this room, that have been ex
tracted from letters, and accumulating for years.
Here you see the singular matiers that are some
times transported through the Post Offices, the
amount of monies, that at various limes has been
found in letters, is very large. When any thing
of value, as money, drafts, &c, is found, the rule
is, to return it to the Post Office, whence it came,
and the Postmaster of that office, must advertise
tCoriise " any'roberTO
the owner. If all hisefiorte fail, he returns it to
the General Office, and it fa labelled end filed ft
way. Sometimes as much as 8300 are found in
a week, in dead letters 1 I ibiak within this month
several hundreds have been found. An' iron
chest is kept for the purpose of these deposites. .
In lookine over the files in that chest, I was
astonished at the amount of money there, and the
large sums contained in some of the letters. Some
single letters containing $50, 840 $30, and down (9
81. One 'etter contained , a jCWnote very like
ly the property of some poor emigrant, (intended
for his wife or children,) who had made a .mistake.
in sending it, and no owner could be lound.
A mong this money is a good deal of counterfeit.
The letters are all labelled, not only with the sums.
but also whether containing counterfeit r good
h'lL. 1 1 n
Ill our y. 1 tiers wcic many uau suiau uuics, ,ui'
tered through the piles.. In one case there was a
bad half eagle ,111 another were two letters, each
containing 8300 counterfeit money. It was on
some New York Bank, new, and very nicely done
and'was no doubt the remittance or one counter
feiter to anoiber, who had been in 'the mean time,
apprehended, or was suspicious, or was watched,
and hence naa oeenioo cunning 10 can lorune
wicked deposit of bis confederate. In the strong
box. also a box of chance of all kinds, and a large
siring of rings of various fancies and values, taken
from the dead letters. Many a love token of this
modest kind, envelloped in a .'etter, couched in
must honied words and intended, in the mind of
of the writer, for the dearest girl in the universe
had instead of reaching its interesting destination,
brought up in thesdead fefter office, passed through
the practical hand of these old grey haired clerks,
who never stopped to read the tender effusion that
so.ost ,0 much rnckingof the heart strings, and ibe
icate pledge of affection had been tossed into
ol'on chest, instead of encircling th, taper finger
y love lor w&c-.rn. tt was purchased. '
meetM'nff oul of the chest, the matters that
are equVey on 'he shelves, and in lhe cases,
bons, andntresting. Here are books, and rib-'
er things. and hoisery, and a thousard, oth
did ribbon -MM pei9ier;of i.bstlaplei.
mucTouT of pliftrt 'yards, that seemed yery
adorn ih bonnet tre when it was intended ta
noa ladyr- 4i Mckgday
Er.gla.nd. The postiY 0Pe"el- " " rom
UQ WlVVl St UHU WVVU
normous postage, and was sent to the 'dead office.
in due course of lime. Now, said the Superin
tendent, will show you what valueless things are1
sent through the mails, in comparison to their ex
pense. I do not know what is in this, but we will
see. So he opened it. and behold it contained a?
bottt a yard or course cloth, like crssb, worth . per
harps a1 shilling, which had been sent tbsome dry
goods house in this country, as a specimen of the
manufacture of the article, by some factory in En
gland. Of course, the postage being thirty times
its value, it was refused by those to whom it was
directed. I saw two night cap that were taken
from a letter only a few days since. If the poor
enow 10 wnom tney were sent does not sleep in a
nig hi cap tilt he gets theje.his head will be cold.
It is impossible for the Department to attend - to
finding owners for the comparatively valueless
things that are received ; as night caps, ribbons,
garters, stockings, stays, hustles, &c, &c, and
they are therefore thrown into the recepticle of
- thinrgs lost to earth," and a pretty " kettle of fish"
there is in that reeepvie'e, ydu may depend.
In these cases, arranged arrd lafofcd for the
Purpose, are the legal documents focmd in tetters,
'hese are numerous, and run back for long
term of years, They are most carefully preserv
ed. The beneficial policy of this preservation has
been often illustrated, arid most strikingly so, only
the other day. A gentleman in a distant State,
wrote the. Superintendent that some seven or eight
years ago, a large package of most valoatife papers
bad been lost through the Post Office. They in
volved the right to a Urge estate. If he could not
find them, he would be irretrievably ruined, and
begged him to search in the Department for them.
He didTo7t!e fotdTnihatthe first ase he
pened, under, a pile of other papers, he saw a
large-package, answering the descri'Dtion. He
took it out, and it was the very papers be want
ed. They had slept there qu ietly for yearsrr The
Eostage was about 810 and they had originally,'
y some mistake, failed of their rightful owner.
The package had been carefully preserved, and
the owner pecuniarily saved.
I have given you but a f faint description, after
all. of this interesting portion of the General Post
Office operations. My letter' has 'reached a Dru-
dent length, and I rrruscsiop.' The gentleman
who superintends this wing is Jere. O'Brien, Esq.,
of Brunswick, in our country. He has been here
about ten months. To his politeness I was much
indebted, in my observations. I have heard his
gentlemanly deportment spoken ef by others -in
this connection. He is a fine specimen of the
New England gentlemen, and I am happy 19 re
cord his success in obtaining a place in this De
partment. - -
MURDER, AND MOB, AT NASHVILLE,
The Nashville (Tennesee) Whig cf March 17,
relates the following lamentable occurrence, dis
closing the fatal and horrible effects of unrestrain
ed passion :
Our community was. on Saturday last, thrown
into a state of the mot painful excitement, bv the
sudden and violent death of one of its most worthy
and esteemed members. OfLlbexircuinstance
raeepiy exciting occurrences which followed it, we
nropcr, in discharge of our plain duty as a con
ductor of a public press, to present a brief narra
tiv. '
Robert Portbri ield, whose untimely death a
whole community is now deploring, having learn
ed that E. Z. C. Judson had stated that' he had
had criminal intercourse with his, Poterfield's
wife, sought an interview with the latter on
Wednesday last, in presence of several individu
als, to one of whom, it was said, Judson had made
lhe statement. That individual, when asked in
JudsonY presence, if such statement had been
made to nimby Judson, . promptly answered in
the, affirmative. J udson strenuously denied it :
but Porterfield, placing no confidence in his deni
al; drew a pistol and would have shot him on the
pot, bad be not been prevented from doing so by
those who were present. On the evening of the
any 111 wnicn inrs Mmerview too if place, me indi
vidual at whose . office it was held, made known
J 1.. --.L?l .1- . .IS
taAlrJoh4LPto of the deceas
ed, lhat, prior to the interviewTulIioTrTdxaed
upon bun and confessed that he had made the
statement in question to the individual about te be
brought forward as a witness, bul lhat for the
purpose of saving his life, which be knew would
be taken by the Porterfields, if the fact were pro
ven . upon him, ho intended to deny ever having
said any thing of the kind. Both the Messrs.
Porterfield became Htilirelv catisfifd that Tnlsmi
had made the infamous statement charged upon j
him, and, we are informed upon reliable authori-1
ty, that thero cannot bo a doubt of his having !
made it. '
j -T 1
Notwithstanding this,however, the affair 'rnifjbl
nave been dropped nere, but lor ihe lad, thai on
Friday, Judton and Mri. Porterfield were known
to bt alone together for a cottiderable time at
me gravt yard in lie vicinity of town I When
this circumstance was revealed to her unfortunate
husband, he fell to the floor, as if a ball had pene
trated his heart. , He was of a singula'rly amiable
and confiding disposition and devotedly attached
to his wife. He had, in the depth of his attach
ment, and in the purity of this own pure, heart,
hitherto shut his eyes to certain acts of impropri
ety on the part of his wife in connection with
JJudscmwhich cameoo his knowledge,'-aivd-he
apparently refused to deduce Irom them conclu
sions which readily found their way to the minds
of others. ; But when apprised of'tba interview
at the grave yard, his agony of mind was beyond
description. He suffered more than, a thousand
deaths. His nerves were wholly unstrung he
became sick in body as well as in mind it seem
ed -as if h would be bereft of reason, and appre-
nensions. were entertained lest he might do some
act of violence on himself. ' In the language of
one who was with him in his agony, " he looked
far- worse before death than he did ttfterwqrdt "
' . In this frame of body and mind he proposed to
his brother John Porterfield, on Sat urdsy, about
hulf after three o'clock, to take a walk, without
any expectation, il is confidently beteived, uf mee
ting with Judson. Unfortunately, however, they
met with Judson near the Sulphur Spring when
.areounterimrc.ediaiely took place. Three
shs -were fired at Judson, as we mnderstandVhe,
backing he while, and professing a dwmcltnauon
to shoot. . After the third shot.' he fired affd shot
RrPdterfietdTn the forehead ; above thevight ejreT
ot whicn M-ouhraBatterticd about H o clock
that night.' fThe yews" that Judson had kiWdf 4
Porterfield soon spread )e wild-fire. Tbe ptibJ y
lie mind, wound to a pitcTi of deep and maddening " s -
excitement, was in a condition to be thrown off its s "
balance.! : Here was a young man in the prime'
of manhood (he was not thirty years of age) th'
dutiful arid afTeefibnate ton of a widowed mother 4
a tender, confiding ancfdVvdfed husband most k
' 'lI . Jt'TI; . .... V .
exemplary ana nigniy esteemed in all ine rrla' s
lions Of ' life first stricken ts the heart by his '
wife's dishonor; is he befietedy and then shot
through the eod by (ht ttttflof of (he destroys
of his happiness t i
A large crowd soon collected in and around
the Court House, where Judson, wh had been
immediately apprehended, was brought before M -examining
Coart. The Court was in the act of
preparing an order; of his tommkment 16 jail,
when J; Porterfield, frantic ai hiir fefotlif t'$ deit1i
and injuries, made bis appearance iff fne Chun' " .
room, and the cry burst ferih from 'i the crowd, ' 1
"make way for John Poterfied-ethiirt kill
Judson !" The Sheriff, Lanir.f Who was W the-, "
Clerk's box, where "also-was JudsKoVspfah' for
ward and met Polerfild, ;whohad jahjp'ed over
the railing behind the bar, about midway between
-the railing and the box, seized, and tfiih this aid
of ene of his atsiilams,' held him for some mo
ments Porterfield struggling violently to re
lease himself, by the aid of some friends ver -
powered the Sheriff, andVrawing a revolving1
pistol, commenced firing' at Judson, who started
in a run out of vbe house. Porterfield followiog
in close pursuit and firing at him, as often as eo
casion would permit, down ihej steps, across front
the Court House te the City Hotel, and up the
steps of the staircase of the Hotel. One or two
Gentlemen endeavored io aid Judson in escspintr :
to the Hotel, but Porterfield and bis friends follow . ,
ed so closely in pursuit, that they were cwaDett
ed to retire; and Judsenv m hopes of effecting hi
escape, jumped; sir more probably swung himself
off, from the portieo ol the third story, and fell to
ground, stunned by the fall. -; Not fess than eight
or ten shots were bred at him all, it hi saJ bf
Porterfield but pot one ef which took effect.? He
was knocked down with a rock between Jba,,
Court House and the Hotel, and only rsiaped,
for the moment, by, jumping from the portico of
the third story to the ground, which he effected
without breaking or dislocating a limbt tThencs
he was conveyed by the officers to jail without
farther molestation or interference on the part off
anyonei.L.lIlLl:.
. Here we mostly sincerely wish we could ead.
our painful narrative. But it is not permitted to
us.. About ten o'clock that night, a considerable
number of persons among whom, we are inform- 4
ed. were some of ou r most respectable citizens
still laboring under the intense excitement whicfa
the occurrences of the day had produced, proceed"
rd to the jail, and against the remonstrances, and
in 'defiance of the resistance of the Jailor, possess
ed themselves of the keys, seized Judson and
proceeded with him to the Public Square with ihe
avowed intention of hanging him. This, bowev- .
enwat not done.- f.-ry ,
lhe rope, it is said, with which it was attempt
ru 10 nang mm, crone, rre iutpeel U wat inten
tionally cut. Reason had by this time begun to
resume its sway, and Judson waa finally carried
back to the jail and delivered into the handi afi
the keeper by the same party who had taken hira-
out. His situation, we understand is somewhat -precarioos,
rendered so by the bruises he receiv
ed, and possibly from some internal injury' occa
sioned by his fall from the portico . "
Against tbis taking the law into their own bands
by an excited community, we roust lift up. our
voice. It is of evil precedent and most dangerous
tendency, and can never be justified. When, ia .
becomes an habitual practice oui institaliioaawSI
be at an end. And it should be recollected, that
every act of the kind, whatsoever be the provoca
tions, as it familiarizes the public mind with such
scenes, tends to deprive the law of its great and
only barrier against encroachment and overthrow;
respect and reverence for it on the port of iht
peopletheroseWft.' . ,;,
On the present occasion it cannot be denied that
there existed the strongest incentives both to indi
vidual and public excitemtnt incentives howev
er, not likely to be understood or appreciated a
broad. Io4bit counlryra far as ur knowledge
goes, public opinion not only excuses but jusiifiea
the summary and unceremonious killing by tsW
husband of the man who dishonors his wife. Be
fore God, we could stand by and ace such an offen
der shot down by the injured husband, iib as
liitle regret as we could see a sheep-killing dog
shot 1 Had Robert Porterfield armed himself wkh.
a musket and shot down Jiidsop, as fee walked th
n? W0U1U excused ana jiMUUed-
before this conunumty. Had John Porterfield
?uccfded in his attempt to kill him. he too would,
have been, excused by public opinion, f ile
l IJL , , ,. .
-awing unuec uitt juuuenc oi.suc.il nwuldea pro
vocation, as every ene, who bnowahm, knows ha!
would not navf acted, had time beengwea him for
cool reflection. Nor let the summ,a.y puniihrneq,!,
which awaits the seducer in this country be deem
ed too harshly of. ; The offender ia aware 0 wha
will probably follow, ir detected, lie knows perr
fectly well that death, in most cases, is the penalv
ty of the offence, upon, the coiiiu$iop of whk' -he
coolly and systematically en.tf s.' That it th
reaton why the crime ojm rare occurrence i
the South ami tfetf, in proportion to population.
r In the foregoing narrative we have discharged
ajlisagreeable, but peremptory duty. , We couidj
have desired to'pass over theoccurrences without-
such distinct allusion to the supposed criminal io,n
tercourso between Judaoa a,nd Mrs. Porterfieht
But the prevalent Ulief of the fact ol such inter- .
course, and of the additional (act,' that Judson,
himself, had rtade U known, affords the only satis-,
factory -explanation as to the true causa of tka
lamentable occurrences which have transpired.
Simple justice to our community required a pubic.
statement of the exciting influences under which,
they were acting. It was eje rj way due, not
only to the Messrs. torteroeras and their imme- ,
diate friends, bul U was due lo,t,he whole. commu-' f
nity, that the singularly exciira causes, which,
were producing elects, so rouca to be regretted, V
should be made know'n p the world. This we
have endeavored to do, u weUM the hurry of th .
occasion would permit. . " ;
A Greek Maid. Beio2 asked , what fortune
she should. -Woj her hasband, io,nsweied, V ( wilV"t"
briag-wnauajnoxr.vaiuable..tb.anan
a heart unspotted, and virtue without a stain, which.
is albtdesildei;ilf'oeim
now oeautuuiiy expr,esse(u -
A-
Y
vl