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e : ' . ... A&JQCEXICiCi aa aaa mih MM iMM M alaaaV BM Mai HaM 1 aM aaMB laaVaMaaValMMnaMM f '""-- -'-i'?r . J' j ' " A FAM ILY NEW SPAPER-NEU TRAL IN POLITICS. jSS Befeoteli to all tije s$n ewsts of Eije Souti), Citemte, true ttton, multute, Mttoz, tyt Matkttz, &c. J VOL. IIL NO. 26. RALEIGH, MTH CAROLINA, SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 1854. WHOLE NO. 130. " ' ' - - ' - ' l . r . , i ' i . r - 1 i t . SELECT POETRY. THE FIRST HOME." Amid the city's idle7 .flaunting train, I stanl,wilh drooping head and aching breast ; M call me dreamer, and I strive i:i vain To render smiles and give the light-tontd jest; But Korac touch stirs the chord of memory, And I am wandering with the years gone; by. The years gong by the guileless and the good ! When a wild troop of careless children played Around a white-walled cottage home,which stood In & lone valley, 'neath the elm tree's shade ; In that preen vale arose life's morning star On us, whom time-has scattered wide and far. No hand of art had fashioned there fair bowers, To give us shelter from noon's fervid beam ; But sweet clematis, with its pearly flowers, Hung from the alders, by the gentle stream; And to that quiet arbor we would stray, . And leave pur childhood's task for childhood's play. ' , In the moist meadow, 'neath the apple treess The clustering strawberries were red in June ; The robins chirpcd.thanksgiving, and the bees Rocked in the clover tops, and hummed a tune That filled my brain, with fancies iSweet and wild, And made me dream, even wheiyi child. And still the blue mist o'er that Silley now Floats in the summer time, as when we strayed Through, the old path, although upon our brow, The world, the ungentle world, her hand hath hud; ' And still the flowers we loved, spring fresh and fair, -And stars o'i rwateh, as when our home was there. Year afer year I visit it in dreams! . I sit beneath the elm trees, as of yore, And catch the niuk- of Ihe mountain streams. Or walk the deep-worn foot-paths, as before, Striiishijr red berries from the wild rose tree, . The simple coral of my infancy. .No matter' where kind heaven niay ca-t my Jot, If o'er the mountains or the seas I roam, My heart ne'er caV forget one sacred spot, That northern valley, with our childhood's home ; And mv weak harp will swell more bold and strong. ' Oft as I weave its name within my songV JaSe Gav. lifjLHjUiCjU i U: WAT KOBINSON; : - OK, THE WTNDKU.MKUE GHOST. - Ah ! dost thou think 1 fear the spectral crew -( Ol ghosts aiid demons ? All the host of hell, With thee to baek them, giai't as thou art, Shall never scare me from my homeward path. The boy of Judah was a very dwarf, JUatch'd with Fhilistias giant-; but the strength .Of mind, made perfect in the tear of God, Gave to the shepherd boy the victory O'er hin who trusted in the arm ol flesh. The storv I am about to tell I had from aivolJ aunt of mine, who has long boon gatltered to hvr kindred dust. She was a woman of. singu lar talent, anl in her youth had possessed great .'"'..singular beauty. At .eighty years of age, her bright black eves were imdimmed, she' had not ' lost One of her tine teeth, and her cheeks retain ed the bloom f the rose. What she had been in her early days might be gathered from the noble remains" that time had touched so lightly, that her elastic mind seemed to bid defiance to decav.. , ln the glory of her prime, duels had been fouglit for her, and wise men had vied with each other, to win from her an approving smile. . - ; It' the term beautiful eotikl be applied to an old woman, my aunt was a beauty still. The .old ladv was perfectly aware of the fact, and would recount w ith great glee, the eonojiests and .triumphs of her girlhood. These reminis cences 'of bv-gono .vanity, which it would have Jieen wise at. her time of life to have been buried iu oblivion, I listened to her with vlittle or iw-intvivst ; but, her ghost stories and tradition- I arv lore, her legends of the wild and wonderful, her long catalogue of extraordinary dreams and mvsterioiis warnings, always afforded me- the keenest delight. Naturally of a strong and vigorous mind, my aunt did not herself Wlieve in supernatural agmeies ; but thev amused her, and she told these stories so well, that, she never tired her auditors.' It is one of these ' tales that I am about to relate. She had the facts from my .- "'grandfather, who was himself personally.acquain . ted with Mr. Lethwaite, one of the actors in the .drama. . About a hundred years aro, there lived in the town of Kendal, Westmoreland, a man of gigantic stature and great strength, who followed ..the-trade, of a butcher. This person, who -was callud Wat Robinson, was noted for his quarrel some, ruffianly disposition, which won for him the name of 1 hilly .Robinson, the big butcher of Kend.dT Foremost in all scenes of riot and dis sipation, he was universally feared and Jruly haled. ' '' i: This. 'man was very fond of practical jokes, but his jokes were like himself, and originated inthe crueliy .and malice of his mind. ' The .pain he inflicted upon others afforded him the V greatest pleasure. The grating tones of his :..-;" coarse, brutal laugh, inflicted a deeper wound : "than the most bitter of his biting jests. ' It is impossible for a benevolent minded person to give any countenance to this species of amuse : ment, for, though the joke may be harmless in . - itself, a kindly person will derive no entertain : ment from anything that calls forth angry feel i ings in another. nv ni There was a very lonely cross country road in the vicinity of Kendal, which formed a short cut to the beautiful lake of Windermere. The path was rocky and narrow and seldom frequented bv any but pedestrian or equestrian travelers. For some months previous to the period of which I am now writing, this road had got the char acter of being haunted. A hideous apparition in the form of a hairy monster, with horns and hoofs, obstructed the passage of travelers through the lane, chasing them back with dreadful bel lowings and other diabolical noises. ? Many persons had been frightened into fits by the spectre ; and one feeble old man had lost his reason by unexpectedly encountering the de mon in one of the most lonely turnings on the rocky road. This frightful phantom had been seen by so many respectable persons in the town and its vi cinity, whose veracity, from the well known in tegrity of their characters, the most skeptical could scarcely doubt, tjiat the public mind be came greatly agitated by the nightly recurrence of such startling facts. People Mere no longer laughed at for their credulity, in believing that which so many respectable witnesses declared to be true. The Windermere ghost became the general theme of conversation, and the road was aband oned by all who were acquainted with the tale and could reach the lake by a more public tho roughfare. One night a large party had assembled in a small public house, in the suburbs of Kendal, to drink their ale, and discuss the news of the dav These were chiefly farmers and sheep-graziers,' from the moors and fens, whd had disposed of the fat lings of their flocks at the market, and were returning in a bodyto their lonely homes among the hills. The centre of this group, and ' a man of no small importance among them was the big butcher of Kendal. He had been a large purchaser, and the jolly yeoman had flung back a few shillings from the money they had received, to furnish a general treat, big Wat himself being placed in the chair, as the great man of the company: This was an honor the burlv butcher never failed to abuse. As the fumes of the ale began to ascend into his head, he grew loud and quarf reK.me, engrossing all the conversation to him self, while his blustering manner altd ill-natured jokes so disgusted his companions, that one by one they all rose to depart, dreading, by word or action, to rouse into active operation, the mis- chievous disposition of the man. The guests at the u HoUy Tree" had all drop ped aw ay, until the butcher and oue young man, who had been a silent spectator of the scene, alone occupied the chimney corner. This person, who was vastly superior, iu his appearance, to the men who had so lately filled the table, was dressed in the gray homespun cloth of the coun-' try, and looked like a wealthy yeoman of the middle class. jTo Robinson he was a stranger, and" that worthy continued to eye him with a sinister glance of curiosity and inquiry. The landlord entered to throw on a fresh billet of wood, for it was winter, and the night was very cold. ' Is the moon up, Lowther ?" said the yeoman, rising to his feet, and buttoning his great coat up to his chin. ' "It is time I was on the road." Yes, Mr. Lethwaite, she has been up some time, but sir, if I were in your place, I would never travel that road at midnight." " Why, what the deuce is the matter with the road ? Are you troubled with robbers in these parts?" "No, sir, the road is haunted.',' "' " Haunted !'' exclaimed the yeoman, bursting into a merry laugh. " Yes, sir, haunted, and by the devil, sir !" T saw him w ith my ow n eyes ; and you know, sir, the old saying, seeing is believing." " Humph ! and what was the devil like f " Like, sir ? why nothing human. He was as hairy as a buffalo, with huge white horns, a long whisking tail, and cloven feet." j "Oh, ho! the old story. I never saw the devil, and have no great wish to make his acquaintance to-night ; but it is not an idle wo man's tale that will prevent me from taking the nearest road home. lray order your man td saddle my horse quickly, for I have overstayed my time already." The landlord hastened to give the necessary orders, and Robinson, who had been listening to the yeoman, with a half sneer, now turning has tily round, addressed him abruptly, and without ceremony. , " You wish us to think you a very brave man, Mr. Lethwaite, if that is your name." " That is to me a matter of perfect indiffer ence," returned Lethwaite, haughtily, and sur veying the burly butcher with a stern glance ; 44 the man who has faith in himself cares little for the opinion of others." 44 No offence," said Robinson, who did not like the fiery glance of his companion's eye ; 41 but if you are determined upon returning to Windermere by the cross road, it is the duty of a friend to warn you of your danger." "Danger! what, the idle tale I have just heard; none but a coward would turn from his path for a gossip's fable." " Men as brave as you can be have sallied forth at nightfall, to bid defiance, as they said, to all the powers of darkness, and have returned to their hearth at midnight as pale as the sheeted dead. There is not a man in Kendal," cried the excited butcher, striking his huge fist on the oak table, until the glass upon it chattered and rang j again, u that dare travel that road to-night." "I am sorry to think that the descendants of the bold Kendal archers can have degenerated into such a flock of geese," said the yeoman. 44 1 have lived too long among the hills to be fright ened by shadows. My horse is at the door good night, sir." 44 You are stark, staring mad," cried the butch er, placing his huge person in the door-way, " to attempt that road to-night ; you will return to the 44 Holly-Tree" before morning, half dead with fright." The young man smiled incredulously. " Sir, you disbelieve me ?" I think you very credulous." " Fellow, do you take me for a coward ?" re plied the butcher, the red blood rushing'into his bloated' face. 44 You had better mind what you say. With one blow I could annihilate a puny chap like you." " Real courage cannot be tested by mere ani mal strength," said Lethwaite, calmly. 44 David was a dwarf to Goliah, but mental courage and the fear of God conquered his gigantic foe. I do not wish to quarrel with you, sir. You be lieve in ghosts, I do not. Good night." 44 Ah ! quoth the butcher, shaking his huge fist after him, 44 the Windermere ghost shall punish you well for your disbelief." Lethwaite's foot was in the stirrup, when a sudden thought seemed to strike him : " I am not afraid of ghosts, Lowther ; but I have some money about me ; the Windermere demon may be a poor devil, whom the love of plunder may tempt to do a deed of violence. It will be as wall to examine the loading of my pistols." He returned with the landlord to the house, and both were not a little pleased to find the butcher gone. Lethwaite continued chattino some time with the landlord. " I do not like this ghost story of yours," he said. If such a spectre has really been seen, de pend upon it that it is some deep contrivance to hide worse danger. I w ish, for the good of the community, that I may be lucky enough to fall in with the ghost." ; 44 Ah ! Mr. Lethwaite, sir, you are only temp ting Providence when you talk in that careless way. The ghost is a real ghost ; for though it lias frightened many, and myself among the rest, I never heard of any person being robbed. Old Dodson, the lame beggar lost his senses ; but then he was always a half-witted creature, and a man's reason is not his money. Did I not see the horrid thing myself, I, who, God forgive me! had made game of it, and those who believed in it, just as you do at this mo- j ment, I saw the monster with my own eyes ; : and how I escaped from it I never could tell. I run so fast that I never felt the ground under my feet, while it pursued me with - the most frightful yells. I kept my bed for a week after, and have taken good care never to tread that road by night again." 44 It is strange ! " said Lethwaite, musing : some truth must be mingled with this fantastic error! What time ofjpight does ; this spectre generally appear. " It has been seen at all hours, from twilight until the gray dawn of day. It was about nine o'clock in the evening when it appeared to me. It is near eleven now, sir. You will just reach that black, crooked turning in the road, which winds around the foot of the hill, by midnight." That lonely spot is the demon's favorite haunt." 44 1 know the place" said Lethwaite. 44 Yes, 'tis a frightful gloomy spot, with steep banks, and high rocks on either side. Dark almost at noon-da v, and doubly dark at the noon of night." Then, whistling an old border song, to keep up his , courage, the yeoman dashed the spurs into his fine horse, and rode off at a quick pace, and in a few minutes was out of sight. The landlord listened for a few minutes to the click ing of his horse's hoofs striking against the fro- zen ground, and, thinking him a confounded fool, closed the door and went to bed. Lethwaite sped merily along. The moon shone bright and high above him in the cloud less sky, and the sharp cold wintry wind whis tled in his hair, and chilled his manly cheek. An hour's riding brought, him to the brow of the steep, crooked hill, which had leen pointed out to him as the favorite haunt of the ghost. At .the foot of this hill, the road took an abrupt turn, and the high rocks projecting on either side hid the open space, and presented to the traveler the appearance of a huge cavern, until he reached the bottom of the glen, when the delusion vanished: Stunted holly trees had sprung up among the crevices of the rocks, and their dark foliage east a sepulchral gloom into the deep hollow below. 44 It is an ugly spot," thought Lethwaite, as he checked his horse to tread at foot fall the steep descent. 44 Murder may have been committed here in the olden time, but pooh, pooh, there are no such things as ghosts, but if ever there was a spot more capable of inspiring such a dread than another, it is surely this." The side of the road to his left was in deep shadow. The very spirit of darkness seemed to brood over the gloomy recess, while the moon gilded with a wan and sjectral light the oppo site wall of rook. Lethwaite, in spite of his boasted courage, felt a sudden chi creep through him as he approached the awful spot. 44 God. of heaven !" he murmured, in a tone below his breath, 44 what can that be ?" as a horrid shape slowly and distinctly rose before him, and became stationary in the centre of his path. , It was not the form of a man, and certainly it was not a beast, but appeared a shocking com pound of both. Imagine a creature upwards of six feet high, covered with shaggy black hair, the head that of a bull, w ith huge, white, widely-extended horns. The sinewy bare arms of a man extended above this ghastly head, grasping a burning brand, which emitted a thin cloud of pale blue smoke. The lower part of the body was so enveloped in shade, that it only presented a dark, undefined, shapeless mass. Lethwaite, who never expected to behold a reab edition o the WTindermere ghost, felt his hair stiffen, and his teeth slightly chatter,' as he suddenly reined in his horse, and forced himself to look steadily upon the ghastly phantom. The horse, possessing less self-reliance than his master, plunged, snorted and reared, as with a hideous yell the apparition advanced, brandish ing his fiery weapon in a very threatening man ner. "Steady boy, steady," cried his master, in a soothing tone, shamed out of his fears by the terror of his steed. 44 If this be the devil, stand still, and let thy master face him like a man." Reassured by the well-known voice and the caress of the well-known hand, the noble animal did as he was commanded ; but he shook and shivered in every limb. Lethwaite had by this time drawn a pistol from his belt, and riding towards the spectre, he cried out in a stern voice, 44 Miserable impostor, throw off your disguise, or you are a dead man ; for, by the God that made me, I will see if your body is proof against a leaden ball !" A wild unearthly yell was the only answer he got to his threat ; and the demon was now within ten paces of his horse. The sharp re port of Lethwaite's pistol woke up all the lonely echoes of the place, and the huge, hairy mon ster fell heavily to the earth with a smothered curse; and the yeoman, yielding for a moment to uncontrollable fear, turned the head of his terrified steed, and never slackened his speed till he reached the door of the public house. After a few moments of breathless suspense, his loud, hurried knock was answered by the landlord, who thrusting his head out of the gar ret window, demanded, in no very gentle tone, the cause of such an unseasonable attack upon his door. 44 It is I, Lowther ; it is Richard Lethwaite ; get up and let me in directly." . " Ah ! ah ! I thought how it would end," said the landlord, as he descended to unbar the door ; and he called up the groom to relieve his guest of his tired horse. "The ghost has driven you back faster "than you went. This is to disbelieve the word of honest folks. Why, man what have you seen ? You look like one just risen from the dead." 44 1 fear I have sent one to dwell with the dead a little before his time," said Lethwaite, drinking off the glass of brandy proffered to him by his host at a draught. 44 1 have shot the ghost ; whether man Qr devil, it was not proof against powder and ball. I am more distres sed at this event than if I had encountered all the hosts of hell, with satan himself to back them. Call up your people, for I can no lon ger go alone to that infernal spot, and let us examine and identify the 'corpse. It was daylight before Lowther could per suade any of his servants or neighbors to ac company him and Mr. Lethwaite to the lane. They believed the latter had seen the ghost ; but as to killing it, that was a sort of waking night-mare, something too incredible even for the supernatural wonders of a dream. Many were the questions put to Lethwaite by the little baud of men ; but he walked on silently and thoughtfully, without speaking a word to any. Why did you not call up the big butcher, I Lowther ?" said one of the party. 44 In any case of danger that man is a host in himself." 44 1 have great doubts as to his courage," said Lowther dryly. " He is a great bully, and these wordy men are all froth ; they make a great noise but are very slow in action. If Mr. Lethwaite has killed the ghost, big Wat would be of small service to us, as the danger is al ready past." 44 Killed the ghost " said the first speaker with a sneer ; who ever heard of mortal man killing a ghost ; it is not in flesh and blood to do that." 44 But suppose the ghost was a man,'' said Lethwaite ; "suppose it was the big butcher of" Kendal himself." 44 Now, (rod forbid !" said several voices at once ; 44 the man is a devil but not bad enough to turn ghost." 44 We shall soon know," said Lethwaite, 44 at the bottom of this hill the riddle will be solved." They had now reached the brow of the steep hill. The sun was just rising above the distant mountains ; and his first beams glanced upon the hill tops, without penetrating the gloomy recess which still lay buried in dense shadow. Slowly, and with evident signs of fear, the little party wound down the hill.. One man tried to hum a tune, another to whistle, while a third talked very loudly about his own cour age, in reality, possessing very little ; but all en deavored to dissipate the fear to which they in voluntarily became the prey, as ihey approach ed the dreaded spot. Lethwaite, who had lingered behind, now walked briskly forward and headed the party. A dark, indistinct mass lay huddled up in the centre of the narrow road. All drew back. Lethwaite stepped up to it and remained sta- tionary, beckoned with his hand for the others to advance. They did so ; but what was the surprise and astonishment of all, to find in the supposed spectre the dead and bleeding form of Wat Robinson, wrappsd up in the hide of a bull, i,; i-.i l j i..l j i Alio uiiicu anus uare, anu a ciuu siueereu wnu phosphorus still grasped in his stiffened hand. 44 He deserved his death," said Lowther look ing down upon his ghastly corpse. It was a cruel thing of him to adopt this hideous disguise, in order to frighten his friends and neighbors." 44 It was just like the man," said another ; "he was so full of spite and malice, he could not bear to see others happy." 44 He has paid a heavy price for his folly," said Lethwaite. 44 His melancholy fate should be a solemn warning to all persons who engage in such wicked jokes. Come, my friends, let us carry him hence ; I am sorry that he got his death by my hand." MISCELLANEOUS FEE ACHING FOK THE TIMES- 1 V We copy the following extract from a letter written bv a gentleman at Bullard's Bar to the editors of the Sierra (California) Citizen. It contains sentiments which, though intended for the Pacific section of the Union, are applicable to every quarter : California wants preachers preachers of the GospeL of Jesus Christ, preachers w hose hearts are big and brave, full of the warmth of Christ's love for men, who are willing to work and preach and pray out of a geniune Christian zeal. Are there any such ? California wants preachers who can withstand something, who can take hold of men's hearts here, and fill them with early me mories! and kindle the hopes of godness well nigh dead, and renew the longings of by-gone times, when the heavens seemed full of good spirits, wooing them to purity preachers who can not only reprove iu a loving spirit the sins which all acknowledge, but give a chance to us poor devils to grow better. Wre don't want, when now and then we get into a church, to be made to feel that we are utter devils fairly shocking to the tender sensibilities of the amiable minister, who thinks his best plan of drawing us to a better life is by painting, iu the highest coloring the iniquities for which we are already sorry, and perhaps ashamed." . 44 1 know I am a great sinner ; I never go to church to learn that. But when I am edified bv half an hour's painting of all my worst faults, and many which are neither mine nor any body's else, it would be pleasant to have some thing said which would appeal to what little good there may be crowded down into the bot tom of a soul by the weary burden which has somehow gathered over it during a hard lifc. How often a man is forced to wonder at the io-noranee of very smart preachers! How little they know about men ! Is it because their religion separates them so far from us ? May it not be that they intrench themselves so closely within professional walls, that they know noth ing beyond them ? Lo we. not (I put it to sin ners like myself) unconsciously treat the few preachers we meet, as if, as a matter of course, thev know nothing of the world ? Are we not utterly surprised, and inexpressibly pleased, when we happen upon a man who . can be talked to just like other men, although he is a preacher ? How eagerly we listen to such a man ; how gratefully we listen to his counsel, though, alas, we may not follow it : how our hearts warm to ward his goodness ; how we wish we were Christ ians like him ; and how we tell our ungodly cronies about him always remembering to say the has got common sense." Tn rilling Incident. At a temperance Meet ing in Philadelphia, some years ago, a learned clergyman spoke in favor of wine as a drink, de monstrating it to his own satisfaction to be spir itual, gentlemanly and healthful. W'hen the clergyman sat down, a plain, elderly man arose and asked the liberty of saying a few words. Permission being granted, he spoke as follows : "A young friend of mine (said he) who had long been temperate, was prevailed on to the joy of his friends, to take the pledge of entire abstinence from all that could intoxicate, he kept his pledge faithfully for some time, though the struggle with his habit was fearful, till one even ing, in a social party, glasses of wine were hand ed round. They came to a clergyman present, who took a glass, saying a few words in vindica tion of the practice. " Well," thought the young man, " if a clergyman can take wine and justify it so well, why not I ?" So he took a glass. It instantly rekindled his fiery and slumbering ap petite ; and after a rapid downward course, he died of delirium tremens a raving madman !" The old man paused for utterance and was just able to add 44 That young man was my only son, and the clergyman was the Reverend Doc tor whohas just addressed this. assemblage." Always Uppermost. The subject of dollars and cents is the only theme that keeps up its interest. Just as if, by becoming a millionaire, vou could eat more than three meals a day with a relish, or wear more than one suit of clothes at a time. W7hat good, then, is it to have heaps of the dirty stuff laid up to terrify you with the failure of bands, and the bursting of all kinds of dollar and 'cent bubbles that spring up. Enough is enough, and all else is vanity and vexation of spirit. Conscience is the best friend we have ; with out it all other friends are of no use to us. THE BAR CONVENTION. A Convention of Delegates from different Coun ties of the State, to consider the improvement of the Cape Fear Bar and Harbor, me' at the Court House in the town of Wilmington, . on Thursday, May 25th, at 11 o'clock. On motion of Col. James T. Miller, of Wilming ton, the Convention was temporarily organized by calling Major Owen R. Kenan, of Duplin to the Chair, and by the appointment of Allmond A. Mc Kay as Secretary. The Secretary proceeded to call the roll of counties, when the following dele gates appeared and took seats in the Convention : (We omit the names of the delegates for want of space, and give the number from each county.) Wake 29; Warren 10; Sampson 22; Wayne 4; Cumberland C ; a large number of delegates from Cumberland were prevented from being present on account of the accident to the Steamboat Ferry, Duplin 23; Mecklenburg 3 ; Moore 1 ; Guilford 3 ; Alajnance 1 ; Brunswick 12; Halifax 4; Johnston 8 ; New Hanover 60 ; Chatham 3 ; Orange 4 ; Northampton 6 ; Bladen 4 ; Columbus 8 ;' Lenoir 8 in all 219 delegates. ' On motion of George Davis, Esq., the President appointed a Committee of three, consisting of Geo Davis, Robert Strange and David Reid, Esq.", to wait upon His Excellency, David S. Reid, Gover nor of this State, and to request him to take a seat in the Convention. On motion of Robert Strange, a Committee of one from each of the counties represented, was appointed by the President to recommend perma nent officers for the Convention. On motion, by Capt. S. L. Fremont of Bruns wick, the Editors of the Wilmington Press were re quested to take seats, and participate in the delib erations of the Convention. On motion of Maj. John A. Richardson, of Bla den, all persons present from the counties which had sent delegates, were invited to take seats in the Convention. The Committee on nominating permanent offi cers for the Convention, through their chairman," Dr. C. J. Fox, of Mecklenburg, made the follow ing report. For President His Excellency, David S. Reid, Governor of the State of North Carolina. John C. Washington, Lenoir, Stephen W. Davis, Mecklenburg, Dr. Win. McKov. Sampson. John Burgvvin, Northampton, Vice Pres'ts. Henry Harris, Warren, Dr. A. J. DeRosset, Jr., N. Han. David Reid, Duplin, A. H. VanBokkelen, N. Hanover,") A. C. Williams, Mecklenburg, S. L. Fremont, Brunswick, Secretaries. Allmond A. McKoy, Sampson, John C. Blocker, Cumberland, J Governor Reid was conducted to the Chair, and on taki.ig his seat as President, addressed the Con vention in a very happy manner, expressing him self fully alive to the necessity of the work now -under consideration, and giving the same his ap probation. On motion of Robert Strange, Esq., the Report of a committee appointed at a previous meeting of the citizens of Wilmington, to report to this Con vention was read by tneir Chairman, George Da vis, Esq., of Wilmington. REPOKT Of the Committee upon the past and present condition of the Cape Fear Bar; the duty of the Government to improve it, &c, Stc. The Committee to whom it was referred by a meeting of the Citizens of New Hanover county " to make a Re port to this Convention, embodying such facts and state ments as are best calculated to show the propriety and importance of the improvement of the Cope Fear Bar by the General Government," have had the same under careful consideration, and ask leave to submit the follow ing Report : In order to present the subject more clearly, we have thought it necessary and proper to enter into a brief his tory of the Cape Fear River and Bar, to show as fur as we can, their past and present conditions, the changes which have taken place, and the causes which have oper ated to produce, hasten, or modify these changes. The earliest information which we have in our possess ion is furnished by the Chart of a Hydrographic survey made and published in the year 1733 by Edward Mosely, at which time the main bar of the River afforded a depth of nineteen (19) feet of water. In the year 1738, as appears from a chart published by James Wimble, the depth of water upon the main bar had increased to twenty-one (21) feet. In theiycar 1797, as appears from a chart published by Joshua ofts, the depth of water upon the main bar had decreased to twenty (20) feet. Upon this chart for the first tintt as far as we can ascertain, is shown a second opening in the River at a point about nine miles above the main outlet, and forming what is now known as the New Inlet. The date of the opening of this Inlet has been fixed at about the rear 1780 ; and its depth of water, at the date of this survey, at about seven (7) feet at high water. In 182' as is shown br a surrey made under the direc tion of Col. Kearney, Top'l Engineers, the depth of water upon the main bar had decreased to fifteen and a half (15 1-2) feet, and that upon the New Inlet Bar had increased to eleven and a half (U 1-2) feet. In 1839, according to a survey made by Capt. Glynn, U. S. N-, the main bar had decreased to fourteen feet, and the "ew Inlet bar had increased to fifjeen (15) feet. In the yeai18."2, according to a survey of Lt Maffitt, attached to the U. S. Coast Survey, the Main and New Inlet Bars had both decreased to thirteen (13) feet. . In the year 1853, according to Reports of Pilots to the Coffimissioners of Navigation, for the Town of Wilming ton, they had both decrased to eleven and a half (11 1-2) feet In 1854, in a letter from the Sup't Coast Surrey to Hon. Geo. E. Badger, printed by order of the U. S. Sen ate, Feb. 13th, it is stated that the depth of water upon the main bar had decreased to nine (9) feet It is also proper to remark that, from the earliest period of which we have any information, there hare existed two channels to the original outlet of the Rirer one crossing the main bar, of which we hare given the changes abore, and another running close along the Oak Island shore, and designated upon all the Maps as ' the Western Channel. As early as 1733, this channel is sbown upon Mosely's Map with a depth of fourteen feet of water upon the bar. One hundred and six years afterwards, in 1839, it is shown by Capt. Glynn's surrey with precisely the same depth upon the bar, and in 1851 it is shows by Lt. Marfit's surrey with a depth of onlyj twelre feet. Since that time, according to the Reports of Pilots it has gradually increased, and affords now a depth ef fourteen feet It will be seen from this statement, that this channel has for the last three or four years been the only channel at the original entrance, which could be used by the larger class of Vessels trading at our port, ihe main bar being comparatively useless to us ; nd (2d) that al though the depth of wter which is afforded to our com merce has been frequent and slight, and hare not tended all in one way as the case wih the Main and New Inlet Bars. The conclusion which we arrire t, therefore, is, that these variations hare been caused br the shifting nf sands, and hare had no material effect to the injury of the iiiuiu oar. j In pursuing this inrestigation, it must be constantly borne in mind that the main bar is the natural, original outlet to ihe Rirer; and that the injury done to our Cem merce by the shoaling of this bar cannot be Repaired to us, untfl this bar is restored to its former state, or until some other bar is opened ; which will afford the same depth of water (21 feet) which the main bar originally afforded. For the conrenience of reference we hare re duced the facts abore stated, which comprise all the in formation in possessio of your Committee, to the follow ing table remarking that the figures allrefer to high water. j Surveyor's names. Date Main Bar. New Inlet Bar. r.awara iuosely, James Wimble, Joshua Potts, Col. Kearney, Captain Glynn, Lieut. Maflit, Pilots, Senate Doc. 1733 1733 1797 1820 1S39 1S51 1S53 1851 19 21 20 15K 14 13 "K 9 feet no existence " do. " 7 feet. " y " 15 " " 18 " UK " A careful examination of these facts have led us toi the following"scbnclusions : 1st. That the main bar, if left to itself, would hare exhibited no material decrease of depth from the date of Wimble's surrey. It would have been subject to variations, as was the Western Bur ; but these variations would hare been temporary and slight, caused by shifting sands, and would not hare injuriously affected the Commerce of the Port. It might eren hare continu ed to increase, as has been shown that it did, between the time of Mosely's surrey, and that of Wimble. 2L That the opening of New Inlet, and the- confceqjticnt diininuation of the volume of water which passed out at the main entrance had a tendency necessarily to dimin ish the depth of water upon the main bar ; and that the main bar continued to decrease, with some slight variat ions, according to the increase of the New Inlet. 3d. That this continued to be the state of things up to the period of Capt. Glynn's survey in 1839, at whiclj time the New Inlet had attained its greatest depth, having reached a formation of rock which prevented any further increase. Since the year 1839, the New Inlet has not increased in depth, but has been subject only to temporary variat ions caused by the prevailing winds. A gale from the north-east, for instance, washes the sand from the cape, and deposits it about and upon the rock of which its bot tom is formed, while a gale from the south-west is equal ly certain to wash it from the rock, and carry it out again to the Ocean. These facts have been established by ac curate soundings made by the Pilots, and by the oper ations of the TJ. S. Coast Survey; and render it certain that, subsequent to that period, the New Inlet has exert ed no influence towards the shoaling of the main bar. It has also been shown that the variations in the dejitli of the Western channel hare been so light, never increasing in depth over one half foot greater than is shown by Glynn's survey, as to be unable to cause any material in jury since that date, whatever its effects may have been previously. But still the shoaling of the main bnp con tinued; and latterly has increased the rapidity of ills act. ion to such an extent as to render this entrance useless for the larger class of vessels ; thus indicating the oper ation of some new and powerful cause to produce the re- ' suit- j 1 Very shortly after the publication of Capt. Glynn's surrey, about the year 1840, the United Suites Govern ment, for the protection of Fort Caswell from abrasion, constructed stone jetties upon the Oak Island shor, run ning out into the rirer, some of them to the distance of four hundred feet. The effect of these jetties was to change the course of the current, and to throw iti upon Bald Head the opposite shore with such force and in such manner as to cause a material wash, while the sand from this wash . was carried out by the action of the cur. rent, and deposited upon the main bar. This has been ascertained by the most accurate soundings made by scientific men ; and affords the only possible reason for the continued shoaling of the main bar after the causes proceeding from the opening of New Inlet had ceased to operate. We have already shown that these causes have not, and could not have produced any material effect after the date of Capt. Glynn's surrey in 1839 ; and, if we are correct in these conclusions, as we feel Tery positive that we are, then the Goveanment of the United Suites is directly chargeable with the construction of one cause which has operated very powerfully towards the injury of our bar, and of our Commerce. j. Having thus endeavored to gire a historical account of the Cape Fear River and its outlets, we procefd to ex amine the ground upon which the immediate undertaking and ultimate and speedy accomplishment of the improve ment of our Bar, and a restoration of the original state of things, address themselves to the Government as a work . peculiarly belonging to her, and demanded by the! neces sities of a portion of her people. - When Government is appealed to, to do any particular work, it is an indispensable pre-requisitc to success that it should appear that what is asked is in itself practicable. In answering this demand we congratulate ourselves and the Convention, that we are not left to rely upon our own reasoning and conclusions, but that a special commission appointed by the Secretary of War, composed of able of ficers of the Engineer Corps and the Nary, with Prof. Bache at its head, has, upon the fullest examinations and explorations, made a report to Gorernment setting forth the entire practicability of the work, and recommending " a plan for the improrement of the entrance based upon : the gradual restoration of the circumstances existing ' when there was twenty (20) feet of water upon the Bar," and expressed an opinion with much confidence, that its execution will again restore that depth. Before the ap pointment of this commission, Congress bad appropriat ed $20,000 for this work, which sum has sinee boen ex pended, together with a part of $80,000 subscribed by certain citizens of Wilmington for the purpose of continu ing operations until Gorernment should make the ueces sary appropriation for it Capt. Woodbury who has charge of these wprks in a report made to Gen. Totten, Chief of the Engineer Department, on the 20th of October 1853, suites that the effect of what had been done, " is precisely what was expected and predicted in the report of the commission," and according to present appear ances the whole point" (Bald Head) will be effectually protected for less than the estimate of the commission." So that from the opinions of scientific men and from the actual result of works carried on in accordance with their recommendation, it may be safely said that the entire practicability of the work is put beyond a question. IN o one will doubt that it legitimately belongsi to' th Gover ment to make the improvement, in the exercise of its rightful powers as they have long been understood arid practiced m the couutry ; and the only remaining point td be determined, is, whether justice and sound policy and a due regard to the interests of the nation, authorize the ap propriation and expenditure of the sum of money which will be necessary for that purpose. Without noticing, in this place, the peculiar claim which this enterpriseihas up on Congress, it may be safely asserted that no like object in any State has been able to present more powerful or ar gent reasons to secure a favorable consideration, or stron ger and mere conclusive grounds for requiring the inter position and aid of GovernmentT Wilmington has for a Lngtime been justly considered the sea-port uf North Carolina, and her exports lor the past year, loreign and coastwise, amounted to upwards of six millions of dollars. , Not only soV but she is entitled to rank in importance among the first class of Southern Ports ; her clearance tonnage for foreign countries, for the year ending the 30th June, 1S52, according to the report of the Secretary f the Treasury, having been greater than that of any purt be tween Baltimore and New Orleans, with the exception of Charleston, Savannah and Mobile, and ber vessels so cleared exceeded some of them in number. But her clear ances for foreign countries form but an inconsiderable part of her entire tonnage ; a very large proportion of her export trade being domestic or coastwise, and the vessels engaged in that species ol trade under coasting license are I N i-. r -. r K I I i t 4,
Southern Weekly Post (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 3, 1854, edition 1
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