T S 1 . S Cll T I I E W
KhY POST
AGRICULTURE THE OSIYREAL SOURCE
OF WEALTH. ,
- . A lata number of the " Country Gentleman
1 publishes an abstract from a writer in the
. "Mark-Lane Express," which we give below
in connection with De Bow's Review of what
cur own government has done to encourage this
1 true and fertilesource of national wealth. The
comparison with what other governments are
doing ought to shame and incite our own lo
more liberality.
"A writer in the Mark-Lane Express main
tains the position that commerce and manufac
tures must ever be secondary to the cultivation
of the soil, and that the latter is not only the
mosnmportant of all the industrial pursuits of
man, but also the only real source of wealth. Li
proof of the truth of tliis position, he compares
the . nature and resu.ts of other industrial pur
suits with that of the. cultivation of the soil. It
: - may tend to elevate the business, of the farmer,
both in his own estimate and thatof others, to
consider'somo of the principal poi ats and features
in this comparison. For this purpose we present
a btief outline of them to the American reader.
" First, us to commerce. There is nothing
produced, by commerce, its office: being merely
the barter of commodities. And whether this
barter takes place between one country and an
other or betweeu individuals of the same couo-
VT:CTT iTytt tut an exchange of equivalents. Hence
it isto be regarded as a mere medium for the
distribution or circulation of wealth, an'd not as
in any way contributing to its existence or pro
duction. Then as to manufactures, there is no
. matter produced which did not previously exist,
their office being on'y to convert material pre
viously exiting into forms of greater, utility or
con venience. Mining, at first sight, may appear
to have a greater claim to the production of
wealth, but does not, in reality,1 produce any -
' thing which did not before exist, every pound of
coal, iron, silver or gold having previously exist
ed in the bowels of the earth before being taken
from them. Agriculture alone affords an increase
of matter; anl the surplus of this oyer the cost
of production constitutes the only increase of
real wealth or capital. But however true this
may be, it must be remembered that commerce
by the exchange of commodities, and manufac
tures by giving to the matters produced by agri
culture a more useful form, are greatly 1 condu
cive to the aggrandizement of nations ; and to
the convenience and comfort of theij- population."
Says -De- Bow: " Gen. Washington, Mr.
Jefferson,' Mr. Madison, Mr. Monroe, and Mr.
Adams, for a period of thirty -six years consecu
tively, all recommended an improvement of agii
culture, or national schools; and the same prin
ciples and powers are involved in each of their
recommendations, and no one of the subsequent
Presidents advising against it; Mr. Taylor and
Fil'.more stiongly recommending, and their sec
retaries ; the resolutions of Legislatures, petitions
of agricultural societies, and of the peoplp, and
the interest of 18 millions of our inhabitant
yea, of the whole, Task, if all this combined is
entitled to any consideration ? It i has received
but very little. But I am told there is a patent
office, and the farmers are 'abundantly enlight
ened with the crumbs that fall from its table.
. ' The patent office, until 1831, during Gen. Jaek
son's administration, when he failed Mr. E Is
. worth 'to' it, whs a burlesque, and is now, upon
i , farming,, compared with the wants of this great
7 - nation. Mr. E .Isworth was a practical farmer;
but 'he had all to do, and nothing-. to do with,
lie was the first, in that office to give any atten
t:on to agriculture. But the first appropriation
for that object was in 1839, $1,000 for collect
ing agricultural statistics ; in 1842, $1,000 ; in
184 3, 2,000 ; in 1844, e2,000 ;;in 1845, $3,
000; 1847, $3,000 ; in 1848, $3,500 ; i.n 1849,
. $3 500 ; in 1850, $4,500 ; in 1851, $5,500 ;
total $'29,500, in 75 years. Tue cost of printing
the report of the Confmissioner was all publish
ed in one volume until the last two vears. What
; ; can this small pittance do for this nation? Scarce
ly enough in any one year to defray the ordinary
. ' '. ' expanses of correspondence.
- - " The fund is to be distributed by the commis
sioner of patents, whoJis not selected for his
knowledge of agriculture, (wliose mam business
is-of a different character, and more than he can
do,) and may or may not be acquainted with it
The business must therefore be done by an un
audited agent. Where is our agricultural de-
partmenii leut up in me cellar ot the patent
office, and cannot be found at miJ day without a
wuuro , auu nucu iouuu, a amjjie c tk sirug-
gling to get up the report. When it Is up aud
- out, there are but four hundred volumes of each
congressional district of one hundreJ thousand
population, and that a reading "people ; and
there are more calls for this document than all
others of a public character, and fat caininiT in
reputation from editors over the Union, and the
public generally, inadequate ss it is. ' .
"Tnere is no , country where the mind is so
inquisitive, and information so erenerallv dered
and possessed as in America. Travel over the
whole workl and return, and the truth is seen
and felt more palpably. To us the masses of the
world are looking for improvement, physically
and morally, and for it they seek us in thousands
daily. In the United States there are but about
thirty agricultural periodicals published, and
there are five hundred thousand ! copies taken
and read by the people a mere drop to the
ocean. There are agricultural journals in the
estate of JNew-lork that hae six times greater
circulation than any single paper of the kind in
4- - Europe. This only shows how great the thirst
we ought to assist in gratifying. In America
there is not an agricultural school aided or pat
ronized by the government : and in fact, it may
be said there is none at all. Some are j ust be:
ginning to struggle for life, but the faint, feeble
t fAPlincr of the peneral
. -v. w - o - O tLOVll
into every part of its great family, and paralyzes
the whole body. There is not what may ba re
garded as a text book in any branch of agricul-
lure vr mini cvouvmj
" Compare what America has done with what
has been done by other nations. I can but
glance at it Russia has in all sixty-eight
schools and colleges. She has an agricultuial in
stitution with forty college buildings, occupying
. three thousand acres of land, and attended by
severd thousind students. The 'Agr'caltura
Society of St Petersburg was established by
Queen Catharine. There are under the patronz
age of the French government seventy scbotl
Xatnu, beudei five . firit-dasi colleges, in which
professors are employed to lecture on botany,
zoology, chemistry,, agriculture, and the treat
ment of diseases in cattle on the culture of
woods, forests, &c, These are supported through
out the country. National establishments for
the improvement of breeds of stock, and colleges
for the education of veterinary surgeons, and
investigating the use ot all discoveries contem
plated for agricultural improvement. The gov
ernment expends in three veterinary schools, a
?y'ear, for instruction, 754,200 francs; for instru
tion in agriculture 2,731,468 francs ; for encour
agement in agiiculture, 700,000 francs; for im
provement, in the breeds of horses and science
connected with it alone, 1.776,400 franc-. Tue
requirements for admission into these veterinary
schools are as follows :' The applicant must not
be less than seventeen vears of age, and not
over twenty-five, and have the following qualifi
cations : to be able to fore a horse or ox shoe
after two heatings ; pass an examination in the
French language, arithmetic and geography,
and after four years' stndy, is permitted to prac-
ce veterinary surgery, and receive a diplonla. In
Belgium, great attention is paid to the subject.
There are a bundled agricultural school- or col
leges established by the government a high
school of veterinary surgery. The science of
'agiiculture is the most fashionable in.the king-
fiotxlh!titfp furnished more
or' less with rare' specimens e products of
the land, and are farme'l like a garden .''-..Those
facts I know, having traveled over -considerable
part of that country. In Saxony they have five
schools; in Bavaria, thirty-three; in Prussia,
thirty-two; in Italy, two; in Scotland, two ; in
Ireland, sixty-three. The one at Glessnevin,
near Dublin, I visited. I now consists of one
hundred and twenty eight acres of good laud,
and convenient buildings, and they are about to
add to their farm and increase their buildings,
so as to accommodate one hundrid or more
students. With the teacher, Mr. Dotiaahv, I be
came acquainted. lie. is an intelligent, practical
mm. With him I iewed the furm, and (heir
fanning and buildings, etc., and it is carried out
very respectfu'ly. Thee schools are doing more
f ir Irelaud than any o:her attenlion the-govern
liK-utis giving them. They have col'eges anJ
agiicultural schools in England sustained by the
government some four or live with large farms
attached to tlu-m where all the sciences con
nected with the rcneral business are taught
.with great perfection, and millions of monev
each Year invested in the general science of a-"-ricukuie
by the nation, lu is an invesiment,
and not an expenditure. Other countries engag
ed in the same busine.-s, but cannot go further
into detail. Sufficient is said -to drav a parallel
between their views and ours. Abroad, they, in
vett millions each y.-ar in a country u.ji larger
than the average of our Stales. Here in all ou
Country, for seventy live yea'is, for the geurJ
object we have expended 29,000."
THOROUGH-BRED AND FULL BLOOD.
In England, where breeding Lr the Turf has
. prevailed for several ceutuiie, no horse is con
sidered tliocoiigh-bred ih.-it cannot trace bfick
his pedigree, without flaw on the side of either
s re or dam', to the imp rted Barbs or Arabs.-
Engl.sdi. Juriis have frequently decided that a
horse warranted thorough-bred, is Returnable if
any flaw can be proved in Ids pedigree. No
number of pure ci oases, upon a Common stock,
can pivduee an animal wa.mmtahle at thorough
bred. Five successive "crushes, however, j
thought so far to neutralize the commou s ook,
a to produce an aniiml near.y eijual in all re
spe rts. to a ihoroujrh-brt 3. Such an animal is
designated a a. full-blood. American Turf
E is lei; Vol 3 p 615, 1S3
The same holds good with Cattle, nomj of
which .can be considered thoi6ugl-bred ihat
have the least fi.iw in then- pedigr. e-, and can
not Ihj traced through the American and Eug-
gli?h Herd Books, to the original sources of the
breed.
Of Sheep none can be called thorouhored
Meiino that do not trace back, without a fjreign
cro-s, to some of the oi-igiiial imp .rtatioi.s or
flocks of Spain. Mr. Livingston, in his wi-rk
on -the Sheep, considered, that an animal po-sss
iug seven-eights pure blood, was scarcely ciisiin
guishalle fiom a thorough bred, and nearly
equal as a stock getter. Sach an animal w ould
then be considered as a full blood.
Fiotn a clear understanding of these facts we
have ho ditlicuhy in arriving at the true-defiiii-tions
of the terms thorough an 1 full-blood as ap
pliid by the most intelligent breeds of stock.
A thorough bred animal, is one that tan
trace bis. pedigree, without flaw or admixture of
commou blood, back to the original source of
the breed. -
A full-Mood animal, is one that has been
bied up until it does not possess more than one
eighth or one sixteenth common bio id.
The advantages and importance, then, of
uing none but thorough-bred animals as stock
getters is read ly perceived. By their use our
common t-toik can soon be brd up, so as to
resemble thethoiough-bied irself. -
RalnWater and Cisterns.
The great mass of country residents seem to
have no more conception of the enormous floods
of clear, pure rain water, that annually pour
off the roofs of their dwelings, wood houses,
barns, sheds and other out-buildinfrs, than if
they never heard of. such huge watering pots as
the clouds in the sky. If all rain which falls
in the Northern States within a year should re
main upon the surface of the earth without sink
ing into it and running off, it would form an
average depth about three feet. In the South
ern States it would be more ; in the Americ; n
tropics it would amount to about ton feet ; and
near Bombay, in Asia, to twenty-five feet.
. Every inch of rain that falls on a roof yields
two barrels to every space ten feet square ; and
seventy-two barrels are yield d by the annual
rain in this climate on a single surface. A barn
thirty by forty feet, yields annually 364 barrels
this is enough for more than two barrels a
day for every day in the year. Many of our
medium landlords have, however, at least five
times that amount of roofing on thair dwellings
and other buildings yielding water, or about
twelve barrels or one hundred and fifty ordinary
pailfulls, daily. A very small portion of this
great quantity is caught in the puny and con
temptible cisterns and tubs placed to catch it ;
but full sizid capacious reservoirs, fit to hold
f iis downward deluge, we know not where to
find, even iu a single instance !
It is true, that where a constant draught is
made on a cistern, it need not bold the full
year's supply even one-sixth part will, in gen
eral, answer, as the variations in the wet and
dry seasons do not often amount to more than
theraiaof two months. Ntw York Culiiva'
tor. . -
COMMUHICATIONS.;
METROPOLITAN CORRESPONDENCE.
LETTER LXXX.
New York, Jan. 25, 1855.
Our Snow Carnival 7he fall of the Snow Broadway
Scenes Ttie Sleigh Panorama A dark side to the pic
tare Arrival of the Pacific Stereotyped neics from the
Crimea Abolition Uctures and Ethiopian performances
Progress of Christian art l)r. Migoon's collection of
pictures Gilfel'an's " Ihird Gallery of Portraits,
Te religious newspaper press of Sew York The Union
(f two great Baptist journals The organ of tlie new
Bille version.
Mr Dear. Post: New York is holding a
great merry making the fir?t snow carnival of
ihe season ! Yesterday morning before most of
us were out of bed the snow bezan to fall, and
all day long it descended in the good old-fashioned
manner. By dinner time the silent con
queror had subdued the roar and hubbub of the
street. The noisy omnibus wheels rolled over
the Russ pavement with scarcely an ecling
sound. There was a great and almost unnatu
ral quietne-s in the city. The air was full of
snow literally, and the feathering crystals glided
to the earth as dreams fall on innocent sleepers.
Before dusk some of the omnibus lines ha 1 laid
up their lumbering-coaches ibr a while "and
made thir debut upon runners, for the 1
time eV'inter. At ten o'clock last nig
madej"if eary, wjfy across thtf city
most of the time plunging through undisturbed
snow to the depth of ten or twelve inches.
There was little or no wind all day and the
night also was quiet; so that the snow has not
drifted and at this hour about mid day, the
s!eis:hinr is admirable all over ihe city. It is;
quite impossible for any one who is not somei
what familiar with a northern winter, and witl'
this metropolis to imagine such a scene rs
Broadway now presents. The snow' lias belli
cleared off the pavements (a city ordinance
requires this to be done by 10 o'clock in ihe
morning after a fresh snow-f.dl) and heapcdiip
on the borders of the street. It still lies upon
the window and door copings, however aid in
spile of the warm sun-.-hine whitens tlu; iron
fences and the trees along the way. (I fhould
not have omitted to saythat yesterday at even
tide, the paik and gardens presented tie most
fairy-l.ke scenes you can conceive of!) Along
tl e street itelf and the same is fee of the
Bowery and the principal avenuss there is a
perpetual cavalcade' of sleigii3 from the light
cutter to the omnibus sleigh drawn by eight
hore. Tiie air is absolutely re-onant with the
jmgle of myiia Is of sleigh bells and with the
shou;s of the conductors. IL-r-, at this mo
ment, cmes one of ihe mammoth si. ihs a
huge affair, twenty-five feet long, with a huge
snow b aid ris-iig up in fr6't. In and upon it,
seated or clinging to its ,-i if s, are four score
persons of both sexe the men aud boys shout
ing merrily in concert with those upon the
pive. " Slop driver ! " says a female, and the
conductor takes up tue cry " Hallo! stop there!"
after much ado, and more. shouting, the ponder
ous vehicle is brought to a momentary stand,
and the female steps out and pieks her way
through the .-ide banks of the foot path. On,
again, the sleigh lahes almost coming into
contact with. a large pleasure cutter flunnrlike
the wind in. an opposite direction. Multiply
this scene by thousands and you have 'the ele
ments of the running, jingling, exciiing panora
ma of motion and sound which is constantly
gl ding before my eyes as I look out upon the
thor ughfare of Broadway. For a M'xpence you
can have ,a ride from the Battery to the Crystal
Palace ; -or from the City llali to llailem!
There is certainly no place upon this contin
ent, where more i made of a good snow storm
than in New York ! We' don't have manv days ,
Weighing in a winter, but: then we do the thing
up in wholesale styles. You should see the ve
hicles which pas-me in a single hour. Among
five hundred there are at least fifty different
styles. Some of them were made yesterday
withou'. a d iinbt, while th" m jority have been
brought out from their link ng places. A few
very stylish cutters have ju-t been launched
from the vaiious caning- lepo-itories in the eitv
and are pefe, tly lad'ant with the glitter of
paint and varnish. Theie comes one at this
very instant draw n by two magnificent hors
es who fairly rly along "1hi stteet and nuke
the snow fly from their proud heels. B. hind
them, wrapped in cotly robes of fur aud wool
is a p irty ot three ladies and gentlemen. They
are bound for Iligli Br.dge. perhaps and for a
day's j dity !
There is a dark side to the blight picture I
have been painting. Beneath this pure white
mantle of snow which hides the deformities of
old fences, building rubbish, filthy gutters and
the like, there is many a sad scene of suffering
to-day. The active charity of the ciiy Las
found need to quicken its motions since thesnOw
feil. Poverty has become more cruel and Want
has pinched its victims wiih greater severity.
This thought obtrudes itself painfully upon me
a I laugh at te carnival frolics which are tak
ing placel I over the city and I involuntarily
ay QOD help the poor !
The Pacific has just arrived from Europe
but her news may be rccoided in very much the
same language which havbeen stereotyped with
us for a month past. " The allied forces are
engaged," say the dispatches, "in active prepa
ration for the seige of Sevastopol" while the
besieged are also busy, doubtless, in prepara
tions to resi: t the seige when it shall be made!
Rumours of peace, betw een the mighty bellig
erents, and growing more numerous butwheth
er there is any thing more than rumor in the
newspaper statements is matter of doubt. Even
speculation, concerning the result of the war,
seems lo have shared the fate of the war itself,
and come to a positive stand still.
Horace Greely, Mr. Hale and. Wendell Phil
lips logether with other less notorious aboli
tionits: have been holding forth here of late
upon the slavery question. I hav not heard
any of th ir windy speeches, and to tell the
truth, I have been obliged for want of time,, to
refrain from attendance upon the Ethiopian per
formances of the Christy and Bulkly troupes,
wbich are of infinitely greater merit, iu the
n 'gro line, than the solos of the aforesaid per
formers. I had the pleasure a few evenings ago, of
looking over a large collection of pictures col
lected by the Rev. Dr. M igoon, of the Oliver
Street Baptist Church in this city, during his
recent visit to Europe. It is the most unique
ed beautiful of its kind, in this country. The
object of the collection was ; to illustrate the
connection of Chris.ianity with civilization, as
developed in the fine arts of the successive pe
riods of the Christian era. He has obtained an
unbroken series of pictorial representations of
Christian art in every era. The collection em
braces chiefly water color pictures from the pen
cils of nearly all the deceased and living masters
iu that line of art Among his splendid folios
is one of the monuments of Exeter Cathedral,
in which the original designs are placed side by
side with the etchings and proofs of the world
renowned engravings. He has, among other
rare originals, a splendid window designed by
John Martitf for the Northtransift of Westmin
ister Abbey. .n this rare work the artist der
lineated the progress of Christianity from Beth
lehem to London ! 'But it is impossible for me
to give you a description of this beautiful galle
ry of ecclesiastical and Christian art, within the
limits of a page or column. Dr. Magoon is en
gaged in the preparation of a work tracing the
inevitable connection of Christianity with hu
man civilization, in which be will embody' the
results of niany years earnest and enthusiastic
study. , s : - -: .
Messrs. Sheldon, Lamport &Blakeman have
cenlly published Mr. Gdfillans ; " Third
of , Portraits, in which the reader, who
fittKudttHSihe T styiefand Spirit of Jhe au ;
thor, will discover a striking degree of progress.
There is in these sketches much more of the
skill of the analyst than in his previous works.
Formerly he was all admiration or all cenur,
but the season of more reflective and dispassion
ate criticism ha come 'o him, and he takes a
far more comprehensive and generally jut view
of his subject. Mr. Gilfiilan is a popular writer,
atd no wonder, for he combines skill and earn
estness in the handling of his themes. It is de
lightful to be carried along upon the full and
fresh current of his thoughts; nor does it break
the charm of tho motion if we find ourselves
now and then brought up by some opinion which
we do not deem quite or.hordox in aesthetics.
Mr. Giltilhtn is a Christian writer and this is not
to be overlooked in this age of specious and
subtle infidelities which creep into so many of
the attractive books of the day, and which taint
so sadly, the ethics as well as the culture of the
times. It is refreshing to see the vagaries of
Emerson and Carlyle dissipated by the wand of
an authors criticism admirable sketches of
Macauley, Nepoleon, Chalmers, Robert Hall and
others lend interest to the " Third Gallery of
Portraits."
The religious newspapers 'of this city are not
only numerous, but some of them exert a wide
and tremendous influence. Of these are the
Observer and the Evangelist (Presbyterian) the
Independent (like its name but of the Be cl:er
type !) the Intelligencer (Dutch R formed) and
the Reecorder (Baptist.) I notice that tluj last
named paper has just been united with thehmg
famotis Register of Western New Yoik. The
editorial talent of both these journals is to be
concentrated upon the new paper, which is called
The Recorder and Register and it will doubt
less give a stili higher character to this the ac
knowledged organ of the Baptist Church in the
Euvpire State. There is another Baptist journal
in this citv, called The Qiironicle, but as its
speciality is the advocacy of the new version
scheme ot tue ixwe-ty mon it noes not possess
the sympathies of the denomination general'v.
But this letter needs to be completed at once by
the signature of COSMOS.
MISCELLANEOUS.
A LUNATIC'S CUNNING.
A very laughable incident occurred at -a luna
tic asylum at Lancaster about ten days ago, when
an olKcer from the neighborhood had u charge
a luna ic for the asylum, pursuant to an o der
sig ...e I by two magistrates. The madman was res
eetably connected, and a gig was hired for the
purpose, while hewas pursmded that it was m -rely
an excursion of pleasure on which he was
going." In tlie cour-e of the jou: ney, however,
something occurred to arouse the suspicions of
the lunatic with respect to his real des ination ;
but he said tfbthing on the subject., made no re
sistance, and seemed to enjoy his jaunt. Winn
they arrived at Lancaster it. was too late in the
evening to , proceed to the asylum, and they
took up their quarters for the night at an inn.
Very early in the morning the lunatic got up
and searched the pockets of the offictr, where
he found the magistrate's order for the deten
tion, which, of course let him completely into
the secret. With that cunning which mad
men not unfrequently display, he made the
best of his way to the asylum, saw one of the
keepers, and told him that he had got a sad mad
feilow down at Lancaster, whom he should bring
up in the course cf the day, adding: "He's a
very queer fellow, and he has got very odd
ways. For instance, I should not wonder if he
was to say I was the madman, and ihat he was
bringing me ; but you must , take gooi care of
him and not Believe a word that 'he says"
Tlie keeper, of course, -promised compliance
and the lunatic walked back to the inn, where
he found the, officer still fast asleep. He awoke
him, and they sat down to "breakfast together.
" You're a lazy fellow to be sleeping all day;
I have had a long walk this morning," said the
lunatic.
" Indeed," said the officer, "I should like to
have a walk myself after breakfast ; perhaps you
w-ill go with me." .
The lunatic assented, and after breakfast they
set out, the officer leading the way towards the
asylum, iutending to deliver his charge ; bnt it
never occurred to him to examine whether his
order was safe.
When they got within sight of the asylum
the lunatic exclaimed: "What a fine house
that is I"
u Yes, said the officer, UI should like to see
"the inside of iu" j
44 So should L" observed the lunatic
" Well, I dare say they will let us through ;
I will' ask," was the response.
They went to the door ; the officer rang the
bell, and the keeper whom the lunatic had pre
viously seen made his appearance with two or
three assistants. The officer then began to
fumble in his pockets for the older, when the
lunatic produced it, and gave it to the keeper,
saying : fcThis is the man I spoke to you al out.
Y.u will take care of him ; shave his head, and
put a straight waistcoat on him."
The men immediately laid hands on the
poor officer, who vociferated loudly that the
other was the madman, and he the officer; but,
as this only confirmed the story previously told
by the lunatic, it did not at all tend to procure
his liberation. He was taken away, and be
came so indignantly furious that the straight
waistcoat was speediiy put upon him, and his
head was shaved secundum artem.
Meanwhile, the lunatic walked deliberately
back to the inn, paid the reconing, and set out
on his journey homeward. The good people
in the country were, of course, surprised on see
inr the wrong man return: they were afraid that
the lunatic in a fit of frenzy had murdered the
officer, and they asked him, with much trepida
tion, what he had done with Mr. Stevenson.
"Done with him?" said the madntan, "why,
I left him at the Lancaster Asylum as mad as
h I f" which, indeed, was not very far from the
truth; for the wits of the officer were well
nigh upset by his unexpected detention- and
subsequent treatment.
Further inquiry was fourthwith made by his
neighbors, and it was ascertained that the
man was actually in thea-ylum. A magistrate's
rder was produced for his liberation, aud he
returned home with a hand kerchief tied round
his head in lieu of the covering which nature
had bestowed upon it. ,
Presence the Eyesight.
We often hear it asserted that civilization,
notwithstanding its numerous benefits, has its
counterbalancing disadvantages, &c, in proof
of this the presumed decline of the moderns, in
size, strength, and. physical superiority general
ly, is adduced. Among other declarations of
this kind, the injured eyesight of civiliz .-d per
sons especially of those living in cities, is bro't
forward.
but, if all other descriptions of physical de
terioration owe their origin, as we bavfc but lit
tle doubt they do, to the revolution of the laws
of nature, as is the case in this instance, then
the fault should be laid to the charge, not of a
too perfect civilization, but of an immature oti6.
For we think it can be shown incontestibly
that impaired eyesight is the consequence of
excessive or improper use of the eye, cither in
the victim or in his ancestry. If all the short
sighted, weaksighted and imperfectly sighted
persons now alive could be catalogued, and
their habits and those of their progenitors tho
roughly studied, it would be found, we boldly
affirm that their defective vision was distinctly
traceable to the ignorance, carelessness, or wau
ton abuse of the eye, by themselves or their
forefathers.
The most ordinary cases of injured eyesight
is using the eye in nn iiupioper light. The
white light of a cloudless day is that designed
by nature for man's use. But this light must
not be too brilliant. Kcfl ctcd from sandy
plains, or from snow, this light produces opthal-
inia, ana reflected irom red oricK walls it is
also injurious, though in a less degree ; while
reflected from green woods or fields, or even
from brown ploughed earth, is not hurtful at
all, as the experience of every man proves, to
say nothing of the superior eyesight of the far
mers. Nature, by clothing the habitable parts
of the earth with verdure, offers to us a guide
as to how we shouldjct in this matter. If the
light of the day is toobriliant, we should in
crease its power by the employment of proper
colors. But the worst day light is nearly al
ways better than candlelight, larfcjplight orjms
light. All artificial light is too yellow, ago" in
time will injure the eye. Persons who read or
write much at night, must expect bad eyesight,
for the strongest eyes will succumb at last to
the yellow rays of gas, lamp or candle. The
morning is tho best time to use the eye, both
b 'cause the light is then generally the best, and
because the orb is fresh from the repose of the
night.
When reading or writing is unavoidable at
night, the light should fall across th"? shoulder,
and from the left. To read or write with a
'.amp in front, always strains the eye. To
hold the book close to the eye or bend down
close to the- paper, tends to produce short sight
cduess ; and as most professional men, literary
men, ami even merchants and clerks do this,
hence their frequent short-sightedness and that
of 'heir progeny. The improper employment
of glasses is a fertile cause of impaired eyesight.
Spectacles, or eye glasses which are not exact
ly suitable, are an injury rather than a benefit
Their usi! should be put off moreover, as long
as possible. They are lik c uteh s, which
once iutroducod, become indispensable ever af
ter. All sudden transitions from light to dark
ness, or from obscurity to light, are hurtful to
the eyes. Small print in reading, or too fine
Hh'nd in writing should be avoided By ol -serving
the laws of nature, the eye-sight can be
preserving to a late period of life. But by dis
regarding this law, not only do adult impair
i heir own eye-sight, but they hand d wn to
their chddren imperfect vision, and occasionally
even' to al blindne-s. We repeat that it is not
tlie fault of civilization, but of ourselves if we
have worse eyt-sight than savage people.
Every Man makes bis Mark.
Every man who comes into the world, makes
some mark upon it ere he goes to his final rest
It may be a small one hardly visible to the
plodding pilgrim on life's high-way but never
theless, iu future time it wiil attest some ser
vice done or soma duty neglected.
Every man exercises some influence in the
sphere which he occupies. No matter how
low his degree, how obtuse his intellect, how
vile his character, be must make his mark up
on the time in which be lives, either for good
or ill. If for good, future ages will cherish that
index of his existence as they would the auto
graph of some great conqueror on the world's
battle fields ; if for ill it stands out as a beacon,
a Warning on the pagj of history. Washington
made his. mark in clear and distinct characters,
when he aided in laying the foundation and es
tabhshmg the character of our republic, and a
nation ponders over it now with reverential ad
miration. Arnold made his mark iu no less
distinct characters when he would have betrayed
the liberties of the Colonic ; but our nation
and the world point to it now, and will point to
it in all future, as a blot upon the escutcheon
of humanity, and a stain upon the otherwise
fair routlet of American patriotism.
1 heseare the two sorts of marks which dif
ferent men make upon this world while minr
hng in its Gtrifes and labors. Even the babe
who lingers but a day on the borders of Time,
ere it returns to the pearly stand, make's its im
press upon the world. While it lived, a ray of
divinity was lighted, and vrhen it died, that
ray burned on, as it will continue to do for all
time, gilding the rugged ways of life with light,
and surrounding the place with a holy influence.
I he smallest atom of created matter has its
place and purpose ; so the smallest band tracas
on the sands of time some autograph that waves
and tempests can never wash : away. Every
man has his influence, and it should be bis aim
at all times to exercise the power inherent in
and radiating from bim, as that the world shall
be wiser and better that he has lived, and that
future generations, in searching the records of
bis life, can say with one acclaim : There was
a man an honest man peace be with "his
Eame.' Newport Mercury. .
Two kinds of Riches.
A little boy sat by his mother. He looked
long at tho fire and was silent. When the deep
thought passed away, his eyes grew bright as
he spoke : 'Mother, I wish 1 was rich.'
'Why do you wish you were rich, my son ?'
The child said, 'Because every one praises
the rich, every one inquires for them. The
stranger at your table yesterday, asked who
was the richest man in the village. At school
there is a boy who does not learn ; he takes no
pains to fay his lessons well. Sometimes he
speaks evil words. But the children don't
blame him, for tbey say he is a wealthy boy.'
The mother thought the child in danger of
Vl nrooltk mirrtif t-lVrt Tl;tA Cf TOod T16bS.
3 " ' ,
r . : I .1 tliotn in
as aj cjtuuc ivi luuuieuue, ui i'ua- i....
hp. held in honor who led unworthy lives. So
he asked him, 'What is it to be rich
He answered, '1 do not know. Yet tell me
how to become rich, that all may ask after me
and praise me.'.
'To become rich is to get money. For this
you must wait until you become a mar.'
The boy looked sorrowful and said, 'Is there
not some other way of becoming rich, that I
may begin now ?'
She answered, 'The gain of money is not
the only nor the true wealth. Fires may burn
it, the floods drown it, the winds may sweep it
away, and moth may eat it, and the robber may
make it his prey. Men are worried with the
toil of getting it, but they, leave. Jtj behind- at
last. They die .and 'carry nothing away. The
soul of the richest prince of, the earth goeth
forth, like that of the wayside beggar, without
a garment. Those who possess it are always
praised by men, but do they receive the praise
of God?'
'Then,' said the boy, 'May I begin to gath
er this kind of riches, or must I wait till I am a
man ?
The mother laid her band upon bis little head
and suid, 'To-day, if ye will hear his voice ,
for he hath promised that those who seek early
shall find.'
And the child said 'Teach me how 1 may be
come rich before God.'
Then she looked tenderly on him and said,
'Kneel down every night and morning, and ask
that you may love the dear Saviour, and trust
in him ; obay his word, and strive all the days
of your life to be good to all : so, though you
nmr hn nnnp in thi wnrld. VOI1 shall ba rich in
faith, and an heir to the kingdom of heaven.'
--
Jesuitism and Great Intellect.
Look at tho Catholics of the United States
in comparison with the Protestants. Iu the
whole of America there is not a simile man born
and bred a Catholic, distinguished for anything
UUI U1S UeVOUOll lo tue uuioiiu viiuieu. i
mean to say there is not a mau in Ameiica born
and bred a Catholic, who has any di:incti'u
in science, literature, politics, benevolence, or
philanthropy. I do not know one. I never
heard of a great philosopher, naturalist, histo
rian, orator, or poet among them. The Jesuits
have been in existence three hundred jears ;
they have had their pick of the choicest intel
lect of all Europe tiny never take a common
man when they know it, they subject evry pu
pil to a severe ordeal, intellectual and physical,
1 . I - J .I..- ...!. CI ,.1,
as well as moral, in order to ascertain wiiettier
he has the requisite stuff in him to make a
strong Jesuit out of. Th'y have a scheme of
education masterly in its tfay. But there has
not been a single great original man produced
in the company of Jc-uits trom 1545 to 1854
,,,. , , - , f.
if. ( I inner! naks npypr nrnw l:irrA. Priirtu tho.
rt- -- i
roots of a tree with a spado, pruna the branch
es close to the bole, what becomes of the tree ?
The bole itself remains thin, and scant and
slender. Can a man be a convention A dwarf
and a n itural giant at the same tiin j ? Case
your little boy's limbs in metal, would they
grow ? Plant a chcstiut in a tea-cup, do you
get a tree ? iSot a shrub, even. Put a priest,
or a priest's creed as the only soil for a man to
grow iu ; he grows not. The-great God pr
vided the natural mode of operation do you
suppose he will turn aside acd mend or mar
the universe at your or ui' request ? I think
God will do no such thiui: Ihtrker.
Convention of the Veterans of the
Last Wak.-- Washington, Jan. S. The
Convention of soldiers and lndiaus en"iid in
tne W ar ot 1812 met at the Presbyterian
church, 4 12 street, at 11 o'clock this morning,
and organiz'd by the election of Joel B. Suth
erland, of Philadelphia, as President. After a
prayer had been offered by thu Rev. Win.
Sunderland, of Washington, brilliant speeches
from Peter Wilson, of Cayuga, and others fol
lowed. The procession was formed aud reached the
White House at 2 o'clock, when a portion of
. those composing it entered the East Room,
where the President and most of the Cabinet
were assembled. Mr. Sutherland, the Presi
dent of the Convention, addressed the Presi
dent of the United States.
Mr. President made an appropriate reply
when the war chief of Onondagua, addressed
him in a brief speech.
In the evening the Convention re-assembled,
and adopted a number of resolutions, of which
the following was the most important.
Resolced, That a committee be appointed to
memorialize Congress to make to each officer.,
soldier, sailor and marine who served, however
short a time, during the war of 1812, at least
160 acres of land to the lowest grade, to extenp
to the widows and children of those who are
dead ; that similar provisions be made to those
confined in foreign prisons in any part of the
war ; and also to soldiers in Tripoli, and to
the widows and orphans of the deceased.
Anecdote of Washington. One Reuben
Rouz?y, of Virginia, owed the Genera! one
thousand .pounds- While Presdient of the
United States, one of his agents brought an
action for the money ; judgment was obtained,
and execution issued against the body of the
defendant, who was taken to jiil. H- had con
siderable landed estate, but this kind of proper
ty cannot be sold in Virginia, unles at tho
discretion of the owner. He bad a targe farai
ly, and for the sake of his children preferred
lying in jail to selling his land. A friend hin
ted to him, that probably G.-n. Washington did
not know anything of the proceedings, aud that
it might be well to send him a petition, with a
statement of the circumstances. He did so
und the very next post from Philadelphia, after
tba arrival of his petition in that city, brought
him an order for bis immediate release, togeth
erwith full discharge5, and a severe reprimand
tothe agent, for having acted in such a man
ner. Poor Rouzey was consequently restored
to bis family who never laid down their heads
at niht withoutSrst presenting prayers to heav
en "for -thair beloved Washington." Provi
dence smiled up-m thi libors of the grateful
family an 1 in a few years Rouzey enjoyed tho
exquisite pleasure of b.-ing able to lay the mon
ey with interest at the feet of the truly great
man. Washington reminded him that the debt
was discharged ; Rouzey replied thit tha debt
of his family to the farhjr of their country,
could nevr be d sc'sarad ; and th j General,
to av i J th pleasing .import inity of ths grate
ful Virgini in, who c nl I not be denied, accept
ed the monny ouly, however, t) divide it
among Rouzy's children which he immediate
ly did. Old Colony Memorial. ;
Sfltltjlfflt Mctlilj) last
WILLIAM D. COOKE, T ' -JAMES
A. WADDELL, M. D. editoRs.
; . j
IiAbEKill,. FEB. :;, is;;,
Terms TWO DOLLARS PEE AJnrrjM, in Aav
nee.
CLUB PRICES:
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' Postmasters are authorized to act
' . i. .. a.....u v 1. 1 .. i...
iiiu tuuiiciii cumj a usi.
etns I
Mr. H. P. Douthit is our authorized aem f
States ot Alabama, Mississippi and Tennesski '
PE0FESSI0NAL W0MEJf "
" I'll hold thee any wager
When we are both licensed like young lair fan
I'll prove the smarter fallow of the two
And wear my honors with a braver yrace,
And speak, between the change of man and bcr
Wuh a reed voice ; and turn two mincing step's
Into a manly stride ; and fpeak of ay
Like a fine bragging youth ; and tell quniBi -
Shakes: t.'.'-..
; The part of Portia, in the Mcichaif y
nice, is onerof the most beautiful illibirv;
, -Kj . , "'l.l 'tlS()t
the genius of Shake-'p.ire. Its ut'.er ilnpoLa '
bility.' detracts nothing trom our int-rt iu
fiction, but rather heightens our admir;jii0., f,jr
a performance which so far transc. n ajt't
expectations of the reader. It w as Uie ey.:;;,t.
diuary occasion which could alujie Jih ;
triumphant a display of female shenwdi'
posesion, genervsiiy, and her-, ism, ,i t
theatre which all our ideas of tleci-nnf ry
us to regard as belonging exeLiMvejv t
other se. What would the immortal; I;.,r,; ,f
Avon have s;iid, could he have Hiniclpau.j a
day when women should nt.tnly be fiia,.1, ,,
erating at the dissecting table, and.deHaiin':'
from the pulpit, but actually carrying iisto .'.a v
practice the example of l$s in itehless I4riia. i,
regularly enrol ing themelves as candi;tti s : r
practice in the courts of h,w?
It is publicly announced that Mrs, Enirrai;
'Coi lias been reS-stre1 the f K
t,ict Culirt of .Ph.ladelphia, as. a student? ,,
J aJ that she intends to pursue her studies in
the ollice of Wm. S. Pierce, Esq. Mii C is
j by this time profoundly enframed in tie U.-.
II ' - c- r-
pending controversy between John liot and
lii-. hard Roe, and doubt.'e-s ;ve shall soon hear
of her : s a trump among the " Tliil idelpliia
lawyers;" for woman especially if she nit;
a id to legal learning and forensic eloquence the t
yet mure potent. 'charms of beauty anil the cr-.n-ces,
seldom phuds " in va'n. Uer aceev-h-n to
the ranks of the profession wiil le almost as great
an event as the descent of the luo&t distinguish
e l jurists from the bench to the bar; lecaiise
like them she has been accustomed to weiii
the merits of the suits of others, and lo li-un
unmoved to the most pilhetic adJressei. Toe
I iwyers therefore have great cause f r alarm. at
int. us10n,into the old arena, of a c rule:
tor so well qualified to rob them ot then lu vs
and their fees. Even in a profession sw.v
men are no longer to be allowed to ill si'. vV.a
courting, but must henceforth conieiid si le fy
side with fair rivals in tlie ifcinrrt'tf Cl!;n-e:r
anil' of Law, a- well as in other departiiieins oi
masculine enterprise. j
Fledged with reflect.. liV" ;V. fur iii$
ginati' n piesses forward to the ijool iiini-s coin
ing, when worna1!! shall have accoinplisli-d her
aspirations, and broken down ail ihose-O'lieu
distinctions now existing between the sexes.
When female doctois. , jurists, and geiicra's
shall abound in their just proportion, anil mle
milliners, h -usv-keci ers. nurses, an..! "Leps"
shall fi"l the vacancies thus cfeated--uk-n
male sa:lors shall trea T- the decks ami woman
the r pes of eveiv speeh s of craft, and ;bat:as
-hill be lost an I won by a petticoat. d sul-lie y.
Fine times approach"!" The day of-:im.ac
acpud;incy is 'drawing n;gh !.
For ..ur part, we il.ink the sterner fi'X had
better make a wrtue of necessity and sufr.-n ler
at once. ih? fully of resistance must jbe aj-
; parent to every one hnving the sma!i st n omit
j of iud-nnent in hi heAd. Besides the fa! act-
! (- i
ry of such a course is very questional". Jd'
better were it to submit meekly to inilahe
fate, than to enter upon a conflict which pro
mises nothing but inglorious discomfiture L '
the lawyers, doctor, and divines of our coun
try, put the very besc possible face upo" t;e
matter, and extending a coidial welcome
their fair rivals, prepare to receive tlu "lU1
open arms.
INSTRUCTION OF THE BLIP-
One department cf our public, riisti ii'n ra
this city f. r the Deaf and Dumb and the b,
has been iu operation for quite a' ninhherot
years, and the mode of instructing deaf-rii"'15
now known to the more itellijrent of ou.r citizen
who have felt an interest in the su.ject. j "cn
is not however so generally the case in rcjfhh0
the department for the Blind, more reeeu'dy
ganized. We offer therefore a few word's of ex
planation, j
Blind prpils usually come to the Institution
ent.rely iguorant of the mere elements of eiluc
tion, umble to repeat th.ts alphabet, ando ntg
times even to count twenty without aid. i S"u
are so htlple-s that they, cannot -butt P-eir
clothes or dip up a cup of water without instruc
tion. They are first taught to count, to sris"
the metallic figures on th slate, and to
guUi the raiesl letters with the tip of the f re
fitiger. They learn to read in an elementary
reader with considerable ease, as soon ; s t jie let
ters are mastered. But h,re the great difficult
begins. There are but few books for tbej Hl"
in use, and th-s; are very bulky and inioinyeni
ent. The teacher must convey his instruction?
orally without the aid of printed antli""1''
grammars, geographies and histories. v I?
thing must be diligently inculcated by thq "s
patient repetition. ' Famiiiariiy with the Jf,n e
scriptures is readily acquired, because il.eir.tbir
for information in legard to the contents J t ils
great book is insatiable ; but without coniJ
able outlays of funds they cannot have the same
facilities in the pursuit of othr species of
ledge. The teacher is their text-book, and! thr
library, and none but those who have ep'
enced it, can inagine the a-siduity and ardor
with whioh the awakening m-ud dww?
I ' J
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