r
GIVE ME THE LIBERTY TO KXOW, TO UTTER, AKD TO ARGUE FREELY, ACCORDING TO CONSCIENCE, ABOVE ALL OTHER. LIBERTIES." Miltox.
NEW SERIES.
R. L WYNNE, Publisher.
RALEIGH, FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1852. ? '
C. C. RABOTEAU, Editor.
TERMS.
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to subscribers at Two Dollars per annum, iu advance;
Two Dollars and Fitly Cents if not paid in six months:
and Three Dollars if payment be delayed to the end
of the subscription year. . . ,
O To Clubs, we will send Six Copies for Ten
' Dollars, and Twelve copies "for Eighteen Dollars,
when the money accompanies the orrler.
ADVERTISEMENTS,
Not exceeding sixteen lines, will be published one
time for One Dollar, and Twenty-five Cents for each
subsequent insertion-. Court orders and Judicial Ad
vertisements will be cliorffd 525 per cent higher. A
reasonable deductkn will be made to those who ad
vertise by the year.
letters to the Editor must be-post paid. Money
1 for the Office may be sen! by mail at our risk, in pay
ment for subscriptions, advertisements, jobs. &c.
inrOFFItEOX FAVETTEY1LI.K ST., ONE DOOR BELOW
rOST OFFICE.
Amexdmests to the Constitution.
.We give the spirit' of the article of the
Keirbernimi on this subject. No man
shall say that we neglected any means to
: preseivc the unity of the Whig party and
if our other Eastern Whig Editors, in
stead of seeking an impossibility, name
ly to evade this issue had set themselves
earnestly at work to look our difficulties in
the face and provide for them, as we ad
vised them to do, and as the Editor of the
Newbernian' is endeavoring to do, some
compromise might have been effected, or
may yet be eO'ectdd, which would mend
our prospects greatly. Let good Whigs
consider of this matter, with an earnest
desire to do right ; let them come to the
Whig Stale Convention in this spirit ; and
, . we shall have no fears of the result. The
Editor saya: " t
tt, statement and review of the I
whole ground, we ventuted to suggest a
Elatform, that in its ni'n features should
e similar to this, viz : That the Whig
convention and its candidate, shou- agree
1st to take a decided stand against am"ei;u-
insr the Constitution dv legislative enact-
nient.
2. A bold decided stand in favor of free
Suffrage, election of Judges apd Justices
of the Peace, fcc. by the people,
3. The submission of the question of
Convention or no Convention to the ' eo-
ple, and in favor of a call for one if they
sustained it, or what would in our estima
ition be better, as more definite and direct,
an open stand for a convention, to be call
ed in either case on the same basis as that
of 1835, and to be free to make any chan
ges in the constitution except that of chan
ging the basis of representation iu the Leg
islature.
That such a platform could it be laid
down by the Convention, would carry the
Whigs safely and triumphantly through
the canvass, we have not a shadow of a
doubt. W e feel equally confident too that
canvass conducted upon the above nam
ed grounds, would have the happiest ef
fects upon the harmony and the best inter
ests of the State. No man who love3 the
Old North State, who lias a sincere con
cern for her good name, and who tlesires
to see her citizens in all sections of the
State cherish friendly and kindly feelings
towards each other, who is zealous for the
promotion of he best interests, and who
sees that to place her, in the condition
which Providence designed she should at
. , i t j -1 ,
lain, wnen sucn nuunuum ; eiuiuems oi
wealth, of resources, of prosperity, were
lavishly bestowed upon her, that it is ab
solutely necessary that the east, the west
and the centre should cordially co-operate ;
no man we say who cherishes these views
and feeling3, can contemplate the present
state of things between the eastern and
western portions of the State, and see this
feeling of alienation ind heartburning on
the increase, as it is, and see no prospect
ahead, but that it must ineitabljr continue
and, grow worse and worse for an indefinite
period of time, no patriotic man we say
can see all this without the acutest feelings
of pain, of regret and mortification. Now
we appeal to the good sense of every wor
thy son of the Old North Slate in both
sections, and ask if there is any possibility
that the , present controversy between the
east and the west is ever to be settled on a
basis that will not increase the evils that
now exist, except by a compromise in re
gard to the extreme grounds, that each
section is disposed to insist on?
.What are these extreme views and sen
timents on which each section insists ?
They may be briefly summed i'p in this
way. The people in the West are strong
ly in favor of Free Suffrage, and more or
less favor the election of Judges, Justices
of, the Peace and certain State, officers by
ihe people. They desire too, to have the
White basis of representation in the Leg
islature, substituted for the present basis of
Taxation in the Senate and Federal pop
ulation in the Commons. .' They insist al
so' on their right to the call of an open
unrestricted convention, for the purpose of
seeing whether the mnjorityi desire that
these amendments should be incorporated
into the Constitution.
On the other hand the Eastern people
are satisfied with the Constitution as it is.
They are opposed to all changes, especial
ly to any change in the basis of -representation!
and as a matter of course, they are
opposed to the call of any convention, but
particularly ao open unrestricted conven
tion, on account of their fears that the ba
sis will be changed.1 Doth sections are
equally hones! in the reasons they give for
their respective views. ; , . :
-The West says that an .open unrestrict
ed Convention is the only Republican
mode of altering the fundamental' law.
That if. is the only mode recognized by the
principles of American Constitutional law,
of the bill of uVghis, &c. They regard
the refusal of the Last to concede a Con
vention as a gross wrong, and a tyrannica
exercise of power
The East on the other hand insists that
the basis question has been definitely set
tled. That it was placed in the Constitu
tion, u Don urmcmles recognized by our
forefathers, that are iust as much in accor
dance with the maxims of American liber
ty, and of the bill of riffhts, as those on
which the west insist. That taxation and
Representation should go hand in hand. -
That this principle was recognized in set
tiing the basis in the House of Represen
tatives in Congress, &c. They would re
gard any violation of this principle as a
gross violation of their undoubted rights.
But perhaps the West will sny, and in
fact does say to the East, rou are unneces
sarily timid and apprehensive in regard to
this point. We have no intention or ex
peclation of ever abusing the Legislative
power that a change of the basis of repre
sentation would place in our hands. Wc
insist on your conceding it because we re
srard it as our unquestionable right, and
shall never use if to the oppression or un
just taxation of any portion of the people.
of the Stale.
,- To this we reply that the Eastern pco
pie just as honestly and sincerely regard
the present arrangement under the Con
stitution as a just and legitimate shield for
the protection of their rights and interests,
under the different circumstances of the
Eastern and Western counties, as does the
West the White basis for the protection of
theirs. This being so, is it reasonable or
fair or respectful even to demand that we
should surrender them into the hands of
the West, merely upon their promise of not
abusing the power such a concession will
place in their hands?
But again, some will say, and many do
saythatuby no means follows, that by con
ceding an open unrestricted Convention,
y 'i g,ve UP e basis question. A large
portion of the Western people see your po
sition atili have no intention of fixing the
While basis oi; you against your wishes.
Indeed, say they, tt-T idea is a mere bug
bear at best; a Conve.;t:n called on the
same basis as that of 1835 ird'ild not have
the power to change the basis, it' the W est
nress the measures as it will. We hve
throw themselves astride them as hobbies
and ride over us rough shod? We protest
against such a course. In this manner
we will be beaten for vears to come; for
the people, if they can't get these amend
ments by Conventions, will take the De
mocratic Free Suffrage, humbug pill.
The spirit of reform is rife among the mas
ses - :.
Many Western Whigs went for Free
Suffrage two vears ago, notwithstanding
they knew it to be the hobby of a dema
gogue, who was seeking promotion by its
means. And how did the Eastern Locos
go? They swallowed the nauseous dose
without once making a wry face, even
though in heart, they were bitterly oppos
ed to it. . They went for their party, right
or wrong, and they will do so again if ne
cessity requires it.
LStit it is said this question should not be
pressed now. Why not? '-'-Will a more fa
vorable tune ever coiner 1 lie question or
Free Suffrage will be forced upon us.
Gov. Reul will not canvass the State with-,
out calling us out on the subject. We
must stand up to the 'rack fodder or no
fodder.' It won't do to fold our arms qui-
eily and remain mum. If we go against
all constitutional amendments we will be
snowed under suddenly and without reme-
If we advocate an alteration of the Con
stitution at all, we must either go for legis
lative enactments or a convention. W e
are already committed against the former,
and, unless we oppose all change of the
fundamental law, we must choose the on
ly true republican plan of the latter a free
Convention. And why put off this ques
tion? If it distracts the party now, will it
not do so two years hence or four, six or
eight years from this time: indeed during
any gubernatorial canvass hereafter? It
will come and the sooner the better. But
still we do not insist that the Whig Con
vention should adopt any platform of this
kind. We think though, if our candidate
should advocate a Convention, he would
be elected by a. large majority
Concord Mercury .
PUBLIC LANDS.
The State of Maine, through htr Repre
sentatives in Congress,has asked for a grant
of the lands of the United States to aid in
the completion of some of the railroad en-
not the power in an open Convention if ierprises of that commonwealth. The grant
i's askeu ixoth on national and local grounds,
we had the will
Now, for ourselves, we admit in all can
dour that there is more force in this view
of the subject than in any in which it has
been presented. Considering the difficul
ty if not the impossibility of getting a bill
through the Legislature, for the call of an
unrestricted convenuon, considering too
the great probability that if one were call
ed, that the East would be strong to con
trol the Convention, with the aid of the
conservative members in the central and
Western counties, we for ourselves should
have very little apprehension that the ba
sis in any event would be disturbed. But
this admission does not alter in the least,
the policy of placing a candidate for the
next election upon the call of an 'unrestric
ted convention. The stubborn fact meets
us on the threshold, that a majority of the
Whigs as well as Democrats, in the Eas
tern counties, differ with us on this point.
Every where, particularly in the Albermarle
and Northeastern counties, there is a fixed
hostility to an open unrestricted convention
a settled and perfectly uncontrolable
conviction, which no reasoning within the
compass of one campaign could eradicate
or modify, that the call of an open unre
stricted convention, is but another name
for a proposition to change the basis of rep
resentation. It is useless at present at least ,
to fight ttgainst this apprehension. De
feat would probably be the consequence.
What then, in any view of ihe question is
left, but some such proposition as we have
suggested ? The eU and influence of a
canvass carried forward on these grounds,
on the parly, and on the best interests of
the State, we will consider in our next
number.
CONVENTION -AGAIN.
'A Free ConYe nion,' sny some of our
Whig friends, is not included among the
principles of the National Whig party is
not one of those ancient land marks which
we have all been taugiit to revere, and
therefore, should not be pressed at this
time.
In reply to the first proposition, we sub
mit that neither is Stale Internal Improve
ment One of those long established princi
ples, but yet two years ago the W higs all
over the State-particulariy along the line
of the Central Rail Road -protested a
,gainst running any man for the governor
ship who was not! known to be an une
quivocal internal improvement man. And
it was charged that David S. Reid, the
Democratic candidate, was either opposed
to the Rail Road or occupied an equivocal
position. But circumstances alter cases
and sometimes most strangely, so thought
the unjust Judge. Whether favoring a
Convention or ,a Rail Road scheme is a
settled principle of our party, we will not
now discuss, but we are sure the Whigs al
ways contended, and carried it out in prac
tice,' that they were conservative and went
for the gqpd of the majority; and submit
ted to the will of the people cheerfully. Jt
has always been a maxim of the Whig pat
ty that the people are sovereign and their
will should be the law: Why not then
letthem alter the constitution in their" own
way; bhall we let our Democratic oppo
nents, whenever it suits their pleasure,
. : i t
and we can sfc? no J?0" reason wny juuw,
as one of the old Stated of the Union, is not
as much entitled to the Tubh'c La."-ds as the
new States of the country. We can .see t?
reason, indeed, why the old States are not
as much entitled to the Public Lands as the
new. They are the common property of
the whole country, were acquired by a com
mon sacrifice of blood and treasure, and
any partial distribution either of the Lands
themselves, or of the proceeds arising from
their sale, is unjust to those not included in
the benefits bestowed.
We hope, therefore, that the request-of
Maine will be granted, whether the Land to
be acquired under it be expended upon what
is called the European and North American
Railroad, or upon other objects of public
improvement. Whether the one million of
acres asked for he too much, we are not
prepared 'to say; but that the claim to some
of the hundreds of millions of acres belong-
ingto theGovernmeni is justly due to Maine,
as one of the old Mates, there can be no
question. The State of Illinois, from the
liberal land grant made by the last Congress,
has just insured through that grant the com
pletion of a railroad of between four and
five hundred miles, and a perpetual profit
from its entire income of seven percent, on
all the receipts. The completion of the road
itself is a fortune to the State, but, added to
this, comes a certain income nearly ade
quate to the entire annual expenditures of
the State. To have done so much for Illi
nois may have been wise, but, while doing
so much, fo reruse to make grants to the
old States is a discrimmination against them
which every fair-minded man must acknowl
edge to be unjust. The applications ; now
before Congress for Public Lands include
over 40,000,000 of acres, in aid of over 10,
000 miles of railroad. The Iowa bill takes
1,500,000 acres. And yet the old States
cannot get nn acre either for internal im
provements cr educational purposes.
New fork Express.
Old America and Young America.
The Virginia Democracy has just passed in
Convention the two following resolutions: '
"That the tjue relations between the
States and federal government, and the true
rules for the construction of the Constitu
tion, are correctly set forth in the resolutions
and reiort of 1798 and '99 of the general
assembly of Virginia, and the doctrines
therein expounded are hereby adopted and
reaffirmed.
Now, '98 and '99 is nothing but " old
Fogyism." Young America repudiates any
thing and everything as old as '98 and '99.
Young America -j&oks only to 1939 & 2099.
Virginia Democracy is thus altogether be
hind Douglass, and behind the age. ,
Again, it was resolved in Virginia:
"Thst we reaffirm the resolutions of the
Ealtimore Conventions of '44 and '48, as
far as applicable to the present condition of
the coutitry.
This is Oracular ! In 1844, it was Dem
ocratic to annex Texas, and to extend sla
very there, with several Slave States to be
made therefrom; hut in 1848 it was Demo
cratic, at least, in every free State (but Iowa;
to instruct Senators in Congress to vote for
the Wilmot Proviso. If '48 doctrine then
be good doctrine now, we can go on yet,
and put the Proviso to New Mexico and to
Utah. ; ;
Democracy is, indeed, very like India
Rubber- of which, if there is any doubt, see
this additional Virginia Resolution:
"that Congress has no power to appro
priate directly or indirectly, the proceeds of
the sales of the public lands, or to grant, di
rectly or indirectly, the public lands to the
purposes ot internal improvement.
Now, Illinois has just taken what is worth
to her full twelve millions of dollars in these
grants of public lands, under the special
urging of its Senator, Mr. Douglass.to make
railroads therewith, from Galena to Chica
go, and from Chicago to Cairo. Iowa, Mis
souri, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas,
all Democratic States, demand grants now
to the amount of about forty millions of
acres forjiist such purposes ss Illinois has had
hers. According to the Democracy of Vir
ginia, in Convention assembled the Stae
where '.'Democracy" was born, and cradled
in "the principles of 1798, '99," "Congress
has no such power." -
CONVERSION OF A DEMOCRAT.
The most bigoted and unreasonable par
ty man I ever met with, was Jack D ,
now a prosperous and influential attorney
in South- -county, in this State.
At the hour of which 1 am writing, he
was a red-hot Democrat, and his chief
pleasure seemed to consist in making the
fact as notorious as possible. His friends
and acquaintances, with one consent pro
nounced Jack a bore, and his politics a
nuisance; but with a stranger, the thing
was essentially different. Seized by the
button at the moment of introduction, Jack
would astonish him by a rapid rehearsal of
the articles of his political creed branch
out into interminable rhapsody of the man
ifest destiny of the great progressive party
and, if the victim was unusually passive,
wind up with on eulogy on the great "I
did," as the embodiment of his peculiar o
pinions, in consequence the greatest man
of the age.
Such was Jack D at the t ime of our
story; acknowledged on every side as a
firm and incorruptible Democrat. But
alas!
for the Legislature was elected, and for
several sessions represented his adopted
county as a firm and decided Whig. St.
Louis paper.
THE CUBAN GENTRY.
The Cuban gentry whom the country has
rescued from: Spanish and African prisons,
aftp a world of trouble, cost the country
somCthir. " beyond the navy and army move
ments to wCtc.tbeni.and the costs of courts
to try them. TiiC qu;ctcr and the more ob
scure these gentry keep t.'" their brigand
ism is forgotten, the better or hem. Con
gress, on the 10th of February, appropriated
fSfiOOO to brintr them home, an d the Pthr
- . Q . '
day the House had to add on $3000 more.
Mr. Whittlesey, the Comptroller, submitted
the following details of their expenses home:
J. D. Hughes and F. B. Hough, 52 00
Paid Capt. Woodbury for 95 passen- -
gers from Vigo to N. Y. 3,S00 00
For G. II. McDonald, 30 59
Steam Applied to the Organ. A
few evenings ago, Mr. David, a French
gentleman of education, now resident in
New York, delivered a lecture of consider
able research upon the History and Influ
ence of Sacred and Theatrical music, at
the close of which he took occasion to
speak of an invention he has obtained a
patent for, of Ihe application of steam pow-
er to organs, and slated that he was now
ready to dispose of the right to purchasers.
What next?
SOTTTHERN- RlGHTS ORGANIZATION'.
The Southern Press, taking it for granted
that Gen. Cass will be the Democratic,
and Gen, Scott the Whig, nominees for
the Presidency, urges the Southern rights
party to refrain from going into the nation
al conventions of either party. It prefers
the organization of a third party, which, it
thinks, will hold the balance of power,
. , ; ; ; $3,882 50
A draft was drawn by Mr. Barceno, on
23d of February last, in favor of Frederick
Huth & Co., of London, upon the Depart
ment of State.at 15 day's sight,for $4,134 00
The above sum undrawn, 2,117 50
This sum deficient to cover ex
penses, $2,017 55
Accounts accompany this draft or bill for
bo an; clothing, & medicines, to an amount
equal to the draft or bill, which are stated
V.ith great minuteness: and I have no doubt
they embrace such expenses as Congress
intended to pay. It is not improbable that
other bills to a small amount may be pre
sented. It is necessary to have an addi
tional appropriation to pay the draft last
mentioned. . ' -
I think an estimate of $3000 would be
sufficient to cover all the expenses that maj
be presented. E. WHITTLESEY.
In alluding to Prof. Emrnons' notice of
mar!, on the Brinks of the Cape Fear, the
Wilmington Commercial states that the ex
istence of this marl has been long known
there, and successfully used. :
But that Shark one hundred feet long
was a new discovery, or rather its "fossil re
mains, principally teeth;" and we, don't
want to see that story diminished in its gen
eral interest.
Fundamental Principles. The Dem
ocracy of New Hanover, at their recent
meeting, strung out their 'fundamental prin
ciples' at great length. To our surprise,
the patch upon Gov. Marcy's breeches was
not embraced in the catalogue but that, we
suppose, is one of the fundamental princi
ples of the New York Democracy. Argus.
take up these amendments separately, and thus control the Presidential election.
Salary to Members op Coxgress.
A bill has been introduced- into Congress
by Mr. McMulIen, of Virginia, giving to
members of Congress a salary of $1,500 a
year instead of the present allowance of 8
a day. The substitution of a fixed salary
for the present per diem would tend very
much to shorten the session's and save a
vast deal of money to the treasury.
Leutze's great picture of Washington
crossing the Delaware has lately beep, sold
in Washington City for $13000. : "
One unlucky day Jack met at the house
of a friend, a young lady of great personal
beauty and accomplishments. Attracted
by her loveliness and captivated by her in
telligence, he became assiduous in his at
tentions, forgot for a while his 'principles,'
and without inquiring what might be the
political preferences of hN lady love, im
prudently proposed, was accepted, and
lhey were married.
The wedding was over the guests had
departeds and the happy pair had retired
to their chamber, and were snugly enscon
sed iu bed, when Jack in the course of a
quiet conversation with his wife, unwit
tingly alluded to his favorite subject, by
casually speaking of himself as a Demo
crat. "What!" exclaimed she turning sharp
ly and suddenly towards, -''are you a De
mocrat?" -
"Yes, madam," re-plied Jack, delight
ed with the idea of having a patient listen
er to his long restrained oratory. "Yes,
madam, I am a Democrat a real hard
money, free trade Democrat attached to
the principles of the progressive party a
regular out and outer; 1 m double uyeti
and twisted in the wool."
"Just double and twist yourself out of
this bed then," interrupted his wife; '-'I'm
a Whig, I am; I will never sleep with a
man professing the abominable doctrines
that you do!"
Jack was speechless from absolute a
mazement. That the very wife of his bo
som should prove a traitor, was horrible;
she must be jesting. He remonrtrated in
vain; tried persuation twas useless; en
treaty t was no go. She was in earnest,
and the only alternative left him was a
prompt renunciation of his heresy, or a
separate bed in another room. Jack did
not hesitate, lo abjure the established
doctrines of his party to renounce allegi
ance to that faith that had become identi
fied with his very being to sunder those
1 q-.'orious principles which had grown with
his TOWlh and strengthened with strength,
to the n"rg whim and caprice of a woman,
was utterly 'u.T-ulous and absurd, and he
threw himself hPni the bed and quited the
apartment.
A sense of insulted dign and the firm
conviction that he was a martyi'10 tne right
cause, strengthened by his pride, resolved
him to hold out until he forced his y?u
into a capitulation.
In the morning she; met him as if noth
ing had happened; but whenever Jack
ventured to allude to the night previous,
there was a laughing devil in her eye,
which bespoke her power and extingush
ed hope.
A second time he repaired to his lonely
couch, and a second time he called upon
his pride to support him in the struggle,
which he now found was getting desperate.
He vented curses "not loud but deep,"
on the waywardness and caprice of the sex
in general, and of his own wife in particu
lar and wondered how long she would
hold out whether she suffered as acutely
as he did. and fried hard to delude him
self into the belief that she loved him too
much to prolong the estrangement, and
would come to him.-' with morning per
haps that very night, and sue for reconcili
ation. But then came the recollection of
that inflexible counlenance of that un
bending wiil, and of that laughing and un
pityingeye and he felt convinced that he
was hoping against hope; and despairingly
he turned to the wall for oblivion from the
wretchedness of Jiis thoughts.
The second day was a repetition of the
first no allusion .was made to the forbid
flen subject on either side. There was a
look of quiet happiness and chcerfulnes a
bout his wife, that puzzled Jack sorely,
and he felt that all idea of forcing her into
a surrender must be abandoned.
A third night he was alone I His re
flections were more serious than on the
night previous. What they were, of course
was only known to himself; butthey seem
ed to result m something decided, for a
bout midnight three distinct raps were
made at his wife's door. No answer
and the signal was repeated in a louder
tone; still all was silent, -and the third
time the door shook with the violent at
tack from the outside.
"Who's there?" cried the voice of his
wife, as if just aroused from a deep, sleep.
"A little the be?( Whig you ever' did
Tha revolution in his opinions .was radi
cal a,nd permanent, He removed to S an
other - county---became; popular offei ed
himself as a candidate on the Whig ticket
NORTH CAROLINA WAKING UP.
Old 'Rip Van Winkle,' as our dear old
native Slate, North Carolina, is sometimes
called, in derision, is fart waking up in
matters appertaining to Literature and the
Fine Arts. We speak by the card, when
we say that the Press of that State is not
behind that of any other in the Union, in
point of ability, appearance, &c. For
example, we are now in the receipt of
three weekly papers from Raleigh, all of
which are capital in their way. The
Times is a well printed and sound politic
at sneet mat we always welcome to our
table. Next comes an interesting Family
Journal under the' title of the 'Weekly
Post' which deserves ample encourage
ment; and last but not least, is the Live
Giraffe, by W. Whilaker, which is one
of the raciest, best natured animals that
we have met with, for many a day. It is
specially recommended to the 'lean kine'
of the human family who wish to 'grow
fat,' as laughter brings good digestion and
good digestion is followed by Aldermanic
rotundity of person.
Geo. Citizen.
The New Haven (Conn.) "Jovrxal
axu Courier" in an article car the Pres
idency, says:
"The recent letter of Mr. Clay,' advis
ing the nomination of Millard Fillmore by
the Whig National Convention, has been
extensively published and commented up
on, and, while it meets with the acquies
cence of the great mass of the Whig party,
it excites the apprehension of the Opposi
tion more than any thing which tins jet
been brought to bear upon the Presidetial
question.
Since the early days of our existence,
there has never been an administration
which Vs so successfully carried on the
Government of the country through so
many difficulties, both foreign and domes-
ic, and settled so many exciting and troub
lesome questions, with honor to the coun
try, and credit to itself.
The Whig party never approached a
Presidential election more deserving of suc
cess than at the present time. The offi
cers of their choice have proved their filness
to hold the reins of government; and
though an ever-vigilant opposition ' has
.succeeded in State elections, by taking ad
vantage of every local' issue that could be
broi'ght to bear, the W hig party stands fir
mer and more united upon national ques
tions tuan it has ever done before, while
the Opposition, by the admission of its most
distinguished members never stood in grea
ter danger of defeat.
The weakening of party ties among the
Opposition has stjepgtheneu the present
Administration among the masses; espe
cially at the South, where it has a popu
larity not confined by party lines, and
where the nomination of President Fill
more would receive a most enthusiastic
support. In the North, too, Avith the ex
ception of the unfortunate ; differences in
New York, Mr. Fillmore occupies a com
manding position as an available candi
date. . .
We believe that Mr. Clay has estimated
rightly the value of Mr. Fillmore's servi
ces to the country, and that good policy as
;;"ell as j'jstice demands that he should re-.;
ceive a renom.'r?ation."
"Lent," with us of the present day, we
may here remark, is that period of forty
days which immediately precedes the Fes
tival of Faster. Good Friday is the day of
the Crucifixion of Chrift. Lent commen
ces on Wednesday, called Ash-Wednesday,
and is observed as a special season of
penitence for sin by the Anglican, Ameri
can Episcopal, and Roman Catholic, chur
ches. Baker in his "Chronicles," says
that Lent was first observed in Kngland,
by command of Ercombert, King of Kent
in C40. The primitive Christians did not,
commence their Lent until the Sunday,
now called the first Sunday in Lent.
The four previous days "rrcrc added by Fe
lix, III, ho that the number of fasting days
should be forly. i
Brad-, in his "Clavis, ' notes that in old
paintings, March is portrayed as a man of
tawny color and fierce aspect , witli a hel
met on his head, typical of Mars. But.
as appropriate to the season of the year,
and the labors of the peaceful husband
man, he is represented leaning on a spade,
holding almond blossoms and scions in his
left hand, with a basket of seeds on his
arm, and bearing in his right hand the
sign Aries, which the sun enters on thn
20th. In ancient hieroglyphics the increas
ing power of the sun's rays was expressed
by horns of animals. j
There is an old English proverb connec
ted with this month, running thus: "a
bushel of March dust is; worth a king's
ransom." Dry 'weather,; in this month,
in England, wjis generally deemed favor
able to the production of grain on clay
lands ; and thence a "dus!y March" por
tended a plenteous season ; while on tlio
contrary, a wet March frequently produc
ed destruction of rve and wheat.
The Lexat-Moxat. The month of
March, among the old Romans, wvs un
der the protection of Minerva. When
Numa altered the computation of Romu
lus, the custom of entering upon public
offices on the first of March was still estab
lished; and so it continued until the first
Punic War, when it was transferred to the
first of Januaiy .
It is mentioned as a coincidence that our
ChiefMng'strate's term of office commences
in the month of March.
With the Romans this month "was very
remarkable. Macrobius says that the first
day of it , (being tho first day of the old Ro
man new year,) the sacred fire on the ollar
of Vesta was renewed from the rays of the
sun, concentrated and reflected by a polish
ed mirror.
In France, chroniclers tell us, March
was generally reckoned the first month, tip
to A; D. 156-1. Then, by an edict of
Charles IX, (of St. Bartholomew bloody
memory.) January was decreed the first
month. Scotland followed the example
of France, in 1599. In England, (says
the "Clavis Calendaria,") the alteration
did not take place before 1752.
By the ancient Saxons, March was cal
ed Rheda or Rethc-Monath, rough or rug
ged Month , as explained by some writers.
Other authorities state that it is so termed
because sacrifices loan Idol, called Rheda,
were made during it. On the Christiani
zation of Britain, the name was changed
to Lenet-Monat, or, according to a still
more recent improvement in the orthogra
phy of our language, Lengeth-Moneth,
(long month,) "because," (says a venera
ble chronicler,). "the days did then first be
gin in length to exceed the nights; and
this m&Hh being by our ancestors so called
when they received Christianity, and con
sequently therewith the ancient chrisiian
custom of fasting ,t hey called this chief sea
son of fasting the fast of Lenet, because of
the Lenet-Monat, whereon the most part
of th3 time of this fasting always fell ;
and hereof it comelh that we now call it
Lent, though the former name of Lenel
Curiosities op Liteiiatcrs! Vie
give below an extract of a letter "from a
distinguished source!" endorsing " Wheel
er's History." j
N. C. Cl.vv-l ixn cc
March the 9 1S5 !. y
Mr. Editor the time draws nigh wherf
ycur paper will Stop comin I Ik pj yoir
will excues mv stopping at one year a3 I
subscribed for the Wheeler histotory of our
ould carolinia State I chant have time to
read more than my history I think it one
of the best things that has ever been dunn
for our cowntry 1 hope all my young friend
will take hold of this valubel Book the his
tory of theirown country Som folks abuse
this Book vary mutch but no man of sen
will do it I had as saon here a man abuse
his father as the Book of land no one but
a fool will do Either to tell the truth may
peas go with it and joy attend it and God
send it ever, whore So I hunt any thing
elts at preseant the 12 of March my tim h
oup you will pleas stop my paper in time
yowr friend i
March the 9 IS52.
The history is ''bound to go"
The writer is not a "clergyman'
"historian but he is cc:oc,
is. Asi. JWcsscnger. j
now :
' nor a
March lion owed instead thereof.'
Craft. There was in his nruive vil
lage a wealthy Jew. who was seized with.
a dangerous illness Seeing death approach
despite his physician's skill, lie bethoi'ght
him of vowing a vow; so he solemnly pro
mised that, if God would restore him to .
health, he on his part, on his recovery',
would seil a certain fat beast in his stall .
and devote the proceeds to the Lord. The
man recovered, and m due time appeared
before the door of the synagogue, driving
before him a goodly ox ; and several Jew
ish butchers, after arlistically examining
the fine fat beast, asked our convalescent
! what might fee the price cf the ox. "This
ox," replied ihe owner, "I value at two
shillings" (I substitute English mone' ;)
"but this cock," he added, ostentatiously
exhibiting a chanlicleer, "I estimate at
twenty pounds." The butchers 'aughed
at him ; they thought he was joking.
However, as he gravely persisted that ho
was in earnest, one of them taking him at
his word put down two shillings for the ox.
"Sofily, my good friend," rejoined the
seller, "I are made a voir vnt to sell the
ox without ihe cod; ; you must buy both,
or be content with neither." Great was
the surprise of the bystanders, who could
not conceive what perversiiy possessed their
wealthy neighbor. But the cock, being
valued for twenty pounds, and the ox for
two shillings the bargain was concluded
and the money paid. Our worthy Jew
now walks tip to the rabbi, cash in hind.
"This," said he, handing the two shillings
"I devote to the service of the synagogue, '
being the price of the ox which I had vow
ed ; and this," placing the twenty-pounds
in his own bosom, "is lawfully my own,
for is it not the price of the cock ?" "And
what did .your neighbors eay of the trans
action? Did they not think that this rich .
man was an arrant rogue ? . " Rogue !".
said my friend, repeating my last word
with some amazement, "they considered, .
him a pious and a clever man.' "Sharp.?
enough," thought I ; but delicate about
exposing my ignorance, I judiciously held ;
my peace. !
Fashions in Cravats. For the ben
efit of our fashionable young gents, wo
would state that in Paris, at balls and such
like vanities, white neck cloths are all the
fashion. With them the shirt collar is'
generally turned down. Not three out of
a hundred, saj'sone of the fashionable au
thorities, can be seen in any other neck
cloth. 'The universal morning wear n
collars turned dewrt so low as to expose
Monat be long since lost, and the name ot l the neck, which is concealed only as fr
as one of the low neck tits can cover if.
I -