The Washington American. (Washington, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 41, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 13, 1856 Page: 1 of 4
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DEVOTED TO NEWS, POLITICS, TEMPERANCE, EDUCATION, AGRICULTURE, LITERATURE, AND THE PROGRESS OF- MANKIND,
PERKINS, ANDERSON cto Co,
"Heaven and earth shall witness, if America mnst fall that we are innocent."
cfc
YOLUME 1.
WASHINGTON, TEXAS, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1856.
NUMBER 41.
SEaS^iiiglflii^inerican
•WAllVfc
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY BY
PERKINS, ANDERSON It CO.,
Tar au—$3,00 per annua in advance
G. W.
EDITED BY
CBAWFOBD AND W. 7. PENDLETON
WASHINGTON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 8th, 1856.
HOME.
When surrounded by the joys and com-
forts of home, alas, how few appreciate it
properly, petty grievances, the anoyances of
every day life, are too apt to be transformed
into mountains of misery by the way wa-d-
ness of youth, or the caprice and whim of
childhood. Buoyant with youth and hope,
the young mind is too prone to look into
the future, and amid the creations ol imagi-
nation, build up fancies and create joys and
pleasures that after years may never ripen
into a golden fruition.
It is only then, when we are sundered
from its influences, and spem to stand alone
a blighted oak in the depths of the forrest,
a riven rock npon a barren strand, that we
can realise its All meaning. The wanderer
from friends and home, may wander on amid
the gay and glittering throng of fashions
court in the full blaze of day, neath the hush
of quiet midnight, but memory turning
adown the stream of time, will bring him
back to childhood's hour again ; will call up
to his mind the familiar scenes of earlier
days, and the pent-up grief of his soul burst-
ing the fountains of nature, will vent itself
m The exile from his nntmftand.' at each re-
move seems to drag a lengthening chain,
the moon of manhood may have reached the
meridian hight, perchance the frosts of
many winters may whiten o'er his brow ;
yet, think you he is dead to the memory of
long-ago? Oh no. reader; dreams will some-
times come from the far-off spirit-land to
lighten the sorrows of that wretched wan-
derer ; dreams of home; of •' childhoods sun-
ny hours;* of father and mother; perhaps,
too, of innocence. Then he was full of life
and hope. $nd racked not of the bitter dis-
appointment that times unwearied wing
newr fails to bring; now he is but a mere
wreck and remnant of earlier vigor; yet.
o'er his mind the angel of long forgotten
time will sometimes bring the memory of
the past, that its influence may soften, chas-
ten, and subdue the hoar austerity of life.—
In whatever land we may roam, however
gay the life we may lead, however quiet and
calm, we cannot steel ourselves in the ob-
livion of Lethe's fable stream to all remem-
beranee of the past. Thoughts of happier
hours w «teal into our minds, and when we
beoosM conscious of the spell that enchains
we realize as it were an elevation in the
«wU of existence, we seem to feel nearer
«Win to the God-head.
BUCHANAN IH VIRGINIA.
Gov, Wis*, of Virginia, is quite confident
of the election of James Buchanan, as he
writes to the chairman of the Pennsylvania
Executive Committee that Virginia will give
twenty thousand majority, and that he
will he by so triumphant a majority
, aa to marge the old and respectable parties
' in each other, and to consign all others, all
fee isms of all colors, to a lasting silence anff
aeertsy.—Dallas Herald. •
Our friend of the Herald bad better not
indulge too much in self gratulation, it is an
old adage u never to hollow till you are out
of the woods," and we do not think our
friend is entirely clear of them yet. Gov.
Wise1 letter tq the Pennsylvania Executive
Committee, is simply conclusive proof of the
ide* we have held as regards his excellency
for some time, that is that he is a little wrong
fa Jlb* upper st^ory. Twenty thousand ma-
jority for Buchanan in Virginia 1 Why o.eigh-
bof this is all gammon. Should the old
gentleman get every democratic voce in the
0!d Dominion, with a no inconsiderable
pnmber of disaffected Whijr votes, he conld
not possibly roll .p such a majority. And
w* no «ore that he « ill get none of the lat-
jar, ai*d nothing like all of the former. Our
aaohmgrn at least indqee the belief and from
tjbnn we learn that the late old line Whig
Contention adjourned with the firm and
ppanimous determination to support no
other for the Presidency than Millard Fill-
pore. Chas. Irving, Esq., one of the Dem-
¿cratfc electors has thrown up his appoiptr
pent as such, and positively declines to sup-
port ttys old Pennsylvania Federalist. We
jI not pretend to claim Virginia for our
jyiy but really neighbor, twenty thousand
it too mi"1 | we can't stand it * the facts
of the ~**° will not allow such a suspicion
to haunt our minds even for a minute.—
Henry A. Wise's letter to the contrary,
notwithstanding.
"TEN CENT JIMMY. '
This is a slang phrase now being employ-
ed by some of the lesser lights of Know-No-
thingism to disparage Mr. Buchanan. It is
intended to convey the idea that Mr. B. at
some time said that •' ten cents a (fity was
enough for a laboring man." We have been
asked why we did not deny this report.—
We thought it too shallow and contempti-
ble to merit a denial. It is an unmitigated
falsehood in its length and breadth, in letter
and in spirit, without even the semblance of
truth to base it upon. We might publish
the whole cpeech to which we have heard
this charge attributed, and the words '• ten
cents," nor the idea it is intended to convey
nor any thing like it in any shape, form or
fashion, could not be found in it. The peo-
ple may expect nothing but columns of such
slanders during the canvas . We caution
them, therefore, against any thing they see
in such unscrupulous journals without the
proof.—Nashville Union.
We will not deny the assertion of the
Nashville Union that the words '• ten cents"
do not occur in the speech of Buchanan "the
whole of which it might publish " but never
theless does n t. but that such an idea is in-
tended to be conveyed we confidently affirm.
The facts of the case and the ery words
employed tend absolutely and positively to
strengthen the assertion. It is an acknow-
ledged fact. and we presume the "Union"
wiil deny it. that during the whole of 1844.
the average price of labr r in the countries of
the old world was about ten cents a dav.—
During that year, in a discussion in the U.
S. States Senates, Mr. Buchanan said "re-
duce the nominal price of labor to the real
standard, throughout the world, and you
cover the country with benefits and bles-
sings." Could language be stronger than
the above, could aught be more concise?
and yet the Nashville Union denies that any
idea of a " ten cent per day " valuation of the
hard labor of the mechanics and eitisans is
intended to foe conveyed. Our readers will
remember that Mr. Buchannan was speak-
ing in 1844 when the price of labor in the
old countries was about ten cents a day;
they will also bear in mind that he used the
present tense in communicating his idea o
the beneficial results that must from neces4
sity follow in the footsteps of his proposped
reduction. Now it' he did "not mean wh t
heclearly and distinctly avows, that is, that
in bringing the price of labor in the United
States to the level of the old world, its pro-
per value would be ten cents per day; we
ask the *' Union," what in the name of God.
he did mean ?
If a friend of the u Union." with a view to
becoming a patron, were to enquire the rates
of subscription, and be then and there in-
formed that they were the same of other
neighboring Journals, would not that friend
conceive that however low or high might be
the rates of other papers he whs neverthe-
less bound to be governed by them in sub-
scribing to the " Union ?" Exactly so, and
yet the "Union." in denying tl\e ten cent
reduction, denies also that there would be
any obligation resting upon it, to furnish
that friend with the paper at the rates, and
upon the conditions laid down and declared
strange and monstrous inconsistency;"
UNKNOWN TONGUE .-THE BIRD,
The best known of animal tongues are, of
course, the most perfect among us—those of
birds. It would be a long list, were we to
mention but half of the curious literature
that of old and of late has been written on
this subject. Pallas Athena herself gave
the knowledge of the language of birds to
Tiresias. to console him for the loss of his
eyes. Helenus of Troy, Thales and Melam-
pus claimed to possess it. Solouion who
had wisdom exceeding much, and spake of
beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things,
and of fishes. is reported to have understood
the meaning of every birds' song.
Pliny even gives, in his Natural History,
an unfailing receipt for the obtaining of such
wonderful knowledge; and King Dag, who
was a master of the science, kept sparrows
who daily brought him the news of the
world from every country on earth.
Gerbert, ol Serville, the great Christian
master of the black art. learned to explain
the flight and notes of birds ; and Benedict
IX., who rose to the Holy See at the early
age of "twelve years, knew their voice,
and could tell from it what had hap-
pened to-day. yesterday, and the day before,
anywhere through the wide range of Christ-
endom-
It is not long since that a German scholar
studied the language of geese. and issued
proposals for a dictionary of their idioin.—
Two adventurous Frenchman. Pupont de
Nemours, and Pierquin de Qeiubleuux. car-
ried out the unfinished plan, and actually
published works on the languages of birds.
<1 • ■ *
VENDETTA IN CORSICA
Our readers are aware of a kind of sociaf
scourge which has existed from time imme-
morial in the islands of Sorsica and Sardinia
under the name of vendetta (vengence.) A
remarkable case of this kind has been ami-
cably settled at Agius. near Teinpio. (Sar-
dinia) between two powerful families, named
Mamio and Vasa. It had originated in the
breaking of a marriage, and in the course of
a few years seventy-one persons had fallen
victims to private vengeance on either side.
Tlie present Intendaftt of Tempio. M. Orru.
has at length succeeded ip bringing about
an arrangement, and on the 29th May last,
324 men of the Mamio family, and 273 of
the Vasa tpet in a plain near Tempio, and
abjured their reciprocal hatred before a cru-
cifix, one of the Vasas going up to the chief
of the Mamios and embracing him, after
which a general greeting took place, tears
of friendship were shed, and an appropriate
discourse by the Father Director of the
Schools termjnated the ceremony.—Galig-
nani.
THE BOYS OF AMERICA
America is still quite a young lady giant-
ess. Virgin forests yet survive like dis-
hevelled locks upon her brow. She still
rejoices in her youth, and in her mirror of
the blue, Heaven contemplates with inno-
cent gladness her growing beauties.
She still recollects whata terrible life her
mother Europa has led, from the day Jupi
ter chased her a> a bull, and chained her
noblest brother, Prometheus, the Titan of
the Titans, to " the rock, the vuiture. and
the blast," up to the present hour of des-
potism rampant, and the blood-stained bay-
onet triumphant!
But chiefly she delights in her young
sons, native adopted, and laughs to see how
each young citizen-king holds up his head
so proudly, and thinks and speaks so freely
from his vet y cradle.
Of a surety, American boys, are like no
other boys, since the creation ;>f the world.
American boys! there are no American
boys! they are born men; and each little
man has such a perfect consiousness of his
own embryo dignity that involuntarily one
treats him as an equal, and takes hi mere
size as a temporary necessity, not to be pr -
sumed on like us grown-up Brobdignajis.
Are American boys ever whipped ? We
guess not unless it is by old country folks
who have not sucked in the divine atmos-
Khere of individual liberty. An American
oy would run away, we know he would,
il anybody attempted such a thing, or go to
se.i. or go west, or emigrate to the diggings.
Perhaps he would call his father out. br:n^
an action for damages; but one thing is cer-
tain, he would not -tand it at any price, if he
were one of the birds we write about.
Oh, the smartness of the American boys.
They understand you before you are half
done speaking. They see through you like
a pane of glass, when you are mildly lying
for the very best of motives. They drive
a bargain with 3 011 before you have made
up your mind to trade or pot to irado —
They write for the press at eleven to thir-
teen; edit a paper at fifteen; at twenty, they
are cashier> of a bank, partners in a mer-
chants' house, first mate of a ship captains
in volunteer regiments, stump-orators po-
litical characters, and aspirants for the Pres'
idency.
No. boyhood is a fable in America, a le-
gend of the old world, a tradition of our an-
cestors. The " old boy," that myth of far-
mer youth, is a mere truism n America,-
They are all "old boys" in the * Atlantic
America goes ahead so fast, that the imagjr
nation of the poet can't keep up with Iter,—
Shu leaves that behind, and skims the ocean
of time like an osprey.
What a foolish thing to talk about boys
in America!
Would that there were boys.
A STOBY OF MISPLACED LOVE.
Some time since, Lieutenant Ilurst-. of the
city police, and other officers, who had been
for som time engaged in ferreting out the
perpetrators of a forger}', arrested a young
man, who. it is evident, was the princpal in
the transactions. After his aarest. the offi
cers. as is their custom, took possession of
his baggage which they searched for evi-
dence of his character and of his c* ime.—
Among other documents they found á bun-
dle of letters from numerous ladies, livin;
different localities, and with whom, it ap-
pears. the fellow has been playing the part
of the gay deceiver.
It seems that whenever he could make an
impression upon the heart of a good looking
woman, he would do so; and, though a mar-
ried man. was at all times ready to make an
engagement, if he could make money by the
operation. The officers have ascertained
that, in one instance, he borrowed a horse
and a sura of money from his affianced, and
then disappeared ; and, it would appear from
the letters, that in some localities he was
engaged to marry more than one of his
lady acquaintances. One who signs herself
"Grace," writes from the Northern part of
the State.
She complains of his attentions to another
bui forgives him. and closes her letter with
a fervent reiteration of love.
There is a letter from another, thought to
be an orphan girl. She appeals most ten-
derly to his manliness, and as she knows he
is the only one upon whom she can rely for
protection, begs him not to desert her. Siie.
too, complains of his attentions to another.
In the budget are several from one lady,
all long and exceedingly well written. She,
like all the rest, is much attached to the gay
deceiver, and chides him frequently fur his
neglect of promise solemnly made. In one
oi ihe letters she speaks as follows:
u I have for one year been living in sus-
pense, in expectation of, I hardly know
what. I have sacrificed situations, or rather
refused such, where I might be enjoying a
little of the omforts of life] On! God deal
mercifully with iny aching heart. ¥ou pos
sess a heart. 1 beg of you, dea justly with
me, and do not say > 011 will do a thing and
tjien not do it. I beseech you, do not set
any m°re time* to coine :ind not do it. You
told me when we seperated you would be
home by Christmas, and then vou wrore you
wouid be here by the 10th of this month.—
I can focar tiiis 110 Ipnger.. You are break-
ing my heart, not in this alone, but in other,
business. Are you getting a divorce? Speak
truthfulh. ltemember. one day you ipust
render an account for ■ very deed dvJie n
t e body.
TEE TIME TO MABBY.
The would-be wise this counsel give—
" Let love's fond passion cool I
The man who early wed will live
To thhik himself a fool.
The galling chain that frets his limb,
Wears deeper day by day;
Experience little tt aches total
Who gives the heart its way;
He wisely weds who weddtjth late,
A thrifty, unijnpaseionated mate."
When wrinkling oaks shall twining cling
With tendrils like the vine;
When ravens, like the linnet, sing
With melody divine;
When honey drops from wither'd leaves,
And not from Summer flowers ;
When winter brings us golden sheaves,
And snow drifts sunny hours;
When truth abused makes falsehood right,
60 withering wed and find delight.
The trembling notes young birds awake,
Rise sweetly into tune,
As April buds expanding make
The flowery wreath in June;
So love begun in life's young day,
Mature with manhocd's prime-
Defies the canker of decay,
And stronger grows with time;
0, early quaff love's nuptial wine,
And all that's best in life is thine.
THE DYING MOZABT-
Wolfgar? Mozart, thr- great German com-
poser died at Viena in the year 1791. There
is something beautiful and to jching in the
circumstances of his death* His sweetest
sons wa-' the last, the Requiem. He had
been employed upon this exquisite piece for
several weeks, his soul filled with inspira-
tionsf of richest melody, and already claim-
in kindred with immortality. After giv-
ing it its last touch, and breathing into it
that undying spirit of song which was to
consecrate it through all time, as his l'cyg-
nean strain," he fell into a gentle and quiet
slumber. At length the light footsteps of
his daushter Emelie awoke him. "Come
hither." said he, " my Emilie—my task is
done—the Requiem—my Requiem is finish-
ed.'' " Say not so, dear father," said the
gentle girl, interrupting him as tears stood
in her eyes. " You must be better—yon
look better for even now your cheek has a
glow upon it—I am sure we will nurse you
well again—let me brins: you something re-
freshing." •' Do not deceive yourself, my
love." said the dying father, '• this wasted
form can never be restored by human aid-—
From heaven's mercy alone do Hook for aid
in this my dyirJt hour. You .<s_.uk U of refresh-
ment, my Emítie— take these my last notes
—sit dowh to my piano here—sing with
them the hymn of your sainted mother—let
me once more here those sainted tones which
have been so long my solacement and de-
light." Emilie obeyed, and with voice en-
riched with tenderest emotion, sung the fol-
lowing stanzas:
Spirit! thy labor is ó'er!
Thy term of probation is run,
Thy steps are now bound for the untrodden shore,
And the race of immortals begun.
Spirit I look not 011 the Strife,
Or the pleasures of earth with regret.
Paute not 011 the threshold of limitless life,
To mourn for the day that is set.
Spirit! no fetters can bind,
Ño wicked have pow'r to tnoKst;
There the weary, like thee—the wretched shall find
A haven, a mansion of rest.
Soirit! how bright is the road
For which thou art now on thy wing,
Tby home i t will be, witk thy Savior and God,
There loud hallelujah to sing.
As she concluded, she dwelt for a moment
upon the low melancholy notes of the piece
and then turning from the instrument to
meet the approving smile of her father.—
It was the still passionless smile which the
wrapt and joyous spirit left —with the seal
of Death upon his features^
BACKING DOWN.
For some time past the 8ag-Niohts-
have been blustering loudly about their
willigness to bet upon Buchanan's car-
rying Kentuckey. but when propositions
have been mad&^o take their proffered
bets, upon some pretex or other, they
have usually backed out. Day before
yesterday, sooie of these blustering Sag-
Nichts were bragging loudly in a crowd
at the Gait House in this city, that
they wanted to bet a thousand dollars,
that Buchanan would carry Kentuckey
It was all for Buncombe, however. One
gentleman present offered at once to
take the bet, but he was told that the
proposer had particular instructions
from the owner of the money not to
make the bet with him. Another Fill
more man immediately offered to take
the bet, and the money was to be staked
yesterday morning. Yesterday after-
noon he was iuforra d by the Sag Nicht
braggart, that the gentleman whose
money was proposed to bet, had re-
moved the deposits several days ago.
Betting is no ev:denO'< either of the
strength of a party or the justice of a
cause, for, as the Frankfort Yornan
mornfujly declared, the Sag-Nicht '-may
bet high and still lose the State,"but the
Sag Nioht press has been crowiug lustily
about bets offered by Buchanan men,
and we meution this inoident as an evi-
dence that the Buchanau party are fast
losing all hope in Kentucky.—
ville Journal.
THE OUCHITA BIVEB.
The Ouchita runs its course through that
order of formation which geologists refer to
the eocene period of the tertiary. Its fos-
siliferous rejnains are similar to those found
at Claiborne, in Alabama. Petrified bones
of the Zyglodon. the enormous reptile of
the early ages of the world, are occasionally
found embeded in the steep hills, around the
base of which, in many places, this gent le
stream sweeps gracefully «along. They are
also S' metimes found on the stone beaches
at the bottom of the river. At a I- w stage of
water, these beaches are left bare to the ex-
tent, oftentimes, of two thirds of the width of
the river and they are coveied with pebbles
and numerous small boulders, rounded more
or less by the ocean wave that rolled over
this region perhaps during the •' Golde Age."
Among the pebbles, beautiful specimens
of the milky and rose colored quartz are
abundant. Petrified wood i> also frequently
found on these beaches. Vertebral bones of
the Zyglodon have been found measuring
nine and ten inches in diameter. We have
two of these bones measuring each about
six inches in diameter. In these, ihe med-
ullary tube in the centre, and the flattened
spots on the upi>er side for the insertion of
the muscles, are very distinct. In mauy
places over the surface of the Ogychit* foille,
t are found shells of the ribbed clam; and on
"You say you love me. suiu there have! he banks of the river, large beds or masses
been times when I believed you. Let me re- ¡ of small sea shells are often fo.und. Banks
peat to you flying rumors. Your friend ■ of oyster sheila, from twenty-e ght to thirty
Mrs. T , has been here on a visit from feet beloif the surface, in the hill country,
She came to advise with her father^
in law in regard to getting a divorce. He
consented, and she then said that she was
engaged to another, giving your name and
discription. Jir. T-r—, recognised, and
told her of your profession to me. Sfoe left
the next day, rather disconcerted. Now
what does this mean ? I think this accounts
for your neglecting me for months. Then
Miss J. C. has been telling a ludicrous yarn
concerning your trying to marry her. She
tells your conversation, and it is just as you
have talked to me."
These are specimens of the entire corres-
pondence.
have been found by persons digging wells,
Du Pratz who was superintendent of the
Government plant#tiops within the •' Colony
of the iN'achez," in 1829, and who wrote a
I istory of Iyouisiana. informs us that the
Ouchita derives its name from a tribe of In-
dians of that name, wfo° resided upon its
banks. The tribe of Washitas, he says, was
extinct at the time h.e wjote. There is good
reason to believe, and it is stated as a fact by
one historian at least, that De Soto, after
completing his ineffectual search for gold
among the Ozark mountains, descended the
Ouchita. in 1-142. on his return to the Mis-
sissippi.—Harrisonburg^ La.) Independent.
TELEGBAPHIC INTELIGENCE.
Washington, July 18—The House
to-day. ousted Allen, the sitting mem-
ber for the Seventh District of Illinois
They also refused to admit to a seat Mr.
Archer, the contestant
It is reported that the nomination of
John Forsyth of Mobile, as Minister to
Mexico, is premature.
New York, July 18.—The propeller
Trato, has been burnt near Kingston.
Twelve persons perished in the disas-
ter.
The cotton market is firm, with sales
to day of two thousand bales.
19.—Sixty persons have already been
ascertained to have been killed, or burnt
to death, by the calmity on Ahe North
Pennsylvania Railroad. Others are
dyiug.
The p assengers and crew of the ste-
rner Indiana which was burnt on Lake
Erie a few days ago, were all saved.
The boat, however, is a total loss.
The cotton >arket continues firm,
Sales of the day 1000 bales. Middling
Uplands worth 11 5"8 cents.
The flour market is active, and has
advanced a shilling.
Wheat has advanced from 3d. to 4d.
Boston, July 18.—The whig State
Committee of Massachusetts have issued
au address iu which they recouimeud
that the party should not commit itself
to either of the Presidential candidates,
but that they proceed to a thorough or-
ganization of their ranks..—Montgom-
ery Mail.
>
A COMFOBTABLE PBOSPECT OF WAR.
The ban Francisco correspondent oi
the New York Times indulges in the
following glowing anticipation of war
with England ;
It is very general belief here with a
class of croakers, that we are going to
have a war with England; let it come—
who cares 1 we can take oare of our end
of the schooner. We shSll lose nothing
by it, on the contrary, make our fortunes.
There will be no moro gold sent out of
the country, it will aceuuiulate here.
Goods will go up, times will be good-
No protests from the East can reach
us. or dunning letters. As for the
English meu-of war, we will have them
all in here very sociable. Mark it all
right with them, divide with them if they
«ill agree to blookade the port, and,
above ail things, keep any mails from
reachiug us or going out. Wo « au raise
all we want here, and make a raise of
something else besides; aud when we get
our pockets full, we will C'imb upon the
Rocky Mountains' and look down upon
yon, with our thumbs to our noses I
VVhooray for war j let us have it.
TEE DEAD CHILD.
Few thicsrs appear so beautiful as a
young child in its shroud. The little
innocent face looks so sublimely simple
and confiding among the old terrors of
death. Crimeless and fearless, that lit'
tie mortal has passed alone under the
shadow. There is death in its sublimest
and purest image—no hatred, no hypoe*
risy, no suspicion—no oare for the mor-
row ever darkened that little face; death
has eome lovingly upon it; there is noth*>
ing cruel or harsh in its victory. The
yearnings of love, indeed, cannot besti*
1; for the prattle and smile, all the
little world of thoughts that were so
delightful, are gone forever. Awe, too,
will overcast us in its presence, for the
JoneJy voyager, for the child has gone,
simple and trusting, into the presence,
of its All-Wise Father; and of such, we
kn w, is the Kingdom of Heaven !—
Memphas Eagle.
EISTOBY OF TEE AMEBICAN FLAG
The first colors spoken of in connection
with the American Revolution were signifi-
cantly called ''Union Flags." No account
is given of the devices upon them. They
are frequently spoken of in the nespapers of
1774.
The Connecticut troops fixed upon their
drums in 1775, the motto Qui Transtulsit
Sustinet, around in letters of gold, literally
*• God who transplants 11s hither will sup-
port us." This was the motto. Each reg-
iment was distinguished by its color—blue,
orange. &c.
July 18. 1776. General Putnam—glori-
ous ''Old Put."—unfurled a flag at Cam-
bridge Mass.. on the joyful occasion of the
reception in that town of the Declaration of
Independence, bearing the motto on one sido,
*' An appeal to Heaven." and on the other.
Qui Transultit Sustinet." This flag was
flung to the bi^eze amid the roar of cannon
and the shouts of the people. It is said at the
time that the (> Philistines on Bunker's Hill
heard the cheers of the Israelites. (Israel
Putnam) and being fearful, paraded them-
selves in battle array." The flag was a red
one—the signal of defiance or battle since
the days of the Romans.
In September, 1776, Colonel Moultrie un-
furled a large blue flag, with a crescent in
one corner. This was the first American
flag displayed in South Carolina, and was
used at the taking of Fort Johnstown, on
James Island. The crescent is the emblem
of sovereignty
A standard, with a white ground, a pine
tree in the middle, and the motto, " An ap-
peal to Heaven," was adopted in Oct., 1785,
as the flag of the floating batteries.
On January 2, 1776, the day that gave
birth to the New American Army, the flag
designated as The Great Union Standard
was hoisted. This was the basis of that of
the present day,
In 1776 was adopted the standard to be
used by the Commander-in-chief of the
American navy " being a lively representa-
tion of the rattlesnake in the middle, in the
attitude of striking." Underneath were
the words, " Don't tread on me."
The same year the cruisers of the colony
of Massachusetts, hoisted a white flag with
a green wine tree, and the motto " Appeal
to Heaven."
July 14,1777. Congress passed the follow-
ing resolution:
Resolced, That the flag of the thirteen U.
States, be thirteen stripes alternate red and
white 5 that the Union be thirteen stars, in
a blue field, representing a new constitution.
This was the origin of the national flag of
the United States—the glorious ''Stripes
and Stars which have proudly waved since
that day over many of the greatest victories
of modern times; that stirs the blood of ev-
ery true hearted citizen whenever or where-
ever he beholds it floating on the breeze.
The above resolutions were made public
Sept. 2, 1777* According to Col. Trumbull,
the flag made in pursuance of it was first
used at the surrender of Burgoyne. Oct. 18.
of the same year. This was a glorious be*
ginning truly, for this was one of the most
important victories of the American arms
during the revolution.
The first change in the national colors was
directed under the following enactment of
Congress, adopted January 13, 1794:
Be it enacted. &e., That from and after the
1st day of May. 1795, the flag of the United
States be fifteen stripes, alternate red and
white; that the Union be fifteen stars, with
a blue field.
This was the flag of the United States du-
ring the war of 1812-14.
I11 1798 the flag of the United States was
again altered. On the suggestion of Mr.
YV endover, of New York, a return was made
to the thirteen stripes as it was anticipated
that the flag would become unwieldy if a
stripe was added on the admission of each
State, and moreover, by the plan proposed,
the Union of the old thirteen States, as the
number of States composing the Union,
would be represented by the flag of the U.
States. Mr. Wendover also proposed the
is sufficient water at hand, are not thorough-
ly national sports, as they certainly ought
to be. Exercises of this kind mig^it eamljr
be made attractive; they might soon lis*
come popular English amusements; every
parish and distriot might have its crioket
and foot-ball olubs, its rifle corps, and, h|
many eases, its boats; and we should then
no longer have occasion.to look bask with re-
gret on the physical training and gymnast
exercises of the great nations of the ancient
world.
IHE EABLY PIONEEBI OF THE WEST.
Mr. Ferris, in his book on the Great West,
thus sketches the character of the pioneers
who began to spread themselves throughout
the West, between the close of the Pontine
war and the commencement of the Amsri*
can revolution:
•' The pioneers, living in constant contact
with the Indians, necessarily became mora
than half savages in appearance, habits and
manners, and frequently the whole savage
character was assumed. Their ordinary dress
was too unique to be forgotten. A coo na kin
cap, with the tail dangling at the beck of the
neck, and the snout drooping upon the fore
head; long buckskin leggings, sewed with n
wide fringed welt,' down the outside of the
leg; a long narrow strip of coarse cloth pan-
sing around the hips hud between the thighs^
was brought up before and behind under thn
belt, and hung down as they walked; a loose
deerskin frock, open in front, and lapping
once and a half round the body, was belted
at the middle, forming convenient wallets on
each side for chunks of hoe-cake, tow, jerked
venison, screw drivers and other fixings, and
Indian moccosins completed the hunter's ap*
parel. Over the whole was slang a bullet*
pouch and powder-horn. From behind the
eft hip dangled a scalping knife; from the
right protruded the handle of a hatchet; both
weapons stuck in leatbern^oases. Every
hunter carried an awl, a roll of buckskin,
and strings of bide ealled " whangs," for
thread. In the winter loose deer-hair was
stuffed into the moccosins to keep the feet
warm.
The pioneers lived in rude log houses, eov
ered. generally, with pieces of timber about
three feet in length and six inehes in width,
called " shakes," and laid over the roof in-
stead of shingles. They had neither nsUs
glass, saws nor brick. The houses had
slab doors, pinned together. The light
down the chimney, or through a hole in the
logs, covered with greased cloth, A scrags
gy hemlock sapling, the knots left a foot
long, served for stairs to the upper 8torr.-«-
Thetr furniture consisted of bed-
steads framed into the walls, a few shelves
supported on long wooden pins; or
two, but more often a piece split off a tree,
and so trimmed that the branches answer?
ed for legs. Their utensils were very «ím.
pie ; generally nothing but a skillet, which
served for baking, boiling, roasting, washing
dishes, making mush, ualding turkeys,
cooking sassafras tea, and making airo, A
Johnny-cake board, instead of a dripping
pan, hung on every peg in the house. Tfc
corn was cracked into a coarse meal by
pounding it in a wooden mortar. As soon
as swine could be kept away from the bean,
or rather the bears away from them, the
farmers indulged jn a dish of pork and corn,
boiled together, and known among *h* n as
1 "^«mony. Fried pork they calf
Old ijea.
Unlike the French who clustered in vil-
lages, and had their common fields, our
Yankee settlers went the whole length for
individual property. Each settler «ln'mud
for himself four hnndred acres of land,
and the privilege of taking a thousand aeros
more, contiguous to his e'earing. Each one
run-out his own lines for himself chipping
the bark off the trees, and cutting his
in the wood. These claims, so loosely assert-
ed. were called "tomahawk rights," and
were respected by the emigrants.
settler went to felling the timber and chop-
ping house logs, sleeping, meanwhile, under
a bark cover raised on crotches, or «mAw 4
arrangement of all the stars in the Union free' I''8 of one of them that he oould
hardly stomach his bouse, after it was done.
The door was open, the logs unchinked, and
the chimney gaped wide above him; but the
air was too " cluss "—he had to sleep out?
side for a night or two to get used to it.
into the form of a single star.
The resolution of 1818 was as follows;
Resolved, That from and after the fourth
day of July next, the flag of the United
Slates be thirteen horizontal stripes, alter-
nate white and red; that the union consist'
of twenty stars, white in a blue field.
And that on the admission of a new State
in the Union, one star be added to the un-
ion of the flag; and that such addition should
take effect on the fourth of July succeeding
the admission.
The flag planted on the national palace in
the city of Mexico had thirty stars in the
Union. It is now deposited in the depart
ment of State at Washington.
The union of the flag of the United States
now contains thirty-one stars.
Senator Sumner is to have a publie
dinner on his return to Massachusetts.
POPULAS BECBEATION.
Merely taking a walk is a poor snbstitiite
for the more active and manly exercises that
are necessary to develope th% frame and
keep the body in a healthy condition. No
doubt public walks, parks and gardens, are
places well calculated to withdraw thou-
sands from low haunts and intemperate hab-
its, and to lead them, in company with their
families, to purer, more healthful and endu-
ring pleasures. ]But after all, something
more engaging, more exciting, and with more
immediaf and tangible attractions, is re-
quired. if we would compete successfully
with the excitement of the drinking shop,
short lived though it be, and render num-
bers of the population superior to be degra-
ding pleasures too frequent in crowded
towns. For such a purpose is nothing more
desirable, nothing more effective, than the
spread of active out-door exercises among all
ranks of the people. At present, the upper
classes in England are distinguished by their
excellent physique, due in most cases to the
sports of country life with their violent and
fatiguing exercises, which are the chief
agents in preventing the bad consequences
of the late hours, and often of the dissipa-
tion of London life. But among the middle
and lower classes, there is a sad want of
such restorative influences. Cricket, foot-
ball, rifle practice and btJating. where there
FBENCH DESPOTISM.
The London Press (D 'Israelis weekly oiy
gan) has the following;
** Let us roíate a story—not of fandfl «n,
but of the* 19th century in France. A re-
tired prefect of police in Paris, employed as
clerk, a very respectable young married
who, one day, about ten weeks ago, was mis-
sed from his home. His wife came to en-
quire at the house of the ex-prefect, hut hi
had not arrived. Several days passed, and
as it was known that he was habitually
steady, regular and cautious, his disappear-
ance caused the utmost surprise. At length
h's employer, anxious to relieve the distress
of the young wife determined to cany out
an enquiry, and knowing so me thing of
French habits of Government, commenced
his investigation at the Prefecture of Polfen.
The Prefect sainted his dear predecessor,
expressed his serious concern, called np an
official, and directed an immediate inveetig >,
tion. The investigation appeared tp beaa r >.
easy affair, for he soon said: k Tell her that
her husband is perfectly safe." That wan
not considered satisfactory. K Tell her not
to be alarmed, for her husband has only gone
abroad for a short time.V How oould he tell
her th-s 1 That would be no consolation to
her misery. She desired to know what bad be-
come of her husband; she would not believe
he had left her. '• JJe has not left her. Ho
did not gj; he was sent. The troth is, that
was a little of a tattler, and to keep
him safe he has been sent out to Cayenne ;
and now, my dear predeoessor, I sympathise
with the lady's distress, but I n*d not ad-
vise you how to take thia matter, for yon
know— We art a despot****.
One of the aids of tbs New York Chief
of Polios, stats that as manr as iftj
thieves and ballot box staffers have bse*
discovered among the passengers fro*
Caliafornia by the Illinois.
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Crawford, G. W. & Pendleton, W. J. The Washington American. (Washington, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 41, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 13, 1856, newspaper, August 13, 1856; Washington, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth181961/m1/1/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.