Democratic Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 48, Ed. 1, Thursday, November 30, 1848 Page: 1 of 4
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HOUSTON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1848.
VOL. XIII. !iO. 48-WHOLE N0.6?l
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i'
f ELEdRAPH AM) REGISTER,
Published every Thursday, Main Street, Houston by
CR.UGEE. Ss MOORE.
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LAW ON NEWSPAPERS.
o. Tnhrr;in nWfir tliadirconttnuanoe ofitue!rwuiet.tne
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3. If absco!iOT nejlect or refuseto take their papers from
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they hava settled their bill, and order their papers discontinued.
4. Ifjabsribers.reni3ve to other places, without informing
the publishers, and the paper is sent to the former direction,
they are held responsible.
5. The courts have decided tnat refusing to take a paper or
periodical from the office, or removing, and leaving it uncalled for,
is prini facie evidence of intentional fraud !
Judge Thompson, of Inciana, decided recently, "That where
a sub'eribcrto a periodical failed to notify the editor to discon-
tinue the paper, at the end of the time for which ho subscribed,
or pay up the arrearages, he was bound for another year."
a i.n.tlvfiiinN tin ririMiitrmirt nf Pennsylvania decided.
"That where a postmaster failed to notify the publishers of
newsuapirs, tnat taeir papers wcrenoi iuihioi mra oui iiio oi-
Goe, he rendered himself liable farthe subscription.
THE LAW OF MANURES.
We notice that tho question, " Do manures ascend
or descend?" has lately been considerably discussed.
For our own part, wo should no more think 6f aslj-
intr or discussing such a question, than we should
whether moisture ascends or descends. It obviously
Joos both ; and so it is with manures, unletw the term
mamfrefe be restricted to mhier.il substances only
.But though we believe that the valuable parts of
manure may be carried into the air and vr ashed into
Ihe earth, we do not admit the propriety of some of
the positions by which tho fact is attempted to be il-
lustrated. For instance, it is said, "the gases of.ma-
nure ascend, but the sails descend. " The fact is
hrre lost tight of that the same substances are capa-
ble undr different circumstances of assuming both a
a oud and a gaseous form. Such is the case with
carbon, which constitutes the greatest par s of ordina-
ry mauure, as well as-vegetable substances; and also
with nitrogen, which has formerly been held by chem-
ists, (and is indeed held by many chemists,) asHbe
most valuable and important part of manures.
If a heap of manure is left to ferment on the sur-
face of tho earth, or without being covered with some
absorbing substance, its bulk aud weight is greatly re-
duced. What has becomo of the lost portion ' It
has, of course, gone iuto the air, as it would have
done if the mauure had been acted on by fire. The
.u wire, or a certain portion of it, has been resolved
i-t its own original elements, and the carbon and ni-
trogen it contained have again become parts of the at-
nopiiere. Tna nitrogen in manure is in the form of amonla,
andXhat it escapes during fermentation, has been prov-
ed ; it is peraceplible by the smell, and has also by
means of acids been detected in its ascent. Most peo-
ple are familiar with amonia in the form of a salt, and
now that in this form it is extremely volatile, aud
r-.iiily passes into aeriform state. It is also soluble
m water, and is therefore readily washed into the
earth by rams Thus the very substance which form
a salt may become a gas and ascend into the air; or
it may become a liquid and descend into the earth.
Manures may be combined with substances which
will prevent the escape of amouia; such as charcoal
or charcoal dust from coal-pits, peat, muck-soil, and
vegetable or carbonaceous substance generally. If the
process of fermentation is properly regulated, and
the mauure is combined with articles which will ab-
sorb the gases as they are disengaged, there will be
no waste, it may be considered a rule, that whenev-
er smell is emitted by manures, some of their valuable
properties are being dissipated ; heuce their odors
should not be wasted " on the desert air, " they should
be saved and converted into vegetable substances, in
which condition they are not only more agreeable to
the olfactories, but become substantial elements of
animal nutrition.
As to the sinking of mannresj there is positive evi-
dence of the fact We have in many instances seen
its effects to the depth of several feet. On the farm
of Mr. Prentice.near this city, it was noticed lately, I
in digging n-ceuarnear wnero a compost neap naa
been laid, that tlio earth to the1 depth of three feet
from the surface, tnougn it was quito a compact ana
clavev nature, was so impregnated with the qualities
of the manure that they were plainly perceptible.
And 4he effects of manure are always traceable to a
iTreaier or less depth, in proportion to the poriousness
ofthe 8oiI and the quantity of manure applied. It is
Liebigs opinion lhat the soluble parts ot manures,
" phosphates and other salts with alkaline bases,' are
drawn off and wasted to a great extent by precola-
tion.
The depth to which manure should be buried is an
other subject, which in connection with the question
whether they -rise or fall, has be'en'jnuch discussed ;
and some, who believe that manures always ascend,
have arrived at die conclusion that they should be
placed from"" foot to eighteen iuches" underground.
Wo do not suppose it practicable to lay down any
fixed .rule in rejrardto the covering of manures. Some
general principles however may form a guide. It is
evident that manures can only form nutriment to
plants when they are in a soluble condition. In their
application, therelore, the causes wnicn psoauce solu-
tion and decomposition should be regarded. These
causes are principally heat, air and'moisture ; though
in the elimination and assimilation of food by plauts,
lightaad elictricity are evidontly powerful agents.
Most of these principles act with tho greatest lorce
near the snrface. 4t
In some cases, in dressing grass lands we would
spread manures on the top of the ground, but in such?
cases, we would use a well rotted compost, in which
the animal manures had been combined w:tn substan
ces as "would absorb the matters thatdnring fermenta
tion might pass off the reason why wo would prefer
for such a purpose manure that had passed through
the first stages of decomposition in tho manner men
tioned, is that it would bo more readily soluble than in
a fresher state, ami it would be immediately available
to the crop ;vbil at the same time its fertalizing
principles svould be so far combined and fixed as not
to he liable to waste.
But ihe practice of leaving minures entirely on the
snrface, is not in many cases the most judicious, for
the .following reasons :
1. If it is applied iu an unfermeuted state, uncom-
bined with a&sorbaut qualities,-some of its valuable
properties might be lost during decomposition.
2. With hoed crops, iresb or fibrous manures on the
surface of the ground, would be an obstacle, (more or
less according to the quanlily)to cujtivation.
3. Manures of any kind, or in any state, when left
on the surface, might ail to benefit Die crop for which
they were intended.
Let it'be .remembered lhat they tiro only available
to plants chen in aeolubie slate ; aud to bo madsol-
ube,.tbey'naustbe kept moil. We would therefore
cover manures to such a degree as would best secure
the advantages and avoid the dbjectious hero indica-
ted, and no more.
On tleuacious .soil, a mechanical effect is sought to
be produced by manures ; that is friability of soil.
This jiurpose is best accomplished by plowing in
strawy fibrous manures in a fresh or unfermeuted
state. This is obviously, however, quite a different
thing from the application of manures to f:ed a crop.
Mb. CulL
Telegraph Correspondence of the Baltimore Patriot.
Boston, Nop. 3. Dreadful Jlailroad Accident
end Loss of Life. A collision occurred last night on
the Boston and Lynn Ttidlroad, which was attended
with aiterrible sacrifice of life. An extra train had
JeftfLynn about midnight, bringing your reporter with
iiis notes of Mr. Webster's speech delivered there that
ay. After proceeding some distance, on the road, met
the Marblehead train coming down. Before tho cn-
jnncs could be reversed they cnm& together, u"d in Uic
nixt-instance a most dreadful scone was presoute
The forward care were literally annihilated, and tl
passeugers and baggage strewed arouud. Unfortui i
ately, six passengers, whoso names our reporter con'
not ascertain at the time, were killed on tho spot . t
many others were b idly wounded, some, it is fearei
fatally, aud others slightly. It is notasccrtaiuedwei
the censure should rest. (
The Bailrovd Accident at Lvnn. We learn, b
telegraph report, that beside the six killed, there wer
ten to fifteen' persons dangerously injured by the col
Iision of the railroad train on Thursday night on th
Lynn (Miss.) Rtilroad.
Those killed, and nearly all those injured, wcro oi
the Marblehoad train, and belonged to that place
The persons killed were John Cloom, Sam'l Manning
Nathaniel Round-. Henry Trifoy, John Cross, and t
boy unknown. :
Albany, Nov 3, 1848. Election of U. S. Senatot j
in Vermont. The Legislature of Vermont, accordiu
to a previous resolution, yesterday went iuto an elec- p
tion lo supply the vacancy in the U. S. Senate occa ,
sioned by the expiration of Mr. Upham's term. Oi
the third ballot Mr. William Upham was reclcctc.,
over the Cassites aud Barnburners. v
Buffalo, Nov. 3. Shipwreck. The brig Empire
with a-yaluable cargo .of merchandise, was "run inti
atiove St. Clair river'hy the propeller Princeton. Thi 4-
Jinsenuences.-
light procession was marching through the streets last y
night, several persons, hurrahing, "Hitlers, Kiiiers,
assaulted Albert Goleman, aged twelve years, with
cluhs. He sank under their blows aud soou died. His '
murders fell back into the ranks, shouting the same
rallying cry. Two other persons, Samuol Maple and
G. W. Robberts, were also severely-wounded by pis-
tol shots. The deceased was a sor of Mr. Nathan'
Coleman.
TRANSLATION.
San Jerommo, Aug. 12th, 1848.
Messrs. Croger & Moore, '
Gentlemen,
With a desire to some extent, to serve the cause of I
the old settlers of Texas, who aro wantonly attacked '
by those who come into the country with their clean
hands, to snatch from them the fruits acquired by
persoverance aud fortitude, I enclose you herewith a
communication, solicting you, that should you deem it
worthy, you will please insert it in your esteemed pa
per.
Although the contents of it aro no now ideas, but
facts well known lo all, yet I soolheny feelings, by
spreading my sentiments before the public, that it
may be known at some future day, how much I de-
plore the great calamity, which a few ambitious men
are about to bring upon our beloved country, for tho
welfare of which we have labored so much.
As Ido not know whether Mr. George Fisher is in
your city, Ido notwritetohim, soiiclinghim to trans-
late the said communication ; but should he be there,
and yon, bo pleased to lay the same before him, he will
do it,' I am sure.
I remain your attentive servant,
J. ANTONIO NAVARRO.
Signed
San Jero.vimo, 12th August, 1848.
Mr. Editor:
I have seen and read in the "Democratic Telegraph
and Texas Register "of 20 ill July last, .several arti-
cles sho'wiug the agitation already beginning, caused
by the new locations on old titled lands.
I am grieved to see that my predictions are begin-
ning to be verified. Texas knows that I have always
opposed with warmth within and without the Legis-
lature, all persecution of the land titles; because I have
considered it unworthy of a just people, and contrary
in all its aspects to the peace of the country.
Where is the honest man, who does not perceive,
that these attempts to seek delinquents and to locate
upon the lands of the peaceable and innocent, is noth-
ing less than a fiendish striving to usurp the property
of another, under tho mantle of legality?
In regard to the dreamed of delinquents, the famous
8th Section of the General Provisions of the Constitu-
tion of the late Republic of Texas, has been invoked;
which was made the master key, wherewith to bring
to light the hidden offences.
That 8th Section of the General Provisions of tho
said Constitution, written on thoso scraps of paper, un-
der circumstances which no honorable gentleman
-wishes to remember any more, for the lovo to our coun
try and oat of respect to tho patriots, who were .com-
pelled by the insurmountable difficulties of those times
to adopt such measures.
That 8th Section of the General Provision of the
Constitution of 1836, which the Representatives of the
people of Texas feigned to adopt, or which they have
adopted as the only salvation, and which is alike the
case on board of tho ill fated ship, tossed upon the
tempestous sea, without a rudder and about being lost,
when the crew is driven to the necessity to draw lots,
and tho wretched individual who draws tho fatal lot
bocomestho prey to his more,, fortunate companions;
but when thoy arrive into a port of safety, then they
mourn and ropant, yea, even strive to forget "the re-
membrance of that abject necessity.
Thus, what in 183G appeared a necossary justice,
in 1848, and in future, will appear u public dishonor,
and a crime against the sound intentions of t ho com-
munity. Tho means to which nations resort, are gonerally the-
same as those resorted to by individuals ; in cases of
confusion and surprise, they are opposed to those in
cases of calm and reflection, by nations as well a3 by
i individuals.
The sudden enrprise perplexes the mind of a man,
and during theso intervals 6T giddiness th'o concept
lions are confused; on the contrary quietness and re-
flection generally produco just conceptions aud noble
and generous sentiments.
Hence it is inferred, thatthe good sense of the peo-
ple of Texas does not -wish to blazon the errors of those
melancholy days of 183G, because it venerates much
those first patriots, who have had the noble daring to
conceive and proclaim the liberty of Texas, breaking
asunder forever the chains of despotism, and certain-
ly docs not desire to mako a display of a deviation or
irregularity which was necessasy'for the achievement
of lhat same liberty.
It does not desire, I repeat, because there is no fur
ther necessity of the application of this political caus
tic of tho 8th Section of said Constitution, which lay-
buried iu the tomb of a departed Government.
Twelve, or thirteen years have since elapsed with-
out either the Courts or Juries of Texas, consisting
J more or lew; of w.se and patriotic men, have either
been unwilling or unable to docido iu tho affirmative,
during the same time, neither the peoplo nor the press
of the country Have seriously egitatcd the same.
Why should it be so ! I will venture to answer it ;
because the majority of the old seAticrs of Texas con
sista of honest men, "not to Ziize and confiscate in-
dividual properly, (as said by Mr. R. Johnson in the
Senate of the United States in the session of the 10th
of January, 1848) which is abhorrent lo every sense
of justice, which would be an act of barbarism, a dis-
honor lo the age in which wc lire, and c stain upon
our national character.
Accept honest Senator of the United States or
America ihe gratitude of a great portion of tho State,
ofToxas, and rest .assured that that dectrinc will
forever honor the memory of the immortal Washing-
ton ! -
B nt Mr. Editor, let us return now to the new land
locators..
It is true, that tho law roiuired of tho settler among
other conditions, to be a Roman Catholic christian
notlo alienale hi laud to foreigners ; to settle the
same within six years ; lo erect permanent landmarks
(of stone masonry) and to be amoral man aud of good
repute, &c, &c.
Well, then according to the preceding, tho condi-
tion "to be a Roman Catholic Christian" was una-
voidably the first, without which, there could be no
title ? Aud will the Americans dare to maintain rig-
orously that ridiculous prerequisite, which destroys
that of their own compact 1 If it Jjs so, then set it
down that most of the old settlers were not Roman
Catholic Christians; therefore they never acquired
'their titles ; because they were null and void from bo-
ginning, hence those lands always belonged to Mexi-
co and were not 'individual, property, therefore the
majority of the people of Texas- at leasts held their
lands " under false 'colors," consequently they bo--IoiumFo
their fi5towner,5wli!cliisthe GoVernrrierifof
Mexico;' because to admit that the, majority of these
old colonists had no lauds with lawful titles, but tha1
their rights and claims must inuure to the State of
Texas, a'ppears to me to be the most contradictory ab-
surdity. If their titles were from tho beginning wrongfully
granted.jthen it is evident that they never were the
lawful inhabitauts of tho country, therefore, tho ma-
jority of the peoplo of Texps never had a right to de-
clare their independence from Mexico; and consequent-
ly, the country being considered up lo the present as
a wilderness, there is no individual who could Have
delegated the authority for decisions to the Courts of
Justice of Texas, and much loss authority to the now
land locators, to point out certain lands without title,
and belonging only to tho Mexican Government.
Let those gentlemen at once solicit them of the Mexi-
can Government, for the laws and conditions of which
they seem to be so zealous; but they will do no such
thing, because thoy worship hands, and revorpnee laws
and conditions, which they would rathersee burnt.
"To settle it within six years," Is another of the
conditions.
Let it bosupposod, lhat the wilderness which the
Commanche and other savage tribes of Indians have
inhabited,-and do still inhabit, has always been vacant
lands of Texas; one or more colonists have selected
their lauds, and the title was grunted to them for a
vacant tract on the head waters of the Trinity or Bra-
zos rivers; could ho or they have settled and cultiva
ted the same within tho suid six years, aud comply
with thai insurmountable conditiou, taking into con-
sideration the peculiar circumstances in which Texas
was at that time? It is a well established principle of
law, that insurmountable difficulty as a condition, is
"ipso facto" null and void, there is no law which re-
quires the performance of impossibilities.
There is yet more ; the 26th Article of the Coloni-
zation Law, which'cstabltehes the'penalty of the "for-
feiture of tho land," declares also, "that the Political
Authority will recall the title;" then it is evident that
the conditions of the titles which were not recalled at
the expiration of those six years, by tho Political Au-
thority must have been fully complied with, conse-
quently they have not incurred into the penalty of
forfeiture.
Yes Sir, in reality they have incurred into no such
penalty, and no one can cite a single case where tho
former Government of Coahuilaand Texas has enforc-
ed the rigidity of tho law to,the point to which theso
punctilious new land locators desiro to carry it, even
by appealing to laws and conditions entirely barred by
prescription, because the lawful owner of those lands,
which was the ancient Government, has not deemed
it necessary to enforce them in due time. Do the new
locators know, that by the Spanish civil law, still in
force in Mexico, a grant obtained from the Govern-
ment with a title, in good faith, becomes absolute, af-
ter the lapse of one year and one day; and if tho Gov-
ernment, within that year and day, that granted mo
the land, with a title, does not require the per-
formenco of the conditions thereof, of me who have ac-
cepted the land in good faith, nor docs make any
objection within the premises, the land so titled is
mine, after the expiration of one year and one day.
" Not to alienate the land to foreigners" is anoth-
er condition of tho grant. Take heed with the rigidi-
ty of this condition, unless you prepare one half of the
peoplo'of the United States to fight thoothor half 1
" To erect permanent (stoue masonry) Landmarks
c-c. Who did or could erect them on tho vast extent
of wilderness tracts, infested by savage Indians, and
surronnded by many other obstacles, and subject to
many difficulties?
'To be amoralman of good repute, -c.,' is anoth-
er conditiou. This condition is so vague, aud suscept-
ible to so many interpretations that it can be alleged
with much force, ovenhy those, who strive to despoil
their neighbors of their possessions.
But admitting (without granting it) that the old ti-
tles have all thoso defects,wo may ask those moralized
defenders of the fulfillment of the Mexican laws, do
you, gentlemen, know whether tho laws of prescrip-
tion relative to ownership, in all cases, required by
thosevlaws, are fulfilled ? Do you know, whether the
limitation laws of the second government, which was
that of tho lato Republic of Texas are fulfilled? Dare
you to invalidate tho titles barred for a series of years,
by the various laws of limitation, under the ridiculous
pretext that yeu have not known the Commissioner
ho issued them, the witnesses, tho hand writing in
which they aro written, or tho language in which they
iro framed. If such subterfuges were admitted iu our
Courts of justice, it would be necessary lo repudiate
the jurisprudence of all nations.
In conclusion, the question iu regard to tho validity
of the old land titles ought to be reduced to the follow-
'ng, viz :
Can it bo proven that the grant was mado by the
( icieut Government without fraud? sthe title issu-
: 1 by a proper Commissioner of the said Government,
-.nd according to the usages of thoso times? Has
!ie grantee paid the government dues corresponding
uthe land? If so, then the title is perfect without
t ntering into detailed investigation, which docs nei-
her behoove nor eoucern the now government, and
which is dangerous to the peace of the country, bo-
cause it is seeking proofs lo destroys the very society
tsclf which seeks them; which will inevitably happen
I i Texas, if thoso locations are not restrained; aud that
i to foregoing imperfectly digestcdrc marks may serve
f i aii admonition, I solict you will be pleased to msort
tern in your esteemed paper, for which you will
uch obligo A
Your obedient servant,
J. A. N.
. See Laws of tho Republic of Texas, 4th Cou-
ess, page 4 Sec. 2. Also tho Constitution of the
tate ok Tcxas, Article 13, Sec. 3.
Note of the Translator.
Messrs Cruger & Moojie,
Gentlemen:'
In consequence of my absence from this.city, and
other ueccssaryengagements since my return home,
I could not comply with tho desire of our mutual
frisnd, the Hon. J. A. Navarro, until the present
time, hence the great delay in laying before the pub-
lic the preceding communication; which cause you
will please notice for tho satisfaction of the author
and reader, and much oblige
Yourob't. serv't.
GEO. FISHER.
Houston, Noy. 21st, 1848.
AN ACCOUNT OF JELLACHICH.
Joseph Von Jellachich, Ban of Croatia.
The following sketch of this remarkable man,
now the champion of Absolutism in the Aus-
trian empire, will be read with interest at the
present period. It is extracted from a letter
dated the 20th of Sept'br. last, before it was
.known that the Ban .was the tool of the Em-
peror, and pitblisheH jq the London Chronicle.
j-JithayeJhaJjyjcasipjijpjnjto .converse with
'Jellacliichy He'isra''mah ofthe'middle-'h'eigTitT
of a powerful and firmly knit frame, forty-nine
years of age, in his youth of a delicate con-
stitution but now enjoyiug excellent health.
His head is bald at the top, but encircled with
a fringe of jet black hair : he has a high fore
head, bushy eye-brows, a mild, clear, dark
eye, an aquelme nose, a finely chiselled mouth,
with an expression of great decision of char-
acter. He leaves the impression upon the
observer of a man ofamUd but determined
-character, fully confident of his own powers.
He has not one particle or pride about nim,
and one would scarcely look upon him as the
leader of a wild race, or a man of high ambi-
tion. His voice is soft ; his education is en-
tirely German ; he speaks German as if it
were his native tongue, and with the Austrian
accent ; he is a great admirer of the German
language and literature, but his Slavonic na-
tionality scorns the German arrogance which
disdains anything Slave ; he speaks the Hun-
garian, Croatian and Italian languages equally
well ; he is unmarried, does not posses, and
does not care for riches, but is devoted to his
nation. It was only last year that he was
Colonel of a Granzer or Frontier Regiment,
which was annihilated in an expedition on the
Turkish frontier; he himself escapingralmosl.
miraculously in a shower of balls. The secret
of his influence oveVthe Croats is, that he is"
a Croat, and proud to be one, and all his ener-
gies' are turned toward one object to procure
for his nation that position in Hungary which
they claim. He speaks the dialect of the
people 4It is the language of my beloved mo-
ther,' (he said to me one day) 'and I am proud
that I can speak it.' Their Ban and their
general, he converses with his Croats, and'
tells them things they had never dreamed of
visions of honor and glory. It is no won
der that when he appears, every eye is turned
upon him that they listen, open-mouthed, to
what he says, and that they are ready to follow
him to Buaa, Pesth, Vienna or Milan. When
they see him they shout their enthusiastic
"Zivio," (let him live !) and will follow him
anywhere."
The Cholera. Dr. John S. Bowron, (one
of the Medical Committee on the cholera in
1833,) has addressed a letter to the Mayor of
New York upon Uie Asiatic cholera, and the
means of preventing its ravages, in which he
says that the Sanitory Committee of Great
Britain sustain all the opinions advanced by
the Medical Committee of New York fifteen
years since. The following facts are urged
by Dr. B. upon the Mayor and Common Coun-
cil, and are equally deserving of attention
here :
In a communication of this kind it would
be impossible to give even a general state-
ment of the accumulated mass of evidence that
has been collected in ever country where
the cholera has prevailed, showing most con-
clusively that in all parts of the world, clean
liness, tree ventilation and temperance, united
with the ordinary comforts of life, are a never-
failing preventive of the prevalence of cholera;
and that filth and uncleanliness abounding
in cities and habitations of the poor-and pro-
fligate portion of the community, united with
atmospheric gases, are the unfailing sources
from which the infection of cholera is gener-
ated and propagated.
A very few facts will be sufficient to prove
to the satisfaction of every one the truth of
these positions. When cholera first made its
appearance in Calcutta, a few weeks after its
first appearance at Jessore, it was completely
governed by the circumstances we have men-
tioned. . It is well known that the city of Culcutta is
in reality divided into two parts the English
portion, which has boen designated the "City
of Palaces," and the native, town, which is
made up of the miserable huts and habitations
of the poor and wretched people of that coun-
try. The English portion, in consequence of
its cleanliness and free ventilation, was al-
most totally exempt from the ravages of cho-
lera ; while the native town, inhabited by the
poor and destitute, and abounding iu all kinds
of filth and uncleanliness, was visited by the
most frightful destruction of human life. The
pestilence swept through the town with all
the destructive fury of fire.
In every Eastern city or town the same
facts were always observed. Cities situated
on elevated grounds, surrounded by pure air,
and kept perfectly clean and well ventilated,
uniformly escaped the pestilence, while all
those places where a different condition of
things existed cities built on low grounds,
surrounded by marshes and malarious dis-
tricts of country were the localities where
this scourge swept down its victims by thou-
sands. In this country the same facts were uni-
formly witnessed. All places abounding with
accumulated human filth and wretchedness
were the localities where the pestilence spent
its fury. In this city all those sections where
vast numhcis were congregated together, in
miserable habitations, reeking with pestilen-
tial human effluvia, and a foul, contaminated
atmosphere, the disease spread with desolat
ing severity, while all those neighborhoods
whero cleanly habitations, and pure, uncon-
taminated air existed, there, cholera did not
prevail.
Nearly all thoso cities in the United States
which are distinguished for the cleanliness of
their streets and houses, and the temperance
of their inhabitants, escaped the pestilential
cholcia. Tho city of Boston, which is dis-
tinguished for its clean and well ventilated
streets? and houses, almost entirely escaped
front the ravages of cholera in 1832-3.
Momania. A. C. Thomas, iu the Messenger, jjq-
lutes an anecdote of a monomaniac in one of tho Penn-
sylvania stale: prisons, on the subject of prison discip-
line, which has been made a topic of much discussion
and action among the moralists of America and Eu-
rope within the last several years. '1 his man is an
Englishman, and at home took so active an interest
iu tho question of prison discipline, that he resolved to
-come to this country and test the condition of our
prisons by his own experience. But let Mr. Thomas
toll his own story.
A young Englishman, named Harding, came to
Philadelphia a few yeurs ago and made application lo
the warden of the penitentiary to be received and
treated in all respects as a'convict. He was very gon-
toel in'bolh dress and manner, had manifestly recciv-
cd more than an ordinary education, and was famil-
iar with- Miss Martiheau and other English writers ou
prisoir discipline. His object, as he expressed it, was
to test by his own experience the effects of separate
confinement en body aud mind. His application was
rejected.
Next he preferred a similar request to the warden
of the Moyameusiug prison; and.on.being refused qui- .
etly stated'tqat if he could iiotbe admitted without,
ho wourdicommlt ajjreach of law in order to gain his
endvrln..vfunv wasjhfteasonedwiUijrrhe. had made
up'his-mind ahbVthe authontiesmiglit clfo6se"be"
tween receiving him at his own request, or by sentence
of a magistrate.
The matter was referred to the Mayor. " If you
threaten to commit an offence against tho laws, I
shall be obliged to commit you."
"Very good, sir; that is precisely what I wish,"
was the reply.
" Can you find bail for your observance of Ihe law? "
said the Mayor.
" No sir and if I could, I would not. I wish to go
to prison.
Whereupon a committal was "made out, Harding
expressed his thanks for thefkindness, and was
committed to the cell. t -r
It will scarcely be crcdited,yet'it is a fact, that for
eighteen consecutive months he persisted in being trea-
ted precisely as a criminal. The patience of the war-
den being exhausted bythis singular inhuman persis-
tence, he demanded that tho cell should be vacated,
and Harding departed.
Not however was he satisfied. Being paid a draft
of 10 sterling, which he had brought with him from
Bugland, he roamed about Philadelphia a faw weeks
aud then renowed his application to be admitted as a
convict in the Eastern Penitentiary. He had tried
Moyamensing, he said, and now he wished to try
Cherry Hill.
Tho warden consulted tho" directors and also the of-
ficers of the Society of the Sons of St. George, and
by advice received Harding on the footing of a crimi-
nal, for experiment. His health gavo way, and in a
little moro than two mouths ho consented to leave the
celfand officiate as a clerk. He was an admirable
penman and accountant.
. Abou that time there was much excitement in the
public prints, occasioned by the death of a convict in
Sing Siug prison, byjreason, as it was alledged, of ter-
rible corporeal punifhmeut.
" It must be a curious place, " he' said : " I should
liko to try their peculiar discipline.
To accomplish this object he wroto to his Hither in
England for funds. The warden felt justisfied in
withholding tho letters; and at the end of four months
the young man was persuaded to return to his kiu-
dred. His passage was paid, and the money after-
wards relumed by the father, accompanied by his.
most grateful acknowledgements to Mayor Swift, the
wardens of Hit prison, the officers of St. George's So-
ciety, &c, for kindness manifested to his soil. The
character of the latter was abovo reproach but busi-
siness, friends, home and all other charms, wcro swal-
lowed up by monomania on tho subject of prison dis-
cipline. AN EMIGRANT'S SUFFERINGS.
The little narrative we give below, tho N. Y. Ex-
nrH ! !KitrHH is ts nn n'nrtnif tain." A stranfra fa
tality seems to have lollowedlhe poor waaaexexaa.g.
coon as they set foot upon our snores.
" Some weeks since a party of Germans, some 120
in number, with comfortable moans, arrived at this
port from Havre. Among them was a family by the
name of Freiburg husband, wife aud three children.
Oue of.the children was detained at the Marine Hos-
pital, Staten Island, sick with the small pox, and tho
other members of the family proceeded on tho way to'
their destination Buffalo. When they reachcdSche-
nectady county, the wife and two children wore taken
sick with the small pox, and were placed in the poor
house for recovery, and the husband proceeded on-
ward. When ho reached within about a milo of Fort
Plain, as he was standing on tho deck of the canal boat,
while passing the lock, he struck his head against the
bridge over him, and his hrains were dashed out. On
this information comiug to the kuowledge of the un-
fortunato wife, .she immediately proceeded to the sceno
of the latter disasterand found that tho parly with
whom theyJiad been in company, had proceeded on-
ward, taking with them the'baggage of this un-
fortunate family, in one of the trunks of which was
upwards of $300. The poor woman without a pen-
ny in her pocket, took to the road on foot fjrthis city
to look after the child which was left hero, and reach-
ed this city on Friday, and made application to tho
Commissioners of Emigration, who took charge of the
poor woman, and immediately forwarded communi-
cations to their different agents on the route, to for-
ward the sufferer as quickly as possible after the par-
ty and her property, in which praiseworthy endeavor
it is to be hoped they will be successful."
The Tendencies of France. The Paris correspon-
dent of tho New York Commercial, relates a remark-
able conversation between Cavaignac and Ledru Rol-
liu, which he avers he had from a member of the Na-
tional Assembly, who was present at it. Cavaignac
asked whether another revolution were not expedient
now; whether it would not be better to dissolvo tho
Assembly, appeal to tho Democratic feeling of the
country, and instal a revolutionary government, of
course Cavaignac and Ledru Rollin would be membors,
and Ihcy would retain their power, until tho country
was thoroughly revolutionized and republican. To
these questions the reply of Ledru Rollin is said to have
been that they wero not sufficiently socialist, to under-
take such a movement with the prospect of advantage
to the country; they did not represont the more ad-
vanced shade of public opinion, and tho consequence
would be that in any such violent change thoy would
soon be put asldo, to make way for men who were de-
cidedly socialist.
The following official article is copied from
a late paper brought by the Hibernia :
Her Majestv's Ship Daedalus, Hamoa-
ze, Oct. 11.
Sir. In reply to your letter of this day's
date, requiring information as to the truth of
a statement published in the Globe newspa-
per, of a sea serpent of extraordinary dimen-
sions having been seen from Her Majesty's
ship Dajdalus, under my command, on her
passage from the East Indies, I have the ho-
nor to acquaint you, for the information of my
Lords Commissioners of the Admirality, that
at 5 o'clock i. M., on the 6th of August last,
in latitude 24 44' S., and long. 9 22' E., the
weather dark and cloudy, wind fresh from the
N. W., with a long ocean swell from the S. W.,
the ship on the port tack heading N.E. by N.,
something very unusual was seen byMr. Sar-
toris, midshipman, rapidly approaching the
ship from before the beam. The circumstance
was immediately reported by him to the offi-
cer of the watch, Lieutenant Edgar Drum-
mond, with whom and Mr. William Barrett,
the master, I was at the time walking tho
quarter deck. The ship's company were at
supper. Ou our attention being called to tho
object, it was discovered to bo an nnormous
serpent, with head and shoulders kept about
four feet constantly above the surface of the
sea, and as nearly as we could approximate,
by comparing it with the length of what our
maintopsail yard would show in the water,
there was at the very lcat siUy feet of the
animal ajleur d'eau, no portion of whichvas,.
to our perception, used in propelling it through
the water, either by vertical or horizontal un-v
dulation. It passed rapidly, but so close un;
der our lee quarter, that had it been a man.oif
my acquaintance, I should have easily re"cpg-'
nized his features with the naked eye ; and it
did not, either in approaching the ship or after
it had passed our wake, deviate in tho sligh-
test degree from its course to the S. W., which
it held on at the pace o$rom twelve to. fifteen
miles an hour, apparently on some determined
purpose.t The diameter of the serpent was
about fifteen or sixteen inches behind the
head, which was, without any doubt, that of a,,
snake, and never, during the twenty minute's
that it continued in sight of our glasses, was
below the surface of the water ; its color a
dark brown, with yellowish white about tho
throat. It had no fins, but something like the
mane, of a horse, or rather a bunch of sea-
weed washed about its back. It was seen by
thlrquartermasler, the boatswain's mate, and
the.man at the wheel, in addition to myself
emu uiuLcia iiuuic lUBiuiuiitru. x ajn navmg;
adj'ng.ofthepjmjadfjni.
iukuii immeaiaieiy-auer it was seen, wnicn 1
hope to have ready for transmission to my
Lords Commissioners of the Admirality, by
Jthe morro's post.
I have, &c,
Peter McQuahae, Captain.
From Chamber's Edinburgh Journal.
THE TUBE BRIDGE.
There are men who are in raptures with the engin-
eering skill which reared the Pyramids, built BaalbecV
and adorned Petra, but turn with a smile of pity" to "
the " puny efforts, " as they call them, of modern
times. If the eye of such persons rests upon this place,
let them accompany us while we describe' one of the
most surprising and stupendous efforts of modern en-
gineering enterprise the Tube Bridge and they vill
become acquainted with a work which. Egypt and tho
mcients might have been proud of, but could never
have executed. Conway and the Menia Strait3 have
already become celebrated by the elegant and romantically-placed
suspension bridges which havejong been
.heir great attraction to tourists. At the latter posi-
tion, indeed, a work of almost unparalleled magni-
tude and formidable difficulty existed a vast monu-
ment to the talent and perseverance of one of. our
greatest engineere the Menai Bridge. And the sus-
pensionBridge at Conway, though less in point of size,
yet presents us with a work of constructive skill cer-
tainly not inferior to its more vast competitor, aud de-
nveda peculiar charm from its points of support-beings
portions of the o!d-and massive ruins of the Conway
Uastlev . Bothfthese places are destined to receive- a
new attraction, and become the scenes of a fresh.an'd
more memorable triumph of mind over matter, of hu--nian
skill over natural obstacles. Although the prepa-
rations for the greatest dfthese.undertakings. the Bri-
taunia Tubular Bridge are far advanced, and large
portions of it are already completed there being no
! uouoimaiino wnoie structure win oe at no distant
: period fixed, and in full work yet as tho Conway
Tube is tho-only one which is perfected as yet, and up-
on which actual working has commence J, we shall
confine our account to this alone. But it may be men-
tioned lhat both of these tubular bridges although
tho one at Conway is inferior in proportions and iu
SI weight to the Britannia are constructed on similar
principles, and are in other respects alike, both in their
object and form, and in the mechanical adjustment by
means of which they are placed in situ.
The idea of a tube bridge is one of those original
conceptions which aro the birth, not of an individual's "
life, but of an era. It is one of thoso truly unique and
rare productions a new and valuable fact. No one
apifetfrSjlo have dreamed of such a thing before. Iu
geniousjieople, who take an unkind pleasure in pul-
ling do wnThc High lame of othcrs,Thave found, aslhey
imagine, the originals of suspension 'brUgesilTtlie rude"
contrivances of American Indians to cross a gully;
but no one can point to a tube bridge as the invention
of any time or country but cur own. If, therefore, it-
can be truly shown that not only has a -navel system
been discovered, but also that it possesses such advan-
tages in an engineering papit of view as are possessed
by none other previously discovered, Mr. Stephenson
the engineer may be fairly pointed to as one of those fl
Iustriousmea in whom a happy union of originality of
talent, with indomitable patience in working out its
conceptions, has largely added to the resources of sci-
euce,and, by necessary consequence, largely benefitted
th&human race. All sorts of forebodings, and these, as
indeed is too commonly tho case, from men of pre-
eminent practical skill and scientific attainments fore-
told certain failures to the daring enterprise which pro-
posed to cast a huge tube over a strait, that men might
travel in security through its interior. The pronosi-
tifln also to construct this great aerial tunnel of wrought
iron was entirely novel, and it remained for a time,
experience, and experiment, to show- iu applicability
to the purpose in question.
jjfJFrom what wo havo been able to gather, it appears
that Mr. Robert Stephenson at first conceived the idea
that a tubular bridge ofthe circular form would be the
strongest; but being unable, in consequence of numer-
ous professional avocations, to undertake personally to
carry out the requisite experiments, he committed this
important task to the able hands of Mr. Fairbairn of
Manchester, under his owu immediate inspection.
Much credit is due to this distinguished machinist for
the experiments which he instituted with a view to
ascertain the proper principles on which to compose
such a structure, particularly with respect to the two
grand conditions of strength and lightness. Having
so far satisfied himself on theso points, he constructed a
model tube on a large scale, containing nearly all the
features of tho proposed bridge.
The form of a circular tubo was found defective in
mauy respects, and the idea of constructingthe bridge
ofthatfonn was soon abandoned. Tubes were also-
constructed of ellipictal and rectangular forms,
with various results. Eventually a square tube, was
decided upon ; and tlio investigations wero now con-
tinued, to evolve the principles upon which this form
might bo rendered of suScieut strength to resist verti-
cal and lateral violence. At first, Mr. Fairbairn con-
ceived that the strongest form would bo one in which
the top and bottom of tho tuba consisted of ar series of
pipes arranged in a hollow compartment, covered
above aud below by iron plates riveUd together, and
having a parallel direction to tho long axis ofthe tube.
By this means great rigidity was communicated to the
top, to resist the immense compression it would nec-
essarily enduro ; and the bottom would be equally
stronc, to resist the tension which it would be subject
to. And thfe form would probably have been adopted,
bit for-several practical difficulties which presented
themselves to its construction, and to its repair ifacci-
dentally injured.
The model tube, tho form of which was to be ad-
opted in the large scale, was finally formed of a squaro
shape, with longitudinal cellular compartments, also
square, at the top and bottom. The ecafe was exact-
y one sixth of the bridgo across ono of the spans; of
the Manai Straits ; it was also one sixth of tho depth,
one sixth ofthe width, and, as nearly as possible, one
sixth of the thickness of tho iron plates. Thus it was
80 feet long, 4 feet six Jnches deep, 2 feet 8 inches
wide, and rested on" two. supports, the distance
between which was 75 feet. The entire weight of
this large model was between 4 and 5 tons. It was
now subjected to the severe experiments which were
to test its strength. Tho weight was attached to its
centre, and increased ton by ton, tho deflection being
carefully noted, together with tho entire weight of tho
load After three experiments, in which various de-
fects were discovered, the conclusion arrived nt ofthe
extromo point of resistance ofthe model tubo placed it
about 56 tons ; in other words, its breaking weight
was 56 3 tons. This result proved highly satisfacto-
ry, and exhibits in a remarkable manner the extraor-
dinary resistance offered by a tubo of this construc-
tion to a load more than eleven times its own weight,
Mr. Fairbairn adds, that it is probably not overrating
the resisting powers of this tubo to btato that hollow
beams of wrought iron, constructed on the same prin-
ciple, will be fuund, whether used for bridges orbuild-
iugs, abotit three times stronger than any other de-
scription of girders. The principles for the construc-
tion of tho great bridge wero thus satisfactorily deter-
mined, and Ihe accuracy of tho engineers conjectures
as to this method of bridge build'ng was fully estab-
lished. .
In the early part of 1847, tho Conway Tube Bridge
S
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Moore, Francis, Jr. Democratic Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 48, Ed. 1, Thursday, November 30, 1848, newspaper, November 30, 1848; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48522/m1/1/: accessed May 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.