Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, D.C.)
March 15, 1834
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THE GAZETTE:! By EDGAR SNOWDEN. Terms. Daily paper $3 per annum. Country paper 5 per annum. The ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE for the coun try is printed on Tuesday,.-Thursday, and Saturday. All advertisements appear in both papers, and are inserted at the usual rates. _ STEAM BOAT WILLIAM PENN. The undersigned, a Committee ot the Board of Directors of the New Castle and Frenchtown Rail Road Company, having examined into the circumstances connected with the destruction by fire of the fine boat Wm. Penn, on the even ing of Tuesday, the 4th instant which was un* fortunately attended with the loss of four lives, submit the following as the result of their inves tigations. About half past 5 o’clock on the evening afore said, the William Penn, on her return from New Castle, having on board about one hundred and j fifty passengers, and being about one mile this side of Gloucester Point, was discovered to be j on fire, the flames bursting out with great vio- j lence on the windward side of the boat, outside of the larboard boiler near the after end of it.— The committee are satisfied that it was commu nicated to the wood near the boiler by means of a fissure through the sheet iron work of one of the return flues of the furnace which had ei ther escaped the vigilance of the workmen by whom it had been examined two days previous ly, or which was of still more recent origin. The wood which first became ignited was un usually dry. and therefore burnt with great ra pidity, and the combustible nature of the bulk heads, and slight upper deck of the boat, togeth er with a strong westerly wind, aided its pro gress, so that in a few minutes but little hopes were entertained of being able to save the boat. The efforts of Captain Jeffries, and his crew to do so, seem, nevertheless, not to have been aba ted while the slightest chance of success remain ed. A hole was cut through the upper deck, and a large quantity of water was thrown on the fire, without producing any sensible effect: the hose was rigged to the forcing pump near the bow of the boat, but so great was the press of passengers in its vicinity, that it could not be worked, and in the mean time the progress of the flames and the alarm had reached such a pitch, that nothing remained to be done but to run the boat ashore, in order to preserve the lives of the individuals on board. The tiller ropes having been burnt, this was promptly ef fected by means of the starboard engine—when all the passengers (except three, who jumped overboard into deep water and were drowned) were safely landed. The bodies of those who threw themselves into the river, were immediate ly recovered and conveyed to the city, where every effort was made that medical skill could devise to resusitate them, but in vain. One of these unfortunate persons was in the bow' of the boat, out of danger, and rushed to wards the stern through the flames, to meet his death, by precipitating himself into the water, although begged by Captain Jeffries to re main where he was. The fourth passenger who is deceased, was in feeble health, and died the day succeeding the disaster, it is supposed in consequence of having been in the wmter. Several horses, a portion of the mails, and the largest part of the baggage, were saved; and no doubt exists in the minds of the Com mittee that all the passengers might have been rescued without difficulty but for the panic which is natural, and perhaps unavoidable, on such an occasion. It appeared, however, that the greatest presence of mind was preserved by the engineers, firemen, and crew generally, one of whom held up a portion of the bulk head which the tire hud forced out, and called to the pass ngers to go forward, whilst he thus confin ed the flames and prevented the passage from being interrupted. As soon as the fire was dfccovered.the safety valves were raised, to prevent the additional danger of explosion of the boilers. Captain Jeffries remained on board exer ting himself to save the property of the passen gers after all were out of the boat, and was him self the last person to leave her. The Committee, in giving these details of the iv\a1 i^nhrvttr /luom it thoir t n express their thanks, on behalf of the Company, to the master ferrymen and the captains and crews of the steam and other ferry boats, both of this city and Camden, as well as to many others, whoso promptly repaired to the William Penn, and rendered every assistance which the nature of the case would permit. The Committee, after a very close investiga tion, are enabled to state their decided convic tion, that the persons already announced as dead are all that lost their lives on this distressing oc casion. On the whole, the Committee consider the fire to have been entirely accidental; and while they are of opinion that it ought to induce additional care on the part of those engaged in steam navi gation. they are unable to perceive that want of prudence or caution can be attributed to Cap tain Jeffries or the persons employed under him; on the contrary, they deem Captain Jeffries en titled to every confidence, and believe that his conduct in the trying circumstances in which he was placed was deserving of the highest praise. JAMES LEFEVRE, S. KEVINS, WM. D. LEWIS, WM. J. WATSON, Committee, Philadelphia, March 11th. 1S34. An American gentleman, (Mr. Arthur Mid dleton.) it is stated to have become quite con spicuous at Madrid, by the singularity of his dress and manners. He wears velvet clothes, a long beard, and rides about on a long tailed horse? much to the astonishment of the Span iards,’who imagine he is a religious character. He himself sets up, it is thought, as an imitator of the Cid! His appointment as Secretary of legation, has just taken place.—Albany Gaz. The House of Representative of Massachu setts, has adopted the English mode of coughing down a troublesome or an impertinent speaker. One of that class, who thinks he is doing his country a service if he can say a smart thing against a man of a little more property than himself, undertook to make an assertion relative to a gentleman who had just done speaking.— He was stopped short with a direct charge of falsehood. He tried agai n, and thought to reach his purpose by circumlocution. A violent fit of coughing among the six hundred and thirty members put him out and put him down. li Down-East” paper. JOB PRINTING neatly executed at this office From the New York Mir rot. Kean’s last appearance on the Stage.—If you think the following particulars worth the space they will occupy in your excellent journal, per haps you will not object to their insertion. I was in one of the boxes of Covent garden thea tre, on Monday, twenty-fifth of March 1833; the last night that great actor, Edmund Kean, ap peared on the stage. His health, for months, had been so rapidly declining, and his physical energies become so visibly impaired by those long indulged irregularities, which had broken down a naturally vigorous but abused constitu tion, that his acting was rendered generally fee ble, unsatisfactory, and often painful; and even his inability to appear at all when announced, was by no means a rare occurrence. The last effort he made, at all w’orthy of his former fame, was in the early part of the winter, when the im portance of having his Othello brought for the first time in conjunction with the rival talents of Macready in /ago, gave a stimulus to his powers of body and mind, sufficient to sustain him throughout the character. It was universally admitted, that never did his genius display itself more triumphantly. On this occasion, howev er, he was advertised for the same favorite part to the lago of his son, Charles, who, having ne ver before acted with him on the London boards, was warmly greeted on his entree by affolerably numerous audience; but when in the second scene the father entered, as Othello, followed by the son, as /ago, the house rung with reiterated acclamations. The father continued bowing for a considerable time, without producing any diminution in the enthusiastic and loud cheering which prevailed, when, as if suddenly awaken ed to a sense of the circumstance, he turned, and taking his son by the hand, led him a step or two forward, and, with a graceful bow, and one of his most fascinating and characteristic smiles, presented him to the audience. The waving of hats and handkerchiefs, and the doubly-redou bled plaudits which ensued,checked for a. i unusu ally long period, every attempt made by them to proceed with their parts. There was nothing distinguishable in Kean’s performance of the first and second acts, from his usual personifi cation of Othello, except a more than ordinary feebleness in his voice, action and gait; which i 1 as ne nan not many weens previous uiuk.ch down in the midst of the part, was imputed to a designed reservation, or perhaps the fear of too early exhausting what physical strength he might be enabled to call up in order to sustain the third and latter acts: when however became to that memorable apostrophe—“Now forever farewell!” etc. the whole of it was breathed lorth with all that melodious melancholy, so noted in brighter days, and so happily described by the critic, Hazlett, aa “striking upon the heart and imagination like some divine music only min gled with a far greater degree of feeling,” than I had ever before observed, in fact, so deeply affecting were his tones, that as lie half sobbed out the last line, Farewell!—Othello’s—occu pation’s—gone!” i remarked to a friend near me, Poor fel low! I fear that a consciousness of Othello’s des pairing moans being applicable to himself per sonally, has touched his own feeling*.” I seldom remember Kean’s failing, in this particular point, to elicit less than three hearty rounds on ordina ry occasions but on this, they were increased in number and duration. He remained abstract ed and motionless, his chin resting on his breast, and his eyes fixed on the ground for many se conds after every murmer of applause had sub sided, then raising his head from his chest, as from a forgetful slumber, he seemed partially aroused into a sense of his situation with the au dience and the necessity of proceeding; but. in stead of that sudden and infuriate alteration— that towering passion which used to threaten the destroyer of his peace with irresistible and immediate annihilation, he turned slowly and feebly, tottered a few steps towards lago, (who seeing his sinking state, approached him,) and, leaning on his arm for support, and unable to seize him by the throat, he uttered in dis jointed accents, only audible to those quite near him:—“ Villain—be —sure—you—prove”—then throwing himself upon his son’s neck, in a faint and faltering voice, added, Oh God! 1 am dy ing! speak to them, Charles!” The house, though somewhat prepared for a result of the kind, did not anticipate such a decided prostra tion of his faculties, and kept up their applause for nearly a minute, endeavoring to cheer him by showing every mark ofijtdulgence: at length. Charles made an attempt to assist his father for ward, wiien, ms iouk auu manner inuicauug me most pitiful heiplesness, it became evident he could no longer stand alone, and the audience with one accord rose and cried, t;Take h m ofi!” Whereupon, one ofthe performers came on from the wing, and poor Kean, who was trying to bow, was borne off and carried to a house in the vi cinity for the night, and the next day removed to his own residence at Richmond, where he lingered about six weeks before he expired.— Thus terminated the fitful career of an actor— take him for all in all, we nee’r shall look upon his like again!” 1 have the honour to be, gen tlemen, very respectfully your friend and obe dient servant, James H. Hackett. u We understand that seven of the Ohio banks have been fared to stop payment—and that others are tottering.” So says the Albany Daily Advertiser. Why has not our brother enlightened the public by giving the names of those prostrate banks? or at least some one of them?—Journal of Com merce. i We will answer the Journal. The Daily Ad vertiser did not give the names, becase it knew nothing of the matter but what it saw in the two lines above, copied from the Compiler. We did not give the names, because we thought that the information might not be correct. The rumor had its origin with ourselves. And the statement in the Compiler was published on the authority of a letter from a gentleman in Wheeling to a member of the Virginia Legislature. The let ter contained the names of the Banks. We sup pressed them.—Rich. Com. .4 Symptom, if not an E.rplosion!.—We beg leave to inform Mr. Secretary Taney that he would act wisely to be looking after the money which he has illegally diverted from the Bank ofthe United States, and deposited in the Plan ters5 Bank at Natchez. Nine thousand dollars of the bills drawn by that Bank have just been dishonored in this city, and returned under pro test. We are furthermore enabled to state, for Mr. Taney’s edification, though little to the comfort ofthe stockholders, thafthe dividends of the said Planters’ Bank, payable in this city, HAVE NOT BEEN paid. But no matter, Mr. Taney will reply. As my friend Beardsley says—“ Pe rish Commerce! Perish Credit! Give us a bro ken and deranged currency! Give us any thing rather than the Bank of the United States!” Query—How long will it be, at the rate things have gone on, before Mr. Taney and the last of the Romans” will give us a better curren cy” than that of the Bank ofthe United States? New York Com. NAVY DEPARTMENT. Extract of a letter from Master Commandant D Geisinger, to the Secretary of the Navy, dated U. States Ship Peacock, Batavia Roads, July 6th, 1833. Extract from Lieut. Commandant Shield's Re port. 11 Under the impression that you would be de sirous on your arrival at Batavia, of giving in formation with regard to our interests on the west coast of Sumatra, I made particular in quiry in relation to them, whilst at Bencoolen, and have continued to do so since my arrival at Batavia; and am happy in being able to inform you that the result has been highly satisfactory. The operations of the Potomac at Q,uallah Bat too have, it appears, had a salutary influence on the minds of the native inhabitants in the vicini ty, and along the Northwest Coast of the Island generally. Several of our vessels have since visited the coast, have been received in a friendly manner, and have prosecuted their trade there without interruption.” Extract of another letter from on board the Pea cock, under date of 22d July, 1S33. The good effect of the Potomac’s expedi tion to Q,uallah Battoo, is very certain—19 sail of American vessels having been on the coast with in a few months, and several of that number at Cluallah Battoo, and they were received with more apparent kindness than ever before known; they hoped the American Government would never send another ship of war there; and there should nev^r again he any occasion for it.” Legislative Taste in Story Telling.—It has been somewhat the fashion at this session of Congress to illustrate dry political matters by humorous stories. Mr. Patton, of Virginia, in presenting the resolutions of his State respect ing the deposites, and in commenting on the style of Gov. Floyd’s message accompanying those resolutions, tells this story. We do not defend its taste.—N. Y. Amer. There lived in one of the counties of West ern Virginia, a Dutchman named Henry Snyder, and also two brothers, called fiporw and Jakp Fulwiler. They each owned a mill. Henry Snyder was subject to fits of derangement. He conceived himself to be a supreme ruler of the universe, and while under the infatuation, pro ceeded to try all who offended him—he perso nating both judge and culprit. Some difficulty having occurred between Snyder and the Ful wilers, on account of their mills, he, to be aveng ed, proceeded one day to try them. “He was heard to pass the following judg ments, acting as judge, and yet responding for the accused. He called George Fulwiler. “Shorge Fulwiler, stand up. Well, Shorge Fulwiler, hasn’t you got a mill?” “Yes, 1 hash.” Well, Shorge Fulwiler, didn’tyou never take too much toll?” Yes, I hash, when der water wash low, and mine stones wash dull, 1 take a little too much toll “Well, den, Shorge Fulwiler, you must go to der left mid der goats.” He then proceeded to try “Shake Fulwiler” in the same way, and with the same result. Now I tries mines elf Henry Shnyder, stand up. Well, Henry Shnyder, hasn’t you got a mil?” Yes, I hash.” “Well, Henry Shnyder, didn’tyou nevertake too much toll?” “Yes, I hash; when der water wash low, and mine stones wash dull, I hash taken a little too much toll.” But, Henry Shnyder, vat did you do mid de toll?” Ah T gives it to de poor.” (Pausing.) Well, Henry Shnyder, you must .go to der right mid der sheep; but it is a tarn tight sqneze. Now 1 do really think that if President Jack son is to be denounced, and sent to the left for his proclamation, and his cabinet manifesto, Gov. Floyd may find some apology for his pro clamation and cabinet manifesto, which in the eye of official self-complacency may entitle him to claim a place on the right, but it must be by a very tight squeze. DRAWS THIS DAY Virginia State Lottery, For the benefit of the Petersburg Benevolent Me chanic Association, Class No. 5 for 1834, To be drawn at Catts’ Tavern, West End, on Saturday, March 15 scheme: 1 prize of $20,000 I 1 prize of $5,000 1 do of 6.000 |l 1 do of 3,000 20 Capital Prizes of $1,000! &c Tickets $5 00; halves 2 50; quarters 1 25 To be had in a variety of numbers at J. W. VIOLETT’S Lucky Lottery Office, Upper end King Sreet, near the Diagonal Pump. Where was lately sold the Capital Prize of $20 000, in the Virginia State Lottery. fl^ Orders from the country, enclosing the cn>h or prize tickets, promptly attended to. DR A IPS THIS DA Y Virginia State Lottery, For the benefit of the Petersburg Benevolent As'n, Class No. 5 for 1834, To be drawn at Alexandria, Va. on Saturday, March 15 SPLENDID SCHEME! 1 prize of $20,000 1 prize of $5,000 1 do of 6.000 1 prize of 3,000 20 prizes of $1,000! &c. &c. Tickets $5 00; halves2 50; quarters 1 25 On sale in great variety by JAS. RIORDAN. H3* Uncurrent Notes and Foreign Gold pur chased. DRAWS THIS DAY Virginia State Lottery, For the benefit oj the Petersburg Benevolent Class No. 5 for 1834, Will be drawn at Catts’ Tavern, West End, on Saturday, March 15 SPLENDID CAPITALS: 1 prize of $20,000 l prize of $5,000 1 do of 6,000 1 prize of 3,000 20 Capital Prizes of $1,000! &c. &c. Tickets $5 00; halves 2 50; quarters 1 25. D3* Lowest prize 6 dollars To be had in a variety of numbers of J. CORSE, Lottery Exchange Broker, Alexandria. BAROUCHE AND GIGS. A NEAT, strong second-hand Barouche, with Harness complete; and two Top Gigs, with Harness; for sale, low. by mar 14 GEO. WHITE. ALEXANDRIA: SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 15, 1834. THE PROSPECT BEFORE US. On Monday, if nothing prevents, Mr. Web ster will introduce his bill continuing the char ter of the Bank of the United States, with cer tain modifications and amendments. It has ne ver appeared to us to be true policy, or in any event desirable, to shut our eyes to the probable fate of public measures. In this case, particu larly, we consider it proper that no false hopes should be excited—no anticipations of future good created—no rash conclusions formed, from a superficial view of present circum stances. We are bound to look at this subject, as we should at all others, calmly and dispas sionately,—and weigh well the probability of what is likely to occur. For ourselves, we somewhat regret that Mr. Webster has determined to introduce his bill now. And we feel this regret for the candid reason, that we see no possibility whatever of its passing, at least for the present. We would have preferred that the effort should first have been made by both Houses of Congress to vin dicate the Constitution, redeem the public faith, and rebuke power. That acccomplished, and the Treasury placed under the control of Con gress and the proper officer,—then, all thoughts should have been turned to the regulation of the currency and the pecuniary concerns of the nation. Mr. Webster, however, has determin ed, it would seem, to let the two distinct ques tions of the Restoration of the Deposites, and the renewal of the Bank charter, be prosecuted at the same time: and to his superior judgment we may well defer. vve repeat, however, that we do not believe that he will succeed in his present plan at the present time. An intelligent correspondent of the Baltimore Patriot states some of the reasons why he does not see a prospect of Mr. Web ster’s success, and they are the same that pre sented themselves to our minds: ,c On this question (says he,) Mr. Webster not only has to conquer the Kitchen Cabinet, the Regency, and the whole party,” but to con quer the prejudices and interests of many who are acting with him, upon the Constitutional question. New York for example, at present will not give him more than two votes, for there ex ists not only with the Regency party, but with his own political associates, a strong disposition to take the Bank from Philadelphia, and to lo cate it in New York. Mr. Webster not only has this influence to contend with, but he has large portions of the Southern influence also to contend with. Ma ny of the Southern members are sound upon the main, the important object, the abridgment of Executive power, who are not sound upon the Bank question. From them he can hope for no aid.” These considerations appear to us to be con clusive, and we are therefore reluctantly brought to believe that the contemplated attempt to re lieve the country will fail. There is no cause however, because this is thought, why honest and patriotic men should not proceed with a de termined energy, in the prosecution of their plans, to heal the wounds of this bleeding coun try. Under this view of the case, then, what is the prospect before us? Dark and gloomy enough, we confess. The Experiment” will, in our onminn Ko f ruirl rr u n n n /l urml'I n portions of the community, including the agri cultural and manufacturing interests, will pass through the ordeal—worse than red hot plough shares. We shudder when we think of what may occur the ensuing summer amongst a gal lant, but a suffering people, heretofore in the full enjoyment of peace and happiness. B t it is also our opinion—for we have faith in the virtue of an intelligent and free country—that we shall finally rise from degradation, re deemed, regenerated and disenthralled,” from man-worship, subserviency, and sycophancy. Then there will be a cry throughout the land, which will penetrate the walls of Power, and make the parasites of that power quail before the wrath it expresses. Then the good and the great will unite, and a proper and effectual re medy will be made for the disasters which are nowT befalling us. In the mean time, however, for all of w’oe and misery and ruin—for all of bankruptcy and distress—for all of poverty and privation—for all, it may be, (may Providence avert it!) of ri ot, commotion and bloodshed, those forcing this Experiment must answer. When the Re sponsibility wTas taken, the arrogant assump tion was made without dreaming of the real consequences. It is true he wras forewarned; but having eyes he saw’ not, ears and he heard not.” Let him, then, maintain the tremendous responsibility of having prostrated the trade, paralysed the energies, und impoverished a w’hole country, over which he wras called to preside by the voices of a grateful people. In this view of the prospect before us, then, we can only hope that every man will act for his country; bear up manfully against the op pressor’s wrongs; deal kindly and gently with his neighbor; bear and forbear; act for the best, and hope for the best—and wrait with patience for the day of deliverance. The U. S. Gazette says—“ Our citizens are anxious to know what is to become of the re port of the Pittsburgh committee, relative to General Jackson’s assertion—that Mr. Brown had received a million of dollars from the Unit ed States Bank. It is understood, now, that Mr. Horn denies having given given any such information to the President.” CONGRESS SPEECHES. There has been a great deal of what is “fine speaking” in Congress, the present?1’* sion,—especially in the Senate. One /act? been conclusively shown, that we hope 1? V ble gentlemen in both Houses will bear and it is this—that whether they speak sake of convincing their hearers, pleasing?* constituents, interesting the public, or any P purpose, their extempore, off-hand effortsT* ing pith and substance, answer their n' far better than long set speeches, elub?! concocted, and requiring six or twelve deliver them when fully prepared. gee [Stl the interesting debates in the Senate on the T morials have run through the country body reads them; every body remembers tj? almost every newspaper republishes then! people can there see what such men a Webster, Forsyth, Preston, &c. &c 12 V.j v ,4 y 1 think upon the interesting question now the public, with the “tart reply”_tiip thrust—the graceful parry, and all the of? companiments of an animated debate add a relish and a zest to the enjoyrm- rienced in the perusal. A public man commits a great error thinks that he must make a long speech y long speeches are distinguished only J dullness. As an exemplification, without i ing any thing disrespectful, we are to? Mr. Wilkins’ late two or three days’ Mr. Clay’s resolutions, was so leaden in sistence and soporific in its nature, that of those who staid to hear it wen weighed down by an intolerable sense of tude, and only found relief by sinking ca sleep! .1__t c uiiuw uui lunniims mat nonora* tlemen may be induced to believe that speaking is a weariness of the flesh,” a!;: by indulging the habit, they neither ay. fame, popularity, nor a reputation for v.y Erratum.—In the first editorial article; terday’s Gazette, towards the close, fjr in their town, &c., read they in their turn, fa The Hon. Dudley Selden, the tV/y Representative from the City of Xew Yori; now on a visit home. The following paray is from the Journal of Commerce: The Hon. Dudley Selden was yesterday nn ed with great cordiality by his feilow-cinz. and on entering the great room of the M chants’ Exchange, was received with th. I cheers. Such a reception must have been: ly gratifying to his feelings, as it came fi men who, differing from him on some mi:* of political preference, were ready to awy: him this generous mark of approbation, for having broken away from the fetters of p and discharged a service in a most worthy;.]’ ner for the business men of the city \vh. represents. It was indeed alike honora y r himself and the company of merchants. on both sides a liberal reciprocity of gene sentiments. The New Brunswick (N. J.) Fredonian; Mr. Clay is said to have declared his c coun1'. a bearing on the civil polity 01 Had it been asked in those days, hen ing on the fundamental system that: #n;i ern all inferior systems under it; 1 j,av nied institution be created, and ^lOlVtll[j0n peculiar endowments under the 0f t: am satisfied that the smouldering d Revolution would have re-kind t thought, as an oblation to insui e I But we have the Bank, and if* in yill be like a fallen gladiator, tig
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