Indiana American, Volume 5, Number 48, Brookville, Franklin County, 1 December 1837 — Page 1

A irVTTTTTJ driicdan a n Bte jmmiiiiji Aautaifc

OUR COUNTRY OUR COUNTRY'S INTEREST-

-ANI) OUR COUNTRY 8 FRIENDS.

E5Y C. F. CTiiRKSO..

IHKOOKYILLIS, FRAIVIiEiIiV COUNTY, INDIANA, FRIDAY, DECG1IBER 1 1837.

VOL,. V. S0. 48.

TERMS OP THE AMRRlCiX. $ ia advance $2,50 in six months; or $.1,00 at the expiration of the year. The Editor will discntmue subscription at his option. Advertisements. Twelve lines, or less, will be inserted once or three times, for one dollar, and 25

ce.lts W1U ue cn;nj;cu iui culii iuuiiiuuai insertion

THE TIJIES.

From the Western Christian Advocate. A LYCEUM EXERCISE. Volney s Theory of the Law of JValure disproved by an appeal to matter of fact. 1 (concluded.) ' ut we will grant that the being of God ' rol be learned from nature, that the deist may Vdvc all the advantage which the concession l m give him. The question then before us does God govern the universe by a constant and regular order of facts, which "his wisdom presents to the reason and senses of men, as a:i equal and common rule or law for their actions? But before answering the question directly, we wish to give a few definitions, that there may be no misunderstanding respecting the terms used in expressing the point at issue. Law, signifies "an order or prohibition to act, with the express clause of a penalty attached to the infraction, or a recompense attached to the observance of that order." Dff. by Volnry p. 175, Ruins. Constant, fixed, unchanging. Rigular, exact, &c. Equal, uniform. Common, general. This law, therefore, according to Mr. Volnny, is a rule, unchanging, exact, uniform, and coaimjn. which orders or prohibits us to act, with a penalty attached for its infraction, or a recompense attached to the observance of that order. Now, if by God's governing the universe by constant and regular facts, he means the physical laws of nature only gravitation, cohesion, repulsion, generation, nutrition, &c, we fully coincide with him; but if he means, in addition, as will appear by reference to

the "Ruins," that a constant and regular mo

ra! law is developed in the natural world, we positively deny it, and challenge the proof. In answer to our negation it will be said, 1.

That a? the moral law is the aggregate f

principles drawn from the physical law of nature, it be, like it, unchanging aad exact; for

as is the cause, so is the effect. And, 2.

That God in his administration among men,

also presents them with an equal and common rule to direct them in their actions. With regard to the first, we remark, that we

are unable to discover how a system of ethics

is to be formed from laws which govern the

organic and inorganic matter of the world ;

champions of infidelity can solve. Hence we infer, that if there is an immutable and regular moral law, it cannot be drawn from the

physical law of self-preservation. There re

mains, then, but one way by which we can learn whether there is such a law, viz: Does God in his administration present us with it?

u is saw, to snow us that he does, that we ought to do good to our fellow men, because it is the will of God, as indicated in the comforts and blessings he has so provided for us.

And are we pointed to the nutritious fruits of

earth, the helds of corn and waiving grain the fertile globe, watered by teeming showers and rippling rills the healthful air and gentle breeze, as so many sttiking proofs of his goodness to us; we, in turn, point to poisonous plants almost as fatal in their effects as the fabled Bohon Upas to arid wastes, unvisited by fruitful showers and murmuring rills unhealthful air and sweeping winds, as so many unequivocal proofs of his severity towards us. And shall man do thus to his fellow man Then must he do him both good and evil. For a season support him with the luxuries of earth, and then kill bim with their de(adly poisons. Again, is it said that we ought to be just because it is God's will, as presented us in the

dispensations of his justice. And where shall

we go to tind its principles unfolded? Shall we go where volcanoes pour down in streaming torrents their melted lava upon the surrounding country, immerging in one common ru:n thousands of defenceless men, women and children? If here is an indication of justice in the Sovereign of the universe, then the sovereigns of the earth, to be just, should, with their engines of ruin, pillage and lay waste cities, towns and villages.and spread around them the terrific scenes of carnage and death. Is the justice of God manifested in surrounding the virtuous with penury and want, and the vicious with riches and plenty? Or is it shadowed forth among the scenes of adversity and mourning in which the righteous often dwell, and the scenes of prosperity and mirth

which often cluster around the habitations of

the unrighteous? That God in his providence in very many instances thus treats men. is a truth to which the historic page and human experience bear ample testimony. If, therefore, we gather the principles of common justice of a homogenous nature with the facts in the premises, we shall be bound by them, to smile upon and bless the wicked, and frown upon and curse the righteous. And we would here observe, that though the preceding facts in God's administration cannot be reconciled

with his goodness upon natural principles, yet

with the aid of the Bible every difficulty van ishes.

Now that all the actions just adverted to,

based upon events in God's administration,

arc misdeeds of no ordinary turpitude, is a

position believed by the christian and the

sceptic. And yet all of them are logically

deduced from the data given, which data are

included in the "constant and regular order

of facts by which God Governs the universe.'

Ience it must appear obvious to every can

did and reflecting person, that if these are

events which argue the justice of God, those

presented above as fully argue his injustice

(we mean, aside from Revelation); and lor

aught that can be learned to the contrary, acts of injustice may be as pleasing to him as acts of nislice. Is an immutable law here develop

ed ? If law commands us to do good, ana ior-

bids us to do evil, it is no law at all, for it teaches the propriety of doing both. Is it im

mutable? Jo! for there is a mutation in us principles from good to bad, and rice versa.

Is it regular? iNo! (or the regularity oi uiu fancied golden chain is destroyed by the numerous links of mutability found along its en

tire length. Instead of being equal in its bear

ings, H is found to be very unequal, jnsteaa of being common or general, it is wholly un

known to savage and barbarous nations.

Another argument invalidating this law, is found in the fact, that it was never discovered till discovered by Mr. Volney. On the 180th page of the "Ruins," he asks, "Was the law

, 0 ,jm

Obviously not the law under! of nature ever Known ueiore iu P' J . ,lit itT"Kt ; koon n f nil timpS

orders moral lie ansei., nwi o

spoken of; most legislators preiena to auopi . 1 1 t A 1 I

it as tho basis Ot tlieir laws; out uie uihy

nunlP some of its precepts, and have had but

vague ideas of its totality." The difficulty which arises is, why was not this law, if it exuind. discovered before? The far-famed Gre

cian philosopher. Socrates had endeavored to

learn the will of God from nature, but gave it

up in despair, declaring to his pupil, I into tl

r h ades, that a was "uai K ami uhmuic.

But the French philosopher, in all the majestv of mi trht. disnels the thick darkness which

J P.- 1 . I J A I ll.

for untold ages had ensnrouuea me eauu, and presents men with a "religion of evidence and truth" drawn from nature. Did the Frank

possess more sagacity of reasoning than the nrnpk? Did he have more information and

better opportunities? Not if history speaks impartially. Why, then, under similar circumstances did one find it so easily, while the

other gave up the effort as hopeless? Docs it

not attord a strong presumption uiui me i was. dishonest, or that he was so lost in the bewildering mazes of scepticism, that he could nnt lell whether his conclusions were deduced

from his premises or not. and that his law of

nature exists only in idea? It evidently does. We arrive, then, at this conclusion that in God's administration we are not presented with an immutable, regular, equal, and com-

lor the reason, that the subjects of moral and

physical law, matter and mind, arc totally unlike, and therefore the principles rontroling each mast also be unlike; hence, as they belong each to a different genus, no law embodying the elements of the former, can be made the premises from which a law involving the constituents of the latter can be deduc

ed, lie indeed endeavors to make it appear,

that because scW-preservation is a law of our physical nature (and in this, be it remember

ed, he comprises the whole law of nature re

lative to man), it will lead us to do every thing which will preserve us, and shun every thing which will harm or destroy us. To show the

pertinency of this position, it is assumed, that

sell-preservation dictates that we should be

temperate in eating and drinking, by establishing a line over which we cannot pass with-

o it doing an injury to our physical organiza

lion. This we admit; but then it is a physi

cal, and not a moral law, which enjoins the

temperate use of food and drink, and interdicts

the intemperate use. It will be urged against

this, that temperance is not only a physical

but a moral good, and intemperance not only

a physical, but a moral wrong; and as the for-

nuris ordered and the latter prohibited by

the law of self-preservation, tt must also be

moral law, founded in the physical princ iple

as its cause. In reply, we ask, what deter

mines one to be a mond good and the other a

inorai wrong?

consideration, for that neither

action, nor promises a moral reward; neither does it forbid moral delinquency, nor threaten a physical penally. Its injunctions and prohibitions, its reward and its penalty, are only physical, and consequently, it cannot from the very nature of the case be a moral law. As restraining the bodily appetites with

in the bounds of temperance, and permitting them to commit excess by gluttony and inebriation, ate acts of the mind, the law which

decides their moral character, and punishes or rewards the mind, must be a moral law,

and of course, distinct in its principles in the entire concrete, from the physical law of selfpreservation. Take another instance to illustrate the case before us. An individual murders his friend to obtain a sum of money to pay a certain creditor whom he owes, w ho, in default of payment, will throw him into the debtors' prison. Now this act, instead of being forbidden by the law of self preservation, meets with its ap

proval, and is in strict accordance with it. for

it requires him to preserve himself, lhat

the person in question was guilty of a moral wrong, there can be no doubt. Now, how a law condemning this action can be deduced

from one w hich approves it, is a problem which

peither Mr. Volney, with all his logical acu

men, nor the numerous host ot the vaunted

mon rule or law for the government of our conduct. But thirdly, is the law of nature (supposing the will of God to be partially indicated tons through nature) a sufficient guide forour conduct! We affirm that it is not, and give the reasons for our denial. Anders, as he includes the whole of nature in one fundamental and single precept, self-preservation, which foi obedience, confers only a physical compensation, and for disobedience, inflicts only a physical punishment; it is, therefore, veryclear, that an individual may be guilty of the intention of committing murder, adultery, theft and, in short, all the revolting and daring crimes which have converted cur once happy Eden world into a moral volcano; he may swear and lie, and, in the sight of this law. he does no wrong, for it takes not the least cognizance whatever of any these things. That the intention to commit murder, adultery and theft, the profanation of the sacred name of God, and falsehood, are morally wrong, is a proposition which cannot be doubted, and which needs no argument to prove it to the candid and unprejudiced. Again, though it may be argued that the law of self-preservation requires us to be temperate, because a continued course of intemperance will injure us physically, yet the rule is insufficient, because an individual may become occasionally inebriated, and experience no perceptible injurious effect. In addition, this same law is farther insufficient because it leaves the mind unpunished for permitting appetite to have the mastery." We have thus passed through with the sub

ject of our "essay." We add a few thoughts,

and close. T he following positions, we think, have been sustained, though not so fully as if a more experienced and able writer than an almost tyro, had undertaken the task. 1.

That the reason of man is incapable of learning the will of God from his government and the works of nature; and, 2. That the existence of God, the foundation of this law. can

not be demonstrated from the material fabric

of the universe; and that there is not an im

mutable, constant, regular, equal, and common law, deducible from any facts in the phy

sical arrangement of things; and 3. That

though the will of God, in a small degree, may be indicated in the works of nature, yet the indication is insufficient to leach and enforce the obligations w c are under to him and to each other.

Finally, we would say, that after having

examined Mr. Volney's "Ruins," and written our strictures upon his law of nature, we arise

from our seat more than ever convinced, lhat

infidelity rests upon a sandy foundation, and is utterly unworthy of the confidence of any.

And though Mr. Volney has insidiously en

deavored to overturn the gospel fabric, yet,

blessed be God. it rests securely upon the

broad basis of eternal Truth, lifting its beau tiful proportions towards heaven, and throw

ing open its massy doors, while the messengers of mercy stand upon its towers and turrets,

calling to immortal souls to pass into it, anu sit down forever within its hallowed walls. Miles S vnfoud. Dallon it., Mich, con., Aug. 10, 1837.

Ox Board the Two Follies, ) Rockaway, L. I., Nov. 1 1, 1837. $

To the Editors of the JV. Y. Daily Express.

Gentlemen I thank you for sending me the naners reeularlv, but I haint had lime

to write to vou now for some time.

I believe my last letter telPdyou about the condition of Uncle Sam, and his buttons, but I am not sartin. 1 have now the satisfaction to tell you, and you may tell it to all creation, that the "7tro Follies''' is afoat,a'.u this is nigh upon the wayit come about. Some weeks ago I got a letter from Uncle Joshua, telling me to keep a sharp look out on the tides along about the f November that they had had a

down there in Maine, and

i shortly Wnrp lhat there was a considerable

riP in TChr.de Island, and it would sarlinly be

the same all along shore and accordm to nis kalkalation, there would be a realrouscr along

bv York State somewhere from the tirstto uie

middle of this month and that if I ever ex-

nPrtd to Pit the "Two Pollies" oil, this was

the time to keen a sharp look out, for Congress

had done nothin to help at the last session, and might not at the next. And sure enul,

mi Hip fiib. iosl at sunrise ll began to rise, auu

. r,r v,ll.tvin HA L-rnt froin a leelle beyond

J. , . i fiU-?. Kilt

the ast one; and hy sanaown '

"77ie glorious eighth November the 1 wo 1 ol i- . i 4 i;rt nut nf ihp sand, and roll

UCclll lu ill. vv.. v. - - - t . . liU nn shn rome on an even keel

and swung off to her anker, which had been i ;nin itnon water.

The next mornin the folks begun to gather along shore, and every livin crittur who could n nriprn board and such a time as

ihpro. for a socll, I kalkalate haint

bopn seen for many a day on board a vesse

..' over in her hull, but wantin spars

. -i a Afv old friend Zekel Bige

5HH3 miu net"" J - , . -. I ... omnncrbf visiters, and nothin would

do but he must deliver an auuress iu

and he is you know, a compile that and so up he get on the windlas,and did pore it out there for about half an hour, most awful. He stood like a tea-pot, one arm a kimbo and tolher spouting and such a stream, there was no gittin by it. He thanked everybody and everything, that had any hand in gittin the Two Follies off shore he said the same causes would lift more folki out of the

mud than we had any notion for that the Two Follies was not the only object that had

been run on shore hy the wickedness, and the

ignorance of some folks, and when he come t

speak to them folks, and tell hozu and why all

this trouble had been brought en the country.

entirely by their irickcdncss, their ignorance, and their wilfulness, he just took up his swill

tub and emptied the huil scrape on t right

over em. J never in my born days hearn the

like.

Arter this address was over, we all gave

thre times three good hearty cheers, and the

I wo I'ollies, she rolled from side to side, like a good natured laugher, first one scupper in and then tother, just as though she was takin

part in the fun, and which she had a right to

do.

The Two Follies, as I said afore, is as good

as ever; butshe wants reflttin, and as yet, 1

am a leelle puzzled to know which port to carry her to for an outfit. Some think she ought to be rigged on a hc plan, and that a "convention of riggers" is to meet in New

York en the 27th of this month, to fix upon a plan for riggin vessels generally. This being the case, I dont know but it is best to take the Two Pollies to N. York and let them all take

look at her, and then decide. I must say, I

haint got much confidence in anv "nca rig,"

especially ifit has any thing like an "experiment" about it all I know about it is, the

Two Pollies was a clipper In her day, and w ilh the rig she had, and unless I am sartin that a change will be best, I wont give my consent.

As the 1 wo Follies was never abandoned to

the underwriters by the owners, who arc all

of the "'dont she up the ship" order there

wont be any trouble on that score but more

of this in my next.

V ell, now about the elections. V fiat in

natur has got into folks? What has become

of ithe parly ?" Do tell,now I want to know!

1 have hearn tell ol "knocking folks into the middle of next week" but if the news I got is only half true, you wont find some folks for

good many weeks to come "Sich a gittcn

up stares (as they say down in Ueorgia.J

I never hearn on atore why it seems to me,

themplagy Whigs have hoed out tother party completely, and not left cnuf for seed.

1 hear tell you are goin to have ajolhhca-

tion on this matter on the 'Szd inst. 1 must git the Pwo Pollies up to town by that lime

if possible, and take a hand in it but 1 hope

it will be one of that kind that will do more

good than evil. Now I'll tell you what my

notion is about it, and what I !or one mean to

do. I mean to make a kalkalation of what it

would cost to illuminate the biggest house (if

I had one") in the city then I would, instead

of snendin this money in this way, jist lay it by-

till the winter comes, and either take it myself

or give it to a ward commitlee to buy wood or

coal for such families as by mislortune are sui-fi-rin and destitute I would make no distinc

tion of oartv. but xeherever there were found

sufferin women and children there I would go

in and make illumination in their stoves or

firo. nlace: this is the kind of illumination

hone every pood Whig w ill go for, and take

mv word for it it will bring blcssins on the cause.

and the parly. This course will be rank poison to the Icadin dimigogues of the Loco Foco

n.irtv thev arc the chaps that tell the ignor

ant but honest poor that the Whigs are their

very worst enemies, and some Deuee u, u.u it is well known and none know it better than these Loco Foco leaders, especially the Buffalo tribe that it is a rank lie. There

are no people in the wide world more charitable than the American people. 1 know it, and who dares deny it? Let any man go abroad nnd then come home and then hear

what he says about it. Well then, it im is

o. who is it gives liberally of the fruits ot his

:..,!. .c(r- l ip man who has someiuiu, ui

mm, who lias n othin? vef. we hear some of

in... - j . , ji

these Loco Foco dimigogues, who are too luit

to work for an honest hvm, talking rouna h-

mong the ignorant and the wicked, ana iciiiu 'em to join in the cry of down with the rich,

and tryin, in tact, to make it appeal anv man to have more with his industry and

il.n ihf have with their idleness anu

llliuc, "J ,f.

:i,Jn0i 1 dont ike to trust m sen

nilRCUUvou. - 1 mr,we mi this ma ttpr. as mv Uanaer

Willing, iiiwiv. v,.. . . , to lift when I think on t.

i it:c : .1I,M on. I dont

liut about mis JOIHIH..IUKU i.n. - -; -

, hpitprroii d be done than me.pia"

"r.n.P and I hone something as migui nis

:ul tv-ill lin adopted: however, I dont

possiui 1 ' ..I r know but we must have somethin by way of

markin this election; and instead of an illumination,et a big gun tell the story from e-v-ery hill top 7G times "Slam Bang, from the sea shore to he lakes and back agin and 1 call on mv friend Prentice, of the "Louisville t i" ',..rPn.rPp in old Kentucky, to char-

pp that big thunder-cloud he promised a spell

pointco by the Governor, let us all as our good old fathers and grandfathers did before us, go to church and have a good sermon, and jine in the services of praise and thanksgivin, and then rome home and git the family together, and invite in as many as there is room or and who haint get no family, and if there be any puncms in creation I hope they wont be neglected; and I hope no man of the rale grit : will, on that day, fail to top offa thanksgivin dinner with a ginuinc punkin pie, and

nu III IMS power lO See that hie

noorpst

neighbor has one too. I somehow feel sure things go right when punhn pies are respected; our pious and patriotic fathers patronized them and no two things, in my mind, seem to hinge together so snug, and have hung together so long as Patriotism nnd punA ins. Your friend, nnd obd't serv't, om- J. DOWNING, .Major, 2d Brigade Downingville Militia.

Most Unhappy Occi rrence. A gentleman informs us, that a lamentable occurrence took place at Clinton, Hickman county Ky., on the Sth instant, between Thomas James, a member of the Ky. Senate, and Robert Binford, one of Ihe candidates to fill the va

cancy in the House of Representatives occasioned by the death of Capt. Gearge. The

iiosumy oi the gentlemen, we are informed, grew out of political causes, and had nearly led to a personal collision on a previous oc

casion, i he parties met in the street on the Sth, and, after Ihe interchange of two or three

worus, both hred simultaneously. James's

ball passed through the stomach and liver and into Ihe spine of Binford. and the two balls

of the hitler's pistol missed James and passed

through the head of a respectable young gentleman of the name of Collins. Binford and Collins both died in about half an hour. There was very great excitement on account

of this transaction. Lou. Jour.

Almost a Duel. A broker in New Or

leans was taking a horn with a poor fellow

whom he had shaved, when a respectable looking literary loafer of his acquaintance stepped up as if he would share in the plun

der. But the broker heeded him not, ami swallowed his julep, and turning round gave

Mr. boater a shove. 1 his raised the hteiary gentleman's dander, and he demanded an explanation. "Sir," said he, "were you in earnest?" "In'carriesl? certainly," was the reply. "It is vciy well y ou were, for I should not take shoves in yMtfrom you, or any other man." JV. O. Picayune.

Diet.. We learn from the Petersburg!), Va. Intelligencer, that a duel took place near Gaston, North Carolina, a sl.ort time since, between Mr. Dromgoole, member of Congress from Virginia, and a Mr. Dugger. The latter received the ball of his antagonist in his side, about three inches below the arm;it. It was thought the wound wouln prove fatal. Wayne co. (Ind.) Chron.

Boses of the Mammoth. Messrs. Briggs and Foster, engaged in the Geological survey ol .Scioto county, Ohio, have lately discovared the bones of an animal of astonishing magnitude. A tusk measuring ten feet nine inches in length, and twentythree inches in circumference. When taken from the esrth it weighed one hundred &; eighty pounds. The largest tooth weighed eighty pounds theother bones are of corresponding proportion. Wayne co. Ind. Chronicle.

A Mammoth PrMPKix. Mr. Peter Bucking, of Frankford, Ky., has grown a pumpkin this year that weighs two hundred anil ninety pounds, Troy weight, which with several others of the vegetable monster family, may be seen at the Frankford Kail Road Hotel, at the bridge, kept by Mr. Musselman. This heats the New England pumpkins all to smash, and is some fifty pounds ahead of the late Mr. Wctherall's fine pumpkin exhibited at the late exhibition of the horticultural society. The writer is also informed that Ihe aggregate produce of five seeds planted by Mr. Buckins, weighs threo

thousand seven hundred and eighty three and a half pounds.

A I bone everv

ago, to let on a ieai iuu.., - state will take its own time in jinin in with thu victory, till it comes round thro' old irginny, and let the last roar of the big guns be heard on the day when Congress gits together, just to tell the folks there, that the wind has shifted and its nigh time to tack ship. . An,. M rcgVd ntorni "S

ed the Governor nas an emir .i.-.

Pons! Pork!! The Grecnaburgh, (Indiana) Re

pository, of Saturday last, recommends the fanners to hold or to their pork, and says, "we have learned from Cincinnati, that the prospect is brighten

ing at that place. On last week, we learn, that a lot of hogs of 2,(100, sold at $1 per hundred, neati that an offer has been made to engage 6,000 at $4 124; and furthermore, that the general opinion was there, that the price would be $r." On inquiry of the gentleman who is 6tated to have offered $i 124, he assured us, that he told yir. T y, of Indiana, that he had made no contracts, and would be afraid, at this time, to do so at $3 00 per hundred. We will not deceive our country friends: but will as&ure them, that the

average price or pork will not be more than gJ o per 100 pounds. Cin. Whig.jfov.20. In Philadelphia, on Tuesday, dnite States Bank stock was sold at $125. The Herald says, the same price was bid for more, and adds - The high character which this stock bears in

England, added to the abundance ot money now existing there, renders it a desirable object for remittance. There is evidently a large amount of money in hands for investment, arising partly from the dividends of our city banks, which are payable oa the lth inet.

receiv

a day for a general thanks givin all o er State, and if any man will read that "proclamation" now, he will see that the Governor m ? , . i - !,. that in addition to good crops

and good health, good sound conslUulwnal princivles would be established and now if all E aint worth being thankful for then are

ungratetul. v a uj r

we

most

Gkoroia SesATORf". The MiMedgevUle Recorder states that Mr. Cutbbert has long been anxious to retire from the Senate of the United States, and will certainly do so during the present session of the Georgia Legislature. And, as Mr. King will also reeign, the Legislature will have two Senators to elect. It adds a rumor that Mr. I orsyth may be a candidate for the Senate; and says tnat "should he desire the office, he will abtam it without difficulty." Enquirer. Loxo Faces. Since the New York elections, the barbers of this city, ask nine cent instead of six for shaving a Tory.Hunlrttt