Indiana Palladium, Volume 4, Number 30, Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County, 2 August 1828 — Page 2

SPEECH

Of Jvhn Q. AJims, delivered on the last anniversary of our Independence, upon breaking ground on the line of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal; together wiih the address of Gen. Mercer, oa the same occasiou. On landing from the boats, and reaching, the ground (one or two hundred yards east of the line of the present ca nai) the procession moved around it so as to ieave a hollow space, in the midst of a mass of people, in the centre of which was thespot marked out by judge Wright, the engineer of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, for the commencement of the work. A moment's pause here occurred, while the spade, destined to commence the work, was selected by the committee of arrangement?, and the spot for breaking ground was precisely denoted. At that moment the sun shone out from; behind a cloud, and, amidst a silence so intense as to chasten the animation of hope and to hallow the enthusiasm of joy, the mayor of Georgeto wn handed to gen. Mercer, the president of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, the consecrated instrument, which having received, he stepped forward from the resting column, and addressed as followb the listening multitude: Fellow citizens: There are moments, in the progress of time, which are the counters of whole ages. There are events, the monuments of which, surviving every other memorial of human existence, eternise the nation to whose histo ry they belong, after all other vestiges of its glory have disappeared from the globe. At such a moment have we now arrived. Such a monument we are now to found. Turning towards the president of the tJaited States, who stood near him, Mr. M. proceeded: Mr. President: On a day hallowed b the fondest recolle tion, beneath thi cheering (may we not humbly trust, auspicious) ky, surrounded by the many thousand spectators who look on us with joyous anticipation; in the presence ot the representatives of the most polished nations of the old and new worlds: on a 6pot, wrier, little more than a century ago, the ptinted savage held his nightly orgies; at the request of the three cities of the District of Columbia, I present to the chief magistrate of the most powerful republic on earth, for the most noble purpose that was ever conceived by man, this humble instrument of rural tabor, a symbol of the favorite occupation of our countrymen. May the use, to which ii is about to be devoted, prove the precursor, to our beloved country, of improved agriculture, of multiplied and diversified arts, of extended commerce and navigation. Combining its social and moral influences with the principles ot that happy constitution, under which you have been called to preside over the American people; may it become a safeguard of their liberty and independence, and a bond of perpetual union! To the ardent wishes of this vast assembly, E unite my fervent prayer to that infinite and awful being without whose favor all human power is but vanity, that he will crown your labor with his blessing, and our work with immortality. As soon as he had ended, the president of the United States, to whom gen. Mercer had presented the spade, stepped forward, and, with an animation of manner and countenance, which showed that his whole heart was in the thing, thus addressed the assembly of his fellow citizens: Friends and fellow citizens: It is nearly a full century since Berkeley, bishop of Cloyne, turning to wards this fair land which we now inha bit, the eyes of a prophet, closed a few lines of poetical inspiration with this me morable prediction: 'Time's noblest empire is the last:" A prediction which, to those of us whose lot has been cast by divine Providence in these regions, contains not only a pre cious promise, but a solemn injunction of duty, since upon our energies, and upon those of our posterity its fulfilment will depend. For, with reference to what principle could it be, that Berkeley proclaimed this, the last, to be the noblest empire of time? It was, as ho himself declare, on the transplantation of learning and the arts to America. Of learning and the arts. The four first acts the empires of the old world, and of former ages the Assyrian, the Persian, the Grecian, the Roman empires were empires of conquest; dominions of man overman. The empire which his great mind, piercing into the darkness of futurity, foretold in America, was the empire of learning and the arts the dominion of man over himself, and over physical nature acquired by the inspirations of genius, and the toils of industry; not watered with the tears of the widow and the orphan; not cemented in the blood of human victims; founded not in discord, but in harmony of which the only spoils are the imperfection of nature, and the victory achieved is the improvement of the condition of all. Well may this be termed nobler than the empire of conquest, in which mau subdues only his fellow-men.

To the accomplishment of this prophecy the first necessary step was the acquisition of the right of self-government by the people of the British North American

colonies, achieved by the Declaration of AAanto orwl its acknowledgment Independence, and its acknowledgment by the British nation. The second was the union of all these colonies under one general confederated government, a task more arduous than that of the preceding separation, but at last effected by the present constitution or me umicu otaies. The third step, more arduous still than either or both the others, was that which we, fellow citizen?, may now congratulate ourselves, our country, and the world of man, that it is taken. It is the adaptation of the powers, physical, moral, and intellectual, of this whole union, to the improvement of its own condition: of its moral and political condition, by wise and liberal institutions by the cultiva tion of the understandingand the heart by academies, schools, and learned insti tutes by the pursuit and patronage of learning and the aits: of its physical condition, by associated labor to improve the bounties, and to supply the defcVienci s of nature; to stem the torrent in its course: to level the mountain with the) plain; to disarm and fetter the raging surge of the ocean. Undertakings. t which the language 1 now hold is no ex aggerated description, have become hap pily laminar, not only to the conceptions, but to the enterprise, of our country men. That, for the commencement of which we are here assembled, is eminent among the number. The oroiect contemnlatps r i conquest over physical nature, such as has never yet been achieved by man. The wonders of the ancient world, tin Myramids of Lgvpt, the Colossus if Rhodes, the temple Ephesus, the man ioleum of Artemisia, the wall of China, sink into insignificance before it insignificance in the mass and momentum oi iuman labor, required for the execution insignificance in the comparison of the purposes to be accomplished by the work when executed. It is. therefore, a pleas ing contemplation to those sanguine and patriotic spirits who have so long looked ith hope to the completion of this undertaking, that it unites the moral power and resources first, of numerous individuals secondly, of the corporate cities of Washington, Georgetown, and Alexandria thirdl,of the great and powerful states of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland and, lastly, by the subscription authorised at the rpcent session of congress, of the whole union. Friends and fellow-laborers: We are informed by the holy oracles of ttuth, at the creation of man, male and femab , the lord of the universe, their Maker, blessed them, and said unto thpm, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it. To subdue the earth was, therefore, one of the first duties assigned to man at his creation ; and now, in his fallen condition, it remains among the most excellent of his occupations. To subdue the earth is pre-eminently the purpose of the undertaking, to the accomplishment of whi h the first stroke of the spade is now to be struck. That it is to he struck by this hand, 1 invite you to witness Here the stroke of the spade and in performing this act, I call upon you to join me in fervent sup plication to Kim from whom that primitive injunction came, that he would fol low with his blessing this joint elfart of our great community, to perform his will) in the subjugation of the earth for the im provement ot the condition of man. That he would make it one of his chosen in struments for the preservation, prosperi ty and perpetuity of our union. That he would have in his holy keeping all the workmen by whose labors it is io he completed. That their lives and their health may be precious in his sight; and that they may live to see the work of then hands contribute to the comforts and enjoyments of millions of their countrymen. Friends and brethren: Permit me fuither to say, that I deem the duty, now performed at the request of the president and directors of the Chesapeake and Oaio Canal Company, and the corpora tions of the District of Columbia, one fj the most fortunate incidents of my life. Though not aming the functions of m) official station, I esteem it as a privilege conferred upon m hy my fellow-citizns of the district. Called, in the performance of my service heretofore as one of the representatives of my native com monwealth; in the senate, and now as a member of the executive department of the government, m abode has been a ; mong the inhabitants of the district longer than at any other spot upon earth. Ie availing myself of this occasion to returni to them my thanks for the numberless! acts of kindness tha' I have experienced' at their hands, may I be allowed to as sign it as a motive operating upon th. heart, and superadded to my official ob ligations, for taking a deep interest it their welfare and prosperity. Among the prospects of futurity which we mat indulge the rational hope of seeing realized by this junction of distant waters that of the auspicious influence which i will exercise over the fortunes ofever portion of this district, is one upon winemy mind dwells with unqualified pleai ure. It is my earnest prayer that the may not be disappointed

ft was observed that the first ?(ep towards the accomplishment of the glorious destinies of our country was the Declaration of Indenendence. That the

second was the union of these states un der our federative eovernment. Tin government. 1 he third is irrevocably fixed by the act upon the commencement of which we are now engaged. AVhat time more suitable for this operation could have been selected than the anniversary of our great national festival? What place more appro priate from whence to proceed, than that which bears the name of the citizen warrior who led our armies in that eventful contest to the field, and who first presided as the chief magistrate of our union? You know that, of this very undertaking, he was one of the first projectors; and if, in the world of spirits, the affections of our mortal existence still retain their sway, may we not, without presumption, imagine that he looks down with complacency and delight upon the scene before and around us? Bat, while indulging a sentiment of joy ous exultation, at the benefits to be derived irom this laoor of our Iriends and neighbor, let us not forget that the spir it of internal improvement is catholic and liberal. We hope and believe that its practical advantages will be extended to every individual in our union. In praying for the blessing of heaven upon ur task, we ask it with equal zeal and sincerity upon every other similar work mrhis confederation; particularly upon that which, on this s;inw day, and perhaps at tin very hour, is commencing from a neighboring city. It is one of the appiesi characteristics in the principle of internal improvement, that the success fone great enterprise, instead of counteracting, gives assistence to the execution of another. May they increase and nr.uhiply, till, in the suidime language of inspiration, every valley shall be exalted, wo! every mountain and hill shall be made low; the crooked straight; the rough places plait.. Thus shall the preMicuonor me Disnop oi L,!oyie be converted from prophecy into history, and, in the virtues and fortunes of oik poster ity, the last shall prove the noblest em pire of time. From the N Y. Morning Courier. rolice Cfjice. Mr h. J. Koberts ap peared at uie oOiee lass" evening to answer a complaint mad? against him by M. M.Noah, of the N. Y. Enouirer. I j . appeared, that in conseqoem e of an jir tide which was published a few d.-n 'go in the Enquirer, relheting en me character of Mr. Roberts, he, to resput it, came to the determination of inflicting upon the proprietor of that paper persona) eh stisement. Accordingly he int him last evening ah.aM 8 o'clock goio into th" Park theatre i,, company w ith Mr. MG irahau, and having waited for a short lime until ilicy had separated to ascend the step?, 31 1 . Roberts, armed with a cow-ski. , approached Mr. Noah, and teliii g nim io "defend him self," immediasely struck several severe blows over i he face. They struggled until the) got into the corridor before the box-entrance, where they clenched, and after some u resiling, they both fell. JNonh underneath. While on the ground pummeling and scraping each other's faces, Mi. Raymond, the eiii'er who attends the theatre, assisted hy another, raised Mr. Robjerts from off Mr. Noah and brought him to this office. In the struggle, Raymond, in consequence of his interfe rence received a deep cut with the cow hideacross his hand, which Mr. Roberts dis claimed any intention of inflicting. Mi. Noah made affidavit of the r.ssuuh, which indeed, mu?t have been a pretty rough one, if we are to judge from the gash in his face. Justice Ilopson ordered Mr. Roberts to procure bail, to the amount of 500, to appear to answer the complaint at tuc next session. The parties were then dismissed. Toe disturbance which this difficult) occasioned outside the theatre produced, k tft ..." . considerable alarm within. It was supposed the incendiaries u ere at work. Mr. Roberts was lately a partner of Mi. N ah. Mr. Roberts has been fined $1 50,and bound over to keep the peace. Cavalier Courtship. The ceremony ot ni.ti lii.ge rtuiM, g . K dt ucks, is perlonned on norft'b k. A girl is mounted Who I liles . If i iillpeed. Her lover purges; if he overtakes her, the becomes his wih , and the marriage is consummated on the spo'. Af . rihissh return with him to his leni. But it snnLiinit s happens that the wuirnn does not wish to marry the per--on b) whom she is pruned; in this case -he will not suffer him to overtake her. vVe were assured, that no instance occurs of a Kalmuck girl being thus caught, unless she has partiality for her ;ursuer. If she dislikes him, she rides neck or nothings until her pursuers horse becomes exhausted, leaving her at liberty to return, and to be afterwards chased by some more favored admirer. Clarke's Travels, The canal boat Remittance, from Auburn, passed through Schenectad ne day last week, for Albany,ropeeo' bu steam, Bath J F. Adv,

FOR THE rALLADICM. Messrs, Editors: On perusing your paper of the 26ih inst., I discovered an address to the people of Dearborn county signed Mark M'Cracken, in which there are several misrepresentations and gross falsehoods. After a short preamble in which we arc informed the squire

has "witnessed the retreat of the family

of the forest changed into fertile fields S40 Com .treble was aphe tells us he -hesitates to approach thelP0,Int1ed I01? command aIid " Ju"e he subject for which he has taken up his,saileJ with the squadron for the Medipen." But the "duty which he owes tof turraneap' destinod to act against Tripohimself, his friends and his family,!1'1' To all coyersant w ith this scene of prompts him to explain a subject which! war'U is wel1 known the .Citution interests Mm and perhaps some others." jacU;da conspicuous part, in fact bore fit.. I j f iL 1 ill. A ii 41 ,1

He says 'it will be recollected that Mr. Daniel Plummer has been a candidate

for representative three times and hasishe wa& ,ora lo,1S time the on, f,1Sate as often failed; and that I (Markion the stallon and beinS a seconded M'Cracken) have for three successive' the smaller vessels with the gallant years given way for him to secure lusjDaUir' d,d n,0re t0 humWe he Pr,de election." This is not the fact Mr.hfthe C.irbuiy states, than all ChnstenPiummer never has been a candidate domeyer did before or since, three years in succession, consequently In, short' s"cb' a var,f !-v cf service, ana

Mr. MCracken must be mistaken. Ini1 : . ua. , . , im3 UV u 1821 and 1822 Mr. Plummer from theiahleved b-V a.n Su e eS5e, bhe60.on urgent solicitations of his friends consent- a,4tcr re,urntd ,ome whe,re she ed to become a candidate for the State ed Pd J ;rai ' till the Legislature, and but for the mischievous rommenrt- n,...i! of the late war w ith interference of this same squire M'Craek-ia' ''n t .h" A ,8 en and some of his friends would iio';,une' 0i th ' Ju sh? doubt have succeeded. At this time 11 lhe Chesapeake for IW ork, anu believe Mr. M'Crackeu had never beeJ the 17th discovered and was chased thought of, as a man qualified for a reAhy n squadron consisting of the preventative, bv any person excep hhn-lAfllca 64 ai,d'our fngnles, for three selfi This proves then that he could notidii" and three mSl,,5 She aped at have siven way three times, (particular-i;iSt hy skilhl1 ma,i;,'m nS J arrived ly three times in succession) to fiuor the?!" H ,5lon l,aibor " lhe 2Gth cf Ju!-" pretentions and secure the election of- 1 fiIS vv;is cne of lbu m,,?t bn,i,a,it Mr. Plummer. He states it was f.a3rttdi KU ot lhe war After remaining a

he would be the candidate this year. should like to know by whom it was expected, or wished. Mr. M'Cracken seems particularly anxious that Manchester should be represoi.ted in the next General Assembly, and would fain make the people believe that he is the only man in it qualified for that station jthat he is the only man who can possibly be brought tor vara with am prospect oi success stick to this mark. is a good dog;?' and I have no doubt y . u will prove yomself as good as any of the breed. Mr. M'Cracken ohserve.that his ar-nunciation was not known at the time the delegation was appointed. This may be the fact; hut if it had been known it could have made no dif ference, for it had long since been ascer , - ltained that he was oi the choice of i. s!?r jority of the people of Manchester. With regard to his willingness to givethat way to others, I would observe heretofore he has never done if. Fellow -Citizens view his conduct at the present time. A committee has been appointed to ascertain the will cf the people of Manchester on this subject. This has been done as near as the nature of the case would admit, and resulted his rejection. To these Proceedings hei now tills us he was opposed; but think ye he would have told us so if he had

A I 1 1 . , .,..11 I A 1 -U . C . I I

been nominated. No fellow-citizens liei

would have told you it was the '-voice of1 Part our ,lav) Hlt Levant was the people expressed," and that it Wasrc:caP,ure('- ke Constitution her.-elf your duty to obey it and vote for him.pa? 1 based by a squadron ueder sir Gee. He tells us "it is in vain for Mr. Plumnicrjier cor.sisth.g of the Leander and to say he had no agency in brh"'in -Newcastle (.f ii 1 1 gun each, and the

'voice ofi1

himself before the people." If Mr.icasa 'f ler u'l cd fortune M'Cracken intends by this insinuation! however aite; d -d i.er, ai dUe arrived

to say that Mr. Plummer made use oi any exertions to force himself upon the people as their choice, he does him in justice, for I state it as a matter of fact that Mr. Plummer did not wish to be a candidate, but consented on the condition that a majority of the citizens of Manchester would say it was their wish. This they have done so far as they have made any expression on the subject. So soon as their will w as known a system of wicked and persecuting opposition was raised against Mr. Plummer which caused him to decline. Mr. M'Cracken knowing that the other upper townships feel under obligations to support a candidate in Manchester, will no doubt insist upon being supported by them. but fellow-citizens be not deceived: a majority of the citizens of Manchester do not wish him elected. ELI AS MILLIKEN Jr. The frigate Constitution. A friend has recently furnished the editors of the Boston Commercial Gazette, with the following interesting article relating to "Old Ironsides" the pet-ship of our navy, and revered as the first which disproved the proclaimed invincibility of an enemy. Frigate Constitution, commonly called 'Old Ironsides." On the 4th inst. this favorite and fortunate ship came up and anchored otf the navy yard. When off India-wharf, she tired a national salute in honor of the day. The return of this noble frigate to the place of her nativity, and on the 4th of July too, may be reckoned among the instances of good luck that has always attended her. She was launched from Hart's ship yard at the North End, in October, 1797, and i? consequently nearly thirty-one years old. The severe laior that attended her birth, which was only effected at the third trial, w as sciz d upon by the enemies of a navy as prophetic of ill luck! With how little reason, her brilliant career has fully dtTionstrated. We may safely challenge the acuals of naval history to name the

ship that has done so much to fill the measure of her country's glory She sailed on her first cruise, on Sunday the 22d of July, 1793, under the command of capt. Samuel Nicholson, and returned about the middle of November. This was during the brief war with the French republic. We notice the appointment of Isaac Hull as her 4th lieutenant. In

the brunt of the battle. After the des truction of the Philadelphia of 41 guns, ul-s l" Kr 5UVa. . I,"alP' lwaoa the 19:h of August fell in with, and after an e-cjageo.ent of thirty minute?, captured II. 13. M. frigate Gnerriere of 49 unns, and 302 men. Afier burning tier, capt. Hull returned again to Boston, on 'he 30th August, afid soon gave up the command to capt. William Bainbridge, who, with the same crew, shortly af-er ailed on another cruise to South Anu ria, where on th 29th of Deieinnerof he same year, after an cngairt mnt of :hcut two hours, she captured H. B. M. hip Java of 49 guns, and upwards of 400 men. This was one of the severest contests of the war. The Java was likewise burned and the Constitution returned again to Boston. In June, 1813, capt. Charles Stewart vr5 appointed to her command, and on iheSOih of December she proceeded to sea, notwithstanding Boston was thtn blockaded by seven ships of war. She returned on the 4th of April, 1814, ai d was chased into Marblehead by two of (he enemy's heavy frigates, La Nvmphe and Juncr. About the middle "ot December, 131", she proceeded on her se cond cruise under capt. Stewart, and on

inilne 2Sth of Kebnian, offMadeira, after

action of fort minutes, she captured II. B. M. ship Cyane of 34, and levant of 21 cuns, nd upwards of 300 men. 'le Cyane arrived s: ite and now forms Part f our navy; hi safe in the United Stales. Peace had now been prot Jaimed, and she remained unemployed ag;in we believe, with a single exceptk- , until the ( ru se from which slu has jusi l etui i t d, after an absence of more than three years, the details of whirh have not yet transpired. Sbe is no to undergo all neeessary repairs, and on the first emergency will, forthwith, be ready to serve her country. About seven years since the was hove out and completely examined at the navy yard in Charleston-it, when her timbers, &c. were found in remaikable good order, a fact which, after twenty -five y ears wear and tear isnd hard service, redounds not a little to the credit of the old fashioned mechanics of Boston. In her actions with the Guerriereand Java, the Constitution mounted 54 guns, and 52 when engaged with the Cyanc and Levant. Her loss in the action with the Guerriere was killed and wounded, 14; with the Java 34, and with theCyaneand Levant, 14 more total, G2. The Guerriere's loss, killed, wcut d ed and missing, was 103; the Java's, 161; Cyane's 3C; Levant,?, 39 total, 341 ; or in the proportion of five and a halfto one. The prisoners were nearly one thousatd. Coolness. The phlegmatic indifference of the Turkish character was strikingly apparent in a circumstance that occuned at the battle of Navarino. After the action, a wounded Turk threw himself into the sea, and, after swimming for some time, laid hold of the Alcy one. The men on board perceiving that it was a man whose arm was broken and hanging down took him on board. He made a sign that he wished to have the arm cut off. M. Martineng, the chief surgeon, complied w ith his desire. When the operation Avas over, he begged a pipe and some tobacco, and set and -moked his pipe, looking about him all the time. As soon as he had done, without saying a word, he plunged into the sea, and swam back again to his own vessel.