Indiana Palladium, Volume 6, Number 15, Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County, 17 April 1830 — Page 2

Frotn the United Stales Telegraph. We are indebted to an intelligent gentleman, a passenger on board the Helen McGregor, for the following interesting narrative: O i tne morning of the 24th ol February, the Hilen M Gregr stopped at Memphis to deliver freight and land a number of passenger-, who resided in that section of Tennessee. The time occupied in so doing could not have excee ded three quarters ofan hour. When the boat lauded, I went ashore to see a gentlemia wilh whom I hadsorni business. I found him on the beach ; md, after a short conversation, returned to the boat, I recollect looking at my watch as I passed the gang-way. If was half past eight o'elick. - A great number of persons were standing on what is called the boiler deck, being that part of the upper

deck situated immediately over the boilers. It was crowded to excess, and presented one dense mass of human bodies. Xii a few minutes wc sat down to break, fast in the cabin. The table, although extending the whole length of the cabin was completely lilled, there being upwards of sixty cabin passengers, among whom were several ladie3 and children. The number of passengers on board, deck and cabin united, was between four and rive hundred. I had almost finished my breakfast when the pilot rung his bell for the engineer to put the machinery in nrition. The boat having just shoved off, I was in the act of raising my cup to my lip, the tingling of the pilot bell yet on my ear, when I heard an explosion, resembling the discharge of a small piece of artillery the report was perhaps louder than usual in such cases for an exclamation was half uttered hy me to the eflTiCt that the gun was well loaded, when the rushing sound of steam and the rattling of gl is3 in some of tincabin windows checked my speech, and told too well what had occurred. I almost involuntarily bent my head and body down to the floor a vague idea seemed to shoot across my mind that more than one boiler might burst, and that, by assuming this posture, the destroying matter would pass over without touching me, The general cry of "a boiler has burst" resounded from one end of the table to the other; and, as if by a simultaneous movement, all started on their feet. Then commenced a general race to the ladies' cabin, which by more towards the stern of the boat. All regard to order or deference to sex seemed to be lost in the struggle for which should be first and furthest removed from the dreaded boiler. The danger had already passed away! I remained standing by the chair on which I had been previously sitting. Only one person or two staid in the cabin with me. As yet not more than half a minute had elapsed since the explosion ; but, in that brief space how had the scene changed! In that ''drop of time" what confusion, distress, and dismay ! An instant before, & all were in the quiet repose of security another, and thej were overwhelmed with alarm and consternation. It is but justice to say that in this scene of terror the ladies exhibited a degree of firmness worthy of all praise. No screaming, no fainting; their fears, when uttered, were for their husbands and children, not for themselves. I advanced from my position to one of lh cabin doors for the purpose of inquiring who were injured, when, just as I reached it, a man entered at the opposite one, both his hands covering his face, and exclaiming "Oh God ! oh God ! I am lost ! I am ruined !" fie immediately began to tear olf his clothes. When stripped, he presented a most shocking and afflicting spectacle: his face was entirely black his body without a particle of skin. He had been Hayed alive. He gave me his name, and place of abode then sunk in a state of exhaustion and agnny on the floor. I assisted- in placing him on a mattrass taken from one of the births, and covered him with blankets. He complained of heat and cold as at once oppressing him. He bore his torments with a manly fortitude, yet a convul-ive shriek would occasionally burst from him. His wife, his children, were his constant theme; it was hard to die without seein them-it was hard to go without bidding them one farewell?' Oil and cotton were applied to his wounds; but he soon become insensible to earthly misery. Before I had done- attending to him, the whole floor of the cabin was t-overed with unfortunate sulferers.. Some bore up under the horrors of their situation with a degree of resolution amounting to heroism. Others were wholly overcome by the sense of pain, the suddenness of the fatal disaster, and the near approach . of death, which even to them was evident whose pangs they already felt. Some implored us, as an act of humanity, to cjornplete the work of destruction, and frea them from present suffering. One :cn;reated the presence of a clergyman to pray by him, declaring he was not fit to die. I inquired; none could be had. On every side were to be heard groans. and mingled exclamations of grief and despair. To add to the confusion, persons wen every moment running about to lean the fate cf their friends and relatives;

father?, son?, brothers; for, in this scene of unmixed calamity, it was impossible to say who were saved, or who had perished . The countenances of many were so much disfigured as to be past recognition. My attention, after some time, was particularly drawn towards a poor fellow who lay unnoticed on the floor, without uttering a single word of complaint. H; wa9 at a little distance removed from the rest. lie was not much scalded, but one of his thighs was broken, and a principal artery had been severed, frm which the blood was gushing rapidly. H betrayed no displeasure at the apparent neglect with which he was treated he was perfectly calm. I poke iohirn;he 6aid "he was very weak; he felt himself going it would soon be over." A gentleman ran for one of the physician ; he came, and declared that, if espeditlon were used, he might be pre

served by amputaiing the limb; but that, to etiect this, it would be necessary to remove him from the boat. Unfortunately the boat was not sufficiently near to run a plank ashcre. We were obliged to wait until it could be close hauled. I stood by him calling for help; we placed him on a mattrass, and bore him to the guards; there we were detained some tim, from the cause I have mentioned. Never did any thing appear to me so slow as the movements of those engaged in hauling the boat. 1 knew, and he knew, that delay was death that life was fast ebbing, I could not take my gaze from his face there all was coolness and resignation. No word or gesture indicative of impatience escaped him. He perceived by my loud and, perhaps, angry tone of voice, how much I was excited by what I thought bu Uarous slowness of those around ; he begged me not to take so much trouble; 1 that they were doing thir best. A( ' length we got him on shore It was too late; he was loo much exhausted, and died immediately after the amputation. , bo soon as i was relieved trom attending on those in the cabin, I went to rsamine that part of the boat where ihe boiler had bursted. It was a complete wreck a picture of destruction. It borample testiin ny of the tremendous force of that power which the ingenuity of man has brought to his aid. The steam had given every thing a whuMi hue the noilers were displaced ihe deck hud fallen down the machinery was broken and disordered. Bricks, dirt and rubbish were scattered about. Close by the bowsprit was a large rent through which, I was told, the boiler, after exploding, had passed' out, carrying one or two men in its mouth. Several dead bodies were lying around ; their fate had been an enviable one compared with that of others they could scarcely have been conscious of a pang ere they had ceased to be. On the starboard wheel house lay a human body, iu which life was not yet extinct, though, apparently, there was no sensibility remaining. The body must have been thrown from the boiler deck, a distance of thirty feet. The whole of the forehead had been blown away: the brains were still beatiug. Tufts of hair, shreds of clothing, and fplotches of blood might be seen in every direction. A piece of skin was picked up by a gentleman on board, which appeared to have been pealed viY by the force of the steam; it e xtended from the middle of the arm down to the tips id his lingers, the nails adhering to it. So dreadtul had been the force that not a particle of flesh adhered to it; the most skilful operator could scarcely have effected such a result. Several died from inhaling the steam or gas, whose skin was almost uninjured. The number of lives lost will, in ail probability, never be distinctly known. Many were seen flung into the river, most of whom sunk to rise no more. Could the survivors have been kept together until the list of passengers was called, the precise loss would have been ascertained ; that however, though it had been attempted, would, under the circumstances, have bseu nest to impossible. Judging from the crowd which 1 saw on the boiler deck immediately before the explosion, and the statement which I received as to the nun her ot those who succeeded in swimming out alter they were cast into the river, I am inclined to believe that between forty and fifty must have perished. The cabin passengers escaped owing to the peculiar construction of the boat. Just behind the boilers were several large iron posts, supporting, I think, the boiler deck ; across each post was a large circular plate of iron of between one and two inches in thickness. One of those posts was placed exactly opposite the head of the boiler which burst, being the second one on the starboard side. A gainst this plate the head struck and penetrated to the depth of an inch, then broke and flew off at an angle, cnterin" a cotton bale to the depth of a f0oL The boiler head was in point blank range with the breakfast table in the cabin, and had it not been obstructed by the iron post must have made a clear sweep of those who were seated at the table. To render any satisfactory account of the cause which produced the explosion can hardly be expected from one who

possesses no scientific or practical knowledge on the subject, and who previously thereto was paying no attention to the management of the boat. The Captain appeared to be very active and diligent in attending to his duty. He was on the boilerdt ck when the explosion occurred; was materially injured by that event; and must have been ignorant of the mismanagement, ifany then- was. From the engineer alone could the true txplanation be alfoided; and if indeed it was really attributable to negligence, it can scarcely be supposed he will lay the blame on himself. If I might venture a suggestion in relation thereto, I would assign the following causes: That the water in the starboard boilers had become low in consequence of that side of the boat resting

upon the ground durmgjour stay at Memphis; that, though the fires were kpl up some lime before, we shoved oif, that the head which burst had been cracked for a considerable time, that the bailor was extremely heated, and thu water, thrown in when the boat was again in motion, was at once converted into steam, and the flues, not being sutliciently large to cam it tifas quickly as it was generated, nor the boiler head of a strength capable of resisting its action; the explosion was a natural result. I assume this proposition to be correct that, in every case where a boiler bursts it is fair to infer that it proceeded from neglect, until the contary shall be proved. A Cabin Passenger on board the Helen McGregor. Washington City, 26lh March, 1330. fCj Mf. Thomas Chilton. The Coalition papers Lhvo already commenced putting the letter of this unfortunate man, and of endeavoring to produce the impressiou (hut the administration is almost being deserted by its friends. At a distance from tun seal of Government Mr. Chilton enl-ivs Kood reputation. He 13 known as a Habitat preacher, ivho has hereto fore possessed to lha fullest extent iha cootidence of his brother Divines in the West; but it is not UnovTn that within the last three nunib3 ho has fallen from the respectable situation he beld in- society, btcomt. the reviler of religion and morality, and openly pursued a course which has disgraced and degraded biza in the estimation of his colleagues. Il ia a painful subject to exp033 the infircnaties of such a tntni us Mr Chilton has been; but when he avails himself of his former good reputation to assail the conduct of those whose coiifidtoce be has enjoed, and impugns the motives of his lute political frieida it becomes a duty which we owe to the community to rend 89under the veil of hypocriry which conceals his real character, and place him before the world in his real colours. The people of the United States must know Mr. Chilton as be is, and then attach to his late letter the degree of importance to which it is entitled. Jlr. C. arrived in Washington at the commencement of the present session of Congress, ia the full possession of all his mental faculties, and enjo)iog tho confidence and r9pect of his political and personal friends. Shortly after bio arrival ho preached a sermou in the IJjptist Church at Alexandria, and charmed hundred by his eloquence, and his apparent piety and devotion. Imperceptibly his visits to the II all of Representative became irregular; his stat was vacant for da)s in succession; and bis friends from various causes, entertained fears that ho had yielded himself a victim to tho maddening sin of intemperance. Ilia u"olo course of hie became changed and a weekly paper in Washington publicly alluded to couduct which his private & public obligations forbade his approaching. Religion, it is said, became his sport; and those truths nluch he had 80 often and so eloquftntly preached, were ridiculed aod dispised. In ehort, be became what ho qow is, a poor uufortunatei manwho has sunk too low to merit ought but the compassion of those who knew him b- fore bis fall On the 9ib of February, he introduced into the House of Representatives a sat of resolu tions, opposed, in spirit, to the American System, and urging the abolition of duties upon articles ,kwhich enter, of necessity, into the coq. 6umption of each family of the community, rich and poor." About the 20th, ha called upon a member of Congress, of high standing, whoss bsojc we will, when necessary, give to the public, and stated, that his object in introducing the resolutions referred to, 4 waa to prostrate that political gamhler and demagogue, Henry CLATf!' Spthknig of religion he said that he had "practised duplicity long enough, and was determined in future to speak of it as he thought 1" Other and more damning facta are in our possession, which, if necessary, shall be published to the world, with tlie names of the members of Coogrcsa who can vouch for their authenticity This is the faithful portraiture of Thomas Chilton, whoso fall has been silently witness ed by bis unprincipled political opponents, and seized upon by them, to produce an effect unfavorable to the present administration. In their desperate attr mpt to turu the once unspotted reputation of this now miserable roan against us, they have lost sight of the palpable inconsistencies under which he necessarily labours, when declaring himself the friend of Henry Clay. IJcnvows himself the warmly attached friend of General Jackson, and yet the admirer of the principles of Henry Clay'!! But enough. Mr. Chilton became unworthy of bis political associatss, and has thrown himself into the arms of a party where he will find congenial fpirita and sympathizing fiiends We rejoice in his departure from amang U9 but mourn over the causes which have produced it. Y York Cowrier. Gen. Jeremiah iMosher, also an officer in the army of the revolution, died at Lancaster, Pa. on the Sth iris t. iu the Tith year of his age.

77ie policy of the Opposition. -That the opposition to the present administration, is numerous, talented, determined and organized, is now fully understood. That their measures are directed as if by onewill, as fully apparent. That there is a disposition in Congress to retard legislation, that the delay may be charged to the administration cannot now be doubted. We foresee that those who now seek to throw every obstacle in the way of business, will be amongst the loudest in denouncing the majoiiiy for not doing more than will be done at the close of the present session. We are of the class who are opposed to much or hasty legislation; but the public are beginuing to inquire, and they hate a light to know, what has been done, and whose fault it is that more has not been done, during the present session. The public should know, that while tho adversary is organ iztd the friends of the administration are magnanimous that whilst a large and well dulled minority are deeply interested in preventing the accomplishment of any thing that may advance the popular ity of the present administration, there is particularly in the House of Representatives, no concert in aid to the administration. These are striking truths, and as faithful chroniclers of the times we record them. One of the objects of the opposition is

to prevent the detection of abuses, that j th e present administration may bo held responsi ie not on,y tor exiling auuea, but for their continuance. Hence, upon . 1 . ....... i . . . . . 1 I. .-w . I I f I I ,M1

me qne.uoii ui ,u5 mu i , u.u .cauiuuuu , 6viA ajmlnUUaf,0U 0f tie General Guvgrantmg a salary of $1500 per annum to ?rnK1Rn, .lccolJ .vith lhR Uuo uu.iv

the reporter of del ates, for the National Intelligencer, 3lr, Davis and Mr. Ingersoll, boldly contrasted the profession of the party before, with the practice of the administration since it camu into power. It is manifostlhat they had not examined into the subject They did not expect the prompt and elucient reply given to them by Mr. Polk. They called in their main body, and Mr. Storrs retreated behind the previous question. In part of our yesterday's impression, we stated that the current expenses including the arrearages thrown upon the administration amounted to $2-0,362 70 less than those of the preceding year. This was a mistake of the compositor, who inserted the diilerence in favour of the administration on the payments of the national debt, instead of the didorence iu the current expenses, The espidentureof the first year of the present administration was o31,G59 00 less than the expenditure of the last year of the late administration. That part of Mr. Polk's speech to whit h c?e refer, is as follows: uMr Polk said, I have not had time, since this debate assumed its present aspect, to nrake an) very minute or detailed examination. Lut I hold in my hand an official statement from the Treasur), of the aggiegale amount of the expenditures of Hie government, independent of the payment of the public djht for year IG20, which I find to be 12,GJi?,2l6 82. Tne House will rem i k, that, by refer ence to the report ol the secretaiy ol the treasury, made on the 15'h of December last, that the actual expenditures for the three tirst quarters of the year 1829, had then been ascertained, but the actual ex penditures ol the fourth quarter of the )mi, im.ii i..ui mn uumi c-Nptrea, enna ... ... o.. 1. ; , l . 1 ... 1 . . 1 1 1

o be -now,, and ,le probable umuuut 1 100 on Wednesday ni,. , robber. ils of the ,!S(,,j,ir ol 1ml quarter wa, allf0 lpUni, t0 eilterJa , 0le ol Mejirs. a here pro yltnuUid . ' !Waoo; .ou,;a;iinj ari rPrHved a slab i(1 ,,is

uiai iuu "fsimiaie wuj cousiaeraoiv greater than the actual expenditures, since ascertained at the treasury, turns out to be. The actual expenditures, therefore, for the year, is the amount 1 have stated. Compare this with the actuul expenditures of the preceding year, 1828, and the amount will stand thus: Fiom the report of the Secretary of the Treasur), it appears that the aggregate expenditures for the year 1S2S, independent of the payment of the public debt was 813,321 ,87o S3 The aggregate expenditures o! the year 1828, independent of the payment of the public debt was 12,687,21G 82 Difference, G34,659 01 Making the aggregate expenditures of the year 1829, six hundred and thirtyfour thousand six hundred and fifty-nine dollars and one cent less than the aggregate expenditures of the year 1828. 1 find, too, from the documents before me, that a greater amount of the public debt w.iSpaidin the year lS29thau wa3 paid in the year 1 828. In the tar 1829, there was paid ol the public debt, la the ) ear 182S, there was paid of ihe public debt, Ddference in favour of the year 1829, $12,3S3,S00 77 12,163,-138 07 220,362 70 ft will be remarked too, that many of the payments made during the last year were in discharge of obligations created, and liabilities -incurred by the late administration. If I am correctly informed, large arrearages of the late administration, some of which are yet to be paid, have have been saddled uonthu admin

istration. Ifl renumber lihf, we have made an appropriation to din haio aricarages acci uing duiit g the late administration lor the Navy alone, for abcut .$330,000. U. S. Tciegiojti.

J A CKSOjY LY PEMYS YL I'AMAo Extract of a letter to a Jkmttr (fCcign?sf dated. .IIarpisblt.g, April 1, IPSO. Pennsylvania is sound to the core f i r General Jackson, lie never had a stronger hold upon the ntfVctions of the people of this powerful S ate, then ; the present moment. The 11. publican members of the Legislature met lasJ night in full Convention, for the puiprse of organizing the part), and espiecaii jj what they believed to be the sentinu nu of the State in relation to the course oi the general administration. It is plain to every one, that nothing can tend nioro firmly to cement the bends which unitvi the democratic family of the Uuiinr than an early knowledge that the President will consent again to be a candidate; and the Convention, under these: impressions, proceeded immediately lo express its opinions and feelings en this subject. John Br.otvN", Esq. of the Senate, was President, and the speaker?, Messrs. Hawkins, of the Senate, and Smith, cf the House, Vice President?. The following preamble and rcsolulion, werc ad 0Jcj UIKU: :imou?ly : WhcCJ3 in lbe opil(i . - .-,. i ' , opinion ol this meet-nnlif-v nnd uip:im i v nf fi mv. (J 1 ot the country, and are such as th fi iends of the pi t rent venerable unJ distinguished individual, placed at the head of the Government by the free and voluntary suffrages of the people, anticipated and predicted, in the event of his success, and such as are not only approved by his former friends, but by many who opposed his election. And whereas, Pennsylvania was the first Slate in the Union to present the name of Axdhew Jackson to the .American people, as a candidate for the Presidency, it is right that she should be among the first to express hec satisfaction at the prosperity aud success of his administra'ion: Therefore, be it resohed) That, in the opinion of this meeting, the present ad , - ministration of the General Government meets the cordial and dtcided approbation of the Democratic part) , and of the people of P nns)lvania. Resolved, That iu the opinion of thisi meeting, the unanimity and harmony ot the great Democratic party of the Uuiou will be greatly promoted, by again placing the name of Akdrsiv Jackson before the people, as a Candidate for re election. uIn addition to the above resolution?, adopted by the Convention, a letter hna been addiessed to Gt nernf Jackson, hy the members expressing, in the stiongest terms, their approbation of the ise and judicious republican measure'' of his administration. Thus you st c, my dear Sir, that good old Pennsylvania ha again boldly declared herself in favor of the People's Candidate, for the highest office in th j woild." An awful occurrence, and one which aiTards an unerring index to the ultirMo cm! of vice. !.,!. r,l.,-P ,-.t ruin. breast, from Mr. A. Haiing, who was iu the store, &. died in a few minutes. Ha had loosened the window shutter, and raised the sash, and extended his bedy half into the store, and was in the act of turning round a desk to ride it of its contents, when he received the blow. He instantly fled, but fell dead after running about twenty pares. He is n $trangei probably from the upper country, and had nothing with him by which hisnaum could be discovered. He was arrr.ecf with a loaded pistol which was stuck in a handkerchief tied round the outside of his dres?; and in his pocket was a bunch of keys, of different sizes and forms. He; evidently intended to effect his object even at the price of blood; by the dt cree of a just providence, that which was intended for others has been visited on himself; and has probably paid the penalty ofa life ofcrime, in which murder and robbery perhaps have been often com mitted. His account is closed with this earth; he has gone to settle with offended heaven. G. Ccrmvondent. We learn from the Louisiana Adreruser of the 23d ult, that during the performance at the Theatre a few night? previous, the audience were dreadfully alarmed by the cry ol fhtl bursting foith amid loud crackling crashing, portending the destruction of the roof, joists, &c. It was however soon discovered that the alarm proceeded from the filliage woik of a colossal bonnet, vtf.ich overtopping the chandalier had become ignited by the stream of lighted gas; the noi.-e-attending the flame, was the report attendant on the combustion of whale a. bone. By the timely assistance of the Hook and Ladder Company the fne w;u arrested six feet above tho head of thlair wearer. .V. V, 1.Y