66 From the Journal of Commerce. be taken as an act of rebellion, or of like high nature, in defacing the king's colors; though the MANY of our readers will remember the anni- truth were, it was done upon the opinion, that the versary meeting of the New England Society in red cross was given to the King of England by the 1847, somewhat distinguished for a heterogeneous Pope, as an ensign of victory, and so a superstitious collection of persons and things; and possibly something, and a relique of anti-Christ." On the 27th of them have not forgotten a flag, then first exhib- of the same month, “the assistants met at the govited as the exact copy of the original flag used ernor's to advise about defacing of the cross in the by the Puritan settlers. An eastern paper, in ensign at Salem, when (taking the advice of some alluding to the exhibition, after describing the of the ministers) we agreed to write to Mr. Downbanner, including its significant device, (the Cross,)ing in England, of the truth of the matter, under refers to some old Dutch records," as authority all our hands, that, if occasion were, he may show for its adoption by the society as the ancient flag it in our excuse; for therein we expressed our of New England, and adds, "that its origin and dislike of the thing, and our purpose to punish the history, Mr. G. W. Moore (the able librarian and offenders, yet with as much wariness as we might, historical scholar) has not been very fully able to being doubtful of the lawful use of the cross in an ascertain, but is in pursuit of further information ensign, &c." On the 4th March following, a on the subject," justly premising that "the history general court was held at Newtown. Mr. Hooker of so scientific a device would be interesting." preached, and as he soon after wrote a tract in Though some of our down-easters were rather defence of the cross and in censure of Mr. Endiincredulous as to the authenticity of the banner cott, we may infer that he took the same ground attributed to their ancestors, we have waited pa- in this discourse. Mr. Endicott was now" called tiently for Mr. Moore's history of the "scientific to answer for defacing the cross in the ensign; device," when he should be "very fully able to but, because the court could not agree about the ascertain it." Others, combining the incidents thing, whether the ensigns should be laid by, in which distinguished the convivial meeting of 1847, | regard that many refused to follow them, the whole that is, the presence of Bishop Hughes, and the cause was deferred till the next general court; and exhibition of the banner with the cross, presumed the commissioners for military affairs gave order, that it was only intended as a harmless compliment in the mean time, that all the ensigns should be to their distinguished guest. Though well enough laid aside, &c." At the next general court and in 1847, it was not supposed the adjuncts of that election, held in May, 1635, the magistracy of dinner, the cross, the Catholic priests, and the tender consciences" were laid aside, and men of champaign, were seriously intended to illustrate more enlightened consciences" chosen in their the principles or the manners of the New Eng-places. John Haynes was chosen governor-Mr. landers of the seventeenth century. Ludlow and Mr. Endicott were left out of the magThose, however, who know Mr. Moore, will istracy. Dummer, Coddington, and John Winnot admit that he, without credible authority,throp, jun., were among the assistants chosen. could be induced to adopt any suggested novelty At this court a committee of one from a town was as an historical fact, and such are somewhat im-chosen by the people, who, with some chosen by patient to learn what new evidence has justified the magistrates, were instructed to consider of the exhibition of this "scientific device," again Mr. Endicott's offence, and the censure due to it, and yet again, "until there is danger of its be- and to certify to the court. They "found his coming a fixed fact" that the cross was the veri-offence to be great, viz., rash and without discretable device adopted by the Pilgrims of New Eng-tion, &c., giving authority for the State of England land to distinguish their flag. 46 66 66 to think ill of us, for which they adjudged him In looking into the history of our first settlers, worthy admonition, and to be disabled for one as given by contemporary narrators, we must year from bearing any public office; declining any admit that we find but little to corroborate the heavier sentence, because they were persuaded evidence of the Dutch record," or to justify he did it out of tenderness of conscience, and not the conclusion that "the cross," even that of St. of any evil intent," &c. The decision on the George in the king's colors, was held in any pe- main question of cross or no cross, was not had at culiar veneration by the Puritans. It certainly this court but referred to the next. In the mean became a fruitful topic for discussion and dissension time came over Hugh Peters and Henry Vane, disamong them, soon after the settlement of Boston. tinguished for their "tenderness of conscience," From Winthrop's journal, we may infer that the and readiness to battle against any or all the "relcolors of England were in use by the colonists iques of anti-Christ" and their apologists. The until the year 1634. On the 5th November of king's colors were no longer tolerated. An Engthat year, Winthrop writes, that a complaint was lish ship coming into port was compelled by the raade to the Court of Assistants, "by some of the lieutenant of the fort to strike her flag, which country, that the ensign at Salem was defaced, viz., the master took as a great injury, and complained one part of the red cross taken out. Upon this, to the magistrates, who gave him satisfaction by an attachment was awarded against Richard Da- compelling the lieutenant to acknowledge his error, venport, ensign bearer, to appear at the next court. &c., no colors being at that time abroad on the Much matter was made of this, as fearing it would fort." Governor Haynes, Mr. Hooker, and asso 66 46 interested in the question; and after many fiery circumjacent country, who were all more or less speeches against the asserted tyranny of the administration, it was unanimously resolved to prevent the removal of the archives by open and armed resistance. To that end they organized a company of four hundred men, one moiety of whom, relieving the other at regular periods of duty, should keep constant guard around the state of this force was one Colonel Morton, who had house until the peril passed by. The commander achieved considerable renown in the war for independence, and had still more recently displayed desperate bravery in two desperate duels, in both of which he had cut his antagonist nearly to pieces with the bowie knife. Indeed, from the notoriety of his character for revenge, as well as courage, it was thought that President Houston would renounce his purpose touching the archives, so soon as he should learn who was the leader of the opposition. ciates, now left Massachusetts, to establish their | the execution of Houston's mandate. They called colony on the Connecticut, where they might find a mass meeting of the citizens and farmers of the more room to experiment on the science of government." The magistrates and elders who succeeded with the new governor, Vane, were, however, forced into a concession, allowing the king's colors to be displayed at the fort; protesting, according to Winthrop," that for our part, we were fully persuaded that the cross in the ensign was idolatrous, and might not set it in our ensign; but because the fort was the king's, and maintained in his name, we thought that his own colors might be spread there." It does not appear that the use of the king's colors by the military of Massachusetts was resumed until 1684, when, by order of the majorgeneral, the captains of companies were required, "with all convenient speed," to provide a suite of colors for their respective commands, "y ground field or flight whereof is to be green, with a red cross with a white field in y angle, according to the ancient custom of our own English nation, and the English plantations in America, and our own practice in our ships and other vessels." The scruple against the use of the king's colors, however, still continued in many minds. Judge Samuel Sewall was, in 1685, captain of the south company of militia in Boston. In his diary, under date of August 20, 1686, he writes: "Read tenth Jeremiah; was in great exercise about the cross to be put into the colors and afraid, if I should have a hand in it, whether it may not hinder my entrance into the holy land." On the 11th November, 1686, he resigned his commission, "on account of an order to put the cross in the colors." From Noah's Weekly Messenger. THE CELEBRATED TEXAN SPY. Morton, on his part, whose vanity fully equalled his personal prowess, encouraged and justified the prevailing opinion by his boastful threats. He ing the records by the march of an overpowering swore that if the president did succeed in removforce, he would then himself hunt him down like a wolf, and shoot him with little ceremony, or stab him in his bed, or waylay him in his walks of recreation. He even wrote the hero of San Jacinto to that effect. The latter replied in a note of la conic brevity: "If the people of Austin do not send the ar if Colonel Morton can kill me, he is welcome to chives, I shall certainly come and take them; and my ear-cap." On the reception of this answer, the guard was doubled around the state-house. Chosen sentinels were stationed along the road leading to the capital, the military paraded the streets from morning till night, and a select caucus held permanent session in the city hall. In short, everything betokened a coming tempest. ABOUT two years after the Texan revolution, a One day, while matters were in this precarious difficulty occurred between the new government condition, the caucus at the city hall was surprised and a portion of the people, which threatened the by the sudden appearance of a stranger, whose most serious consequences-even the bloodshed mode of entering was as extraordinary as his looks and horrors of civil war. Briefly, the cause was and dress. He did not knock at the closed doorthis: The constitution had fixed the city of Austin he did not seek admission there at all; but climbas the permanent capital, where the public archives ing unseen a small bushy-topped live oak, which were to be kept, with the reservation, however, of grew beside the wall, he leaped without sound or a power in the president to order their temporary warning through a lofty window. He was clothed removal in case of danger from the inroads of a altogether in buckskin, carried a long and very foreign enemy, or the force of a sudden insurrec-heavy rifle in his hand, wore at the button of tion. Conceiving that the exceptional emergency had arrived, as the Camanches frequently committed ravages within sight of the capital itself, Houston, who then resided at Washington, on the Brazos, dispatched an order commanding his subordinate functionaries to send the state records to the latter place, which he declared to be, pro tempore, the seat of government. It is impossible to describe the stormy excitement which the promulgation of this fiat raised in Austin. The keepers of hotels, boarding-houses, groceries, and faro-banks, were thunder-struck, maddened to frenzy; for the measure would be a death-blow to the prosperity in business; and accordingly, they determined at once to take the necessary steps to avert the danger, by opposing his left suspender a large bowie knife, and had in his leathern belt a couple of pistols half the length of his gun. He was tall, straight as an arrow, active as a panther in his motions, with dark complexion and luxuriant jetty hair, with a severe, iron-like countenance, that seemed never to have known a smile, and eyes of intense, vivid black, wild and rolling, and piercing as the point of a dagger. His strange advent inspired a thrill of involuntary fear, and many present unconsciously grasped the handles of their side-arms. “Who are you, that thus presumes to intrude among gentlemen, without invitation?" demanded Colonel Morton, ferociously essaying to cow down the stranger with his eye. The latter returned his stare with compound interest, and laid his long, bony finger on his lip, as a sign-but of what, the spectators could not imagine. "Who are you? Speak! or I will cut an answer out of your heart!" shouted Morton, almost distracted with rage by the cool, sneering gaze of the other, who now removed his finger from his lip, and laid it on the hilt of his monstrous knife. The fiery colonel then drew his dagger, and was in the act of advancing upon the stranger, when several caught him and held him back, remonstrating. "Let him alone, Morton, for God's sake. Do you not perceive that he is crazy?" At the moment Judge Webb, a man of shrewd intellect and courteous manners, stepped forward, and addressed the intruder in a most respectful manner: "My good friend, I presume you have made a mistake in the house. This is a private meeting, where none but members are admitted." The stranger did not appear to comprehend the words, but he could not fail to understand the mild and deprecatory manner. His rigid features relaxed, and moving to a table in the centre of the hall, where there were materials and implements for writing, he seized a pen and traced one line: "I am deaf." He then held it up before the spectators, as a sort of natural apology for his own want of politeness. 66 Judge Webb took the paper, and wrote a question. Dear sir, will you be so obliging as to inform us what is your business with the present meeting?" 66 "You are mistaken," replied Morton, with a smile; "that mute is a hero, whose fame stands in the record of a dozen battles, and at least half as many bloody duels. Besides, he is the favorite emissary and bosom friend of Houston. If I have the good fortune to kill him, I think it will tempt the president to retract his vow against venturing any more on the field of honor." You know the man, then. Who is he? Who is he?" asked twenty voices together. "Deaf Smith," answered Morton, coolly, "Why no; that cannot be. Deaf Smith was slain at San Jacinto," remarked Judge Webb. 66 There, again, your honor is mistaken," said Morton. "The story of Smith's death was a mere fiction, got up by Houston to save the life of his favorite from the sworn vengeance of certain Texans, in whose conduct he had acted as a spy. 1 fathomed the artifice twelve months since.” "If what you say be true, you are a madman yourself!" exclaimed Webb. Deaf Smith was never known to miss his mark. He has often brought down ravens in their most rapid flight, and killed Camanches and Mexicans at a distance of two hundred and fifty yards!” "Say no more," answered Colonel Morton, in tones of deep determination; "the thing is already settled. I have already agreed to meet him. There can be no disgrace in falling before such a shot, and, if I succeed, my triumph will confer the greater glory!" Such was the general habit of thought and feeling prevalent throughout Texas at that period. Towards evening a vast crowd assembled at the The other responded by delivering a letter in-place appointed to witness the hostile meeting; and scribed on the back, To the citizens of Austin." They broke the seal and read it aloud. It was from Houston, and showed the usual terse brevity of his style: so great was the popular recklessness as to affairs of the sort, that numerous and considerable sums were wagered on the result. At length the red orb of the summer sun touched the curved rim of "FELLOW-CITIZENS :-Though in error, and the western horizon, covering it all with crimson deceived by the arts of traitors, I will give you and gold, and filling the air with a flood of burning three days more to decide whether you will sur-glory; and then the two mortal antagonists, armed render the public archives. At the end of that with long, ponderous rifles, took their station, back time you will please let me know your decision. to back, and at a preconcerted signal-the waving SAM. HOUSTON." of a white handkerchief-walked slowly and steadAfter the reading, the deaf man waited a few ily off in opposite directions, counting their steps seconds, as if for a reply, and then turned and was until each had measured fifty. They both comabout to leave the hall, when Colonel Morton inter-pleted the given number about the same instant, posed, and sternly beckoned him back to the table. and then they wheeled, each to aim and fire when The stranger obeyed, and Morton wrote: "You were brave enough to insult me by your threatening looks ten minutes ago; are you brave enough now to give me satisfaction?" The stranger penned his reply: "I am at your service!" Morton wrote again: "Who will be your second?" 66 The stranger rejoined: "I am too generous to seek an advantage; and too brave to fear any on the part of others; therefore I never need the aid of a second." Morton penned "Name your terms." The stranger traced, without a moment's hesitation: "Time, sunset this evening; place, the left bank of the Colorado, opposite Austin; weapons, rifles; and distance, a hundred yards. Do not fail to be in time!" He then took three steps across the floor, and disappeared through the window as he had entered. "What!" exclaimed Judge Webb, "is it possible, Colonel Morton, that you intend to fight that He is a mute, if not a positive maniac. Such a meeting, I fear, will sadly tarnish the lustre of your laurels." VOL. XXIV. 39 man? CCCVI. LIVING AGE. he chose. As the distance was great, both paused for some seconds-long enough for the beholders to flash their eyes from one to the other, and mark the striking contrast betwixt them. The face of Col. Morton was calm and smiling, but the smile it bore had a most murderous meaning. On the contrary, the countenance of Deaf Smith was stern and passionless as ever. A side-view of his features might have been mistaken for a profile done in cast-iron. The one, too, was dressed in the richest cloth, the other in smoke-tinted leather. But that made no difference in Texas then; for the heirs of heroic courage were all considered peers— the class of inferiors embraced none but cowards. Deaf Presently two rifles exploded with simultaneous roars. Colonel Morton gave a prodigious bound upwards, and dropped to the earth a corpse. Smith stood erect, and immediately began to reload his rifle; and then, having finished his brief task, he hastened away into the adjacent forest. Three days afterwards General Houston, accompanied by Deaf Smith and ten more men, appeared in Austin, and without further opposition removed the state papers. The history of the hero of the foregoing anec dote was one of the most extraordinary ever known in the West. He made his advent in Texas at an early period, and continued to reside there until his death, which happened some two years ago; but although he had many warm personal friends, no one could ever ascertain either the land of his birth, or a single gleam of his previous biography. When he was questioned on the subject, he laid his finger on his lip; and if pressed more urgently his brow writhed, and his dark eye seemed to shoot sparks of livid fire! He could write with astonishing correctness and facility, considering his situation; and although denied the exquisite pleasure and priceless advantages of the sense of hearing, nature had given him ample compensation, by an eye quick and far-seeing as an eagle's, and a smell keen and incredible as that of a raven. He could discover objects moving miles away in the far-off prairie, when others could perceive nothing but earth and sky; and the rangers used to declare that he could catch the scent of a Mexican or Indian at as great a distance as a buzzard could distinguish the odor of a dead carcass. It was these qualities which fitted him so well for a spy, in which capacity he rendered invaluable services to Houston's army during the war of independence. He always went alone, and generally obtained the information desired. His habits in private life were equally singular. He could never be persuaded to sleep under the roof of a house, or even to use a tent-cloth. Wrapped in his blanket he loved to lie out in the open air, under the blue canopy of pure ether, and count the stars, or gaze with a yearning look at the melancholy moon. When not employed as a spy or guide, he subsisted by hunting, being often absent on solitary excursions for weeks and even months together in the wilderness. He was a genuine son of nature, a grown up child of the woods and prairie, which he worshipped with a sort of Pagan adoration. Excluded by his infirmities from cordial fellowship with his kind, he made the inanimate things of the earth his friends, and entered by the heart's own adoption into brotherhood with the luminaries of heaven! Wherever there was land or water, barren mountains or tangled brakes of wild waving cane, there was Deaf Smith's home, and there he was happy; but in the streets of great cities, in all the great thoroughfares of men, wherever there was flattery or fawning, base cunning or craven fear, there was Deaf Smith an alien and an exile. Strange soul! he hath departed on the long journey, away among those high bright stars which were his night lamps; and he hath either solved or ceased to ponder the deep mystery of the magic word, "life" He is dead; therefore let his errors rest in oblivion, and his virtues be remempered with hope. PROPOSED EDITION OF THE BIBLE IN 1782. ABOUT the close of the Revolution, the Rev. Dr. Joseph Lyman, of Hatfield, Mass., wrote, in behalf of the Association to which he belonged, to the ministers of Boston, making suggestions respecting the publication of an edition of the Holy Scriptures. The following letter, written in reply, in the name of the associated ministers of Boston, has been handed us for publication. It presents the printing resources of Boston, at that day, in singular contrast with those of the present time. Boston, April 2d, 1782. "REV. SIR,—I have communicated your letter to the associated ministers in this town, and they are unanimously of the opinion that the measure your Association have proposed, for an impression of the Bible, will not answer. And for these reasons: All the printers in town put together have not types sufficient for such an impression; and if they had, proper paper, in quantity, is not to be procured but by sending for it to Europe. Besides, if there was a sufficiency both of type and paper, the Bibles could not possibly be sold so cheap as those that are imported from abroad. Moreover, an impression could not be completed within two years as it must be a very large one, and would not be for the advantage either of the printers or buyers of the books, if the number were less than twenty or thirty thousand. Furthermore, there is not the least reasonable prospect the General Court would be at the expense of such an impression of the Bible, as they are so greatly in debt. I would yet add, I have spoken with some of our printers and booksellers, who concur with the ministers in town in their opinion upon your proposed measure; and say, further, that Bibles are now imported from Holland, and more may daily be expected. I should have written before now, but that I knew of no opportunity of sending to you. And I know of none at present, but think it proper to have a letter in readiness to be sent, whenever I can hear of a way to send it. I am, in the name of our Association here, Rev. Mr. Joseph Lyman. N. Y. Observer. RECOLLECTION OF COLERIDGE.-I have been out at Coleridge's. He is a little, clerical-looking man, but common in appearance, rather poor, indeed, and without mark in the figure and face, except that he has most uncommonly snowy hair; it is perfectly white, and long, but does not wave, which prevents its having much effect. His look is not especially poetic. The moment he is seated, as has been said, he begins to talk, and on it goes, flowing and full, almost without even what might be called paragraphic division, and leaving colloquy out of the question entirely. He talked of the effect Italy had upon himself, and wandered on about the Italian painters and poets. I mentioned my drawings from the Ancient Mariner, and he expressed his very favorable opinion of them. 1 recollect, upon calling, Mrs. Gilman requested me not to sit above half an hour, for Mr. Coleridge was unable to stand fatigue, and was apt, forgetting time, to talk too long. The old man eloquent" received me very kindly. His eye she in tears as he spoke. He shook me kindly by the hand at parting, and hoped, if he lived, to see me again.— Memoir of David Scott, R. S. A. BEAUTIFUL IGNORANCE.-A gentleman was once riding in Scotland by a bleaching ground, where a poor woman was at work watering her webs of linen cloth. He asked her where she went to church, what she had heard on the preceding day. and how much she remembered. She could not even tell the text of the last sermon. "And what good can the preaching do you," said he, "if you forget it all?" Ah, sir," replied the poor woman, “if you look at this web on the grass, you will see that as fast as ever I put the water on it, the sun dries it all up; and yet, I see it gets whiter and whiter.” 66 From the Examiner, 19th Jan. success of her attempted loan. Notwithstanding all that has been said and written about the decay of the Ottoman Empire, and the prostration of its remaining strength through the abolition of old institutions and the abortive nature of its attempt to establish new, Turkey has sincerely and steadily, if partially, progressed in its reforms. The momentary weakness they occasioned has been succeeded by a real increase of strength. The unwilling regulars, by which her brave but insub muted into a force formidable and disciplined. These troops are under such control, the Ottoman rule is now so mild, that last year the Wallachians, whose territory Russian and Turkish armies conjointly occupied, made a revolution to abolish serfdom and in favor of the exclusive protectorate of the Porte. Russia interfered to reestablish serfdom, and this step has deeply injured the interest she had cultivated with the co-religionary populations of Bulgaria, which is still a Turkish province, and of Serbia, which, nominally Turkish, but practically independent, is rich, warlike, influential with its Sclavonic neighbors, and was until recently devoted to Russian interests. Russia had counted on the gradual extinction of the Ottoman strength, and on the enthusiastic coöperation of the Turkish Christians. But Turkey is recovering vigor. The Moldo-Wal MR. COBDEN'S prediction has been verified. After one campaign Russia is resorting to a loan. Hungary has been laid waste, the traditional liberties of its people have been violently suppressed, its defenders butchered in the field, its patriots murdered by judicial sentence, and now the instruments of these iniquities clamor for their wages, which we, says Mr. Cobden, are called on to supply. This is true, but not the whole truth.ordinate hordes were ill-replaced, have been transThe loan is undoubtedly intended to fill up the hiatus occasioned by the temporary appropriation, to the prosecution of the Hungarian war, of revenues raised with difficulty to meet the current expenditure of government. For there is no one, we take it, even in the proverbially credulous class of lenders upon foreign security, so simple as to believe in the application of these proposed funds to the completion of the Moscow railway, which, together with the Neva bridge, has for years past played in Russian finance the same part as the cat in the domestic economy of private families in this metropolis. Begun before thousands of miles of railway long since in operation in other countries had been even thought of, it is now, however tardily, too near its completion to require the pretended outlay. But what we have stated as the object of this loan is not the whole truth, nor the worst feature of it. Strong grounds exist for the belief that it has reference as direct to a desolat-lachians, who have tasted, are disgusted with, ing future as to a sanguinary past. If its object were only to recruit exhausted strength, and, in proposing it, Russia afforded evidence, that, like the offending wasp, it had parted even for a season with its sting, the friends of progress might find some consolation in that reflection; whilst those who mistake for the quietude of order that explosive silence of elements which brute force precariously represses, and who are willing to purchase The attitude of the Russian representative at this dangerous quietude at any price, might repose | Belgrade, his arrogant assumption in taking prein the belief that it had really been attained. But there is every reason to infer that these funds are required not merely to cover the deficiencies occasioned by a past campaign, but to nerve Russia for another, which will inevitably this time involve ourselves in expenditure and war, unless we be prepared to abandon Turkey to its fate-a supposition which the unanimous expression of opinion on a recent occasion shows to be inadmissible. Russia, if it succeed in filling up the gap occa-open a trade with the west, and purchase British sioned by its Hungarian expedition, will possess the same financial resources in crossing over the Danube as when traversing the Carpathians. the Russian rule; while the Serbians begin to suspect and dread it, and watch obviously to let events determine whether they shall pursue an independent or a Russian line of policy. The Daily News, in some excellent articles, has been recently throwing much light on this Serbian question, which is, in fact, that of the integrity of the Porte. cedence of the reigning prince before the whole population, his residence in the best quarters, in the house of the chief minister, his attempt to urge the Serbians to some overt act against the Porte, the check his influence received through the firmness of the latter on the question of extradition and the appearance of the British fleet, the subsequent rebellion of the minister against his pretensions, and the determination of the Serbs to cloths; are remarkable indications of the real weakness of Russia in this quarter. On the other hand, the revival of Russian influence, through the concessions of the Porte in detaining the Hungarian refugees and expelling a portion of the Poles, (a revival evidenced by the immediate ap Beyond that river, the belief is almost as universal in the southernward advance of Russia in the spring, as the conviction entertained on this side of the channel as to the continuance of peace.pointment to the ministry of the most abject of If we pause to examine what is passing in Turkey and the Danubian principalities, many indications are discernible that this is conditionally the intent of Russia. And the conditions determining the execution or postponement of that aggression may not unreasonably be supposed to be the failure or the Russian tools, and by the declaration of the prince that no Serbian should be sent for education anywhere but to Russia,) may serve sufficiently to indicate the impolicy of our apathetic tone recently taken in this matter, and of the dangers which menace Turkey from any appearance of weak |
