Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-05-12

HomeDepufimsnt.-We formerly Gel.
led aitenlidn Of our readers 10 an ins-
portant topic, and pressed upon their
notice the necessity of a distant branch.
TO be denominated the Home Depart
ment, in u government The reasons
are obvious. 1t is impossible for one
man, however splendid his talents, or
intense his application, to do justice to
the various, hourly INCREASING, and mul.
tlform interests of the United States.
IN their foreign asd domestic relation
ship. Each OF these is a separate and
distinct study-we will venture to call
it a science by itself. Contemplate the
extensive minu.ia of twenty-fuur differ
eIit & independent states-their confic-
ting and local interests-the immense
improvements now going on in rail
roads and canals-the various manu-
features, and the interior
which will be carried on in this conti-
nent by itself--and then connect this
with the question of foreign treaties,
foreign commerce, our exports, our in
tercourse with the rev republics on this
side of the Atlantic, and with tie old
monarchies on the other; all of them
with adverse interests to reconcile, to
hsrmonize, and to do equal and exact
justice to aIl--is any one man capable
of doing ibis? We shoulu be proud to
behold such aprodigy of patriotism and
OF intellect Bait. finer.
The latest Hoadsr-Ihe Lexington,
Va. paper, O. the 18th inst. states, on the
authority of gentlemen Of the first res
pectability, that the house Of DR..
M'Chesney, in Augusta County, Va. had
been as.ailed with stones Of various
sizes. some of them so hot as to hiss
when they fell into water, in broad day
light, and for several successive days.
THE windows Of the Dr's. house
were all brokeb.-Some fell on the roof
and bounded of, others entered through
a thick plank, that Mrs. M'Chesney,
had been struck by two, one had cue
her head severely; the ladies of Dr.. NJ
Chesney's family had become SO much
alarmed as to leave the house. At in
%tervals these stones y~isitations are said
still to be repeated. The house is repre-
sented,as situated in an open space,
where it would be impossible for any
one to approach within stone-throw
without detection"
On republishing this account tha
Lynchburg Virginian says,
"a gentleman, known to be of strict
veracity, was in this place a day or two
sinee,w who not .only confirms the state
ment made by that paper, but goes still
acknowledgements be himself was an
eye iUitaess to the events which he re-
'ates-thai, not only stone which are in
visible till they strike, enter the house,
and like the locusts If Egypt, infest the
very "kneeding troughs. Abut articles of
furniture are sudde niysdsshed from one
end of the room to The other with in
credible force. The family, after being
annoyed in this manner for one or two.
days, removed from the house; but the
evil followed them wherever they went;
Swe understand hat they have again re-
turned home to abide the issue. Mrs.
M'Chesney has been injured, by ore or
two blows on the head, and her combha
been several times knocked of, with
out injury To her person. Without in
tending to account Tor SD strange a cir
eumstance, or to decide upon its Truth.
I'VE tell the tale as it was told to u.s.
and leave our readers to make their
own conjectnres."
Some of u readers may perhaps re.
collect that well-attested accounts of a
similar occurrence in one of the western
counties of this State, Chatham, we
believe, were published twelve or If
teen years ago In tits instance, how
ever no injury was done, the stones,
some of them very large, falling ham,.
lessly at the feet of a young lady, Ell
Their in or out of doors. 1t is several
years since we read these accounts,
and we may not be very accurate in
in these particulars, but the impressions
made by such marvellous stories are
seldom entirely erased from the me-
mory.
Carolina Observer.
General La Fayetle arrived at New