Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-05-06

nest who profess no taIth-put ho Ia" "a" ~
the fanatic mild or tolerant. his mind Is diseased
and the transparent fount Of pure religion IS turn
ed to gall and bitterness-we nave many REFORMS
to make on this subject. we shoot our AFRO"
beyond the mark.-N. r. Eng.
--eee9a-
REMARKABLE PHENOMENA IN NAIC-
RAJ HISTORY.
Conu of n letter 10 Dr. s. l.. ~ at New Fork.
WAsHtxeroN, April 25, 1881.
Deor ST.. Knowing your love for .'atural
Hector, have to inform YOU that -four remark
abIy fat r, $ were seen few days aSo. making
their way ont of ore of the public buiiin.-. which
has been reported falling for some TIM. You, sir.
7 am aware. are 100 learned to be told t!@t buck
wheat cakes NAV be fried on a gri'de. or that
the Egyptians worshpped God with sleeps
head. called Ammun CnouphiS. But what.
learned sir, are Won prepared @ sy, OF four rats
with mems heads on their shoulders? Incredi-
BILE as this IS, it is fact. An old gentleman OF
this place who was the first to see them, has
sworn to it before Justice of the Peace. No
one doubts his veracity on this subject, for ever
since he came to reside among US, he passed for
a very simple old man. He states that one of
them with a bald head took the road to New York.
| wish therefore you would take the trouble to
set one of Calhoun's patent rat traps at Powes
Hook, with good bait of Albany Dutch cheese.
and it is very probable you may catch this man
rat, and so find out what genus it belongs to.
Be so obliging as to inform me whether you
find in the history OF any nations, that anomalous
creatures of this kind have ever been worshipped,
since the period of the Egyptians. They placed
the heads of their sacred animals on the busts Of
their Diyinities. But this is case of rats bear
ing the sembsance of the human race. Our In
dams, who are not far advanced in civilization,
assume the beaver, the wolf, the bear, &C. &c.
as the badges of their tribes. but do not degrade
themselves by worshipping them. have con-
suited great many histories in vain, on this head;
perhaps YOU may find something to the point in
the Records of the Tammany Society.
1t is also very remarkable fact, and worthy
your profound attention as naturalist, that the
old gentleman before alluded to. had his nerves
so extremely affected by this unexpected sight.
that he has been very much indlsposed ever since
His friends have given such reasons as they have
Judged proper for his indispositlon. but the real
truth is, that he too has rats tail growing be-
hind him. and whenever he stirs from his chair,
it always points othe western country, as though
it was preparing to move in that direction.
This is an age, sir, of physical and moral
wonders. Man is asserting the dignity OF his
nature In Europe, by governing his Governors,
desecraung his churches, and razing to the
ground the residences of the Ministers OF Rell-
gion; Miss Fanny Wright is asserting the dlgnl-
ty of her sex, by trying to rule man; ''aspira-
tons after pefectibilty" are every where. With
US rats are getting mems heads, and the good
sense Of old gentlemen, is settling down into
their tails.
That you, learned sir, may ever remain one
of the brightest beacons of the march of mind,
is the respectful wish of your admirer and SER
want. o. P. Q. BUTTON.
-.aa8s.-
As the affairs of the United States have been
lately managed with immediate reference to what
are called the interests of party. which in PLAIN
language means the interests of few individuals,
it may be worth while occasionally to take sur
vey of the situation and prospects OF those who
are now in power, aud who are governed in their
conduct by regard to the principle which we
have lust stated The late revolution in the bo-
DIV which General Jackson denominated his Ca
binet, renders this subject more interesting than
usual The oversight of the Executive Depart
ment of the Government has been for little
more than two years in the hands of the present
Chief Magistrate, during which time very little
has been done for the character and prosperity of
the country. We have had no foreign war to
encounter, no internal disturbance to suppress,
no difficulties abroad Of any description to strug
gle with or overcome, and the Administration
have all the time claimed strong and decided
majority of the people, as we'll as of both houses
of Congress;-and yet, Cabinet, selected by
himself, from among his friends, and one and all
from the party of which he is considered, have
split into sections, and behaved In such manner
that it has been found necessary to clear the
board, and make way for another entirely new
set. What where the precise reasons for this
explosion, we do not pretend to know. The men,
bers of the Cabinet undoubtedly were originally
considered as devoted and jealous supporters Of
General Jackson: for, in his letters to Mr.. Ing
ham and Mr. Branch, he says they had come TO-
gether IN great harmony, and to render the agree
ment more perfect, he adds, g and as unit. :"
Nothing can be more one in its nature and opera