Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-09-15

; hor appearance was decidedly to her
advantage. She might have been 2s
years old, but not more the husband
was perhaps five years her senior. In
] this fashion they walked about in the
vicinity Of the market moro than an
hour before they were spoken to by
any person, though the singularity OF
their appearance and movements at.
tracted the notice of a good many
curiosity hnally prompted several in.
dividuals to accost them, and in reply
to their queries, Jones stated that he
had brought his wife there to sell, To
provide means for rescuing the chill.
dren from starvation. He was some.
what surprised when told that such
things were not tolerated here; and
said it was often done in England, even
| against the consent of the wife and
as Mrs. Jones had acceeded to the
measure for the sake Of her starving
little ones, he appeared to think il par
ticularly hard that il could not be done
here. Quite large collection Of per-
sons, attracted by the novelty Of tho
thing, soon gathered about them, a
mongst whom contribution, amounts
ing to nearly six dollars, was made
and presented to them--which sum
they appeared to consider almost
princoly fortune. One of the gentle>
men present, gave This distressed fami-
y a shelter in his barn, till something
better could be done for them, and they
were soon supplied by families in the
vicinity with food and covering sufTi-
cient to make them comfortable over
Sunday. liappears from their state
ment TINT they had been transported to
this country by tho parish authorities
of Bristol, by whom they had been
maintained for several months, white
swelling on his leg having disabled tho
father from labor. He is now, how.
eyer, already recovered from his lame.
ness, and will soon be able to go to
work--of which he will soon have
abundance, and good pay.
He who should derive his knowledge
of the American people, solely from
reading the newspap ers of tho day,
would inevitably come to the conclu.
sion, that politics were almost the sole
business Of the nation. There is in
| these so much noise, so much heat, so
much passion and excitement, that one
would suppose there was scarcely any
space or activity left for any thing else.
The comparative merits or dement's Of
the candidates for the presidency, and
the subordinate elections, upon which
their respective fates depend, seem to
occupy the whole interest and atten.
ton of the community. Every state,
every town, every village, every COT
tage, is almost absorbed by the great
question which appears forthe moment,
at least, to swallow up every other
pursuit or occupation. Family is d.
vided against family, brother against
brother, and in every street, in every
tavern, at every hearth, dscordant
voices are heard, in accents which
seem big with tho fate of Caesar and
of Rome..; But this impression is
very deceptive one. Hand in hand
with these vehement discussions, the
ordinary pursuits Of life go on with o.
ven increased activity. II is the mere
hum ofthe busy hive, the froth and
scum thrown up by the fierce democ-
racie." There is no country in the
world, where the spirit of physical inn
provement is so untiringly at work.
NocommuDity, the members Of which
are so industriously engaged in efforts
at ameliorntion. "Givo me-" said
the patriot, "the turbulence of liberty
rather than the calm Of slavery" and
the experience Of the world, but espeI
cially ofthis country, has proved that
the former is more favorable to the de-
vclopement ofthe resources ola coun.
try than the latter. There is some-
thing, indeed, imposing, in the solemn
grandeur, the tranquil majesty of des-
potism, and it is not denied that some
Of the noblest works of man are monu-
ments of the wisdom and glory Of the
"tyrants Of the EARTH" Still, it is not
the less true, that the general activity
the universal emulation, which is tho
offspring Of the spirit of liberty, is vast
ly more potent in its action, and Nigh
ty in its consequences, than the occa-
sional efforts of what may be termed
accidental genius. This reflection is
not without its use, since it should
make us more indulgeni towards those
popular excuses, which, however we
may reprehend or regret them, are per
haps the unavoidable consequences Of
system, that, partaking ofthe imper-