The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-06-24
TRUE INDEPENDENCE.

We extract the following as a sample Of
the ingenuity and courage of our worthy
prototype, Benjamin Franklin. We GER
tainiy lack both his ingenuity and princi-
| pies of economy; but SO far as our abilities
have extended, we have never yet permit
| ted ain Infringement upon the liberty of OUR
press. The rich and the poor are upon an
equality in our estimation; and when the
former attempt to bring us into their mea-
sures by threats 81 menaces, we can assure
them, that they "bark up the wrong tree"
WE are also rich-rich in opinion and ac-
tion-because we are citizen of that gov
ernment which declares all men free and
equal; and which recognizes no title Of dig
nifty to those tyrants who would use their
wealth to oppress and injure their more hon
est and more respectable neighbors. We
commend the article to the careful perusal
of our readers Columbia Democrat.
Independence and Economy are more
intimately connected than, people generally
seem willing to admit The man who CAN
'cut his coat~according TO his cloth'-whO
CAN satisfy his appetite with cheap, though
at the same time nourishing diet--has little
dread Of oyertradings, suspensions, or the
thousand other evils to which he who has
not the power of self-controf is constantly
exposed.-W What though such man have
sbeen accustomcdall his days to the solids
and the delieacies ofisroast beef and plum
pudding he can dispense with them at any
time they are found to disagree with his
finances; and it is far better to have even the
pudding alone--aye, and without the plums,
too-than to go to bed in debt, for a sump-
tuous dinner. No matter how honest a
man may be, how pure soeyer his intentions,
the moment he becomes involved in debt,
that moment he sacrifices his real indepen-
dence-he ceases to entertain that don't
care-a-straw-for-tro kind of feeling,
which can buoy up his spirits to endure every
privation, and pilot him safely into the ha-
ven of contentment. The frugal Franklin
furnishes notable example of that indepen-
dence which economical habits can achieve
for their possessor. We have an anecdote
in point-it will perhaps be new to most of
our readers; itbe not, ii is among those
things which will bear repeating. Did it
possess no other quality, the wholesome
lesson it teaches cannot be too frequently
given:
The day previous to the Revolution,
while walking in the streets of Philadelphia,
he was thus abruptly brought to- by Jolly
son of Neptune
lsay, shipmate, is your name Ben Frank
linz? yes Are you the man that in
vented the saw-dust pudding?'
'I'hen for Gods sake don't learn old r,
our owner, how to make it, for he'll feed
all his crews on nothing else.'
The story of the saw-dust-pudding, alter
dict1nn, wheat-bran pudding, was originat-
ed somewhat after this fashion:-Franklin
conducted an independent paper in Phil
adelphia, which had given offence to a GER
tam class that wanted TO rule every body
their own way, and the leaders of this par
ty (some fifteen or twenty informed him
that he would be frowned down unless he
submitted to their curb. He proposed to
explain, and fixed the time at his own house.
where the gentlemen were invited to dine.
On the day appointed, he requested Mrs.
i. to employ two pence in the purchase of
a peck of wheat bran, and to make two
puddngs of it, one for each end of the Ia
BILE, as he was to have fifteen or twenty
friends to dine with him. When the COM
pany met. the table without any other dish
es, and, having been seated, each person
was helped to his slice. Their curiosity
led them to try it; they examined each Others
countenances, and were soon satisfied with
their fare.
Friends, will you be helped to more!'
inquired the host.
mo no. exclaimed they all, as with one
voice, I'VE have had enough. But what
means all this!'
why, it means to tell YOU replied the
philosopher, 'that these two puddings cost
two pence; and fifteen friends say they have
had enough. Know, then, that as long as
Benjamin Franklin can satisfy fifteen friends
with two pence, he never will sacrifice the
Independence of his paper
Hs1sizss
A Pr0ftabie State PriSon.-The pre-
sent number of convicts in the Connecticut
State Prison is 2O7. The balance of con-
vlct labor over the expenses presents a gain
OF S7,43S "a. The profits of the prison
since its establishment have been SIS, 756