The native American., 1838-04-28
EXCERPTS
From late foreign papers received at this office

| POPULAR PANIcs,--It is astonishing, in this ag
| Of the diffusion of knowledge, how susceptible
the public mind is of excitement on any topic
the principles of which do not lie absolutely OF
the surface of the most ordinary course of ele
mentary education. 1t was only in the yea
1892 that a general alarm spread throughou
France, lest Bela's comet, in its progress through
the solar SYSTEM should strike the earth; and the
authorities in that country, with view to tran
quilise the public, induced M. Agrago, the as
tronomer royal, to publish an essay on comets
written in and Ineligible stye to show
the impossibility Of such an event.. Several pa
MICS in this country, connected with physical
questions, have occurred within our memory
We had in London 1swater panic" during
which the public was persuaded that the water
supplied to the metropolis was destructive to
health and life. While this lasted, the papers
teemed with announcements of patent filterine
machines; solar microscope makers displayed tc
the terrified Londoners troops Of thousand-egget
animals disporting in their daily beverage; pub
fishers were busy with popular trcatises on ento
mology, and the public was seized with general
hydrophobia. 1t was in vain that Brande ana
Used the water at the Royal Institution, and Fa-
raday attempted to lecture London into its senses
knowledge ceased to be power; philosophy lost
its authority. Time was, however, more efica-
cious than science; and the paroxysms of the
disease having passed through their appointed
phases, the people were convalescent. We had,
at another time, panic against the atmospheric
air. during which the inhabitants of the great
metropolis I'm literal sense) scarcely dared to
breathe. The combustion of coal was denounced
as the great evil in this case. Calculations were
circulated of the number of hundred cubic feet OF
sulphurous gas taken into the lungs of each adult
inhabitant per annum. The properties of the
carbonic acid were discussed behind counters; pa
tent furnaces were plentifully invented and adver-
tsed for sale; and parliament was urged to pass
bill for the publication of the atmosphere, and to
compel all who used fires to consume their own
smoke. few years ago the people Of London
were seized with persuasion, that bakers used
a poisonous substance to bleach the necessary ar
ticles Of food which they manufactured, and
forthwith bread panic arose. ioint-stock
digestive brown bread company was Immediately
formed. ''Fancy Baker, title previously as
sumed as a recommendation to their customers
favor, was painted over; brown loayes usurped
the place Of French rolls; and the lacquey, whose
master adhered to his old taste in defiance Of
poison, as he sought for white loaves, hummed
a. Tell me where is fancy bread?''
AT present the public has turned it's attention to
|meteorology, and the causes which govern the
changes of weather are the all-absorbing topic
Monthly Chronicle. ,ae
t@l}s ls7 b4 2@G s$ Et1.
| "WHERE DO THE VOTERS COME FRoM!'--Th
following facts give the answer: On Friday las
two men walked into the office Of the Commis
sioners of the Aims House, among other pau
pers, when this dialogue ensued:
Com.-What do you want? H#
App.-I want to go by de Aims House
I'd Apple is poor old man and very much
distressed. ,as,
Com.--Let him tell his own story.
App.-I vas by de Aims House four year
gone. a
Com.-What is your name! s"
App.-Nicholas Lutz.
Com.--Mr. Mann, turn to the books and see
whether he ever was in the Aims House.
On examination it was found that he eloped in
April, 1884, about election time
Com.-IIow long have you been in this city,
of late, and where did you come from!
App.-Six days Ich been here, vrom Jarseys.
Com.--Have you voted since you came in?
App.-Oh, yaw; and my son too; we voted de
democratic ticket!
Com.-You were sent here for that purpose.
Clear out both of you for Jersey as quick as pos
sible, or we will have you arrested.
| They departed in haste, looking behind to sec
whether there was officer at their heels.
Then up steps son of Erin. &.
Pat..-If your honors please, | am sick and in
great trouble. tt saa aB
Com.-What do you want?
Pat want some help, your honor, or to GO
to the hospital. at"t
Com.-Whcre did you come from, and how
long have you been here!
Pat-Come from, did you say? sure and |
come from Philadelphia, three days ago.
Com.-And you come here to vote, and get
paid for it! Support yourself on the bribe you
received.
Pat vote? Sure and have no right to-.
Conn know you have no right, but, you
rascal, saw you in the fourth ward. Clear out
from here.
Pat-Saw me, your honor?-and off he went
with rapid strides.
This IS all simple fact-the reader may com
ment.-N y. Weeky Whig.
EDUCATION OF FEMALES.
There is season when the youthful must