Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1838-12-06

mocrats, the mOhocracy Of the country
Men Of weak intelIects, when elevated 10 stu.
ations ofgoverning power, are apt 10 become
tyranis but, Notwithstanding the many alb
surd, foolish, and arbitrary things done by
General jackson, it cannot be pleaded in his
behalf that he is devoid Of common under
standing. 1t is discretion, and q control
over his impetuous temper, that ne untortu-
nately lacks.
Two or three years ago the French tried
one of their manRuvres upon the govern
ment of the United States, thus: France
agreed to pay certain sum in certain
time as an indemnity for losses sustained by
American citizens during the continental
war; The matter was long canvassed but
finally it was automatically arranged and
settled. When the first installment became
due, France, without even preleXt for do
ing so, refused to fulfil the agreement. Amer
lea received this intelligence in high dudgeon;
and old Jackson very properly took steps, or
rather threatened to make reprisals upon
ships belonging to France; and spoke out
! very plainly, "that Jonathan was not going
to be diddled by parcel Of darned French
men," lrr --s
hardly know why, but / must confess
that never could bring myself to consider
the present president, Martin Van Buren,, as
belonging to the family oflions. He is con-
stitutionalIy too deep and calculating for that
noble race and know that his own party
looks for no great achievement at his hands.
The utra-republican party which hoisted
his predecessor into the chair of the executive
has, for want of litter leader, chosen him
to rule over them. But it has long since been
proved that fitness, or capacity, is wholly lost
sight of in selecting candidates to fill high
and respectable situations even IN Wanting,
republican America. Absolute monarchs
frequently appoint tyrannical governors over
the people, so do tyrannical democratic ma
| iorities appoint absolute rulers, as has been
instanced in the case of ext President Jackson
and some others. One of the leading traits
in the character of Van Buren, is what his
supporters have been pleased to call his
frmness but now that they have placed him
for period beyond their power or control,
they are beginning TO surmise that this vlr-
tue may, possibly, turn out-Dutch obstlna-
Cyl! n
Fulton, of steamboat notoriety is among the
names consecrated in American history but
how far he merits all which 10 claimed for
him, is matter am not going to discuss
Livingston, De Witt Clinton, Patrick Henry,
and Hamilton, stand forth conspicuously in
the pages referred to the last of which was q
name Of high promise but, unfortunately
|
Burr. They are all gone to reap the reward
of their mortal labours.
From The Buffalo Commercial.
A Thrilling MISUNDERSTANDING the periiouS
scenes Of the heavy gale which caused such
wide spread disaster to our lake shipping, a
| fortnight since, one has come to our knowl-
edge equalling in interest the most high
wrought tale of fiction. In that fearful night,
| the steam. boat Constitution. Capt. Appleby,
was out amidst the terrors of the gale. By
the glimpses caught at intervals, when the
fitful storm for moment broke away, the
anxious and watchful commander was made
aware of the critical situation Of his boat,
which was rapidly drifting thunder the
hurricane power Of the gale, which blew al
most directly across the lake-toward a dam
gerous reef, from which escape would have
been impossible He went directly to the
engineer, and ordered on more steam."-
The REPLY. Of the angineer was TINT there
was already as much on as the boilers would
safely bear. H'@@st '&f
Again did the captain seek the deck, to sec
if his laboring boat was making Roadway,
and again returned to the engine room. He
explained to the engineer their hazardous
lost, if no more Roadway could be gained
but left the engineer TO act his discretion in
the crisis. A moment Of reflection, and his
decision was made. Life or death hung on
the issue. Certain destruction awaited the
boat and her devoted crew, in few brief
minutes, If she did not gain upon the driving
storm. This might be averted, ii the boil
ers-already crowded to fearful pressure
could yet bear heavier strain, and that
he determined to try. True, the awful horrors
of an explosion were wildly before him--the
mangled limbs, the scorched and lifeless
bodies, the death.shrieks and the groans of
the hapless victims, were before his eyes
and on his car-the alternative was fearful
one, yet it must be resorted to. a,.
He coolly directed the heads Of two bar
rels OF oil to be broken in, and the furnaces
were rapidly fed with wood dipped in the
highly inf1ammable LIQUID, while two men
with ladies dashed the oil into the flames
The intense heat which these combustibles
created, generated steam with the rapidity
of lightning, and soon the resistless vapor
forced up the safety valve, and issued forth
with tremendous violence, its sharp kissing
was heard above the wild uproar ofthe waters
and the storm. With desperate and deter.
mined courage, which equalled the most dar.
ing heroism that the page of history has ev-
er recorded. the engineer sat down upon the
lever of the safety valve, to confine and raise
the steam to the necessary power required
to propel the boat against the drifting waves !!
In this awful situation he calmly remained,
until the prodigious efforts of the engine had
forced the Constitution sufficiently off shore
to be beyond the threatened danger.
This intrepid act was not rash and vain
| glorious attempt to gain the applause of a
multitude by a fool hardy exposure of life,
in some racing excursion,-it was not the
deed Of a drunken and reckless man, wick.
eddy needless Of the safety Of those whose
lives were periled-but it was the selEpos-
sessed and determined courage Of one whose
frmness is worthy Of all admiration. We
give It as II was told to US, as one of those
frequent scenes of real life, whose actual re-