The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-08-03
From iAe Greai Wesfsrn.
MY NATIVE VILLAGE

actually occupied oaiy single summer even
;og 10 perarnbulale aud thai. too. by grave
oIi gentleman who would have been horri-
fed AT the idea Of breaking in upon the regu-
lar hours OF a sober quaker family. Let me
axhor, them 10 be patient We will be as
accommodating as stage coach; will put
,bem down whenever they choose; and
charge for no further than they travel with
soon came TO "ihe old corner"--in one
of tho angles OF which some years Of my early
lie were spent or course Instituted on
the spot retrospective review" But let
me point out to my re4der, the Locale Of the
old corner"
The two principal streets in the village at
this time came together in such manner US
TO form L. On one of the angles stood the
county Jail /; heavy, coarse stone building
fanked with high walls, and looking iofmi,
dable and forbidding, as if to invite the good
citizens to keep aloof And there II stands
yet; the same unsighily, uninvlting object,
on the most conspicuous spot in the whole
town: while the modest court house retlres
TO the rear, and forms a boundary oil the pri-
son ward In the street, at the corner, were
once (but they are long since gomez the stocks
and whipping post; placed thus IN full view,
no doubt, as a perpetual warning to all such
as might be prone to offend against the peace
of society. The post, which was large and
well braced, was surmounted by an octago-
nal platfarn with balustrade, the use Of
which never heard, but suppose it to have
been intended for The more perfect exhibit
ton of that highly interesting and edifying
al. eh, IF . ha nil
Now it may be thought that, in SO peaceful
a community, which had sprung up under the
auspices, or at least the influence Of the asso-
ciates of William Penn, there was useless,
if not incongruous display Of the terrors of The
Law that the Jail would be Ito LETT" and the
whipping post used only, if used at all, as
rostrum for the aspirants to public office. in
regard to the latter point, | must digress for
moment, to confess thai this el. CANT and po-
pular practice had not obtained in my native
State. The people, in selecting their officers,
instead Of enjoying their manifest advantage
Of being told by the individuals who conde-
scend to offer their services, of their own SUI
perior qualifications, land which in nine
cases out of ten can never be discovered other
wise,) were compelled to form their judg-
raj character of those for whom their suf-
frages were asked.
But must yindicate my forelathers from
this charge Of inconsistency. Though, it
may be, majority OF the substantial inhabi-
tants OF the country were friends" their
well known repugnance to political strife left
the management of the civil affairs chiefly to
others; and consequently the principle of
non resistance was not carried out in civil GO
vernment Nor had the prudent citizens ne
elected to provide the appropriate means for
supplying both stocks and Jail with suffi-
cient number of occupants. Besides the fact,
that every merchant in town, unless it might
be some over-scrupulous quaker, contributed
something 10 the promotion of public Justice;
the Jail and court house were literally fanked
by three spacious recruiting quarters, with
efficient officers, who were employed by day
and by night in keeping up the ranks OF
debtors and offenders against the peace, so
that the capacious building vas by no means
allowed tn fall into disuse and decay, when
the stocks fell
remember these " three taverns" well
as they used to stand open for the benevol It
purpose Of qualifying men to .gouern their
wives, to make their children fly round-to
disrobe them Of superhuous cothing-lo train
them in that most Instructive of all schools,
the public street--to scatter with lavish hand
the products of their labor, and alter inflict-
ing a long course Of such and similar salutary
notifications on "wife, children and
friends;" then, self-immolated, to retire
for their country's good-to drunkard's
grave.
There, facing the courthouse, with pa
tronizing air, as if to say "l'll keep you in
business" stood a tall brick house, with an
effigy 'ycleped Washington on one side and
Greene on the other of the board that swung
in front. Here the Stage Coach" looked
complacently on courthouse. Jail. pillory
nishing customers TO them, by the conve-
nience of having them SO handy TO relieve
atseif from these customers as they success
sively became improbable. And few steps
off, the Cross Keys" furnished the friendly
intimation that in the more humble tenement
which they indicated, all who chose could
be prepared for residence in the secure
lodgings on the opposite side of the way,
or for promotion to the elevated post at the
corner.
1t we're objectionable in n native of the
village TO omit in this place an exquisite frag-
ment of its indigenous poetry, graphically de-
scrip,ive OF these scenes, which now occurs to
my memory. Unfortunately am unable to
give the name Of the accomplished author;
whose history, as well rs genius, however,
may be readily inferred from the lines them
selves. The inspiration cannot be mistaken.
No cold water rhymes are these. 1t is no
tame ebulition from Castalia's fount but the
warm, glowing, reeking spirit of an enthusiast
tic lover Of rum. But here are the lines:
"There's Gin'ral Washington and Greene
And the Stage Coach for TO be seen
And il you don't like none OF these,
You may get drunk at the Cross Keys"
The "Cross Keys" alas have disappeared.