American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-07-01

that due bill and an account stated should be
Stamped. True copy.
Test r. w. Gut, Clerk.
AN lNFIDEL AND HIS FAMILY. The New
York Evening Mirror of the 10th inst. contains
an interesting communication from Grant Thor
burn, a distinguished New Yorker-being his
"reminiscences of New York .tify-one years ago.
We make the following extract, relative to an
lnfdel, which conveys its own moral-and an
excellent one too, for all who choose 10 prof:
by it:
There came a man to work in our shop by
the name of Williams. He brought with him
from England, nice little woman for a wife,
and also two young children. Williams was a
genuine radical ofthe new school-could talk
long and loud about the 'petfectabllity Of hu-
man nature'-the power of the mind, and
the Sound sense of the people, who had the
capacity to convert this world of ours into a
paradise. He was soon taken up by the pure
republicans of that day, and honored with a
seat in the wigwam, by the side of Burr, Eel
lows and other philosophers Of the French
school. Such an honor, heaped upon the head
of an English Manchester journeyman black
smith, nearly turned his brain.
Soon after this event there appeared in our
streets blind man, who was either born so, or
who had lost his sight by the visitation of Di-
vine Providence. His name was Palmer. He
was preacher of infdelity. His church was
the Assembly-room in Walnut street, which
stood where Cedar was opened few years ago.
When Williams sailed from England he
brought with him large quantity of ana-bap-
list divinity, both in his head and chest OF books.
For some months he seemed to act in accord
ance with his professions Every Sabbath he
went with his wife and children to hear the
preaching of that eminent divine, the Rev DR..
Foster, in the Baptist chapel in Gold street: but
he was soon led away by the hoary headed phi
losophers to the Temple of Reason TO hear
the preaching Of Palmer-that blind leader OF
the blind. He drank deeply of the cold and
cherries waters of that well of despair-and
shortly afterwards proclaimed himself tho
rough deist. Now the church bell chmed no
more for him and his. His wife sat at home
like the mother of desolaton on the mount OF
msery--his children wandered through the by
ways of the town like sheep without shep-
herd, while he himself descended into some
wretched tavern to deal out, under the sanction
of the sacred name of liberty, death and deisnl
to his gaping companions.
Williams was an excellent workman, and he
was the first man who made coach-spring in
New York Previously to his entering the den
of death in William street, he had commenced
business on his own account, and was thriv-
ing way. Now everything went wrong with
him. In his eagerness to propagate his new
doctrines, he neglected his bellows and busi-
ness-his affairs went to decay, and ne removed
to the upper part Of the city, pennyless and
friendless.
had not seen him for some years, when one
morning he came to my store about eleven o.
clock. He asked me for quarter OF dollar
to purchase something 10 eat.
Williams said |, has it come TO this with
you! Have you no friend-no childF
i have neither friend nor child IN the world
to help me- was the sad reply.
This occurred in the early part of June.
was then doing business in the Friends Gate,
meeting house in Liberty street. The appear
ance of the place, and the season Of the year
} made every thing look like garden which the
Lord had blessed. My three sons were behind
the counter waiting on the customers asked
Williams about his children, and called then
all by name. Some were dead-some had gone
away, he knew not where, and all, boys anC
girls, had turned out good for nothing
Williams said /, here are my three chill
dren-they never gave me a pang in all thei
lives No neighbor has ever brought a com
plant against them--and have nothing to re
) proach them with. They are the staff of IN,
| age. We are old acquaintance, and your chill
dren and mine grew up together-they wer,
aeAt door neighbors. Why should your chill
dren be so different from mine?
How can tell, replied he.
!, DO you remember, Williams, said !, 'tht
day you brought your Bible, your Gospel Mag
/ azines and your huge volumes of Baptist di
vinity into our workshop, that you laid then
on the fire and began to blow the bellows.
f interposed and bought them all from you 70
three dollars 10 save them fiom the flames.
told you then, that you would ruin youl chill
dren in this world, whether there was agothe
, world OF not. You remember tAls;
d do, was the reply. ...
] Was ! not right, then? You sent your chill