Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-04-01

il you Mother is dead |" and there, fearful reali.
ty, was the daughter, skeleton herself crouched
and crying over the liieess body Of her mother
which was on the floor, cramped up as she had
died, with her rags and her cloak about her. by the
side Of few embers OF peat
In the next cabin we're three young children be-
longing to the daughter, whose husband had run
away from her, all pictures Of death. This poor
creature said she did not know what to do with the
corpse, she had no means Of getting it removed
aud she was too exhausted to remove It herself
This cabin was about three miles from the rectory.
In another cabin, the door of which was stopped
with dung, was a poor woman whom we had taken
by surprise, as she reused up evidently much as
astonished. She burst into tears upon seeing the
doctor, and said she had not been able TO sleep
since the corpse Of the woman had laid in her bed
This was poor creature who was passing this mis-
cradle cabin, and asked the old woman to allow
her to rest herself Tor lew moments. She had
laid down, but never rose up again. She died in
an hour or so, from sheer exhaustion The body
had remained in this hole Of six feet square, with
the poor old woman, for four days; she could not
get any body TO remove it, She said she trusted
her sins were pardoned, She had prayed earnestly
for forgiveness She had been a wicked sinner,
but God was merciful, aud her Savior all.sufi-
cient. She thought she could die, and longed 10
depart and be at peace and she had blocked up the
door that site might not be disturbed. She had
some money! triae-by her but living four or
FIVE miles from the village she could not get any
food. She had asked her neghbors children 10
buy her some, but they were too much taken up
with themselves. She could not rise up, and could
Just manage to kneel She had nothing to eat in
her miserable hole, and should fear must be dead
ere this
] could in this manner take you through the thr.
~ or more cottages that visited but they, with
out exception, were all ake-the dead and the dy-
lug in each and could tell you more of the
truth of the heart.rending scene were to mention
the lamentations and bitter cries Of each Of these
poor creatures on the threshold Of death. Never
in my life have seen such wholesale misery, nor
could have thought it so complete. | am con.
WINGED that in that district it is not in human pow.
er to stay the evil it may be to alleviate il, but
this must be by good organized system, and the
supply chiefly gratuitous. ] am Of opinion that a
number Of naval surgeons should be employed hay-
ing under their orders a number of men, who might
be selected from the lists Of pensioners (if they
could be highly recommended,) TO have charge Of
certain districts, not only dispensing medicine
where il may be required. but also food or order
of the relief committee, to any person in their dis
trct. The pensioner or two who might be under
each surgeon would not only assist in visiting, but
in conveying the food and medicine &C., for the
poor and by being strangers 10 the localities hay.
ing friends, would do this duty without PARTIAL,
~. The surgeons should act with the relief com.
mittees, but independent Of them. A board Of
health is now wanted, as it cannot be expected but
pestilence will rage when the mass Of these bod.
les decompose They have ceased to put them in
TO collins or to have the funeral service performed
aud they merely lay them a few inches under the
soil.
All that have stated above have seen with my
own eyes, and can vouch for the truth of it, And
feel that cannot convey by words the impression
left on my mind of this awful state of things.
/ could tell you. also, of that which | could
vouch for the truth OF, but which did not see my
SELF such as bodies half eaten by the rats of two
dogs last Wednesday being shot by Mr. O'Callaghan
whilst tearing body to pieces Of his mother-in-
law stopping poor woman and asking her what she
had on her back, and being told il was her son.
telling her she would smother i, but the poor
emaciated woman said ii was dead already, and she
was going TO dig hole in the churchyard for it,
These are things which are Of every day occur
renee.
trust you will pardon my having troubled you
with this, and taken up SO much of your time.
have given the counterpart of it to Sir Hugh Pig
OF; but thinking you might like to have it. has in
duced me TO send it 10 you. ! enclose ono Of Dr.
Trails letters; every word / can answer for the
truth Of Pardon this hasty scrawl
Believe me, my dear sir, very faithfully yours,
J. CRAWFORD CAFFIN
p. s. There have been two or three post mortem
examinations Of those who have died, and they find
that the inner membrane of the stomach turns into
white mucous, as if nature had supported herself
upon herself until exhaustion of all the humors Of
the system had taken place.
The following among the latest letters from the
of war;
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Gazette.
MoSTEREY Mexico. Feb 20.