Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-03-22
Death of Jenny Linda Romano e.

'S'e az
gale on their way to Charlie ston. The report
created grea. excitement, but unfortunately for
the world, it proved to be untrue. - Ere.
The night on which Jenny made her pas
sage from Wilmington, n. c., to Charleston,
was so stormy that the good ship which ear
ried Barnum and his .tortunes,' came very near
being foundered. The Nightingale was fright
ened almost out of her voice, and was heard
to pray that she might never be night gale
again. 1t WAS currently reported that Jenny
was lost al sea! Thereupon, the telegraph in
stantly despatched her-that is, it bore off the
mournful tidings upon its Lightning wings,
throwing cities into mourning, and everywhere
spreading Consideration and despair. Those
who had been so blest by fate as to have seen
and heard the divine Jenny, looked down with
pity upon those whom this sad event had for
ever deprived of that ecstatc enjoyment.
Henceforth mankind were to be divided into
two classes-those (twice, and even thrice
blesD who had heard Jenny Lind, and those
hapless, il-starred wretches who had not!
At Washington, the rumor of Jeuny's death
was fully credited. Dismay and grief were
pictured on every countcnance. President
Fillmore, it is said, had determined TO address
special message Of sympathy and coincidence
and Foote were so much affected that neither
made speech for one whole day! Vice-Prc-
sident King, who was known to be tenderly en-
tranced by the charms of the 'diyne Jenny
was altogether inconsolablc. Even great Har-
ry ofthe West was overpowercd by the shock
Bowed with grief, he evinced the depths of his
emotions by his rapid and apparently uncon-
scious dips into the depths of his snutf-box!
D,,<, 9 ali tbo rinT fa fo1
sion, none perhaps was so intense or sincere as
that of the Secretary of State. The Syren
seems to have bound the strong man, hand and
foot. 1t was not alone Jenny's angelic voice
that captiva,ed the great defender of the con-
stitution She had been heard to declare that
he alone, of all men, was her beau ideal of a
man! In Jenny's imagination, the great Dan
iel might sit for the picture of the royal Dane:
See, what grace is seated on his brow;
Hyperion curls: the front of Jove himself;
An eye like Mars, to threaten and command;
s A combinatian and form indeed,
To give the world assurance of man.
1t may well be supposed that the admiration
was mutual, and that Mr.. Wcbster's atiiction
for Jenny's supposed death was narrowing in
the extreme 1t was Falstatf, we believe, who
discovered that grief always makes man thirs-
ty, and hence we were not surprised to learn
from the papers, that when the great Daniel
heard of the untimeIy fate which had befallen
the sweet songstress, he laid in plentiful sup
ply of consoling tokay and heart cheering
champagne. But we are gratified to learn,
contradicted, he caused the wine to be resod
at auction intending to invest the proceeds in
an elegant bracelet which, with lock of hair
from each of the heads of departments, is to be
presented to Jenny on her return to the Union.
Among the members of the lower House,
the sad intelligence of Jenny's fate produced
the most lively symptoms of distress. An in
formal meeting is said to have been held upon
the occasion, at which, we are gratified to learn,
the delegation from Alabama were present, and
conducted themselves in feeling and most
edfying manner. The distinguished represen-
tative from this district is said to have been
dressed in the deepest black, and one account
a :serts that he wore Grape upon the occasion.
At the meeting Of which we have spoken, there
was said to have been very general desire 20
signaze the melancholy event by some act
of national munifcance The Hon. David
Hubbard suggested that one hundred and sixty
acres fthe public land should be granted in
fee simple to the heirs of the lamented song
stress. The Hon. MIR. Cobb, of Ala, proposed
that the 'franking privilege should be extend
ed to Jenny Lind'S mother. He thought this
would be most touching memento of respect
for the memory of the enhancing songstress.
He had, he remarked, endeayored to dssuade
Miss Lind from her contemplated visit to South
Carolina. He was not disposed to be supersti-
tious, but he cou d hardly avoid the convic-
ton that Jenny's disastrous fate was a provi-
dental occurrence judgment against the tur-
bulent disunionists OF that State, who were in.
capable of approaching such divine harmony
Mr.. HilIiard thought that the customs of the
French sarans might be very properly follow
ed in marking the national sense Of this lamen-
table bereavement He therefore proposed
that some distinguished orator be chosen to
pronounce an eloge upon the departed Queen
of Song.
After Mr.. Hilliard had concluded, Mr.. Aston
rose, and made very eloquent and affecting
speech. He acknowledged that his grief for
the deplorable catastrophe which had saddened
all hearts was somewhat tinged with selfish
ness. Hehad INDUCED the fond hope that this
glorious incarnation of Music-the immortal
have been permitted to visit
he trusted, was destined soon to
become the very seat of the muses.! He al
luded to the commercial and musical empori-
um of his State and district--the flourishing
city of Mobile. Its citizens, he said, were his
was proud of them--they
were acknowledged connoisseurs--they tho
roughly understood the difference between
Hdtssand sharps. But their enthusiasm some
times blinded their discrimination. They had
gone into Mysteries about the caterwauling of
Madame RishOn and every sbplloWinp hull
of Bashan,' who came among them as singer
was receiEed with indiscriminate applause. 1t
was to cofrect this-to elevate the musical
standard among that portion of his constitu-
ents, and TO teach them the full and wonderous
power Of song, that he had hoped Jenny Lind
would bless Mobile with her presence, and
would even embalm in her own heavenly tones
some of the sweet Songs Of the South'-the