The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-28

l a
cannot see why the Northern people want thu
Fugitive slave law repealed at ALL
|
For The Southern Prea
Relics OF Scraps and Musangs-No. -.
MYSTERIOUS.
In a letter from a very great man 10 his friend
in Boston, which have lately seen in the news
papers, are the following mysterious passaxes:
"As to the State Department, have no idea who
will have it, although If the power were with me,
think could find man, without going out Of
Massachusetts, who has talents enough, and
knowledge enough; but whether he is at this mo-
ment SO fresh in the minds of the people that his
appointment would strike the public mind favora-
bly,, may be doubt
"Nobody can usll be Secretary Of STATE, pko has
not fortune, ercept he be bachelor. The Seeressy
Of State is At the head Of the administration, and lie
must hare home, son,etines 10 rseeipe guss H. He
IT, Of course, nsceaariiy in daily communication .iik
the diplomatic corps vhich, Ibespe, is oiee a. nr-
rsrous now, AZ u s0as iOsnty years ago." Can
body tell a body what body means.
| BRITISH "PRorEcroRArEs"
| The lonan isles, which command the entrance
of the Adriatic, and concerning which we have
lately had a refreshing account in the English
newspapers of various whippings, drum-head
court martials, shootings, &C., &C., inflicted on
the native inhabitants for sed,ious practices, are
part of the prey which fall to the lot of England
in the division Of the spoils Of Europe by the
"Holy Alliance" They are now under the sspro-
lection" of the British government, are dubbed a
republic, and have parliament, as it is called, the
prerogative Of which is thus described by Mr..
Aubrey De We're, a late English travellers
"Another characteristic scene, at which as
sisted was the propagation of the parIiament--a
scene that illustrated well the meaning Of our
British "protection," and the freedom of tn.
Ionian republic. The parliament sits in the lord
high commissioners palace, and the members en-,
tered between files Of soldiers, who gave them
somewhat unceremonous greeting, so far az
''privilege" is concerned, cashing their arms ev-
cry moment with emphatic loyalty on the marble
steps. As the president took his seat. the band
was playing "God save the King" The moment
the lord high commissioner had finished his
speech, loud peal of artillery rung out from the
citadel, and pronounced the "amen" in an audible
voice; and the much complimented and bewildered
senators took their departure amid the cleaning
of swords, the glazing ofuniforms, and the pranc.
ing Of cavalry that charged up and down the es-
planade. On the whole, the spectacle was both
picturesque and significant, and would have met
the cordial appreciation of Queen Elizabeth, who
marvelled that the members of the "nether' house
should sometimes be betrayed into meddling with
''matters of State" So much for British repub-
lies and British ''protection." pity the poor
Mosquitoes.
PHILOSOPHERS AND PRIESTS
1t would seem that these two classes of mankind
can never agree. The philosophers accuse the
priests of using all their efforts to keep people in
ignorance, and the latter retort by charging the
former with doing all they can to lead them in err
ror. There is some truth in both these imputa-
tons Philosophy is certainly not the best school
for implicit faith, and is apt to raise doubts which
it cannot solve, while religion on the other hand.
demands our assent without consulting our rea-
son, or appealing to experience. Yet it is
certain that the most important of all the doctrines
of the Christian faith, that which lays at the root
of the entire system and which seems to have es-
capped the inspiration of Moses, namely the i'm
mortality of the soul, first dawned forth in the
speculations of Plato and Socrates. Hence ono
Of the old fathers Of the church was compelled to
admit that these pagan philosophers were gifted
with species Of 'diabol,cal" inspiration.
SPYING OUT OUR NEIoHBoR's FAULTS
There are two sides to every thing, and good
and evil seem incorporated together side by side,
like streak of fat and streak of lean in the same
piece Of bacon. Thus keen insight into the
faults Of others often leads TO correction OF our
own.
PROGRESS"
There are many sanguine persons with more
sail than ballast, who consider every step, wheth-
er forward or backward, "gong ahead" and ev-.
cry alteration Improvement. Every wanton
and dangerous innovation in morals and religion,
every absurdty in science, or crudity in legisla-
ton, is by them considered, as matter Of course,
only another step Jacob 3 ladder leading US to
heaven. This is rather slippery ground to tread
on; rather sandy foundation for the grand edi-
fee of human perfectability, when we consider
what moles are; how ignorant of the begin
ming, the middle, and especially the end of all
things. certain mole, as blind as any one Of
his fellows, took it into his head that he could
distinguish day from night better than any Of
them, and that it became 40 far seeing an animal,
to avail himself of the light of the SUM- nstend Of
burrowing in the dark under ground like an
earth-worm. Accordingly he set out on "pro-
grcss" as he called it, and after various bunder-
ings and disasters, such scratching his
with briers, tumbng precipices, and coming
near being drowned in mud puddIes, at last ended
his career by popping his head into the jaws of
hungry cur, who was lying in the sun haIfasleep,
with his mouth wide open. "Alas" said the
poor victim of progress with his last breath, III
verify believe had better have been content with
darkness and hole under ground"
NEW COPE OF Practice IN KENrucxY.-The