Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-01-09

.I.. ..., ~ p...n iiio l,,u-
,..,,ora a Rail Road from the Mississippi 10
the Pacific. The use of the Hall Of Repre-
sentatives has been granted to him for the
purpose. Whenever the project shall be un-
dcrtakcn, it must be at Government expense,
and not in money, but in public lands. Mr.
Whitncy's project will require about two
hundred millions of dollars. But lie pro-
noses to take lands, on either side OF the
road, to the extent of one hundred and eighty
millions of acres, and convert them into mcn-
ey as the work progresses.
Washington Correspondence Of the Boston a tlas
WASHINGTON, Dec. llth, 1850.
A SINGULAR EvEyT.-A circumstance hap
,,cned here last season, which, were we ln-
clincd to superstition, or disposed to put faith
in omens, might startle us not a little ana
certainly cause curious apprchcnsions for the
future. 1t was during q heated debate upon
the compromise measures one night ana be-
fore California was admitted, that, seated in
the Hall of Representatives, my attention
was about equally divided between the noisy
defamation around me. and the beauty and
briliancy of the chandelier suspended over
head, which threw out a volume OF light up
on one of the most impressive, solemn, and
exciting scenes that ever was witnessed in
that chamber, or probably ever will be again
The galleries were crowded, and every heart.
was intent upon the turn of affairs, when Air.
Burt, of South Carolina, took the floor Tor
then the novelty of discussion gave place to
actual suspense, because it was known nc m
tended to define the ultimatum OF his State,
and the words he might utter, she would stand
as Mr.. Vcnable had previously declared, until
the crack of DOOM was still gazing at the
chandelier, at the instant Mr.. B. delivered the
memorable sentence, " secession and dlSSotu-
ton al crerY hazard" when one OF the glldcd
stars studding the crescent Of the dome and
nearly ever where Mr. 3. was standing, gave
way. and fell to the floor, without attracting
anv special remark, Grom the fact, perhaps
that very few observed the incidenD and the
speaker continued his speech uninterrupted,
until, by the rule of the House, limiting his
time to one hour, he again resumed his sea1.
| noticed the circumstance in connection
with his words, 6 secession and dissolution ut
every hazard" To-day, in counting the stars,
including the fallen one, discovered they
amounted to lust thirty, the number Of States
constituting inc Coiiieueia'y o"S ~ ii'"'0 "
borne in mind that when the capitol was erect
ed, only eighteen States formed the Union,
and hence there could have been no design
(unless prophetic) in placing that number
there. But this was not all. Enumeratlng
from the limb of the crescent nearest 10 where
Mr.. Burt (the Representative of South Caro-
lna) was standing, found the fallen star TO
be the misunderstanding to the or1sa'aS
thirteen States, and thus clearly indicating
that, in the opinion of old maids and riddle
readers, the thirteeth star was surely and un-
equivoca1iy South Carolina. She was the
last admitted, if we reverse Georgia, and,
consequently, viewed, twisted, contorted,
turned, examined in what light we may, the
incident was singularly and truly extraordina-
~. The gilded outline remains on the dome,
but the body has dropped and now, since
the circumstance is wholly true, let these dis
union patriots weigh we'll the moral of the