The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-06-19

10 be most consistent and successful practitioner upon
that notable maxim, sagely delivered by Bulwer's Rag
Merchant 10 Lseiie Paul !" Never undertake by buster
what may be done by nsiniyation" But, then il may
be well TO bear in mind that OF all the tribes OF AMI
NAL CREATION the feline is. at the time, the most
quiet and the most dangerous Cromwell il Will be
remembered, was preacher OF The gospel YET sud,
denly, one morning, sword IN hand, he drove a
British Parliament from their seats Monsieur Eodin,
The hnmblest and quotes, oil men, presided .Oyer
The fearful engine OF French Jesuitism And Louis
Napoleon, erewhile commonplace dabber in ltera
iuGe, and hlling great space in the worlds eye al
once and il by the decree OF ate sprung into power
and, as The acknowledged master oil hall million Of
armed nyfnidons abolished The French Chambers, and
assumed unlimited authority Nay, il is by no means
exrayagan supposton that he has already consulnma
led The ofuest purposes OF his eentious ambition, and
some two weeks ago, by the sole virtue Of his own I'M
perous wlSie UGlo SIC jubeOdecreed the 10th day OF
May be the double anniversary of imperial power BY
proclauning himself Emperor of France The next
er viii probably inform Us whether that Is so or not
But to return 10 the in hand II is not repeat.
from the present Executive thai apprehend any usurpa
ton OF authority, absolutely Immediately dangerous in
ITSELF nor any violent disruption OF our system OF govern
ment do not suspect him OF any such bold criminal
lnteniions nor has he time execute, il he
entertained them. But, sir, il is not by any single
overt act OF Violence presently oppressive act OF usu
alton, that the symmetry OF our government rs TO be
muated, it's strength impaired. II is by open as
san that lis stroaghods 10 be carried but from the
stealihy working OF the mine its danger is 10 come. Ii
is not by the buster OF the bold and daring usnrper
that people TO be frightened from the proprey
and intelligence OF their parotism but from the nsn
iyalion OF the cool and crafty politician, who would hull
Them INTO security with the bandness oil his words and
the gentle suavy OF his smile, while he steals away
their rights they have most TO fear And If II be allow
able on so serious subject beg leave TO tell an anec
dole which, though of very humble aud homely kind
will somewhat aptly illustrate the view am attempting
10 express II relates 10 the catching OF croWs.
1t is familiar fact that OF all the feathered tribe, the
crop is the most wary and sagacious lie IL noted Tor
seeing everything within the practicable range OF his Wis
ion, and is never taken by surprise. lie seems 10 have
an instructive perception as he certainly has suspicion,
OF danger in every animal and every object in which il
may possibly exist He calculates, by some faculty
perior TO any in man, with unerring certaiSN, the
range OF every kind OF lire arm used in the region OF
country which he irequents; and, as consequence,
in open field where il is possible for him TO his
enemy, no one can approach him within that range lie
is equally sagaclous in detecting and successful in es-
Gaping all of traps and which may be set for
his obnoxious head or feet For these and from
his apacous appetite for grain, he is OF the most Tor
mdable enemies of the farmer Hence the use and name
of So are-crow" In part OF the country perhaps,
has this interesting bird proved more annoying or form
dabe than in my native county, some hundred and fifty
miles south OF this IN Virginia. His number there was
legion Among those who suffered most from his depre
dations upon the crops farmer remarkable Tor his
shrewdness and thrift-lf remember Alright, his name
was Ezekiel Powelwho, having exhausted all the arts
and conrivances which the wit Of man had then invent
ed, without relief, made solemn bright spring
day over beautiful field which lay despoiled before
the magazine OF old mother necessity some new nven
ton TO " crcumven the crows" And he KEEP, his vow;
for that very night he conceived and executed plan
which did, indeed for the first lime, crcumven and catch
the crous-not by ones, or by DOZENS only, but by
hnnareds anl by thousands. The principle OF this in
venton was lnslnivaiIon,' not "bluster." II was
IN this wise In The course OF the night he erected
in different parts Of his field several open rail pens,
such farmers usually feed their hogs in, and in those
pens he scattered corn Such things not
10 the crows--they had no precedent for danger in
hooper baed with corn, and, j, seemed, no in
stinct against it, So they descended without fear into
these pens and ate freely OF the bait. This they
permitted 10 do several days in successon-the bait
being renewed every night Then commenced the ap.
pication OF the principle. The next night when the
corn was deposited on the bottom OF the pen, there
also laid single rail upon the top, encroachng just
little upon the open space. The crows came as usual
the next day, and the encroachmen being too slight 10
attract attention. they went IN and ate the corn, and
went out again without suspicion This double opera
ton OF batting and encroachng regularly but gradually
rail at ume-corn tempting the appetite and
the pen was covered over, leaving open only space
enough 10 allow the crows, by lighting the rails, TO
fold Their wings and slip in. When they had eaten the
corn, and spread their wings 10 fly away their homes
in the wood, behold the space too 10 let
them out They were caught; the crows boosted "a.
gacity bad been clrcumyened, and his liberty lost
The application intend for this anecdole Is obvious
Its fitness each mind will Judge for itself. To my
mind il IS striking and significant. The incident occur
red when | was boy II impresstd me strongly even
then as illustrative OF certain points human character
And since have had The honor oil seat this floor
have found II still more strkngly and significantly Illus
trave OF the conduct OF the pracsed politician, especial
~ when ne gets lHtO power ounce nave gwen SOME
attention 10 political affairs, and observed the working OF
system ol government, have been unable TO shut
out The "reminiscences OF Ezekiel Powell aud the crows
whenever have seen WHY politician al the head OF az
fairs, stretching hand OF unlawful power into the
onal ganary for the 10 bait his pens, and with the
other, seaihy and under oil the night, laying
by the rails oil encIoachmen and aggression
confess, sir, have sometimes felt my heart misgiye
me for the welfare Of the county, when have
victim after victim seek the trap thus set for them and
deyour The bait with ayidiiy equaled only by their
seeming Inconsistencies OF the prison rails which gath
cred over them, gradually, but surely they fed In
deed, SIR that "reminiscences assumes PAINFUL humi
ang significance OF illustration, when my reluctant
forced 10 into how small compass certain creatures
in the forms OF contract themselves and through
what small holes they will crawl that they may Iced up
the grains oil corn which the hand OF stralagen has
scattered for their deusoa upon the bottom oil those
pens
But. sir, the main aspect OF this illustration for which
introduced is not the exercise OF this unlawful power
upon corrupt corrupble materials That, II is true
painful and Illuminating Ii IS, however, where II -
brought TO bear upon the honest and unsupectng that
the great danger obtains The great body OF American
citizens intelligent to understand, patriotic 10 cherish
vigan 10 guard, and courageous to defend, their prnc
pies and their rights But they are also generous and
coniding Assail them opeDly-let danger threaten
them, from atar, so but the port OF dan
ger-and they stand By their arms and are invncible
Anins, opibigque pdrai Under the white flag oil
peace and amity, however, their worst enemy may ap
proach and be kindly entertained by them. The kiss oil
peace dsarns them OF suspicion even, too often hap
pens when IL but 10 transluse into their open
hearts The deadliest poison and the song OF patriotism
too easily wins their confidence when il Is but the syren
lullaby OF treachery and betrayal Sir, let the purpose
r. - sha