Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1853-08-06
washington National Monument.

Washington National Monument.
AS Elections for Members Of Congress, &C.,
will be held during the ensuing month in several
States of the Union, the Board of Managers
have deemed it their duty to request the Judges
or Commissioners who may be appointed to take
the ballots of the voters, to put up boxes at the
different localities where elections will be held,
for the purpose of receiving such contributions
as the admirers of the Illustrious Father of his
Country may think proper to deposit in aid of
the great Monument, now in course of erection
in this city to his memory.
They feel assured that when this noble and
patriotic purpose is presented to the people,
they will not hesitate to give their mite for such
and object; and it now becomes more necessary,
as the funds of the society are rapidly dimin-
ishing and may not soon be adequate to carry
on the work. A small contribution from each
citizen or voter throughout the United States,
would be sufficient to complete the Monument,
work intended to add to their glory as well as
to honor the memory of the illustrious dead. A
half dime is but an inconsiderable sum, and yet
a half dime contributed by every habitant Of
our country, would rear the grand structure,
now in progress, to its destined completion. 1t
will be pitifu, wondrous pitiful, if out of twen-
ty-five millions of souls who inhabit this great
country, rendered independent, prosperous and
happy mainly by his exertions and devotion to
its cause, the sum necessary to erect Mon
ument worthy of such man could not be COM
pleted for the want of the small pecuniary aid
which every American should feel it his pride,
as well as his duty to afford.
At the last Presidential election, the plan OF
obtaining contributions at the Polls, thus test
ing the patriotism and iberality of the voters
and others) was attemted, though the previous
arrangements were not such as to insure very
full collection the result was as satisfactory as
could, under the circumstances, have been ex-
pected.
1t is therefore desirable that this system
should be continued in the different states at all
future elections of a local or general nature;
and the Board of Managers INDUCES the hope
that on this occasion at the elections to be held
in the respective states of Arkansas, Alabama,
Indiana, Iowa. Kentucky, Missouri, Texas, Ten
nessee, and North Carolina, in August next,
contributions win be made in aid of the Mon
ument, worthy of the Countrymen of their illus
trious bencfactor. GEO. WATrERsoN,
Secretary Of the W. N. NJ s.
INTERESTING STATIsr1cs.-A gentleman who
keeps the run of facts figures and babies, says
the N. Y. Dutchman, has just laid before "an
inquiring world the following statistics:
The whole nafnber of languages spoken in
the world amount to 3064 Jriz; $50 in Europe,
937 in Asia, 275 in Africa, and 1364 in America.
The inhabitants of our globe profess more than
1000 different religions. The number of men is
about equal to the number of women. The ave-
rage of human life is about 33 years. One
fourth die previous to the age of years, one
half before reaching II years of age, and those
who pass that age enjoy felicity (?) refused to
one half the human species. To every 1000
persons, only one reaches 100 years Of age !;
to every 100 only six reach the age of 66, and
not more than one in 500 live to so years of
age. -.. -
There are on the earth 1000, OOO, 900 inhabi-
tanst, and of these 1888 3333 333 die every year,
81 ,324 every day, 2730 every hour, 80 every
minute, or one every second. The losses are
about balanced by an equal number of births.
The married are longer-lived than the single,
and above all, those who observe sober and
Industrious conduct. Tall men live longer than
short ones! Women have more chances of life
in their favor previous to being 80 years of age,
than men, but fewer afterwards.
The number of marriages is in proportion of
It's to every 1000 individuals. Marriages are
more frequent after the equinoxes-that is, du-
ring the months of June and December.
Those born in the spring are generally more
robust than others. Births and deaths are more
frequent by night than by day. The number Of
men capable of working or bearing arms is cal
culated at one-fourth of the population. @
Some Of these statements are rather singular,
and yet many Of them are susceptible of an
easy solution. That marriages take place more
frequently in June and December, than other
months of the year, was just what we have al
ways suspected was the case. Those who mar
ry in June, do so because they can't help it !;
while those who connubialize in December do SO,
doubtless to guard against the chilly pillows
which distinguish the frost-bitten months OF
winter. The matches which come off in June are
commonly love matches, and are brought about
by green fields, and the contagious influence OF
boblinks and yellow birds: whilst those which
happen in December are brought about, in de-
gree, by mixing plain mathematics with the
market value of flannel under-garments.
CLERK ExAMINAnoNs.-The following anec-
dote Of the clerk examinations at Washington
we find in the Baltimore Patriot: A