The Port Gibson reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 185?-1857, 1853-06-08

THE News or Waterloo. Since news
was invented. perhaps no news ever electri.
ned the world as that which told the result
OF the battle Of Waterloo In one Of the
works which the death Of the Duke Of We'll
lington has called forth, there is passage
which describes with remarkable yigidness
the effects Of that intelligence upon the peo-
pie Of Edinburgh We have seldom met
with more stirring piece Of writing. 1t is
as follows:
The author witnessed the effect Of the
news in Edinburgh 1t met him as he enter
ed the outer halls OF the courts Of law, still
called the Parliament House, from having
been the hall Of the Scottish Parliament. be-
fore the Union. The uuwontcd words were
passing from mouth to mouth, Wellington
is defeated lie has retrcated to d gL1ce
callca iPaterio0t The game is up The
hero Of a hundred fights quails before Tie
eagles Of Napoleon The Prussian army IS
annihilatcd" And thus and thus was PAN
dora's box empiicd -
But hope, the eharmer, fingered still behind.
a retreat is not necessarily defeat, began
some one TO recollect-a retreat, moreover,
to a named place. most likely previously
chosen position, infers a stand at that place.
4 detachment only has been engaged, and
necessarily fell back on the concentrated main
body. The retreat Of the Prussians would
have exposed its flank. Wellington had yet
to put forth its strength The French had
ncrer since they first met him, gained the
smallest advantage over him; on the contra
ry had been beaten in every action, and that
50 stately. that Napoleon was known to haze
exclaimed pcttishly to the unlucky bearer Of
the news OF yet another Pcninsular disaster,
Bah : Les AngiaiS f0nioUrS Laficm les
FrancaiS - No no :" said one more SAN
guine rcasoner Of the long robe, I've shall
have news Of victory yet, and as it must be
near at hand, one way or the other, | should
be more delighted than surprised ii the castle
guns should wake us tomorrow morning
Another barrister. quite rs patriotic, but
less sanguine, would cheerlully pay a guinea
for every gun fired for victory, to any one
who would take very easy odds. The bet
was taken. the talscr patriOtieally wishing to
win, the offcrcr still more patriotically wishing
to lose. The business Of the morning had
scarcely proceeded two hours, when gentle
man rushed into the great bali, and almost
breathess, shouted Victory" ." lie was
mobbcd. " How bad the news come p By
express from the Provost Of Edinburgh,
then in London The French completely
routed at tte place called Waterloo, by one
grand bayonet charge Of the whole British
army" Such was the brief flourish for a
heightened struggle Of ten hours, which was
FIRST sounded BY Famcs trumpet.
The bearer Of the glad tidines was soon in
the court where the judges were sitting; the
cheers Of the outer hall were suspended only
to be renewed in the inner. Further law
proceedings were out Of the question al
joumment was ruled and judges, advocates,
agents aud officers, were speedily in the
streets. already crowded by their excited and
exnlting townsmen. Nobody would stay at
home The schools were let out Business
was suspended and holiday voted By aecla-
nation. Everybody shook hands with every
body and as the Lord Provost's brief ex-
press, got by heart by the whole population.
could not be made longer or more particular
than it was, the most restless were perforce
obliged to wait, with what patience they
might, for the dawn of the next day.
The sun Of that morning saw no 'sluggard
slumbering meath its beams The streets
were crowded before the post arrived. The
mail coach was deserted approaching. adorn-
ed with laurels and flags. tie guard waving
his hat and soon it dashed into town amid
cheers that made the welkin ring. The &C.
counts we're now Official. All was confirm
ed and, as early as seven O'Clock. the Gas.
rle flag rose, and nineteen twenty-four poun-
dcrs sounded IN the ear and filed the eyes
for the effect was oyerpowering-of the cx-
cited throng. Need we say that the nineteen
guineas were joyfully paid by the loser or
need we add, that the winner handed them
over to the fund speedily commenced for the
wounded, and the widows aad families Of the
slain ?"
This paragraph will probably remind many
a reader Of The effect produced by the news
Of Buena Vista, during the war with Mexico.
Home J0uynak.