Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-12-07
From The Richmond Dispatch.
Fun i'm California.


We don't know when we have enjoyed
more side-shaking and uproarious laugl
than over the contents of little paper print
ed at San Diego, California, called the Sal
Diego Herald. This paper is not in gene
raj remarkable for its spice or Righteousness
but is grave and respectable democrati
sheet,which supported John Bigler for Gov
ern2r. The editor, Judge ]. Judson Ames
Just before the election, was called away b.
business to another part of the State, an
entrusted the Herald during his absence t
the charge of John Phoenix, Esq. But il
his haste to get away, the Judge had neg
lected to inquire into the politics of the ed
itor protein. who proceeded, forthwith, up
on assuming the charge of the Herald, t
run up the Wing flag, bearing the name o
William Waldo, the Whig candidate, 10
governor. Judge Ames, it may readily b
imagined, was sorely gravelled when thl
intelligence came to his ears, and he
once wrote to Phoenix, directing hlm to re
store the Democratic banner to its prope
place. On receipt of this letter, Phoenix
with facility of principle which would d.
honor to a politician on the Atlantic slope
Immediately declared his democracy aver
red that his support of Waldo was mistake
and asked forgiveness, avowing himself rea
DIV "to embrace Democracy with ardof, slal
her on the back and declare himself in ia
vor of erecting statue of Andrew jackson
on the plaza
On retiring from the editorship, Mr.. Phe
hix writes characteristic valedictory
thanking Heaven that Judge Ames has re
turned, and giving the following rich de
scriptIon of his arrival:
"Coolly we gazed from the window
the office upon the new town road, we des
cried cloud of dust in the distance, higl
above it waved whip lash and we san
Boston cometh, and his driving is lik'
that of Jehu the son of Nimshl, for he dri
veth furiously.'
"Calmly we seated ourselves in the arm
char, and continued our labors. Anon
step, heavy step, was heard upon tn
stairs, and Boston stood before us. Ill
shape and gesture proudly eminent, stoo'
like tower ........ but his face deep scar
of thunder had entrenched, and care sat OF
his faded cheek but under brows of daunt
less courage and considerate pride, waitin!
revenge We rose, and with an unfalter
voice SAID. well Judge, how do you do.
He made no reply, but commenced taking
off his coat We removed ours, as also ou
cravat.
"The sixth and last round is described BY
the pressman and compositors as having
been tearfully scientific. We held 'Bos
ton down over the press by our nose (Which
we had inserted between his teeth for tina
purpose), and while our hair was employed
in holding one of his hands, we held the
other IN our left, and with the 'sheep's-foot
brandished above our head, shouted TO him
SAY Waldo Never he gasped-
Oh my Big-ler, he would have muttered,
But that he dried up ere the word was uttered
Sat tins moment we discovered that we
had been laborlng under misunderstood.
ne, and through the amicable intervention
of the pressman, who thrust a roller be-
tween our faces (Which gave the whole af-
fair different complexion), the matter was
finally settled on the most friendly terms
and without prejudice to the honor of Ell
ther party We write this while sitting
without any clothing, except cur left stock
ing, and the rim of our hat encircling our
neck like a ruff of the Elizabethan era
that article of dress having been knocked
over our head at an early stage of the pro-
ceedings, and the crown subsequently tom
of,while the Judge is sopping his eyes with
cold water in the next room. small boy
standing beside the sufferer with basin,
and glancing with interest over the adver-
tisements in the second page of the San d.
ego Herald, fair copy of which was struck
off upon the back Of his shirt at the time
we held him over the press:''
Mr.. Phoenix, IN concluding his valedicto-
ry, magnanimously declares that if he has
given offence to any one, he is ready to &C.
cept their apologies. He adds that COM
mencing as an independent journal, he has
gradually passed through all the stages OIL
incipient whiggery, decided conservatism
dignifed recantation, budding democracy
and rampant radicallsm. He closes the Sc.
ries with what he calls ian entirely litera-
ry NUMBER" and great pictorial sheet
which is capital satire upon Yankee pic.
torials. The first of the illustrations which
occupy two columns of the paper, is pic
ture of an on, and is called "Portrait Of
His Royal Highness, Prince Albert, the son
Of a gentleman named Coburg, who is the
husband of Queen Victoria, OF England
He is the inventor of the celebrated Albert
Hat which has been lately introduced with
great effect into the US. army. The Prince
is OF German extraction, his father being q
Dutchman and his mother Duchess"
Then follow some common newspaper
cuts of houses, which are desl gnated sever.
ally as being the mansion of John Phoenix
Esq, San Diego, California" ''House in
which Shakespeare was born," "Abbotts.
ford, the residence of Sir Walter Scott, au.
thor of Byron's Pilgrims Progress" ''the
Capitol at Washington" and Residence
of Gov. Bigler at Benicia." A newspaper
picture OF man looking through quad.
rant is denomlnated "Cornelius Agrppa,
one of the signers of the Declaration OF In
dependence, looking into futurity."
He has also view ofthe Battle of Lake
Erie, by Hannibal Caracci,' which is made
up of old cuts of ships and steamers, and in
regard to which Mr.. Phenix volunteers the
statement that everybody know that this
great fight was fought in 1886 on Chesa-
peake Bay, between the U. s. frigates Con-
stitution and Guerriere and the British
troops under Gen. Putnam. Our glorious
flag there, as everywhere, was victorious,
and long may it wave.'"
The last illustration is the "shel of an
oyster once eaten by General Washington,
showing the llnnnral,S rnannar Of onanin1r