The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-06-16

give-under what sort Of promises from her
"mssus" may be imagined, from the asser-
tons that she "didn't love her father. nor her
brother, nor nobody but missus ~ Some spicy
passages at tongues were exchanged between
the counsel, in which Mr. Brady in the alb
sence of the same atmosphere in the BROOKLYN
courtroom which he enjoyed in the court room
here, to say nothing of the strange indulgence
extended to him by Judge Duer, exchanged
for the judicial trmness of Judge Barculo, got
some thrusts which may teach him his place
in future. Mr. Culver was never more at
home, or more lucky in paying back" than
on this occasion.
The case has been postponed till Monday
when the actual finale is hoped for Little
doubt seems to be entertained by MIR. Culver
as to the ultimate obtentiOn of the custody of
the child by its natural parent
The carrying of the amendments to the city
charter, on Tuesday, by so largo a majority as
more than thirty-three thousand, was an event
of more than local interest in its pontings. 1t
showed that the People are becoming aroused
to the fearful tendencies of official extrava-
gance and corruption, and that they feel
growing determination TO take their own affairs
into their own hands The Temperance men.
and other reformers generally, promptly and
wisely gave in their adherence to this move
ment of city reform. Nor were the distinctive
friends of Freedom Indifferent They did what
they could for the procurement of the new or
der of things These cOlaboring parties, aud
others whom circumstances have kept out of
party political movements were doubtless
guided by their higher instincts in so doing
They had long since come to realize that there
was little hope for reform as to men, while
measures were promotive of corruption. Now
they will find room to hope for better order
OF things But they must see to it that they
do not content themselves with mere hopeful
ness. They must look to the primary meet
ings henceforward, and see that they are held
otherwhere than in groggeries kept, too often,
by prostitutes and slave catchers, or their SYM
pathizers and abettors and these must not
stop here. They must use their direct per-
sonal influence for the nomination of men for
the City Legislature, by the respective politi-
cal parties, who are right at heart like them
selves Otherwise, the triumph of Tuesday will
have proven the greatest calamity that could
have befallen us, instead Of priceless blessing,
through the ever-fearful process of reaction.
Work, earnest work, will be called for-self-
sacrificing labors of love-because indspen-
sable to consummate what has been only be.
gun.
Conversing with an old friend of mine from
the Valley of Virginia, whom met at the AS
tor House the other day, on his return from
long Western tour, the conversation turned
upon "Uncle Toms Cabin" which he was de-
cidedly disposed to defend, by the way as "not
a bad book, after all, and one which showed
thin IN truthG,llu and in n
way that would do good in spite of sundry ex-
he turned to cabins generally, and then to
ways and means for "getting rid of the black
population, if emancipated he advocating
African colonization, and | limiting Canadian
emigration until he finally struck the uni
versal string of pro-slavery apologism, can't
call his talk advocacy, although he is himself
a STAKEHOLDER of which you will readily antici-
pate the menton-"th the starving condition of
the free blacks"
In this latter connection, my friendly way
of confession, without avoidance, that there
was another side Of that question in his own
thoughts, for he is n frank as well as an OBJ
servant and shrewd man-gave me some facts
relative to free colored man whom he visited
near Urbana, Ohio, which propose to record.
His name is RICHARD STANUP He is farmer
of his own land, land a successful one, too, my
informant thinks, notwithstanding he is a col
ored man, residing in Champaign county, of
which Urbana is the county seat, where he
settled in 1904 He acted as General Wash
ngton's waiter during the struggles of the
Revolution, Of whom he speaks with awed af
lection He witnessed most of the battles of
that era, and was wounded at the battle of
Stony Point and was left for dead on the field
of conflict The scars from wounds then re-
ceived he bears upon his person still, not with
out evident consciousness that they are regard
ed honorable scars as his garrulous details
denote clearly enough. He is member of the
Baptism church, which he joined eighty years
ago; and yet he talks with the aid of a vivid
recollection, seemingly, of his conversion, and
his baptism in the Potomac, while blessing
the Lord 4" for it, His character, am assured,
has not belied his early professional having
been markedly exemplary.
1t will be inferred from one of the statements
above, that Richard Stanup probably cor
ruption upon Stanhope' is very old man !;
and SO he certainly is, to the extent of having
become curiosity for his unusual senecity
alone, apart from the other associations named
His age is now about l06 He has certainly
not disregarded, during this long life, the scrip
tural injunction to multiply and replenish the
earth, for he is the father of hiriy.three chill
dren, by two wives only. The youngest of these
is now about eighteen. His mental as we'll as
physical powers are wonderfully firm and elias
tic for such prolonged life as his 1t has been
suggested by the Urbana Gazette, which has
given notice Of this remarkable parsonage,
that Congress-considern the circumstance
of Stanup being probably the last surviving
member Of Washngton's family-ought to vote
him pension. design not to object to the
proposition but my slaveholding friend and
informant did not seem to think that he needed
any pecuniary aid, in view of his so successful
ly boeing his own row in the field of life, amid
circumstances adverse to his race
The regular meeting Of tho New York His
tOrical Society for June, gave some indications
that, while its transactions must necessarily
have to do mainly with the Past, they will not
hereafter deal with the facts thereof as those
of "dead Past" merely, but as having profit
able relation to the living Present Such, at
least, was the INDICATION of the paper of tho
evening, which was read by Joseph Bluat, Esq.
This paper was designed to do justice to the
Empire State in the matter of the settlement
and prosperity of the great Northwest Its
drift was to show that Virginias Wanted dis.
tinction of the mother Of States" was not de-
served to the extent extravagantly claimed for
her. in his opinion. He cited, as among his
facts, that while Virginia was holding back,
and keeping open land Office through which
Congress was bafied by squatters, &C., New
York came generously forward, and promptly
and unhesitatingly ceded, without condition,
her claim to that magnificent region. But
finally, when the war was over, Virginia came
forward with wondrous show Of generosity
she coupled her grant with conditions which
even her own son, James Madison, condemned
and joined in rejecting!
You may have noticed that even the sa-
preme Court of the United States, in recent
decision, has Joined the clap trapping orators
of Congress Hail. stump, and Fourth fully
celebrity, in this eternal Qualification Of Vir-