Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-07-28
The SAngel Gabriel"

The biography of the "Angel Gabriel has been
published in New York, from which make the
following extract of this eccentric character
The name of this eccentric and peripatec orator
is McSwish His father was native of Scotland,
and domestic in the establishment of the Mar
quis of Huntey. He married female domestic in
the same household and with her emigrated 10 the
Isle OF Skye, where this precious Angel Gabriel y
the fuminaor Of unpalatable truths, first opened
his eyes upon sinful world His fortunes and wan
derlngs have not been utinctured with romance and
linged with some most disreputable "reminiscences
He was born the Sd of September I809 and is
consequently As years of age.
His mothers maiden name Saunders, and he
was chrlstened Sandy McSwish He was q very
dull lad and instead of remaining school, was ap-
prenticed 10 a weaver in bis thirteenth year. His
mother having in the meantime become a widow;
she married an nerant Baptist preacher named Orr,
whence the Angel not only derived his present
name, but imbbed his singular notions of handing
his name down TO posterty. The family, in course
of time, left the Isle of Skye, and Orr went on
preaching tour TO the Highlands, but finding the
business bad, he changed his as we'll as his
occupation, and one Wiggins, he joined an eques
trian troupe. Sandy, of course, followed in the
footsteps C his ustrious sepfather, and soon dis
tinguished himself in his calling. He shortly
quarreled with the manager, however, Joined
pany of acrobats with whom he travelled over Eng
land, and finally came to Liverpool.
He here fell in love with a wine merchants daugh-
ter, with whom he eoped to Wales, where they were
married In Wales he first set up as a preacher of
the Methodist persuasion but his hearers soon
growing weary OF his dlscourses, he conceived the
happy idea of setting his sermons to music, and intro
duced for that purpose tin horn into the pulpit
Hence the origin of all our woes! Having by some
means fallen into disgrace, he left his Welsh charge
under cover OF night leaving few debts behind, and
taking In exchange pewter tankard which had
been employed in the church sacraments, and with his
trumpet he commenced his wandering.
Embarklng as cook on board Bristol vessel, he
first landed at jamaica in the West Indies where he
resumed his functions of stated preaching" But
as the Baptist denomination here more populous
and numerous than his former Sect he left the Meth
odlst, and come out deeply immersed Baptist He
lett Jamaica, and next started dancing school in
small village, during which he first heard of the
fourishing Mormon settlement at Nauvoo in Hi
nols, and Immediately determined to push his for
tunes in that direction. He arrived in Philadelphia
just at the period of the native American excitement
there and concealing his origin and antecedents and
beng dashing, spirited fellow, he was soon an ac-
knowledged leader, finally becoming the editor of
natlvist paper He gave up all idea of following Joe
Smith, as the harvest here already ripe for the
reaper. He came to New York, had Just money
enough to purchase brass horn, which he has CON
tlnued to blow until his name has filled the earth.
Ihe particulars of this strange biography related
by one who was born in the same town with the
Angel Gabriel, and he is quite as much astonshed
al MS success and noorlety as any He always
wears his trumpet, frequently rides the tops OF
Omnbusses, and blows for the amusement of drivers
From the Washington Union
Southern Wings Versus Northern Democrats.
Every day TO convince u.s. more and more
OF the tathessness of that small class of southern
men who try to excuse the excesses and vices of the
northern agitators under the plea that the democrats
OF the free States anxious to break up the whig
party The whg organization, as it now exists, is
mere adj junct to abotonism-a tender 10 the anti
, slavery engine-a fnger-board pointing the way 10
that dlretul sequel apprehended by the patriots as
the immediate precursor of national decay and ruin
Let lis be understood. We far from saying that
| fh fhnpr1 yrh,,r
stale of things but it is beyond controversy that
the whole power of The whig system is in the hands
of Northern whiggery, and it is alike uaquesonable
that the majority Of Northern Wings are at this mo-
ment banded in common against the South.
No southern man can close his eyes to this fact or
seek TO overlook it, without subiectng himself to the
imputaton of being false to his own region and 10
his own duties Pari PasSu with these ntrgues on
the part of southern wings excuse their abolition
brethren in the North, is the effort 10 excite dstrust
against the northern democracy who stand fast and
firm in the midst OF the universal Wing detection.
These observations have occurred 10 Us while per-
using letter from Hon. Thomas L. CIingman, of
North Carolina, in which he defends himself against
the attacks OF certain wings of that State, We find
it in a late number of the Raleigh North Carolna)
Standard, and direct the earnest attention of
readers to ii. His vndication OF the northern demo
cracy is admirable and complete
&C HOUSE OF REpREsENTIvEs,
June 10, 1854
! &" My DEAR SIR:
"WhIe hypocriticalIy processing friendship for
the Nebraska bill, they a portion Of the North Car
olina whigsl have nsdI0usly, and in the most cow
ardly manner, made the measure. Nay,
more they have assailed the brave and patriotic
men OF tae North who amid all the storms of fana-
tlcsm and sectional denunciaion, have firmly and
galIantIy marched forward and carried the bill, eX-
! hIblng as much courage and magnanimty was
ever shown the boodiest battle field. Well know
| ing that every Whg from the free States was against
| the measure, and that it supported by the ad-
mnlstraon and ma Jorlty OF It's northern friends,
they, nevertheless gave all the aid and comfort
| they could to the former and made war on the lat
! ter. Yes, during the great struggle to the
I South to equality in the Union they have been de-
nounclng the generous men of the North who came
to our aid, because they able sooner 10 pass
the bill by reason of the fierce opposition of those
wings whom they were praising and attending
Processing friendship for the measure, they still
helped its enemies, and rallied at it's friends because
OF the difficulty they found in overcoming the oppo-
son.
During our revolutionary struggle, what would
have been thought of professed whig paper, that
had continued to praise the British army and assail-
ed our ally France, because she did not sooner put
an end 10 the war, and that had abused Lafayette
and his gallant comrades because they could not at
once drive the British out of America? And vet
the conduct OF such ournai would not have been
In anywlse more ANONYMOUSLY base than the course
| OF the papers have referred to. They must meet
with contempt and degradation wherever truth and
| honor have fame"
| We have often heard of men who could hold but
one idea III their head at time. 1t is not SO with
! our uncle Joshua. AS he sat down to- dinner the
other day, he asked blessing in these words '.For
Wnat we are about to receive may The Lord make US
duly thankful and added, in the same BREATH sSdl-