Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-07-14

CITY INTELLIAENCE.
AAEs.-At the conclusion of thu prayos Of the
Chaplain of the Senate on "Wednesday morning
last We heard, or fsncied we beard, bis amen ech-
oed In tones apparently devout and Il ncere. We
were seated in the gallery, and the sound came up
TO US rather indislinctly, but We think We cannot
be mistaken, and sincerely hope We were not. II
Ia the first time We ever heard that little but inn
pressive word pronounced devotionAlly in legis-
htive assembly.
The fact Is, and ii Is notorious, that legislators
and lawyers have come TO be considered among
the reprobate classes Of community, because Of
their neglect Of religious duties Their ignorance
of the law Of God is 30 great that they often, in
attempting to quote passages from the Scriptures,
expose themselves to the ridicue of their auditors
The early legislators of our country-our fathers
and our fathers fathers--wcre eminent, many OF
them, for their knowledge Of the Scriptures, and
to this knowledge, we doubt not, they were mainly
indebted for the eminenoe 70 which they attained
in the councils Of the nation and for their peculiar
fitness for the performance Of the important SER
vices which they rendered in those dark and troub-
lous times, when the enemies of their country
threatened them on one hand, and traitors and
domestic foes stood ready to betray them to death
on the other
Pre-eminently conspicuous among these great
statesmen, stands the name of Benjamin Franklin,
the printer. Almost every American has felt that
there was an intellectual superiority possessed by
Dr. Franklin, which caused him to shine a. q lu-
minary OF the first magnitude amongst the wor-
thiss of the Revolution. Few, If any, of the po-
htical men of that day approached him In the
accuracy and extent of his Scrptural knowledge,
and this is one chief reason why Franklin lowered
"a head and shoulders" above his fellows in per-
haps every assembly of which he was q member.
An anecdote or two will illustrate this:
When quite youth Franklin went to London,
entered printing Office, and inquired If he could
get employment as printer?
Where are you from y inquired the foreman.
America, was the reply.
"Ah," said the foreman, from America lad
from America seeking employment as printer
Well, do you really understand the art Of printing
Can you set typef"
Franklin stepped to one of the cases and in a
very brief space, set up the following passage from,
the first chapter Of the Gospel by st. John:
Nathaniel saith unto him, can any good thing
come out OF Nszarethp Philip saith unto him,
come and see."
1t was done 30 quick, so accurately, and con-
tanned delicate reproof so appropriate and pow
erful that 1t at once gave him standing and char
acter with all in the Office.
Many anecdotes might be given; we shall con-
tent ourselves with one more:
When, after the Declaration Of Independence,
Franklin was Minister from the United States to
France, he was invited to dine with French mo-
bleman in company with the British Ambassador.
After dinner they were taking glass of wine, and
1t was proposed that each should give sentiment
or toast. The Englishman led the way and gave
George the Third--like the sun in his meridi-
, an glory, he is the admiration of the world"
The Frenchman followed next, and gave
The Queen of France Like the moon in her
bright path through the heavens, she enlightans
and influences the earth"
Both now turned to Franklin, confident that he
was thrown far into the background; but Franklin
with great composure took up his glass, and gave
George Washington: Like Joshua Of DID, he
commands the sun and the moon to stand still, and
they obey him."
We intend to recur to this subject. Expressing
the hope that members of the present and future
Congresses will occasionally revert to the scene
presented to the eye in September, l774, in Car.
penters Hail. Philadelphia, on the occasion Of the
first prayer in Congress, and hoping that the con
temptation of that scene viii produce a salutary
impression upon their minds-and we believe /,
cannot fail to do so-we close this article, as we
began it, with that little but impressive word
Amen"
Hon p. T. HERBERT.--After the close Of Mr..
Bradley's address on Saturday, Mr.. Key closed the
proceedings. The Judge then instructed the Jury
as follows;
LIST. If sudden ARRAY arose between the &C.
cnsed and the deceased, and afterwards several
other persons interfered to assist the deceased,
and by these assailants the defendant was borne
down and beaten, and had reason to believe that
he was in imminent danger of great bodily harm,
from which be could not safely escape, and while
In this position fred the pistol by which the de-
ceased was killed, 1t was in judgment of law case
OF excusable homicide; and il is immaterial, in the
absence OF premeditation and malice, by whom the
affray was commenced And it is also not mate.
rial that the accused might have escaped before
the imminent peril came upon him, If at the time
the peril came he had reason to believe himself in
imminent peril of life Of great bodily harm, and
when he fired the pistol he could not safely escape
I'd. To have authorized Herbert to take the
lie OF Heating the necessity for doing 80 need not
be actual; for If the circumstances were such a.
to impress his (Herbert's) mind with the reasona
BILE belief that such necessity was impending it ID
sufficient.
"3d. If the jury believe, from the evidence
that at the time the pistol was discharged Herbert
was being pressed by superior numbers and was In
danger Of death or OF serious bodily harm, from
which ls could not safely escape, he was justified
In taking life.
4th. If the jury entertain reasonable doubts
as to any material fact necessary to make out the
case for the Government they must give the bene.
fit to the defendant"
The jury are still out 1t is supposed they stand
eleven to one for aquittal.
FIRST FEMALE DIsrRIcr ScHooL--Miss Middle
ton, teacher.-This school was examined on Friday
last by the whole Board, assisted by Prof Rich
ards. The examiners express but one opinion in
regard to this school, and that ia, that all the
branches have been thoroughly taught. II there
was more proficiency manifested in one branch