The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-13
The London Chronicle

preaching QOWHIal " Jul lePuoieo.i .! ss..@1s
The proof Of this impending catastrophe is dis
cerned by the ingenious editor in the fact that
the house of representatives at Washington had
failed to organize even after forty ballots, and
that the presidents message, fraught with in
formation and suggestions OF the highest mo-
ment could not be submitted.
We persume that when the Chronicle learns
that after more than one hundred and twenty
ballots the house remains unorganized, its doubt
of the durability of our free institutions will be
converted into absolute expectation OF speedy
dismembermen of the Union; unless the Off
cial PRONUNCIATION ofthe message convinces that
journal that one of the terrible dangers threat
ening the United States has been averted, and
induces it to reflect that peradventure the other
may be somewhat exaggerated. The Chronicle
tells us that such an interruption of paramen-
tary business could not occur in England, with
out producing arevolution. We believe it, and
this is precisely the difference between that
country and our own 1t is the fault of the
British press to Judge us from their, and not
our stand point; to assume that in a given case,
we ought to act exactly as they would-forget-
ting all the while that we are different people.
with a widely different polity, and that we pos
$3.50 III VIE iiauuiC " Jul ofciAaioiie ga iniiei
ent, self-sustaining power Of which theirs is
destitute.
Toapply this view: the disorganization Of the
house is certainly regarded as an evil, because
it is the result Of factious discord, aud a puere
strife between party leaders, none Of whom will
advance single single step towards an under
standing and a compromise. The tendency Of
such quarrel is unquestionably bad. As a
precedent it is pernicious, and merits the con-
domination and castigation it has received from
all sensible and patriotic citizens. But beyond
this there is no immediate injury. The govern
ment moves in its accustomed orbit, without the
dislocation Of a single joint in its complicated
machinery. The nation at large looks on, part
y amused and partly indignant; scandalized at
the frivolous and unworthy game played by
reckless partizans, yet rather interested in the
checks and counterchecks, the expedients and
devices employed by the three contending fac
TONS The difficulty creates no perceptible hitch,
as yet, in public affairs. From Maine to Cali
fornia, federal and State governments continue
relations. =
AS a matter Of course, this quasi
condition Of the national legislature could not
continue eternally. We might manage without
new laws, as bad usually preponderates over
good legislation. But the government would
be unable to meet its ordinary disbursements,
in consequence ofthe lack Of authority to draw
money from the treasury. Long before such
crisis, however, the plain common sense of the
whole masses, and the bold outspeaking of pub
lie sentiment, would compel congress to do its
duty. Hence, there is none ofthat dread ofthe
overthrow of the government, or of dead lock
in the federal administration which haunts the
imagination of the London Chronicle. If that
sheet were well informed, it would know that
there never has been. and never will be, but
one source of peril to the stability of our Union
and that is the slavery question, and with re-
;pect to this eternal source of agitation, wise
md good men, have thus far under Provi- /.
lence, found the means ofrescuing the country, :
md restoring civil concord in the darkest hour i
If sectional strife. So mote it be forever.
,7a@ gu s New Orleans Bee. !
EXTRAORDINARY PHENoMENoN.-The link of
he Mobile and Ohio railroad between Lock /. .
eart's and Lauderdale springs is literally on Z
ire! According to the Lauderdale Republi- {
an, ''it seems that the road at that place runs /
yer bed Of ignite or coal; about four weeks ,
go man applied fire to it. and it has been
turning ever since. This is strange, but we
re assured that it is nevertheless true; the at t
nosphere for miles around, is laden with the
tench Of burning sulphur, and some of the b
.hoys, in the neighborhood begin to believe
hat the devil will soon make his appearance, 5
orns, tail and all, and supercede the locomo-
i've in that region. e q
Let that be as it will, we are informed that Y
Or. Williams, the contractor, has been COM
elled to throw in great quantity of earth, in i,
rider, we suppose, to keep the devil down, un- B
i hecould lay the track over this new volcano it
'bich has really burnt the Mobile and Ohio a
abroad smack in two. !
This curious occurrence, remarks the Paul
ing Clarion, has, we are informed, excited the e1
uperstitious fears of many of the simple mind 9
d, who actually believe that the dominions of !
is santanic majesty have made an exhibit of I
1emselves upon the line of the Mobile and a
'hio railroad! tits further rumored and cred q
ed that Satan has appeared in propria per- n
ona, upon the brink of this terrestrial OPEN el
,g to hell, and that he has already dedicated ii
le good people themselves to his future plato :.
ic service. But we give no credence to this =
eandal. The people of Lockhart's, Lauder d
ale springs, and contiguous neighborhoods, t,
re most excellent people in all the relations r
life, public and private; and we, therefore, E,
eject as calumny the assertion that the in F
'rnal moloch has any thing to do with them a
hatever. rst s5 s2s N
>---~~~-~-~~~~~~oo E5t5l 1853 y
Rev. RUFUS W. GRIswoLD. Ten or twelve =.
ears ago, Rufus W. Griswold, the author, Il
larried a wife in South Carolina, and resided "
| Charleston six or seven years, after which h
e removed to Pennsylvania, and made an un- * *
accessful application for divorce. He then tr
mt her paper for signature, acknowledging TT
he had abandoned him without cause-which IL
lie refused to sign she was then residing in u II
ew Jersey with their daughter, of whom she
ad been appointed guardian without any OPP y
osition on his part. The child he forcibly took y
ON her, offering to restore the daughter if the =
other would sign the paper he had sent her, 6
} that he could marry again. Implored by e
tiers from the daughter, and advised that a z
gnature thus wrung from her would avail :
othng, she reluctantly signed the falsehood to