Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-10-08

vas full oh ripe peaches. an one moonlight
sbenin' dey was all shtk off. an went away p
lob dc bacon ham, what Jake Frump loss in de
'reek toder side de mountain. an what msssa's
I'm found in Dinah Towns bed tick! !" These,
md hundred other petty offences. rendered OF
nonenteons consequence by the recent unac-
wuntable disturbances, exercised the terrified
imagination of the Niger chattels," the most
If them actually believing TINT de train come
'bery night from dat ar place where de bad nig-
:ers 60, an dat de debil engumneer de slnoku-
motive"
And the negroes and white folks, too, had
,lenty of reason for this wonderinent, of course,
md when the village clocks had chined twelve,
md the ROSTERS all aroIlnd had indnlged in their
irst crow, that mninous but scarcely perceptible
iar was felt, and the low, almost silent roll of
he far-otf wheels was becunng apparent, and
lway up the valley towards Crsigsville the rum.
Die each moment increased in v0Iume-and
inally the click.a-click! click-a-click! of the
nming train could he distinctly appreciated, as
it wllirled around the curve at Swoope's Station,
md then, with nothing to obstruct its voice Of
thunder. it came rattliDg down the grade,and az
it neared the bewitched SrauntOnians. the whis.
tie shrieked ont like mad fiend 0f the pit!
while the quick chit! chit! gradually desdeneJ
to the chough! chough and then shut up with
nge prolonged ch-e-o.ughi II is no marvel
whatever, that they all dropped on their mar
row. bones, and commenced praying Justify for
safe deliverance from the terrible and mysterious
monster that had thus arrived in their midst but
yet could not be found at all.
We shall not attempt any scientific explana-
tion of this awful visitation upon our Virginian
neghbors. The facts are. ~ We have related
them,and we do not know but that the pl,enoin-
ena can be accounted for, by snppo.ing Spirit
ua agency! We choose. however, To keep
clear of all sncl, Phantom Trains. and shall not
trust ourselves on the railway in the Old Dom
non at present. Ii may he that internal under
ground concern that runs off with their niggers
OLD BULLION "Oy OLD BUcK"-We all re-
member the excitement CAUSED in the United
States in 1913 by the execution by Commander
Mackenzie of MiIshpnan Spencer and two sea-
men for mutiny on board the q. 5. Brig Somers.
Mackenzie WAS the brother of Slide now
Senator from Louisiana, and in 1913 member
0f the House of Representatives Col Benton.
in his 'tlirty Years in the United States Srn-
ate" thus speaks of the execution Of young Spen
Ger and his cu-miutineers:
"C0mmander Mackenzie had been acquitted
by the authorities he had been c0lnplimented
BY body Of eminent merchants he had been
applauded by the press he had been encolnias-
tically reviewed in high literary periodcal.-
The loud public voice was for him; but there
was small inward monitor whose still and
sinister whisperings went cutting through the
soul. The acquitted and applauded man with
drew to lonely retreat, oppressed with gloom
and melancholy, visible only to few, and was
only aroused from his depression to give signs of
q diseased mind. Ii was five years after the
event. and during the war with Mexico Tho
Administration had conceived the idea of pro-
curing peace through the instrumentaity ofSanta
Anna, then an exile in Havana, and who was to
be returned to his country upon some arrange
men, of the American Government. This writer
(Col. Benton) going To see the President (Mr.
Pulk) some days about this tirne mentioned to
him visit from Commander Slidell Mackenzie
to this exiled chief. Tie President was startled
and asked huw this came to be known to me.
| told him read it in the Spanish newspapers.
He said it was all a profound secret, confined to
his Cabinet. He said it was all profound secret
that the mission tOSanta Anna was resolved upon,
and the .facile Mr.. Buchanan, Secretary ofState,
dominated by Representative Slidell. brother of
the Commander, accepted ti.is brother for the
place."
Old Bullion is now ont for this ..facile Mr.
Buchanan Very ..tacile" was this Mr.. Buchan.
nm to permit himself to be "dominated" out of q
State secret and into the appointment of the
''dominator'" brother as an agent of the Govern
nent to treat with Santa Anna who, IN the end,
fooled Polk. Buchanan & CO., ITO the top OF their
bent" The "facile Mr.. Buchanan! =" "Good, Col
Benton, very good, indeed-we thank you, good
sir, we owe you one"-PetersJurg Intel