Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-02-11
From Europe.

From Europe.
The steamer Baltic arrived at New York on
the 5th,with Liverpool dates to the 2lst OF jan
uary.
The Swiss question was considered settled, as
the Neufchatel prisoners had been liberated.
A despatch from Berne dated Jan. Is, states
that the Neufchatel prisoners were on the pre-
ceeding night escorted by detachment ofSwl
troops to the French frontier.
The Federal Council had given orders for I'M
disbanding the troops.
The event of most interest was the trlal VI
Verges, the assassin of the Archbishop of Paris.
The trial was full of dramatic interest. Verges
had been condemned.
A mutiny of a colored crew took place on
board the j. L. Bogart. in the Mersey, bound for
Mobile. The first mate was badly wounded, land
had been taken to the hospital The second mate
was arrested for shooting seaman.
The alleged cause of the mutiny is that the
crew shipped under articles for New York, but
subsequently they learned that the ship was to
proceed to Mobile, where, as they were nearly
all coored mon they would be retained in sla-
very.
Lord Palmerston had issued circular to the
House of Commons, stating that business OF great
Importance would be laid before the coming ses-
sion of Parliament, and expressing all earnest
hope that all the members will be in their places
at the opening.
Lord Napier had arrived in London to make
preparations for his departure on the American
mission.
Private advices from Shanghai to November
10th say that there is a prospect that the specie
shipments of that port may prove excessive, ow-
ing to the scarcity of produce.
The English at Canton were Strengthening
their position, but showed disposition to re-
main on the defensive till they received advices
from England Meanwhile renforoements are
understood to be sent for.
The British fleet had captured the ports of
Busherc and the Island of Harnack in the Per-
sian Gulf. 1t was rumored that the Russians had
occupied Astracan.
Later advices from China state that the Chi
nese authorities continuing obstinate the British
had taken and destroyed the "French Folly
Fort,n and were bombarding Canton. The Chi
nese had fired the foreign factories The Orien-
tai Agra and Mercantile Banks were also burn
ed The smelling" Of Canton commenced just
as the mail steamer was departing.
| A Country Darkey's First Visit to Law
| yer'S Office.
One evening last week three friends were Sit
ting before the fire in an office on Lawyers lane,
talking over the news of the day and ready tor
any fun that might turn up, when their ears
were greeted with the stirring notes of "old ZIP
Coon" gaily whistled by big free negro from
the neighborhood of Barterbrook, who had been
spending the day in town seeing the sights and
was then just starting home as happy as lark.
AS he passed the door one OF our friends hailed
him. and to his establishment and dismay put
him under arrest for contempt of the laws OF
the Commonwealth and of the dignity OF the
Corporation. The alarmed darkey asserted his
Ignorance of law and his innocence of any IN
tent;on to violate it. Whereupon one OF our
friends gravely took down q musty looking vol
ume, which he called Spokeshapes Statutes, and
read. sBe it enacted, that if any free negro from
the country whistles in any public street in
Stanton when the Corporation Court is sitting,
he shall be fined one dollar or go to Jail, unless
such street be the Alley near the Court House,
in which case the fine shall be fifty cents cash
for the first offence, and the offender to promise
on his knees before he discharged thathe will
never whistle in town again as long as he lives"
Cuffv declared he never had heard the law be-
fore in his life, and that if they would let him
off lust this time, he never would whistle inside
of the town limits again, nor come near the
Court House when the Corporation Court was
sitting. But his triers wouldn't let him off,
They read to him from another book, "Ignor0'a-
tia leqes nemiaem ercusat," and asked him if he
didn't understand that He was afraid to deny
it, and bewailed his fate as he had mary red" to
pay the fine, but rather than go to Jail he would
pawn his watch, which had cost him q dollar,
and kept, he asserted, UNITED States time first
rate" They refused to let him off, but agreed
that he might 60 and try to borrow the money,
if he would swear never to whistle in town a.
gain. He agreed to the terms-left in double
quick time-promising to be back in few min
utes but the last that was seen of him he was
making for home at the rate of ten miles an
hour and looking back over his left shoulder to
see if any one was after him.
| MCCORMICK 1lEAPER AND -hONEh IAOlohi'
This establishment covers about four acres of
ground on the main branch of the river, near
| its entrance on which are several substantial
buildings. The main building is 40 by 240 feet,
four stories, besides foundry, blacksmith shop,
and other buildings of similar capacity. 1t was
established in 1S47, and has grown with the in
creasing demand for M'Cormck's renowned
reaper, to IFS present size and capacity.
| In 1854, the number of reapers manufactured
was | ,55O-valned at S2B2500; the number of
hands employed, $40 and the value of raw ma
terial consumed, $4,000 In 1856, there were
9. 568 reapers manuactured-valueda at $685.
o4O number of hands employed, $50; cost of
raw material consumed, $l03,7S6. The follow.
ing are the figures for the manufactures, &c, of
1856:
Capital invested 1867, 600; cost or buildings,
$50 1000; value of manufactures 1900; wa
ges paid $4,000; cost of raw materials $685.
600; number of Reapers manufactured 4,06O;
hands employed $50; tuns of coal consumed
$50; tons of pig iron 1000; bar 694- Chicago
Press.
The Thaw.
On Thursday last the cold weather left us,
taking the snow with it, and now scarcely q
speck of the latter is left From Thursday till
Sunday evening, when there was another freeze,
we had regular April weather. The temperature
of the atmosphere was delightful, but the slosh
terrible to persons who had to move about the
streets. The thaw was as unprecedented as the