The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1858-05-26


acter in the most cdicus light, were the mo,
highly rewarded. 1t wxs TO their iDtsres
thus to portray Napoleon.
But, in the midst Of all his trials, perse
cu'ions and misiortunes, Napoleon di>plsye,
more true greatness and nobeness Of charac
ter than hs ever could have done upon tn
throne, and commanded the love and admi
ration OF all by his own calmuess and resig
nation. He was perfectly Indifferent to tn,
Infamous histories written of him; they of
forded him great amusement. One day
while reading one Of them, he laughed bear.
|ily =; at another time be said, IL have ne
fears Cor my character; truth will vet tri
umth over taI,ehood, and history will vet dc
me justice" This prediction has been part
ly fulfed; for true history has been writ.
ten Of him, and the time is fast coming
when Napoleon will DO loved and admired
by all who are capable Of approaching true
greatness Of character, a gigantic intellect,
an unparalleled genius . warm and geper-
on. heart, and . combination Of all that il
great md araiable in human character.
But, while We are speaking Of great men,
We must not forget our own immortal Wash
ing ,on. How different was his eud from
that OF Alexander, Hannibal, Cesar. or Ma
poleon. After having gained the freedom
Of his country, served her long and faithful
y, obtained the gloriou. title-not of King,
or Emperor, but Father Of his Country
won = nations lore and gratitude, and the
admiration as the world--the great man ex-
pired calmly and happily in his own bone,
and his own native land. How calm, how
peaceful, how delightful, his end.
1T
The INTERIOR OF NORTH AMxRrcA.-
Prof. Henry Of the Smithsonian Institution
has collected facts respecting tho interior Of
the United States, which will command the
attention OF scientific men and statesmen.-
The induction from these facts is, that the
entire region Of the United States west Of
the 0sh degree west longitude. .sys the
western boundary OF Minnesota with the
exception OF = small portion of Western
Texas and the narrow border along the Pa
cifc (including California is q sterile waste
of comparatively little value, and which can
never be available to the agriculturist. The
importance Of this statement will be more
fully comprehended when it is considered
that the line Of Prof Henry, which extends
southwark from Lake Winnipeg to the Mexi
can Gulf will divide the surface Of the Uni
ted States into two nearly equal parts.
The intense heat and dryness Of this re-
gion which will make the great American
Plains barren waste forever, is caused to 4
large extent, according to Prot. Henry's theo-
~. by the fact that the returning Trade
Winds, sweeping over the elevated masses
of the Rocky Mountains, are deprived of
their moisture, in other words, the heated
air which ascends at the equator saturated
with moisture it has attracted in its passage
over the ocean, after depositing portion of
lis vapor in the tropics at the RAINY seasons,
is further dessicated by the ridges and noun
tains which it meets, the vapor being con.
densed on the windward side by tho cold
due TO the increased vertical height and il
finally passes over and strikes the plains as
dry as sponge which has been thoroughly |
Without moisture there can be |
no fertility, no agriculture; and a great por-
non of this wilderness, according to Prof. |
Henry, is as irredeemabIy barren, for the
purpose Of agriculture, as the deserts Of Afri-
ca. If this theory be true, it will greatly
modify the opinions which have beeu entes-
alneI by politicians and statesmen Of the fu-
lure destiny OF the "Great West"