The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-02-13

STILL IT GoEs--Some Of our readers will
remember humorous description Of "per-
petual motion" machine, which was published
in our columns nearly four years since, and
went the rounds of the papers The machine
was invented by James G. Hendrickson, Of
Freehold, Monmouth county, New jersey
The power was very slight, being obtained by
the use of arms and balls attached to the cy.
lindcr and so contrived as to keep the extra
weight always on one SIDE and give the cylin.
der constant inclination to ga around. Hen
erickson was very plain countryman, who
had whitfield away for forty years at this ma
chine, amid the jeers and SCOTS OF neglbors and
acquaintance, and who was of course not
little proud Of his machine. Ours was the first
public notice of his invention, but it soon at
tracted the attention of the curious, and he
was invited to exhibit it at Raritan, n. j.
The occasion, if we remember right, was n
large gathering of people during the progress
of an Agricultural Fair. The incredulity Of
q match for him. He was surrounded by set
of people who contended that the motion he
claimed was an impossibility, and that he was
an impostor. Poor Hendrickson was no ora
tor, and his assailants were clamorous and loud.
spoken, but he pointed silently to his machine,
which was enclosed in glass, and when the phi
losophers said that his claim was ridiculous
and that a machine could not "go of ITSELF"
he could only reply, "But it does go!" One
would have supposed that the fact should have
been sufficient to upset the old theory, but
Jersey Blues were as stubborn as the noted
disputant whose speech upon such an occasion,
80 much the worse for the facts" is now fam
GUS in history, and they clung to their theory,
in the face of the demonstration
They went further and in aspirit of pcrsecu-
tion as bitter as that which moved the Jesuits
against Galeo, arrested Mr.. Hendrckson for
trickery and Juggling, under the act for sup.
pressing vice and immortality, charging him
with moving his machine by concealed
spring He was accordingly tried for this Of
fence before Justice Rodle, Of Keyport. Me-
chanics, engineers shpwrights, aud all the ex-
perts of Jersey, gave testimony as to the i'm
possibility of such an invention as he claimed
and their belief that hidden spring, or some
piece OF ingenious roguery, was contained in
the cylinder At last the axe was applied,
and the machine split in pieces, when 10 there
was no concealed sprng--no roguery--and the
machine despite the philosophers, had gone
OF ITSELF The men Of science gulpcd down
their disappointment, and disappeared from
the courtroom, and poor Hendrickson and the
fragments OF his machine were kindly dis
charged with the verdict mo cause of action
The scene. when he returned to his home that
night with the broken relics of his discovery in
his hands, and gazing upon them in sad disap.
pointment must have been worthy Of the can
vass of master painter.
Since that trial we had lost sight of him
but. two or three days ago, he came into the
Office with the same patient, thoughtful face,
and holding in his hand the old invention in a
new dress lie has made it this time of brass
ribs so that there is nothing concealed and no
place for concealment and inspite of the Jer,
scy prosecutors, IL aoW go! He has attached
it to simple clock, and this machine furnishes
the motive power. How far this power can be
extended is not for us to say but we must
believe our eyes, and we once more assert that
the machine will "go Of tself"--Journal of
Commerce..