Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-01-15

uay evening next lou, " 'HN A'O''
NASH, OF Couneaut.
Subiect-"The Signs Of True Progress
Tine before g. precisely.
TnE course Of Public Lectures arranged for
the entertainment aud Instruction OF our citi-
zens during the present season, was most salts
fac,orily and successfully opened on Tuesday
evening last by the Rev. w. NJ. BLACKBURN
of Eric. At the hour fixed for the exercises Of
the evening the hall was filed with an intelli-
gent, respectful, and npprecating audience, ef-
rectualy allayiug at once such fears as may have
arisen in the minds Of a portion Of the Commu-
nifty, and especially in those Of the Lecture com
mittee that the interest and attendance might
not be all that could be wished. The
promptness Of this response to the efforts that
had been made in this direction, is a matter of
qualification aud encouragement, and may well
be taken as an earnest of the success that is to
attend more mature, more deliberate, aud bet
ter digested efforts in future
The subject chosen by the Rev. gentleman
was "PioneerLife,7 treated in the form Of poem.
The performance was one of much more than
ordinary merit, as was evinced by the close and
silent attention paid to its reading by the au-
dience together with occasional audible de-
monstraious of satisfaction and pleasure. The
conception and framework Of the poem, was
sufficiently varied aud happy, and embraced the
more prominent features Of the life of the har-
dy pillar and founder Of society. from the leave
taking of its comforts and reinements to the
gradual gathering, and replanting through years
Of toll and selfdenal, Of similar comforts in the
midst OF prairie waste or forest solitude. The
filling up was in s;nooth, concise, and gracefully
flowing hexaneter. Unlike many of the efforts
of the day, in this line, it was no mere mellif-
luent arrangement of ,euphonious terms, bnt
combination of the true FIRE and elegance
or poetry imparting beauty, chasteness and re-
finement to bold, manly, and vigorous thought
The involuntary manner in which the audience
was horne along, with its harmony Of numbers
and the meditation of its cadences, imhihing
its spirit smiling at its saies Of plnyfuness. OF
sharing in the grateful and rcverential recogni
ton Of the Heavenly index. which guided the
q
it that flied his heart, afforded unmistakahIe
evidence not only Of the merits Of the per
formance, but Of the latent power which its
finished and scholarly nature was exerting ovel
them.
The poem was a complete success, and so i
our lecture enterprise
II NAV he we'll TO aIIude to one fact moro
particularly. ror the influence it may have in fu
ture The audience we're in their seats prompt
" at the time fixed. and the satisfaction th'
must ave afforded to the lecturer, over a lag
gard, occasional dropping in all along through
the evening may be easily realized
On The whole we think, there is reason fo
graduation. Dor citizens were pleased with thc
performance, the Rev gentleman, who so gen
erousiy consented to entertain us, was pleased
we believe, with the treatment Of an Ashtabul'
audience, and the Lecture Committee, were
pleased at the result oE what they felt TO be al
experiment, in providing for course of popu
lar, literary and scientific lectures.
The rolf. for future lectures is so far complete
that the committee have little doubt Of beinl
season of lectures shall have gone by.
The following article was prepared for las
weeks paper but necessarily deferred:
The Congregation of the FreSbyte churc
on Sunday morning last listened to a sermo
from The Pastor, R'v NJ GILtErr, adapte'
to the occason Of the New Year, being a re
trospect of the past, and embracing local sta
tislics of the Presbyterian Church not only, bu
Of the several churches in this place The al
lusion to the number of places where intoxcat
ing drinks are sold in the corporation, and tn
proportion of these where games of chance ar
common passtime, was not little startling
But few seemed to be aware of the degradation
which surrounds and blights this otherwise IA
heritage
In this alusion, the council came in for dasl
at what is called the three dollar license. Tn
policy and effect of this village ordinance, ha
provoked some pretty severe structures, and ii
opinion is becoming more or less common thi
it is of doubtful expediency 1t is not foun
sufficient to restrain and limit the number
these doggeries, as was probably the origins
design of its adoption, and that the traffic
emboldeued by il. This nererous business
carried on in the face Of day. and with an air
assurance which indicates the consciousness Of
purchased privilege.
We hope to be able, by the courtesy Of II
Rev. gentleman, to lay the facts imbodied
in this DISCOURSE before our readers The fde
ty that prompted this alluson, is in our opi
ion worthy Of commendatiou.
In the afternoon the ordinance of the Lord
supper was administered, aud seven additio
made to the Church.
as- The Printers Of Cleveland aud vicini
are TO celebrate the returning anniversary
the birth OF Franklin on Monday evening neN
with Ball and supper at the American
The place selected for This celebration,