Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1859-04-08
rCorrespondence Of the Lewisburg Chronicle.
Front 3)DtlaDelpbla.
PHILAp.. March q, 1888.

PHiLAD., March "a, 1859.
Mon CHER CHRONICLE When one
sits down to enlighten the public, he
should have accessories of all sorts around
him. so as to be enabled to "speak by the
card" This suggests very cozy library,
nice writing table, velvet slippers, a ca,
pacious and comfortable gown, and an ca
sy chair. With such surroundings, and
with no one to molest or make afraid, any
individual who could not enlighten the
public, has no business with any such ad-
vantages, as these things suppose. But
it requires more than this to make either
an editor, or correspondent.
You remember the "inspiriug mantle"
which a certain "Genius" threw over an
other genius, whom the first genius found
between the stills of a plough, somewhere
in Scotland. Now, no sane reader OF
your very respectable journal can for sin-
gle instant suppose that these "geniuses
would ever have met in a carpeted ball,
or we'll furnished library; that, if they
had SO met, the first would have performed
the superhuous act of throwing a "man-
tie" over a man already enveloped in
cashmere! As readily might one imag-
ing David taking lessons on the harp,
from some Bochsa or Ap Tommas of his
day, instead of yielding up his whole soul
to the inspiring influences of nature, and
pouring forth that inspiration in heaven
taught song
'sLike the sweet South
That breathes upon bank of violets;
.Seaiiny and SirtnJ oiour."
The man who wants to state historical
facts, or give statistics, OF treat Of the sci
ences, requires what We first supposed
the data, and the leisure, and the retire
ment-to a man like Burns, or to a soul
like that of the sweet singer of Israel,
such things would have been a positive
incumbrancc. And propose to show
that one may become very respectable
instructor or amaser Il don't know whe-
ther that word is in Webster) of his fell
low men, without either the comfortable
quarters of the first, the "inspirins man
tie" Of the second, or the bright stars, the
serene heavens, or the inspiring climate of
Judea's nights, where David studied na-
ture's harmony, and the music Of the
spheres.
Now, if were at all Influenced by my
surroundings at this moment, | should
chant you most dolefsl ditty, for am in
the very midst of rain.
Some twenty-five years ago, L was
playing with dozen of other boys, one
bright moonlight evening in summer time.
All of sudden, one of the boys struck
up negro song, then just introduced by
the celebrated "Jim Crow Rice" to this
effect:
81 plays upon de fife.
And plays upon de fiddle;
I'm posed 10 de Bank
And don't like Biddle.'
"Hush - said some one else of the crowd.
The song and the rebuke together drew
my attention to gentlemen at that mo.
ment passing. never to my knowledge
saw him before, and, l am sure, never
since but if were to meet him to-day,
with twenty. five years added to his life, |
am quite sure l should recognize him.
4 smooth, round face, exceedingly hand
some; very luxurians hair; person nsi-
ther tall nor short, slightly inclined to
obesity, but graceful in the extreme; the
whole appearance that of "bon vivant :"
in short, one who could not be mistaken
for aught but gentleman, without deign-
ing to notice the impudence Of the boys,
which he must have distinctly heard-he
passed on, and in few years more he had
passed away. That man was Nicholas
Biddle, great inancier, bad politician !;
gentleman of learning and refinement,
but whose God was his belly, and the
Juggernaut which destroyed him at last.
The vortex into which he led the Uni
TED States Bank, and the ruin which that
institution, in its fall, spread throughout
the country, is but second edition of the
last act in the life of Samson, and is writ
ten in the book of the chronicles called
"Thirty years in the U. S. Senate"
Not many years ago, there stood in
Chestnut street, above Fourth, an impo-
sing range of brick front with ten foot
colonade, of two columns, surmouuted by
a wooden cornice and flag staff That
was the old United States Hotel. mean
the building-not the colonade and flag
staff. remember with what solemn and
profound awe used to look at that great
house, when l was boy, and think how
very rich people must be who could afford
to board there. In after years, Charles
Dickens stopped there, and wrote about
it, and have listened to Kossuth har-
anguing the mob from the balcony. But
"the march Of empire" has blotted it out,