The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-05-08
Letter from Illinois.
ROCKFORD, ILL, }
April "a, 1868. !

nave al! Ncit "fo
m,uica,e TO YOU. All is qliet in Rockford
to ADOPT stereotyped phrase, long in use ii
reference to the Rappahann ock. | advertec
in nv last letter, which think was written
in February, to the peculiarly mild winter We
were enoyiag here, with little or no snow
Il continued thus to the end. For the pur-
pose of comparison with the climate in YOU
region, give you the mean temperature here
at \. NJ, as noted down 10y myself through
tn. winter months. December, 26 deg
January, % des's, February, 2l des's, March
-, deg's. In all these the range was consid
erably above that of the CORE spending
months of the preceding winter, except
March, which was almost exactly the same
The lowest point reached by the thermome-
ter was ID deg's below zero, on February 30
As to snow, we have scarcely had any at
ALL The nearest approach to real snow
storm was in the middle of March, whel
there fell one night some FIVE or six inches,
and FOR two days seighs appeared on our
streets, and the jinying of bells was heard
and then all was "as clear as mud" This is
all the s.eigting we have had during the
winter.
|, has often been remarked, and think it
IS not a groundless superstition, that mild
open winter is generally succeeded by more
than usual sickness. At any rate the theory
has been verified by our experience in this
particular locality. A good deal Of sickness
has prevailed in our city this spring, though
nothing like a general epidemic. There
have occurred five or six funerals IN a day
more than once. On one Sabbath there
were three military funerals, at different
churches. The most prevalent diseases have
been typhoid fever, scarlet fever, measles and
q disease of the throat much resembling
thl. terrible diptheria which has so afflicted
Your whole section Of country. Consump-
ton has Of course claimed its share of vic
tins An idea has prevailed, to some ex-
tent, in your section, that that baleful disease
does not exist here in the West; but it is a
mistaken idea. 1t is however undoubtedly
true that in given population, consldera-
bly, less number Of cases occur than in the
" i. states Our Young females are far
I-,s subject to it than the same class in Ver-
mlnt.
gave you a specimen, in former letter,
o. a characteristic prayer made in this city
by that unique preacher, Elder Knapp.
no# give you another equally characteristic
PRAYER made in Chicago cot long since. Ii
was in thus wise: % Lord support and de-
ena thy servant, Abraham Lincoln, Presi
dent of these United States, for thou seeis
that the Southern Arstocracy, and the rot
Ten part of the Northern Democracy art
down upon him Whatever may be though,
Of the elders theology, his politics assuredly
are all right.
We are doubtless somewhat ahead ofyou in
our agricultural and horticultural operations
The spring has not been very early; bu
sowing and planting have been largely done
N both field and garden, and vegetation il
now starting up vigorously. Let me men
ton here an institution of our city, which
has been two or three years IN existence ant
which has contributed very deservedly Il
the diffusion among Us of valuable informa
ton upon the subject of horticulture. 1t i
an association of many of our inhabitants
male and female, in society, which, at tn
proper seasons, meets at some public plac
weekly, whea the members bring FORWARD
their specimens of the particular ye5etabl
which forms the topic Of discussion for tn
day, say for instance, strawberries, and ire
and easy discussion follows, as to the bes
kinds, the proper soil, the beS: mode of Gu
ture, &c. a great deal Of valuable informa
ton is thus elected and diflsed through tn
community. Would not such an association
be good thing in your tlourishing village
where you have population, | think, abou
one quarter as large as that of our city?
did not intend in the present letter, t
trouble Your readers with remarks about po
iticS or the war, for Of course | could adj
nothing to wha. most of your readers kno'
as well as myself. All the state election
this spring have terminated favorably an
Very many of the local elections in the Wes
ern states exhibit most healthy reaction
public sentiment since last fall A dash
cold water however came upon us the 9th,
day from Chicago, in the reelection of She
man copperhead for mayor by MAORI,
Of about one hundred and fifty, in an aggr
gate vote of over twenty thousand, and tt
election OF twelve out of twenty-three aide
men of the same politics.
In this city our principal election was he
about the same time, when our excelel
mayor, Williams, was reelected for the thir
or fourth time, without opposition. In ia
although We sometimes have pretty shar
contests for the local Off ;es, We never NAL
any political issues. We are too much
one mind for that. An aspirant for loc
Office here would as soon think of ,unni
as a Mormon as Democrat | sat do,
with determination, at this time, of givll
you only short letter, rather about hoI
affairs, and so close here.
OCCIDENTAL.
The experience O: many a life "What