The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-03-14
t. She a. Steamer?

W. have made an Improvement on The Old Slip Of
State The generally conceived idea OF that vessel Is
that she is gallant hreemaster, with sails seE ana
moving steadily forward straight to the pointing o the
compass guided by Palinurus whose eyes aeVeE qua
IN the storm and is never dazzed by the sun. This is
an mistake The ship Of State Of these United States
4 staamerI We have the highest authority saying
eo-none other than our late provisional governor ana
present senator In his proclamation to the people OF
Alabama who we're left stranded by the sinking Of the
Confederacy he said of the government Of the United
States: "She is backing her engines to take you on
board. No other sail is in sight! England and France
are hull down on the horizon"
This authoritative statement settles the point that
the United States ship of State is steamer, which,
having shot ahead or by the impetus OF the late war;
il eomreed to back her engines to take us on board
The great advantage derived from the recent appica
top of steam to the old ship is, that the pilot, bypu
inc he'll at his right hand can 60 ahead on one wheel
while he backs upon the otheri and by pulling bell
unon liz left hand back on both wheels when he
rms aground on Trent, Shenandoah or Monroe
doctrine sand.bar. Ever since the provisional gov
ornor who must have spoken by authority pointed our
drooping ewes to the smoke stacks--ot the steamer
CstitEfiona Union we have watched the backing of
the engines with intense interest. Jolly boat was
launched to take us board, but for rine weary
months the Jolly boat has been dancing on tae waters
like cookie shell, while the 6a18-"dy STEPS Lay r.
NAMED uncovered.
WeanwbiIe several lighters have passed laden with
baIes Of cotton from which the head bagging marked
q has been torn and private initials substituted.
The cotton has been taken on board but not we. The
iolv-hoat has been heavily loaded with district court
and pile of State documents called emanc patton act
Al she Is leaking badly. Still we are not taken on
hoard and the steamer keeps shooting about and dane
mo first on one wheel and then on another! On one
wheel is written mo distinction Of COLOR che other
i written "distincon Of cooro When the ''no dis
tinction" wheel revoves it negro suffrage m the
District Of Columbia when the distinction" wheel
turns it means differing black troops with white men,
and giving the negroes Of the seaslands the lands OF
the whites for three years. But whichever wheel Turns
negro may be seen upon the wheel house, with
quadrant in his hand, taking reckonings.
The steamer appears to be painted black, and her
figure head something like the sign before one of our
drug stores Upon her stern appears in small letters
which are not seen by those Deck the inscription
1.-THE Constitution, Bound for H" The letters
after the capital II cannot be made out, the jolly
boat in which we are tossed about tends to djsracthe
vision.
As we gaze upon her putting smoke and listen oher
startling whistle we are tempted to apostrophse the
constitution, and say with Longfelow-
eve know what master laid thy keel;
What workmen wrought thy ribs Of steel,
Who made each mast, and sail and rope,
What anvil rang what hammer beat
In what forge and what heat,
Were shaped the anchors Of thy hope.'
but as to how the engines got into thy hulk, and
the niger got to shoyelng coal into thy furnaces
cannot saw but most respectfully refer you the late
provisional governor. Montgomery Mail.