New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-11-20
MOTHER sHIPTON ECLIPsED.
The Destiny of the Republic Prophecied 8
CenGury Ago.

! ion remarkable old document, which
has been preserved with great care ever
since the father of the present head of the
family came to reside in that city. The
paper is q dilapidated bit of parchment
containing written verses on both sides,
but the ink has become so faded that
careful study is required to decipher the
words. Around the edges a rude at
tempt at binding has resulted in making
the parchment more fragmentary than
before. Several years ago copy of the
verses was made, which is still in good
condition, and is shown to friends of the
family. The verses contain a prophecy,
and were written by Mrs. Abby Marsh, In
the year 1857, at her home ir Sherbrook,
Canada. Her immediate descendants
claimed that Mrs. Marsh was possessed of
extraordinary powers Of foresight, and in
stanced an occasion where she awoke
from dream in time to save the life OF a
child. Like all other prophetic illusions
however, it received but little attention
until several of its assertions had become
things Of the past, and public attention
was called to their apparent fulfillment.
FragHlentary portions OF the rhyme,
which Mrs. Marsh called ''Columbia's
Destiny found their way into the Can
adian newspapers, some of the extracts
beng now in the possession of DR. Marsh.
A reporter obtained permission to copy
the old document and they are herewith
given, together with the explanation
which reference to the history of the
last centuary suggests. Thus it runs:
Columbia, home of libertie,
Shall not twenty rulers see,
Ere there shall be battle smoke.
Ere peace shall seem to be broke,
And in waves of peril tost
The ancient order shall be deemed lost.
1t is a significant fact, when taken in
this connection, that r. B. Hayes is the
nineteenth ruler of the United States, as
will be seen by the order in which the
President succeeded each other:
d-Washington. s-yan Buren,. Is Buchanan,
) Ssts!soa: i -Ty5sr. 5s-5o5a.on.
81. q, Adams. 1s-F iya; -fa'.s'
jackson. l4-Pi rce.
The strange chronicler continues:
The first shall, too, the second be
If The Fates tell Truth as even he;
Where sits the sire shall sit the son,
But not the sons son.
And ere the son shall ruler be
Once place shall send three;
Three with one shall make her four az,
And there shall be no more.
Reference is undoubtedly made to Gen.
Washington's proverbial truthtelling, in
the second line, and to the succession of
Johl Quincy Adams to the place of his
father, in third. s'But not his sons son. -
seems to put to Mr. Charles Francis
Adams, who has uniformly failed in his
aspirations to become President. Be-
tween the Adames did come three from
zone place" (Virginia), who with the &C
cidental John Tyler made the fourth; nor
has the Mother Of Presidents" since
borne son distinguished by even nomi-
nation to the Chief Magisracy. The pro-
pecy proceeds:
The first sprung from these fecund lions
In death his predecessor joins;
Who beneath his son shall pass
And in house that different was.
The next one shall have peace and war;
The third shall brook no kingly star;
When the quarter century's run,
Where sat the sire shall sit the son.
1t Is difficult to interpret portion of
this extract. Jefferson and John Adams,
1t is well known, died on the 4th Of July,
1926, their simultaneous death forming
one OF the most remarkable condolences
in history: bur the meaning of
the clause, And in house that different
was,' is rather vague. The venerable
ex-President died on the floor of the Cap
itol, but the latter building is part of the
original one erected at the seat of Govern
ment. Mr.. Adams, administration wit
messed both the war with England and
the period of peace and prosperity which
followed: while the quarter century, reck-
oning from 1900, saw the inaugural cere-
monies of the younger Adams.
Here several lines in the paper are so
obliterated or defaced that they are I'M
readable.
Then comes who should have been beforr,
A soldier, who shall not have any war
.Old Hickory'sn record seems to bear
this out, especially the last line. The
vigorous manner in which he ssat down.
upon the Nullifers of that day deferred, !"
SO Mr. Bancroft says, sthe approaching
civil war for many years. The prophecy:
q, . After the fox the lion shall
Be lordly ruler over all;
But death shall in the mansion WELD
Sword surer than in the tented field.
~ After him there comes anon,
One who lad friends, but shall have none
% The hickory shall sprout again;