SUPPLEMENT TO THE CONNECTICUT COURANT. VOL. II. MARCH 20, 1832. From the Albany Literary Gazette. NO. 2. "No-no!-All was so still around, methought, Upon my ear that echoed hymn did steal [Prize Poem, from the pen of Mrs. Sigourney.] Which 'mid the church where erst we paid our THE WESTERN EMIGRANT. Amid those forest shades that proudly rear'd "Boy, thou hast never seen Such glorious trees, and when their giant trunks Fall, how the firm earth groans. Rememberest thou The mighty river on whose breast we sailed "Father, the brook, "What ho! my little girl,"--and with light A fairy creature hasted toward her sire, "See, dearest, see "I had a robin that did take the crumbs Each night and morning, and his chirping voice Did make me joyful, as I went to tend My snow-drops. I was always laughing there, Slow night drew on, VOWS So tuneful pealed. But tenderly thy voice -Placid and grateful, to his rest le sank, Their will with him. Up rose the busy mart All glittering bright, in Fancy's frost-work ray. neck The steed his boy hood nurtur'd, proudly neighed- SIR MATTHEW HALE, ian lawyer regulated his life were: 1. An uncompromising regard for what he Dashing against their shores. Starting, he spakento office, by different and opposite politi "Wife!-did I see thee brush away a tear?- cal parties and interests. There was something in the stern christian virtue of this man, which, in the capacity of a lawyer and a judge, made him acceptable to all parties; because, there is in such virtue, a powerful ally to any cause, and any party, to whose aid it can be drawn. And there is not a brighter triumph of christianity in the whole range of her victories and the monuments of her glories, than is to be found in facts like the foregoing. old puritan piety. Wit, and humor, and levity were the taste of the day. The recent national calamities were forgotten; and a general dissoluteness of manners and morals succeeded to the severer spirit of the commonwealth. The nation went from one extreme to the other. It was in times like these, that Hale, in the few intervals of his public engagements, which he could com 2. A strong sense of his liability to err, and great watchfulness against it. He entertained a humble opinion of himself, and was afraid of every thing which could be supposed likely to bias his decisions, or prevent his arriv-mand, wrote his Contemplations. These g at the truth. This will appear from some of the "things to be remembered," which he wrote down for the regulation of his conduct in his professional duties. Some of these memoranda remind us of the Resolves' of Edwards. Among them are the following: embrace a wide diversity of topics, but all of them of such a cast, as to exhibit the highly devotional character of his mind, and a deep sense of a superintending Divine Providence in the affairs of men. 4. A sacred regard for the Sabbath.-Perhaps no single principle, no one element of "That I rest not upon my own under- character, had a more decisive and controlstanding or strength, but implore and restling influence on the entire bent and cast of upon the direction and strength of God. his mind, as a religious man, than this. The That in the execution of justice, I careful-Sabbath was to him a sacred day, a hallowed ly lay aside my own passions, and not give way to them however provoked. That I be wholly intent upon the business I am about, remitting all other cares and thoughts as unseasonable and interruptions. That in business capital, though my nature incline me to pity, yet to consider that there is a pity due to the country. That I be not too rigid in matters purely conscientious, where all the harm is diversity of judgment. That popular or court applause, or distaste, have no influence upon me in any thing I do. Not to be solicitous what men will say or think of me so long as I keep myself exactly according to the rules of justice. To abhor all private solicitations, of what kind soever and by whomsoever in matters depending. To charge my servants not to interpose in any business whatever, not to take more than the known fees, not to give any undue precedence to causes, not to recommend counsel. To be short and sparing at meals, that I may be fitter for business.' Governing himself by rules like these, and seeking for guidance from the great fountain of justice, it is not to be wondered at, that even in those times of commotion and violence, the administration of justice by Hale should have been so pure and so impartial, as to command the confidence of all parties. 3. A strong sense of an overruling Providence. The character of the court of Charles II. is well known; the page of history has transmitted it to us but too faithfully. And the character of the court was, very generally, the character of the nation. Literature, particularly of a lighter and more superficial kind, was cultivated; but religion, in its practical claims on the heart and life, was greatly disregarded: nor was this all. It was the fashion of the times to sneer at the good interval, in the routine of business, and the urgency of professional and official cares. It gave tone and strength to his whole religious character. He declared it to be the result of his own experience, gathered from many years' sound observation of what had occurred to himself," that success attended him through the week, very much in proportion as he had carefully regarded the Sabbath." Nor is this a singular fact, or at all to be wondered at. The great secret of success in all lawful, and especially difficult and laborious business, is precisely that state of mind, that impartiality, candor, love of truth, reliance on God, and sense of accountability, which the spirit of intelligent piety always supposes. Most ardently do we wish, that this cause of success ir man's worldly affairs, might be more generally tested in our day. We have no doubt that the result would be the same now and in the case of every man that it was in the experience of the Lord Chief Justice of England two centuries ago. 5. Diligence in business. Much of the success of every man's life depends on his diligence. Any talents, however splendid, will fail of accomplishing much without habits of patient and untiring application. We wish this sentiment, trite as it is, could be impressed upon all our young men, who are panting for honorable distinction in future life; especially upon the young men at our colleges, who are there qualifying themselves, as a matter of course, for distinction of some kind or other, honorable or inglorious. We wish to see less reliance placed upon genius, and other accidental things, and more placed upon what is in every man's own power, a patient and faithful use of the means which God has given him and particularly, the exercise of a diligence, which in the pursuit of a worthy object, never grows tired or discour aged. This was one of the causes, marked, evident, every where to be seen, of Hale's do good; and in the patient and fearless purgreat success. When he applied himself se- suit of that object, distinction and honor riously to the study of the law, then at the came unsought, and his name is now identiage of twenty, he devoted sixteen hours out fied with all that is amiable and all that is of the twenty-four, to those investigations heroic in modern philanthropy. Hale sought which were afterwards to render him so em- not human favor and applause. He would inent and so useful. His mental labors were not concern himself so much as to ask, incredible, and on any other principle than "what others might think or say of him so that of great diligence, impossible. "Before long as he kept himself exactly to the doing he began his practice," says his biographer, of his duty." And still, parties the most "he had perused, and abridged in two vol- opposite, and names the most illustrious from umes folio, all the old and new law then ex- among all parties, united in conferring hontant; had read over a great part of the ors upon him. And even the Author of our Records; had looked into the canon and holy religion, to give a brighter example still, civil law as far as it contributed to the know- came not to be ministered unto, or to seek ledge of the common law; and in short, had honor from men, but he came to do good and read whatever was to be found, in law, histo- be useful, and how will honors unsought, ry, or other books, whether in print or man- and from men too, ultimately come clusteruscript, which he thought would advance himing around Him, as the result of his selfin the skill and knowledge of his profession." sacrificing benevolence in the cause of man6. Economy in the use of time-There is kind! much time wasted even by diligent men. This is owing to a want of plan, and system, and general previous arrangement in the use of it. Hale always had his work marked out. There was something for every hour, and an hour for every demand upon his exertions. Time, and the employment of it, were apportioned to each other. The fragments were gathered up, that nothing might be lost. Indeed, in the life of such a man, there will be a few fraginents; systematic arrangement will prevent it. When the Sabbath came, there was a solemn pause in all his ordinary employments. The world stood still. His mind laboriously employed the rest of the week, was then at rest. This was a part of his plan, and indispensable to success, fitting his mind, like the bow that is occasionally relaxed, for the exertion of greater power when the time comes for its being strung and bent anew. 8. He kept another world in view.-And here it was, that the youth of twenty found so powerful a motive to be diligent in study, and the man of riper years to be mortified to the honors of this world, and bent only upon being useful. Here it was, that the great crown-lawyer of the Charleses, found incentive enough to go forward in his high professional duties with undeviating and unshaken integrity, and here too it was, that the Lord Chief Justice of England, in the height of all his secular honors, saw sufficient_reason for being as willing to resign these fugitive honors and prepare to die, as he had been before unsolicitous to attain them." And any man, who habitually keeps another world in view, will see what he saw, motive enough to be diligent, and faithful, and constant in his purpose, and untiring in his efforts to do good to mankind. Nothing prompts to great and well directed exertion in the duties of 7. The desire of being useful to mankind.-life, like looking forward to another world. This is a principle of action, in whomsoever it be found, of indomitable energy. It is impossible to hold that man back from acquiring, sooner or later, solid distinction and honor, who is strongly prompted to exertion by the desire to do good and be useful to manThe following narrative of facts is presentkind, though distinction and honor, as the ed to the public, as exhibiting an extraordindirect objects of his pursuit, will be the last ary instance of unshaken firmness and selfthings that he will think of. He will gain possession, (or presence of mind,) under cirmen's approbation and power without intend-cunstances of imminent danger, and of hairing it, or having any direct view towards it. breadth escape from assassination. Honor will pursue him even while he flees lation was given by the gentleman who was from her rewards. For bad as the world is, the actor in the affair, soon after its occurit will usually do honor to those services and rence; and although years have elapsed since sacrifices for its welfare, which aim at no re- the recital, yet the scene was so peculiarly ward but the secret consciousness of having wild, and vividly sketched, that it was indelrendered them, and the sweeter hope of wit-ibly impressed upon the mind. nessing the happiness of others, which is ex- Our story has its origin shortly after the pected as their result. The name of Howard close of the late war. Col. T., of the United is immortal It will brighten to the end of States Army, who, in the "Peace establishtime. Yet no man desired distinction less.ment" was attached to the "Southern divisBut he desired to be useful. He sought to ion," had been stationed for some months at Christian Spectator. From the New-York Commercial Advertiser. THE NARROW ESCAPE. The re New-Orleans. In order to check some hos-fall; he therefore diverged towards the tile movements among the Indians of the Mis- treacherous light, and with much difficulty, sissippi, our troops were concentrated near wound a devious way, through the woods, the point of danger, and Col. T. was ordered and reached the house. The appearance of by the War Department, to assume the com-this miserable tenement ere he entered it, niand of the Military Post at Natchitoches. or received a reluctant permission to stay, He was charged with the conveyance of a confirmed his suspicions as to its character. large sum of public money from New-Or- An aged man, was apparently, the only inleans; having made arrangements with a gen-mate, who spoke the mongrel language of tleman of the army at Baton Rouge, to ac- the country, creole and broken English. Our company him, (whither the Colonel had des- traveller acosted him, made known his object patched his servant,) he set out from the and wishes, and asked permission to stay city alone and on horseback. At this early during the night. After some hesitation, period, ere the genius of Fulton was proudly and apparent confusion of manner, an assent triumphing on the western wave, spurning was given, remarking at the same time, that the mad torrent of the "father of waters, there was no accommodation either for himsuch a journey was toilsome and dangerous self or horse. in the extreme. Leaving the rich and fertile The Colonel dismounted, resolved to risk valley of the lower Mississippi, the route lay every thing, and remain at this inhospitable through a wild and almost trackless forest, hovel. Confining his horse to a swinging presenting at every step, a lurking place for limb of a tree in the small inclosure, he took Bandits who were then prowling though charge of his baggage and entered. A scene the Southern wilds, and practising success- was very soon presented, which called forth fully their heartless and cruel deeds of rob- that admirable coolness, and self-possession, bery and murder. New Orleans was the which alone constitute true courage; and no chief rendezvous of these bands, as well as of degree of firmness short of this, could have hordes of pirates and adventurers, who roam- sustained any man under such circumstances. ed upon a different element. Some forty Mere animal courage, would either have or fifty miles above the city, the road travel- quailed, or being excited to desperation, led by Col. T. passed through a long and would only have led its victim to instant swampy district for something like twenty death. But we will describe the scene, and miles, the character of which, he was not then let the reader ask himself, “would I aware of, until he had entered it, and night have thus acted?" I have already remarked, approached ere he had penetrated five miles that the Colonel was convinced, on arriving of this dangerous pass. With the design at the house, that it was the rendezvous and of reaching the first house, distant about fif-very den of robbers-and that he had escateen miles, our benighted traveller was urg-ped robbery, and perhaps murder, on the ing forward his wearied and faithful steed, when suddenly the sagacious animal, with the unerring instinct of his nature, snuffed the tainted breeze; and alarmed and ungovernable, made a desperate bound, discovering to the rider, at the same moment, the cause of his fright. A rush from the Canebrake, (by which the road was girded,) presented the outlines of two men, making a bold and determined push to intercept him. But urging forward his horse by the whip and spurs, he succeeded in passing them at the point of concentrated attack. After running some distance, the Colonel succeeded in reining up his horse into a moderate pace, with the intention of pusuing his journey for the night. He had not gone far, however, when a light was seen dimly flickering through the forest, in the direction of the river, and he determined on reaching it, in hopes of fiuding a house, where shelter and protection might be afforded. But in such a dilemma he In the absence of the old man, a few refelt much smbarrased. Not doubting that marks were passed between the travellers, in he was waylaid, the vicinity of the light to the course of which, the footman suggested the late scene of attack, suggested doubts of, to the Col. the propriety of being on his guard, its proving a place of safe and hospitable en- as appearances about the house, were to him, tertainment. It was, however, equally haz- very suspicious. The negress, also, while arardous to proceed on such a road after night-ranging the table for supper, seemed to A road, to fall here a victim-for, without some most extraordinary interposition, death, in some shape, seemed inevitable. Contrary to the Colonel's expectation, the house was distant from the river nearly a mile. dense wood intervening, surrounded it in every direction, every thing wearing a gloomy and peculiar aspect, gave a presage of some disastrous termination of his untimely and unexpected visit. But, to return,-There were two rooms of the principal building, into the largest of which Col. T., was conducted, by mine host," the old Creole. A female slave seemed to have the sole charge of domestic affairs, who, at the request of the Colonel, was directed to procure something for supper. After a short absence, in attending to the comfort of his horse, he returned to the room, and found that a footman, apparently a traveller, had arrived, who was evidently the leader of the band. It grew late, and requesting a bed, he was conducted by the aged Ishmaelite (followed by the bandit) to a small attached building. In going along a narrow passage he stepped upon a trap door, which gave way, and he sunk to his knee, but catching to a bench which happened to be near, he recovered, and proceeded without inaking any remarks. Reaching the apartment, he was pointed to a miserable cot, and immediately prepared to occupy it, by taking off only his coat and boots The old man soon retired, leaving his companion, who proposed using an old settee in the same room, as his couch, remarking that the old man was scarce of beds. To this arbitrary arrangement, he did not think proper to object. A crisis was now evidently approaching, which no human agency could avert, and he resolved hastily on his plan of escape. This was to adopt some finesse, and if unsuccessful, then to defend himself to the last, with his only weapon, a dirk. He was well aware that his safety depended upon his inanners and bearing towards those desperadoes, hence, every word and action was strictly guarded. We have already observed the effect of this course upon the assassin. Had he at any time evinced apprehensions or fears of his safety, or made any unguarded movement, towards leaving the manifest something like solicitude, and expressions escaped her, which were evidently designed to be heard, and which confirmed his first impression. But there are yet further developments of the plot to be noticed. Just as the Col. was seating himself at supper, the hasty, and unceremonious entrance of three men into the room, produced a momentary suspense-but resuming his compo sure, he scrutinized them closely and took his seat at the board, which had once been a billiard table. The appearance of these men, was as daring and ferocious, as their manners were rude and familiar. They were evidently at home, and laying aside their arms, except such as were ostentatiously displayed about their persons, they were soon seated at the same table. A glance of recognition towards the footman, seemed to present this man's character in rather a questionable shape. The trio, however, who had last entered, were evidently the master spirits of the gang, and their whisperings and suppressed conversation, in allusion to their guest, was too palpable to escape notice. A pack of cards were soon produced, and the three amused themselves in this way, whilst the Col. seemingly undisturbed, partook of the cold, and unpalatable meal. After he had finished, the party requested him to engage with them at cards, to which he politely objected saying that he did not play. They in-house, instant death would, doubtless, have mediately laid aside the cards, and entered into conversation, annoying him exceedingly with impertinent questions, as to his route, business, &c. &c. Wearing the uniform of the Army, his rank was of course recognised. He was asked if he was not from New Orleans? If he was going to the military post at Red River, Natchitoches? If there was not a large detachment of troops there and when were they to be paid off?-If there were not large arrearages due them? One of them presuming the money would be transmitted from N. Orleans, another sugested, that he was "pay-master to the Army." These various and perplexing interrogatories,were answered promptly, with characteristic coolness, and generally without evasion. Studious, of not evincing any distrust, or suspicions of their object, the careless indifference of his manners seemed to have had the effect of restraining their rudeness for a while and the subject was changed. Whilst this kind of conversation was going on, one of the robbers, was observed to recline himself on the floor, near the partition where his baggage was laid which he used as a pillow. Watching his movoments he was seen examining the Colonel's saddlebags rather familiarly. This, however, he did not seem to notice. Soon after two of the party took their rifles, and left the house, without giving any explanation. He was now left with the footman, the old man and one of the trio followed. But, so confident were they of their prey, and probably too cowardly to make an open attaek, their plan evidently was, to approach his couch, and accomplish the hellish purpose, by stabbing in the dark. The only hope of safety in leaving the house, was to reach the river, where he might possibly find a boat, either descending or at the shore, which would afford some protection. But on the other hand, if no such relief was found, he would doubtless be pursued, and on this uninhabited part of the coast, escape would be impossible. He therefore determined to wait some further developments of the night, ere he should decide differently what course to pursue. He was not long left in suspense. A movement, distinctly heard, made it palpably manifest that murder, dark and premeditated murder, was contemplated, and the attempt about to be made. After the lapse of an hour perhaps, after lying down, during which he feigned a sound sleep, yet wakeful to every sound which floated upon the murmuring wind, he heard the latch of the door cautiously raised, and the footsteps of a man were heard in the direction of the settee. He waited a moment, and the same stealthy footsteps approached his bedthe object was quite near, remained but a moment and retired. A low whispering was then heard. All was again silent, and still the Colonel seemed to sleep. The footsteps now approached him, and so near, that he |