But let me return to the instructions of the wards the south-east, and about three quarters of and with a moity of it proceed to a distant post in a mile off, was stationed the Assistant Surgeon; | North Carolina, which can scarcely furnish comand to the north, and about half a mile off, were fortable accommodation for one company, much stationed the subalterns and the body of the com- less for one and a half, its present garrison. pany, there not being sufficient quarters in its immediate vicinity for the Captain and Surgeon. All President given on the 21st of December, 1843; these separately hired buildings. Instead of the and ask "Fair Play" if unofficial intelligence of troops returning to their proper public quarters in a these instructions did not reach Augusta Arsenal, "few weeks," as was ordered, this state of things Georgia, on or about the 26th of December, 1843, continued all summer, and in the fall, the Captain and if it were not after this time, and about a had to give up his quarters and crowd himself, month or six weeks from the time of their having subalterns, men, and all, into the same building, signed this petition, that some fifteen of the four which had formerly been used to accommodate, as hundred who had signed said petition, " withdrew a summer residence, one family; and some cor- their signatures by letter;" and who it was? that rect idea can be formed of its value, when I inform thus, and about this time, "made known and exyou, that the rent paid for it was only one hun-plained to them the operation" of said petition; dred dollars a year, and such was its shattered and finally, if it were not upon the reception of condition, that this rent had, according to agree- these asked for, counter letters, that the Honorament, to be expended in repairing the house before ble Secretary of War, J. M. Porter, changed the it could be made habitable at all; whilst the public President's instructions of the 21st December. building occupied by the subaltern of Ordnance, cost the Government eleven thousand dollars, the legal interest on which, in Georgia, would be eight hundred and eighty dollars. Thus we have a subaltern of Ordnance, luxuriating in quarters at nearly nine hundred dollars a year, whilst a senior Captain of Artillery, three subalterns, and a whole company, are furnished at the rate of one hundred; yet "Fair Play" can not see the odious distinction referred to by "a Subaltern." A "hired guard" of fifteen men was established at Augusta Arsenal, in the spring of 1841, to protect the public property therein deposited, because a company of Artillery could not then, as formerly, be spared from the field for this purpose, (see letter of the chief, I mean senior officer, of the Ordnance Department, dated Washington, March 24th, 1841); and although this was a species of soldiery not known to the laws of our country, yet the exigencies of the service at that time required its employment. But did not this necessity cease to exist after the arrival of the company at the post? and if so, as was most undoubtedly the case, why were not these men at that time discharged, as we have seen above was directed by the Honorable Secretary of War? But so far from this having been done, we find by the following extract, In August or September, 1843, the Mayor and City Council of Augusta petitioned the Secretary of War to have the company restored to their proper quarters in the Arsenal, but finding that this had no effect, they sent on a petition to the President of the United States, signed by themselves and about four hundred respectable citizens of Augusta and its vicinity, praying the President to re-taken from the letter of remonstrance of the Acmove the company from its uncomfortable quarters ting Chief of the Ordnance Corps, that these hired and to put them in the Arsenal. This petition was men had increased to twenty-five-viz: "The sent to Washington early in December, 1843, and force now at the post consists of one officer and on the 21st of the same month the President grant-seven ordnance men, and twenty-five hired persons, ed their prayer by giving directions for the whole making in all thirty-three; a night guard or watch company of Artillery in question, to be ordered is maintained, and it is believed that the safety of back into Augusta Arsenal. These instructions of the stores is assured by the means adopted and purthe President lay dormant somewhere in the War sued for some time past.” Department, not having reached the proper pro- For the nine months, commencing with April 1st, mulgating authority until the 5th of January, 1844, 1843, the day on which the company of Artillery at which time an order came out from the Hono- first took up its quarters within the walls of the rable Secretary of War, J. M. Porter, a mutilation Arsenal, to the 31st of December of the same year, of the one above referred to, by which the company the amount, for wages alone, paid to these hired of Artillery was divided, one half of it sent into the men, was six thousand one hundred and sixty-three Arsenal under a Subaltern, who was junior to the dollars, and forty-one cents, of public money: "generous, courteous, magnanimous above all praise, which for the year, at this rate, would make eight and gallant" subaltern of Ordnance; thereby secu- thousand two hundred and four dollars and fiftyring to this gallant young soldier the command of four cents; to say nothing of all the incidental exthis military post, with the additional benefit of its penses connected with the purchase of timber, being made a double ration one, by this very ac-metals, paints, tools, &c., &c., necessary to keep cession of troops; whilst the senior Captain of up this show of the mechanic operations which are Artillery was forced to dismember his company, nominally expected to be going on at this post-I say nominally, for in reality, there is little or no-to petitions signed by large numbers of the most thing done here of a public constructive nature, respectable and enlightened inhabitants of the and indeed I think it would puzzle "Fair Play," place; to the repeated efforts of distinguished senaand even the "gallant, generous and magnani- tors and other members of Congress from Georgia, mous" Lieutenant himself, to point out half a dozen for the last six years, to have a company of troops gun carriages or other implements of war, that stationed at this military post. I appeal to the have been constructed at this Arsenal since his opinion of a late distinguished Secretary of War, stay there. It is true, that in 1842, some ten thou- the Honorable J. R. Poinsett, who, seeing the imsand dollars were appropriated by Congress for portance of having a company at this post, prothe repair of the public quarters, and the erection mised the civil authorities of Augusta, that as soon of a “timber-shed” and “gun-house” at this Arse- as the exigencies of the service in Florida would nal, but so utterly unnecessary as a store-house, permit, he would withdraw a company from that for guns, was this latter building, that it was, soon quarter for this station; to the gallant Commanderafter its erection, converted into a stable and car-in-Chief of the Army; to the two Lieutenant Coriage-house, and used for these purposes by the lonels of Artillery, under whose immediate ausLieutenant of Ordnance, though borne on the official returns of the post as a "timber-shed" and "gun-house." Report says too, that of these ten thousand dollars, thus appropriated, six thousand were expended on the individual quarters of the Commanding Lieutenant, and the other four on this "timber-shed” and “gun-house," leaving the men's Barracks very much in want of repairs. Should we be misinformed on this head, perhaps "Fair Play" can set us right. pices and care this military post was established; and indeed to every enlightened officer of the Army do I appeal for the propriety and expediency of the measure; and I would appeal to the clear and discriminating mind of a certain "Acting Chief," one "whose standing, during thirty years service, has been above reproach," were it not that the similarity of names has led me to suspect a relationship between this officer and the Lieutenant of Ordnance, whom "Fair Play" represents as the “Fair Play" makes quite a to-do about the un-personification of a "courtesy and magnanimity, important error of "a Subaltern," in stating that above all praise." But I must carry my appeal a the company was quartered three miles, instead of little further, from older and enlightened heads, to half a mile off; but it would naturally strike one older and enlightened nations, and endeavor to as an additional argument against his cause, for light our path by the lamp of experience. Does had the company of soldiers been three miles off, England trust large collections of arms and munithere might have been some shadow of excuses for tions of war to the safe keeping of a handful of keeping this "hired guard" still in service at the mechanics? Does France? or in fact, do we find Arsenal. The company, however, being "scarce any of the old and experienced governments thes half a mile off," how can "Fair Play" justify the lax in their duty to the peaceful communities, enormous abuse of keeping in the employment of amongst whom they have established their depots Government, at an expense of nearly ten thousand of Arms? It may be said that the cases are not dollars a year, this heterogeneous soldiery, unau- analogous; that we are a peaceful people. Tis thorised by the laws of the country; against the true we are a peaceful people, and peace should be, instructions of the President; against the orders as it always is, the polar star of our policy; but wa of the Honorable J. C. Spencer, who was well are nevertheless human nature, and subject to its acquainted with the duties of the Department of outbreaks, as the recent unfortunate circumstances War; against the first and unbiased orders of the in a neighboring city, but too clearly show. Near Honorable J. M. Porter, Secretary of War; and to this city is an United States Arsenal, and like against the reiterated orders of the Commander-in-that of Augusta, is made the repository of miliChief, on the authority of these two Honorable tary stores; and previous to these riots was not Secretaries of War? "Fair Play," says, speaking of the Head of the Ordnance Bureau, "He earnestly urged upon the Secretary of War the impropriety and inexpediency of the occupation of the Arsenal by the company intended as its garrison;" and "he stated the utter insufficiency of quarters to accommodate, both those employed in the public service for Ordnance purposes, then at the Arsenal, and the additional force not yet arrived." supplied with a garrison of soldiers, but it was found necessary to send near a hundred miles for a company of Artillery to guard these stores herein deposited. To show the utter fallacy of the objection on the score of insufficiency of quarters, it is but necessary to state the fact, that from the time the post was established up to the time the troops were withdrawn for service in Florida, its regular garrison was never less than one company, and, that for Now, as to the propriety and inexpediency of nearly a year, it accommodated from two to five the measure, I must beg leave to appeal from the companies. During this time too, there was much opinion of "Fair Play" to the repeated applica- more duty of an Ordnance nature to be performed tions of the Mayor and City Council of Augusta; than at present, but instead of hiring men at an I have not referred to the regiment in question, nor to the "courteous" Lieutenant, with the view of giving any peculiar credit to the one, or detracting from the other, for they have but done their duty, and that is expected of every officer and soldier, however high his rank or low his station; or however "magnanimous" or degraded; but to exemplify some of the many abuses which have crept into our little Army, and to show how injuriously they operate upon the well being of the “Army proper," have I laid these things before your numerous readers. VERITAS. enormous cost to government, the Major of the it; but lo! and behold! it has scarcely taken post line, then in command there, was in the habit of at Augusta Arsenal, before it is again cast out, as making a monthly detail of eighteen or twenty men it were, into an old out of the way house, where, from his Artillery soldiers to perform these duties. besides the discomfort of the thing, it was very Some fifteen years back when the Ordnance was difficult to keep up that proper discipline, which is amalgamated with the Artillery, and before this, so easy to maintain within the walls of a military and some of the other staff corps became such a post. Add to this the humiliation which its officers burden and expense to the Army, it was customary were called upon to suffer, in seeing their military to make periodical changes in the posts of Regi- pride thus sacrificed to the aggrandizement of one ments, in order to promote the health of the offi- who had left this very same regiment while it was cers and soldiers; and there was no difficulty about yet serving in the field, almost destitute of officers; funds to carry out this most desirable object. But for in 1837, as many as two and three companies now, a regiment which has served through three were under a single Lieutenant, and he a junior to Indian wars, the Cherokee, Creek and Seminole, our magnanimous" youth. has been three times depopulated and re-reunited, and can not now number on parade half a dozen officers, or a dozen of the old soldiers who first followed its colors to the field in the recent Indian disturbances, many having died from the fevers of Florida, and many having left from weariness at being forced to dwell, year after year, under a tropical sun, with the utterly hopeless prospect of ever being again permitted to breathe a cool and bracing air; this regiment, which has been for nearly ten years in the South, can not be moved for want of funds. Yet we see, literally thrown away at a "secondary Arsenal," some ten thousand dollars a year, which would be more than sufficient to move half a dozen regiments of the present strength. In the British service, this system of change is rigidly observed, and when a regiment is sent to an unhealthy or undesirable locality, they are buoyed up with the certainty that the fostering hand of government will, at the end of a stated period, extend to them this benevolent and salutary justice. But look how different is the course pursued towards this particular company of Artillery in question. It was stationed in the interior of East Florida before the Seminole war; in 1835, while marching from Tampa Bay to Fort King under the lamented Major Dade, was totally destroyed, every officer and man; it was recruited and continued to serve in Florida, when in 1837, having been very much reduced, it was increased to the legal standard. In the summer of 1838, it marched to the Cherokee country, and after the removal of that tribe returned immediately to Florida. In 1840, being again reduced to less than a platoon, it was a third time filled up, and continued to serve at one of the most unhealthy posts in the territory, until every officer and man in it was completely prostrated by sickness, and to save it, it was found absolutely necessary to remove it to some more healthy station in the territory. After serving through the Everglade campaigns, it was in the spring of 1842, sent to New Orleans, but in the course of the same summer was ordered back to Florida, where it remained till the spring of 1843; and the Florida war being over, it was to be hoped that some respite would have been given to VOL. X-80 "WOMAN, THY PLACE IS BEHIND THE THRONE." LINES SUGGESTED. Go to the plains of Shinar, "great" Nineveh stands there, And hark! the clarion voice of fame, Go to the merchant city-mistress of the sea, name But mark the vessel's foaming track, Go ask the flying Xerxes, the recreant and the knave, And where the glit'ring myriads that covered land and sea, And mindful, at their master's word, so late did bend the knee Alas! had woman's voice a place, They had not lain in death's embrace. Who deems his own lov'd Albion the pole star of the earth; known" Ask when his star of glory sank from its zenith height, And mantled in dark, gloomy clouds, refused its pristine light And list;-a voice floats o'er the main, And woman's name blends with the strain. And shall the "haughty whisker'd Russ" forget his peasant queen? And deep in Lethe's turbid tide, shall Scotia plunge her sheen? Ay, woman, modern lore now bids thee abdicate the throne, No scept'red sway awaits thee now, No regal gem shall deck thy brow. Whilst the unavoidable neglect of an unsettled and perplexed Government, aided by time, fire and devastation, was consuming our colonial records here, copies of them were carefully preserved in the Public offices of England; and there is every reason to believe, that an inspection of those records there will dissipate the thickest clouds that hang over our colonial era. By the Liberality of the English Government, they are laid open to the accredited agents of the States, and copies of them allowed to be taken. Of this privilege, New-York, Georgia and North Carolina in part, have already availed Yes, back-nor lift thine eyes to the "cloud capt tower" of themselves, and their labors have prepared the way fame: No herald from its battlement proclaims thy lowly name- To veil the face and bend the knee. THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. In appealing to you in behalf of the History of our State, we need offer, we trust, no other justification than the importance and dignity of the subject, and the obvious relation it bears to your offices as the guardians of the State, and to your interest and duty in preserving and perpetuating her public character. and led to arrangements, which will greatly facilitate the investigations of any who may follow their example. New-York has sent out a special agent who has probably just returned, bringing with him documents that will create a wide sensation. Georgia, too, sent a special agent, and has now in the charge of her Historical Society, twenty-two M.S. volumes of important colonial documents. She has also a gentleman engaged in writing her history, and with a most praiseworthy liberality has expended some six thousand dollars in procuring the materials, though only for the short period of forty odd years! Our blessed mother was more than a hundred years old, when Georgia was born; and shall the first, not only in date of settlement, but in fame and in importance, be so far surpassed by the youngest of the "old thirteen?" For the object proposed the provision of so great a State as Virginia, who has so much to expect from the undertaking and such just cause of pride in her past career, should be ample and liberal; but it is highly probable that she can procure every thing desirable at far less cost than Georgia did. Let her appoint a competent agent and send him forth with ample means to execute the work well, that it may be a monument for future times. Though North Carolina made a move in this matter as far back as 1827, she has not yet de Nothing so nearly touches the honor of a State as the due preservation of her historic archives. Deplorable indeed would be the lot of that people, who felt no pride or exultation in its past! What just cause for the indulgence of these feelings Virginians have, they best know who are best acquainted with the remaining fragments of her history. These, too, most deplore the loss of her records and would risk and expend most for their restoration. But surely, there is no need of enlarg-rived any real benefit from it, though she knows preing upon the importance, or the charms of this fruitful subject, to your Honorable body, who yourselves in such great degree, stamp her character upon the State, and by your acts, as it were, manufacture her history. Should any chasm now occur in your proceedings, you would doubtless lose no time in repairing it. In former times, such breaches were made, and though they have remained so long an insuperable and distressing impediment to those who would explore the history of the Colony, it is believed that they may now be almost entirely closed, at comparatively little expense, by the efforts of your honorable body. The mode of accomplishing this great and most desirable object has been open for many years; but the recent success of some States has now removed every obstacle that might have once existed, and invites all others to make similar attempts. cisely the nature and value of the papers relating to herself. They were all registered and the list sent home to her, in accordance with a request made by her Governor, of Hon. Albert Gallatin, our minister at the Court of St. James. Their very titles alone constitute an octavo pamphlet of 120 printed pages, The faculty of the University of North Carolina have now organized themselves into an Historical Society, and may do something towards procuring copies of those documents, thus catalogued for her. South Carolina has her volumes of historical collections recently made by Mr. Carroll, but she too may be anxious to enjoy the stores in the offices of England. The two Carolinas might empower the agent appointed by Virginia to act for them; or if they prefer it, send out special agents of their own. May not the hope be indulged, that your honorable body will so favorably regard the proposition an object of their chief solicitude and exertion; that her faculty may soon be complete and efficient, and her halls filled to overflowing with gifted youths ambitious of virtue and knowledge. With her endowment, the distinguished auspices under which she was founded, and the extent and splendor of her accommodations, her career should be conspicuous, and a source of pride to all her sons. herein most respectfully submitted, as to lose no eminently gratifying. We do devoutly hope, that time in reaping the fruits now offered to us? Due the visitors and her Alumni will make her welfare diligence would soon place us in possession of the rich treasures that now lie mouldering abroad; every delay but encourages the ravages of Time. It is our object at this time only to broach this interesting subject, to which we shall recur in our next number. In the meantime, we invite a correspondence from all who feel any interest in the matter, and earnestly commend the revival of the late Virginia Historical Society, that it may exert its salutary influence in behalf of the present and other useful undertakings. It is our purpose to lay some of the letters that may be addressed to us upon this subject, before our readers; and we would be particularly glad to have the views of some of the leading members of the Legislature, of course without regard to party. THE SOCIETY OF ALUMNI OF THE UNIVER- AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BEFORE THE SOCIETY OF rities which belong, to a greater or less extent, to DESULTORY NOTES ON DESULTORY READING. Literary Remains of Willis Gaylord Clark; Guide to Laurel Hill Cemetery; Grave-Yards in Towns; Melzinga," a poem, a specimen of fine writing; The Prince de Joinville's Note on the State of the French Navy; Navy of the United States; The Pride of the Nation; The Estimated value of Science; Warming Dwellings by Hot Water; Effects Produced by Breathing Air Heated by Stoves, Illustrated; Jeaffreson on Diseases of the Eye. The tomb is a great sanctifier of men's good It is not too late, we trust, to notice this excel-works; it obliterates the minor blemishes and aspelent address, whose perusal has in a great degree compensated us for the loss we sustained in not being able to mingle with our brethren, at their last meeting. We were with them in spirit, and deeply regretted our inability to add another to their number. We look upon the Society of Alumni as yet destined to exert a happy influence not only upon the fame and usefulness of their " Alma Ma-Those who have a bias towards the perusal of ter," but also upon the cause of Education in this and other States. This may require time, but they may even now begin to "sow in hope." Mr. Minor's address is far above the rank of such productions generally, and he was judicious in abandoning the vague declamation and unprofitable generalities of such occasions, and discussing some tangible question, useful in its application. His subject," Na-writings, enhancing their value, perhaps even above tional and individual honor," was highly appropriate and illustrated with ability, force and beauty. The distinction between "glory" and "honor" is well drawn, and nations and individuals earnestly persuaded to seek glory only in the paths of honor. We thank him also for enforcing the great truth that Religion is the only basis of National happiness and prosperity. "Literary Remains" will read with pleasure the Literary Remains of the Late Willis Gaylord Clark," alias, the pleasant Ollapod. Alas! Clark has gone! The gentle, the affectionate, the pureminded aspirant of earthly honors, and yet the pious, cheerful Christian. We knew him; and admired the sprightly simplicity of tone which characterized his well-stored intellect. There is a beauty, a charm about this collection of Clark's their intrinsic literary merit. It is derived from the vein of affection running through the whole of his works; and then there is something touching in the fact that a twin brother shows his strong love for the departed by bringing together the scattered pieces of prose and verse of one who died too young,-for the pleasure of others and his own solid fame. "Death, the pale messenger, has beckoned him silently away; and the spirit which Though prevented from meeting our brethren explored the chambers of human affection, and kindled with so many elevated thoughts; which around the family altar and sharing their worship, awakened so many warm sympathies, has ascended their joys and their labors, we rejoiced in the oppor- to mansions of eternal repose." He has obeyed tunity soon afterwards of bowing at the dear old the law of nature, and he has been fortunate to shrine. A tide of delightful reminiscences flowed have kindled affections to record his obedience and in, as we revisited the scenes of former labors, this law and leave none to note their entrance to weep aloud for his departure. How many obey pleasures and emulous struggles. The improve- the tomb, or point out the good they have done to ments about the University, the substantial enclo- their fellow men! We thank thee, Lewis, most sure, and above all the convenient Chappel were heartily and sincerely for publishing this volume. |