the circuit. 3d. The register-An instrument which receives and records the numbers sent by the portrule from any distant station. 4th. A dictionary, containing a complete vocabulary of all the words in the English language regularly numbered. "MY GOOD WIFE.-Although I wrote to thee last week, yet, having so fit opportunity, I must needs write to thee again; for I do esteem one little, sweet, short letter of thine, (such as the last was,) to be well worthy two or three from me. "I began this letter yesterday at two o'clock, thinking to have been large, but was so taken up by company and business, as I could get but hither by this morning. It grieves me that I have not liberty to make better expression of my love to thee, who art more dear to me than all earthly things; but I will endeavour that my prayers may supply the defect of my pen, which will be of use to us both, inasmuch as the favour and blessing of God are better than all things besides. The communication which we saw made through a distance of two miles was the following sentence: "Railroad-cars just arrived, 345 passengers. These words were put into numbers from the dictionary; the numbers were set up in the telegraphick type in about the same time ordinarily occupied in setting up the same in a printing office. They were then all passed complete by the portrule in about half a minute, each stroke of the lever of the portrule at one extremity marking on the register at the other, a distance of two miles instantaneously. We "I know thou lookest for troubles here, and when watched the spark at one end, and the mark of the one affliction is over, to meet with another; but repencil at the other, and they were ́ as simultaneous member our Saviour tells us, 'Be of good comfort; as if the lever itself had struck the mark. The I have overcome the world.' Therefore, my sweet marks or numbers were easily legible, and by means wife, raise up thy heart, and be not dismayed at the of the dictionary were resolved again into words. crosses thou meetest with in family affairs or otherThe superiority of this telegraph over all hither-wise; but still fly to Him who will take up thy burto invented is, that day or night, in clear or in foggy den for thee. Go thou on cheerfully, in obedience weather, intelligence can be sent instantaneously. to his holy will, in the course he hath set thee. The advantages to the government and the country Peace shall come. I commend thee and all thine of such a means of communication are incalculable. to the greacious protection and blessing of the Lord. Morristown Jerseyman. Farewell, my good wife. I kiss and love thee with the kindest affection, and rest SPECIMENS OF ANCIENT LOVE-LETTERS. [From a Boston paper.] Between the first Governour of Massachusetts and his Wife, about the year 1628. "MY MOST SWEET HUSBAND.-How dearly welcome thy kind letter was to me, I am not able to express. The sweetness of it did much refresh me. What can be more pleasing to a wife, than to hear of the welfare of her best beloved, and how he is pleased with her poor endeavours! Iush to hear myself commended, knowing my own wants. But it is your love that conceives the best, and makes all things seem better than they are. I wish that I may be always pleasing to thee, and that those comforts we have in each other may be daily increased, as far as they may be pleasing to God. I will use that speech to thee, that Abigail did to David; 'I will be a servant to wash the feet of my lord.' I will do any service wherein I may please my good husband. I confess I cannot do enough for thee; but thou art pleased to accept the will for the deed, and rest contented. If "I have many reasons to make me love thee, whereof I will name two: first, because thou lovest God; and secondly, because thou lovest me. these two were wanting, all the rest would be eclipsed. But I must leave this discourse, and go about my household affairs. I am a bad housewife to be so long from them; but I must needs borrow a little time to talk with thee, my sweetheart. I hope thy business draws to an end. It will be but two or three weeks before I see thee, though they be long ones. God will bring us together in his good time; for which I shall pray. "Farewell my good husband; the Lord keep thee. "Your obedient wife, "MARGARET WINTHROP." 66 "MOST LOVING AND GOOD HUSBAND.-I have received your letters. The true tokens of your love and care of my good, now in your absence, as well as when you are present, make me think that saying false, ' Out of sight, out of mind.' I am sure my heart and thoughts are always near you, to do you good, and not evil, all the days of my life.' I rejoice in the expectation of our happy meeting; for thy absence has been very long in my conceit, and thy presence much desired. Thy welcome is always ready; make haste to entertain it. "And so I bid my good husband farewell, and commit him to the Lord. "Your loving and obedient wife, PRINCIPAL EVENTS OF 1837. Jan. 3. Wreck of the ship Mexico, of New York-108 lives lost. Feb. 9. Votes for President counted at Washington-MARTIN Mar. 22. 1. English ship Jane and Margaret for New York, wrecked Resolution in favour of recognising the Independence of 4. Martin Van Buren and Richard M. Johnson inaugurated. 15. The Queen's English and Spanish forces under Evans defeated by the Carlists near St. Sebastian: loss 1000. 31. The President of Mexico protests against the recognition of Texas. Apr. 3. Great snow-storm at St. Louis, snow deeper than ever known. 326 17. Mexican brig-of-war, captured by U. S. sloop-of-war Natches. 27. Fire in Detroit-70 buildings and much property destroyed. May. 4. Agricultural Bank of Mississippi suspends specie pay. ment. 9. Steamboat Ben Sherrod burnt on the Mississippi-175 MINISTERS PLENIPOTENTIARY. Andrew Stevenson, Va. Mexico, Mexico 1837 9,000 Charges d'Affaires.-Edward Kavanagh, Portugal; Auguste Davezač, Holland; Virgil Maxey, Belgium; Christopher Hughes, Sweden; J. F. Woodside, Denmark; David Porter, Turkey; 10. New York city Banks suspend specie payments, follow-R. B. McAfee, New Grenada; J. G. A. Williamson, Venezuela; ed by general suspension. The heavy failures in this William Hunter, Brazil; Charles G. De Witt, Central America; city alone, for two months preceding, had exceeded Richard Pollard, Chili; James B. Thornton, Peru; Alcee La 300; in Boston, 78. Branche, Texas. 15. The President calls an extra session of Congress.Sept. 4. 16. Bank suspension authorized by the New York Legislature. 17. Advantages gained by the Queen's troops in Spain. 10. Plague ravages Smyrna-300 deaths daily. 21. Victoria, daughter of the Duke of Kent, proclaimed July 4. Cholera at Naples, carrying off 400 daily; since April, 12,000. Rages also at Palermo and throughout the south of Italy. 19. Railroad from Baltimore to Wilmington formally opened. Aug. 2. Great hurricane in the West Indies for several days. 14. Fire at Washington, Ga.-30 buildings destroyed. 21. Office of the Abolition Observer at Alton destroyed by Oct. 9. Treasury Note Bill passed by the House: yeas 123, nays 98. Loss of steampacket Home, from New York to Constantine in Algiers captured by the French-Gen- Nov. 7. Riot at Alton: Abolition press destroyed; Rev. E. P. 16. Troubles in Canada: Radicals arrested-several of their 25. Affair of St. Charles-insurgents defeated. 5. President Van Buren's Annual Message delivered. UNITED STATES CALENDAR-1838. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS. $25,000 N. Hampshire Isaac Hill GOVERNOURS OF THE STATES-1838. 1 66 June, '38 1,000 Rhode Island " May, '39 400 "May, '38 1,100 Jan. '39 4.000 66 Oct. '38 2,000 Dec. '38 4,000 66 Jan. '41 1,333; "6 Jan. '39 2,666 "Mar. '40 3.833 Jan. '39 2,000 "" Dec. '38 3,500 "Nov. '39 3,000 "Nov. '39 3,500 Jan. 40 2,500 "" Jan. '39 7,500 "" Dec. '40 1,500 Dec. '38 1.000 "Nov. '40 1,500 2 "Jan. '40 2,000 "6 Nov. '40 2,000 Gen. Richard K. Call 2,500 Gen. Henry Dodge 2,500 John Brown Francis 1 Henry W. Edwards 2 -34132222242425 Oct. '39 2,000 3 ASSASSINATION OF FRANCIS PIZARRO. THE most valuable acquisition made by Pizarro, after the death of Almagro, was the conquest of the province of Charcas, in which were the rich mines of Potosi, which the marquis divided among the conquerors, having first founded the city of La Plata, so called from its being situated among the mines. His brother Gonzalo, then engaged in subduing the Inca Manco, and his brother Ferdinand, at that time a prisoner in Spain, had also shares in the riches of this province. of the conspirators as he could most readily meet with; on which, finding there was no time to be lost, they repaired, one by one, to the number of nineteen, to the house of young Almagro, which stood on one side of the great square, from whence they marched with drawn swords through the market-place toward the marquis's palace, crying out, "Long live the king, but let the tyrant die!" And it is remarkable that though there were at the same time above a thousand people in the square, they met with no opposition, nor did Pizarro receive the least intelligence of their rising; so that they entered the palace very easily, the doors being open. Gonzalo having driven the Inca to the mountains, and becoming governour of Quito, turned his thoughts to the making new discoveries; for which purpose When the first news of the disturbance was he marched to the eastward, in order, if possible, to brought, Pizarro, who was setting with only two or obtain some knowledge of the breadth of America; three of his people, ordered Francis de Chaves, his and though he met with such insuperable obstacles lieutenant-general, to secure the great door, which as obliged him to return to Quito, yet Orellana, one he neglected to do, on a supposition that it was only of his officers, sailed down the great river of the some disturbance among the soldiers, which his Amazons, returning from the mouth of it to the presence would easily quell; so that going forward, Spanish settlements, on the other side of the he met the conspirators on the great staircase, and American continent, and thereby opening a passage demanding the reason of those commotions, was anto countries before unknown, though not less valua-swered by two or three of them lodging their dagble than those already discovered. gers in his bosom, on which he instantly dropped down dead. The marquis of Pizarro now employed himself in securing and establishing his authority, by meth- The marquis, hearing them in the gallery, had no ods not less cruel than impolitick; for he not only time to put on his armour, but seizing his sword and discharged all the officers whom he suspected of buckler, defended the door of his apartment very having had any regard for Almagro, but conscious of resolutely for a considerable time, supported only by his own injustice, and fearing the consequence of his half-brother Don Francis de Alcantara, and two their complaining against him, took measures to pre-of his pages; the rest of his company and servants vent their returning to Spain: by which means ma- having fled at the beginning of the insurrection. At ny of them being involved in great distress, were reduced to the necessity of living upon the alms of their countrymen and twelve of them, all men of family, lived together in a house given them by one de la Presa, having but one cloak among them all, which they wore by turns, only one of them going out at a time but de la Presa dying, Pizarro turned them out of the house, and at the same time published an edict by which, under the severest penalties, he forbade any one to afford them or their adherents the least relief. This proceeding rendering them desperate, was more fatal to Pizarro than possibly their other distresses might ever have been; for seeing no end to their miseries, but by their own or the marquis's destruction, they resolved on the latter. The bravest of Almagro's friends, among whom were the distressed veterans abovementioned, repaired to Lima, two or three at a time, where they did not want friends, who concealed them in their houses, till their number exceeded two hundred. These determined to seize the first fair opportunity of executing their design, in which, however, they were for some time retarded, in hopes that a new commissioner, some of whose attendants were already arrived, would come from Spain, in order to take cognizance of the marquis's conduct; and that he would do them justice, without laying them under the necessity of raising an insurrection. But on Sunday, the twenty-sixth of June, 1541, De Rada, one of the principal conspirators, had private intelligence that they were discovered, and that the marquis was taking measures to have them all put to an ignominious death in less than three hours. This information he hastily communicated to such length one of the conspirators pressing home, bore down and killed Don Francis, on which the rest advancing with fresh vigour, the marquis retired before them, and at last sunk down, fainting with loss of blood, and was soon despatched; while his two pages, having desperately wounded several of the conspirators, expired by his side, gallantly fighting in his defence. Thus fell Don Francis Pizarro the first discoverer and conqueror of Peru, in the sixty-fifth year of his His body, by young Almagro's permission, was privately buried by his servants, no person of any consequence presuming to attend the funeral, lest they should give offence to the prevailing party. The meanness of Pizarro's education was publickly known from his not being able to write his own name, which his secretary used to insert between two strokes which he drew with a pen. He was endowed by nature with some good qualities, the most remarkable of which was his bra very; but his ambition was boundless, he never scrupled to sacrifice his honour to his interest; made a jest of the most sacred obligations, and was dead to all the tender feelings of humanity. His fate in some measure resembled that of Almagro; like him he fell a victim to ambition; like him he died a violent death; and like him he was obscurely buried after a life of splendour; but he possessed not the fiftieth part of Almagro's virtues. Pizarro was never married, but he had several mistresses, some of whom were daughters and sisters of the Incas; but we do not find that he left any children behind him. |