one side of the road was a shanty, evidently just put together with rough boards nailed against the trees, and a hole cut through to serve the purpose of a door. Upon the ground, leaning against the hut, was a board on which by the aid of the fire light we read in rude letters, the words "EAGLE HOTEL." On the opposite side of the road was a canvas enclosure-also intended for human shel ter. Like the other, this had its sign-board, bearing in bold characters, significant of competition, the words 'JENNY LIND HOTEL." In what was meant for the doorway of each, stood a negro, calling lustily, "Dis way massa, dis way-dis is de best house." After a moment's contemplation of the scene we turned to our cicerone "Are these the "public houses" that you spoke of, Ebony?” landlord stood ready, with an open countenance, to receive us. My friend halted before entering, and began spelling out the words on the sign-board-"J-e-n Jen, n-y, ny, Jenny. What the deuce does all this mean?" "Dat, massa? Dat means Jen-Lind-ebery body knows Jen-Lind-dats all de popilarty now." "Well, but what is Jenny Lind?" "I dun no, massa, ony it's all de fashion ebery body talks 'bout it. Walk in gemmen.” Accepting the invitation, my friend began: "Well, what great man have we here? What is your name ?" "Name, massa ?" said the negro, scratching his top. My massa aint hardly gim'e no name yet, sar; sometimes dey call me Pussy, 'cause I go to de high church." "Oh you 're a Puseyite, are you, and you go to the high church?" "Yes, massa; I'se de saxton dare, ring de bell, make fire in de winter, and sweep out de “Ye-yi-yes, massa—bofe good,-best we got dust and dead sketers, in summer time." here, massa." The hearty roar of laughter that burst from us told the old rascal that his wool was safe, and he was not slow in joining the guffa. "Well, Ebony, which is the best hotel?" "De Eagle, massa-de Eagle's de most astocratic." "Good, let's try the Eagle." Approaching the "Hotel," we were received by the landlord with a grin that extended from ear to ear. "What is your name?" inquired my companion, as we entered. "Martin, sar-Martin Ban Buren." "Oh, indeed! I hope your excellency is well. What have you got that's good here, Mr. President." “You are a useful pillar, no doubt; but have you got any medicine here--any hardware ?" A look of grave astonishment overspread the features of our sable host. He shook his head. “Come, no flummery; show us your bar." "Can't, massa; it's agin de rule." "Well," continued my friend, at the same time jingling the small change in his pocket; "I have got a hammer that will break the rule, we are in danger of getting the ague. Have you got a bar?" A grim smile passed over the features of the negro, as he whispered-" Massa won't tell?" "Never fear; out with it. I must have something, or this confounded fog will kill me before morning." "Come dis way, gemmen, please;" said the "Got some hoe-cake, massa, and sound roun- host, leading us to a remote corner, out of hearts, and some rut beer." 66 Nothing else?" the light-here's de bar," and suiting the action to the word he drew from his trowsers' pocket a canteen of Monongahela cordial. Well, it wasn't very bad to take, situated as we were, and our friend Pussey pocketed his two quarters with the dexterity of an old and practi Stupid booby! Have you got any 'hard-ced hand. ware,' anything to warm a fellow's stomach of a damp night?" "Oh, no sar. Massa no let nigger sell licker here, no how." "Humph! Come, Charley, let's go to the Jenny Lind." Wending our way across the road, we proceeded to patronize the "opposition." The In the morning no stages arrived, of course, and after waiting, damp and breakfastless, till nine o'clock, our discontented, hungry and fretful regiment of humans were quietly informed that no stages would arrive, and that the whole party, infantry and all, must foot it to Welden by crossing another bridge, which the tempest had spared; our baggage, they said would be sent after us during the day. In the course of the morning our friend of the pinelog-fire field-bedstead, made his appearance at the cars, dressed like an opera-monkey, elegantly begrimed with pitch-pine smoke, and swearing French oaths by the yard. He proved to be a fashionably mustachioed son of Gaul, taking notes of American travel, for publication in the metropolis of the French Republic, and I promise you the chapter of that night's adventures was set in italics. Preparation was now made for a march, and as every body must have a change of clothes when they arrived on christian ground, the baggage cars were overhauled, trunks opened, and small packages made up, or the necessary linen for a change taken from the trunks and put into carpet bags or valises, to be carried by hand, and thus one by one the party gradually lessened, each carrying in his hand a temporary parcel. The last preparatory operation of this kind that I witnessed, was that of EDITORIAL. Ir is usual, we believe, on occasions like the present, for the Editor to come forward after the fashion of the prologue-speaker of a play, take off his hat, approach the foot-lights, and having executed an obsequious bow, proceed to give, either in prose or verse, or prose-verse, or worse prose, an inkling of the forth-coming scene. Imagine us before you-paint the character American in all its preferences, but without prejudice, and you see us hat in hand. The REPUBLIC shall be like ourself, American, not only by origin and name, but in principle, and those who shrink from the touch and contagion of everything and anything homespun, or to the manor born," of this "Nation," would do well not to touch either of us, for with us there will be a flavor not to their liking. The glory of being a Roman was once a great glory; the stigma of being an American has been as great as was the glory of the Roman Citizen. But that stain is passing away-the day shall yet come, nay it is come already, when the descendants of those who pledged their lives, fortunes and honor on the altar of civil and Religious Freedom, may claim, possess and enjoy the high prerogative of American birth-the heritage of Freemen, nor fear the sneers and taunts of either the partizan demagogue, or the despotic minion. But while we claim for the American Birthright a proud position in the scale of social existence, we must not be misconstrued. Our pride is for our country, our aspirations for its Free Institutions, our sympathies with all the world. We have not forgotten either a Moultrie, a Montgomery, or a Wilson. The last signed the Declaration of our Independence; the two former fought to secure it. We know that thousands of liberty-loving foreigners are amongst us; men who hate tyranny with an honest hate, and who love the country of their adoption with an honest love. We know and acknowledge that much in the advancement of science and the Arts, is due to the learning and industry of those who have come amongst us from abroad, and to these and all of these the warmest grasp of friendship is extended. But we also know, and so do they, that the nations of the Old World have made, and do now make our fair country the lazar house of their moral corruption--that their eyes and hands are upon us in jealousy and hate, and that tens of thousands who have arrived at legal citizenship, incapable of appreciating the great privilege which they possess, grasp eagerly at political power, and stand ready to cast their suffrages for the demagogue who yields most to their designs or their cupidity. Growing out of these things are grave matters that require the serious consideration of every friend of our Institutions, whether he be a native or adopted citizen. To these, and all other influences calculated to endanger our existence or prosperity as a nation, or our rights and happiness as a people, the efforts of the REPUBLIC will be faithfully directed. The interests of our mechanics and working men and women, who have been sorely pressed by the unfair competition and combinations of pauper Europeans, will receive attention at our hands, and while we aim to supply them with a large share of good and wholesome reading, in the Literary department of the Magazine, we shall strive ever to keep alive the glowing, and warm into full life the latent fires of patriotism that dwell in their hearts, and to inspire them, and all, with a true sense of their dignity as free men, free women-virtuous and patriotic AMER ICANS. OUR TITLE PAGE.-We call attention, with a fair share of self-satisfaction, to the beautiful composition which forms the title page of our Magazine. The allegory exhibits the "Continental Soldier," pointing with honest exultation to the progress of civilization and science under the American flag, while the Manhattan aboriginal gazes with astonishment and awe, upon the altered place of his nativity. The massive pillars beneath, are typical of the firm foundation of our Republic, surrounded, guarded, and ornamented, with the venerated memories of the heroes and sages of the Revolution, and the motto, "Our Country and Liberty,” which occupies the upper tablet, indicates the character and purpose of the Magazine. The drawing for this spirited and beautiful specimen of art, was made by Mr. S. Wallin, from a design by the Editor. The engraving was executed by Mr. William Holland, a lineal descendant of one of the Pilgrims of Plymouth Rock, and we challenge all magazine-dom to exhibit a title, engraven on wood, that will surpass it as a work of artistic taste and finish. Foreign InFLUENCE.—Since it has been proven by the test of two well tried pitched battles with old England, that cold lead and saltpetre will not suffice to break down the indomitable spirit of American Freemen, and since our physical powers, as tested in these two contests, have fairly and fully maintained our nationality and independence for the time, our people have quietly settled themselves down into a self-satisfied notion of security, and gone to work making money, enlarging commerce, building rail-roads, annexing new territory and electing Presidents, under the honest and gratifying conviction, that in the event of another assault, we are ready, willing, and able, to whip all creation, and send any foolhardy invader that may dare to set his hostile foot upon our soil, limping home again, as we have done before, and that there the matter will end. Suppose we grant, for argument sake, this physical puissance in which we confide. Suppose it to be true that the United States of North America are able to defend their position as a nation, and their free Institutions, against the physical power of England, Russia, Austria, Rome, Spain, and all other monarchical and despotic governments combined, what is the result? Are our Institutions and our Nationality then secure? Is there no other influence to be guarded against? Are there no other gates open, no avenues through which the enemy may enter? In a word, have we nothing to fear but batteries and bayonets? If this were all, the sword would indeed be mightier than the pen, the elements of Nature would be changed, and matter would hold a mastery over mind-but it is not all the battles that the freemen of our country are to fight against despotism, must henceforth be the battles of mind against mind, theory against theory, light against darkness, intelligence against artifice. These are the opposing elements, and the battalions of the enemy are already in the field. There is scarcely a crowned head in all Europe, from the lofty mitre of Rome, down to the most insignificant German principality, that has not trembled under the moral influence of our institutions. There is scarcely a people not utterly chained down in beastly ignorance, that has not exhibited symptoms of a yearning for freedom, and in many instances of recent date, we have witnessed the sublime spectacle of the masses arrayed in arms against their tyrants. They have been mostly over-borne, it is true, by the combined despotic powers, who stand ever ready to aid each other in emergencies like these; but, although the flame of growing liberty has been smothered, it has not been, nor can it be extinguished so long as the glorious beacon of America sheds its warming and invigorating lustre upon their hearts. This fact is well un derstood by the regal representatives of a bygone theory, and their efforts naturally turn to the means of extinguishing the beacon itself— of destroying the great moral engine that is silently working their destruction. To this end the society known as the Leopold Foundation, was established, with the Emperor of Austria at its head. It meets and arranges its plans at Vienna, but the field of its operations is the United States, and thousands of men, and hundreds of thousands of dollars (said to be not less than a million) have already been sent here to carry out those plans. The facilities to the right of suffrage, and the eagerness of native demagogues to invest them with that right, for special objects, have aided materially in the work. Apart from political interests, England, whom we have called mother, entertains towards us other causes of jealousy. As the greatest maratime and manufacturing power in the world, she looks upon our growing greatness with distrust and apprehension; she sees our commerce spreading our fleets whitening every sea-our flag respected, and our young marine bearing the stripes and stars to every cranny of the oceans; she sees our manufacturing genius, that giant ally of an Empire's wealth, daily expanding in its growth, contesting with Mercurial rapidity, the powers of her own, and already competing with her in some of its branches, in the best markets of the world. In brief, she sees in us a rival, that in the uninterrupted progress of another quarter of a century, will become her superior in all that pertains to civilization and national power; and like her more despotic neighbors, she too, sends her emissaries among us, to effect by serpentlike stratagem, that which she has never been able to do by force-the destruction of our Union and the downfall of our Institutions. The influence of these various emissaries is seen in shapes as various as their plans. We behold it in the agitation of the question of slavery; in attempts to destroy our system of popular education, and the erection of institutions of learning, whose tenets are at war with freedom; in the numerous new-fangled ideas of social reform-the giving away of the public lands-the agitation on subjects of labor-resistance to the laws where they conflict witn peculiar notions of right and wrong-seizing upon the public press-the amendment of old state constitutions, and the construction of those of the new states, in accordance with their views and desires; and in their eager grasp upon the political rights of citizenship. These influences we shall discuss at length in future numbers, and endeavor to show the extent and importance of each, in its place, with such proofs as shall carry conviction to the minds of all who will read, and if possible, awaken them to a sense of watchful and active duty. furlough of six months might be granted to him, prior to the expiration of his term, to be devoted to breaking up and seeding his land. If this plan should appear repulsive to the dignity of the soldier, who by ancient usage is not expect to him are not sufficient to remove his scruples on that head, we would further recommend that a corps of pioneers, sappers and miners be organized by enlistment, expressly for this object, and that they be subject to the same duties, and entitled to the same privileges, as have been proposed in this article. Such a corps could be raised rapidly, from the bone and sinew of the land, and in five or six years we might have a populous and safe post route through our own territory, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The subject is well worthy the attention of Congress, and the plan is practicable. Let us see who will give it a thorough digest and place it in a tangible shape before the councils of the nation. A ROAD TO CALIFORNIA. -The recent developments of our new empire, on the bored to work, and if the inducements here offered ders of the Pacific ocean, and the influence which those developments have had in drawing westward, across the vast intervening deserts, so many thousands of our people to suffer and to die on their perilous journey, together with the vast and newly unfolded channels of trade that it has presented, demand that the attention of Congress should be speedily directed to the adoption of some means by which a safe and easy transit may be made across the continent through our own territory. The plan of a railroad suggested by Mr. Whitney, and which has received much favorable attention, both in and out of Congress, will doubtless ultimately be carried into effect; but this plan, after all, does not comprehend all that is required. The cost of transit by railroad, even if it were built, would doubtless exceed the means of thousands who would desire to cross, to say nothing of the chances of keeping a railroad in repair during the present wild state of the vast region through which it must pass, occupied, as the whole distance is, by tribes hostile to the progress of civilization, and ever ready to throw obstacles in the way of such a structure by destroying the rails, and otherwise harrassing the operations of the road. This road, if completed, must necessarily occupy a great length of time in building, and after all, it will not answer all the ends of a public road. Such a road must be built sooner or later by the Government, upon which caravans of wagons, cattle, &c., may be enabled to pass in safety. THOMPSON, the Agitator, from the Parliament of England, having been driven from Boston without a hearing, was permitted to speak to a Mosaic crowd, at Worcester, Mass., two or three days after. In the course of his address this minion of British jealousy made the following expressions: "Talk of this country being free-it was not free. No honest Englishman, expressing his honest feelings, could even travel through it. He himself might wish to visit the mammoth cave in Kentucky-but he could not do it, at least with any assurance of returning alive. He could not see the father of waters' at the South -he could not eross the Potomac-he could not travel any where in the South with one-half the liberty that would be accorded him within the most despotic territories of Europe." Mr. Thompson seems to measure liberty by the same standard as the Irishman who robbed the hen-roost.-On being arrested and brought before a justice for the crime, he expressed his astonishment, and exclaimed: "Faith, I thought this was a free country!" It has occurred to us that such a road may be built, and not only built, but peopled, and the route placed under cultivation, without any commensurate cost to the Government. A large portion of our small army must now be reclining in idleness, and as it is but fair that the men composing it should make to the people some return for the money they draw, we would suggest a plan that would result in a mutual be- PHOTOGRAPHIC ART-JOURNAL-We have seen nefit. It is to this effect. That the unemployed the prospectus of a new Monthly Journal, about portion of the army should be detailed to open to be issued under the editorial management of the great Continental Road, say from Weston, H. H. Snelling, Esq. As its title imports, the or Independence, Missouri, by way of either Journal will be devoted to the subject of the Santa Fe or Utah to San Francisco; that in con- Daguerreotype, and is intended as a vehicle of nexion with this, buildings should be erected in information in every department of that art, inamall villages on the route, at proper distances, cluding the various methods of operating, and farms of a quarter section laid out, and each man, all new discoveries and improvements that may at the expiration of his term of enlistment, be from time to time be made. Mr. Snelling is entitled to a deed of one of these farms, with a abundantly qualified, by experience and talent, house, and a small allowance of stock and uten- to conduct such a journal. W. B. Smith, No. sils To further his means of subsistence, a 61 Ann street, is to be the Publisher. |