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Leader (1850-1860), 18th October 1856, Edition 1 of 2, Page 988, PnwPTWVNrTAT \rri>nrc tUN IIJN^JS 1 JNUlJi.b France.

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      Untitled Article

      Whiting a name rather provocative of a pun under the circumstances . Mx . W . B . Taber , editor of tlie Charleston Mercury , lias been kill « d in a duel . Mr . Taber , since his connexion with the Mercury , has been noted as -one of the niost strenuous advocates of slavery extension . Tiie steamer Niagara has been burnt while off Port Washington , and froin sixty to seventy lives have been lost . .

      Untitled Article

      THE AMERICAN DANCE OF DEATH . A ghastly story , so like the overpiled horrors of a nightmare thtit we must be allowed , for oar common humanity ' s sake , to doubt the accuracy of all the details , was published in the Times of Wednesday on the authority of a Georgian correspondent . On the following day , our contemporary had a leading article on the same subject , in which the editor states that he delayed the publication of the letter for some days , to inquire into the accuracy of the allegations ., and . the result is that there is no doubt of their truth . Subjoined , then , is the sanguinary tale , as reproduced in the leading article : we leave the reader to form his own judgment with respect to belief or nonbelief : —

      . " Here is a train consisting of one long passenger car and a luggage car with seats for smokers . It starts with twenty-five passengers , occasionally taking up some and putting down some in the course of a journey which begins at five in the afternoon and ends at half-past three the next morning . The passengers know about as mucli of one another at starting as passengers usually do . Three get into the train together ; another is an acquaintance of theirs ; another is the father of one of them ; two > others are friends , and there are two fathers with their sons . In the course of ten hours and a half in this select community , no larger than is sometimes assembled round a private dinner-table in this metropolis , there are five actual duels with fatal results ; a sixth duel ,

      proposed the trip ; they had accepted it from B , and A had resolved to spoil it , which he did by going with him . A and B , in fact , had arranged to combine a pleasure trip and a duel , and the only question to be settled was the weapons . The real baulk of the journey was , that B , not being prompt enougli with A , got killed by C . The ' conversation' was kept up the ivbole of the night , sometimes on duels generally , and on remarkable cases ; sometimes on the private experience of the gentlemen present , sometimes on the particular duel then in process of arrangement , and sometimes on tliat which had just taken place . The guns , revolvers , and Monte Cristo , or noiseless pistols , that were to do or had done the work were freely handed round the company , and

      the principals had an opportunity of examining the weapons with which they were to be killed . From the moment of starting till within sight of Augusta , there was always at least one duel on Iiand , and generally one or more in reversion . The partners engaged themselves for this dance of deatli quite as freely as at our own county balls , and on as slight an introduction . The boy , of course , had . no right there , so his throat was cut and he was thrown over . An old woman sat out the whole affair without saying a word or seeming to take any notice . During a great part of the night , the young woman who had caused it all by jilting A , and accepting the trip , from his wealthier rival , was incessantly entreating ; the passengers , sometimes collectively , sometimes one by one , to avenge B ' s death . One young fellow entered the car ,

      recognized her , complied with her request , returned to the smoking car with C , fought , and fell , all in five minutes . The young woman ' s conduct wa s extravagant enough , for , when too excited to speak collectedly , she had a written form provided for her , which , she read as well as she could to the company , still inviting fresh champions . But there was nothing- extraordinary , or even rough , in the appearance of the combatants . 3 , who fell , was a French hairdresser ; C , who fought three of the duels , was a tall , muscular , hard-visaged man , of a mien by no means repulsive or disagreeable . The first duel was between a white-headed man , past sixty at least , and a respectable-looking man about forty-five . The victim of the third duel was a young fellow under twenty-five , who had been smoking comfortably by himself up to that minute , and only appeared on the scene to leave it for ever . "

      which was arranged , but didjjot come off , owing to the death of an intended principalin another duel ; a seventh duel , which there was every reason , to believe had taken place , though the train wentontoo soon for the results to transpire ; eighthly , a murder . Of the two dozen passengers , fifteen are mentioned as entering more or less into the action of the drama ; twelve took a direct part in -duels ; six were killed ; and three were left on the way figtting . Four of the duels were fought at convenient spots , the train stopping for the purpose ; one was fouglit in the luggage-car while the train was in motion ; and the one with uncertain , results was fought at a regular stopping-place . Three of the dead bodies were left behind ; one was carried from the scene of the duel and deposited on the luggage ; another lay where it fell in

      the luggage-car ; another was thrown out on the roadside . Of tlie six killed , two were fathers and two were their sons , one father killed while avenging his son , and one child murdered for lamenting his father . On the occasion of the first duel the train did not stay it out , but the result followed by telegraph . At the second and fourth , the conductor , becoming keen in the sport , waited , and the survivors remounted the train ; but in the last instance the conductor seems to have felt a qualm , and he managed to leave one of the survivors on the road , while , with the aid of the firemen , he boxed up the other to prevent further slaughter . The time was generally naght , the last affair being at three in the -morning . It is stated that these are not uncommon incidents , and tliat scarce a week passes without some fatal encounter on the

      road . " It has been calculated , though , we cannot vouch for the calculation , that if the whole human race started by an express train for the sun they would never reach , it , since on the average of railway accidents , they would all either be killed or laid up on the road- That seems rather preposterous ; but in this instance twenty-five per cent , of the passengers were killed in ten hours and a half , and at the same rate of slaughter , if the journey from Macon to Augusta had takjen forty-eight hours instead of ten and a half , only one would have entered the latter town alive . Half , it is true , would have * een found laid out on then : luggage , but the rest would be left on the battle-field or flung overboard . This suggests

      some rather serious reflections as to the future of the United States , for what we have described appears to be the ' normal * state of things . The date of the narrative 3 a the 28 th of August last , only six weeks ago ; tho Georgia papers wore wholly silent as to the affair ; so , of course , nobody was brought to justice . Indeed , the conductor of the train , simply for his own comfort , had adroitly managed to leave the murderer par excellence behind , on the road . But tho idea of law or investigation seems to be the last to disturb their thoughts . There is onl y one thing at all out of character with the

      occasion , or suggestive of a doubt aa to this being tho way in -which the people of Georgia live—that is to say , me . it is , that the stranger who performed the principal part in the night ' s work thought it necessary to plead tisownjuatiflcation , and to praise what ho called tlie noble and honourable institution of duelling . Else it 5 hT ° - M V * atter of ccmrso , witliout any needinLSTT- ^ $ *? P rinci Pl <* . Tho young women entered the tram with tbo full knowledge that a l dif-22 ? P ? r + f f' ? " * *«* own conduct was tho cauac of it , and that of their two m « 3 o friends A bad

      Pnwptwvnrtat \Rri&Gt;Nrc Tun Iijn^Js 1 Jnulji.B France.

      friends , the produce of the French subscri ption receiv it not only as a proof of sympathy , but also as an offer mg of gratitude ; for you aie setting a great and useful example—that of extreme constancy under the weight of extreme oppression ; and it is , perhaps , from you tW the spark will proceed whicliis destined to reanimate thl world . No nation has suffered more than Italy -mi none , if there be justice upon earth , will have a LlitZ place among regenerate nations—Tor the peoole w students of Paris , —The CoinurxEE . " P . " " The monthly publication of the Bank ' s statement » says the Morning Post , , « lias answered previous ex . £ tations . The metallic deposit has undergone a dim m , tionpf 69 000 , 000 . The general belief was thaT 2

      deficit would be at least 80 , 000 , 000 , and it is ttefieneral opinion that the latejpeasures taken by the Bank Com missioners have prevented this anticipated difference 1 he roTtefewlle shows an increase of 72 , 000 000 Th ' advances on ingots present an increase ' of 34 000 000 ° whilst those on public securities and railways present I decrease of 19 , 000 , 000 . The rentes originated by ^ the ' reserve have been augmented by 39 , 000 000 The premiums paid on gold and silver show a rise oa thelmt month of 632 , 00 Ofr . The issue of shares has increie , by 6 , 000 , 000 . The account with tlxG Treasury pre ' eut a diminution of 17 , 000 , 000 . There lias been very littlP variation in current accounts "

      A special embassy from Burmah , of a complimentary character , is now in Paris . The Ambassador is himself a Frenchman , going by tlie name cf General d'Orgoni his real patronymic being Girodon , of which d'Orgoni is an anagram . His military rank belongs to the Burmese army ; - . ¦ . - ., . . . ; v . / ..: .. ¦ ¦ . . . . . ;¦ ; ..: . Count "Waleivski has sent a circular to the French diplomatic agents at foreign Courts in answer to that of Russia of September 2 nd . There have been rumours of a coming strike at Paris among the plasterers , the workmen on the quays , and a portion of the hackney-coach drivers . Nothing of the kind ; however , has yet taken place .

      The Emperor rode on horseback on Tuesday , . attended by a brilliant staff and a squadron of the Cent-Gardes , through the Faubourg St . Antoine , in the midst of the workmen . He proceeded to St . Maur , where he held a review . . ! . '¦"¦¦' . '¦ ; '¦ ; ' ¦; . ¦¦ ¦ : ..: .. ' ' : . . ¦ ¦ . ^ Among the distinguished persons included in the first list of guests at the Imperial festivities of Compiogne are M . Auber , the celebrated composer , TVI . Ingres , the painter , and M . Alfred de Vigny , author of the novel Cinq Mars , &c . ¦ : . . Austria . ¦ .. . . ' - : ... ¦ .: . ;• The Vienna- papers ( says the Times Austrian correspondent ) are just now engaged in a violent controversy on the subject of the conduct of certain members of the Administrative Council of the Credit Bank . It is generally believed that the persons in question took undue advantage of their position for the furtherance of their private speculations , out the matter will probably be hushed up , and the offenders receive their ten percent . tantieme , as a reward for speculating a la Z / aisse in the shares of the institution .

      A letter from Vienna says tliat " the garrison of Milan is to be considerably increased during the stay of the Emperor in that city ; " but it makes haste to ' that " this measure is only adopted in consequence of tho present garrison being insufficient to perform the service required by the presence of his Majesty . " It appears to be more than probable that Russia has sent an urgent note to the Austrian cabinet , in which it is distinctly said that it is absolutely necessary to counteract the proceedings of the Western Powers ag . iinst the King of Naples . From Cattaro we lenrn that a few days ago an Austrian colonel and an imperial envoy went to Cattlnjc , tho capital of Montenegro , "to hold official converse with the Prince and some of the Montenegrin senators . "

      " Among the numerous devices to which the mitliorities at Milan have had recourse for the purpose of arranging a becoming reception for the emperor , " says ' tlie Times Turin correspondent , "has been that of raising the wages of the labourers employed in the renovations of tho royal palaces . These men arc paid cxtravngnutly , it is said , under a compact that tliey shall cry 'GocVblws him I when the emperor appears , and they are pliu-ud under the special caro of the police in order that they may not secede from ' their agreement . Another power which the Government has invoked for its assistance is

      CONTINENTAL NOTES . . ' . ; . ¦ ¦; ¦ FRANCE . ¦ / •/ ¦ ' . , ¦ ¦ The De'bats publishes an article signed by M . de Sacy on tho meeting- of the Paris Congress . It states tliat the question of the Serpents Island has been already settled , as the island is to be restored to Turkey ; and that , as regards the islands of the Lower Danube , they also will be ceded to the Porte . With respect to the Commission charged with the question of uniting Moldavia , and Wallachia , the Debats observesi that it must first be determined whether France ^ Austria , England , or Turkey , is to have tho Presidency—a post which is one of " influence . "

      As a consequence of the recent successes of the French in Algeria , the Beni-Koufis , tlie Beni-Mendcz , the Mechtras , the Isil-ou-Moulas , the Cheurla-Irilikens , and the Bouchennachas ( native Arabic tribes ) , have inade their submission , accepting without remonstrance all the conditions imposed on them . Some further defeats have been sustained by the natives . The following placard has been secretly posted in various quarters of Paris : — " To the Italian Pboplb . —Insurrection is the Hoijcest of Duties . " July 14 , August 10 , February 24 , January 12 , March 22 , February 9 .

      " Brothers and Friends , —Honour to you who have not been crushed by your many oppressors—who have not "been discouraged by the most cruel deception ! It is now centuries since the spirit of evil fell upon Italy , as tlie noblest prey it could devour , clutching you in its two talons—Papacy and Empire . For conturios this spirit has sucked your blood , and striven to poison your soul with its pestiferous breath , But your soul is immortal ! That priest who returned to Rome through a smoking breach—that Bourbon in whoso bosom beats tho heart of Tiberius —those Austrian ravens that croak upon the "harmonious banks of the Adigo , all know and feol , and tromble at tlie knowledge , that intelligence and life have not abandoned their victim . They all feel that the soil of Italy quivers undor their accursed feet , and that there

      are there undaunted giants , such as were found formerly in tho mountains of heroic Sicily . Tho blood of the martyrs has but fertilized your soil . You possess courage , intelligence , and constancy , and you have that experience which is bought by long misfortune . You want but one thing—arms ! You shall ha-vc them . You must have thorn . Already you have appealed to the truo childron of Italy . Every one of them has offered his mite , so that those who shall first ha-ve the honour to proclaim your emancipation may find ready to their hands tho instruments wherewith to carry on the holy war . Our hearts have leaped with joy at tho news como to us across the Alps that you are secretly storing up your firHt muskets while waiting for tho day of your deliverance . We al 30 desire to come to your aid and tako pnit in your fraternal union . Receivo , brothers and

      tho Church , and the Archbishop of Milan has sent a circular to his parish priests , calling on them to inculcate on the faithful , botli from tho pulpit and in the c . mfessional , the duty of repairing to Milan aimasse to give . in enthusiastic wclcomo to their Imperial Majesties . The bettor to encourage the zeal of the clergy in this nmlortaking , Baron Burger lias received discretionary j-ou-c-ra from Vienna to dislributo rewards of various kinds among them . " What a comment on tho -vicegerents of Heaven ! What fi . revelation of the hidden enure of popular ' enthusiasm on the upyenrnuco of the nni hitod of the Church . 1 MIUSSIA . It is stated that the Prussian Government , ( Ha punishment of Switzerland for its conduct in re *) it ! to Neufchulcl , hnH determined to submit to tho Gciwavao Diet a proposition for excluding Swiss production * f » ' () in tho Gennan markets . Au interruption of commerce

      Untitled Article

      988 __ _____„ Ag E LEADE 1 ' r ^ ro . e 43 , Saturday /

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 18, 1856, page 988, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2163/page/4/