| Title: | "Erin-Go-Bragh", Mississippi to the Editor. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1012 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Erin-Go-Bragh/6 |
| Year | 1856 |
| Sender | Erin Go Bragh |
| Sender Gender | prob. male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Kirkwood, Madicon Co., Mississippi, USA |
| Destination | Armagh, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | the Editor of the Armagh Guardian |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | the author is a subscriber to the Armagh Guardian |
| Source | The Armagh Guardian, Friday, 28 March, 1856 |
| Archive | The Linenhall Library, Belfast. |
| Doc. No. | 9809022 |
| Date | 28/03/1856 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 07:09:98. |
| Word Count | 1842 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | THE UNITED STATES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARMAGH GUARDIAN. Kirkwood, Madison, co. Mississippi, Sept. 3, 1856 SIR, - I have to acknowledge the receipt of The Guardian of the 1st of August. Its arrival caused me great pleasure. On a sick bed when it came, it did more relieve me than could have been done by a medic prescription. Indeed the perusal of its pages effects an immediate cure. With eager interest I devour every paragraph it contained; and as I read column after column, I could scarely realize that I was in "The land of the West". I fancied myself at home in "The Emerald Isle", and yielding to the illusion I gazed with delight on "The scenes of my childhood Which fond recollection presented to view". The Guardian has been so much "enlarged and improved" since I saw it, that, on its arrival at Kirkwood I could hardly identify it. I was pleased to see it enlarged. It now presents high claims to public favour. Deservedly popular, before its enlargement it must be still more acceptable now, and must take even a high rank, than formerly, among its contemporaries. The reliableness of the paper, the editorial ability, together with neatness of the issue, and the quantity and quality of the matter, render it worthy to be compared with any journal of the country. I am really proud of The Guardian, as a specimen of the journalistic [ta---?] and ability of the county Armagh. Presuming that many of the readers of the Guardian would like to hear occasionally from the United States I purpose to write as often as I can conveniently, and keep them advised of what is going on in the Federal Union. Politics is the theme that now engage the attention of the United States people. They are in the midst of a presidential campaign; and the journals of the day, from Maine to Texas, teem with articles, in favour of the candidate, whose claims they respectively urge. There are, at present, in the United States, three great political parties - the Democrats, the Knownothings and the Black Republicans or Abolitionists. Each of these parties has a candidate for the presidency. Colonel Fremont, of Californian celebrity, is supported by the Abolitionists. Mr. Fillmore, ex-president of the United States, by the Knownothings, and Mr. Buchanan, lay minister to the court of St. James's, by the Democrats. Colonel Fremont, the Abolition candidate, is a native of Georgia, but was brought up in South Carolina, and of late years, has made his home in the northern state. He is son in-law to Tom Benton, the statesman of Missouri. Colonel Fremont is not looked upon, in the country, as a man of great ability. He does not posses those administrative talents, nor that political sagacious and experience, which are so essential for the efficient discharge of presidential duties. He has no reputation as a politican. Indeed he cannot be called a politican. He never served in any legislative body, except one term in the United States senate, as a member from California. His reputation is that of an adventurer and not of a statesman. He gained considerable notoriety by his expeditions to, and explorations of, what is now the State of California, and by his purchase there of a tract of land - a gold region - generally known as the Mariposa estate. This tract which he bought for a trifling consideration, is exceedingly valuable, and makes him, it is said, the richest man in the United States. He has nothing, save his riches, to recommend him to the American people and it is sometimes hinted that, had it not been for his property, he never would have been the nominee of the Abolition party. There is no probability, however, that his riches will elect him. The United States people will never be satisfied with a candidate whose only qualification is in property. I have too much confidence in their intelligence, to suppose, even for a moment that they would sacrifice wisdom for wealth, or that they would elevate to the chief magistracy, a man who is totally unfit to administer the government. Mr. Fillmore, the Knownothing candidate, is a man of considerable talents, and he ranks high among the political leaders of the United States. His fellow citizens have elected him to many offices of honour and trust, and, so far as I know, he gets credit for having discharged the duties of those offices faithfully and efficiently. He was elected vice-president in '48, and on the death of General Taylor in '50, he succeeded the vacant presidential chair. From 1850 to the 4th March, 1853, he performed the duties of president administering the government wisely and well. Mr. Fillmore is an accomplished gentleman, and is very much esteemed in the private walks of life. It is to be regretted that he permitted his name to be placed on the Knownothing ticket. His doing so diminish the popularity which he so largely and deservedly enjoyed. A majority of the American people had confidence in him, but that confidence was shaken when he became the exponent and representative of the contemptible Knownothing faction. In uniting with this clan of proscriptionists he committed a political sin and must be severely punished. The people will punish him at the ballot-box at the coming election. Never was a candidate for the presidency more signally defeated than Mr. Fillmore will be in November next. From present appearances, it is very doubtful whether he will receive a single electoral vote either north or south. The northern people will not vote for him because, while president, he signed the "Fugitive Slave Law". The southern people will not vote for him because of his abolition proclivities. The former will support Fremont; the latter, Buchanan. Hence, I think it may, with safety, be predicted, that the polished ex-president will hardly be known in the contest. Mr. Buchanan, the Democratic candidate was born and now resides, in the State of Pennsylvania. His residence, which is in or about the suburbs of Lancaster - a city 62 miles west of Philadelphia - is called "Wheatland" - a name which, from the great fertility of the soil, is very appropriate. His house is described as a plain, old-fashioned, brick building, situated some 80 or 100 yards from the roadside, in a grove of beautiful shade trees. A ridge of high land, between the house and Lancaster, shuts out all view of the city, and renders Wheatland mansion s delightfully retired and romantic spot. Everything about the house is characterized by neatness, simplicity, and taste. There is no pomp - no display. All things are on a truly republican scale, and are quite characteristic of the distinguished proprietor. Mr. Buchanan is not in his 65th year, and is unmarried. It has often been wondered why, with all his domestic and social feeling the sage of Wheatland should have remained a bachelor. The reason assigned is, that "he early became wedded to the constitution of his country, and the laws of Pennsylvania allow a man but one wife!" Mr. Buchanan entered into public life at an early age and the history of his services, is the history of almost half a century. For several years he was a member of the Pennsylvania legislature. He was ten years in the lower, and eleven years in the upper House of Congress. He was minister to Russia during the administration of General Jackson - was Secretary of State during Mr. Polk's adminstration, and minister to England under President Pierce. And during this long career, his acts have stamped him unmistakeably as a patriot, a diplomatist, and a statesman. He has never been remarkable for his frankness, firmness, and decision. His character, "fair without flaw", will bear the most unsparing scrutiny. Never has he swerved from principle or shrunk from duty. There is much of the patriarch in his mien and temper. He listens attentively and profits by what he hears. He is an ardent lover of his country, and a firm believer in its high destiny. His private virtues have made him the idol of his home; his stern integrity, and [----?] patriotism will make him the fifteenth president of the Federal Republic. STORM ON THE GULF COAST. A terrible disaster occurred a few weeks since on the small island in the Gulf of Mexico. "Last Island which lies immediately south of Terrebonne parish, the state of Louisiana, was submerged during a storm on the 17th August last, and 137 persons lost their lives. This little island which has been for years the favourite Louisiana watering-place on the Gulf coast is only about 25 or 30 miles in length, scarcely a mile in breadth, and but slighty elevated above the level of the water. In form it is a curve not quite a semi circle - perhaps a demi-semicircle ( allow me the word) the convex side facing the Gulf. The concave side, is towards the mainland, is indented with numerous small bays, all connecting with a shallow lake in the rear, which lake, in turn, connects, with the Gulf at each end of the island. On the day referred to the wind very suddenly and very violently began to blow from the north and east, and to sweep the waters on the Gulf around the east end of the island into the bays and lake in the rear. So violent was the wind and so sudden the rush of the waters that the lake and bays behind rose at the rate of a foot a minute. While the waters behind were thus swelling, those on the Gulf side were making fearful breaches over the ridge. The unfortunate residents seeing their danger tried to escape, but there was no escape for them; they were hemmed in on all sides by angry billows. In a few minutes the water was five feet deep on the island. Many sought shelter in the principal hotel of the island and in other buildings adjacent, thinking that as they were very strong and considerably elevated, they could withstand the force of the waves. But the shelter afforded by these buildings was only temporary. The violence of the wind and waves was so great that house and men were all swept off and overwhelmed together. The storm was of short duration, only a few minutes I believe. The winds hushed, and the waters receded leaving the island dry as before, but without houses and almost without inhabitant. "The isle was still there, but the people were gone". You requested, that, for the benefit of emigrants, I should give some information with regard to the climate of this country, and its soil and productions. I have occupied so much space already with this letter that I think it better to reserve all remarks on that topic for a future communication. I may, however, state now that I do wish from the bottom of my heart not another emigrant from the British Isles would ever set foot on the United States' shores. The "whys" and the "wherefores" at another time. Yours truly, ERIN-GO-BRAGH. |
