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Leader (1850-1860), 9th August 1856, Edition 2 of 2, Page 3

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      Gb&8ral Windham "At Home." Jf«Ww5ca,Liaa...

      me if you dorft see * represented upon canvas , some of the finest men this or any other county has produced . ( Cheers . ) I should be ashamed of myself if I thought any little bit of service I have performed could , even approach the heroism of the gallant Nelson . " ( General WLadham here turned round , and , amidsfcloud cheewng , pointed to the portrait of Lord Nelson , which hung immediately behind bis chair . ) "I have regarded him as one of the least selfish and most pure of our heroes ; and . if any future services of mine should only entitle me to hare the smallest miniature hung at his feet , I should , feel the utmost pride ; " Alluding to Lord Albemarle ' s eulogiums on the manner in which he had discharged his duties a » chief of the staff , General Windham said . the chairman

      that those duties were not so difficult as had supposed . " I had at head-quarters , as well aa in the divisions of the army , a remarkably able set of young officers to carry out any orders that were issued ; and , although I know it is the habit of some individuals—I do not say of the press , but of some persons who are fond of writing in the newspapers—to represent that every British staff officer is almost next door to a fool , I beg leave to tell you that , in my humble opinion , after a few months' practice , which , at the commencement of tie war , they undoubtedly required , our staff officers ¦ were quite as efficient as those in the French service . ( Hear , Tiear . ) In support of that opinion , I would appeal to the appearance of the two armies at the

      conclusion of the war . " A generous tribute was then paid to the other heroes of the Redan . " There were many others who did their duty just as well as I did . When I look at "VVelsford , and Hancock , and Gough , and Unett , who commanded parties of the Light Division ; when I look at Tyler , and Cuddy , and others in my own division ; when I look again at Lysons of the 23 rd , and Maude of the 3 rd , who fought with the- enemy hand to hand at the Redan , I must say I should be a dirty and a scurvy fellow if I appropriated all your praise to myself . ( Loud cheers . } Believe me , that my title of ' Hero of the Redan' is more due to my seniority than to my superiority . I detest false humility as much as I do vain boasting . I don't pretend that I did not do my duty

      like a soldier ; but I say also that there were scores of others , of all ranks , who did their duty quite as well as I did . " An interesting anecdote of Marshal Pelissier was told by General Windham in the course of his address . When it was first decided to attack the Mamelon , the Iftrench General took the advice of his own officers , and then " asked our General of Engineers , Sir Harry Jones , for-his opinion . Sir Harry Jones ' s reply was simply this— ' Lord Raglan orders me to say that when you are ready to attack the Mamelon he is ready to attack the Quarries . ' The answer of General

      Pelissier to that was— ' There , gentlemen , that English officer talks what I call talking . ' I cannot give it you in any other way than in the original French—¦ ' Voila ce qtte fap 2 > dle parler : I think , therefore , that we may fairly assume that he was not inclined to prop up his officers against ours . At the last of all , he certainly decided to attack the town at all places . I believe that I tell you the truth when I say that one week before the last attack upon the Redan thore was no intention on the part of either French or English to make that attack . " After some other toasts had been duly honoured , the company separated .

      Of Such Is The Atlstis-E9,1656.]- The Xk...

      AtlSTis-E 9 , 1656 . ] - THE XkBABBB . *» .

      Ajmerica. Tite Chief Intelligence From A...

      AJMERICA . Tite chief intelligence from America this week has reference to the coming Presidential elections . Great efforts are being made to secure the return of Colonel Fremont ; and there has boon an attempt in Pennsylvania to effect a coalition between the supporters of that candidate and the friends of Mr . Fillnioro —with what result docs not appear . Mr . Fillmore has been nominated to the Presidency by the State Convention of the Executive Committee of United Americans . The two Legislative Houses hnvo agreed to adjourn on the 18 th of the present month . In the Senate , the Fortification Mill has beon passed , the amount voted being reduced to 1 , 800 , 000 dollars .

      The bellicose Hrooks has again appeared on the scene in a fighting attitude , having challenged Mr . Durlinghame , of Massachusetts , for language in bin speech on the Sumnor assault . Mr . Burlinghumo accepted to fight with rifles in Canada at fifty paces , but Mr . Urooka refuses to go thore . Mr . Brooks has been arrested , Mr . Burlinghumo is out of the district . The Government denies that 0 , 000 , 000 dollars have been offered to President Comonl'ort for a cession of land in Mexico ; but it is supposed that secret instructions have gono out , nevertheless , for n purchase of territory with reference to a railroad to California . Walker has no Minister at Washington at present ; Rivns io recognized there as the President tic . facto of Nicaragua .

      ' . 1 h « writer of a letter from Mexico speaks of tho disturbed condition of that unhappy republic , and records his belief that tho country must , at no very distant period , be incorporated with the United States . He adds : — " The Pmo party which id at present ruling , and is chiefly composed of half-caste Indians , appears anxious to pave tho way for American dominion , and it is oven aflsortod that they liuvo a secret understanding with tho United States . Homo of tho measures adopted by that

      party are sa truly barbarous that they naturally- inspire doubt whether Mexieo really has , or ever hadj any rigfet to be- considered as a civilized nation . By way o £ example , I may mention a recent moyement made in the province of Guerrero , under the immediate direction of the high functionaries of the State , headed by a notorious ruffian , the declared object of which is to banish from the country all the Spaniards ( a very numerous , laborious , and respectable part of the community ) , to seize all the lands belonging to the haciendas , and distribute them among the Indians , & c . " This , by the way , would only be reversing what the Spaniards did to the Indians .

      The steam-ship Northern Indiana has been burnt , and about twenty lives were lost , owing to the forward boat upsetting as the frightened passengers crowded into it . The greater number of persons aboard , however , were saved ; but the loss of property was immense . A Mormon " Elder "—Brother Grant—has supplied a pithy little discourse on polygamy . Thus ( addressing the faithful in a Sunday morning sermon ) does he stand up for the sacred ordinance : — " You cannot alter it ; you cannot alter it ; you cannot revoke this eternal law-. is the bestand

      If a man has fifty wives , and the fiftieth , does the most good , she will get the greatest reward , in spite of all the grunting on the part of the first ones . " Another illustration of Mormonistn , and of the system of polygamy , is presented by the fact that a blacksmith , named Strong , a native of Kendal , in the North of England , has been shot dead at Utah , for refusing to give up his wife and daughter to the embraces of the High Priest . Strong was a leader and priest of the Mormon connexion in Kendal for some years previous to his departure from England .

      General Smith has assumed the command of the United States' troops in Kansas . In reply to a request from the Free-state men for protection against the armed Missourians , he replied that he had no authority to do so 5 that those bands were the regularly enrolled militia of the territory ; that everything they do is done under colour of law , and that the Free-state men have no redress except by resort to the civil powers . The Senate have passed a resolution asking the President for the instructions to the United States troops in Kansas .

      American Revelations Of The Slave Trade....

      AMERICAN REVELATIONS OF THE SLAVE TRADE . A Poetcguese merchant , named Basilio de Cunha Reis , has been apprehended in New York , charged with being engaged in the slave traffic . The affidavit on which the arrest was effected was made by Andrew Wilson , one of the crew of the Altivie , a vessel belonging to Reis . Wilson embarked on board another ship owned by Reis ( the Mary Smith ) under a false representation that she was bound for South America ; hut he soon discovered that the captain was on a slaving expedition to the coast of Africa . The same imposition had been practised on nearly all the crew . The captain , however , soon overcame the scruples of most of the men by promising them enormous pay—six hundred dollars , their passage home proivded for them , and the privilege of taking two negroes apiece to Cuba to sell . " Great care , " proceeded Wilson in his statement , " was taken to keep out of the way of vessels . There were several kinds of flags on board , of different countries , to hoist as was doemed most judicious . Guns and munitions for defence were on board to use in case of attack or other emergency . The Mary Smith landed at Cape Padron , on the coast of Africa , and immediately set about getting a cargo of slaves . Before the entire cargo was taken on board , tho second mate and myself deserted from the ship and went to a slave factory , or barracoon as it is generally called , eight miles south of Cape Padron ; wo here represented that tho cause of our desertion was cruel treatment from tho captain of the vessel we had left . The Mary Smith soon sailed , and it was lucky that , in the oase of the mute and myself , principle overcame avarice , for the schooner , us I have since learut , was subsequently captured by a Brazilian man-of-war ofF Brazil , where the captain and crew arc at present imprisoned . "

      Wilson next proceeds to describe tho principal features of the slave station : —" This barracoon , like all other barracoons on tho coast of Africa , was situated in a spot as little liable to observation from tho sea as possible ; this was to prevent the detection of tho locality by cruizing vessels along the coast . Tho barracpou wus a roughly constructed aflair , and comprised two apartments , ono for tho negro males , and tho otbor for the women and children ; each apartment was over four hundred feet long , by thirty feet wide , with a spuco intervening of about seventy-five- feet . Each structure was raised somewhat from the ground to prevent damage from tho inmmdiitionu to which tho land near thu

      soashoro is liable . Tho sides and roofs were thatched . In the two buildings , I was told , thoro were sometimes 1000 negroes . Tho number depends upon the luck offsetting in a stock , and the frequency of uluvcra lauding on tho coast . Tho way tha negroes aro obtained is by a regular nystein of traffic . Persons arc trained to it , who do nothing else but forage tho country and steal negroes . They bring them to the barracoonu and receive in exchange beads , calico , brass bracelets , old muskets , or rum . Tho price allowed for a stout , able-bodied negro is about eight dollars , and for women ami children from three to four dollars , navablo in iroods . No children arc

      bought less than bvx years- of age . Such is the infatuation for strong ornaments and rum that parents sell their own children to the slave-factors , and husbands their own wives . The negroes , during their stay at the barracoon , are kept chained in gangs of from eight to twelve . An-iron clasp is placed around the neck of each negro , and- chains attached to these clasps : the parties are linked together . They make the negroes worfc , but keep them : chained together while at work . T & e work they have to do , however , is trifling . At this place , the nearest water was three miles ofiy and it was no small labour to bring the water necessary for drink . " The poor creatures are branded with a hot iron ,, generally on the right breast , but sometimes on the arms , back , or thighs . The agent would not allow Wilson to go to St . Paul de Loando to see the American consul . He was " a very dark , sly Spaniard , " heavily armed , and . one day he shot a negro dead for disobedience .

      At the end of two months , the Altivie , another slaver from New York , came to the spot , and in this vessel Wilson returned . Four hundred negroes were stowed on board the Altivie , which was a schooner of a hundred and fifty tons . " The major part were compactly huddled in the hold . Accommodations on deck were afforded for the women and children . There was here fresh air , but the condition of those in the hold was awful . They had to lie in spoon fashion , and were not permitted to stir out . A tolerable supply of food was afforded , but water was sparingly dealt out . The vessel directed its course to Cuba ; it landed at Santa Nearia , a desert island . During ; the passage , one hundred of the negroes died . " The result of this testimony was that the slaver was found guiltv , and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment .

      Accidents And Sudden Deaths. Whether It ...

      ACCIDENTS AND SUDDEN DEATHS . Whether it be that a spirit of fatality has gone forth over the land within the last few days , or that the morning papers , finding a . dearth of other matter , have given greater prominence to the ordinary casualties of life , certain it is that there has been a perfect harvest , during the week , of sudden deaths and lamentable disasters . Among these , perhaps the most conspicuous is a Railway Accidents . —Howler Bottom , a place between Stubbins and Ewoodbridge stations on the East Lancashire Railway , was the scene on Monday evening of a fatal accident . A double line of rails was being laid down , and a temporary path across the lines was made for the convenience of the ballast waggons . At this spot , the Bacup train , consisting of five carriages , ran off the line , and was for a time enveloped from sight by a cloud of dust and steam . On this , clearing away , it was found that the fore wheels of the engine had stuck fast , that the hind portion bad mounted into the air , making a complete somersault , and that the entire engine , weighing upwards of twenty tons , was thrown down the embankment with the wheels uppermost . The carriages became uncoupled from the engine , and also ran off the line . The engineer , on being got out from under the second carriage , died almost immediately from the scalds and other injuries he had received ; the stoker was also discovered in a deplorable condition , and it is expected that he will die ; the guard waa injured on the thigh , but not dangerously ; one of the passengers

      received contusions which render his recovery precarious ; tliree more sustained fractures and bruises of a very serious description ; and others were more or less hurt . —A train ran oft" the rails on the North-Western line on Wednesday , and , after continuing its course for some few minutes , came to a stand-still . Ono of the passengers was slightly contused , but this was all the injury that resulted . —Am engine at Huddorsfiold , as it was issuing out of the station , came in contact with a luggage train which was being shunted in the same direction . The two engines and some of the waggons were considerably damaged , and a fireman , a driver ,

      and a pointsman were severely hurt . —A third-class train from Liverpool ran into a goode train at the Albion station on tho Stour Valley branch of the London and North-Western Railway , near Birmingham . This was in broad daylight . Tho shock was very violent . One lady hod her leg broken , and many suffered , considerable personal injury . The engines and carriages of both trains wero a good deal shattered . —Another fatul accident has occurred on thu East Lancashire line , a man who was coupling some waggons at the Radclifl'o station huving been knocked down and run over by the engine

      Djuatii oir a Dwacoon Guard on tiih Maucii , — Robert Lockhart , a privato in the Scot * Gruy * , huu di « 4 suddenly while marching from Jj ' uruiiighum to Wokioftham . His horse having a sore back , ho wiw not allowed to ridu it , but watt compelled to load tho animal tha whole wuy , a distance of about Hovoutcoji ntiloa . Oa pussing Aldorshott camp , the man hud a glasu of ojo , and shortly uftcrwaidn ho drank largely of water . Hq coinpluincd of fatigue , and admitted to Gray , tho farriormujor who hud command of thu troop , thab he hud been up all tho previous night drinking iu ooinpany with a comrade ami two women . H < J wni * aoou obworved . to stagger a good deal , to talk wildly , a » d to run forward suddenly and then stop in a ( angular manner . . Jt was at lintl thought ho wu * intoxicated ; but , whuu they were wilhiu two mileu and a half of Wokinghaui , Lockr hart full duwn und was unable la niovQ . JUe wiW canciwi

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 9, 1856, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_09081856/page/3/