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kingston chronicle nec rege nec populo sed uf roque vol 11 saturday june 12 1830 no 50 political the west india trade from blackwoods magazine f undoubtedly mr canning in his cele- brntcd letter to mr gallatin the american minister placed the colonial question on its proper basis the attempt on the part of tho american government to have the colonics considered in the ltght of portions ofthe united kingdom and to fdaim the same privileges in trading to the west ladies that they enjoyed by treaty in the ports of this country was dexterous ly conceived it was however as clearly seen through indeed it was impossible to put forward the pretension without at the same time suggesting the recollection of the fact that the colonies have from the date of their plantation been indebted to the mother country and that all the pro duce which they remit to her is bnt in payment of the interest of the debt or in reduction of the debt itself to have opened therefore the trade with them without an equivalent to indemnify the mother country for the risk she run of that remittance going into other channels would have been inexpedient and most unwise at least this is the view which many have taken of the subject and it is m unsound for if the west india trade uyiraulo u iiju uiicuciui suiuyit- is worth their while to pay for tho use of the privilege but another tale besides this hangs to the question and of far more importance to the general interests of the empire than the value of any equivalent in the power or likely to bo long in the power of the united states to give we shall not raise uiy argument on this head but simply state two facts the first is that the uuited states with in their own territories are rapidly culti vating all sorts of west india productions and probably not many years will elapse until they have an abundance of every thing within themselves which at present they require from the west indies the boon therefore which may be granted to them under existing circumstances will assuredly no longer be considered as such than until the period we anticipate arrive the second fact is that tho question as dow stated by the american govern ment with reference to some concession which maybe made in their tariff is one which the west india interest has very little concern it is a question that much more affects the manufacturing interests at home aud we must be insensible to the relative condition in which our manufac- turesstand with those ofthe united states if we can flatter ourselves that any advan tage which may be obtained by an altera tion in their tariff will be otherwise than temporary it will not be felt longer in glasgow and manchester and their neigh bours than until the floridas louisiana aud the other southern states are able to uudersel the importers from the west in- diesin the american markets for about that time their own manufacturers will be able to supply all their wants under this impression we should regret exceedingly to see auy treaiy framed on the principle of equivalents with reference to the tariff it may be said that as every treaty which can be formed with relation to the colonial question must of necessity be temporary seeing that sooner or later the americans will be independent of us both u to manufactures and west indian pro- juce the matter at issue is really but ol minor importance this is not however a just estimate for by opening the west india trade to the americans we open a fompetittoo against our own north american tolonies under the existing state of things these colonies can supply the west indies with every thing they would take from the united states and to bring a competition against them would be to inflict perma nent damage nn a great and growing in terest of our own without any advantage to the west india interest and for what some transient advantage which our ma nufacturers might derive from a modifica tion ofthe american tariff we are therefore persuaded that pur proper way of viewing the colonial ques tion now in negotiation between this country and the united slesi with relation to reciprocal onsidering it prima british interests jbtain a clear ide u stake and then we will bo better able ojudge whether the proposal of the ame ricans is one which should be the subject f negotiatioa or should even be enter tained at ail- to revert to the simple form of reason ing by statement we claim it to be receiv ed as a fact that our north american provinces are capable of furnishing every irticle lo the west india markets which he united states can furnish and there- ore the only point which can create any iifferenceof opinion as to the expediency 3f letting the americans share the trade with them must relate simply to the price tf the articles for except with relation to price the additional length of voyage upon which no much stress is laid as an in gredient of price is deserving of no consi deration we have no disposition to con ceal that tho americans at preseot by be ing mure accustomed to the trade are able to embark their lumber c for the west indies at perhaps a cheaper shipping price than our own colonists but be the fact recollected that every day the inhabitants of our american proviucos are becoming more expert in their forest labours are ex tending tlreir agricultural improvements and aro increasing in population in a word are treadiog closer and closer on the heels of those who are before them in t la- business at the same time also let it in- recollected that it is no less true that th americans are becoming less and less able owing to their agricultural improvements to compete with their british rivals- luni ber is becoming scarcer amoogst theni and had it not been for their recenilyforni cd canals aud other facilities in their in land navigation it would perhaps hav been a question at this very time whe ther with all the advantages of the short had been recently built to which that fireat j even to excoriation his cheeks still he preacher the rev john williams wasap- felt that lie was engaged in a sanctified ad- er voyage and their superior dexteniv they could have competed with ournortl american colonists in any one artich which they can supply to the west id dies we also claim attention to the fact tba the resources of our north american pro vinces for supplying the west indies cai scarcely be said to be well opeoed an therefore if in tliis early stage of the trad- there is any justness in the opinion thj the difference in the cost to the planter o lumber c- obtained from them is not if essential consequence as compared wit those from the united states it should fo low that by giving a preference to then we aro really ensuring to the planter sup plies at a cheaper rate inasmuch as expc rieoce will obviate that difference of pric wuicft fc at present the onlj ffteiiaghlus them moreover it is of importance to the planters to know that with respect to the consumption of their produce our north american provinces draw all their sup plies from them unmixed with any article of a similar kind raised within themselves w lii- t en already the americans ouly take from the west indies so much pro duce as supplies the deficiency in their owu crops it is true and we believe the fact will surprise the west india interest that the peasantry of upper canada make nearly as much sugar as they consume but the very fountains from which they draw the mate rial are literally hourly diminishing the lands on which the sugar mapletree grows are those most preferred for the cultiva tion of what is generally called bread stuffs a reason why the lumber and flour of the cauadas should be encouraged by the west india interest as the progress of agricultural improvements in those pro vinces will have the effect of bringing new customers for their commodities these circumstances sufficiently show that a great british interest exists in our north ameri can provinces entitled to protection in all its hearings before any question now should be entertained as to placiog she united states in competition with them moreover there is another most import ant correlative circumstance connected with the preference that should be gives to our own interests the trade between ur north american provinces and the west indies is entirely british and we shall slow bow it works exclusively as such- jhe colonists engaged in it are like all cdo- nists indebted to the mother coo pry there may be and we know there are inli- viduau among them who aro not so lui speaking in the comprehensive sense in which the question must bo discussed tur north american colonics are indebted to the uuited kingdom by seodiog their lumber and produce to the west ludics they obtain an additional market tley dispose of their articles there either for produce or for hills of exchange tley take cargoes to the united kingdom or they return with cargoes hack to their own poiutcd with much labour it was carri ed to the village and duly elevated to the belfry when father nicholas heard of this misfortune he called his flock together and told them of the pugatorial couditiou of thebellinthe hands ofthe heretics and what a laudable enterprise it would he to redeem it the preaching was within its sphere as inspiring as that of the hermit peter the indians lamented to one another the deplo rable unbaptized state of the hell of the bell itself they had no very clear idea but they knew that father nicholas said mass and preached in the church aud they un derstood the bell was to perform some ana logous service in the steeple their wont ed activity in the chase was at an end they sat in groups on the margin ofthe ri- verscommuning on the calamity which had befallen the bell aud some of them roam ed alone ruminating on the means of res cuing it the squaws who had been in formed that its voice would be beard far ther than the roaring of the rapids and that it was more musical than the call of the whippoorwell in the evening moved about in silence and dejection all were melancholy and finely touched with a holy enthusiasm many fasted and some volun- laniy suujuctetl uwimsmvcs u mic pe nances to procure reliof for the captive or mitigation of its sufferings at last the day of deliverance drew near the marquis de vandreuil the governor of canada resolved to send an expedition against the british colonics of massachu setts and new hampshire the command was given to major ilcrtel do rouvillc and one ofthe priests belonging to the je suits college at quebec informed father nicholas by a pious voyagenr ofthe pro posed incursion the indians were im mediately assembled in the church the voyageur was elevated in the midst of the congregation and father nicholas in a solem speech pointed him out to their ve neration as a messenger of glad tidings ho then told them ofthe warlike prepara tions at quebec and urged them to join the expedition at the conclusion the whole audience rose giving the warwhoop then simultaneously retiring to their houses they began to paint themselves with their most terrible colours for battle and as if ani mated by one will at ihcircouncil fire they resolved to join the expedition it was in the depth of winter when they set out to uuite themselves with do rou villes party at the foot of chanibly father nicholas with a tall staff and across on the top of it headed them and as they marched off their wives aud children in imitation of the hymns which animated the departure of the first crusaders uuder the command of godfrey do boulogne chaunted a sacred song which the holy fa ther had especially taught them for the oc casion they arrived at cbambly after a jour ney of incredible fatigue as the french sol diers were mounting their sleighs to pro ceed to lake champlatn the iudians fol lowed iu the track ofthe sleighs with the perseverance peculiar to their character father nicholas to he the more able to do his duty wheo it might be required rode in a sleigh with de rouville in this order and array the indians far behind followed in silence until the whole party had rendevouzed on the borders of lake c bam plain which beiug frozen and the snow hut thinly upon it was chosen for their route warmed iu their ports in this operation profit is realized i tious with tho unhappy captivity ofthe bell j were ornamented and they are in consequence in a better j the indians plodded solemnly their weary i in this triumph coudition cither to reduce their fefs lo way no symptom of regret or rabtw ov tamim tfuuiugs the mother country or to extend their co lonial improvements by which their capa city to reduce them is enlarged to be continued mis cell aneous canadian sketches no 2 by the bell of st regis the authot of sir andrew wyhe from frasers magazine for april father nicholas having assembled a con siderable number of the iudians whom he had converted settled them in the village which is now called st regis on the banks ofthe st lawrence the situation is one tifcstta tee oue liv of apprehension relaxed the tenances limy saw with eq the black aud white interminable forest on ihe shore ou the one hand and the dread and dreary desert ofthe snowy ice ofthe lake on ihn other the french soldiers venture he recalled to mind the martyr doms ofthe saiuts and the persecutions of the fathers and tho glory that would re dound to himself in all after ages by the re demption of the bell on the evening of the 28th february 1704 the expedition arrived within two miles of deerfield without having been discovered de rouville ordered his meu to halt rest and refresh themselves until midnight ai which hours he gave orders that the village should be attacked the surface of the soow was frozen and crackled beneath the tread willi great sagacity to deceive the english garrison de rouville directed that in advancing to the assault his raeo should frequently pause and then rush for a short time ra pidly forward by thi ingenious precau tion the sentinels in the town were led to imagine that the sound came from the irre gular rustle of the wiud through the laden branches of the snowy forest but an alarm was at last given and a terrible conflict took place in the streets the french fought with their accustomed spirit and the indians with their characteristic fortitude the garrison was dispersed the town was taken and the buildings set on fire at day break all the indians although greatly exhausted by the fatigue of the oihlvjcidif wranj rhww holy father to cooductthem to the bell that they might perform their homage and tes tify their vodcraiioh for it father nicho las was not a little disconcerted at this so lemn request and 1 rouville with many ofthe frenchmen ho were witnessos laughed at it most unrighteously but the father was not entirely discomficd as tho indians had never heard a hell before he obtained one of the soldiers from de rou ville and despatched nil to ring it the sound inthesilence ofthe frostydawu aud ihe still woods roeloud and deep it was to the simple ears o the judians as the voice of an oraclt they trembled and were filled with wiudcraod awe the bell was then taken from the belfry and fastened to a lieaut with a cross bar at each end to enable it to be carried by four men in this way the indians proceeded with it homeward exulting iu the deliver ance of ihe miraculous organ but it as soon found too heavy fur the uneven track they had t retrace and in conse quence when they reached their starting point on the shore of lake champlaio they buried it with many benedictions from father nicholas until they could come with proper mean to carry it away as soon as the ice was broken up father nicholas assembled them again iu the church and having procured a yoke of oxen they proceeded to bring in the bell in the mean time h the squaws and pa pooses had been informed of its marvellous powers and capacities and the arrival of it was looked to as one ofthe greatest events 14 in the womb of time nor did it prove far short of their anticipations one evcu- ing while they wore talking and commun ing together a mighty sound was heard ap proaching in the oods it rose louder and louder they hvteied they wondered and began lo shoul an cry it is ihe bell it was so presently the oxen surround ed by ihe indians were seen advancing from the woods the beams were laid across their shoulders and as the bell swuug be tween them iisouuded wide and far on the top of the beam a rudo seat was erected on which sat father nicholas ihe most triumphant of mortal men adorned with a imigina- wreath round his temples the oxeu too nameutcd with garlands of flowers i array in the calm of a whnii tlulnavcs nc sir steady coun- 1 still and green and while the roar of le loo- ual indifference gue saulte rapid softened by distance rose like the hum of a pagan multitude rejoicing in the restoration of an idol they approach ed the village the bell in due season was elevated to the hum of myriads of insects many curi ous little green parrots about the size of a sparrow chattered in a small and angry tone from the branches aud woodpeckers ran mei their filiform tongues on the ground the occasional rustling of the withered leaves indicated the retreat of a striped snake i arrived at an open spot and on a gen tle eminence the pagoda rose before me the tall spire surmounted by its gilded fee or umbrella of fillagree ironwork rest ed on its circular base in which was a small dark shrine with a grotesque door way to which a fow broad steps led the bells with their leafshaped tongue which hung round the tee were agitated by the breeze and emitted a wild and mournful chime those only who have lain awake amongst the burman pagodas and listeoed to their tinkling bells of different sizes and tones can know the extraordinary sensa tions which they occasion they always powerfully affected my feelings and on this occasion as heretofore the spirit went wandering in a mournful reverie all at once i was roused to a sense of my situa tion by a slight female scream and a maiden in silk attire with a few white flowers twisted in her hair who had been beatiog rice at the door of a wooden build- mtsh roof ran into the inn jelo on perceiving me i called lo her lo re main but she disregarded me so i enter ed the pooughce or priests house near the pagoda to examine it the principal room raised on piles some distance above the ground was large and clean here and there mats were spread ou ihn floor at the upper end were autique- na in which he has exhibited not only his own but the prevalent superstitions of the times in which he lived the country had been in the language of that period up the decayed stems and chirped exposed to war from the invisible world rily whilst transfixing their prey with during which the inhabitants were afflict ed with demons and so wrought upon by spectres as to pine languish aod die un der excruciating tormeuts sometimes the demons attacked one part of the coun try and sometimes auolher and the ob ject of the learned aud reverend doctors book is to authenticate the very tragical instauces in which they infested the houses and afflicted the persons of the inhabitants flashy people says he may burlesque these things but when hundreds of the most sober people in a country where they have as much motherwit certainly as the rest of mankind know them to be true nothing but ihe absurd and froward spirit of sadducism can question them i have not mentioned so much as one thing that will not be justified if it be required by the oaths of more consistent persons thau any that can ridicule these odd phenomena aod certainly few facts if we may judge by the evidence have been better estab lished ihat the existence of witchcraft and the wars of prodigious spirits in the provin ces of new england during the time of dr mather we have accounts of trials con ducted wilh all the forms and implements of jurisprudence in which many persons were convicted of holding communica tions with demons aod we have what is still more remarkablevoluntary confessions of parties acknowleding themselves in league with the devil so far therefore as the records add archives of courtsf law can verify the truth of any investigation we must believe thai many of the things looking chests coveredaviih glass ofdilver- j which dr mather has set forth are not on- ent colours and a profusion of gilding on lliese were models of pagodas also richly gill aod alabaster images ofthe boodh iu a sitting posture with their large cars resting on their shoulders with their legs crossed under them the chests contain ed the sacred writings on slips of ivory and books in the vernacular characters written with an iron style on palm leaves lay on the mats i was continuing my scrutiny of the apartment when i heard rough voices outside and as it struck me that it might be some stragglers from the army i climbed up on a shelf and there ensconced myself behiud an idol to observe who might enter presently three stout bonn ass came in their checked clothes thrown across their left shoulders bound round the waist and hanging to the knee exactly the old highland costume on their feet tbey wore sandals and showed formidable calves to their legs and the muscles of theright arm were very con spicuous on their heads were white and red cloths lied iu a knot in front and cigars were stuck through an orifice in the ears- two of them had dhars in their hands or curved swords with the haudlo as long as the blades most powerful weapons in decapitating or taking off an arm the third carried oo his shoulder a spear orua- meoted with the tail of a thibet cow it was evident that they wanted to make my acquaintance and for no friendly pur poses most likely to do my head the ho nour of being presented to his majesty of ly true as historical events but also natu rally incident however rarely to the condi tion and foiunes of men it is not for us however to argue this matter but many of the doctors stories are really striking re viewing thorn merely as connexions of fancy and some of the phenomena which bo des cribes and boasts of having witnesses to confirm have in different ages been seen iu similar forms and in countries far remote from new england the prodigy of the cross which constantine and his army be held in the air is of this description and the apocalypse vouchsafed to godfrey in the crusade is of ihe same character dr mather describes noises and huntings heard in the air a short time prior to the indian war of 1g75 accompanied with the beat ing of drums as in a battle but without into any particular disquisition these omens and auguries wc shall here present a version of his story of the naval apparition only premising that it contains several particulars which the doctor has not noticed but which we are persuaded are not less true than those he has ralated a ship called noahs dove was pre paring to sail from the port of salem for old england when a young man ac companied by his bride came and engaged berths for himself aud her as passengers no one in salem was in the slightest de gree acquainted with this handsome con- pie nor ditltbey themselves seek any ac quaintance iu the town but nntil the ves- the most secluded enterin concerning ihe golden feet and to impulse my body sel was ready lived in by the rivers side i felt if i had by stiie pheir conduct was perfectly blame- chance brought any weapon i found no- less and their appearance was highly res iding but ray paddle and was annoyed peotable but the sharpsighted people of with myself for indulging my propensity salem knew the prestigious appearances for adventures iu so defenceless a state of the demons which afflicted the country quietly i remained watching the burmans aud they discerned something about them who looked narrowly round cursed me whteh could not be deemed otherwisyhan began to suffer extremely from the toil of its place in the steeple and at the wonted wading through th snow and beheld with i hours of matins and vespers it still cheers admiration md envy the facility with with its clear and swelling voice the solemn which the indians iu their snowshoes woods and the majestic bt lawrence i vacity by those who have not seeu ihe brilliancy ofthe tin roof of canada contrasted in the sunshine with the bark woods this little church is celebrated for the legend of its bell when it was erected aud tho steeple completed father nicholas took occasiou in oue of his sermons to iuform his simple flock that a bell was as necessary to a stee ple as a priest is to a church and exhorted them therefore to collect as mauy furs as would enable him to procure one from france the indians were not sloths iu the performance of ibis pious duty two bales were speedily collected aud shipped for havre de garce and in due time the worthy ecclesiastic was informed that the bell was purchased aod put on board the grant monarque bound for quebec- it happened that this took place during one of those wars which ihe french and english are naturally iu the habit of wag ing against one another aud the grand monarque iu cousequence uever reached her destination she was taken by a new england privateer and carried into salem where theship and cargo were condemned as prize aod sold for tho captors ihe belt was bought for the town o dccrheld on ihe connecticut river where a church fnovta nothing moved over he surface no contrast could be greater than the patience of father ni cholas proselytes and tho irritability of ihe frenchmen when they reached the spot on which the lively and pretty town of burlington now stands a general halt was ordered that the necessary arrangements might be made his own wilh a compass in his ing the direou of deerfield that had been yet suffered was equal to the hardships endured in this march day af ter day the frenchmen went forward with indefatigable bravery a heroic contrast to the pains of their countrymen in the russi an snowstoi ir of latter times but they were ioquatj and the roughness of their course a ihe entangling molestation which they encountered from the under wood provol their malediction and ex cited their ge the conduct of the iodiaus v f different animated with holy zeal th constitutional taciturnity had something dignified even sublime in its sternness no murmur escaped them their knowledge 0 travelling ihe woods in structed theiu io avoid many of ihe annoy ances which c forth the jestes and sa- crcsof their l less brave but more voci ferous conipaioag longbefor party had reached their destination father nicholas was sick of his crusade of threatening the forest had lac his feet aud tho ro- coiliug boughg ad from time lo time by his 0w0 inad crte iu following too close ly behind hi companions sorely lluiucd l a burman adventure during the late service in ava my fa vourite amusement of an evening was to paddle about in a canoe made out of a truuk of a tree and to visit any interesting objects that presented themselves ou the banks of the majestic irrawaddi which iu mtfjullslr ihsn and arte baft lonubifc btmt 6 evetfrairfnc grrrear rent and was admiring ihe luxuriant foli age of the tropical trees dipping their pen dant branches into the stream their leaves for being out of the way and then went to look for me elsewhere i remained in my jiuiiieildniiinn for ome time and bo- ginning to tire thought i might venture to look after ray canoe so tucking up my sleeves and pulling my trowsers over my knees with a handkerchief round my waist i prepared for a run and descend ing from my shelf looked out at the door and finding the coast clear i was making towards the jungle when as illluck would have it iu crossing the open space in front ofthe pagoda i saw my three friends near it like a good soldier i sprang into a bush and commenced a rapid retreat as if ihe great enemy of maokind had been be hind me the momeut they saw me they set up a shout aod dashed after me away we went through the brushwood in spite of thorns and snakes opening a way through the branches and scaring the birds mysterious many persons intending to revisit their friends in the old country took passages also in tlienoalia iteve buui fneojjsfli- some of them they were rash in doing so and that it would he as well to learn some thing of their two questionable fellowpas sengers before hazarding themselves at sea with persons so unknown and singular these admonitions gave occasiou to mucb talk in salem but instead of mving the effect intended a fatal obstinacy became prevalent and preveoted every one who proposed to sail with the vessel from pay ing the slightest attention to them this strange infatuation only served to deepen the interest which the town took in tho de parture of the ship at last the day appointed for her sailing arrived never ba such flssolemn do been seen in salem glittering with gold and among insects of tho richest colours and of singu lar appearance were disporting them selves iselow an aged truck lay two al ligators crouching don and seemiugly enjoying tho lost rays of the sun as my skm approached they turned a suspioious eye towards me and then plunged their serrated backs underwater 3 held on my course aud saw at some distance iu the jungle the gilded spire of a temple conspi cuous over the dark green leaves so secluded a fane had an inviting air about it and thiuking that the enemy was at a distance i pushed ray canoe ou shore aud shouldering my paddle wended my way through the eutaugled voo4 fho air was cool and refreshing and i felt my self in high health and spirits with gentle murmur comes the breeze just kissing as it passes by the shutting flowers and leafy trees a twilight gloom pervades the woods through all their darkening solitudes and neither wore ihcj silent fur bestdes before7 i stumbled and fell over a fallen trunk the foremost of the three was at my back io a moment but fortunately i st which recovered myself in lime to lend him a blow with my paddle and then jumped over the bank i expected them to come tumbling down after me but they did not and quickly regaining my cauoe i pushed off iuto the middle of the stream and like crusoe i saw them no more j i- a- st retersburgh june 1829 the spectre ship of salem n from blackwoods magazine there was an old and quiet roan and by the lire sal he and now he said to you ill tell a dismal thing which once befel to a ship upon the sea the uev cotton mather d d and f- r s an eminent clergyman of bostoo in massachusetts who flourished about the end of the 17th century wrote a curious book entitled magualia christi america- dr cotton mathers magnolia christi ame ricana wer sor rowful and many in tears at last tho ship hoisted the signal for sailing and wonderful to tell at the same time that the flag was unfurled a black bird much like a raven alighted ou the hand of the town clock and by its weight pushed it forward some said full ten minutes every one who wituessed this sight was struck with horror and some laid hands upon their relations to prevent them from embarkiug but those who had engaged to go with the fated ves sel were wilful and would not be controll ed during these struggles the two unknown strangers came also to embark and she that was the bride was in tears weeping bitter ly however they stepped on board aod a sudden gust of wind at that moment the ship being cast loose from her njooriogs made ber yaw oft and she was almost in- stautly at sea the crowd however re mained auxiously watchiog her progress until she was out of sight they then re turned to their respective homes and tho whole conversation of salem for that even ing was saddened with presoutiments and forebodings concerning the noahs dove in the course of the night ihe breeze t ft