not be unknown to your honors that the hog is, beyond all contradiction, the most destructive to grain of all animals upon earth. In a single night he will ravage an entire field, and notwithstanding the authority to do so, derived from your honorable body, his bloody laurels often attest the sanguinary combat he has waged in defence of his privileges. To statesmen so experienced as yourselves, it would be presumption in us to call your most serious attention to the absurdity of conferring such honors upon an animal so voracious and so regardless of the true wealth of nations. In the single article of fencing, one-third of the labor annually employed in this state might be dispensed with if this licensed freebooter, this swinish corsair, were subjected to imprisonment. It is true we may be reproached with being frequently seen perched upon his back, and we sincerely wish that we could ride into power upon his shoulders, as many of the race of man have done upon the shoulders of their fellows; but alas! like the innocent apple upon the head of the son of Tell, the deadly shaft pierces us through, while the hog moves on unharmed, the pride and favorite of republicans. It is far from the wish of your petitioners to say one word that has reference to political matters. It is certainly our interest to please both sides-we have made "geoponicks" rather than politics our study, and notwithstanding we possess in an eminent degree that craft which is the distinguishing trait of the profound politician, the necessity of procuring subsistence has driven us rather to the contemplation of corn-hills than codes. Nevertheless we find ourselves constrained to say that we are somewhat in the predicament of Gen. Jackson. His deeds have been long known, commented upon, triumphantly vindicated, and yet there are some who seem to have been in a sort of political lethargy, and to have suddenly awakened to a keen perception of his atrocities. The flood long pent up in their bosoms hath at length found a vent, and a torrent of vituperation has poured down upon his head, so sweeping and so overwhelming that no place of secu rity can be found for the hero of New Orleans, save the strong walls of your penitentiary. Now, "Ever since old Adam was made, Pulling of corn has been our trade" and yet, with this knowledge on your part, vengeance hath slept until lately; the plea of necessity has been our justification-we have acted, as Mr. Adams says, under a higher sanction than human laws, and yet nothing short of an ignominious end will satisfy the enemies of our advancement. Nor are we at a loss to find a parallel in our case to that of Mr. Adams, if that eminent scholar will permit us to compare the humble Mantua with lofty Rome. Like him, we fondly flattered ourselves that our nests, carefully cemented by the aid of Clay, were too securely reared toward the skies to be reached by our opponents. We did not dream that explorations would produce so much mischief; we hoped that in these observatories we might securely sit, and that any attempt to disturb us would be "ineffably stupid," when lo! the auri sacra fames, (more Latin, an' please your worships,) the cursed love of treasury pap, has suddenly overturned all our hopes and left us a prey to despair. We forbear to trespass longer upon your valuable time, although this subject is capable of great amplification, and conclude with an earnest prayer that your honors will reject, promptly and with merited scorn, every bill which has for its object the further wounding of your petitioners, and if this humble boon be too much to grant, we implore that you will in mercy allow us at least the writ of habeas corpus, and ordain that our mangled crowns shall be no longer, with Indian ferocity, exhibited to your magistracy, an indecent spectacle and barbarian trophy, but that each victim, in propria persona, shall be produced, and your petitioners will ever pray, &c. &c. Signed by MANY CROWs. THE CAPITOL. Quoth I, with a' my heart I'll do't, Burns' Holy Fair. Old Richmond bell began to groan, And loud proclaim'd the hour o' noon, The sun was bursting through the clouds And men were thronging forth in crowds . So gay, that day. As lonesomely I took the street, A laughing friend I chanced to meet, He press'd my hand with friendly grip, And said, come take with me a trip, I will with all my heart, quoth I, Has Richmond City seen old "Scratch ?" Oh no, quoth he, a better joke By far than that we crack, They've killed a man called Roanoke, Whose christian name was Jack; A woman threw a tile of yore, That Tyler now is also dead, So arm in arm, we sought the Hall, He smiled and said, "pray, forward march, Now on the spacious square we stood, My eye pursued the dazzling flood Of James as he went winding; I saw him raging far above, And with the rocks contending, Then lower down, less furious move, As if his rage was spending Full fast, that day. Before me stood sweet Liberty! And when to full grown strength he's brought; As right and left I turn my eye, Upon a thousand hills; But dark as Erebus below, Black wreaths of smoke arise, What interchange of hill and dale !— And scatter'd tree that waved between : Nay, more-it had a touch sublime, My thoughts went back to former time, So changed this day. But time would fail to tell of him, I'll now pursue my idle whim, And dash my tear of pity- On ev'ry side, in glittering pride, |