BY I,. WETHEREJUL. 
WHY MORE “ RAD SPELLERS ” NOW THAN 
Formerly i 
In the 37th No. of the Rural I find 
some remarks on the subject of “ bad 
spelling.” Every one who has had the 
opportunity of observing, complains of the 
same thing. Several years ago an applica¬ 
tion was made to me by a young man from 
-Academy, requesting a situation in 
my school as assistant teacher. The appli¬ 
cation was embraced in about ten lines, and 
contained not less than four errors in Or¬ 
thography. The question is frequently 
asked, “ Why so many bad spellers?” So 
far as I have been able to ascertain, all 
agree in regard to some of the reasons, 
while others appear to be overlooked. 1 
assign the following, as the principal: 
1st. In this part of the country at least, 
and I believe, generally less attention is 
paid by teachers to the subject of spelling, 
than formerly. Few teachers now make 
this branch of education, a matter of so 
close, strict, and persevering attention, as 
did those of the early part of this century. 
I well remember when every student, large 
and small, was required to have a spelling- 
book, anil a considerable portion of each 
day was spent in the use of it, in preparing 
for the closing exercise of the day, which 
always consisted of a thorough, well-con¬ 
ducted, spelling exercise. 
2d. The introduction of so many new 
subjects of study. Not only have we found 
many more things to be learded, than were 
ever thought of in former years, but we must 
have them all studied in early life. We 
must have Primary Geographies, Primary 
Philosophies, Physiologies, Geologies, Bot¬ 
anies, Chemistries, Arithmetics, Grammars, 
&c., <fec., and these must hold the first place 
among the studies and exercises of the 
school, while reading and spelling are made 
secondary; the latter of which is often con¬ 
fined to a few words found at the com¬ 
mencement, or the close, of the reading ex¬ 
ercise, or selected at random from the lesson. 
I consider this second reason as the chief 
cause of the prevalence of bad spelling.— 
It operates unfavorably on the teacher, both 
by the draft it makes upon his time, and 
perhaps is allowed to mako on account of 
its being more interesting than the dull ex¬ 
ercise of spelling. The same may be said 
of its effect on the young student; and al¬ 
though it may be true, that the course of 
study is intended to advance the young- 
learner, yet when we consider the style, and 
in many cases, the puerility , of these pri¬ 
mary “ Text-Books,” and also the hinder- 
ance which they cause to success in the 
more appropriate studies of early youth, it 
is certainly to be regretted that these stud¬ 
ies should be allowed to usurp so promi¬ 
nent a place in the early education of chil¬ 
dren, unless it be compensated by greater 
attention afterwards. And yet I would 
not wholly exclude them all, but I would 
give some of them a secondary place, and 
others, (those that must be not merely sim¬ 
plified, but even silly-tied,) I would wholly 
exclude, till they can be studied without 
being shorn of all their beauty, dignity and 
science, in the attempt to bring them down 
to the capacities of children. 
I have said, less attention is paid by 
teachers to the subject of spelling. They 
have some excuse for this neglect, and that 
is found in what I have said above. But 
making all due allowance for this, there is 
still a want of that strict and persevering 
attention, which the subject requires. The 
difficulties in the orthography of our lan¬ 
guage are such, that nothing less than a 
thorough, systematic, intelligent, and long- 
continued training will overcome them. I 
say “intelligent,” because I have seen those 
that could spell every word in the spelling 
book, when exercised in the class, who 
would yet fail to spell correctly in a written 
communication. 
To become a correct speller, requires 
study and practice. A suitable portion of 
each day in school, should be devoted to 
these. Whatever methods may be adopt¬ 
ed to ensure success, nothing^will super¬ 
sede study, repeated study. By introduc 
ing variety in the plan of the exercise, we 
may break up the monotony, and create a 
temporary interest, yet perfection can only 
be attained by persevering study. Were 
CEDAR OF LEBAKON. 
Hfitttml fjblortj. 
CEDAR OF LEBANON. 
“The forest of cedars” on the famed 
mountain of Lebanon, which once furnished 
the sacred writers with so many beautiful 
images, has now almost wholly disappeared. 
Some few trees remain, to remind us of 
their former glory, (Isa. lx. 13.) and to 
teach us the mutability of all sublunary 
things. 
Burckhardt, the celebrated traveler, de¬ 
scribes these ancient inhabitants of the 
forest, which are among the chief objects of 
the traveler’s curiosity, in the following 
terms:—“They stand on uneven ground, 
and form a small wood. Of the oldest and 
best looking trees, I counted 11 or 12: 25 
very large ones; about 50 of middling size; 
and more than 300 smaller and younger 
ones. The older trees are distinguished, 
by having the foliage and small branches 
at the top only, and by four, five, or even 
seven trunks springing from one base; the 
branches and foliage of the others were 
lower, but I saw none whose leaves touch¬ 
ed the ground, like those in Kew Gardens. 
The trunks of the old trees are covered 
with the names of travelers and other per¬ 
sons who have visited them: I saw a date 
of the seventeenth century. The trunks of 
the oldest trees seem to be quite dead: the 
wood is of a grey tint. 
The cedar is a large majestic tree, rising 
to the height of 30 or 40 yards; and some 
of them are from 35 to 40 feet in girth. It 
is a beautiful evergreen, possessing leaves 
something like those of the rosemary, and 
distils a kind of gum, to which various 
qualities are attributed. Le Bruyn says, 
the leaves of the tree point upward, and 
the fruit hangs downward: it grows like 
cones on the pine tree, but is longer, hard¬ 
er, and fuller, and not easily separated from 
the stalk. Its seed, is similar to the cypress. 
The wood of the cedar is very valuable; 
it possesses a strong aromatic smell, and is 
reputed to be incorruptiole. The ark of 
'he covenant, and many parts of Solomon’s 
temple, were constructed of it.” 
THE RED OR FIRE BIRD OF CANADA. 
This beautiful bird, the brightest of oru 
forests, is common in all parts of Canada. 
It is only equalled in beauty of plumage 
by the Oriole, which, however, seldom visits 
the northern counties, confining itself to 
those lying south of Lake Ontario, and west 
of the county of York. 
The fire or red bird on the contrary may 
be seen all over Canada, even to the shores 
of Lake Huron, and probably beyond. It 
is not distinguished for its song. The bright 
scarlet and deep black plumage that adorns 
the male is what makes it an object of 
interest and attraction to Canadians. 
Few unacquainted with it would suppose 
that the male and female were so dissimilar 
in color and appearance. For a long time 
we were not aware of the fact; supposing 
male and female both red. Whilst sitting 
in the forest under the mountain of Hamil¬ 
ton, in 1835, watching the movements of 
the male bird, we saw it enter a nest upon 
a maple tree, and saw the female leave.— 
The female afterwards took the place of the 
male. We then discovered that the female 
bird was of a dark green, mixed with a dark 
slate color. She has no red or scarlet upon 
her body. We afterwards noticed this dis¬ 
tinction upon several occasions. 
The red bird has a pleasant whistle, 
heard in a sunny day in June, among the 
highest trees. His wings are of a jet black 
and also the long tail feathers, but the 
other parts of the body are of the brightest 
scarlet. When seen in the month of June 
among the topmost branches of the maple 
or the elm, flittering in the sun from bough 
to bough, he seems like a flame of tire. 
the words of our language spelled as they 
are pronounced, the difficulties would be 
removed. In the present state of' the lan¬ 
guage, they must be overcome by perse¬ 
verance. Let teachers, then, be found 
faithful. ,h. 
Down East, Nov.. 1851. 
THE BEST TIME TO STUDY. 
Morning is the best time to study.— 
Then are the corporeal energies active if 
ever, and the student or the professional 
man can accomplish more mental labor, 
with less expenditure of vital power than 
during any other part of the twenty-four 
hours which measure the day. If all who 
are engaged in studying or writing, would 
devote the morning hours to their severe 
labor, they would accomplish more work 
in less time and with far less detriment to 
the body,—the mind’s medium of mani¬ 
festation and communication in the present 
state of being,—than if this order be dis¬ 
regarded. 
Nature seems to have alloted night as 
the time for repose not only of man, but of 
the animal kingdom generally, excepting 
perhaps, the owl and the bat; and to ren¬ 
der this needed rest doubly sure, she spreads 
a sable curtain over all her works, thus 
shutting them out, as it were, from the 
sight of the eye. Persons who either for 
study or amusement reverse Nature’s or¬ 
der, cannot reasonably expect Nature’s 
blessing. If one-half or more of the night 
be devoted to study, the other half or less, 
remains for rest and for the reinvigoration 
of the functions of the tired body. Sleep, 
to such, when they seek repose seems to 
have fled. Though the body is placed in 
the position for repose, there is no slumber 
for the eyelids. Nervous irritability is in¬ 
duced, soon followed, not unfrequently, by 
partial insanity and premature death. 
We would say then, to all who are en¬ 
gaged in rflental pursuits, devote the first 
hours of the day to study and thought of 
the severer kind, and the remaining hours, 
and more especially those that immediately 
precede the hours of rest, to such reading 
as does not task the mind, to music and 
conversation; and by conversation we do 
not mean debating and disputing, but a 
free and agreeable interchange of thought 
with congenial minds. Add to these, tem¬ 
perance, cheerfulness, and exercise in the 
open air, and you may reasonably anticipate 
a long, useful, and happy life. 
THE PEN. 
The power of the Pen is indeed a 
mighty one. It rises above the Forum or 
the Desk, and is superior to the Sword. 
Oratory may move the living multitudes 
that congregate within the hearing of its 
tones, and, for the time, exert over them a 
greater influence. But the Pen silently 
wields its power, not only upon the present, 
but indefinitely along the line of future 
generations. It dies not, but its tones ring 
through the hearts of countless multitudes 
whenever‘and wherever the press gives to 
it its undying life. 
The man sitting down with his pen has 
more leisure to mould his thoughts and 
clothe them in words that shall burn into 
the hearts of his readers, like coals of living 
fire, or, plant them in the fields of fancy, 
where they shall open and expand like 
vernal flowers to shed ambrosial sweets and 
invigorate the weary pilgrims of life. So 
indeed should he learn to wield it as the 
sure means of effecting good when his voice 
has gone out with the expiring embers of 
life. Such win to themselves golden crowns 
of success, that the rust of ages cannot 
corrode. t. e. w. 
Common Schools should go before po 
litical rights. 
From one centre, knowledge radiates in 
a thousand directions. 
President’s Message. 
Fellow citizens of the Senate 
and, of the House of Representatives. 
I congratulate you and our common con¬ 
stituency upon the favorable auspices under 
which you meet for your first session. Our 
country is at peace with all the world. The 
agitation which, for a time, threatened to dis¬ 
turb the fraternal relations which make us 
one people, is fast subsiding ; and a year of 
general prosperity and health has crowned' 
the nation with unusual blessings. None 
can look back to the dangers which are 
passed, or forward to the bright prospect be¬ 
fore us, without feeling a thrill of gratifica¬ 
tion,at the same timethat he must be impressed 
with a grateful sense of our profound obliga¬ 
tions to a beneficent Providence, whose pa¬ 
ternal care is so manifest in the happiness of 
of this highly-favored land. 
THE CUBAN EXPEDITION. 
Since the close of the last Congress, cer¬ 
tain Cubans and other foreigners resident in 
the United States, who were more or less con¬ 
cerned in the previous invasion of Cuba, in¬ 
stead of being discouraged by its failure, 
have again abused the hospitality of this 
country, by making it the scene of the equip¬ 
ment of another military expedition against 
that possession of her Catholic majesty, in 
which they were countenanced, aided and 
joined by citizens of the Uuifed States. On 
receiving intelligence that such designs were 
entertained, I lost no time in issuing such in¬ 
structions to the proper officers of the United 
States as seemed to be called for by the occa¬ 
sion. By the proclamation, a copy of which 
is herewith submitted, 1 also warned those 
who might be in danger of being inveigled in¬ 
to this scheme of its unlawful character, and 
of the penalties which they would incur. 
For some time there was reason to hope that 
these measures had sufficed to prevent any 
such attempt. This hope, however, proved 
to be delusive. Very early in the morning of 
the third of August, a steamer called the 
Pampero departed from New Oilcans for 
(Juba, having on board upwards of four hun¬ 
dred armed men, with evident intentions to 
make war upon the authorities of the island. 
This expedition was set on foot in palpable 
violation of thp laws of the United States. 
Its leader was a Spaniard, and several of the 
chief officers, and some others engaged in it. 
were foreigners. The persons composing it, 
however, were mostly citizens of the United 
States. 
Before the expedition set out. and proba¬ 
bly before it was organized, a slight insur¬ 
rectionary movement, which appears to have 
been soon suppressed, had taken place in the 
eastern quarter of Cuba. The importance of 
this movement was unfortunately so much 
exaggerated in the accounts of it published 
in this country, that these adventurers seem 
to have been led to believe that the Creole 
population of the island not only desired to 
throw off the authority of the mother coun¬ 
try, but had resolved upon that step, and 
had begun a well concerted enterprise lor ef¬ 
fecting it. The persons engaged in the ex¬ 
pedition were generally young and ill-inform¬ 
ed. The steamer in which they embarked 
left New Orleans stealthily and without a 
clearance. After touching at Key West, she 
proceeded to the coast of Cuba, and, on the 
night between the 11th and 12th of August, 
anded the persons on board at Playtas, with¬ 
in about twenty leagues of Havana. 
The main body of them proceeded to, and 
took possession of, an inland village, six 
leagues distant, leaving others to follow in 
charge of the baggage, as soon as the means 
of transportation could be obtained. The 
latter, having taken up their line of march to 
connect themselves with the main body and 
having proceeded about four leagues into the 
country, were attacked on the morning of 
the 13th by a body of Spanish troops, and a 
bloody conflict ensued ; after which they re¬ 
treated to the place of disembarcation, where 
about fifty of them obtained boats and re¬ 
embarked therein. They were, however, in¬ 
tercepted among the keys near the shore by 
a Spanish steamer cruising on the coast, cap¬ 
tured and carried to Havana, and. alter be¬ 
ing examined before a military court, were 
sentenced to be publicly executed, and the 
sentence was carried into effect on the 10th 
of August. 
On receiving information of what had oc¬ 
curred, Commodore Foxhall A. Barker was 
instructed to proceed in the steam-frigate 
Saranac to Havana, and enquire into the 
charges against the persons executed, the cir¬ 
cumstances under which they were taken, 
and whatsoever referred to their trial and 
sentence. Copies of the instructions from 
the Department of State to him, and of his 
letters to that Department, are herewith sub- 
mitte d. 
According to the record of the examina¬ 
tion, the prisoners admitted all the offences 
charged against them, of being hostile inva¬ 
ders of the island. At the time of their trial 
and execution the main body of the invaders 
was still in the field, making war upon the 
Spanish authorities and Spanish subjects.— 
After the lapse of some days, being overcome 
by the Spanish troops, they dispersed on the 
24th of August; Lopez, their leader, was cap¬ 
tured some days after, and executed on the 
1st of September. Many of his remaining 
followers were killed, or died of hunger and 
fatigue, and the rest were made prisoners.— 
Of these, none appear to have been tried or 
executed. Several of them were pardoned 
upon application of their friends and others, 
and the rest, about one hundred and sixty in 
number, were sent to Spain. Of the final 
ilisposiiion made of these we have no official 
information. 
Such is the melancholy result of this ille¬ 
gal and ill-fated expedition. Thus, thought¬ 
less young men have been induced, by false 
and fraudulent representations, to violate the 
law of their country, through rash and un¬ 
founded expectations of assisting to acompli-h 
political revolutions in other States, and have 
lost their lives in the undertaking. Too se¬ 
vere a judgment can hardly be passed, by the 
indignant sense of the community, upon 
those who, being better informed themselves, 
have yet led away the ardor of youth and 
an ill-directed love of political liberty. The 
correspondence between this government and 
that of Spain relating to this transaction is 
herewith communicated. 
Although these offenders against the laws 
have forfeited the protection of their country, 
yet the Government may, so far as is consist¬ 
ent with its obligations to other countries, 
and its fixed purpose, to maintain and en¬ 
force the laws, entertain sympathy for their 
unoffending families and friends, as well as a 
feeling of compassion for themselves. Ac¬ 
cordingly no proper effort has been spared, 
and none will be spared, to procure the re¬ 
lease of such citizens of the United States, 
engaged in this unlawful enterprise, as are 
now in confinement in Spain ; but it is to be 
hoped that such interposition with the gov¬ 
ernment of that country may not be consid¬ 
ered as affording any ground of expectation 
that the Government of the United States 
will, hereafter, feel itself under any obliga¬ 
tion of duty to intercede for the liberaiion or 
pardon of such persons as are flagrant offend¬ 
ers against the law of nations and the laws 
of the United States. These laws must be 
executed. If we desire to maintain our re¬ 
spectability among the nations of the earth, 
it behooves us to enforce steadily and sternly 
the neutrality acts passed by Congress, and 
to follow, as far as may be, the violation of 
those acts with condign punishment. 
But what gives a peculiar criminality to this 
invasion of Cuba is, that under the lead of Span¬ 
ish subjects and with the aid of citizens of the 
United States, it had its origin, with many, in 
motives of cupidity. Money was advanced by 
individuals, probably in considerable amounts, to 
purchase Cuban bonds, as they have been called, 
issued by Lopez, sold, doubtless, at a very large 
discount, ami for the payment of which the pub¬ 
lic lands and public pioperty of Cuba, of what¬ 
ever kind; and the fiscal resources of the people 
and government of that island, from whatever 
source to be derived, were pledged, as well as the 
good faith of the government expected to be es¬ 
tablished. All these means of payment, it is 
evident, were only to be obtained by a process of 
bloodshed, war, and revolution. None w.ll deny 
that those who set on foot military expeditions 
against foreign States by means like these, aie far 
more culpable than the ignorant and the necessi¬ 
tous whom they induce to go forth as the ostensi¬ 
ble parties in the proceed in trs. These originators 
of tiie invasion of Cuba seem to have determin¬ 
ed, with coolness and system, upon an under¬ 
taking which should disgrace their country, vio¬ 
late its laws, and put to hazard the lives ol ill-in- 
formed and deluded men. You will consider 
whether further legislation be necessary to pre¬ 
vent the perpetration of such offences in future. 
No individuals have the right to hazard the 
peace of the country or to violate its laws upon 
vague notions of alteiing or reforming govern¬ 
ments in other States. This principle is not only 
reasonable in itself, and in accordance with public 
law, but isengraited into the codes of other na¬ 
tions as well asour own. But while such i.-. ihe 
sentiments of this Government, it may be added 
thate.ery independent nation must be presumed 
be able to defend its possessions against unauthor¬ 
ized individuals banded together to attack them. 
The Government of the United States, at all 
limes since its establishment, has abstained and 
has Bought to, restrain tile citizens of the coun¬ 
try, from entering into controversies between oth¬ 
er powers, and to observe all the duties of neu¬ 
trality. At an early period of the Government, 
in the administration of Wash ngton. several laws 
were passed for this purpose. The main provis 
ions of these laws were re-enacted by the act of 
April, 1818, by which, amongst other things, it 
was declared that if any person shall, within the 
territory or jurisdiction of the United states, be¬ 
gin, or set on foot, or provide, or prepare the 
means for any military expedition or enterprise to 
be carried on from thence against the territory or 
dominion of any foreign prince or fcitaie, or of 
any colony, district, or people with whom the 
United Slates are at peace, every person so offen¬ 
ding shall be deemed guilty of a high misdemea¬ 
nor, and shall be fined, not exceeding tnree tnou 
sand dollars, and imprisonment not more than 
three years ; and this law has been executed and 
enforced, to the full extent of the power of the 
government, from that day to this. 
In proclaiming and adhering to the doc¬ 
trine of neutrality and non-intervention, 
the United States have not followed the lead 
of other civilized nations; they have taken 
the lead themselves, and have been folio wed 
by others. This was admitted by one of the 
most em nent of modern British states mu 
who said in Parliament, while a minister iff 
the crown, "that, if he wished for a guide in 
a system of neutrality, he shou d take that 
laid down by America, in the days of Wash¬ 
ington and the secretaryship ol Jeff, rson ; ’ 
and we see, in fact, that the act of Congress 
of 1818 was followed, the succeeding ear. try 
an act of the Parliament ol’ England, sub¬ 
stantially the same in its general provisions. 
Up to that time there had been no similar 
law in England, except certain highly penal 
statutes passed in the reign ol George 11, 
prohibiting English subjects from enlisting 
in foreign service, the avowed object of which 
statutes was, that foreign armies, raised for 
the purpose of restoring the house ol Stuart 
to the throne, should not be strengthened by 
recruits from England herself. 
All must see that difficulties may arise in 
carrying the laws referred to into execution 
inacountry now having three or four thou¬ 
sand miles of sea cost, with an infinite num¬ 
ber of ports and harbors and small inlets, 
from some of which unlawful expeditions 
may suddenly set forth, without the knowl¬ 
edge of Government, against the possessiui s 
o< foreign States. 
Friendly relations with all, but entangling 
alliances with none, has long been a max m 
with us. Our true mission is not to propa¬ 
gate our opinions, or impose upon oU e 
countries our form of government, by artu.ee 
or force ; but to teach by example and sic w 
by our success, moderation and jus ice. U e 
blessings of self-government and ir e insti¬ 
tutions. Let every people choose for itst.ll, 
and make and alter its political institutions 
to suit its own condition and convenience. 
But, while we avow and maintain this n u- 
tral policy ourselves, we arc anxious u> sec 
the same forbearance on the pm t of oi le r 
nations, whose lorms of government are dit- 
ferent from our own. The deep interest 
u 
ii [ 
