The Providence Journal, And Town And Country Advertiser

From the Washington Federalist.

NEWS FROM THE RACES.

THE PUBLIC RACES, for the present season, have interested the gentlemen of the turf in all parts of the country. Several inferior races have taken place as introductory to the grand race for the two pieces of national plate.

There have been three seasons before the present, since the famous races were established. They occur, like the Olympic games, but once in four years.

Upon the unanimous solicitation of the friends to the credit of the institution, the Mount-Vernon, for the two first seasons, appeared in the lists. He distanced all competition; and moved alone over the course, amidst the applause of all who witnessed the dignity and grace of his movements.

Four coursers, owned by two companies of gentlemen, were started the present season. The Bay-Yankey, who took the principal plate the last season, was to be supported by a courser of excellent bottom called the Cotesworth; who had shared the diplomatic plate, with the Richmond John, in a celebrated race against the Directory, a very vicious horse belonging to some French Jockies.

The Bay-Yankey and the Cotesworth were owned by a company of gentlemen who are known, in the language of the turf, by the name of Federalists. The cognizance of these gentlemen is an emblem of the sun, made of the purest of metal.

The Monticello and the York were started against them; and were owned by a company of gentlemen who have lately assumed, on the turf, the name of Lunatics. It is supposed that this name was assumed on account of the weakness of their sight, and their predilection for the light of the moon. As emblematic of this, their cognizance is a crescent made of brass.

The vast extent of the course, the magnitude of the stakes, the length of time employed in preparations, and the divisions of opinion since the Mount-Vernon retired from the lists, have all co-operated to excite an unusual interest in the event of the present races.

It was understood that the Cotesworth should not come out before the Bay-Yankey; as both were owned by the same company of gentlemen.

From the point of starting, as they stretched along the Eastern and Northern parts of the course, it was all in favour of the Bay-Yankey and Cotesworth. Report says, that the Cotesworth failed in a single step, by the misconduct of some of the managers, in crowding him aside, for a moment, by forcing into the course the Honest John, who was highly valued by the gentlemen of the Sun, but not intended to be run by them the present season.

With this single exception, the Bay-Yankey and Cotesworth swept the course, head-and-head, until they reached the western and southern sections. Here they began to be pressed by the Monticello and the York.

The trying part of the course was in the southern section. In the South-Carolina quarter of this section, neither of the four appeared, at first, to be a-head of the other.

The principal managers in that quarter had long admired the Cotesworth: and some of them, who were engaged to defend the Monticello, proposed that the Cotesworth might come out with the Monticello, if he would spring a-head of the Bay-Yankey. They called to the rider of the Cotesworth, and made the proposal; but he refused it absolutely, and declared, that he would lose all chance of taking the plate, sooner than be guilty of a dishonourable action.

There were some imported jockies, who made themselves very busy about the races. As they had no characters to lose, they threw large quantities of muddy water at the Bay-Yankey and the Cotesworth. This was done by means of an invention originally intended for a speaking-trumpet; but altered by the jockies into an engine for throwing preparations of mud. The construction was such that it could throw these preparations to a great distance, and might be charged with the stuff by persons out of sight. The jockies, in excuse for themselves, pretended, that they squirted mud for the preservation of the machinery. They said, that pure air would destroy it for a speaking-trumpet; but that mud would secure it from being damaged, and was the best thing in the world to make it work freely.

A great proportion of the managers, however, disclaimed this abusive conduct. And some of them observed, that they could not check the conduct of all the jockies, especially those who were imported; for there were persons of high rank on the turf, who zealously patronized them for being mud-squirters.

Besides the muddy water thrown at the Bay-Yankey and the Cotesworth, there were clandestinely scattered, on their side of the course, by the same jockies, a number of slippery tones, and crescents of brass fastened together in imitation of crowsfeet.

The Monticello and the York, not having such obstacles to encounter, improved the advantage. They were now pushed to the utmost; and training full stretch, came out a-head, by about a quarter of a neck.

At the end of this extensive heat, the Monticello and the York were exactly even--not the difference of an hair's breadth between the two. As their owners were not permitted, by the laws of the turf, to divide the public plate at pleasure, it is now determined that they must run, a second heat, against each other. The plate is therefore retained in the hands of the public stake-holders, until this new race is over.

Those who have had the Monticello for a long time in their keeping, are very anxious about him, at present. Some, who had fortunes, have staked them on his success; and the underlings, who had none, have expected to make their fortunes by him. But, from the bad management of his jockey, his wind has become questionable, and he is, besides, in danger of being foundered. If, therefore, he should fail for the present season, the Lunatics, whose hopes are still upon him, are very apprehensive that he will be absolutely cried down. They say, if he fails now, he fails forever.

Many gentlemen of the turf, who are good judges, have expressed their suspicions of the Monticello, from his having been in the hands of French jockies. The York is younger, and has more nerve than the Monticello; but the imported jockies are still against the York. These jockies, if they could, would destroy the races forever, sooner than their Monticello should now be distanced.

All the respectable gentlemen of the turf, whether Federalists or Lunatics, are undoubtedly against this destruction of the races. It is, therefore, to be hoped, that the imported jockies will be kept in check, and not be suffered to disturb the course.

Besides the national plate, bets to a large amount are depending on the race between the York and the Monticello. With those who bet on the York, the word is, strong and easy. With those who bet on the Monticello, it is now or never.