Newspaper Page Text
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EitnrU lro» ®r. Ow« , » *P“f h '
On the bill entitled “A.bill toMliWidH
Smithsonian Institution tor the increase
ffi&itfsSft l^bavebecn antortu-
nate in ibis country, in the administration
oHesacie" bequeathed by benevoient. «•'
tor Inc improvement of our race. (Jr the
noble Girard fund, three quarters of a mill
ion of dollars are lost forever, and though
half a generation lias passednw ay since t he
eccentric Philadelphian died, not one child
has yet reaped the benefit of Ins munificent
licniicst. Atcmple has indeed arisen that
outshines Greece nnd her Parthenon ;. its
sumptuous Corinthian Pillars each one cos
ting a sum that would have endowed n
nrofsssorship, are the odnnrntion of behold
ers nnd the boast of the Quaker city ; but
years must yet elapse before the first son of
indigence can ascend the steps of that
princely portico, and sit down within those
inarblo halls, to receive the education for
which its simple and unostentatious foun
der sought to provide. .
Vet it is not for us of this National Legis
lature to arraign, ns dilatory, the corpora
tion of Philadelphia. It is sixteen years
since James Smithson died, leaving to the
United States the reversion of more than a
half million of dollars, to found, in this Dis
trict, an institution “ for the increase ana
diffusion of knowledge among men. It
will be ten years on tho 1st of July next,
since this government solemnly accepted
the trust created by Mr. Smithson's will.—
It will be eight years next September since
the money was obtained from the English
Court of Chancery and paid into the 1 rca-
sury of the United States. And yet, though
distinguished men have moved iu this mat
ter, though projects have been brought for
ward and discussed in Congress, there has
till this day, been no final action; the first
human befng has yet to receive the benefit
of the Smithsonian bequest; the corner
stone of the first building has yet to be laid,
in fulfilment of the intention of the philan
thropic testator. s
Small encouragement is there, in such
tardiness as this, to others, ns wealthy and
as liberal as Smithson nnd Girard, to follow
tlioir noble example! Small encourage
ment to such men,entrust to our care
bequests for human improvement! Due
dilligcncc is one of the duties of n faithful
trustee. Has Congress, in its conduct 'of
this sacred trusteeship, used due diligence ?
Have its members realized, in the depths
of their hearts, its duties and (heir urgent
importance 1 • • •
There is not common honesty in the
mnn who shall receive a trust fund even
for an object the most indilTcrcnt, and then
keep the money iu his hands, without ap
plying it according to the will of the lega
tor. What then shall wc say of a great
government, that accepts—solemnly ac
cepts, before God and man, a bequest for
a purpose sacred and holy, if any such pur-
poso there lie upon earth'; and then indo
lent, or indifferent, so braves tiic just cen
sure of tho world, so disappoints the gener
ous confidence reposed in ii, as to neglect
1 post|)ono year after yenr, every mens-
tor the administration of that bequest !
hat the fiilclli
umstanccs nia'
be secut^i li
due, sometimes e
the literary ndvnni
Jcb the few oonimor
distance their competitors in the paths
emolument and honor. Ay, and beyond
this, they feel—do we not all feel, that we
are not in temper, in habits, in feelings, or
in intelligence, what we ought to hr, or
what we might have been !—that our na
ture was beitei than our education T They
feel, has not the most careless among us
felt it too t—that there are springs of-vir
tue within us that have seldom been touch
ed ; generous aspirings that have scarcely
been called into action ; capabilities of im.
provenient that have hardly been awaken
ed ; capabilities of enjoyment that have rka in Congress aosembled, That tbejuris-
been t urned to fountains of billemese f if diclion of the supreme court of the Territo-
wo might now rc-cducale ourselves • even j ry n f Iowa, and the laws of said Territory,
from lliefrndlc upwards, developing each'so fur ns the same may be applicable, as
mental power and moral faculty, checking; ,hcv now exist, are hereby extended over
ihc rising vice and cultivating the nacent all that portion of the territory of the Uni
on, and is
departure ol
sel for New Orleans. This evei
thrown a gloom ovefotho whole
far as I. cfcn learn, .tot,Gen. Worth
of those rare characters, who
the (lightest personal qualities with a
thorough professional knowledge, wins,
nnd maintains the soldier’s confidence and'
pride.”—SaemnaA Georgian.
n {ku fiuwrm-*' fuvt
To protect Ihe rights of American settlers
-in theWenitory of Oregon, until the ter
mination of tne joint occupation of the
same.
. “Be it enacted by the Senate and Home of
Rcprtscntotkcs.of the United States of Ante-
lililc'more tl
learn that the
evening went
as ollicets
ra rewlK
war- numl
in the
cW Ea. cffiei
West, we opine, as the news is diffused
by the boats.”
T i 1—it:.
e bis
Those who
v men who are -
the Mexiopinjanguagft?!
The United States and Mexico.
The present administration baa few
favors to expect from the whig press. We
most made up our minds to see all sorts
of attacks make upon it from that quar
ter.-. Id this spirit it is, that the Pittsburg
Journal of the 24tb lilts away about our
The Tariff.
The letter of oar Washington corres
pondent, cprifairis a synopsis of the bill
now before Congress for the modification . .
of~lhe"tariff. One of its provisions wifi relations with Mexico. -It carps, a* usual
meet tbe unqualified approbation of all at the annexation of Texas—then, at our ^ KUW ana
the friends of.free trade. It rejects all churning allthe country east of the Del, fine spiht s / ardeml "
-the cunning Norte. It then insinuates that Gen. Tay- to _: ve ,i* Mexican, . i„“T
force at the command of the
leneral conld dislodge him; and
I3lh Gen. Ampudia notified Gen.
that he would not act further until
rived definite instructions from his
Intent.
It is reported that Gen. Taylor, hear,
ing that there were two vessels off the
mouth of the Rio Grande* from this place
with provisions tor the Mexican army at
Metamoras, despatched Lieut. Renshaw
of ihe U. S. brig Lawrence, wiihj the ml
enne cutter St. Anna to cot off all’ com;
municalion with that place.
1 The army was in good health and in'
nnd
uro
Mr. Smithson loft tho whole of his prop
erty, failing cortnin relatives and an old
servant, (now ajl deceased,)
“ To - the United States of America ;/o
.found, at Washington, under tho name of
tho Smithsonian Institution, an establish
ment for the increase and diffusion of know
ledge among men.” • • •
But here arises a great question; a prac
tical question ; nn inquiry specially perti
nent to the subject before us. Tho natu
ral inequality of man is a thousand*limes
increased by artificial influences throughout
society. Is that well! Or if not well can
it be avoided 1 Or if not avoided, can it
he lessened! 1 am not sanguine enough to
believe that I—perhaps not my children,
even—shall sec the day, when equality of
education shall prevail,even in this rcptibli-
can land. But I hold it to be a rcpuliHcan
obligation to do all that wc property and
constitutionally may, in order gradually to
reach or at least approach, that period. I
hold it to be a democratic duly to elevate,
to the utmost of our ability, the character
of our common school instruction. I hold it
to be a far higher and holier dulv, than to
give additional depth to learned studies,
or to supply curious authorities to antiqua
rian research. 1
Guided by such considerations, I ineor-
pornted iu the hill before you, ns one of its
principal features, a Normal Branch—
This, and the clause providing for original
researches in natural science, are the only
important additions that have been made
m it to Senator Tappan’s bill of last session.
Normal Schools—that is, schools to
teach teachers, to instruct in the science of
instruction—are nn improvement of com
paratively modem date. The first ever at
tempted seems to have been in Prussia, es
tablished about the year 1704 by Prnnke
the celebrated founder of the Orphan House
of Halle. They havo gradually increased
m number and favor from that day to this,
joall the more civilized nations of Europe;
nod Mr*. Austin, in her preface to CousSn’s
“ Public Instruction in Prussia,” remarks
that the progress of primary instruction in
Europe may be measured bt, tlic provision
made for the edacatson of teachers. • •
The'Normal Branch of the Smithsonian
Institution is intended not hy any means to
take the place of Stale Norton! schools, but
only in aid of them; as an institution in
tbe same department, supplemental to these
aa they may gradually increase throughout
the Union, but qf-a higher grade, and pre
pared to cany forwanlyoung persons who
tnay hare passed through the courses given
in the former, or oilier^ who desire to per-
subduing science of primary education; an
- In which the improvement-
jtingof that republican science
rbeo pcculidr olqoet; .an institution,
•gsmsfji
/low; not
mg v
virtue Bending the pliant habit lo reason,
nnd mastering the evil passion ai its birth
how gladly would wc grospat the offer 1
how dearly value the privilege! And what
selfishness would do for itself, think you
not ilini parental affection desires for its off
spring! Yes, vice itself desires it! Stron
ger than the thirst after riches; deeper
than the craving for power, springing from
the best and most enduring of human in
stincts, is the parent’s longing for the wel
fare of his child ! Criminal he may he ;
ignorant lie may be ; reckless even of his
own character, hopeless of a reputable slan-
ding for himself; but his children ! if bru
tish excess have not utterly quenched the
principle of good within him—for them
there is still a redeeming virtue in his soul;
a striving after heller things ; a hope that
they may escape the vices which have de
graded him ; that they may’ emerge from
■lie ignorance in which he 'is benighted, if
not to wealth and honor, at least to fair
fame and honest reputation; a credit to
his blighted name, and a comfort to his
declining years.
Such arc the sentiments that spring up
lo meet us from among the people ; shared
by the bad as well as the good ; universal
in lheir prevalence. And it is to such sen
timents, the earnest of progressive improve
ment in man, that the provisions of this
hill ought, so far as the amount of the leg
acy and the terms of the will permit, to re
spond.
Such views arc in accordance with the
spirit of the age, and the wants of the
limes. It is not a world all of flowers and
sunshine, this we live in. It is a world
where thousands are starving ; where tens
of thousands toil lo live—live, only to die 1
It is a world where ctucl suffering exists,
where shameful crimes ere committed,
where terrible oppression is endured, where
dark ignorance is found. It lias scenes of
wrong, and outrage, and guilt nnd wo.—
They rise before us. They thrust them
selves on our attention. Nut to gild, not to
embellish ; a graver, a sadder duty is his,
who would aia in such a world’s improve
ment.
Tocffcct apermanentgood in such a world,
wc must reach the minds and hearts of the
masses; we must diffuse knowledge among
men ; wc must not deal it out to scholars
and students alone, hut even to Tom, Dick
nnd Harry; and then, as u wise and witty
female writer of the day expressed it, “they
will become Mr. Thomas, nnd Mr. Rich
ard and Mr. Henry.” They may not be
come profound scholars, erudite graduates.
Nor is that necessary. Well to know com
mon things is the essential. It is not elab
orate learning that most improves the
world, or that exerts most influence jn its
government. Working day knowledge is
simple, almost in the ratio of its importance,
and as Milton has told us,
“ Tint not to know at Urge of tilings remote
From use, obscure and subtle, but to know
That which before us lies, in daily life,
la tbe prime wisdom.”
Tbe ancient masters realized not these
truths. With the millions they had no
sympathy. In private, and to the initiated
few alone did they deign to unrol the mys
tical page of tlieir philosophy ; they scorn
ed to expose it to the gaze of the profane
vulgar.
Thanks to the stirring spirit of progress
ive improvement, all this, in our age, is
changed. By modern teachers the Peo
ple are spoken of, spoken to, cared for, in
structed. To the People the characteristic
literature of the day is addressed. What
has become of the ponderous folio, in which
the learning of the Bltddle Ages used to
issue to a small and exclusive circle, its
solemn manifesto ? Now wc have the slen
der pamphlet, the popular tract, the cheap
petiodical, cast forth even lo the limits of
civililization, penetrating into every nook
and comer of the land ; often light, often
worthless; but often, too, instructive, effec
tive - r written for the masses, teaching the
s: and waking, far and wide, a con
sciousness of deficiency, a spirit of inquiry,
a desire to know mere.
Tbe people govern in America. Ere
long the people will govern throughout the
habitable earth. And they are coming in
to power in nn age when questions of migh
ty import rise up for their decision. They
who govern should be wise. They who
govern should be educated. They who
decide mighty questions should be enlight
ened. Then, as wc valuo wise govern-,
ment, ns wc would have the destinies of
our kind shaped by an enlightened tribunal
let the schools of the people, and the tea
chers who preside in these scliooie, and Ihe
system that prevails in these schools, be
our peculiar care.
We cannot"reform the world, no, nor
ted Stales which lies west of the Rocky
mountains; and also over all that portion
of ihe intefmediate country west of the
Missouri river, and belwcenlhe fortieth and
forty-third parallels of north laitilude:
Provided, that this act shall not be constru
ed nor executed in such a manner as to de
prive tire subjects of Great Britain of any
of the rights and privileges secured by tbe
treaty signed at London, October twenti
eth, eighteen hundred and eighteen, and
continued in force by the treaty of August
sixth, ciglecn hundred and twenty-seven.
“ Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That
nil the country described ib the first sec
tion of thin net shall conslilne one judicial
district, nnd a district court shall be held
therein by ihe judge to be appointed under
this act, at sucli times and places as he
shall designate ; nnd said court shall pos
sess all the powers and authority’ vested in
the present district courts of said Territory
of Iowa. An additional justice of the su
preme court of the Territory’ of Iowa shall
be appointed, yvho shall hold his office by
the same tenure, receive the same compen
sation, and possess, the same powers and
authority as arc conferred by law upon the
other justices of said court, and who siraU
hold the district courts in said district as
aforesaid.
“Sec. 3. And be itjurther enacted, Tiiat
the President bo hereby authorized to ap
point tlte requisite number of justices of tne
peace, and suclt ministerial officers os shall
be necessary for the due execution of the
laws: Provided, Tlmt ony subject of Great
Britain who shall be arrested under the
( •revisions of this act, for crime alleged to
rave been committed within the territory
of the United States yvest of the Rocky
Mountains, yvhilc the same remains free
nnd open to the vessels, citizens, and sub
jects of tho United Slates and of Great
Britain, pursuant to stipulations between
the twapowers, shall be delivered up for
trial, on proof of his being such British sub
ject, to tne nearest and most convenient
'authorities having cognizance of such of
fence by the laws of ureal Britain.
"Sec. 4 And be it further enacted, That
provision shall hereafter be made by law to
6ccurc nnd grant to every white person,
male or female, over the age of eighteen
years, tiirce. hundred nnd twenty acres of
land, nnd to every white person, male or
female, under the age ofeighteen years, one ! }‘£ •_„ „ .
hundred nnd sixty acres oT (and, who shall I b,essm S an<l ,bat
dental or direct benefit, to the domestic
manufacturer.
In other respects however* the bill does
not meet the wishes nor the expectations
of all of the friends of free trade. Al
though it greatly reduces the burden un
der which the people are now laboring* it
savors strongly in regard to some of its
items, of that protection, which our Whig
friends in Georgia, once proved to be un
constitutional, which they declared to be
partial*.unjust and oppressive, and for
which in their estimation, “ nullification
was the rightful remedy.” As they how
ever have eschewed their former faith and
many of them now concur in the declara
tion, that “ the opponent of the protective
system, may be a good British subject,
but cannot be a good American citizen,”
they of course will take no exception lo
any duty, the olject of which is the ad
vancement of domestic industry. They
cannot be dissatisfied with any of the
high duties retained. Their only cause
for dissatisfaction if any they have, is,
that there should lie any reduction what
ever—any change of the act of 1842. If,
however, they should be pleased with the
proposed measure, we frankly acknowl
edge that the bill is not in all respects,
acceptable lo the Democracy of the South.
The reasons tor tbe imperfections it con
tains, are fully set forth by our corres
pondent. The more intelligent portion
of the Democracy of the North and West,
are from principle, the devoted advocates
of unrestricted trade. It is uot so how
ever* with tbe masses. Protection has
for years, been the hobby which aspirants
■tor political promotion have rode, and
they have set thoroughly impressed the
public mind with the sophistries of the
system, they have so frequently rung upon
all their changes “protection of domestic
industry,” in opposition to “ protection of
British Work-houses,” that the less intel
ligent and discerning, (good Democrats
in other respects,) have honestly come to
the conclusion, that a tax is a public
minimums and specifics—tbe cunning .
devices of artful and designing manufac- 1°^ 8 arm y now stands upon. the Mexican
turers to conceal the extent of their depre- *PiL apprehends a collision between
datious, and adopts exclusively the ad ‘he two armies; .in which case, it is not
valorem principle. Under this provision, difficult to see that tbe whig paper is pre-
all may know the exact amount of tax pared to lake sides with the Mexicans,
ihev pay to the Federal Government, and and to rebuke what it is pleased to call
to what extent that tax isEither an inci- the “unskilful and bad stalemansbip in
' “ ‘the administration of our own govern
ment.”
Now, in all these positions the Jdurn&l
is wrong in fact-as well as in feeling: 1st.
We had a right ;to annex Texas to the
United States, because Texas was inde
pendent, and bad been recognised as such
by the United Slates, England, France,
&c. 2d. Having annexed her to our
country, we had a right to claim all the
territory which we bad claimed as a part
of Texas before her cession to Spain, and
which Texas has claimed since the de
claration of her independence. 3d. Ow
ning thus to the banks of the Rio del Nor
te, we had a right, oud it became, under
existing circumstances, our duty, to pro
tect the American soil with our troops—
taking care to respect the property of the
few persons calling themselves Mexicans,
who happened to be within our borders,
and taking care to act on the defensive,
to keep our troops on this side the Rio del
None, and not to fire a shot upon the Mex
icans on the other side, unless they should
commence the attack. In all these posi
tions, our administration has been guided
by the best principles of “statetnansliip”
that are recognised among the nations of
the earth. In the 4th place, our govern
ment waived even the point of etiquette;
and though Mexico had withdrawn her
minister from the United States, and sus
pended all diplomatic intercourse with us,
we sought again l" open the’door of nego
tiation for the purpose of settling all dis
putes, and of restoring the most amicable
relations between the two countries. We
had various injuries to complain of. Our
citizens had been ill treated by the Mexi
can authorities. Their property had been
seized and unjustly confiscate!] to the ex
tent of many millions of dollms. A \arg<
amount of claims was still unsettled.—
The portion which had been adjusted
under a commission of tho two nations
had not been paid. Several instalments
remain due, and the faith of a treaty has
been violated by Mexico. Under similar
circumstances France had fnrmely des
patched a squadron, and exacted justice
at tho the cannon’s mouth. We might
have pursued Iter example; but we pre
tax is
;ty acres of land, who si,alt l .- - -™ hi S'> duties make low
have resided in liie said territory described ; P ncrs * ^or this state of things, the
in the first section of this act for five years, i Democracy are indebted to the Wings,
to commence within three years front the | end to the monied and political influence
passage of this act, Provided, that said I of interested manufacturers,—not indeed
land shall he located in said territory.
“Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That
there shall he appointed, in the manner
provided hy law for similar officers, a su
to the force of their arguments, to their
demonstration of the truth, hut to the un
tiring zeal, sophistry and clap-trap ox
perintendent of Imlian agents and’suhX P"*™* wilb wbi ? b ."ft h ?™
gents as shall be ncccssaFy lo the public I th ? P ubllc ear alld deluded the public
merest*, to whom may be intrusted,
dcr the President, and in accordance with
the existing laws, so far as they may be
consistent with the purport of this act, the
regulation of trade nnd intercourse with
the Indian tribes, and the execution of the
laws herein extended over the country;
described the first section of this act.
“Sgc. 6. And be it further enacted, That
the President be, and he is hereby, author
ized to cause to be erected such block-hou
ses, slockads, or military posts as shall be
necessary to protect etnigrante,sctt)crs, nnd
traders on the route to and in the territory
of Oregon, against Indian depredation and
aggressions, and to furnish, such ammuni
tion and supplies os’ shall be necessary to
their defence.
“Sec. 7. Be it further enacted, That a
post-route be established from Fort Leav
enworth, via Grand Island, nn the Platte
river, Fort Laramic, the South Pass of the
Rocky mountains, Fort IIoll, Fort Boise,
Fort Wnllawalla, and Oregon city, on the
Willamette river, to Astoria, at the mouth
of the Columbia river, on the Pacific o-
cean.
“Sec. 8. And be it further mated, That
it shall be the duty of the Postmaster Gen
eral to cause the United States mail to be
transported on the said route, from'Fort
Leavenworth to Astoria and back, (at least
once, a month) by such means of convey
ance as he may deem most advantageous
to the public service, and on the best terms
that con be obtained by contract, in the
mode now provided by raw tor the transpor
tation of ihe United states mail: Provided,
That if, in the opinion of the President of
Ihe United States j it be expedient'to cause
the mail on the route afotesaid to be carri
ed by detachments of moented men in the
ecrvtcc of the United Slates, he may order
the said mail to be carried in that way, in
stead of having it transported by -contract,
mind.
It is sincerely to lie desired, that the
bill may be amended, and Ik-come more
strictly a revenue measure, before its pas
sage. If this, however, cannot lie done
without the sacrifice of interests of equal
or paramount importance, its passage as
it now stands, may be regarded as a
glorious achievement of Democratic prin
ciple, as the firs; fruits of a harvest which
in due time will be fully reaped.—Fed.
Union.
ferred to send a minister to the Mexican
capital, to settle not merely the bounda
ries of Texas, but all tho other causes of
dispute, and to bind tho two countries to
gether by a permanent peace. But she
refuses lo receive onr minister, unless he
goes with the limited (towers of a com
missioner, leaving all our complaints un
settled, and all the claims of our citizens
unsatisfied. Notwithstanding this wise
and concilatory course on the part of the
administration, wc see the whig press
coming forward , to assail them for their
portunity to give the Mexicans a lesson.
The report in circulation in the city du
ring the afternoon oF yesterday, of a de
claration of war on the part of Mexico,
evidently grew out of Gen. Antpudia’s
message to Gen. Taylor on the 12th—hi*
decision of the 13th not having been made
public. After the Mexican General’*
declaration, Gen. Taylor was certainly
justified in taking the preenutiun to cot off
his supplies.
BritUb Diplomacy.
In judging of the course which out
government ought to pursue in her pres
ent relations with Great Britain, it is es
sential that reference should be constantly
had to the character of her diplomacy.
The history o( her aggressions and her
conquests, futnishes too many evidences
that she \i actuated by an inordinate am
bition 'to justily bur goveromenf in nego
tiating with, her on jany other principle,
than that of supposing that she is seeking
every advantage that can be obtained by
art or intrigue. The following extract
from a late number of the Democratic
Review, giving an account of the seizure
nf the Danish fleet in 1807, furnishes one
of many historical illustrations of British
diplomacy, which may be consulted pro
fitably at the present time
“ The seizure of the Danish fleet in the
har)>or of Copenliagan during the fall of
that year, unquestionably reflects mure
disgrace upon the British arms than any
ol the numerous acts of foreign oppression
of which that nation has ever lK-en guilty,
always exeepling, of course, her recent
invasion of China. Tbe Government af
fected to tear that Bonaparte intended to
press into his service the Danish fleet,
which was lying at Copenhagen, tor an
attack upon England. To counteract this
project, the English Government determ
ined to treat with Denmark as they usual
ly have treated with weaker powers, hy
fitting out a powerful armament, both
naval and military, and sending it lo the
waters in the neighborhood of the party
ol the second part. At tho same lime
sending an Envoy With instructions tore-
quest Irom the Court of Dcnmurk, a pea
ceable surrender of the Dunish Heel to tho
British Admiral under £ solemn- stipula
tion that it should nil be restored upon
the conclusion of the war between Great
Britain and France. Of course the Danes
were frightened and indignant. They
refused, and Copenliagan was invested
by sea and land. Over a thousand peo
ple were slaughtered, a fourth of the city
was destroyed, and properly lo an almost
incalculable amount. The Danes were
obliged to capitulate alter it few days;
lire, vessels were taken with all the equip
ments found in the neighboring arsenals
and storehouses, brought lo England and
quietly appropriated lo the aggrandize
ment of the British navy.” #
“ When ul the proper season, H was
moved in Parliament hy Lord Sidinoutb
that “ no measure should he taken with
respect to these ships which might pre-
unskillul and bad stntemanship,” to 1 elude their eventual restitution to Dcn-
paralyze any measure which they may mark, agreeable to the spirit of the pro-
provide instruction for a great nation, by
any direction given to balr a million of dol
lars. But something, even insuch a cause,
may be effected by it; something, I devout
ly believe, that shall bo felt nil over our
broad land. Tbe essential is, that, if little
we cun do, that little be well done; be done
faithfully, in tbe spirit of tbe trust, in the
spirit of the age; in a spirit, : not restrictive,
not exclusive, but diffusive, universal.
KolssOUaB et Oera. Worth.
\Ve are sorry to bear of tbe resignation day evening,
of litis meritorious .officer. The cause'oijtain Windte
a correspondent of tbe
•jhos writes
the 13th inst:
tho iate decistoa of
the subject olbmct
sd Gen. Worth ton
'distinguished dffieer*as
as above provided.
9. And be it further enacted, That
“Sifc.
the sum of one. hundred thousand dollars
be, and the same is hereby appropriated to
carry the prorisions of this act into effect.”
The vote on this bill were yeas 144-r-
nays 40.
Spots iu tbe Snu.
There arc now five spots to be seen iy
the sun. The largest is about 12,001)
miles in diameter. The deductions of
science, trout tbe revelations of the. teles
cope, are very apt to “ unsettle old notions.”
The sun appears to the eye always steady
and uniform; but the truth is, that lumin
ous mantle which envelopes it, and pours
its light through our system is in constant
agitation, like the floculenl matter in the
chemist’s crucible. Vast rents or chasms
appear constantly in it, the sides of which
recede from each other with a velocity of
thousands of miles in a minute, and collapse
again with equal celerity.—-These spots are
sometimes so large and numerous as lo oc
cupy a considerable portion of tbe entire
disk. Science by no means teaches tbe
eternal perpetuity of the solar system; it
rather points to change and everlasting
(regression. The sun appears to be uni-
bnn in tis condition as the hilts appear
everlasting; but science show* that the
condition of the. one is never at rest, that
the others have-attained tlieir present state,
aftes passing through ihe most astounding
series,of developments. These facts led
La Place' to the conclusion that tbs present
slate of the solar system was only one. of;
the stages of endless progression-—lone in
proportion to its magnitude, but destined to.
end, and be remembered only in the far re
mote and incomprehensible future as one.
of the comparatively short steps in an eter
nal progression of changes.—Lou. Bern.
propose for obtaining justice for our peo
ple, lo pul us in tbe wrong before the
world, nnd to lay at our doors nil the
consequences of the obstinnte, “unskilful,
and bad stntemanship” of tbe Mexican
government.—Washington Union. ,
The New Orleans. Picayune, of tbe
22d instanl. says-^-’In regard to the ru-
mored declaration of war by Mexico,
which created much excitement on Mon
ty Cap-
placed u^
was precisely
the Captain oi
latter, no dou r
state of things oo
emenl
of the Alabama,
ived from
to convey the
1e, accord-
.
Ampudia’s letter by Gen. Ta;
A correspondent of the Mobile Herald
under date bfBrazos, Sl-Jago, ApsihlS,
writes.
-The Second day after the arrival of
our troops on tho river, tbera were two of
tbe dragoons' .taken prisoner. Gen. T.
demanded them to bedeiivered . up within
24 hours, or he would fire on the city.—
twohoars before the expiration of
te the men were sent back. C
The^he tt =ir:
teen
who!)
5* .
orjotnmg lh»
Prom the y. O Della, 3Ut ulf.
Late and Important Iron Hcilro.
The schr. Wm. C. Preston Cltpt. Tay
lor, left Metamoras on the 3d inst. Copt.
T. reports that Gen. Ampudia arrived at
the head of 3000 troops, on the 38th ult.,
from Monterey; and that volunteers con
tinued to be brought in daily, in small
numbers. i
Gen. Taylor was encamped opposite
Metamoras, and it is said has Full posses
sion of the two ferries on the west bank of
of the river, running to the city.
Tbe Mexican forces at Metamoras
number about 4000 men. Capt. T. re
ports that it was generally supposed by
the Mexican officers, that .the difficulties
between tbe two countries had been ami
cably settled. They had 1 not yet beard
at Metamoras of the departure of Mr. Sli-
dclL
STILL LATER—IMPORTANT.
. By tbe arrival last night of ,U. S. steam
er “Col. Harney,” Capt- WbOd, irom tbe
Brassos San Jago, whence she sailed on
the lGtb inst: we received later and inter
esting verbal news from that point. We
learn from a passenger Jbat Gep. Ampu
dia arrived at Metamoras oa the lltb inst.
with 2000 troops, 1000 -cayaliy and an
equal number of foot, which increased the
Mexican force ta about fSOOOi men. . Gen.
Ampudia, immediately after his arrival,
notified, Gen. Taylor Ibat if he did not
abandon tbe position that he then occopi-
clumntion lo the commanders,” Lord
Eldon opposed it, and all restitution what
soever, maintaining that they were lawful
spoils of war. In reference to this din-
graceful transaction, Lord Eldon, many
years afterwards, related the following
characteristic anecdote.”
Do you recollect when we took the
Danish fleet during the war, Mrs. Foster?,
We bad no right whatever to do so, but we
were obliged,or it would faavefaHpn into
the hands of Bonaparte. We deemed it a
matter of necessity. Well we sent ai»
Ambassador, 1 think it was Mr. Jackson,
to demand the ships from the Prince Roy
al ; and when the Ambassador waited otv
George III. on liis return, the King ab
ruptly asked him, ‘ Was the Prince Royal
up stairs or down when he seceived you?"
* He was on the ground floor, please your
majesty.' ‘ I am glad of it—I am glad
ol it for your sake,’ rejoined tbe King,
‘for if he had half tbe spirit of George III.
be would infallibly have kicked yon down
stairs,!’" ' » '• •' j
i Late from California.
The Picayune learns from a gentleman
who left California on the 18th of Februa-
sea. fbt jMazailan, and theoce
r l . to the city of Mexico, leaving
there, again on the. 3d inst.,and teaching
New Orleans per barque Claremont, from
Vera Cruz, that Capt, Fremont with sixty
mounted men bad reached Suuer’a settle
ment, and had proceeded to MonteiJ-
Capt. F. bad diicoveired a new route c
iass,by which California can be t
y emigrants in sixty, days less f
by the route vim Oflgan. j
practicable; for wheeled
when it cot ' '* “
will give‘A t