The Albany patriot. (Albany, Ga.) 1845-1866, May 06, 1846, Image 2

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V * m — — 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