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Our Jlexicai* Relations —The Protocol
Remarks of Mr. Stephens*
Mr. Stephens moved to suspend tho rules to
enable him to offer the following resolutions:
Resolved. That the President of the United
States be requested to furnish this House with
a correct copy of the original Treaty of Guada
loupe Hidalgo, entered into on the 2d Februa
ry, 1848. bv Nicholas Trist, on the part us th*-
United Slates, and Luis G. Cueva?. Barhad<>
Conti? and Miguel Artristam on the part ol
the Republic of Mexico, and particularly those
articles in said original Treaty which were
stricken out or amended by the Senate of the
United States.
Resolved further. That the President be fur
ther requested to inform this House whether
there is any evidence in the Department of
Slate of an arrangement and assurance made
by our Commissioners with the Mexican Gov
ernment before the ratification by said Govern
ment of said amendment’, substantially in the
foliowing words, to wit:
PROTOCOL
Os the conference previous to the ratification
and change of the treaty of peace between
Ambrose H. Sevier and Nathan Clifford, com
missioned as Ministers Plenipotentiary on the
part of the United States of America, and Don i
Luis de la Rosa. Minister of Foreign and Inter
nal Affairs of the Mexican Republic.
In the city of Queretaro on the 2Gth of the
month of May, 1848. ala conference between
their Excellencies Nathan Clifford and Ambrose
H- Sevier, Commissioners of the United Staler
of America, with full powers from their Gov
ernment to make to the Mexican Republic
suitable explanations in regard to the amend
ments which the Senate and Government ol
the United States have made in the treaty of
peace, friendship, limits, and definitive settle
ment between the two Republics signed in the
city of Guadalupe Hidalgo, on the 2d day of
February of the present year, and his Excel
lency Dun Luis de la Rosa, Minister of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Mexico, it wa*
agreed, after adequate conversation respecting
the changes alluded to, to record in the present
protocol, the following explanations, which
their aforesaid Excellencies the Commissioner*
gave in the name of their Government and in
fulfilment of the commission conferred upon
them, near the Mexican Republic.
Ist. The American Government, by sup
pressinggihe 9th article of the treaty of Guada
loupe, and substituting the 3d article of the
treaty of Louisiana, did not intend to diminish
in any way what was agreed upon by the afore
said article 9 in favor of the inhabitants of the
territories ceded by Mexico Its understand
ing is, that all of that agreement is contained in
the third article of the treaty of Louisiana In
consequence, all the privileges and guaran
tees, civil, political, and religions, which would
have been possessed by the inhabitants of the
ceded territories, if the 9th article of the treaty
had been retained, will be enjoyed by them
without any difference, under the article which
has been substituted. •
2d. The American Government, by suppres
sing the 10th article of the treaty of Guada
loupe did not in any way intend t«» annul ihe
grants of lands made by Mexico, in the ceded
territories. These grants, notwithstanding the
•suppression of the article of the treaty, pre
serve the legal value which they may possess,
and the grantees may cause their legitimate
titles to be acknowledged, before the American
tribunals.
Conformably to the law of the United States,
legitimate titles to every description of proper
ty, personal and real, existing ir the ceded ter
rilories, are those which were legitimate titles,
under the Mexican law. in California and New
Mexico up to the 13th May, 1846, and in Tex
as up to the 2d March, 1836.
3d. The Government of the U. States by
suppressing the concluding paragraph of ?Yrt
12 of ihe treaty, did not intend to deprive the
Mexican Government of the free and unre
strained faculty of ceding, conveying or trans
ferring, at any time (asit may judge best) the
sum of twelve millions of dollars, which the
said Government of the United States is to de
liver in the places designated by the amended
article.
And these explanations having been accept
ed by the Minister of Foreign affairs of the
Mexican Republic, he declared, in the name of
his government, that with ihe understanding
conveyed by them, the said government would
proceed to ratify the treaty of Guadaloupe a.*
modified by the Senate and Government of the
United Suites. In testimony of which their
Excellencies, the aforesaid Commissioners, and
the Minister have signed and sealed in qtiinlu
plicatethe present protocol.
[L 8 ] [SignedJ Nathan Clifford
[L S ] [Signed] Ambrose II Sevier
[L. S ] [Signed] Luis de la Rosa
And be it further resolved. Th it if said pa
pers are in the Department of State, the Presi
dent be requested to inform this House whe
ther said Commissioners or Plenipotentiaries
gave said guaranties, and whether the said pro
tocol has been submitted to the consideration of
the Senate of ihe United States, and been sane
tinned by a constitutional majority of that
body.
And ’ it further resolved, That the President
inform is House whether he was aware ol
the existence of said protocol at the lime of ins
proclamation of the final exchange of ratifica
tions of said Treaty, on the 4tb of July, 1848
The resolutions having been read
Mr. Wentworth called for the yeas and nays.
Mr. Ho union, of Alabama, (in his seal.) I
hope there will be no objection.
The yeas and nays were ordered, and hav
ing been taken, were yeas 181, nays 3.
So the rules were suspended, and the reso*
lution was received.
And the resolution being thus before the
House —
Mr. Stephens rose and said that the subject
was one of great importance. He did not in
tend now to go into the discussion of il. He
would barely state that lie had good reason to
believe that such a paper or protocol was in ex
istence, and that it was signed by the American
commissioners in Mexico, previous to the rati
fication and exchange of ihe treaty. He de
sired this morning merely to call the attention
of the House to a few points which. Io hi*
mind, rendered the subject of inquiry one ol
importance to this House and to the country
Mr. Kaufman rose to a point of order He
desired to submit to the Speaker whether this
resolution was debatable to day t
The Speaker said the resolution was debata
ble. This was petition day. ti >t resolution dav ■
The House bad suspended the rules for the in
troduction of the resolution The gentleman
from Georgia [Mr. Stephens] would proceed
with his remarks
Mr. Stephens proceeded, il would be ob
served by the House lhal in this resolution he
had made an unconditional call upon the Ex
ecutive, and that it was not accompanied w ith
the usual reservation. And he would state the
reasons which had influenced him in so draw
ing the resolution.
At the last session of Congress, after the rati
fication of this treaty ami the proclamation of
the President of the United Slates, a call wa*
made upon the Executive for a copy of the in
structious which had been given to the Ameri
can commissioners. He held in his hand the
reply to that cull, which he would now' bag
leave to read to the House. The President
says:
7’o the House of Representatives of the I . N/ des :
ia answer t<» the resolution ot the House of Repre
sentatives of tne 17th inst., requesting the President
“ to communicate (if not inconsistent with the public
interests) copies of all instructions given to the Hon
Ambrose H. Sevier and .Nathan Utitford, commission
ers appointed to conduct negotiations tor the ratifica
tion of the treaty lately concluded between the Uni
ted Slates and the Republic of Mexico. ” I have to
state, that in my opinion it would be “ inconsistent
with the publi; interests” to give publicity to these
instructions at the present time.
I avail myself of this occasion to observe, that, as a
general rule, applicable to all our important negotsa
tions with foreign powers, it could not fail lobe pre
judicial to the public interest to publish the instruc
tions to our ministers until some lime had elapsed af
ter the conclusion of such negotiations.
In the present case the object of the mission of our
commissioners to Mexico has been accomplished The
treaty, as amended by the Senate of the United States,
has been ratified. The ratifications have been ex
changed, and the treaty has b<en proclaimed as the
supreme law ol the land. No contingency occurreu
which made it either necessary or proper f»r ourcom
raissioners to enfer upon any negotiations with the
Mexican Government, further than to urge upon that
Government the ratification of the treaty m its amend
ed form. JAMES K. POLK.
Washington, July 28, 1843.
Mr. A’htntin asked the date of the message.
Mr. Stephens continue J. It is dated Julv 28,
1848.
It would thus be seen that the Executive, up
on this call, had refused Co give to the House
the instructions which had been given to these
cointnissioners when they went upon their inis
•ion. He (Mr 8 ) had not therefore accoin
ranied the resolutions with the usual conditions.
l was, as he had stated, unconditional And
it gentlemen desired to know the reason, it w as
this: if, when this call was made upon the Ex
ecutive, it should not be responded to. it was
his (Mr. B’s) intention to move for a commit
tee of inquiry, wnh power io send for persons
and papers
The materiality of ihe information which was
called lor might be inferred from looking into a
paper which he had now before hi in. .- nd which
purported io be a copy of the original treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo, and by contrasting that
wnh the treaty as it passed the Senate. and the
guarantees and explanations made in the pa-
F* 1 * which had been read with the protocol
hether this, or the paper which purported to
be the original treaty was authentic or not. he
would not undertake io say. His resolution
called for a correct copy of the treaty. He
had good reason to believe that the paper he
had before him was ac pv of the original trea
ty.
The first guarantee in the protocol referred
to an amendment of the Senate to the 9ih arn
,.®[lhe on <'n>l treaty. He begged leave to
J? auenuon ol gentlemen to the words of
a [ Ucle ofl he original treaty, as be had
it before him:
. * n Tht * the territories aforesaid,
lbt cha „ cler 01 . cltixeM ofthi
u. . ecofora «’->'* »><!■ what Lstipu-
mwe, .halt b.
two th. Vai.wt ot the t nited lnJ
ia. pwob.e, according to th. p rlnc , rles .rs t!>e
.fcCHll.- slilutioo, to th. Mjc.in.nt of all the
''’’su”/ ,he <u:cs - *•
"■ .hey -bdl be maintained and , n t h.
**♦>» tf.tr an? th,
now ..>ud <:i :h«;a according co th- Mcx-
W >.>n Ah. tw oa , o equality wMb tira of the mb.b
ua -r ther cernvww. of (1 ,«
jg Mtbwo, th.cobabitaataofLautat.
aaa and th, t. -nda-s .bon ttaw pn.mcw, be
h>t h reach K-. Cr e . <
twe cme tenuonea at the Vailed State.
•• raewut. cwt .tap!, iha „
by ad e«.e.> wc, 1q ) retag.,.,i, ewporatew w
menttwa, M weil in the diarturg. oi the vS.-eeoftbeir
, " wlw-ber indt.idiM, or corpora. Th,, guaran-
J «»“ erabiwee ail temnlw. baorea and adtScm dts!-
KA-rd to th. R xnxn Catholic warship ar *, I as a
dMOaed t. eupport, or io chat of red,vis.
and .abet fouadanon, for chart'-ahi. ,-r
aebcMt porpwea. Me pnvert, aftbae aatnra .bail be
as ba.mg become the proorrtv at th. Ams
tKan Icerrawn-. ~. . to 5, K
©c. or »erred to other :w«.
. p r «**tka«»*»d cooimuMcatke be*, wecc
hv;o< in ibv lemuvev A\xe»* d, aod
t <v.r rcapecu'c ecclemaMjcal ■othonue*. »h<il X
•pen, tree and exempt from ail hindrance whatever,
even although such authorities should ret-ide wiihin
(tie limits of ihe Mexican Republic, as defined by this
treaty ; and this freedom shall continue, sc long as a
new deniarkation of ecclesiastical districts shall not
have b*»en made, conformably with the laws of the
Roman Catholic church.”
That article (Mr. 8. continued) w’as stricken
out by the Benate, and in lieu of it the follow
ing was inserted:
“ The Mexicans who, in the territories aforesaid,
hall not preserve the character of citizens of ihe
Mexican Republic, conformably with what is stipu
ated in the preceding article, shall be incorporated
into the Union of the United States, and be admitted,
at the proper time, (to be judged of by the Congress
»f the United States,) to the enjoyment of all the rights
>f citizens of the United States, according to the prin
ciples of the constitution; and in the mean time, shall
be maintained and protected in the free en : oyment of
’heir liberty and property, and secured in the free
exercise of their religion, without restriction. ”
He did not (he proceeded to remark) intend
to say whether this, as a matter of fact, was or
was not true; whether this 9th article of the
treaty, as ratified by the Senate, was substan
tially ihe same as the original article agreed
upon by the Mexicans; but he did intend to
say that the Chief Executive of ihe Union, un
der the Constitution of this country, had no
right—no power—no authority—either by him
self or by his agent, to say to another Govern
ment what the American Senate intended. The
language of the protocol is :
“ That the American Government, by suppressing
•he 9»h article of the treaty of Guadalupe, and sub
stituting the third article of the treaty of Louisiana,
did not intend to diminish in any way what was a
greed upon by the aforesaid article ninth in favor of
ihe inhabitants of the territories ceded by Mexico.—
hs understanding is, tha’ all of that agreement iccon
rained in the third article of the treaty of Louisiana.
In consequence, all the privileges and guarantees,
civil, political and religious, which would have been
possessed by the inhabi'ants of the ceded territories,
if the ninth article of the treaty had been retained,
will be enjoyed by them, without any difference, un
derthe article which has been substituted. ”
How could these commissioners, unless the
Senate empowered them to do so, say what
they intended ! It was immaterial to him on
this point whether the Senate did barely mean
a matter of form, and not a matter of substance,
as to the guarantees given to tha .Mexican Go
vernment. The President had not the right to
send a special agent to declare that what the
Senate did was intentionally a matter of form,
and not a matter of substance.
He had before him the votes of the Senate on
this very question. On striking out the latter
clause of the ninth article of the original treaty,
on the question Shall these words stand as a
part of the ninth article ?” the vote stood : Yeas
18. nays 29. *He found the name of one of
these commissioners—of whom lie did not in
tend to speak with any disrespect—recorded in
favor of retaining these words. He was one of
ihe eighteen. He (Mr 8 ) found twenty-nine
other Senators voting that these words should
not stand. How could the Executive or his
agent undertake to say, that these Senators who
voted that the words should not stand, did not
intend to diminish in any way the rights guar
antied to the inhabitants of the Territory ? It
might be that they did not. But the American
Senate, under the Constitution of ihe country,
could alone deciare to the world what they
intended by striking out these words.
Again: upon a vote to strike out the other
wo r ds of the same article, he found the vote in
favor of the original words standing sixteen to
• hirty-une against them; that was to say, the
first words of ihe article he had just read. And
he found the name of the same Senator who
was subsequently one of those commissioners
recorded in favorof these words, remainingas
part and parcel of the treaty, against thirty one
who voted against the words so remaining.—
He repeated, that the Executive had no riirht to
say what the Senate of the United Slates in’en
ded—whether they thought that the article sub
stituted was equivalent to the one stricken out.
Again: the second ainendinenl was in the
tenth section of the treaty. What that section
was in the original treaty he was led to infer
•rom the same source—that was to say. the pa
per purporting to be a copy of the treaty which
was before him. Il was in these words:
“All grants of land made by the Mexican
Government, or by the competent authorities,
in territories previously appertaining to Mex’co,
mJ remaining lor (he future within the limits of the
United States, shall be respected as valid, to the same
<-xfent that the same grants would be valid if the said
territories had remained within the limits of Mexico.
B t the grantees of lands in Texas, put in possession
thereof, who, by reason of the circumstances of the
country, since the beginning of the trou les between
Texas and lite Mexican Government, may have been
prevented from fulfiling all the conditions of their I
grants, shall be under the obligation to fulfil the said
conditions within the periods limited in the same, re
spectively; such periods to be now counted from the
date of ihe exchange ol ratifications of this treaty ; in
default of which, the said grants shall not be obliga
tory upon the •'''late of Tex.ii in virtue of the stipula
tions contained in this article.
“ The foregoing stipulation in regard to grantees of
land in Texas is extended toall grantees of land in the
territories aforesaid, elsewhere than in Texas, put in
possession under such grants; and, in default of the
fulfilment ol the conditions of any such grant, within
(he new period, which, as is above stipulated, begins
with the day of the exchange of ratifications of this
treaty, the same shall be null and void.
“ The Mexican Government declares that no grant
whatever of lands in Texas has been made since the
second day of March, one thousand eight hundred and
thirty-six ; and that no grant whatever of lands, in
any of the territories aforesaid, has been made since
the thirteenth day of May, one thousand eight hun
dred anJ forty-six. ”
This article of the treaty. (Mr. S. proceeded
to remark.) as finally ratified by the Senate,
was entirely stricken out. He found in this
protocol a guarantee relating to it, which was
in the following words:
“ Conformably to the law of the United States, le
gitimate titles to every description of property, per
sonal and real, existing in the ceded territories, are
those which were legitimate titles under the Mexican
law in California and New Mexico up to the 13th ol
May, 1346, and in Texas up to the 2d of March,
1836.”
If (continued Mr. S.) I understand this guar
antee. it amounts to this and to this only—that
Utt honor and faith of this nation are pledged
to make good all these titles to land itt Texas
that were good according to Mexican laws be
fore the 2d of March, 1836 Ido not know
much of the character of these grants, but I
know what the President of tie United Slates
said about them in his message communicating
the treaty to ihe Benate. I will read that por
tion of the message to the House, and 1 will
read what Mr. Buchanan said on the same
point
The President held this language :
“ To the tenth article of ihe treaty there are serious
objections, and no instructions given to Mr- Trist con
templated or authorized ns insertion. The public
lands within the limits of Texas, belong to that State,
md this Government has no power to dispose of
them, or to change the conditions of grants already
made. All valid li les to land within the other terri
tories ceded t-» the United Stales will remain unaffec
ted by the change of sovereignty ; and I therefore
submit tliat this article should not be ratified as a part
ot the treaty.”
And (said Mr. S.) I think this is the correct
principle If Texas had confiscated these lands,
and had granted them to her own citizens, ihe
G<n eminent of the United States had no right,
by treaty or otherwise, to render the titles to
them valid.
Mr. Buchanan used the following language:
“ To resuscitate such grants, and to allow the gran
tees the same period after the exchange of the ratifica
tions of this treaty, to which they were originally
entitled, for the purpose of performing the conditions
on which these grants had been made, ev.-n if this
could be accomplished by the power of the Govern
ment ot the United States, would work manifold injus-
“ These Mexican giants, it is understood, cover
nearlv the whole aeacoa-'t ami a large poition of the
interior of Texas Tiiey embrace thriving villages
md a great number of cultivated larms, the proprie
tors of which have acqu red them honestly by pur
chase from the State of Texas. These proprietors are
now dwelling in peace and security. To revive dead
titles, and suffer the inhabitants of Texas to be ejected
under them from their possessions, would be an act of
flagrant injustice, if not wanton cruelty. Fortunate
ly, thi.* Government (KHSsesses no power to adopt such
a proceeding.’’
The protocol (continued Mr. S.) purport* to
give an assurance to the Mexican Government
that all the grants of land in Texas which were
good on the 2d of March, 1836, should be good,
and would be acknowledged by the American
Government, notwithstanding such appropria
tion. or confiscation, or sequestration bv Texas.
Now. (continued Mr. S .) what 1 mean to
assert is, that the President has not the power
thus to bind us by treaty, although he himself
might secrete, and hide, and keep dark his in
structions, so as to keep them from Congress,
and then proclaim a treaty, thus obtained by
fraud, as the supreme law of the land, winch
we are bound to obey. I say he had no power
to do it. and I shall never recognize it lienee
the House will see the importance of this inqui
ry, and will see how far the honor of this nation
may be implicated by this nefarious transac
tion.
The last material point to which I will call
the attention of the House, is the third guaran
tee given in this protocol. It is in the follow
ing words:
“3d. The Government of the United States, by
suppressing the concluding paragraph of article
twelfth ot the treaty, did not intend to deprive the
Mexican Republic of the free and unrestrained facul
ty of ceding, conveying, or transferring, at any time,
(as it may judge best.) ihe sum of twelve millions of
dollars, which the said Government of the I’nited
Slates is to deliver in the places designated by the
amended article.”
Now. I call the attention of the House to the
concluding words of the twelfth article of the
treaty, which are as follows:
•* Certificates in proper form lor the said instalments
respectively, in such sums as shall be desired by the
Mexican Government, and transferable by it, shall be
deli ered to the said Government by that of the United
States.”
It will thus be seen, (continued Mr. 5.,) that
under the twelfth article of the original treaty,
it was stipulated tint certificates for instalments
of the twelve millions of dollars should be
given, and should be made transferable. The
Senate of the United Stateshad struck it out
The American commissioners, tn this protocol,
had undertaken to say, that bv so doing, the
Government of the United Slates did not intend
to deprive Mexico of rhe power of transferring,
conveying, or assigning the debt of the United
States.
Now. I raise the same question on this point
that I raise upon all others. The American
Senate, after full investigation did solemnly
strike out that clause of the twelfth article; and.
to my mind there was abundantly good reason
lor doing so. By issuing stock transferable,
the Mexican Government could throw it into
market, and thus raise money to carry on the
war. I be! eve that the American Senate did
strike out the clause for mat very reason
I hey intended, bv striking out. to hold the
Mexicans in bonds to keep the peace. But
the American commissioners have stated that
this amendment did not thus intend to deprive
the Mexican Government of the power of trans
ferring the claim.
From what I have said, the House will judge
of the importance of procuring the information
1 hate called for. How far this protocol, if it
is in existence, 1 believe it is. although sup
pressed as it has been) —how far it may invali
date this treaty. Ido not now intend to express
an opinion I might detain the House wuh
other comments upon the treaty and the many
singularities attending it. But I shall abstain.
I shall express my opinion on the proper occa-
sion- But whether thia protocol invalidates '
ihe treaty or not. I am prepared to state here
that tho President han assumed a power which .
he does not possess by the Constitution of the ■
United States, in empowering any man to speak
for the Senate; and I consider it as nothing
short of a downright insult to the Senate. He
had no right to send any secret or public agent
except such as was authorized by the Senate;
and I take this opportunity to renew the opin
ion which I expressed the other day upon this
subject, and which I shall upon all proper occa
sions repeat, that I do not recognize this treaty,
as binding upon me “ as the supreme law ot
the land,” to use the language employed by the
President last summer. I do not recognize
the principle that the President and Senate con- 1
jointly have a right to make any treaty which !
imposes an obligation on the part of the repre- I
sentative-of the people to appropriate money ‘
to carry out that treaty. If the President and
Senate thought it conducive to the best interests
of the country to have such a treaty, it was his
duty to ask the representatives of the people—
those who hold the purse-strings of the nation ;
to make the appropriation first But I shall
abstain from further remark on the subject to
day. I trust I have said enough to show the
importance of the information which the reso
lution calls for.
An Aboriginal Revolution.
The Albany Correspondent of the N. Y.
Courier and Enquirer, gives the following ac
count of a recent revolu'ion in the govern
ment of the Cattaraugus Tribe of Indians in
Western Naw York:
The Seneca Indians, and a remnant of the
Iroquois,—the once formidable confederacy of
the Five Nations, have on the banks of the Al
legany, and in the county of Cattaraugus, a
beautiful reservation—a territory their own
governed by their own laws, and characterised
by their ow n habits and manners. Hitherto
the Indians here have been governed by chiefs
selected from each class or division—but in the
latter part of 1848, acting in the spirit of revo
lutionary change,which visiting other lands.had
not forgotten this last refuge of the Aborigone,
they determined on a complete change in their
government —that the oligarchy under which
they had lived should be transformed into a
republic.
They accordingly sent, alter the manner of
Malise in the Lady of the Lake, runners into
all parts of their territory, and a general feel
ing in favor of the proposed change was mani
fested when they met in council, and it was de
termined that hereafter they should be ruled by
eighteen councillors, to be chosen by the gen
eral vote of the nation—and such an election
was made—and their agent, an intelligent and
well informed Indian gentleman—for such he
may truly be called, visits the capitol for the
purpose of procuring a recognition of their gov
ernment by this Stale—and it becomes a grave
question whether the recognition shall be by
the Executive or by the action of the Legisla
lure. The experience of our commonwealth
in “ foreign affairs” is rather limited, and af
fords no precedent.
Money Matters in New' York—The de
posits in the Sub-Treasury now amount to
$2,500,000. and in the banks io $4,500,00(1 —
making the specie of the city $7,000,000. The
demand for specie for the Custom House is
now (jitite large, and at the present rate ofdmy
it would require only eighteen millions of dol
lars worth of dutiable goods to transfer the
whole amount now estimated to be in the banks,
to the keeping of the government. The im
port of dutiable goods for the week ending Jan.
27th, was $2,933,000, which would give six
weeks as the time necessary to complete this
drain of coin. There .s also a call for specie
from another quarter much feared by the banks;
we allude to the balance of the loan of last year,
payable on the Ist March, amountin'' to $4.-
500.000 unless the Secretary of the Treasury
should grant another extension of time. There
is still another cause, that decreases rapidly the
amount of coin in the city, and likely to escape
nolice from its apparent insignificance; we al
lude to the demand for California by emigrants.
This demand has already taken from the banks
a very large proportion of their small coin, and
some parcels have sold in the street as high as
two per cent, premium. The sum taken to
California thus far reaches quite or near a half a
million of dollars, which is a large sum con
trusted with $7,000,900, the total amount tn
public institutions in the city.
The effect of these three demands for coin
upon a currency constituted like this of the U
States, is injurious, and already prompts banks
and bankers to move with caution at a time
when our commercial affairs are in as sound a
condition as was ever known, and New York,
enjoying this prosperity io a greater degree
perhaps than any city in the Union, the ex
changes, domestic and foreign, now standing
in favor of New York, without exception.
The strict enforcement of the Sub-Treasurv
law, and the present state of affairs, would
withoutdoubteause seriouslosses to merchants,
without the smallest benefit to the government,
and for this reason, we look to see the business
of New York relieved from its operation, by
the Treasury Department. The same law that
allowed a loan of coin a short time since, w ill
again relieve the banks from their fears of the
government deposits of coin, until the govern
ment by its payments, reduces the coin to a
nominal sum. The accession of the new ad
ministration in a few weeks, is also calculated
to restore confidence and to encourage a hope
that the money of the government will not be
demanded in a manner that will cripple our
merchants, or when collected be kept idle to
an extent that will embarrass the trade of the
country.—JV. Y. Express.
Emigration to California— Government
Escort.— A company of emigrants for Califor
nia, who contemplate leaving Fort Smith, Ar
kftisns, iti April next, have obtained through
Senator Borland, a military escort to Santa Fe.
I'he company will proceed by the Valley of
the Canadian river to Santa Fe and Albuquer
que, and thence by the El Passo to San Fran
cisco. With a view to afford protection to the
emigrants, and at the same time explore the
country traversed by this route, the War De
partment has directed General Arbuckle, of
Fort Smith, to furnish a suitable military es
cort. to he accompanied by an officer of the
iopographical engineers, whose duty it will be
to make reconnoisance and report to the de
partment. A circular from the leaders of the
emigrating party recommends the route as the
most favorable for emigration, passing as it
does through a healthy country, inhanited to a
considerable extent, and abounding with sup
plies The road is suitable for wagons, and il
is believed that the journey from Fort Smith
can be easily accomplished in one hundred
•lays Persons with or without families who
wish to emigrate to California, are in ited to
<endezvous at Fort Smith, where wagons,
horses, oxen, and all the supplies necessary tor
an outfit can be readily obtained at reasonable
prices. Freight and passengers can reach Fort
Smith by steamboat. Ail who desire to join
the party should be at Fort Smith by the first
of April — Balt. American.
From Yucatan—We have tiles of papers
from Campeachy to the 20th nil. From these
we learn that the Indians made repeated at
tempts to re-take Valladolid and Tihostico,
but they have been as often repulsed. On the
lOth ull , particularly, they received a severe
lesson from Col Gonzalez who made a large
number of prisoners. They are represented
as destitute of ammunition, ami being other
wse straitened in resources. The tone of the
press indicates that on the east side of the Pen
insula they have been checked thoroughly.—
But not on ihe west, for we find that an incur
sion has been made by a great number of them
into the district of Campeachy, even threaten
ing the city. The Governor has been called
upon to protect the place, the inhabitants ap
pearing unable to protect themselves.
The American volunteers are spoken of res
pectfully in the papers, and are said to have
incurred severe losses from excess of courage
in exposing themselves to unnecessary hazard
’Phe Balize Honduras Gazet'e announces the
expected fall of the town ot Bacalar into the
hands of the Yucatecos, who were advancing
against it with 800 men. Bacalar is the place
from which the Indians drew their supplies. —
.V O. Pic., Gthinst.
Excitement in Montgomery.—The Journal
furnishes the following interesting account of
an exciting scene in that city. Those of our
readers who read the admirable s»ory of “ But
ters* Riz” can well imagine how Mr. Liveweli.
would have enjoyed this trial of speed :
A fancy natch came off on Saturday at the
corner room in ihe basement of the Exchange
which for the time excited much interest with
the “quid mines.” The contending parties
were the Patentees of two newly invented at
mospheric churns, and the question at issue the
merits of iheir respective apparatus —one con
tending that he could bring the butler in ‘ sev
enty-five Miro kes.’aud the other believing that
he could do it in less. Every thing being ready
per agreement and an equal quantity oF mate
rial procured for both, the nags came to the
starting post in prime condition, reflecting the
highest credit on their training—P.. especially,
looking *as fine as silk. Two to one was free
ly offered by the knowing ones’ and as readily
taken by the backers of the other.
There were diversities of speculations and
opinions as to the result of the impending con
-1 test, and the capabilities of the respective nags
in reference to 'heels,* but little differenceofo
pinion as to which had the bottom. Both got
well off at the word, and the contest was most
animated. It was whip and spur, neck and
neck from the jump, such whirling and grind
ing. such blowing and puffing, such foaming
and roaring, and dashing and splashing of-
milk, was never before witnessed this side of
Duchess county. It was a pushing cracking
race all the way round and especially the last
quarter, which was a’crowder.’ and the nags
came in amidst the excited plaudits of the spec
tator. severely blown and distressed.
Time—4 m. 7 seconds.
The backers of P.. claim to have won bv a
neck, but owing to some difference of opinion
among the judges, the stake holders have not
yet been required to ‘hand over.”
Seriously speaking, both of the churns are
decided improvements, and both brought the
butterfrom fresh milkin four minutes. In such
a race, with such apparatus, all Goshen would
be -no where.”
Sudden death of a Member of the Legislature
Y es.erday a very distressing circumstance oc
curred in the House of Delegates. Mr John
. Thompson the member from Botetourt,
had called up a bill to establish a Branch Bank
at F incastle. He was proceeding to explain
the bill, while evidently laboring under indis
position. Calls w ere made to him to speak
louder—which he a templed to do. In doing
so. he made a pause, asked for water, and sud
denly sunk in his seat, as if from exhaustion, i
I he House instantly adjourned in great confu- i
sion. Mr T. was borne insensible to the pri
vileged seats, into a eurreut of air. Medical •
aid was immediately called—efforts were made i
to b.eed him. but all m vain. Consciousness j
returned no more, and ma few minutes he ex- I
pired.
Mr. Thompson has been for several years a •
member cl the House of Delegates, and by his •
mi d and amiable manners, made friends of all i
who knew him. His death, under tbecircum- :
stances, produced a shock, w hich wi.l never be •
forgotten, by those who experienced it.— Rich. .
ffhig i«s: |
"Augusta, (oca.:
I MONDAY MORNING, FKB’Y 14, 1H49.
Sound Views and in the Right Quarter.
Some of the most virulent Polk and Cass
journals are complaining at the ill success of
Mr. Calhoun’s movement to organize a sec
tional paity for his and their especial benefit.
They wish to embarrass and overthrow the
administration of President Taylor. South
Carolina supporters of the election of the Mich
i igan Abolitionist, who regretted that he could
I not record his vote for the Proviso of Wilmot,
! are particularly solicitous to retrieve their for
tunes, by the repudiation of all parties at this
time. The Mercury says:
“The South has nothing to expect from party or
politicians, in the great struggle which is before her.
The people must take the matter in their own hands.
They must watch, command, destroy —watch every
encroachment on their rights, command obedience to
their sovereign will, destroy any and every traitor to
their interests and honor.”
; So far as we can discover, this is precisely the
course which “the people have adopted.”
Speaking of the traitorous policy of certain
i Southern politicians, the New Orleans Com
mercial Times expresses the following sound
views:
“It is not by the simple blowing of trumpets and
the beating of drums, that Americans are impelled to
battle; they must have a grievance to be righted, a
wrong to be avenged. It is not the deep, and solemn,
and sumewhat monotonous vaticinations of Mr. Cal
houn, er the vehement and disjointed denunciations
of Mr. Foote, that will drive any portion of the peo
ple of the Republic into a contest with their brethren
of the Union. The masses here are never agitated
without a cause. Politicians may every now and
then blow off steam ; but the people either propel the
vessel of State quietly along, or if no other remedy
be found, they rise in their might, and dismiss the
whole crew.
“ The various attempts which have been made this
winter, to influence the minds of the populace, on the
subject of slavery, and to array one section of the
country egainst another, appear to us crimes of the
deepest and most malignant dye — treason of the
darkest and most dangerous character. In judg
ing of political conduct, we cannot penetrate the in
tentions of men ; we can only inquire into the conse
quences of their actions. It will not do to say that
most of those who have engaged in these attempts
were influenced by pure motives. Public men are
responsible to their constituents, not only for the pu
rity of their hearts, but aho for the clearness of their
heads. After the commission of grave errors, they
cannot be permitted to come in and set up the plea of
ignorance. With them, knowledge and wisdom are
duties ; want of information, and irreilection, crimes.
Placed in offices of trust, which require freedom from
passion and prejudice, and which involve the happi
ness and well-being of thousands, they are highly
culpable, if ’.hey permit their minds to run info the
excesses of fanaticism, or fall into the weaknesses of
folly. They must guard their minds well; for, out
of them are the issues of life; some of our public
men had better hesitate, and reflect before they take
violent steps, in regard to a dissolution of the Union.
They may find they have gone too (ar, when it is too
late to retrace their steps.”
The reader will bear in mind the fact that,
the Commercial Times is not apolitical journal
—that it is attached to no party. It is located
in the metropolis of the South, and in one of
the largest planting States in the Union. It
reflects the sentiments of the people; and ap
pears not afraid, in the language of the Charles
ton Mercury, to denounce in fitting terms
every traitor to their interests.”
Tho South Carolinian, in copying the edito
rial of the Mercury, from which the extract
above is a paragraph, remarks :
We cordially endorse every word of the following
article from ihe Charleston Mercury. It is time,
high time, fi r the people of the South to wake up,
and by their expressed determination to truckle no
longer, to rebuke the foul spirit of, treachery which is
insidiously creeping even into Southern councils of
safety. Away with party politics, away with your
trading political hucksters at Washington, if you are
desirous of preserving your just rightsand equality, if
you have regard fi»r your own prosperity, or for the
heritage of your children.
Precisely so, Mr. South Carolinian. It is
“ high time to rebuke the foul spirit of treachery
which is insidiously creeping even into South
ern councils of safety.” And to that end, your
attention is particularly invited to the timely
rebuke of the New Orleans Commercial Times,
where it declares that: “ The various attempts
winch fi ive been made this winter to influence
the minds of the populace on the subject of
slavery, and to array one section of the coun
try against another, appear to us as crimes of
the deepest and most malignant dye— treason of
the darkest and most dangerous character.”
Far be it from ns to do Mr. Calhoun, or his
friends and admirers in a neighboring State, the
least injustice. Our readers may well inquire:
“Is then! anything like treason to the Republic
m this South Carolina movement ?” This is
an important and momentous question, and
one that we would not hastily presume to an
swer. Iloften happens that circumstantial evi
dence is more convincing than direct, and the
most positive assertions : for assertions may be
untrue, but circumstances seldom tell lies. A
writer m the Columbia Telegraph of the 10th
instant, thus commences a communication of
some length.
“ If. is time far the Saulh lo etdeutate the Value
of the lonian.”— Mr. Editor: When, twenty years
ago, the patriotic autln rof the above sentiment first
gave it utterance, it was received with an universal
and general burst of indignation from one end of the
Union io the other. Since then, however, a change
has come over the spirit of the dream, and we can
appreciate the political fiiresiglit, the genuine love of
liiierty which prompted it. * * * ♦
Much, very much, should be borne before separation,
but there is a point beyond which forbearance ceases
to be a virtue, and that point has long been reached.
Hie unjust and oppressive system of Taxation under
the color of law, by which the South has literally been
gutted to build up and foster Northern interests —a
system by which the Slate of South Carolina alone
has been robbed (according to the estimate of a dis
tinguished but roiired statesman,)of upwards of 200,-
000,000 of dolir.rs, would long since have exhausted
the patience of any people but the generous and for
bearing South.
But, sir, we would not stand alone. If our sister
States ol the South aggrieved alike would not stand
t>y our sides in their sovereign capacities, many of
their noble sons would ru.*h to the rescue. Virginia,
noble Virginia, the banner State of the South would
pour forth her thousands and tens of thousands The
descendants of the “ Knights of the golden horse
ahne,” would net be laggard in such n conflict. The
sons ot the >|<f Nortli State too, would chafe for the
contest, as did their sires al Mecklenburg in 1776,
and Georgians, gallant Georgians, ever ready to
brave the insolence ol power, and the strong arm ot
Federal tyranny, would trample under fix>t ihe Be
trayers of their Honor and their Rights, as Scor
pions that had stung them, and spill their richest
blood in the righteous cause. Alabama, Mississippi,
and indeed every slaveholding State would, side by
side with us, re-echothe sentiment of the gallant Da
vis, at Buena Vista, “ Out with your bowie knives,
and at them, boys.”
The above is a fair sample of the way in
which Mr. Calhoun’s friends invite volunteers
to sever this fair Republic into fragments,
through the columns of a reputable journal
published at the capital of the Palmetto State.
The Telegraph thus characterizes the author of
this appeal to the people of the South.
“The communication in to-day’s paper on the sub
ject of the present position of the Southern States,
and our duty in relation to it, is from the pen of a citi
zen ot a neighboring District —a planter who has a
large stak« i involved, and a gentleman of influence
and sagacity.’’
■ Whom tiie gods wjildestroy they first make
mad. ’’ The South Carolinian thus pays its re
spects to this journal. We copy only the be
ginning of a long article :
The Recklessness of the Press. —We are as
tonished to q.-e the length to which the Augusta Chron
icle and Sentinel has gone in its abuse us Southern
men and Southern movements. We have forborne to
notice ns frequent attacks on Mr. Calhoun, in the
v tin hope th.it they would cease, but its article of last
Wednesday morning, is enough to make the blood of
every Ca olmian and true Southerner boil wnh indig
nation. We call upon the Southern press to give a
withering rebuke to such an outrage upon the best
feelings ot the Southern (.eople. Such language sure
ly cannot find favor with the people of Georgia; in
deed, our only wonder is that it is tolerated.
Our contemporary is informed that one who
habitually indulges «n the luxury of “blood”
heated to the temperature of 212°, is not a com
petent judge of public sentiment anywhere.
South Carolina disunionists. who are so
warmly commended by the Massachusetts An
ti-Slavery Society, have no reason to complain
of our •• attacks on Mr. Calhoun.” If we
have erred at all in the matter, it has been on
the side of leniency and forbearance.
Harinouious Democracy.
The Cleveland Plaindealcr. the leading Cass
organ in Ohio, which co-operated so lovingly
with the Constitutionalist al the late Presiden
j tial election, thus repudiates its Southern al
lies :
“ Now we wish to call the attention of our Demo
cratic friends in these North western States to one fact:
that of the 32 disunionists who signed this infamous
address. 31 were Democrats. We want our North
ern friends to see who it is that is s irred op to this
act of high treason, simply because the North do not
want to carry slavery into territories now free. Il
has become, then, a fixed portion of the Democratic
creed South to extend slavery or dissolve the Union!
We have been censured as a political journalist for
advocating a dissolution of political partnership with
such men ; but who does not see that it is impossible
to retain our political connection South without incor
porating slavery extension and disunion into our creed.
We’ll none of it! The South voted against our can
! didate at the list election; we will vote against theirs
at the next. We abjure all such leaders as John Cata
line Calhoun. We go for the Union and the exten
sion of freedom, and this we shall do if we have logo
it alone. ”
State Medical Convention.
Prof. P F. Eve, editor of the Southern
Medical and Surgical Journal, has issued the
fol owing circular letter to the profession in this
State:
• In the list N . o’ the Southern Medical and Sur
j gieal Journal, was published an invitation to the Phy-
I s-.c-an* of Georgia, to meet in this City on the 2(M»
I February, for the purpose of forming a State Medical
- Sin -?.:i n, the Medical
I Surety Savannah has proposed to change the time
’ and place of meeting, to M.irch 2Jth, in the City of
M icon ; and this suggestion ua? been adopted by th
* Physicians of th s city. The proposed meeting will
; there:'-re wLeJ a: Macon, instead of Augusta.
Admission of California. —The Hon. Y\
J B. Preston, of Ya., made a speech in the
House of Representative* on the 7th insL.
i which is represented to have been one of great
j power and eloquence, in which he announced
I his determination to introduce a bill for the
I immed'ate admission of California as a State.
1 A Ctjßiotrs Statsmbht.—ln the debate on
i ‘bo bill to prohibit the introduction of sbivon
into the District of Columbia for sale, Mr.
Crowell, of Ohio, took some pains to show
that nearly ail of the prominent anti-slavery
agitators at the North were Southerners. He
said that Birney was a Kentuckian. The edi
tor of the abolition paper in Cincinnati was a
native of South Carolina; sowas the editor
of the National Era; and so was another Mr.
Snodgrass in Baltimore.
Cholera IN Nashville. —The Cholera at
last dates, 7ih j n st. was prevailing in Nashville
to a limited extent. Five deaths occurred in
three days.
The Hon. Millard Fillmore, Vice-President
elect, has sent to the Legislature of New i. ork
his resignation of the office of Comptroller of
the Treasury of that State, to take effect on
: the 20th ofthis month.
’ the U. S. Supreme Court, on VVed
| nesday, Justice McLean delivered the opinion
> of the Court, against the constitutionality of
’ the laws of Massachusetts and New York, le
i vying a tax oa immigrants. Justices Catron,
. Wayne, McKinley, and Grier acquiesced, and
1 Chief Justice Taney dissented.
From the Boston Atlas.
California—lts Pearl Fisheries.
Messrs. Editors .'—l have read the paper
presented to the New York Historical Society,
by Rev. Edwin F. Hatfield, and published in
your sheet of January 29th. with much interest
it has recalled to my mind some circumstances
relative to California, of peculiar interest at
this time, and for which I have been looking
up authorities this morning, with,however, but
partial success. I will first relate some facts
that are impressed on my memory which rarely
deceives me, but for the precise correctness of
which I have at present no ‘arther evidence, —
and afterwards narrate others, the authorities
of which are at the service of any one who
doubts.
Something over a century ago, if my mind
has not confounded facts, there was nearly as
much excitement in New England in regard to
California as at present but the cause was its a
bundant supply of pearls, not of gold. And
the enterprising Yankees ofthatday fitted out
one or more small vessels, (I think from Salem
and Newport) to engage in the pearl fishery
on its coast, and having procured divers sailed
for the Gulf of California. Spain at that time
was a powerful m ritime nation, and guarded
the precious products of her colonies with jea
lous care. When the news of this expedition
reached the ears of the Spanish Officials, a gal
leon or fleet was fitted out from Acapulco, and
cruising up the gulf, captured the marauding
New England ships, and condemned their
crews to slavery in the mines. Although these
persons were engaged in a clearly illegal act,
and Spain was justified in such a course, yet the
British Government took umbrage at it, and it
was for a time the subject of negotiation be
tween the two rival powers, and was probably
one of the causes of the war that broke out be
tween them in 1739, and was terminated by
the Trea.y of Aix La Chapelle, in 1748, after
a nine years’ contest at an expense to Great
Britain of over £46.000,000.
Whether ali these facts are correctly remem
bered or not, there can be no doubt that for
more than two centuries California has produc
ed large quantities of valuable pearls, and 1
have undoubted history to vouch for wh it fol
lows. Dr. Murray says, “The Spaniards long
viewed California as an El Dorado, their hopes
being fed oy pearls found on its shores.” Yol.
3. p. 330. And Chambers tells us, “ The
Spaniards upon their landing in the New
World, were surprised to find the native deck
ed out with pearl necklaces and bracelets; and
soon afterwards observed that the comparative
ly civilized natives of Mexico were as eager in
the search of a pearl of beautiful form as were
the people of Europe.” Now we must re
member that California is geographically so
near Mexico, that pearls would be readily ta
ken from il waters to the capital of the Incas.
In fact, it has formed a province of Mexico till,
ceded to us by the recent treaty. Moreover,
we are distinctly told, “The fishery of the an
cient kings of Mexico seems to have been on
the west coast.”
Among the presents made to Cortez, by
Montezuma, and which were sent to the Empe
ror, Charles V.. were necklaces garnished with
pearls. After the conquest, says Chambers, the
Spaniards sought for them with such success
thatsoon cities rose there in splendor and afflu
ence Murray adds: Loretto, from the conflu
ence of Pearl Divers, became quite a city, but
now contains only 250 inhabitants. This
town is on the Gulf of California. While Las
Casas says : “ The wealth and luxury of their
merchants has been handed down to us; but
in the sixteenth century the fishing ra
pidly diminished—by 1683 it had already
ceased —the islands had almost become
unknown, and now not a vestige of their
cities remains, and downs of shifting sands co
ver the desolate islands.” It can scarcely be
doubted it would have been very different in
the hands of the enterprising and hardy New
Englanders than in those of the effeminate
Spaniards.
Chambers, however, says : “The Quint or
tax the King’s officers drew from the produce
was 13,000 ducats. Till 1530, the value of the
pearls (sent from Mexico) to Europe amount
ed yearly on an average to more than 800,000
piastres. In 1587, there was sent to Seville
six hundred and ninety seven pounds weight, a
mongsl which a good many of great beauty
were reserved for Phillip IL This same mo
narch had a magnificent one sent him from the
Island of Margaritta, which weighed 250 carats
and was valued at $150,000.” This Island
however, is to the eastward of the coast of Mex
ico
Soon after the year 1600,” tho same au
thority adds, “the (idling in California began
to rival the older established ones, and the
pearls found there were often very large and of
a fine water. The Indians and negroes, how
ever, employed in the fisheries were so ill paid
by the Europeans that the fishing soon became
almost abandoned ; and the disturbed stale of
those countries has of late years prevented the
governments making fresh exertions.” These
remarks are pregnant with interest. They show
that the tisheriesdecreased in value, not so much
from the diminution of pearls, as from the
want of judgment and enterprise of the shift
less Spaniard. Had they been prosecuted by
the Anglo-Saxon the result would doubtless
have been different. To show the barbarity
and short-sightedness of the Spanish-Mexicans
in killing the goose which laid the golden egg,
tho following extract from Las Casas in intro
duced. His evidence should be admitted with
some allowance, however, as he is always the
apologist of the Indians. He says: •• As soon
as the diver rose to the surface a cruel over
seer was close at hand ; and should the mise
rable wretch presume to remain a little time to
draw his breath and wrest a few minutes from
hi> toil, his tormentor beat him with many
blows-; and seiz ng him by the hair of his head
forced him again to descend. The food allow
ed them was such as was not sufficient to allay
the pangs of hunger, and their bed was the
cold ground, frequently they descended in
quest of shells, but never re appeared, having
been devoured by the sharks which prow led a
round them, if they escaped these cruel mon
sters of the deep, they soon fell victims to
their equally ruthless masters; for they quickly
died of profuse spitting of blood, while their
hair had already, from a deep, glossy black, the
natural color, become of a duh grey, like that
of the sea wolf. The avarice of the Spaniards
soon estroyed their fisheries ; Mey exhausted
the banks, by their never ceasing and indiscrimi
nate destruction of the oysters; and now the
pearl fishery ot America is of comparatively no
amount.”
We see here another way in which thecupid
ityofthe Spaniards in the seventeenth century
exhausted the produce of their oyster beds.
Mr. Percival in his account of Ceylon stales:
“The Dutch, with inconsiderate avarice had
nearly exhausted fie banks, but since Ceylon
has come into our hands, (the English) a dif
ferent policy has been adopted, to prevent such
an accident happening again. The banks are
divided into several portions, and not more than
two or three can be fished in one season
These different portions are leased annually in
succession, so that now a sufficient time is giv
en fur the oysters to increase in size and num
bers.” This policy was not adopted, and the
fishery ran out; but now, after a lapse of two
centuries since any of consequence have been
taken, /Arre is little doubt the fishery is again, if
properly prosecuted, as rich as ever.
To come, however, to modern tiroes. Sev
eral expeditions have been fitted out by Eng
lishmen to renew the fishery in California, but
not with much success. In 1825 —that great
year of speculation—one of these companies
called‘’The General Pearl and Coral Fishing
Association of London,” sent out Lieut. Hardy
R. N. to examine the fisheries of California,
and report the prospects of success. His re
port is very interesting, and several extracts are
annexed He stated that good divers were
very difficult to be procured-—and recommen
ded the use of divins bells where they are ca
pable of being used as a substitute, lie found
the divers were afraid to go down in certain
places, for fear of the /tn/ereros or ground
sharks, and mantas or marrayos. This latter
fish, he was informed, was an imense broad
fish, formed like a skate. They hug the divers
with two large fins, and carry the poor fellows
off. One was struck by Capt. Hall with a har
poon. and when taken, was found to measure
twenty feet across the back. Notwithstanding
these dangers.and auxiotis himself to ascertain
the state of the oyster banks. Lieut Hardy be
came a diver.
He says : if it be difficult to learn to swim, it
is infinitely more so to dive. In my first at
tempts I could only descend about six feet, and
was immediately obliged to rise again to the
surface; but by degrees. I got down to two or
three fathoms, at which depth the pressure of
the water upon the ears is so great, that I can
only compare it to a sb® r p pointed iron instru
ment being violently pressed into that organ.
My stay under water, therefore, at this depth,
was extremely short: as I had been assured
that as soon as the ears should burst, as it is
technically called by th« divers, there would be
no difficulty in descending to any depth, and
wishing to become an accomplished diver. I
determined to brave the excessive pain. Ac
cording!'’, taking a leap from the bows of the
boat, full of hope and resolution..with my fin
crers knit together over mV head, the elbows ;
straight, and keeping myself steadily m the ta
rerse order of nature, namely' with mj leet
perpendicularly upwards. the impetus carried
me dow n about four fathoms, when it became
necessary to assist the descent by means or the
hands and legs. But alas, who can count upon
the firmness of his resolution. The change of
temperature from hot to cold is most sensibly
felt. Every fathom nils the imagination with
the dangerous folly of penetrating farther into
the silent dominions of reckless monsters,
where the skulls of the dead make perpetua
grimace, and the yawning J aW5 sharks and
tintereros, or the death embrace of the manta lie
in wan for us. These impressions were aug
mented by the impossibility of the vision pen
etrating the twiligm by which I was surround-
ed. together with the excruciating pain 1 felt in
my eyes and oars , in short, my mind being as
sailed by a thousand incomprehensible images,
I ceased striking with my hands and legs ; 1 felt
myself receding from the bottom, I involunta
rily changed the position of my body, and in the
next instant found myself once more on the
surface. Again I essayed with a more fixed
determination. I felt myself gliding through
the slippery water, which, from its density gave
one the idea of swimming through a thick jelly;
again I experienced the same change of tempe
rature in the water as I descended, and again
the agonizing sensation in my eyes and ears
made me waver. But now reason and resolu-
tion urged me on, although every instant the
pain increased as I descended, and at the depth
of six or seven fathoms, I felt a sensation in my
ears like that produced by the explosion of a
gun; at the same moment I lost all sense of
pain, and afterward reached the bottom with a
facility which I had thought unattainable. I
no sooner found myself at the surface again,
than t became sensible of what had happened to
my ears, eyes and mouth ; I was literally bleed
ing from each of these, though wholly uncon
scious of it. But now was the greatest danger
as the sharks, mantas and tintereros have ati
astonishing quick scent for blood,
Lieut. Hardy found the pearl oysters on the
coastof California, chiefly in sheltered bays, the
bottoms of which were covered with large
rocks; and they were most abundant in fissures
orc’efts of these rocks, adhering strongly by a
strong byssus, so strongly, indeed, that it re
quired no little force to tear them away. He
tells us the diver carries with him an oak stick
about nine inches long and pointed at both
ends. He grasps the stick by the middle, and
when attacked by the shark or manta, he thrusts
it into the monster’s expanded jaws, in such a
position, that when attempting to seize his vic
tim they close upon the two sharp points. He
himself, in his aqueous expeditions, fell in with
none of these monsters, but he describes an ac
count related to him by a native, Don Pablo
Ochon, for many years a superintendant of the
fishing, and himself an expert diver. The Pla
cer de la Piedra Ncgada (and from this it will be
seen there are ''placers" of pearls, as well as
“placers" of gold situated near Loretto—a town
before alluded to as having beenonce the chief
seat of the pearl fishery in the sixteenth centu
ry, and being then a city of wealth, but now
containing only 250 inhabitants—this placer,
situated near Loretto in the Gulf of California,
had the reputation of formerly producing the
largest and most numerous pearls, but from
the great depth of water it was hard to find and
reach.
Don Pablo succeeded in sounding it, and in
search of specimens of the largest and oldest
shells dived down in eleven fathoms of water.
The rock is not over one hundred and fifty
yards in circumference, and our adventurer
swarn round and examined it in ail directions,
and at length, being satisfied with regard to oys
ters, he thought of ascending to the surface of
the water; but first he cast a look upwards,
as all divers are obliged to do, who hope
to avoid the hungry jaws of a monster. —
Ifthe coast is clear, they may rise without ap
prehension. Don Pablo, however, when he
cast a hasty glance upwards, found that a tinte
rero had taken a station three or four yards im
mediately above him, and most probably had
been watching during the whole time he had
been down. A double pointed stick was a
useless weapon against such a tinterero, as its
mouth was of such enormous dimensions that
both man and stick would be swallowed to
gether. He therefore felt himself rather ner
vous, as his retreat was now completely inter
cepted. But under water time is too precious
to be spent in reflection, and therefore heswam
round to another part of the rock, hoping by
this means tw avoid the vigilance of his pursu
er. What was his dismay, when he again looked
to find the pertinacious tinterero stlil hovering
over him, as a hawk would follow a bird ! lie
described him as having large, round, inflamed
eyes, apparently just ready to start from their
sockets, with eagerness, and a mouth (at the
recollection of which he still shuddered,) that
was continually opening and shutting, as if in
anticipation of the tempting morsel below!—
Two alternatives now presented themselves to
the mind of Don Pablo ; one to suffer himself
to be drowned—the other to be eaten. He had
already been under water so long a time
that he found it impossible to retain his breath,
and was on the point of giving himself up for
lost, with as much philosophy as he possessed.
But what is dearer than life ? The invention
of man is seldom at a loss to find an expedient
for its preservation, in cases of great extremity.
On a sudden, he recollected that on one side of
the rock he had observed a sandy spot, and to
this he swam with all imaginable speed,; his at
tentive friend still watching his movements,
and keeping a measured pace with him. As
soon as he reached the spot, he commenced
stirring it with his pointed stick, in such away
that the fine particles rose and rendered the
water perfectly turbid, so that he could not see
the monster nor the monster him. Availing
himself of the cloud by which himself and the
tinterero were enveloped, he swam very far
out in a transvertical direction, and reached the
surface in safety,though completely exhausted.
Fortunately he rose close to one of the boats,
and was taken in more dead than alive.
It floes not appear that this London Com
pany were successful, and they soon ceased
operations. But let no one infer from that fact
alone, that the pearls do not abound in sufficient
qualities to remunerate suitable exertions. The
same year, J 825, no less than thirty English,
•two American, and one German joint stock
companies were formed to work the silver
mipes of Mexico ; and though many obtained
large amounts of silver, and one, the “Bolenos
Co.” no less than $5,000,000, yet they all soon
failed. This failure, in the case both of pearl*
and silver, may safely and necessarily be attri
buted to the employment of agents so far from
their principals, where supervision, guidance,
and direction are impossible.
We have thus seen the following facts clear
ly established:—
Ist. That, from the earliest settlement of
America, it has been known to the Spaniards
that pearls abound in California.
2nd. That, for many years, they obtained
annually an enormous amount in value from
these fisheries.
3d. That they exhausted them by their cu
pidity, and destroyed the Indian divers by their
cruelty.
4th. That the unseccessful attempts of the
English, since the commencement of the nine
teenth century, to restore the pearl fishery to
its primitive prosperity, when a single pearl
was found worth $150,000, and many one half
that sum, maybe attributed to other causes
than the final extinction of the pearl oyster on
the coast of California.
And, lastly, we may safely infer that some
of the numerous adventurers now seeking that
El Dorado may find it for their interest to turn
their attention from the crowded, irksome,
arid unhealthy task of digging for grains of
gold, or washing sands for scales, to the less
laborious and much more healthy enterprise of
seeking for the peals that unquestionably line
its shore. By the aid of a diving bell, both the
danger from sharks, and the injury to the con
stitution, arising from long continuance under
water, may be avoided; and it is probable that
the more modern discovery of Taylor’s sub
marinearmour might be found more efficacious
and valuable still.
The preceding remarks, like the extract from
the log-book of the “Speedwell.” have espe
cial reference to the Peninsula of California;
though they are very possibly true also in Alta
California. And there is no hazard in saying,
in conclusion, that, beyond question, those wa
ters contain an inestimable quantity of pearls :
and it is equally unquestionable, that, if they are
there, the present Anglo-Saxon emigrants will
certainly obtain them.
The most valuable Pearl Fishery in the world
is that of Ceylon, which is a monopoly belong
ing to the British Government In the year
1798, it yielded pearls to the value of $960.900;
and in I"U4. it was leased to individuals, under
certain restrictions, for §600,000 per annum
Pearls have been of immense value since before
the Christian era, and, unlike gold and silver,
have not materially decreased in value since
that date. The most valuable pearls ever
known, were one presented by Julius C.T<ar
to Servilia.the mother of Marcus Brutus, valued
at $250,000 ; and the celebrated one Cleopatra
dissolved in vinegar, and drank wishing to
excel in cost. Mark Anthony’s most sumptuous
repast, worth over $400,000. Among the
most valuable ones now in existence, are one
bought by Tavernier at Catifa, in Arabia, and
now in possession of the Shah of Persia, worth
$550 000; one belonging to the Emperor of
Russia, of nearly the same size and purity ; and
one in the British Crown, captured among the
treasures of Seringapatam; together with the
one already alluded to as having been obtained
in Margarita, in 1587, weighing 250 carats,
and worth $150,000. g.
S.NOWISG Grubs— February \ 1846 Messrs.
Editors: A servant coming from the city this
morning told ns of the legions of small worms
on the top ofthe snow throughout al! the com
mon over which she passed. She took a dinner
plate, and made an indiscriminate dip near
my door, on which I counted eight worms, all
alive. They are a quarter of an inch long, pre
cisely like those produced in cheese. The snow
is one and a half inches deep ; and whether
these were manna for the poor birds or other
wise, must be settled by the curious.
Very respectfully, E. G.
[The above is from a respectable citizen
known to us, or it would pass belief- Editors
National Intelligencer.']
The Smow Worm —The snow-worm phe
nomena to which a correspondent alluded in
our paper of yesterday, seems to have made its
appearance in different parts of the country.
We have been shown a letter from Professor
Chester Dewey, of Rochester, New York.fad
dressed to a scientific gentleman of this city.)
from which we learn that the snow in that re
gion has recently been covered with worms va
rying from a quarter of an inch to an entire
inch in length. We are also informed that a
small worm, of a dark color, and resembling a
tiny bud or seed, was found upon snow in
North Carolina during the last winter ; and
also that about two years ago a small worm
of a scarlet hue was found on the snow in
Tennessee. The worms described by our cor
correspondent are said to be a quarter of an
inch in length, and bearinga close resemblance
to those produced by cheese.
In looking through the French and English
writers upon problematic phenomena, we have
discovered nothing calculated to throw light
upon the phenomena under consideration.
Showers of sulphur, showers of blood scarlet
snow, showers of corn, and showers of such
animals as frogs, fish, and snails, have all beeh
learnedly discussed by various writers, but we
have found no allusion in any ancient or mo
dern author to a shower of worms.— National
Intelligencer.
American Printing Presses in Europe.—Col
onel Hoe is still in Pans putting in operation
his wonderful printing presses. He has already
received orders for six of them in London and
Pans, where they are pronounced greatly su
perior to any machines used or invented in
either of those countries. Professor Morse
and Colonel Hoe, one with his great invention
in telegraphinr. and the other with his unri
valled printing press, are gaming a fame for
themselves that will live long after they have left
the stage of life.
Correspondence of the National Intelligencer. I
Debt cf 13 u rope.
I know not how to give a better birdu-eye view of
thejinancial condition of Europe—and upon that phase
of national existence perhaps political condition almost
entirely depends—than by sending you the following
statement translated from a Continental paper of high
standing—the “Brussels Nation.”
“No one can doubt that the economical and finan
cial condition of Europe hue been in a great degree the
cause of the late convulsions which have occurred —
equally in those countries in which political causes
have produced the revolutions, as in those in which
apparent tranquility now exists. coup d’tei/,there
fore at the general financial state of Europe, would be
a criterion for measuring the interests of the crisis
and its most probable results. That part of the debt
which is now most oppressive generally on the poeple
is the debt caused by the long wars in which the va
rious countries have entered during and since the
reign of Louis XIV, and especially at the corumence
inent of the present century, and the expense and
inaintainance of the permanent armaments which
have not only absorbed an infinitely large portion of
the productive labor of the people, but have occupied
the labor itself of a large portion of the most efficient
and healthy classes of the community.
‘•The debts of the various countries of Europe may
be thus classed in round numbers:
Great Britain£36o,ooo,ooo
France. 320,000 000
Holland,• 160,000.000
Russia and Poland 110,000,000
Spain- 93 000 000
Austria. 84,000.000
Prussia 30,000 000
Portugal. 28,000,000
Naples 26.000 000
Belgium. 25,000,000
Denmark. 13,000,000
Sicily. 14 000.000
Papal dominions 13,000 000
Greece. 8,00 >,OOO
Bavaria 3,000 000
Bremen 600.000
Frankfort. 1,000 000
Hamburg. 1,400,000
1,785,000,000
Debts not enumerated, 215,000,000
£2,000,000,000
“Requiring an annua! provision to the extentof one
hundred million pounds for interest, in addition to al
least twenty-five million pounds lor expenses of col
lection, administration, &c.
“In addition to this charge, already sufficiently
large, (when it is remembered that the labor alone of
the people can produce the means of paying it,) is to
be placed the cost of the permanent armaments and
their incidental expenses.
“The smallest estimate of the permanent armies
now employed in the various States of Europe is about
2,800.0001. kept up for protection, as well on the land
as at sea, of the several existing Governments ; feed
ing, clothing, equipping, arming, and paying such a
number of men, as well as arsenals, fortifications,ships,
and all the concomitant expenditure, according to )
the several official documents, cannot be less than
an annual charge of 120,000,000/.; an I suppose that
each man so employed could, in agricultural or other
labor, earn a sum of le. 6d. per day. the total sum of
money thus totally lost to the public weal, and which
ought, consequently, to be charged to joint expendi
ture, cannot be fairly stated at much less than 200,-
000,000/. per annum. Add again the charges,already
heavy enough, attendant on the administration of
Governments, the numerous sinecures and pensions
granted from the productive resources of the people,
and which cannot be estimated at less than 25,000,-
000/a year, and we shall then have some notion of the
causes which prevent the laborer from deriving that
recompense from his work, to which under other cir
cumstances, he might be justly entitled.
“And if, even in addition to all this, we add the in
numerable mass of idlers of all sorts, and persons of
every description who earn nothing by any effort of
the mind or body towards their own subsistence ami
therefore live on the work of others, then we shall
cease to feel surprised, that in spite of all combina
tions of Governments, ofthe efforts of economists ami
philanthropists, the workman becomes from time to
time impoverished,and pauperism continues to increase
in its intensity throughout Europe.
“The population oi Europe is about 250,000,000 ol
sonls, armament of all kinds, including police, t&c.,
2,800,000; various employees of Government, 20 ■
000,000. G it not evident that this charge is too heavy
for the population—that Government and police cost
too much —that permanent armaments, paid, clothed,
lodged, fed, and. armed by the people, tend greatly to
perpetuate the system. And does not all this show
clearly that any late revolutions are but as a- feather
in the balance, as the cause of the existing distress
throughout Europe, whilst the attention of all Govern
merits, if they wish to obtain quiet and tranquility,
should be directed to the reform of the wasteful ex
penditure and ruinous system of present management,
and to endeavor to place within reach of the laborer
a greater share of the produce <>f the soil which he
cultivates, and to producers of all sorts a greater share
in the direction of the affairs cf their respective coun
tries.”
Discoveries in the Arctie Ocean*
Some discoveries have recently been made
by the Captain of o Sag Harbor whaler, that
possesses no little interest to the geographer.
Capt. Royce, for a long time has believed
that a new and more profitable whaling ground
existed to the north of Behring’s Straits, an o
pinion he formed from reading the voyage of
Capt. Cook. Clark. Beec’ny and others. The
principal reason which induced him to put a
way for that ocean was a remark which here col
lected to have read in Beechy’s Voyages, viz :
—“ Oft’here we saw agreat many black whales,
more than i remember ever to have seen, even
in Baffin's Bay.”
The Captain, describing his voyage,says:
“ I entered the Arctic Ocean about the middle of
July, and cruised from continent to continent, going
as high as lat. 70, and saw whales wherever I went,
cutting in my last whale on the 22d of August, and
returning through Behring’s Straits on the 28th of the
same month. On account of powerful currents,thick
fogs, and near vicinity of land and ice, combined,
with the imperfection of charts and want of informa
tien respecting this region, I found it both difficult
and dangerous to get oil, although there are a plenty
of whales. Hereafter, doubtless many ships w ill go
there, and I think some provision ought tube made
to save the lives of those who go there, should they be
cast away—they should not be left to perish among
the Indians who inhabit these regions.”
During tiie entire periodot his cruise there, no ice
was seen, the weather was ordinarily pleasant, so
that the men would work in light clothing. In most
parts of the ocean there was good anchorage from 14
to 35 fathoms. During a part of the time that the
vessel was there, she lay at anchor. The first whale
was taken at 12 o’clock at night ! It was not diffi
cult ‘to whale’ the whole 24 hours ; so light was it,
that at midnight it was easy to read in the cabin.—
The whales were quite tame, but entirely different
from any which Capt. Boyce had ever before taken.
He took three different species, one of the largest
yielding 200 barrels of oil. The first species much
rbsctnbles the Greenland whale, yielding about 160
or 170 barrels ; the second was a species called Polar
whale, a few of which have been taken on the N. VV.
coast; and the third a small whale peculiar to that
oceam The last three whales taken yielded over
600 barrels.
The American coast has been explored, surveyed
and found to be inhabited. Capt. Royce discovered
that the Asiatic coast was also peopled by numerous
Indian tribes, and he expresses the opinion that they
are well supplied with valuable furs, that could be
easily purchased. There are no good charts of the
Asiatic coast, unless they are in the possession of the
R ussians.
On entering the straits, seven canoes, containing
seven men each, were seen crossing from the Ameri
can to the Asiatic coast. There arc three small is
lands situated in the passage, hence rendering it ex
tremely easy for the dwellers on the American and
A iatic continents to pass and repass. Capt. Royce
did not hold any communication with the Indians, as
his vessel was but partially armed, and in one in
stance the Indians showed that they were disposed to
make him a hostile visit when becalmed, but a favor
able breeze springing up soon carried the vessel be
yond the region of danger.
-Vew» Cruising Ground for Whale Ships.— The
success which has attended the Superior’s cruise to
the Arctic ocean will undoubtedly stimulate others to
follow her adventurous track. By referring to the
charts, it will appear, that at favorable seasons, ships
may cruise over 10 degrees of longitude, and as far
north as the7oth degree. As the attention of the
whaling community w’ll now be directed to this part
of the ocean, as yet but very parttally explored, es
pecially on the Asia.ic coast, it will be necessary for
cruisers to exercise great watchfulness and precau
tion. The charts of that ocean ate extremely imper
fect. Attached to Beechy’s voyages, published in
London, 1831, there is a well executed chart, of the ,
American coast from Behring’s strait to point Barrow
the most extreme point of land as yet explored, lying
in la itude 71 deg. 20 min. In the opinion of Capt.
Royce, this chart of Beechy’s is the most accurate
which can be obtained. This ocean doubtless
varies very much during different seasons. Some
seasons it is much more clear of ice than others.—
Ships would not probably be much endangered by
floating icebergs, from the fact that, almost any part of
the ocean can be easily sounded.”
Th? experience of Capt. Beechy, whose success
encouraged Capt. Royce to make his exploration, sin
gularly coincides with the reports of Capt. Royce.
From the Charleston Mercury of yesterday.
Arrival of the Isabel.
The fine Meamer Isabel, Capt. Rollins, left
Havana ai 5 o’clock on the afternoon of Thurs
day, and reached her wharf in Charleston at 9
o’clock in the morning of yesterday, complet
ing the entire run from port to port in tne as
tonishing short time of fifty-five hours.
We learn by the steamer Isabel that the
Quarantine Regulations, at Havana, have been
greatly modified. This has been done princi
pally through the strenuous exertions of Gen.
Campbell, our able and efficient Consul at that
port. We understand that it is expected that
in a few days the Quarantine will be entirely
dispensed with.
Among the passengers on board the Isabel,
from Havana, was Lieut. Joseph Lanman, of
the U. S. Navy. Bearer of despatches from Cal
ifornia to Washington, and Mr J. V. R. Craw
ford, ofJas. T. Crawford, esq., the British
Consul at Havana, having in charge the West
India Mails, saved from tho wreck of the steam
er Forth. Both gentlemen left yesterday.
The Falcon from New York, was met going
in as the Isabel was coming out.
Havana, Feb. 6, 1649.— Interesting Seirs
from California. — The U S. Mail steamer Isth
mus arrived here the day before vesterday from
Chagres, which port she left on 26th January;
and an officer who came in her, bearer of de
spatches to the United States Government.fully
confirms the previous reports in regard to the
abundance of gold in California, of which we
understand he has specimens to take with him.
The Pacific Mail steamer “ California’’ arrived
on ißth January at Panama in 69 days, and
would afford a regular means of conveyance to
those regions of wealth, almost surpassing the
tales of fiction; she would soon be joined by
other steamers having the same object in view.
The discovery of this new *• El Dorado’ 1 even
though but a small part of what is reported
should be realized, seems likely to exercise an
important influence on trade and commerce,
and perhaps on the interesting question of the
Currency. One may safely say that its imme
diate effect will be to stimulate the energies and
resources of the United States, already pro
gressing with such marvellous rapidity, and our
Island may anticipate a share of the benefits,
from an increased demand for our staples.
“ Since our report of 26th January the sup
plies of Sugar have continued restricted.
There is an active inquiry, chiefly confined at
present to Spain, and all'that has come in has
been readily purchased at advancing prices.
As there is no doubt about the shortness of
our crop, and that of the United States is like
ly to be still more deficient than was at first an
ticipated, we have good grounds to expect that
our prices will rule high during the season
’ Very little .Muscovado Sugar has been
brought to this market. A parcel of ordinary
was placed at 4| rials.
“ Molasses is verv firm at 2A rials, at which
rate purchases have been made, deliverable
Here and m the near out-ports, while even high
er prices have been given in Matanzas and
Cardenas. Several dealers are now asking
more.
“There is a fair inquiry for Cotfee, but not
much comes in It sells at s4f as£ for mid
dling to good, and at $6 for prime, which latter
is very scarce
Augusta, 05a.:
TUESDAY MORNING, FEB. 13, Ib4».
Railroad to the Pacific,
A large meeting has recently been held at
the Capital of Ohio, nt which Gov. Ford pre
sided, to advance the magnificent scheme of
Senator Bentox to build a railroad from St.
Louis to the Pacific. Among the resolutions
adopted, the following are the most pertinent: :
Resolved, That the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
ought to be united by railroad, passing through the
centre of the Union, intersecting th? States of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and thence across the N.
W. Territories to California.
That in the opinion of this meeting, the |
general government ought to aid in the construction j
of a railroad from St. Louis, Mo. to California, by such I
donations of land or money as may enable a private
company' to accomplish this great work.
That it will be disastrous to the inter
ests of the West to permit the construction of the Pa
nama railroad, except on compromise, securing the
building of the St. Louis and California railroad.
Resolved) That this subject be earnestly commen
ded to the immediate action of the Executive and the
Legislature of Ohio, trusting that such steps may be
taken as will protect the interests of our own State,
and of the West generally.
The eity of Memphis is a more central start
ing point than St. Louis. We trust that the
citizens of the South, who are so deeply inter
ested in our railroads, and commercial pros
perity, will not devote all their attention to the
consideration cf mere abstractions, and thus
permit the North to divert from all Southern
seaports, all Southern railroads, rivers and
States, the benefits to accrue from being on the
great thoroughfare, which is soon to connect
the Eastern with the Western portion of this
vast Republic. It should be borne in mind
that we have 1600 miles of seacoast on the Pa
cific ; and that all Europe, as well as the United
States, is pouring into this most inviting field
for enterprise, its hzft-dy emigrants. Few peo
ple in this quarter are aware of the commerce
that already exists on the western coast of
North America.
Russian America, the only part of our conti
nent held by the Sclavonic race, has to our re
public been almost an unknown land. Still
an American is there, Mr. Moore, whose em
ployment is to instruct the natives born of Rus
sian parents, how so build steam engines and
steam vessels forthat far distant coast. This
steam voyaging will connect them with Oregon
and thence by our new line with Panama, and
thence again by the present existing line with
Valparaiso in Chili. The western coast of
America, both North and South, will then have
a continuous line of steamers from near Behr
ing’s Straits down to near Cape Horn, though
the eastern coast of our continent has no such
continuous line by steam.
A voyager entering the port of Archangel,
found there the following mercantile fleet. It
speaks of fife, of energy, and of the speed of
civilization.
1. Helen,-••• 350 tons. 10. Moryschold SO tons.
2. Alexander- 300 “ 11. Qu.ipak• • • 80 “
3. Sitka3oo “ 12. Nicolas, steamer, 60
4. BichaL-- -200 “ horse power.
5. Const’mine 200 “ 13. Moore, steamer, 7
6. Ochotsh. •• 150 “ hor*e power.
7. Chicknhoff 150 “ 14 and 15. Two other
8. Potypheme 150 “ small steamers.
9. Promysle,. 80 “
This is not only north of “fifty-four forty”
but north of the British possessions on the Pa
cific. Sir George Simpson, governor of the
British province in that region, speaks of the
establishment of Mr. Moore in terms of high
commendation ; the entire work of an engine,
the casting and forging, being admirably done.
The climate of Russian America isjnild for
its latitude, like Western Europe,—in both ca
ses the prevailing westerly winds from the
oceans temper the land No part of the coast
north of Oregon grows wheat, but potatoes and
other garden vegetables are abundant, even to
Cook’s Sound and Aleshka. Cattle thrive
well. The forests are filled with game, and
the waters swarm with fish, especially the
salmon. That extremity of our continent is
destined to support a considerable population,
though their flour must come from Oregon.
“New Archangel” says Sir George, “not
withstanding its isolated position, is a very gay
place. Much of the time of its inhabitants is de
voted to festivityjballs and dinner’s run a perpet
ual round, and are managed in a style which in
this part of the world may be deemed extrava
gant.” Their Easter Holidays are especially
full of life, and then our own ancient fashion of
sporting colored eggs, delights the children of
Sitka, —though the custom has travelled the
other way around the globe.
No people in the world possess a constitu
tion equal to the Russians, and when once their
intellectual powers shall be developed, we may
well be apprehensive that they will rise supe
rior to any other nation the world has ever yet
seen. Speaking of the sailors, Simpson says,
“they are decidediy the stoutest body of fellows
I ever saw.” This, from a John Bull, is much.”
Emigrants from the East and from the West
have met on the Western border of North
America; and what is a curious demonstration
of the fact, is the difference between the two
classes in naming all the days of the week. In
travelling easterly around the world, the Rus
sians have Sunday on the day that our emi
grants in Oregon, going westward have Satur
day. It is not easy to affirm correctly which
party has gained or which has lost a day. Per
haps, if one man should travel half round the
globe from London eastward, and another as
far westward, it would be proper to say that
one had gained and the other lost 12 hours; so
that between the two the difference would be
24.
A serious dispute may some day arise be
tween emigrants from the East, and those from
the West, which party shall yield up its Sun
day or Sabbath. If our hair splitting abstrac
tionists were there, they would doubtless insist
that the national compact should be dissolved,
unless their extteme notions should be adopted
and enforced.
A railroad from Memphis to California is a
tangible substance of great practical impor
tance to the South. On the other hand, now
when there is no law or proviso of Congress
forbidding the holding of slaves in New Mexi
co and California, no one thinks or talks of ta
king slaves into either of those territories. As
Mr. Walker says, Nature has rendered slave
labor of far less value there than it is in the
planting States on this side of the Rio Grande.
Hence, as Mr. Polk says, “ifleftto the people
of the slaveholding States themselves, it is er
tremely problematical if slavery would ever go
there. No intelligent man believes that it
would. The question then, as the President
says, is an abstraction. It is a mere shadow.
How long shall we of the South amuse our.
selves with idle moonbeams, while the North
west is moving steadily forward in the most
gigantic strides of aggrandizement' We do
next to nothing to gain useful realities ; whilst
we are ready to fight to the death for impossi
bilities. We bury our ten talents in the earth:
and then quarrel w ith the servant of one tal
ent because he does not imitate our unworthy
example. We contemn the wise maxim of Dr.
Franklin : God helps those that help them
selves.”
Wilmington Rail Road.—The North Caro
lina Legislature has granted important relief to
the Wilmingtonand Raleigh Rail Road Compa
ny, by authorizing it to mortgage the Road to
the amount of $620,600 for the purchase of iron
to relay the track, .and extending the time for
the payment of the Company’s bonds to the
Slate, of $300,000, to ten years.
Charleston Railroad.—The meeting of a
portion of the Stockholders, have suggested
the following ticket for directors at the ensuing
election :
Por President.— Capt. A. H. Bowman.
Pur Directors— James Adger, H. W. Conner,
Robert Manin, Tljop. Lehre, F. H. Elmore, Andrew
Wallace, George A. Trenholm, William Gregg,
Wade Hampton, Ker B >yce, John Boyce, W. C.
Dukes, Rob’t. Caldwell.
The committee left the 14th candidate open
intending to fill it up previously to the annual
election.
Wilson, the Vocalist.
It will be seen by reference to the advertise
ment, this distinguished vocalist will make his
appearance before an .Augusta audience, after
an absence of nine years, on Monday evening
next, when he will give an entertainment on
the songs of Scotland, by which he has acquired
such a high reputation throughout Europe and
America. A contemporary speaking of one
of his Concerts, says :
“He possesses a voice of surpassing sweetness and
power, and never sang better than on the occasion re
ferred to. His anecdotes of Scottish life, superstitions
and history, were given with much character and
taste, and delighted the audience, without exception.
“My boy Tarnmie,” and “Allister McAllister,’’ and
‘‘Scot’s wha hae,” among others were loudly encored.
‘•Love wakes and weeps,’’ one of Walter Scott’s
beautiful ballad.-, was given wifJi exquisite pathos
and feelin? and displayed to advantage the charming
melody of Mr. Wilson’s voice.
Miss Wilson presided at the piano forte. Her ap
pearance is very modest and pretty, and she plays
well.
Cost <>f Pauperism.— lt appears from the report
ofthe New York Alms House, that the cost of
supporting the city paupers is ten dollars a
week each. The New York Posts suggests
that they should be boarded at the Astor House,
where they oou.d be accommodated at about $7
per week.
Suddes Death.—Capt Augustus L. Shep
pard, of the sth Inf intry, U. S. Army, died sud
denly on the 22d ult. } at Jefferson Barrack*.
GutzoT’e last Compliment to Washing
ton.—-The celebrated Minister of Louis Phil
ippe has devoted his leisure moments to the
composition of a work which he has recently
published. It is a treatise on French democra
cy. There is one passage as it appears in the
English papers, which shows how truly he con
tinues to es imate the character of Washington
He formerly pronounced a splendid eulogitim
upon that distinguished man. We believe it
. was just before his beautiful portrait was
drawn, which hangs up in and graces the Pa
tent Office—and the following extract from
Mr. Gs. last book,says the Washington Union,
preserves the consistency of his opinion upon
the patriot-hero of America :
“ W ashington has no resemblance to Napoleon. —
He was not a despot. He founded the political liberty
at the same time as the national independence of his
country. He used war only as a means to peace. —
Raised to the Supreme power without ambition, he
descended from it without regret, as soon as the safety
of his country permitted. He is the model for all
democratic chiefs. Now you have only to examine
his life, his soul, his acts, his thoughts, his words ■
you will not find a single mark ofcondescension,a sin
gle moment of indulgence, for the favorite ideas of
democracy. He constantly struggled—struggled
even to weariness and sadness —against its exactions.
No n.an was ever more profoundly imbued with the
spirit of Government or with respect for authority.—
He never exceeded the rights of power, according to
the laws of his country ; but he confirmed and main
tained them, in principle as well as in practice, as
firmly, as loftily, as be could have done in an old
monarchical or aristocratical state. He was one of
those who knew that it is no more possible Io govern
from below, in a republic than in a monarchy—in a
democratic than in an aristocratic society.”
miscellaneous Summarn.
gy The Hon. Washington Hunt has been
nominated by a Whig caucus to fill the office
of Comptroller in place of the Hon. Mr. Fill
more, resigned.
Colored Population in Ohio.—The last
census of Ohio shows 15.005 colored people in
the Southern division, and only 2,311 in the
Northern or abolition portion of the State.
Commenting on these facts the Cincinnati Ga
zette remarks that :
This would seem to show that, at least at tha
time, the terrors of kidnapping, the dread of being
claimed as fugitives from Kentucky and Virginia,
and other things of this sort, had nothing like so
powerful an influence over the mindsand locomotion
of colored people, as the love of a warm climate, and
heir natural proximity to the South.”
Melancholy.—A few days ago the Mem
phis Eagle announced the deaths of two bro
thers, named English, of that city. The same
paper, of a subsequent date, adds yet a sad item
to this mournful history of domestic affliction
in the following:
•‘We are informed that the wife of the bro
ther who last died went out and watched over
the grave all the day subsequent to his burial,
returned home and the next day she, too, was
dead It is a singular and melancholy episode
in life's history.”
Death of a Centenarian.—Mr. Yates, a ven
erable old man, nearly one hundred and thirteen
years old, died at Manchester, Ohio, last week.
He retained his vigor to the last.
Major Bliss.—The New York Legislature
is talking of complimenting Major Bliss with
a sword. He is a native of Whitehall in that
State.
Arrival of Gen. Taylor’s Family.—We
learn that Col Bliss, accompanied by his lady,
and Mrs. Taylor, arrived in the Washington
cars last evening, and proceeded to the resi
dence of Mrs Grahame, in Saratoga street,
where they will remain until after the inaugu
ration. We learn from Washington that on
their arrival in that city last evening, they were
welcomed on the wharf by a considerable num
ber of citizens and friends, and that the steamer
Powhatan, Capt. Rogers, un which they came
up the Potomac, was decorated with flags and
banners. — Balt Sun, 9thinst.
Chloride, Zinc and Gypsum have been re
cently applied with success to cancer, by Dr.
Brooks, of Cheltenham, England The remedy
is applied thus: Take two parts of chloride of
zinc and three of gypsum, and spread the
powder over the surface of the sore, protecting
the edges of the healthy skin with vinegar, and
applying in a half an hour a soft poultice. Dr
B. reports several cases of successful treat
ment.
A Huge Sleigh Ride.—An extraordinary
sleigh-riding feat comes off in our vicinity to
day. The monster sleigh “ New World,” be
longing to Mr. C. Dexter, of Albany, and al
ready somewhat known through the papers,
arrived in town last night by the railroad, ac
companied by the owner and some two dozen
Albanians, who purpose trying it in the Oneida
county sleighing. The vehicle is said to be
capacious enough to carry home from church
the whole of an afternoon congregation.—Uti
ca Gazette.
Still Further Discoveries— lnformation has
reached this city of a new discovery of gold
regions in the vicinity of the Rocky Moun
tains, little more than half way between here
and Sutter’s which surpasses in richness the
mines of California as much as those of Cali
fornia surpass the mines of New Mexico. The
gold is found not only in the sands of the
streams flowing from the mountains, but upon
the mountains, mixed with quartz, and in the
rocky strata. Instead of washing the sands,
to separate the small particles of gold inter
mingled with them, as in California, all that is
necessary in this new El Dorado is to find cre
vices in the rocks, pry or blast them apart, and
clutch the precious metal in pure and solid
masses. We understand a secret expedition
is already on foot to visit this region, but as it
is in the heart of a warlike Indian country, con
siderable force will be necessary for the enter
prize.—Cincinnati Despatch.
Land Slide at Natchez.—Quite an ex
tensive land slide occurred at Natchez on the
26th inst , near the upper end of the prome
nade ground. A portion of the bluff, says the
Courier, some ten feet broad and forty feet
in length, without any known “just cause or
provocation,” detached itself very unceremo
niously freni its ancient resting place and
pitched down into the road beneath, which it
completely blocked for the time being. It
was lucky that no persons or teams were pas
sing at the time.
Produce at Chattanooga—We under
stand, from letters received here, that a large
quantity of produce has accumulated at Chat
tanooga. awaiting facilities for transportation to
this place The bad condition of the roads and
scarcity of wagons has produced this slate of
things. One house at Chattanooga has eighty
wagon loads to be hauled. From what we can
learn, we should think that almost any number
of wagoners could find profitable employment
in hauling between this place and Chattanooga
at least for several months to come.—Dalton
Eagle, 9th inst.
East'l’ennessee and Georgia R.Road—We
were permitted to seen letter addressed to a
gentleman ofthis city, in which it is stated that
Gen. Greene has let out to sub-contractors the
completion of the grading of the Roadirom the
Stale fine to the 'l’ennessee river at Blair’s
Ferry, and they will commence work early in
the present month.— Knoxville Register, 7 inst.
Virginia Monument to Washington.- The a
mount of money now in the treasury of Virginia
applicable to the erection of a monument to
Washington, is upwards 0f540,000. Thissum
has arisen from private donations made in the
year inpnrsuance of resolutions then a
dopted by the General Assembly. U'he original
amount was only a little more than $13,000, but.
having been placed at compound interest, it has
increased to 40.000.
The Newark Daily Advertiser announces the
suspension of Cooper’s extensive Iron Works,
at Trenton, in consequence of the facility with
which English railroad and other iron finds
its way into the American market. The Tren
ton Mill has only been enabled to keep in ope
ration so long under this ruinous competition,
from the fact of the proprietors having made
extensive contracts before the destructive influ
ence of the tariff of *46 was felt.
Prize Fighting.—The N. Y. House of As
sembly has passed a bill, by an almost unani
mous vote, to suppress this barbarous custom.
It condemns all persons in any way concerned
either as principal, second, or agent, to the
State Prison—including those who leave the
State for the purpose of aiding or taking part
in any fight; training for the purpose of fight
ing being also included.
Cuke for Hydrophobia.—At Udina, in
Friute, a poor man lying under the frightful
torture of hydrophobia was cured with some
draughts of pure vinegar, given him by mis
take instead of another potion. A physician
at Padua got intelligence of this event at the
Udina, and tried the same remedy upon a pa
tient at the hospital, administering to him a
pound of vinegar in the morning, another at
noon, and the third at sunset, and the man was
speedily and perfectly cured.
Buexa Vista—Gex. Wool.—An officer who
served with Gen. Wool, (says the Pittsburg
Journal ofthe 15th ult.,) has authorized us to
say that the General himself disavowed, dis
tinctly and pointedly, the claim here preferred
in his behalf, as “ the real hero of Buena Vista,”
that he could not and did not countenance any
attempts to rob Gen. Taylor of his well won
distinction, as the real hero of Buena Vista.
Caution to Gardeners.— A friend of ours
lost a whole green-house fnll of plants, in conse
quence of the neglect of the gardener tn mix
lime with the sulphur which he burned in the
house for the purpose of destroying Hies and
other insects.— N. Y. Journal of Commerce.
John Rhode has been arrested at New York
for swindling the United States, by procuring
old women to personate the mothers of decea
sed soidiers in the Mexican war, and presenting
and drawing the pensions of their fictitious
sons.
Caveixg of the Tuxsel.—The Ringgold
Republican of the 4th inst. says : “We under
stand that about fifteen feet of the finished part
ofthe tunnel on the Westernand Atlantic Rail
Road, cavedin one nightthis week. No per
son was hurt —all the hands being out when the
arching gave way.
Abaxoxed at Sea.— Capt. Sampson, of the
ship Judah Touro, anived yesterday from Liv
erpool, reports having fallen in with the ship-
Horrnoso, ofLiverpool. on the 2d of January,
abandoned by the crew. She was discovered
in lat. 37 ■ 54', lon 31 23', and had three feet
of water in her hold From an entry in the log
book, date the 26th of December, it would ap
pear that she was from Para, South America,
andhercygo consisted of cocoa, padda, hides
and nuts. Capt. Sampson took from her a
live hog and two ducks.—Pic 3d inst.
They do a smart business in Lynn, Mass.
It has a population of less than 12 000, yet 3,-
000, 000 pairs of boots and shoes were made
there last year. Nearly 8,000 of its inhabitants,
of both sexes, are engaged in the business; the’
value of the boots and shoes manufactured in
Massachusetts in 1847 was $17,000,000.