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THK mwO\hßV AMI rOLOKIZATIOS OF
AMKRICA.
A by lion Rloirl Kierrtt. JfUwrfJ
hr fur r ibr An % orb Ututorfcal Society ontbr
IM IMui.
Mr. PntUUni and OrnOrman the HUUnieal
.v.-Wg:—Although 1 appear before you at the
sea-sti at which the various religions, moral »n<|
philanthropic Societies usually hold their annual
meeting*, to discus* the stirring topiea of the day,
I need not say to you that the popneilesoftui,
occasion require me to abeUin from soch objecM .
and to select e theme falling. “
least aviihiU the province ofan
1 propoM accordingly, this evening, to attempt a
eka;ch «f the history of the discovery andcofoni-
Dtioa of America, and of emigration to the li ni
trd State*, i can ol ooane. offer you withio the
limits of e mingle address, but a uioet superficial
V'l w of so test a -abject; but I have thought that
even e rfc tch would suggest important trains of
reflection m thoughtful minds. Word* written or
spoken ere at boat but a kind of short band, to
b< til ed up by the reader or bearer. I shall
be gra Sed if, after honoring my hasty sketch
with your attention, yoa shall deem it worth tilling
op from your own stores of knowledge and
ti. ugtiL You will forgive me if in the attempt
to gut a certain completenees to the narrative, I
may be led to glance at a few fact* which, however
r .l og, may seem to you too familiar for repe
tition.
T i„ t;e last quarter of the 15th century, an lta
»n mariner, a citizen of the little Republic of
Genoa, wno had hitherto gained a livelihood as a
,t in the commercial m Tine of different coun
tries, made hi*appearance successively at various
C-ura in the South and Weatof Europe solicit
ing patronage end aid fur a hold and novel pro
;c, t in navigation. The Stale of the times was
in roiiu- degree favorable to the adventure. The
i’ .r- ig ic-ehad tor half a century been pushing
Ofirlw southward upon the coast of As
an-j they had ventured into the Atlantic as
fur u* the Az ire*. Several con*piriug causes, and
especially the invention of’.he art ol printing, had
produced a general revival of intelligence. Still,
however, the state of things then prevailing in
this respect, was very different from what we wit
ness in the middle of the nineteenth century.
On the pert of the great mas* of mankind, there
w«- hit little improvement over the dark
n.--of the middle ages. The new culture ccn
. ..red in the Convent and the Court— places esßcn
t ii’iy distrustful of bold novelties. The idea of
r , suing the E»*r by a voyage round the African
i t rie it, had begun to assume consistency : but
!:,e further idea, that the earth is a globe and ca
pable of beiog circumnavigated, hail by no means
become iucorjiorated into the general intelligence
ul tli ugi. The Portuguese navigators felt them
-rive* safe as they crept along the African coast;
venturing each voyage a few league* farther;
■leutiliug a new headland ; ascending before some
unexplored river; holding a palaver with some
new tribe of the native races; —hot to turn the
rirow* o' their vessels boldly to the Wxst, to em
bark upon an ocean not known, in the popular
Geography of the day, to have an outer shore—to
p|.|,,i: ts,uroe from which no traveller hai ever
returned, and from which experience had not
Uughtlhel anv traveller could return —and thus
to re* h the East by sailing in a Western dircc
o rids was a conception which no human he
, j» known to have formed before Columbus,
avl which he proposed to the Govcrnineuta of
ftaly, of Spain, of Portugal, and of England, and
for a long time without success. The state of
s, .■ i.-o was not such as to enable men to discriini
i tw«M tho improbable and tho absurd.—
i’l • looked upon Columbus as we did thirty
y CB r ago upon < iptaiu Symmes.
It,it me illustrious adventurer persevered.—
Sorrow and dissuppointrnent clouded Ids spirits,
bat did not shake hi* faith nor subdue hi* will.—
Hi- well-instructed imagination had takcu firm
Hold of the idea that the aarth isa sphere. Wbui
secnind to the multitude, even of the educated ol
thai duv, adoufitful and somewhat mystical theory,
wlut appeared to Ihe uniformed muss a inon
ntroun paradox, contradicted by every step we take
an the broad, flat earth, which we daily tread ln
neaih our feet, that grout and fruitful truth re
«e*;*<i il*elf to the sc roue intelligence of Columbus
asa practical fact, on which he was willing to
slake all he hud—character and life. And it de
serves ever to he borne in mind, as the most stri
king illustration of the connection of scientific
theory with great practical results, that the disco
very of America with all its momentous consc
queues* to mankind is owing to the distiuct cun
cep)inn in the mind ofCo'unibus of this single
s.uiTififlc proposition—the terraqueous earth is u
iplMfl.
After years of fruitless and heart-sick solici
tation, after offering in effect to this monarch and
to that monarch the gift of a hemisphere, the
gr, at discoverer touches upon u partial succe-s. —
H,. .ueeeeds not in enlisting tlie sympathy of hi*
ouuntryineii at Genoa und Venice for a brave
brother sailor; not in giving a new direction to
the spirit of maritime adventure which had so
long prevailed in Portugal; not in awakening the
commercial ihrifl of Henry the Seventh or the
pious ambition of the Catholic king. Ilia sorrow
ful perseverance touched tho heart of a noble
prim es- worthy the throne which she adorned.—
The new world which was just oseaping the subtle
kingcraft of Ferdinand, was saved to Spain by the
womanly compassion of Uubolla.
It is truly melancholy, however, to contemplate
the wretched equipment, tor which the most
powerful princess in Christendom was ready to
pledge her jewels. Floating castles will soon be
tilted out loouuvoy the miserable nalivos of Africa
ti, the golden shores of America; towering gal
Icon Will no dispatched to bring home the guilty
treasures to Spain ; tut three small vessel*, ouoot
which wilt without a deck, and t either ot them
probably, exceeding the capacity of a pilot boat—
and even tliuse impressed into tho public service
tomposed the expedition titled out under royal
patrdtage, to realize in ttiut magnificent coucop
lion in ehich'thc creative mind ol Columbus had
planted the germs of u New World.
No chapter iff romance eijualsthe interest of tho
expedition. The rno»t fascinating of the works ot
Action, which have issued from the modem press,
lmvc i u in v taste no attraction compared with the
pages, in which the flrst voyage of Columbus, is
described by Robertson, and still more by our
own Irving and Fresoott, the lout two oujoyiug
tliu adviiimigo over the greut Scottish historian oi
possessing tho lately discovered Journals and let
ters ol Columbus himself. The departure from
Palos, where a few yean before he had begged a
morsel of hreud und a cup ol water from his way
worn child—his Huai farewell to the Old World
at I lie Canaries—hi* entrance upon the trade
winds which then for the first time flljed a Euio
mi sail—the portentous variation of the needle,
never lielbro observed—the tearful coast westward
and westward, day alter day, aud night alter night
over tho unknown ocean —the mutinous and ill
ipiieused crew ;at length the tokens of land—the
cloud banks ou the western horizon—the logs ol
drill v v ooil—tho fresh sliruhflouting with it loaves
and InirriCW—the flocks of land birds—the shoals
of i|sh that in habit shallow water—the iudoscriba
hie smell of tho shore—the mysterious present
ment that ever goes fHlforo a great event-and
finally on that ever memorible night ol tuo 1-th
of October, 1492, the moving light SWIU '’V the great
disoovoror, himself from tho deck of tho BfttiW Ma
ria, and in the morning, the real undoubted land,
swelling up from tho bosom of tho deep, und
with its plains, its hills and forests, and rocks, and
streams ami straugo new races of men—those are
iiieidenls in vvhioli the authentic history of the
discovery of our Continent excels the spycious
wonders of romance as much as gold excels tinsels,
or tlie sun in the lionvens outshines tho flickerii g
taper.
ISut it is no purl of my purpose todwoll upon
this interesting narrative, or to follow out this
moat wonderful of hlatorioa —Kinking, as it soon
did, into a talo of sorrow for Columbus himself,
and before long ending in ono of tlie most fright
fill tragedies in tho annuals of the world. Such
scorns to he the law of humanity, that eveuts the
most di si ruble, und achievements the most im
portant , should, either in their inception or pro
gross, be mixed up with disasters, crimes, and
Borrows, which it makes tho heart sick to record
The tiiso ivory of America, 1 need hardly say,
produced a vast extension of the territory of the
Power, under whose auspices tho discovery was
m'ado. In eonlainplatlng this point, we encounter
one of tlie most terrihlo mysteries in the history
of our race. “ Extension of territory,” you are
ready to exclaim, how could Spain acquire any
territory by i.he fact, that a navigator, Bailing tin
dor her patronage, had landed upon ono or two
islands near the Continent of America, and coasted
for a hundred miles along its shore! Thcso
shores and island* are not a desert on which Co
lumbus, like a Robinson Crusoe ot a higher or
der. lias landed and takeu possession. Thoy are
occupied a id settled—crowned even with inhabi
lams—subjeot to tho government of their native
obicts; and neither bv inheritance, colonization,
nor, as yet, by conquest, has any human being in
Europe a right to rule over them, or to possess a
square foot of their territory. Such are the facts
ot the case, and snob, one would say, ought to be
the taw aud equity of the case. But, alas I tor the
native ctiiefs and tlie native races. Before lie
sailed from Spain, Columbus was tarnished with
a piece of parchment by Ferdinaud and Isabella,
creating him heir Viceroy and High Admiral in
alt .the seas, islands, and continents which he
should disoover, —his heirs, forever to enjoy tho
sauio offices. Tho Viceroy of the absolute
monarch* ot Aragon and Castile!
Thus was America conquered before it was dis
covered. By the law of nations, as thon under
stood, land there is less real change in its doc
trines at tho present day than wo ate ready to
think,) a sovereign right'to tho torritoty and go
vernment of all newly discovered regions, in
habited by heathen tribes, was believed to rest
in the Christian prince under whose auspices the
discovery was made, subject to the ratification of
the Pope, IV- tile ultimate disposers ot the kiug
done* ot the earth. Such was the law of nations,
as then understood, iu virtue of which, from tho
moment Columbus, ou the night of tho 12th ol
October, 1492, caught, from the quarter deck ol
tho Santa Maria, the twinkling beams of a taper
from the shoro of San Salvador, all the territorial
and political rights of its simple inhabitants wore
cxtiiitfwished forever. When, on the tollowing
morning, the keel of his vessel grazed upon the
mueh longed for strand, it completed, with more
than electric speed, that terrible circuit which con
nected the lands aud the continent 10 the tootstool
*f th* Spanish throne. As he landed upon the
rirgin shore, its native inhabitants, if they could
tavo foreseen the future, would have felt, if I may
presume thus to apply the word, that virtue had
gone out of it forever. With some of them the
process was sharp and instantaneous; with others
more gradual, but not less sure: with someeven,
alter nearly four centuries, is still going on, but
with all it was an irrevocable doom. ine wild
and warlike—the indoloutand semireivilized—tbe
bloody Aztec—tho inoffensive Peruvian—the fierce
Arancanian—all fared alike: a foreign rule and
an i on y >kc selthd, or is settling dowu upon their
neck* forever. *
Sticli was the law of nations of that day—not in
vented, hufwever, by Spain. It was in reality the
old principle of the right of the strongest disguised
by a pretext ; a colosal iron falsehood gilded over
with the thin foil of seeming truth. It was the
same principle which prompted tho eternal wars
of the Greek* and Romans. Aristotle asserts,
without qualification, that the Greeks had a per-
Ktual right ot war and conquest against tire Bar
rum*. tint is, all the rest of the world ; and the
pupil of Aristotle proclaim, d this doctrine at the
head of tlie Macedonian phalanx, on the banks ol
the Indus. The irruption of the barbarous races
into Europe. during the centnrics that preceded
and followed Christianity, rested on as grod a prin
ciple—rather better, the pretext only was varied;
although the Gauls and the Goths did not proha
Wy trouble themselves much about pretexts. Thai
adopted rather the simple philosophy of the robber
chieftain of tho Scottish Highland*:
Peat tn (hU fortress i f the north,
Tlnnt’.t th. u we will not sally forth.
To spoil ihe spoiler as we may,
Ami from the rob er rend his prey.
When tlie Mahometan races rose to power, they
claimed domiuion over all who disbelieved the
Koran. Conversion or extermination was the al
ternative which thev offered to the world, an<
which was announced iu letters of tire and blood
from Spain to the Ganges. The Stales of Christian
Europe did bnt retort the prineiple and the prac
tice, when in tive successive crusades, kept tip for
more than three hundred years, they poured deso
lation over the west of Asia, in order to tescoe the
aepulohro of the Priuoe of Peace from the posaeeion
of unbelievers.
Such were the principles ot the public law and
the practice under them, a» they existed when the
the great dicovcrics of the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries took place. When the Portuguese began
to push their adventures tar to t. e South on the
coast of Africa, in order to give to those principles
the highest sanction, they procured ot Pope
Nicholas V., iu 1464, the grant of a sovereign!)
over all the heuthou tribes, nations and countries
of to be discovered by thetu from Atri*
cato' India; and the exclusive title *hus conferred
was recognized by all other nations of Christen-
Tn the return pf Columbus from his first voyage,
the King ot'Spain, not W tall behind his neighbors
in the strength of his title, lost no time in obtain
ing (rout Pope Alexander VI., a similar grant of all
the heathen lauds discovered by Columbus,o,
which might hereafter be discovered, in the Wes .
To preclude as far as possible ail conflict will.
Portugal, the infamous lines or demarcation was
pwpoied top Hh> aKorth *ud South* hundred
leagues west of the Azores, cutting the earth Into
two halve* like an apple i*°d- '* r ,“.1, 1 1 1 *
disooveriea were concerned, giving to tho Span
iard* all we-t of the line, *od confirming all cast of
?ro t*o Portugnooe.in virtneof the giant already
mentioned of Rope Nicholas the Fifth.
| regret that want of time will notallow me to
dwell upon the curion* history of this line of de
marcation, for the benefit of all States haying
boundary contioversiea, and especially onr sister
Republics of Nicaragua and CosU Rica. It is suf
ficient to »ay, that it re-nained a subject ot dispute
and collision for three hundred and sixty-one
years, and was finally settled at the Congress of
Vienna, io 1815.
The territorial extension of Portugal and Spain,
which resulted from the discovery of America, was
followed by the moat extraordinary effects upon the
commerce, the fluanoes and the politics geuerally,
of those two countries, and through them, of the
world. The overland trade to the East was aban
doned. The whole of South America and a con
siderable part of North America was, in the course
of the Sixteenth Century, settled by tho** Govern
ments, who organized In their trans-atlsntic pos
sessions a Colonial system of the most rigid and
despotic character, reflecting, as far as was practi- j
cable in distant Province* beyond the sea, the j
stern features of Mother Country. The precious
metals and a monopoly of the trade to the East j
were the great objects. Aliena were forbidden to j
enter the American Vice-Royait es, none but a con- j
traband trade was carried on by toreigners at the
seaports. To resist this trade, a severe right of
search was instituted along the entire extent of the
coast. I have recently had an opportunity, in an
other place, to advert to the effects of this system
upon the international relations of Europe. Na
tive subjects could emigrate to these vast Colonial
possessions only with the permission of the Go
vernment. Instead of affording an asylum to per
sona dissenting from the religion of the State, con
formity of belief was, if possible, enforced more
rigidly in the Colonies than in tho Mother Coun
try. No relaxation in this respect has taken place
in the remaining Colonies of Spain, even to the
present day. As for the aboriginal tribes, after
the first work of extirmiuation wa* over, a rem
nant was saved from destruction by being reduced
to a state of predial servitude. The dejected and
spiritless posterity of the warlike tribes, that of
fered no mean resistance to Cortez and Pizarro,
are now the hewers of wood aud drawers of water
to Mexico aud Peru. In a word, from the extreme
Southern poiutof Patagonia to the Northernmost
limit of New Mexico, 1 am not awarethat anything
hopeful was done for human improvement, by
either of the European Crowns which added these
vast domains to their territories.
If this great territorial extension was fruitless of
beneficial consequences to America, it was not less
so to the mother country. For Spain, it was the
commencement of a period not of prosperity but of
declino. The rapid influx of the precious metals,
in the absence of civil liberty and of just princi
ple* and in»titutions ot intercourae and industry,
wa* productive of mauifold evil*; and from the
reign of Philip 11, if not of Charles V., the Span
ish monarchy began to sink from itH hauty posi
tion at the head of the European family. Ido not
ascribe this downfall exclusively to the cause men
tioned ; hot the possession of the two Indies, with
all their treasures, did nothing to arrest - acceler
ated even, the progress of degeneracy. Active
causes of decline no doubt existed at home, and of
these the Inquisition was tho chief.
“ This was the weight that dragged her down."
Tho spirit of intolerance and persecution, the
scandal of all countries and all chorchcs, protestant
as well as Catholic, (not excepting the pilgrim
lathers of New England!) found an instrumeut iu
the holy office itt Spain iu the 16th century, such
is it never possessed in any other age or country.
It was not merely Jews and Heretics whom it
oouud to the stake; —it kindlod’a slow unquench
able fire in the heart of the Castile and Loon. The
horrid atrocities practiced, not merely in th* Ne
therlands, but in every city ofthe mother country,
cried to heaven for vengeance upon ?pain; nor
could abe escape it. Kite entrenched horse If be
hind the eternal Cordilleras—she took to herself
the wings ofthe morning und dwelt in the utter
most parts of the sou; hut even there the arm of
retribution laid hold of her; and the wrong* ot
ooth hemispheres were avenged in her degenera
cy and fall.
But let us pass on to tlie next oentury, during
which event* of tho utmont consequence follow
each other in rapid succession, and the germs of
institutions destined to influence tho fortane* of
Christendom were planted by humble men, who
little comprehended their own work. In the
loursc ot tho seventeenth century, the French and
the Euglish took possession of all that part of
North America, which was not pre occupied by the
Spaniards. The French entered by the Bt. Law
rence ; followed that noble artery to the heart of
tho Continent; traced the great lakes to their pa
rent rivulets aud weeping fountains descended
he Mississippi. Miracles oflmmble und unavail
ing heroism were performed by their gallant ad
venturers aud pious missionaries in tho depths of
our Western wilderness. The English stretched
along the coast. The geographer would have
pronounced thut the French, iu t ppropriating to
themselves the mishty basins of the Mississippi
and the Bt. Lawrence hud got possession of the
better part ofthe Continent. But it was an at
tempt to compose the second volume ofthe For
tunes of America, in advance ofthe firat. This
it was ordained slionld be written at Jamestown,
and Plymouth. The French, though oxcelliDg all
other nations in the world in the art of communi
euting for temporary purposes with savago tribeß,
seem still more than the Spaniards, to be desti
tute of the august skill required to t'onnd new
States. Ido not know that there is such a thing
iutlio world us a colony of France growing up
into a prosperous Commonwealth. A naif a mil
lion ot French pcasunts in Lower Canada, tena
ciously adhering to the manners aud oustoms
which their fathers brought from Normandy two
centuries ago; and a third part of that number of
planters ot French dosccut in Louisiana are all
that is lo tto bear living witness to the amazing
luet, that not a coutury ago Franco was the
mistress of ti e bolter half of North America.
® It whs on tho Atlantic Coast, and in the Colo
' uios originally planted or soou acquired by Eug-
I land, that the great work of tbc ssvonteentb ecu
0 tury was performed :— slowly, toilsomely, effoct
* lvoly. A mighty work for Amoriou and uiau
kind, of which even we, fond and proud of it as
we are, do but faintly guess tho magnitude. It
’ couldMiardly be said at the time, to prosper in any
of its purls.' It yielded no return to the pecuniary
II capital invested. The political relations of the
“ colonies from tbo first were those of encroaoh
j ment and resistance ; aud even the moral princi-
I pleas far as there was one, on which they were
0 founded, was not consistently carried out. There
* was conflict willithc savuges—war with the French
u j and Spaniards—jarring and feuds bjtwoeu neigh-
I boring Coiunioa— persecution of dissenting indi
I I siduals and sects—perpotuul discard with the
crown and the proprietaries. Vet, in the main
10 and on the wtiolo, thk wobk went on. Things
, that did not work singly worked together ;or if
j" they did not work together, they worked by reac
~ lion und collision. Feeble gertns of settlement
J gi-iw to the consistency of powerful Colonies;
habits ot civil government rooted themselves in a
? soil thut was continually stirred ; the frame of fu
' lure Republics knit itsolf as it were in embryo,
11 under a monarchial system of Colonial rule ; and
?" in tho middle of the eighteenth century the ap
“ pipucli of mighty oliangcs began to be dimly fore
, seen bt gifted spirits. A taint streak of purplo
11 light blushed along the eastern sky.
0 Two things worth mentioning contributed to the
18 roi-ult. One was tho absence of the precious me
"* mis. The British Colonies were rich in the want
e > of gold. As the abundance ot gold aud silver in
B Mexico und Pern contributed in various ways to
obstruct the prosperity of tho Spanish colonies,
11 tho want of them acted uot leas favorably here.—
is In tho flrst settlement ot a suvage wilderness the
it golden attraction is too poworful for the ordinary
f, routine of life, it produces a feverish excitement
I unfavorable to the healthy growth and calm action
'll of tho body politic. Although California has had
lc trom the flrst advantage of living incorporated into
i- a stable political system, ot which as a sister State
i she forms all integral part, it is quite doubtful
d whether, looking to hor permanent well being, tho
1- gold is to be u blessing to her. It will haßteu to
f, horsettlomenl; hut that would at any rate hive
10 advanced with grent rapidity. One of the most
is intelleolual men in this country, the author of one
,r of the most udmirublo works in our language, 1
'.v mean Two years before the Mast, once remarked
■e t 0 m,., that “California would be one of the finest
i countries in tlio world to live in if it were not for
1 the gold.
0 Tne other circumstances which oporutod in the
‘i most favorable manner upon the growth of the
10 Anglo Auicricuu Colonies was tile fact that they
> wero culled into existence less by tho Government
r " than the people; that they were settled not by
;« bodios of oolouists but by individual emigrants.
1 Xho Crown gavo ehartors of Government and
grants of land ; and a considerable expenditure
’> was made by some of the companies and proprie
-11 tors who received these grants; but upon the
•i whole the United States are sett'ed by individuals
Is _j| ie adventurous, resolute, high spirited, aud in
10 many cases, persecuted men and women, who
10 sought a homo and a refuge beyond the sea ; aud
10 such was the state of Europe iu tho seveuteontb
h and eighteenth centuries, that it furnished a suo
ll > cession of victims of a long series of politioal and
" religious disasters, who found, oud after another,
10 a safe and a cougeuiul retreat in some one of the
0 American Colonies.
8 Tills noble theme has lieen troated with a beau
ty aud a power by oue I need not name in this
presence (the Historian of the Uuitod Slates)
r " Which, without impairing their authenticity, have
v converted the severe pages of tho history into a
0 magnificent Odyssey of national adventure. Icon
but glance at the dates. The flrst settlement, that
i' of Virginia, was commenced in the spirit of mer
d -untile outerprizc with no slight dash of chivalry
10 and romances on tlio part of its loader. Iu the
next generation, this colony became the favorite
I resort of tlio royal cavaliers aud gentleman who
were disgnsted’by the austerities of the English
10 Commonwealth or fell uuder its suspicirn. In
the meantime New England was founded bytho9e
J * who sutferod the penaities of non-conformity.—
sr The mightv change of 164Sstopped tlie tide of emi-
II grationtoNew England, and recruited Virginia
e with those who were disaffected to Cromwell. In
g 1024 the Island of Manhattan ot which you have
0 perhaps hoard, and if not you will find its history
u related with equal learning, judgment aud good
1* insto by a loyal descendant ot its early settlers,
>1 (Mr. Brodheiid'i was purchased of the Indians for
0 twenty-four dollars, a sum of money, by the way,
d which soeuis rather low for twenty-two thousand
y acres ot land inducing the site of this great uie
d iropolis, but which would, it put out at compound
e interest at seven per cent in 1624, uct perhaps fall
t s 0 vcr y much short even of its present value ; al
b though I admit that a dollar for a thousand acres
11 is quite cheap torchjice spots on the lifth-avenue.
ll Marvland next extracted those who adhered to the
8 ancient faitli of the Christian world. New Jersey
0 and Pennsylvania were mainly settled by perseeu
> ted Quakers; but tho latter offered an asylum to the
t Germans whom the sword of Louis Xl\ drovefrom
the Palatinate. The French llugeaots, driveu out
' by the revocation ot the edict of Nantes, scattered
0 themselves trom Massachusetts to Carolina. The
i Dutch and Sweedish seUiemeuts on tbc Hudson
r and the Deleware provided a kindred homo for
0 such of the countrymen as desired to try the for
s tune of the new world. The Whigs of England
> ivhorebellcd against James 11. in 1695, and were
' sent to the trans-atlantic Colonies, lived long
‘ enough in exile to meet the adherent's son who
B rebelled agaiust George I. in 1715. The oppress
f ed Protestants of Saizbourg came with Oglethorpe
1 to Georgia; aud the Highlanders, who fought for
J Charles Edward in 1745, were deported by huu
‘ dreds to North Carolina. They were punished bv
beiug sent from their bleak hills and ster.’ine
* moors to a land of abundaucc aud librcty ; they
were banished from oatmeal porridge to meat twice
a day. The Gaelic language is still spoken by
r their descendants, and thousands of their kindred
the r-s.-eent day would no doubt gladly share
their exile. .. ...
in re is no doubt that the hardships which
awaited the emigrants at that day were neither few
nor slight, though greatly exaggerated for wautol
’ information. Golosmith, in “The Deserted V il
c -ago," published in 1769, gives us a somewhat
amusing picture of the state ot things, as he sup
posed it to exist beyond the ocean at that time. —
As his local allusions are to Georgia, it i“ probable
' that he formed his impressions from the accounts
which were published at Loudon about the middle
r of the lost ceuturv, by some of the discontented
settlers of that Colony. Goldsmith being well ac
quainted with Gen. Qglethorpe, was likely enough
1 io have had his attention called to the subject.—
Perhaps you will allow me to enliven my dull
1 prose with a few lines of his beautiful poetry.—
After describing the sufferings of the poor in Lon
-1 -ion at that time, reverting to the condition of the
' inhabitants of his imaginary Auburn, and asking
whether they probably shared the woea he had
just painted, he thus auswers his question i
“ Ah! o to distant climel, a dreary scene.
Where half the con - ex world obtrudes between;
- Through torrid tracks, with fainting steps they go.
Where wUd Atlanta murmurs to their woe.
| Far different there from all that charmed before.
The various terrors of th»t horrid shore:
Those blazing suns that dirt a downward ray,
And fiercely s ed intolerable day;
Those m tied wood*, where bi-ds forget to ting,
But eilent bate in drowsy clusters cling;
Those poisonous fields with rank luxuriance crowned,
Where the dark scorpion gathers d. ath around,
Where, at each styp, the str.nger fears to wake
The rattling terrors of ihe vengeful make:
Where gaouchlng tigers wait their be.nleee prey,
And savage men more murderous sti d than they;
While off in whirls the mad tornado thee.
Mingling the ravaged landscape with the aide*.”
In this rather uninviting sketch, it must be con
fessed that it is Dot easy to recognize the natural
features of that thriving State, which possesses st
the present day above eight hundred miles of
railr ad, and which, by her rapidly increasing '
population, and liberal endowment of collwee,
schools and churches, and all the other socuffin
sUations ot a highly improved community, is fast
earning the name of the Empit e Stale of the Booth.
After repeating these lines, it is scarcely neces
sary to aav, that there was much ignorance and
exaggeration prevailing in Europe as to the state
of things in America.—But a few years after Gold
smith’s poem appeared, an event occurred which
aroused the fixed attention of the world. The re
volt of the Colonies in 1775—the Declaration of
Independence in 1776—the battles of the Revolu
tionary war-the alliance with Franoe-the acknowl
edgement of American Independence by the Trea
ty of 1786—the establishment of a great Federa
tive Republic—the illustrious career of La Fayette
—the European repotation of Franklin—and the I
towering character of Washington, gave to the Coi- I
ed State* a great and brilliant name in the family
ot nations. Thousands in every part of Europe I
then probably heard of America, with any distinct j
impreeaiena for the first time; and they now beard
of it aa a region realizing the wildest visions.
Hundreds in every walk ot life began to raeort to
America, and especially ardent youDg men who
were dissatisfied with the pTitical condition of
Europe. Among these was yonr late venerable
President, Mr. Gallatin, one of the most eminent
men of the last generation, who came to this oonn
try before he attained hie majority ; and the late
celebrated Sir isainbert Brunet, the architect of*
that Thames tunnel. He informed me that he be
came a citizen ofthe State of New York, before
the adoption of the Federal Constitution, and that
he made some surveys to ascertain the practicabili
ty of that great work, which afterward* gave im
mortality to the Dame of yonr Clinton.
Before the Revolution, the great West, wasshnt
even to the subjects of England. A royal procla
mation ot 1763 forbade the extension ofthe settle
ments in North America beyond the Ohio. Bat
without such a prohibition, the still unbroken
power of the Indian tribes would have prevented
it. Tbe successful resnlt of the Revolutionary
war did not materially alter the state of things in
this respect. The British post* in the North
western Territory were retained. Bo little confi
dence was placed in tbe value of a title to land,
even within the limits of the State of New York,
that the enterprising citizens of
Gorham and Phelps, who bought 6,000,000 ot
acres of land on tbe Genesaee river, snonJy after
the peace for a few cents per acre, were obliged to
abandon the greater part ot the purchase, from tho
difficulty of findiug under purchaser* to take
enough of it off their hands, to enable them to
meet the hr&t instalments. Ou one occasion, when
Judge Gorman was musing in a state of mental
depression ou the failure of this magnificent spe
culation, he was vißited by his friend and towns
man, who had returned from a journey to Canan
daigua then just laid out. This friend to cheer
the Jndgewitb a bright vision of the future growth
of WoMteru New York, and kindling with his
theme, pointed to a sou of Judge Gorham who
was in the room, and added, “ Yon and I shall
not live to see the day, but that lad, if be reaches
three scor eyears and ten, will see a daily stage
coach running as far west as Canandaigua.’' That
lad is still living. W hat he has seen in the shape of
travel and conveyance iu the State of New York,
it is not neceasary before this audience to say.
It was the adoption of the Constitution of the
United Btatesin 1782 which gave stability to the
Union aud confidence to the people. This was
the Promethean fire, which kindled the body
politicinto vital action. It crea'cd a national force.
The Indians on the south west were pacified. On
the tiorth-wostern frontier the troops of the Gen
eral Government were at flrst defeated; but after
the Victory of Wayne aud the peace of Greenville
iu 1795, the British post* were surrendered and
the tide ot emigration began to pour in. It was
rather, however, front the older States than from
foreign couutrie*. The vast regions northwest of
the Ohio had already received its political or
ganization as a territory of the United Btstes by
the immortal ordinance of 1787.
While providence wa* thus opening the broad
est region that ever was made accessible to human
progress, want, or adventure, it huppeued that the
kingdoms of Europe were shaken by the terrible
couvulsion* incident to the French Revolution.
France, herself first, aud afterwards the countries
overrun by her revolutionary armies poured forth
their children by thousands. I believe there are
no official returns ot the number of emigrants to
the United States at this time, but it was very
large. Among them was M, de Talleyrand, the
oelebrated minister of every government in France,
from that ofthe Directory in 1797, to that of Louis
Philippe, in whose reign he died. I saw in Peale’s
Museum, at Philadelphia, the original notice sub
scribed by him in 1794, of his purpose to become
a citizen of the United States. Louis Philippe
himself emigrated to thi*couutry, aud is well re
mombored by many persons still living. He
ulway* spoke with gratitude of the kindness which
ho experienced iu every part of the Union.
Aud yet no acquisition of territory had been
made by the United State* beyond the limit* of
the British Colonics; but in 1808 a most iinpor
taut step wo* taken iu the purchase of Louisiana,
by whioh onr possessions were extended,
though with an unsettled boundary both on
tbe south aud north, to the Pacific Ooean. The
war of 1812 reduced the Indian tribes to the
Northwestern States: and the campaigns of Gen.
Ja’ksou, a lew years later, broke the power ofthe
ualivo races on the Southern frontier. Florida
was acquired by treaty from Spain in 1819; aud
the Indian iu Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi,
were removed to the west of the river Misaissippi
ten or twelve years later. Black Hawk's war iu
Wisconsin took place in 1888, und a series ot
Indians treaties, both belore and alter that event,
had extinguished tbe Indian title to al! the lands
east of the Mississippi, and to considerable tracts
west of that river. Texas was auuoxed to the
Union in 1845, and in 1848 New Mexico and Cali
fornia were.added to our vast domaius.
1 have, as you perceive, run rapidly over these
dates compressing into one paragraph the starting
points in the history ot t he future Commonwealths
simply in thoir bearing on the subjeet of emigra
tion. Those acquisitions not inferior in extent to
ull that thero was solid iu the Roman conquests,
have resulted in our possession of a zouo or terri
tory, of the width of twouty dogrees of latitude,
stretching from Ocean to Ocean, und nearly equal
iu extent to tne whole of Europe.* It is all sub
ject to tbo power of the United States ; a portion
us it hub attained the civilization of the old world,
while other portions shado off through all tho do
grees of culture, tothe log house of the frontier
settlor, tho cabin of tho trappor, aud the wigwum
ot tlio suvage. Within this vast domain, there are
millions of acres of tertilo land to be purchased at
moderate priees, according to its positiou, and its
state of improvement, aud there are hundreds of
millions of acres iu a state of nature, and gradual
ly sold at the government price of a dollar and a
quarter per acre.
It is this which most strikes the European ima
gination. The old world ia all appropriated.—
fiierc are public domain? in most foreign coun
tries but ot couiparulivelv small amount and most
ly forests. With this exception, every acre of
land 111 Europe is private property, aud in suoh
countries as England, tho Netherlands, France,
Germany and Italy, what litilo is sold, is sold on
ly at u high prioe. I presume the number of
landholders iu Eugiaud is fur Icsd than the State
of New York. In the eonrse of the French Kevo
lution, the land bus been greatly divided and sub
divided, in France and in Germany, and is
now held and iu small farms, but these are sold
only at high prices. Generally speakiug the muss
of the inhabitants iu Europo, regurd the ability to
hold and occupy u considt ruble landed proporty
as tho summit us human fortune. The suggestion
that there is a country beyond the ocean, where
fertile land iB to be purchased in any quantity, at
a dollar and a quarter per aero ; and that dollar
and a quarter to be oarned iu many parts of
the country by tne labor of a siuglo day, strikes
them liko tne tales of Aladdin’s lamp, or Ali Ba
ba’H cave. They forgot the eests aud sac' ifioes of
leaving hometho ocean to be traversed—the
weary pilgrimage iu the land of strangers after
their arrival. They see nothing with the mind’s
eye but tho ‘land ot promise’;—they refleot upon
nothing but the tact, that there is a region on the
earth’s surface, whore a few day’B unskilled labor
will purchase the fee simple of an ample farm.
Such an attraction would bo irresistible under
auy circumstances to the population of an old
country, where, as I have just said, the laud is
all appropriated aud to be purchased only in any
considerable quantity, at prices which puts its ac
quisition beyond tho thought of the masses. But
this is but half the tale. It must uot be forgotten
that in this ancient and venerable Europo whose
civilization ib the growth ot two thousand years,
where some ofthe luxurious refinements of life
are carried to a perfection of which we have
scarcely an idea in this country—a considerable
part ot the population, even iu most prosperous
regions, pass their lives in a state but one degreo
removed from starvation—poorly fed, poorly
clothed, poorly housed—without education, with
out political privileges, without moral culture—
The average wages of the agricultural laborer in
England were estimated a yoar ago at 9s. 6d. ster
ling, about $2 87>tfper week. The oouditiou of
the working population on tho continent ot Eu
rope is in no degree better, if as good. They eat
nut little auimal food either in England or the
Continent. We form romantic notions at a dis
tance of countries that abound iu wine and oil;
but in the best governed States of Italy, Tuscany
for instance, the peasantry, though they paas their
lives in the vineyard and tiie olive orchard, con
sume the fruit of neither. 1 have seen tho Tus
can peasants, unable to beur the cost of the most
ordinary wine from the vineyardß in which their
cottages' are embosomed, aud which can be bought
at retail for a ccut the flask, pouring water over the
grape skins as tuey oome from tho wine press aud
making that their beverage.
Even for persons iu comparatively easy circum
stances in Europe, there are strong inducements
to emigrate to America. Most of the Governments
arc abitrary—the taxes areoppressivc—theoxaotiou
of military’service onerous in the extreme. Add to
ail this the harassing insecurity ot life. Forsixty or
seventy years the Continent has been one wide
theatre of scarcely intermitted convulsion.—
Every country in it has been involved in war ;
there is scarcely one that has not passed through
a revolution. Wc road of events like these iu the
newspapers ; we look upon them with curiosity
us articles of mere intelligence ;—or, they awaken
images oi our own revolution, which we regard
onlv with joyous associations. Far different the
slate of tliiugsi i crowded Europe, ot which the
tairest fields in every generation are trampled by
mighty armies into bloody mire 1 Dazzled by the
brilliancy of the military exploits of which we
read at a* safe distance, we forget the anxietie6 of
those who grow up within the sound of the can
non's roar ;—whose prospects iu life are ruined—
tbeir business broken up—thoir little accumula
tions swept away by the bankruptcy of Govern
ments or the geneeal parah sis of the industry of
the country—tbeir sous torii from them by ruth
less conscriptions—the means of educating aud
briuging up their families consumed by disas
trous emergencies. Terrified by the recent expe
rience or the tradition ot these miseries, thousands
emigrate to the land of promise, flying not merely
before the presence, out the “rumor ot war,”
which the Great Teacher places on a level with
the reality. . _
Ever and anon some sharp speciac catastrophe
gives an intense activity to emigration. When
the reign of terror was enthroned in France, and
when crer\ thing in any way conspicuous, whe
ther for station, wealth, talent or service—of every
age, and ot either sex—from the crowned monarch
to the grev haired magistrate and the timid maid,
was brought tothe guillotine, hundreds of thou
sands emigrated at once from the devoted king
dom. The convulsion ot San Domingo drove
most of the European population of the island to
the United States. But beyond everything else
which has been witnessed in modern times, the
famine which prevailed a few years since in Ire
land gave a terrific impulse to emigration. Not
less, probablv, then, one million ot her iubabi
tanks left her"shores within live years. The popu
lation of this island, as highly favored in the gifts
of nature as anT spot on the face ot the earth, has
actnally diminished more than $1,500,000 since
the famine year :+ the only example, perhaps, in
history, of a similar result in a country not visited
bv foreign wars or civil convulsion. The popula
tion ought, in the oonree of nature, to have in
cieased within ten years, by at least that amount,
aud in point of fact, between Is4o and ISSO, our'
nvn population increased by more than eix mil
i his prodigious increase ot the population of
the United States* partly owing to the immigra
tion from foreign countries which has taken place
under the influence of the causes, general and
specific in which I have alluded. Ot late years
from 810,000, to 400,000 emigrants are registered
at the several Custom Houses of the country as
arriving iu the United States in the course or the
year. It is probable that a third as mauy more
enter by the Canadian frontier. Not much less
than 2 00,000 of emigrant* are supposed to have
entered the United States in the last ten years ;
aud it ia calculated that there are living at the pre
sent day in this country 6,000,000 ot persons, fo
reigners, who have emigrated since 1790 or their
descendants.
There is nothing iu the annals of mankind to
tie compared with thia; but there ia a aeriea of
• Square adiea to the United States BJM.OTI; ia Inrape
8.796,571. See American Almanac for 1868, pp. 816 and
m thoodoo Quarterly Review for December, 1861, p. 191.
great movements which may be contrasted with )
it. In the period of a thousand years which be- |
Sn about three or four hundred years before our '
vior, the Roman republic were from time to time ■
invaded by warlike races from the North and j
East, who burst with overwhelming force upon
the south and West of Europe and repeatedly car- ■
ried desolation to the gates ot Home. Theae mul
titudi nous invaders were not armies of men, they
were in reality nations of hostile emigrants. They
came with their wives—with their “young barba
rians,’’ with their Scythian cavalry—and their
herds of cattle : and they came with no purpose of i
going away. The animvt manendi was made :
np, belore they aDaudonad their ice-dad homes.—
They left their arctic allegiance behind them.— I
They fonnd the sunny banks of the Arno and the
Rhone more pleasant than those of the Don and
the Volga. Unaccustomed to the sight of any
! tree more inviting than the melancholy Brand the
; stunted birch, its branches, glittering with the
snowy crystals; brought up under a climate
where the generous fruits are unknown; these
children of the North were not bo tnnch fascina
ted as bewildered “in the land of the ciiron and
myrtle ;”they gazed with delighted astonishment
at the spreaditg elm, festooned .with Falernian
clusters, they clutched with a kind of frautic joy
at the fruit of the fig-tree, and the olive ; —at the
melting peach the lusciaus plum, the golden
orange, and the pomegranate, whose tinted cheek
outblushes everything but the living carnation of
youthful love.
With grim delight the brood of Winter view,
A brighter d«y and the heavens of azure hne ,
Scent the new fragrance of the breathing rose,
And quaff thepeodant vintage as it grows.
By the fortunes of war, single detachments and
even mighty armies frequently suffered defeat,
but their place was immediately taken by new
hordes, which tell upon declining Rome, as the
tarnished wolves iu oue of Catiliue's p ctures fall
upon an aged buffalo in our Westera prairies.—
The imperial monster, powerful in his decrepi
tude, would often scatter their cndisiplined array
with his iron tusks, aud trample them by thou
sands under his brazen feel, but when he turned
back, torn and bleeding to his seven hills, tens of
thousands came howling from the Northern fo
rests who sprang at his throat aud buried their
fangs in his lacerated sides. Wherevertbey con
quered—and in the end they conquered every
where— they established themselves on the soil,
invited new comers—and from their union with
the fonuer inhabitant, the nations of the South
aud West of Europe, at tho present day, for the
most part trace their descent.
We know but little of the numbers thus thrown
upon the Roman Republic and Empire in the
coarse of eight or ten centuries. They were no
doubt greatly exaggerated by the panic fear of
the inhabitants, aud as the pride of the Roman
historians would lead them to magnify the power
before which their own legions had so often quail
ed. But when we consider the difficulty of sub
sisting a large uurnber of persons in a march
through an unfriendly country—and tflisat a time
when much of the now cultivated portion of Eu
rope was covered with forest and swamp—l am
disposed to think that the hosts which, for u suc
cession of centuries, overran the Roman Empire,
did not in the aggregate exceed in numbers the
immigration that has taken place to the United
States since 1790. In other words, I am inclined
to believe that within the last sixty years the Old
World has poured in upon the United States a
number of persons as great —with their natural
increase—as Asia sent into Europe in these armed
immigrations of barbarous races.
Here, of course, the parallel ends. The races
that invaded Europe came to lay waste aud to sub
jugate ; the hosts that cross the Atlantic are peace
ful immigrants. The former burst upon the Ro
man Empire, aud by’ oft repeated strokes beat it
to the ground. The immigrants to America from
all countries come to cast iu their lot with the na
tive citizens, and to share with us this great inhe
ritance of civil and religions liberty. Tho former
were ferocious barburians—half-clad in skins—
speaking strange tongues—worshipping strange
gods with bloody rites; the latter are the chil
dren of the countries from which the first Euro
pean settlers of this continent proceeded, aud be
long with ue to the great common family of Chris
tendom. The former destroyed tho culture of tho
ancient world, it was only alter a thousand years
that a better civilization grew up from its ruins.
The millions who have established themselves in
America within sixty yearn are, from the moment
ol their arrival, gradually absorbed into tho mass
of the population, conforming to the laws, mould
ing themselves to the manners of the country,
aud contributing their share to its prosperity and
strength.
It is a curious coincidence us tho first mighty
waveof hostile immigration that burst upon Eu
rope before the time of our .Saviour consisted of
tribes belonging to the great Celtic race, the re
mains of which, identified by their original dia
led, are still found in Brittany, in Wales, iu the
Highlands ot dcotlaud, and especially in Ireland—
so by far the greater portion of the new and frieud
ly immigration to the United States consists of
persons belonging to the same fervid, imaginative
and too often oppressed tace. I have hoard in the
mountains ot Wales a»d the highlands ol Scotland
the gospel preached in substantially the same lan
guage in which Brennus uttered his haughty sum
mons to Romy, and iu which tho mystic songs of
the Druids were chanted in the depths of the
primeval forests of Franco and England iu the
time of Julius Cte-ar. It is still spoken by thou
sands of Sootch, Welsh and Irish immigrants in
all parte of the United States.
This great Celtic race is one of the most remarka-
Ijle that has appeared in history. Whether it be
lings to that extensive Indo-European family of
nations, which, iu ages before the dawn of history
took up a line of march in two c' lunms from low
er India, and moviug westward both by a north
ern and a southern route, finally diffused itself
over Western Asia, Northern Africa, and the great
er part ot Europe, or whether, as others suppose,
tho Celtic race belongs to a still older stock, and
wasitsolf driven down upon the Sonth andiuto
the West of Europe by the overwhelming force of
the Indo- y uropeunn, are questions which we have
no time at present to discuss. However it may be
decided, it would seem that for the first time, as
far as we are acquainted with the fortunes of this
interestin', race, they have found themselves in a
really prosperous condition in this country. Dri
ven from the soil to which theirfathers have clung
for two thousand years, they have at length and
and for the first time in their ontire history, found
a real home in a laud ofstraugers. Having been told
in the frightful language of political economy, that
at the daily table which nature spreads for the
human family, thero is uo cover laid for thorn in
Ireland, they have crossed the ocean, to find oc
cupation, shelter, and bread on a foreign soil.
The “ Celtic Exodus,” as it bus been aptly term
ed, is to all the parties immediately connected with
it one ot the most important events of the day. To
tho emigrants themselves it may be regarded as a
passing from douth to life. It will benefit Ireland
by reducing a surplus population, aud restoring a
sounder and juster relation of capital and labor.
It will beuefit the laboring classes of England,
where wages have been kept down to the starva
tion point, by tho struggle between the native po
pulation, and the inhabitants of the sister Ireland.
This benefit will extend from England to our
selves, and will lessen the pressure of that cornpe
titiou which our labor is obliged to sustain, with
the ill paid labor of Europe. While the constant
influx lute America of stout and efficient bands
supplies the greatest want in a new country, which
is that of labor,— gives value to land—and facili
tates the execution 01 every species of private en
terprise and public work.
lam not insensible to the temporary inconve
niences which are to be offset against these advan
tages on both sides of the water. Much suffering
attonds the emigrant there, on his passage, and
after bis arrival. It is possible that the vaine of
our native labor may hovo been depressed by too
sudden aud extensive a supply trom abroad: and
it Is certain that our asylums and almhouses are
crowded with foreign inmates and that the re
sources of public and private benevolence have
been heavily drawn upon. Those are considera
ble evils, but the have perhaps been exaggerated.
It must be remembered, in the first place, that
immigration daily pouring in from Europe is by
no means a pauperimmigratiou. On the contrary
it is already regurded with apprehension abroad,
as occasioning a great abstraction of capital}. It
is attended no doubt with an influx of foreign pau
perism. In reference to this, I believe your sys
tem of public relief is better here in Now York
than ours iu Massachusetts, in which, however,
we arc umkiug important changes. It is said that,
owingfto some defect iu onrsystem, or its adminis
tration, we support more than our share ot needy
foreigners. They are sent iu upon us from other
States. New York, as the greatest seaport must
be exposed to a similar burden. However the
evil arises, it may no doubt be mitigated by ju
dicious legislation, aud in the nieauliuie Massa
chusetts and New York might do a much worse
thing with a portion of their surplus means, than
■ eed the hungry, clothe tho naked, give a home to
the stranger, and kindle the spark of reason in
the mind of the poorforeign lunatie; even though
that lunatic may have been, (as I am ashamed lor
the eredit of humanity to say has happened,) set
on shore in the night from a coasting vessel, and
found in the morning in the fields half dead with
cold, and hanger, and fright.
But yon say, “ They are foreigners.” Well, do
we oas no duties to foreigners ! What was the
founder of Virginia, when the poor Indian girl
threw herself between him and the war-club ol
her father ? What wore the Pilgrim fathers when
the friendly savage,—if we must call him so,—met
them with the salutation of “ Welcome, English
men!” “They are foreigners:”—and suppose
they are. Was not the oountry all but ready a
year or two ago to plunge into a* conflict with the
military despotisms of the east of Europe, in or
dor to redress the wrongs of the oppressed races
who feed their flocks on the slopes of the Carpa
thians, aud pasture their herds upon the tributa
ries of the Danube, aud do we talk of the hard
ships of relieving destitute foreiguers, whom the
hand of God had guided across the ocean and
conducted to our doors!
I am not indifferent to the increase for the pub
lic burdens ; but the time has been when I nave
i folt a little proud of the vast sums paid in the
! United States for the relief of poor emigrants
i from Europe. It is an annual sum, I have uo
j doubt, equal to the interest on the foreign debt
of the States which have repudiated their obliga
tions. When I was in Loudon, a few years ago,
I received a letter trom oue of the interior ooun
ties of England, telling me that they had in their
House of Correction an American seaman, (or a
i person who pretended to be,) who was both
i pauper and rogue. They were desirous of being
rid of him, and kindly offered to place him at my
disposal. Although be did not bid fair to be a
very valuable acquisition, 1 wrote back that he
might be sent to Londou, where he could be ship
ped by the American Consul to the United States.
1 ventured to add the suggestion, that if Her
Majesty’s Minister at Washington were applied to
I in a similar wav by the overseers of the Poor and
! Wardens of the Prisons, in the United States, he
i would be pretty busily engaged. But I really felt
pleased, at a time when my own little State of Mas
sachusetts was assuring from ten to twelve thou
sand destitute British subjects annually, to be able
to relieve the British Empire of the only American
pauper quartered upon it.
Mr. President aud Gentlemen, mv humble tale
is told. Its first incident is Columbus, begging
bread for hia child at the gate of a convent. Its
last finds you the steward of thiß immense aben
dance, the almoners of this more than imperial
charity, providing employment and food for starv
ing nations, and a home for fugitive races.
I Jin an instructive article relative to the German emi
j gration in Otto Hubner'e Jahrbuckfur Yo>kmmrthechaft
! and StMeticl, the numbers who emigrated from Ge-ma
j ay from 546 to 1651 inclusive, are estimated to have a
! mounted to an anena) average of 96,576, and the amount
I of cat ital abstracted by them from the country to an aver
| age of 19.670,8*3 rii dollars (about fifteen millions Span
| tsh da Jars) per annum.
A Suddkn Death. —Our community was startled
on Saturday last by the announcement of the death
of Mr. Burweil Shiver, a respectable citizen of this
oounty, residing a few miles trom this city. The
deceased attended the Regimental parade on
Thursday of last week, and was apparently in the
enjovment ol good health. It appears thai he had
just returned from ploughing, and had gone
into his crib to get corn for hia horse, and while
so doing fell dead. His death was doubtless oc
casioned by Appopieiy or some disease of the
heart.— Rom* Courier.
Gin-House Burnt.— The gin-house of Mr. John
Johnson, who resides about ten miles South of this
place was consumed by lire on the night of the Ist
inst. Itisalledged to have been the rk of an
incendiary, and two men are now oonflned in the
’ oounty jail charged with burning it.—7s.
Fatal Railroad Accident.—As the cars on the
Jefferson and Lake PoLChartrain Railroad were
coming up to Carrollton, about half past 8 o’clock
on Saturday night, one of the cars was thrown
from the track by some derangement of the switch,
struck a labor car which was going to Carrollton,
and threw it into the ditch, killing one man nam
ed Nicholas Miller, and severely injuring three
othent. It ia presumed that Miller and hia com
panions left the switch oat of its proper poaiticu
accidentally. The cars were proceeding at a mo
derate rata, and to this it ia oaring that no others
were hurt, ss the care were very full of ladies and
gentlemen.— S. O. Picayune, It*.
The Planters Bank of Savannah baa declared a.
dividend of eight per cent, for the peat aiz months 1
mim
<%<mklc £ JlfittindL
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.
WEDNESDAY MORNING ...7 JUNE 16, 1853.
Mr. Everett’s Lecture.
H e shall offer no apology, indeed the intelligent
reader will rather thank us than desire one for the
space we occupy in our columns with the Lecture
of the Hon. Edward Everett, before the New
York Historical Society. Tho subject, “ The Vie
covery and OMnueation of America ,” is oue that
cannot tail to attract the attention of every intelli
gent reader and cultivate ' mind, aud as the pro
duction is worthy of the theme and the distin
guished author, it should be read and studied by
every man, woman and youth in the land who can
appreciate the blessings which our glorious insta
tions confer npon the people.
The remainder of the Lecture will be given as
rapidly as our space will permit.
The Harmonious Democracy.
The indications of cordiality and harmony be
tween the two wings of the “Re united Demo
cracy,” are not altogether so favorable, just now
that the spoils ate being distributed throughout
the State, as appearances seemed to justify a short
time since. Both wingsaro eager for the pap, and
as the Secessionists seem deteiuiiued to appropri
ate all ol it to themselves, the Union wing are, of
coarse, disappointed and are waxing wroth at their
discomfiture under the new order of things.
The late Convention to nominate a candidate for
Congress in the 4th district, affords an apt illus
tration of the truth of what we say, and to show
how the action of the Convention is received by
one of the presses of the party, in the district, we
append the remarks of the Marietta Union, in
which fraud is openly charged in making the
nomination.
We frankly confess we have uo sympathy with
Mr. Mvrphv. He lias deliberately and voluntari
ly taken his position among the Secessionists and
we care not how souudly they kick and cuff him.
He deserves it all, for if he was influenced by
principle in opposition to Ihe Secessionists here
tofore, he is certainly abandoning those principles
in acting with them now:
Col. Muitrtnr.—Claiming the privilege of a voter
iu this District we are unwilling to have forced up
on us by fraud a Candidate, who, though under
talsc colors, we knw to be opposed to Uuion
principles. We have uo authority from Col. Mur
phy to put his name forward as a candidate, nor
havo we any reason to believe it will meet with
his approbation. No one has doue more than he
has to redeem from merited and profound odium
the Disuuionists of Geoigia. He wah among the
first to bid them repent aud to promise them for
giveness and forgetfulness for their many sins.
His efforts were applauded everywhere by the
friends of General Pierce as the fruit of a generous
nature. This we know’—but this is not all. Never
—not for a moment has Col. Murphy entertained
.he thought of countenancing the Disuuionists if
it should be ascertained that they still nurse the
spirit of 1850. That they do this, they have shown
beyond the shadow of doubt in the late nomina
tion. They nominated a Disunionitt and rejected
Col. Murphy by ehacd for no other reason uu
dor heaven, but because he was a Union man.
Fraud, so glaringly perpetrated, and for such a
purpose should be discountenanced by all honest
men, and we believe it will be by Col. Murphy.
Wc would like to see Col. Murphy rcturuod to
Congress by the votes of the people of the Dis
trict. We know him to bo their choice, and though
he may not accept a nomination, ho will not refuse
the votes of his tellow citizens. If the Union men
and Independent Democrats of the District will
unite at once upon him he can be triumphantly
elected.
We believe there will be no opposition among
Union men to Col. Murphy, and h s Disunion op
ponent will wish ho had uevor reached an elevation
so disastrous.
How the Fire-Eaters accomplished toe fraud.
—Every body knows that the Hon. Charles Mur
phy was the choice of two thirds of the people
ot the district. Two thirds of the district are
Union men and Charles Murphy was among the
first to enter the field, against a majority ot his
former political friends, his defence of the Union
and the Compromise. This was sin enough for
any man to commit to win the undying hatred of
the disunionists. Murphy was among those
marked for proscription ai d political death. This
could not be accomplished hy open opposition.
He was too well known and too highly apprecia
ted. They pretended to bury the past, and
called a Convention with the avowed preference
of all their presses and most of their politicians
for Murphy. The Convention met and the fire
eaters having secured their object in obtaining the
consent of Murphy to run before tho Convention
they had nothing loft to do but to defeat his nomi
nation. The urraugetnent for this had been par
tially perfected before the Convention assembled.
All that remained to be done was to foist upon the
majority the two-thirds rule, (which was done we
understand by giving to DeKalk, Cobb aud Troup
Counties, favorable to Murphy 8 votes each, and
to several counties against him from 15 to 28 votes
each) and then to give to Fayette and Heard in the
nomination, with 7 militia districts each, as many
votes as Cobb, Troup and DcKulb had with 16
distriotseach. Each county was allowed 23 votes.
If Fayette with only 7 districts was entitled to 23
votes, then DeKalb was entitled to 52 votes, hav
ing 16 districts represented. Murphy was thus it
appears cheated out of 87 votes which would have
secured him the nomination even under tfle two
thirds rule.
Thus it is, fellow citizens of the 4th Congres
sional District, that the attempt has been made
through a caucus ot corrupt aud malicious dis
unionists, to deprive von of your choice in select
ing your representative and to force upon yon one
(Wm.B. W. Dent,) whe in 1850 said “ he despised
Ibis Union aud was ready then to dissolve it.” Will
youacquiese in such an imfamous fraud! Will
you submit, to be thus wronged and misrepresented?
Or will yon unite in the firm purpose to send back
to Congress a man who in the dark hour of tho
Republic you applauded “as the good and faithful
servant!”
Removal of B. F.Hall.
It will be seen by reference to our Telegraphic
news that B. F. Hall has been removed from his
office of I’ost Master for this City. It is uot, nor
will not be pretended by any one, we presume, that
he is not honest, capable, faithful and efficient in
the discharge of his duties. Nor will it be assort
ed that any complaints have been made against
him; so far from it three-fourths at least, perhaps
more, of the prominent business men oi the City,
oj all parties, men most deeply interested in the
faithful administration of tho Post Office, petition
ed for his retention. All this, however, would
not save him, he had not voted for Gen. Piekoe,
and was therefore a proper subject for the ven
geance of the administration.
Augusta South-W estern Plank Road.
It affords us real pleasure to be able to announce
to the friends of the above Road, that all the
difficulties, whether real or imaginary, have been
removed, the road located and the rigid of way se
cured for five or six miles. Wc also discover by the
proceedings in Council, published in our yester
day morning’s issue, that the City Counc'l has au
thorised the Mayor to pay iu the flrbt instalment on
their subscription. This secures the Road.
This is an important public work, and wc hope
to see it progress rapidly, as we are sure it will be
ol great benefit to our oiiy by bringing to it pro
duce that now seeks another outlet, but which we
are bound to have if this road is built.
Anti-Retail Meeting In Newton.
The proceedings of the meeting in Covington,
which is said to havo beeu a very large assemblage,
and the communication of “Newton,” will attract
the readers attention, as they should. If the plan
suggested by thiß meeting be carried out in every
county, the same object, virtually, will be accom
plished as that proposed by the Atlanta Conven
tion. Let the friends of good order look to the
matter in season.
Valuable Railroad Map. —Wc are indebted to
P. T. Tocrnadres, Chief Engineer of the Vicks
burg, Shreveport and Texas Railroad, for a beau
tifully Lvthegraphed Map, showing all the Rail
roads proposed, in progress and completed, South
of Richmond, Virginia, with their coun*xions,
and the proposed line from Marshall, Texas, the
terminus of the Vicksburg road, to San Diego, on
the Pacific. It is a most valuable addition to the
Railroad Chorographv of the Sonth, for which Mr.
T. will please accept our sincere thanks.
Lafittt.: The Pirate of the Gulf. By the au
thor of •• Capt. Kyd;” “ The Quadroon,” Ac., Ac.
Wc remember the avidity with which we read
of the wonderful exploits and thrilling adven
tures of Lafitte, many years ago, and this re
publica’ion of Prof. Ingrahams best work, recalls
many of the leading incidents in the life of the
renowned pi rill cal Cnieftain. Lafitte is a work
of no little power and interest—full of striking
dramatic situations, and sure to enchain the at
tention of ths reader until the last chapter is
finished.
It may be had from Geo. A. Oates & Brothers.
Habht Ashton, or, The Will and the Way, is
the title of a “thrilling” and exciting novel, by
the author of “ Stanfield Hall,” “ Amy Laurence,”
Ac. It is from the press of Garrett A Co., New
York, and may be obtained at the Book store of
Joe. A. Carrie A Co.
The Weather —We regret our inability to give
any other than very unfavorable reports of “the
! weather,” for a few days past. W e have had some
very strong demonstrations of the “ comiog on oi
storms,” and have several times rejoiced io the
apparently certain and speedy prospect of rain ;
but, alas I our hopes were delusive —“all signs
fail in dry weather,” and we are as much parched
up, as dusty, aud as “ unwished ” as ever.
CohutUh Springs.
By reference to our advertising columns, it
will be seen that this romantic and heathful sum
mer resort is now open for the season. Wild and
beautiful mountain soenery —medicinal waters of
great efficacy—excellent hunting, shooting and
ffsbing, and all the “crea'.ure comforts in great
prolusion—these are some of the attractions of
Cobattah, and we doubt not that it will receive its
share of public patronage.
Light Spring and Suhmek Boots. Messrs.
Aldrich & Rotal have had an article manufac
tured in Philadelphia, expressly for this market,
and it is decidedly the neatest W-l boot we
have seen. The lovers of a neat, light, soft arti
cle, would do well to give them a ci.ll. For fur
ther particulars, we refer them to their advenme
ment in another column.
E. H. Hall, of the steamer Jar. at
Charleston, has our thanks for late New York
papers. __
Chuhcb Organs— TwThne organs were receiv
ed in Savannah on Friday last, from Boston. One
is for the Cuitarian Church in Savannah and the
other for Augusta.
A telegraphic despatoh to the N. O. ricaynne
from Memphis dated the Ist inst., says that ths
Convention promises to be s magnificent affair and
delegatee are arriving daily, but there will be room
for all.
W eather and Crops.
The following extract of a letter from a highly
respectable citizen of Hancock county, presents a
glooming pictnre of the state of the crops:
Mount Zion, Geo., June Btt, 1858.
Mr. Editor : —The prospect of the planters in
this county is distressingly gloomy. The oat crop
is an entire failure, and the corn and cotton, with a
few exceptions, are very poor. It is still very dry
snd t o prospect of rain.
The Drought.— The following letter from a re
liable source, presents a glomy picture, one, how
ever, which we, suffering as we have in this sec
tion of the State for the want of rain, oan fully
appreciate:
Free Bridge, Gordon Co., Ga., 1
JuDe 4,1858. f
Mr. Editor.— Sir:—We are suffering from the
most severe drought that I ever experienced at this
season oi the year. 1 never saw the corn crop »o
backward, and I bear of several fields of ootton be
ing plowed up snd planted in cort. The oat crop
—especially on upland—is an entire failure. Gar
dens seem to be literally parched up. The wheat
crop ou the Coosawattee is better than usual.
The Thermometer stands (J o’clock, P. M.) at
86 degrees. Respect iully.
The Crops.—We paid a flying trip up the Rail
road on Tuesday last, as far as West Point, aud
noticed particularly the condition of the crops
along the road, and we hesitate not to sav that we
have never seen them in a worse condition. Cot
ton is more backward, by at least three weeks,
than we have known it for many years. Some
fields which wore planted in cotton, the plant has
uot made its appearance; in others, it has just
come up; and m others, it is advanced onlv far
enough to be “chopped out,” while there is none
in bloom, or likely to be for several weeks; the
groutid is dry and parched, not haviug had enough
rain to do any good for five or six weeks. Cotton,
however, is a dry weather plant, and may yet oorne
out ii it is soon refreshed by a good rain; but we
have uo idea that any thing like a good crop of
cotton can be realised now, even with fine seasons
in the future, owing to its backward couditiou.
The corn crop is in a worse condition thau the
cotton unless it is nourished by good seasons of
rain, and that very shortly, must prove almost an
entire failure. The oat crop, we believe, is con
sidered a complete failure; many fields will not be
cut, as they are not worth gathering. These re
marks arc predicted upon the condition of the
crops as wc viewed them along the line of Railroad
to West Point, but we heat from every section sur
rounding us representations of the same state of
things. But as a genth man remarked upon the
cars ou Tuesday, in replying to an observation up
on the deplorable condition of the crops. “We
have the promise that seed time aud harvest shall
not fail us;” and with this, relying npon the faith -
lalness of Him who made it, we must be content,
as “ sufficient unto tho day is the evil thereof.”—
Montgomery Jour., 10 th inet.
The WEATnEii and Crops.—The drought which
has so loug prevailed in this part of the State, it is
feared, will prove disastrous to crops. Cotton in
our immediate vicinity is small, but the recent
warm weather is favorable to its growth, and the
stands are good. In the moro distant parts of this
and the adjacent counties, tlje prospects is less
favorable. Corn suffers much; the oat crop is
very indifferent, aud may prove a total failure, ex
cept ou bottom or rich lauds.
We notice that the effects of drought have been
felt more or less throughout the planting States,
aud short crops are every where anticipated.
[Huntsville, Ala., Item., 9thinet.
Weather and Crops in Columbia County, Geo.
An intelligent planter of Columbia county,
writes ub as follows, under date of Juno 3d :
W T e are still in tho midst of a very distressing
drought. We have not had a really good rain since
the breaking up of tho wet s-uson, 21st March.
Wc had showers 26th March, 4th April, 15th and
16lh April, 25th do., 4th May aud Bth do. I sup
pose, from what I have heard, that in your viciui
ty there has been less rain than here, up to last
Tuesday. How Jo you manage iu such weather?
1 still think that Cotton promises well, where
planters got stands early and worked it out. But
there is great complaint of bad stands in red land.
1 think if we can have a good rain by the 14th
inst., there will be two-thirds of a Com crop
made: that is, with seasonable weather afterwards.
Il’/nwfhas beeu harvested iu good condition, end
1 believe is a good yield. Oats arc won hless—
some in this neighborhood were parched up aud
had to be out ten days ago, the earliest Oat harvest
I ever knew. Truly, yours.
Hon.A.H. Stephens— Railroad Accident.
By the telegraph, this morning, we reoeived the
following private despatch, addressed to the Edi
tor:
Macon, June B. —The passenger train on the
Macon and Western Railroad, ran off the track
last night. The lion. A. U. Stephens is badly in
jured. Write his brother to come on immediately.
C. B. Cunningham.
Since the foregoing was in type, we learn fiom
passengers who arrived by the Georgia Road, and
by Telegraph, that the Train was thrown off by
running over a cow, und that the Breakman was
killed and ten pasaotigers more or less injured,
some of them seriously. Mr. Stephens had an
arm broken and a severe contusion on the head,
but was better yesterday morning.
Luteal from Mr. Stephens.
We received at 10 o’clock last night the follow
ing despatch from a gentleman in Macon to the
Editor:
Macon, Thursday Night.
Mr. Stephens’ head was badly cut, his left arm
broken just above the elbow, and his body severe
ly bruised all over by the Rai.road aocident on
Tuesday night. He was delirious lor several hours,
but lias improved rapidly. Ho slept last night as
soundly as a child, aud is doing remarkably well.
There is no reason for anxiety on his account,
though his broken limb and bruises may confine
him to his room for some time. His two brother*
are with him.
Hon. A. H. Stephens. —The numerous frieuds
of this gentleman will be pleased to learn that he
is rapidly recovering from his late injuries, and
is able to sit up—indeed, is doing as well as could
be expected.
Communder Lynch, of the U. S. Navy, who went
on a preliminary expedition of observation, a few
months ugo to Africa,has returned. It is statodthat
he haß explored all the rivers on the coast of Li
beria, and found none navigable higher np than
twenty miles from the mouth.
The Norwalk Calamity.— The Joint Committee
of tho Legislature of Connecticut appointed to ex
amine into tho cause of tho Norwalk disaster sub
mitted a report to the Legislature on Tuesday.
Tho report embodies uo new faots, but strongly
censures the engineer and managers ot the road.
The committee decline reporting a a general law
for tho regulation of railroads, for the reason that
tho Standing Committoe on railroad accidents
have the subject under consideration.
The sum of sixty thousand pounds has been
voted by tho Canadian Parliament to build houses
of Parliament in Toronto. This settles the ques
tion, which has recently been agitated in Canada,
on the subject of the seat of govei ument,
R. K. Meade, of Vn., it is said, has declined the
Chargeship to Turin, and been offered the post of
Commissioner to China.
The Boston Traveller complains of the high
price of bricks, and says that a large amount of
building intended to bo done tho present year has
been postponed on this account. Prices of com
mon brick range from $6.50 to $7 at the wharf.
Brickmakers demand S3O per month against $lB
last year.
Large Bank Dividends. —The Marine and Fir
Insurance Bank of Savannah has declared a semi
annual dividend of nine per cent, upon its capital
stock, payable ou demand.
The Bank of Savannah and the Central Railroad
Banking Company have also deolarod a dividend
of four per cent, each, from the profits of the last
six months.
Prof. Argelander communicates through Mr.
C. S. Venable, the discovery of another planet,
on the 6th of May, by Mr. Lather, of the Ob
servatory at Bilk. The Bonn observation is the
mean ol four comparisons with the ring-mioro
meter. The planet is of the 10.11 magnitude.
This is probably the 26th of the group of small
planets between the orbits of Mare and Jupiter. The
24tU was discovered by Prof. Gasparis, of Naples,
on the sth of April; the 25th by Mr. Chaoornac,
at Marseilles, on the 6th of April of the present
year.
The present area of tho city of New Orleans
will hardly fall short of forty square miles, being
double the area of the incorporated limits of New
Y’ork city, which embrace the whole of Manhat
tan Island, aud presenting a surface greater than
that of the present area of London. The pret ent
area of New Orleans may withont difficulty, and
in the ordinary course of human affairs, comforta
bly contain a population of 2,000,<‘00 inhabitants.
The present population daring the business season
may safely be estimated at not less than 175,000.
The Hon. Daniel M. Barringer, onr Minister in
Spain, left Madrid on the 14th of May, with his
wife and family, for the purpose of making a
short journey into Andalusia previous to his re
tirement from the Spanish Peninsula. After vis
iting Cordova, Sevilla, and Cadiz, he is to return
to Madrid, where be will remain until the arrival
of Mr. Soule, who is expected to reach there in
the month of July.
The Spanish newspapers are divided in opinion
as to the propriety of receiving Mr. Soule, several
of the progrtsista and moderado journals advoca
ting the reception on various grounds. .
A sale at auction of 30 shares of the Stock of the
Raleigh and Gaston Railroad was m'de at Peters
burg a few days since, at $72.75. Ten shares of
the Petersburg Railroad Stock, sold for |7B, and 4
for $78.25 per share—a considerable advanoe with
in a few weeks.
A Legislature on an Exccrsion.—The Mem
bers of the Legislature of the State of New York
departed from Albany on Saturday morniDg on an
excursion by railroad to Niagara Falls, where they
arrived early in the afternoon. The distance is
upwards of three hundred miles.
We learn from the Winnsboro (S. C.) Register,
that Mrs. Elizabeth Dnnlap, aged about 109 years,
died iu that place on Friday last. The deceased
was well acquainted with the circumstances at
tending Huck’s defeat in York District, and other
occurrences connected with the Revolutionary
struggle, and lived to an age not usually allotted
to the human race.
The Mexican Government has ordered the circu
lation of foreign money to be discontinued in
Mexico, declaring such circulation an abnse that
is in violation of established laws; and it has di
rected that all such money be deposited at the
mints in order that it may be converted into Mexi
can coin, and where its value will be paid.
Public Parks in New York Cm-.—There are in !
the city of New York, nineteen public parks, vain- |
ed.at $9,151,000. Os these the most valuable is j
the Battery, which is set down st $8,000,000. The j
City Hall Park comes next, which is worth $2,-
500,000. The Isrgest is Tompkin’s Square, the
extent of which is not stated; the next in size is
the Battery, covering about 11 acres; after which
cornea the Park, not l&r from 10X acres.
The British Dominions*™ India. —Hindostan is
sjivided into three parts, Ist. The British domin
ions, properly so called, iu whioh the British pow
er'll paramount, fid. The tributary or dependeut
States, governed by native princes. Bd. The in
dependent Statee.
Hindostan embraces 1,314,848 square miles, with
a population of 183,000,000. The proportion of the
three classes above stated are, British 513,878
square miles, tributary 564,610 miles, independent
187,000.
The British have paramount power over 85,000,-
000 of people, and indirect control over 41,500.
Os the 182,000,000 in Hindostan, the British di
rectly and indirectly control and govern 126,500,-
000. It is truly wonderful when we reflect that
this immense country, with six times the popula
tion of the United Statee, is governed and control
led by a committee ot merchants in London.
The East India army at the present time musters
over 300,000 men of ell arms—4o,ooo cavalry is in
cluded iu this enumeration.
Dreadful Loss of Lira.—The Memphis Whig
of last Saturday learns from a gentlemen, a passen
ger on the R. H. Winslow from New Orleaus to
Memphis, that a lamentable loss of life occurred
about 100 miles above Vicksburg. The boat ha
ving'stopped for some purpose, upon starting, the
engineer could not force theehaft beyond “the
centre,” and he, in company with Beven men,
went into the wheel house to start the wheel. By
some accident every one of them foil into the wa
ter, and of the eight the engineer alone was saved.
The Whig was unable togather further particulars,
or the names of those lost.
Small Pox in Atlanta. —The Key’silicon of
Thursday the 9th inst. says :
“Another case of small pox has occurred in this
city, Mrs. Carlton, wife of John Carlton, Esq-, was
taken sick and her case pronounced to be varioloid
on Tuesday evening last. She was Immediately re
moved to safe quarantine. It is said to be in a mild
form, and no excitement whatever prevails among
the citizens.”
The New Y'ork Economist thinks thst the pro
duction of gold is perhaps oven in greater amount
than the multiplication of paper. The Australian
fields are known to havo yiolded in thirty days to
February sth, 1858, 275,808 ounces—s6,so6,l6o—
there arrived in New Y’ork from California
in the same thirty days, $6,618,819. Thus the
two sources supplied to oommerce over $12,000,000
in a mouth, aud succeeding months have not di
minished the average, as far as California is con
cerned. The amount is near $16,000,000 per
month actual receipts, or $180,000,000 per an
num. Hitherto these vast means have been rap
idly sbsorbed by the rising prices and increasing
wants of commerce and trade, and the absorption
has counteracted the influence of the gold upon
fixod property. This process will continue but
with less force; and a more rapid increase in pro
perty valuation may be looked for.
Tho steam tug Eclipse, burst her boiler iu the
port of Chioago on Wednesday. The explosion
was terrific, tearing the boat entirely to piecos—
killing a fireman and boy and severely injuring
the engineer, oook, wheelman, and one deck hand.
The Captain was also slightly injured. The boil
ers were now, and tho boat whioh was owned by
E. R. Blackwell, of Buffalo, aud Capt. S. M. John
son, of Chicago, was valued at SIO,OOO. —The en
gineer’s life is despaired of; he was dragged out
of the engine room after the explosion, terribly
scalded.
Aocounts from Turk’s Island to the 14th of May,
state that to that date, no salt bad been raked up
this year; yet, but little rain having falls*), the
prospects were good.
Official information has been reooived at the
Department of State in Washington, that a large
amount of bonds, purporting to have been issued
by Don. Jorge do Chacon, the consul of Spain at
Philadelphia, payable in tho year 1856, at Madrid,
or at the said consulate, with interest annually at
six per cent., are in circulation at New York and
elsewhere, for which tho government of Spain is
not iu any degree responsible, the said bonds hav
ing been issued without authority. Active mea
sures have been taken by the Spanish legation in
this country for the investigation of the alleged
fraud, and the functions of the Bpauish consul at
Philadelphia have beeu suspended.
Navigation of the Amazon.— The Washington
Union publishes a decree issued by the President
of Poru, dated Lima, April sth, by which the Pe
ruvian waters of tho Amazon are thrown open to
all nations; Loreto and Lauta are made free ports,
at which no duties whatever axe to be paid; and
emigrants from all nations are invited to come.
They will be landed at Hnanohaco, on the Pacific,
in a public vessel, free of expense, and transport
ed without charge thence aoroes the Andes into
the great valley of the Amazon, where land, fann
ing utensils and seeds will be given to them gratia
by the government; that being there they and theirs
are to be oxempt from all taxation for twenty years;
that they havt gurrantied to them the rights oflegis
lation npon all local affairs, with authority to eloot
their own judges, Ac.
The Howe Like of Telegraph between New
York and Boston is in a very prosperous oonditiou.
The Company have declared, or are about to de
clare, a dividend of 7 par cent, from the earnings
of the last six months. We perceive, also, that en
couraged by the flattering prospects of the Comps
ny, and of the Printing Telegraph over other sys
tems, soveral capitalists have bought np a consid
erable proportion of the stock of the Company, and
are now making active arrangements to build a
second line between New York and Boston, on a
now ronte and on a new and greatly improved
plan.
Quebec jonrnals furnish further details of the
loss of the steam boat St. Pierre, at Gilmour’a Cove
on the 30th ult. The Chronicle says the St. Pierre
was proparing to take abargoin tow, when her
boiler burst, and out of nine persona who were
on board, seven perished. Capt. Burras, who stood
over the boiler, was blown high into the air; Mr.
Terrien had his skull split open by a piece of the
boiler, and bis wife and two ohlldren who stood
by him were killed, but their bodies were hardly
disfigured at all. The other sufferers were fire
men and deck hands, whose names have not been
ascertained. The vessel went instantly down into
deep water. Five bodies have been rooovered.
The World’s Temperance Convention Commit
tee have issued the call tor that meeting. It will
take place in New York on Toesday, Sept. 6, and
will continue in session for four days. Its busi
ness will relate especially to the enactment of a
prohibitory law, like the Maine Law, by the Go
vernments of all States and nations. The Com
mittee extend an invitation to the friends ofTem
peranco in every part of the world, assuring them
of a cordial welcomo to the meeting, and an op
portunity to exhibit fully the advance of the cause
in their own respective districts.
The statistics of all the various branches of
Methodism in Europe and America show a total of
10,409 traveling and 83,000 local preachen, who
minister to 2,086,132 oommnnicants.
Liberal ScEsoßimgNs—The St. Louis Repub
lican of the 27th says: “We saw a book yesterday
containing subscriptions to the amount of 8300 or
SI,OOO, for the Clay Monument—all of them in the
sums of S6O, and all from steamboat offioers or
agents. These gentlemen know how to be liberal
when a patriotic or charitable object is presented
to them.”
The appearance of the Attorney-General of the
United States on horsebaok attracts no little atten
tion. The event is thus noticed by the Washing
ton correspondent of the N. Y. Tribune:
“Caleb, of Massachusetts, appeared in F-street
to-day in grand style; mounted on a bob-tail sor
rel, with a Mexican saddle and bridle, elaborately
plated, with a full-blooded African groom attired
in white linen and riding a blooded bay horse ;
ebony and topaz—South Carolina and Massachu
setts—a new bid for the Presidency."
A public meeting was held at Philadelphia laat
Tuesday evening, to take measures to pay off the
debt of the American Sunday School Union,
amounting to $15,000. The whole sum waa sub
scribed on the spot. _
The railroad bridge over the Seneca river, on the
line of the new road between Syracuse and Bochea
ter is 8500 feet long. The mason work is laid for
a double track, as is the mason work on the eßtire
road. The bridge over Allen’s Creek is 850 feet
long, and 70 feet high; it cost $45,000. The new
road is twenty-four miles shorter than the old one.
The Bank of the State of North Carolina has de
clared a semi-annual dividend of 5Jf per cent., of
which 5 per oent. will be paid to the stockholders
and % per oent. to the State for tax.
On Monday, 75 lota in New-York, oooupied by
the Institution for the Instruction of the deaf and
dumb,snbjecttos lease for two years, sold for
$213,980.
Thackzbay. —The Paris correspondent of the
Boston Atlas, under date of May 18, says;
“ I saw Mr. W. M. Thackeray, ‘ Pendennis,’ day
before yesterday, strolling along the Boulevard
des Italians. He has just come out by the Canada,
and is lookiDg very well and in fine spirits. He
speaks in the most enthusiastic manner of the
United States, and contemplates returning there
very shortly to reside permanently.
A letter to the Sydney Freeman’s Journal, from
Melbourne, confirms the report of the escape of
Mr. O’Donohe from Van Diemen’s Land, and
adds:—
Further particulars, (though aware of them,)
I cannot yet publish: O’Donoboe, however, is
clear off; and, more than that, I don’t think he
is yet missed by tl e jailors. Would to heaven that
the four who still remain behind were now pacing
the deck with him. What pity it is that such men
a» the anflinching O’Brien, the chivalrous Mitchel,
the devoted Martin, and the amiable O’Doherty,
shouid still pine in bondage. But they will escape
yet. Three of the imprisoned bird* have already
broken the .ban* of their cage, and oh! may they
be quickly joined by the four remainingcaptive
It is a curious circmr stanoe that a real magnify
ing glass, identified by Sir David Brewster as deci
dedly and designedly such, was i eceutly found by
Mr. Layard in one of the temples of Nineveh.
Missions. —The amount raised by the Confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church Sooth for
Missions, during the past year, is $166,901.09.
The South Carolina Conference heads the list with
$22,816.50, Alabama $21,198.88, Georgia $18,587 M.
The lowa papers are filled with cells for end the
reoords of reilroad meetings. Every county, city,
town, aud village in that State, seems to be alive
e> the subject. Among other projects, railroads
west, with the eastern termini in Burlington and
Dubuque, are exteuaively **it*ted.
Later from Havana.
Bt the arrival of the Steamer Isabel at Charles
ton, we have dates from Havana to the Bth inet.
inclusive.
Among the list of Consignees we observe the
name of W. 8. & T. H. Huberts of Augusta.
From the Courier we cull the following items of
news:
Havana, June 7,185*.
At teen. Editor *: The weather, which when 1
last wrote to you, wus suffocatingly warm, is now
much refreshed by heavy rains, which have fallen
in our vioinity. In Havana, we have had but a
few slight showers. 1 have heard ol' several deaths
by yellow fever amongst persons surrounded by
comfort and with the means of procuring overy
requisite attention: and these deaths have been
after a very brief illness. This would prognosti
cate rather a fatal year to new comers. Natives
of Havaua, and even foreigners, who have resided
in the city over 7 or 8 years never fall siok of this
fatal disease, however, persons from the interior
very often die of it, on coming to town, and even
the people of Havana are not exempt from it, if
they have resided out of the oily for a length of
timo. In Matanzas, the small pox is rather fatal.
Os the cholera in theoountry, 1 nave heard nothing
during the last few days.
In the way of news of a local description, the
papers speak of the bull fights—past and future—
of concerts and oomedies—none of which amuso
rneuts offer to me auy attraction. The first on ac
count of its barbarity, the latter on account of its
mediocrity. The concerts, which are by amateurs,
are very good; but the same voices year after year,
at last fail to attract.
Some surmiso and excitement was created last
week by extra trains on the railroad being order
ed by the government to be ready at a moment’s
warning. Os course, it was expected that they
had landed, conversation became brisk in whispers,
some laces becume long and others brightened up
with hope. 1 must confess that my own blood did
circulate more rapidly than usual, nut remember
ing the orders of our old Colonel, 1 never fire until
1 can see the white of the eye of my object. There
fore I slept quietly on the report, and in due time
found out that the tkeys that were landed were not
from thar, but from Africa, and that the trains
were for some ofUoere sent toieee the Lieutenant-
Govoruordo his duty; however, none were taken,
in fact 1,000 doubloons lay in the way as a stum
bling blook, and with money here everything is
done and everything obtained, neither virtuo or
honor can withstand it, and falao swearing may be
procured with it at an easy rate.
The number of shipments from Africa have been
very great, and many have already been the ar
rivals here of Negroes, but as your readers, in all
Ebability, are not particularly interested in bear
details, especially os they might not be favor
o to all their friends, I merely hint at the sub
ject.
Another subject that has been calling much at
tention, is the present state of Mexico, and the at
tention Spain has taken in regard to that oouutry.
It is said that some of the vessels of war, that havo
left our harbor have gone to Vera Cruz. Wo are
anxiously awaiting the arrival of the British steam
er, for much time cannot transpire without some
Ct eveut taking place in that country, and per
i Spain may be drawn into the vortex of de
struction.
The arrival of the U.S. steamer Vixen from New
York created some curiosity, I hear that she has
visited us for the purpose of coaling, and proceeds
to Pensacola.
Both the British steamers are out cruising, and
in tho harbor, are threo war steamers, one frigute,
and one brig of tho Spunish Nuvy.
Large uumbers of oar people are leaving by
every Bleainer for the States, some for change ot
climate, some on business aud others to see the
Bights in New York. m. m.
Havana, Jnno 7.— Since my last report Sugars
have been in fair demand, with tho exception of
fine yellows and whites, aud had shipping been
more readily obtained undoubtedly a much larger
business would have been done. The transactions
this week show firmness on tho part of tho plant
ers, and buyers appear to give in. The weather,
which has been all that could be desired by tho
cultivator, is now beginning to bo rainy, which
circumstance will speedily put a stop to further
operations upon the estates. The stock in town is
rising 200,000 boxes, aud the quantity to be brought
in is pretty largo, but nothing can be said with re
gard to the exact amount that this market will fur
nish between this and next season. Up to the
end of May 848,084 boxes bad been exported from
Havana and from Matanzas equal to 158,789, whilst
last year 858,096 went from the first, and 197,540
from the last mentioned market, which shows a
deficit this year of 48,722 boxes; howevor, proba
bly this is owing to the scarcity of vcssols that hus
been experienced dnriug the last few wcoks at all
the ports. Tho exports from Havana daring the
past week amounted to 85,969 boxos, about 4000
of whioh wore shipped to New-York and Boston.
The xportS to the United States from this placo
and Matanzas are 74,588 boxes less this year than
last to this date.
The transactions in Coffee are so trifling, that it
now-a days is hardly worth uotioo. Sinoo the Ist
of Jauuary only 16,000 bags have boon exported,
about half of which has been taken by tbe United
States. Price sßa9 per qi. Molasses is accumula
ting now that shipping is scarce, but i)( a 2% is
still obtained for keg.
Latest from Rio de Janeiro.— The barque Clin
tonia Wright, at Baltimore, Tuesday, brings ttdvi
oes from Rio de Janeiro to 26th April. The edi
tors of the American arc indebted to commercial
friends for a copy of the following letter, dated
Rio de Janeiro, April 20.— Coffee.— Restricted
operations, and freerarrivals from the interior, are
increasing our stook, though doalers evince no dis
position to lower their pretonaions, which are bo
muoh above the views of buyers that wo cannot
look for much activity in the article until we arc
in receipt oflater advices from abroad. We quote
mixed lots of good firsts aud superior, 4!100a4(20u.
Ecchango.—2,'t%»2&){— nominal.
Freight*.— No transactions have taken place for
tbe Statoß, and we quote nominally slasl.lo and
5 cents per bag.
This vessel takes 8192 bags Coffee, and leaves in
oompany of brig Carleton, same destination, with
3491 bags.
Tbe Postmaster General finds himsolf much em
barrassed by the pertinacious badgoring which ho
is called upeu to endure from the applicants for
travelling rnuil agencies. There are eighteen of
them in all, and a liberal salary being attached to
the office, together with miloago or travelling ex
penses to an indefinite amount, tho competition
lor this class of appointments has become anima
ted even among the bettor class of Democratic
politicians. „
Col. Jamos L. Seward, of Tbomasville, has de
clared himself an independent candidate for Con
gress in tho First Congressional District.
A Washington despatch to tho N. Y. Courier
says The report that Judge Conklin had writ
ten to Gov. Lane requesting him to desist from
seizing Mosilla, creates some sensation here, bnt is
not credited. The indications now aro that Lane
is sustained by the Administration.
A long Cabinet meeting has been held to-day.
It is understood that the Fisheries, and the in
structions to Gen. Garland with reference to Mexi
can affairs, were the subject of discussion. Tbe
Mesilla question looks more threatening, and the
accumulation of British force on tho fishing grounds
requires all the droumspeotion of the Government.
By a despatch to the agent in Savannah, we
learn that the steamship State of Georgia arrived
at her wharf in Phiiadelph'a at 9 o’olook on Satur
day. At 8 o’clock the same morning, Mr. Bravo, a
passenger, was missed from on board.
Grahams Magazine for July has been received—
a capital number, well filled with interesting mut
ter. _ ■
A Washington despatch states that Mr. Cramp
ton, the British Minister, has received despatches
by tbo last steamer, relative to the fishery and re
ciprocity questions, and urging .the matter upon
the attention of our government. Mr. Buohanan,
the same authority asserts, is desirous of having
the negotiations transferred to London, while Mr.
Marcy considers they oan be conducted with more
advantage at Washington.
A Word m Biason—Especially to the Ladies.
—The Philadelphia Inquirer has the following:
The Strawberry, which is now at tho height of
its perfection in our markets, if applied with »
brush to the teeth, will remove the tartar more
effectually than any dentrifrlee ever invented.—
Give it a trial. One or two strawberries, eaten in
the morning, will cleanse the mouth delightfully,
and with their application to the teeth, os reoom
mended, give a delicious fragranoe to the breath.
Accident to Geh. Soorr.—The New York Post
of Thursday, P. M., says:
We regret to learn that Gen. Scott met wilt
an aooident last night which is likely to pnm
somewhat serious. As he was passing down the
Fifth avenue, betwoen Eighth and Ninth streets,
about half-past 9 o’clock, he stumbled against a
flagging stone that had been raised above the sur
rounding pavement, and fell headlong. He was
assisted promptly by some gentlemen who hap
pened to be near, and taken home. When they
offered to support him by the arm, bo said. “Donb
touch that, 1 believe it is broken ?” We trust that
this impression may not have proved correct. His
face was also badly bruised, though we have not
yet learned ail the particulars. Tho night was
quite dark, and the Irregularity in the pavement
was not visible.
The Legislature of Ohio has passed a law grant
ing divorces on such a number of variant and fri
volous pretexts as oan scarce fail to afford escapo for
any badly matched pair who may desire to avail
themselves of It. Parties belonging to other
States can, by a residence of one year, have all
tbe benefits of the Ohio law, though the veause of
divorce may have occurred elsewhere, and a de
cree of divorce in any Court of another State is
ground for a like decree in favor of the same party
in Ohio. The law is only one remove firom tbe
socialistic theory which allows the marriage con
tract to be terminated at the will of either of the
parties.
Gold Coinage in Great Britain.—A parliamen
tary paper, reoently iaaaed, states as follows, the
amount of gold and silver ooined at the Koyal
Mint of Great Britain, from the Ist of January to
the 81stof March, 1858:
G01d......4,866,587 pieces—value £4,885,857 Os.
Silver 1,788,096 pieces—value 92,869 Bs.
Total....6,o99,6Bßpieces—value £4,428,226 Bs.
Bt P® r P° nn< * to $21,482,-
The coinage of gold and silver at the United
States Mint, at Philadelphia, during the Hame
time, was, gold, $13,484,476; silver, $865 ; 850.
Showing a total gold and silver callage of
$18,800,826, and an excess of $7,682,826.77 in the
coinage of the Royal British Mint, lor the three
months of 1853, as compared with the coinage of
the Philadelphia Mint.
Much Sense in Few Words.— W6 have had
occasion already, more than onoe we believe, to
oommend the considerate and wise views taken of
political (not partv) questions by an able paper in
New York called the National Democrat. Weadd
all instances, from a recent number of that paper,
in which the Bame good sense, united with oorreol
knowledge, is expressed in few words: — National
Intelligencer.
The Sandwich Islands.— Let England and
France squabble out at their leisure the auestion ol
protecting this inviting cluster of islands. Who
over owns them and whatever may happen, they
will always be a safe and open stopping place for
our whalers, a friendly and convenient rest for our
passing traders, and that us all we want of them. In
no case can they ever be much more. They can
never be a great mart of production, reoep ion, or
distribution to an extent that would pay back in
revenue what they would cost in the necessity 01
an increased navy.
Borrow and Virtue.—A late writer says that the
mind that is capable of sorrow is capablo of good.
A beautiful sentiment, and as true as beautiful
Hearts are like oranges, the more Juicy they are
the more virtue they possess. The springs of
pity in the eye never dry up till the nree of pas
sion have completely evaporated the fountains of
benevolence.
The Late Kallroail ArrMSut.
The Macon Citizen of the 11th iust. contains the
following particulars of the lute accident on the
Macon <te Western Road:
On Tuesday night last, about 11 o’clock, us the
Macou & Westorn Train was passing Jmm-e Van-'
valkenburg’s residence, two miles übove tl is city,
on its way down, it camo in contuct will two cows
on the track, one of which was thrown off by the
cow-catcher, but the other somehow got boiwc »
the baggago and passenger car by winch the I otor
was thrown off the track, over a precipice ol it! or
15 feet, and was smashed to pieces. Nearly all
the passengers, about thirty in number, wort more
or less bruißod, and several severely injured.
Michael Behau, who was Bn,keman'and‘Mail
guard on t.ho train, wus k lied ifistantlv, and from
the position he was found, it was manifest that his
neck was brokeu by some timber or iron fulling
on it. The tollnjviug persons were the principal
sufferers:
Hon. A. H. Stephens, left arm broken gml severe
contusions on the head. Is at the Lanier House,
aud the physicians pronounce him out of danger.
Mr. 8. was on his way to defend a person charged
with murder before the Muscogee Superior Court.
Mrs. Dawson both arms broken, hotli wrists
sprained and badly bruisod on the head and body.
Patrick Lowe, six ribs brokeu and otherwise
seriously injured.
Mrs. Judge Burr, of Griffin, rib broken and
othor contusions.
Mr. and Mrs. Wicliell of Taylor county, out and
bruised on the head and body.
Mr. W. R. Simpson, of Macon, gashed in the
head alightly.
The Engine and baggage car being uninjured
wore pushed down to tho Depot, when unother
passcugor car was sent out to bring in the wounded
which oouM uot como dowi. in thu omnibus, und
every attention possible was bestowed upon those
who wero injured. It is said that hut lor Tele
graphic post against which the passenger cur
lodged in its somorsetdownwards, the destruction
of life must have boon much greater. As it was,
from the complete wreck of tho strong heavy
built car, it is a miracle that ull on board wore u ot
killed outright.
United States and Mkxioo. —The usually well
inforinod Wathingtou correspondent of the New
York Journal of Commerce writes us follows under
dato of 6th Inst: * #
In regard to onr Mexican relations, the .Vlmin
istration no doubt consider them as in a uritical
condition ; but they do uot think that a war will
grow out of the Mcsilla question. They have 1.0
authentic information going to show thill lie Gov
ernment of Mexico will assume to hold exclusive
possession of the disputed territory. They think
that Gov. Trius will rctiro from it very scon, and
that ho will be starved out of it long before Gen.
Garland will enter the territory. Gov. Ti las can
not, they say, maintain his position long, for want
of supplies, which the country does not afford. It'
Mexico wero mud ontmgh to make an is-ue on the
Mcsilla question, thou, of course, this (l .vern
ment might bo obliged to meet it, (ion. Garland's
intructions will not necessarily lend to a collision.
Representations havo already been made to the
Mexican Government on this subject, of a nature
calculated to prevent difficulty as to the Mcsilla
question.
The Administration have undoubtedly taken the
ground that the iino was improperly fixed by the
Joint Commission, and that Mr. Butlett’s net in
fixing it without the assent and in defiance of tho
protesf of tho surveyor, Mr. Gray, is null and void
under tho sth article of the treaty, which provides
that “tho two Governments shall each appoint a
UommUeicmer and u Surveyor, who before tho ex
piration of one your Irom tho date of the exchange
of ratification or this Treaty, shall meet at the port
of Son Diego, and proceed to run and mark tho
said boundary in its whole course to tlm month of
tho Rio Bravo dol Norte. Tho\ shall keep jour
nals and malto out plans of their operations; and
the result agreed upon bu them, shall bo deemed a
part of this Treaty, and shall havo the sumo force
as it it wero inserted therein.”
Now, it is hold by the present Administration,
that tho rosult was not “agreed npon by them,"
but was reached by Mr. Burtlott ulone, and against
his Surveyor’s protest.
In opposition to this view of tile present Ailinin -
istratioi, it muy be stuted thut Msjoi Emory, who
succeeded Mr. Grey as Surveyor, did sign the re
port of Mr. Bartlett, and thus legally perfected the
act of the Commissioners. To that lact it is object
ed that Major Emory signed it under the orders of
Mr. Secretary Stuart, utid without having hud any
participation in the survey. Major Emory's urgu
mont goes to show, however, that the question in
controversy is of no importance.
Dismissing the Mosilla question, it is yet u>
he considered that there exist diflicnltiis in regard
to Mexico of a graver and deeper chnrueLw, and
those may, in tho opinion of the Administration,
lead to a war sooner or later.
Japanese Manufactures —Tho King of Hol'and
has sent to the Dublin Exhibition a number of
specimens of Japan manufacture :
Among othor tilings, spociinons of silk and vel
vets, said to be equal to any of European manu
factures; also, silken cords of various thickness,
painted wax candles, toiletto cabinets, and para
sols : of those latter articles, the part that is made
of silk with us, is of paper, creased into many
folds; the ribs arc of thin spliced bamboo, they
open and oloso with great case, and are a much
better defenco from tire sun than shades of Pcitu
translucont silk. Specimens ot coins, of gold and
silvorj are found in tiio collection; the largest gold
coin is worth £SO, of nu oblong shupe, with round
ed corners. But more interesting than these nro
tho printing types, which are id wood, tho body
of tho type beii g cylindrical with the lettor at one
end. The warlike instruments are not very
formidable; tho fire arms are long and heavy; the
swords aro short with dagger attached, the whole
onolosod in clumsy cylindrical Bhoiuh ; the armor
is a woven fabric, sufficiently thick to resist the
ilirustofan arrow or spear; there is also n highly
inishod Japsued nbield, which projects in tho
ontre, from which an arrow or any liurd missile
would glance aside. The Japan ware is more
hardly finished than Hint which wo ever find in
connnerco; in tho collection is a ton set of this
ware, aud other artioles to bo used in contuct wiih
hot water; from the uses to which many ot those
articles aro uppliod,itis evident their varnish must
be of a superior quality and unaffected by liquids.
Late and Important prom China—Steady Vro-
ORESS OF THE REBELLION—BATTLE AND SIEGES,
By the arrivul of the ship London, Captain Tilgh
raan, from Hong Kong, at San Francisco, we have
received full fileß of China papers to March 19.
They aro no lator than adviocn received by wuy ol
E gland, but tho details aro of special interest.
Tho British men of war are doing effective ser
vice in the Chinese waters, and their energy and
activity are contrasted witli the American war
vessels there. H. M. screw steamer Rut tier has
been under seventeen months in coirimiss.oii, in
which poriod she has steamed und sailed upwards
of 80,900 miles, and has been besides in several
actions. At different times as many us tivu ngi
ments havo been taken on hoard and conveyed to
other places.
From the North China Ileroid of Feb. 26th, we
learn that mutters in tho disturbed districts nro
becoming still more serious; brokers, by reason
ot them, "being unuhle to clear their former pnr
iliasos, bankers refusing to issue orders or credits,
and wealthy men converting their properly into
gold, lor which they have boon paying the extra
ordinary advunoe of 28 per cent.
Wcoxtrncttho following fr'tn the Pekin Ga
zette, tho Chineso official paper of 12lh moon, Bth
day, or Kith Jan.:
Sovoral ol tho Emporor’s ministers have tn mo
rializod him to cull upou tho wealthy throughout
tho Empire for subscriptions to assist In defray
ing tiie expenses of resisting tho rebels.
A letter from Shanvhae, March 3rd, says:—.
“ The intelligence received in Slianghuo, ycrteV
day, from Nankin, is of nil claiming cnaruo'.(. r-
This nows has caused great consternation am»,,„‘„ n t
the dealers with foreigners. 11. H. M. Kb’,,, Jj|y
has her sails bent, and it is said tho Ym’.iuae Ji*a
requested tho Consul to send her to Nu.ikiu. II
is also said an application has beeii made by the
authorities for uu armed English steamerfrom
Hong Kong. Great numbers of Oantonuien nro
engaged by the Yaoutao togo to Plaiikiti and light,
at the rate of sls per mouth, and all thy local
lorce has bcun sent to defend tho place. To give
yon some idoa of how the Chinese attract otieni ion
to despatchca ot importance, the letter rcceiVi <1 by
tho Yaoutao relating to the present movements of
the rebels bad a corner burnt < (I und u number of
'eathors inserted. This is never done excepting
in cases of vital importance to tho State.
A Pariß letter of tho 26th ult. in the N. Y. Com
mercial says—
The French are soriously seeking to develop
the'r intercourse with other countries Ify means of
steam. The government i uviug declined aiding
any schemes ot transatlantic navigation, private
companies are venturing unassisted upon such
shorter routes as eeern to promise reward. Two
new steamers, of 200 horse power, are announced
to ran from Havre to Santander in Spain, The
distance is to be accomplished in 60 hours—tho
price of passage to bo ten dollars. Two new ar row
steamors, of 1000 tons each, ure to be placed next
month upon the Egyptian and Morocco line. One
vessel leaves Marseilles foi Tunis, Tripoli and Al
exandria, and tho other for Gibruhur, Tungicrs
and the coast of Morocco, as far as Mogudor, each
month. A line of steamboats between Nantes
and Santander has existed for some yeurs.
Tho number of new buildings in progress in
Paris is enormous; in fact the supply of stone has
actually given ont. A contractor told me yester
day that lie had been wailing one week for a
quantity ordered at Montrougo throe weeks ago,
sod that he had sought in vain for a supply at all
the quarries within ton miles of Paris.
The Government is contemplating tho erection
of 460 hospitals in different parts of France. 1340
of these establishments alreudy exist in the Em
pire, but it is said that 1800, each containing 150
beds, are required, in order to afford medical aid
to the necessitous poor.
From Bahia.— Extract from a letter dated Bahia
April 26, 1858.
“We have at present two American vessels in
port from New York bound to Auntruliu; one, the
Peytona, tho other the Euphrasia; both arc much
crowded, with passengers, and on board the former
the yellow lever has broken out, and I am afraid
there will be many deaths before the completion of
the voyage. The fever has been bad the past fart- ,
night. Had tbe rains set in at the usual time, say
the 20th or 2!ilh nit,, wo should probably have es
caped it; hut several vessels arriving here from Bio
had it on hoard, and tho hot weather, rendered
still more sultry by small showers, is most favora
ble for its spreading.
The New York Herald of Tuesday says:—lt was
| stated to us, on the most reliable authority, that a
number of leading merchants, including, chiefly,
ship owners and agents, had commenced a suit
against the late Collector, Hugh Maxwell, Esq., for
the recovery of illegal exactions, which, it was
said, had been going on for several years. The
aggregate amount of the restitution claimed was
said to be very large, and that very little doubt was
expressed by the able counsel employed but full
-ecovery would be hud. It successful against Mr.
Maxwell, such of his predecessors as were living
and were solvent, and who had approved of simi
lar illegal exactions, would be proceeded against.
The merchants, as a body, and particularly those
engaged in the shipping business, hud formed a
resolution to resist all illegal pruc'icct, whether
emanating from officers of the Custom House, or
elsewhere.
How wePay. — A well known political economist
fays: “We pay best, ttrst, those who destroy ns—
generals; seoond, those who choat us—politicians
and quacks; third, those who amuse us singers
and musicians; and least of all, those who in
etruct us—authors, schoolmasters and editors.”
Railroad Company Indicted.— lt is roportod
that the grand jury of Essex County, Muss., have
indicted the Boston and Maine Railroad, for oaus
ing the death of the son of President Pierco lust
fall. ■}
The V. 8. Steamer Paoiflc which arrived at Li
verpool on the 24th May, rnado the run in Uinta
day* and twenty-three hours.
The ootorod residents of Circlevillc, Ohio, are
about sending an agent to Liberia to seek out a
home for them, as are also the colored people of
Cleveland.
Wearo gratified to learn that the entire issne
of $200,000 of the Wnsh'ngton and Manchester
Railroad seven per cent Sect nd Mongage Bends
has been negotiated through AJonzo J. White*
Broker, of this cityj which will, wo understand*
enable the enterprising and energotic President of
the Koud—Gen. W. W. Harllee— to complete it
forthwith.—©. Otm, P *